Incidence of stomach cancer in the USSR]

The authors have studied some tendencies in the morbidity and mortality due to malignant neoplasms of the stomach for the period from 1970 to 1975. The age-sex indices of the morbidity are reported as well as some data on a contingency of gastric cancer patients under dispensary control. There is noted a reduced morbidity and mortality rate due to gastric cancer among the population of this country.     

Salivary lysozyme in the screening for stomach cancer]

The study was concerned with measurement of lysozyme activity of saliva in healthy subjects and patients with different pathologies of the stomach including precancer and cancer. It established a considerable decrease in this parameter in cancer and precancer as compared with healthy controls. Assay of saliva lysozyme activity was found to yield more specific and prognostic data than clinical symptoms and examination of the patient. This procedure proved highly valuable in forming groups at risk for stomach cancer, due to providing significant differences in saliva lysozyme activity indices between "healthy subjects--stomach pathology" and "precancer--precancerous changes--stomach cancer" groups.     

Epidemiology of stomach cancer in North Caucasus]

The study of gastric cancer epidemiology in the North Caucasus has indicated that this disease shows a definite regularity in its spread--sharply pronounced regionality, conditioned by natural (geochemical and hydrochemical) local conditions. Geohydrochemical conditions of the region determine differences in the gastric cancer incidence among Russian population living in different geographical zones. Fluctuations in the incidence of gastric cancer morbidity between males and females are mostly conditioned by different habits of nutrition and alcohol consumption. The incidence of gastric cancer is largely influenced by national habits of nutrition. The prophylaxis of gastric cancer is the complex hygienic problem.     

Malignant tumors in the relatives of stomach cancer patients]

The author has studied the predisposition to gastric cancer in familiar probands of russian nationality suffering cancer of the stomach. An analysis of the gastric-cancer incidence among the groups of individuals of different degree of kinship of male and female probands indicates their various predisposition only to cancer of the stomach. Most frequently the affection was noted in the blood relations of female probands (mothers, sisters, and daughters). In this group familial gastric cancer was 5.2 times as frequent as the expected value. Familial gastric cancer among the male blood relations of these probands was no more frequent than among the whole population of russian nationality. Males and females--the blood relations of male probands were affected by gastric cancer approximately twice as frequently as the control subjects. The investigation conducted has shown that distant relations (2d and 3d degree of kinship) of all probands were affected by this kind of cancer at the average population level. Also, all kin groups did not show any high risk for other cancer forms.     

胃粘膜脱落细胞端粒酶活性研究

目的　探讨胃镜直视下刷取胃粘膜脱落细胞中端粒酶活性对胃癌的诊断价值。方法　采用TRAP PCR ELISA法对 5 6例胃组织和胃粘膜刷落细胞进行端粒酶活性的分析。结果　胃癌组端粒酶活性水平 (平均A值 0 .745 )明显高于胃炎组 (平均A值 0 .0 6 8)。端粒酶活性水平在胃刷落细胞中与组织的是相近的。端粒酶在胃癌组的阳性率为90 % ,明显高于胃刷落细胞涂片的阳性率 (6 6 .7% )、血CEA的阳性率 (5 6 .7% )。同时还测得 75 %的胃粘膜不典型增生者端粒酶活性水平也显著升高。结论　胃镜直视下刷取胃粘膜脱落细胞中端粒酶活性测定可作为诊断胃癌有效而敏感的方法。     

Endoscopic diagnosis of postoperative stomach cancer]

The authors examined endoscopically the esophagus and stomach in 309 patients, previously operated upon for gastric cancer (258), ulcer of the stomach or duodenum (36) and benign gastric tumors (15). They estimated the value of this method for establishing diagnosis of the operated stomach cancer and also the importance of histological and cytological methods in the complex diagnosis of this pathology. Moreover, roentgeno-endoscopic correlations were made. Cancer of the operated stomach was detected in 59 patients, it was suspected in 8, other lesions were found in 194. no changes in the operated stomach were found in 48. It is stated that endoscopy is more advantageous than roentgenological examination in establishing the diagnosis of tumor pathology of the operated stomach. Histological and cytological findings are of considerable value in making the correct diagnosis. These methods are mostly informative in an exophytic form of the tumor growth.     

Sex hormone excretion in stomach cancer patients]

Study on the balance of sex hormones in 43 males and 45 females with gastric cancer indicated the presence of some deviations from normal level of androgens and estrogens excretion in gastric cancer patients. The character and intensity of the deviations observed were dependent on patients' sex and stage of the disease. In males the leading factor in sex hormones excretion disorders is a regular decrease both of 17-KS and estrogens, and only in stage UV hyperestrogenization phenomena are observed on account of active estrogens being predominant over androsterone. In females relative hyperestrogenization was observed already in stage III on acount of androsterone decrease, while in stage IV--due to reduction of total 17-KS in normal level of total enstrogens.     

Use of large-frame fluorography in the diagnosis of stomach cancer]

A comparison of the results of non-aimed large-frame fluorography (LFF) and roentgen study of the stomach in 301 patients enabled ascertaining more precisely the opportunities of LFF in diagnosing gastric cancer. It was found by checking (fibrogastroscopy with biopsy or surger) that irrespective of the technic of non-aimed LFF, despite the diagnosis being known previously, cancer of the stomach still far from being in early stage may be recognized only in 62-63%. Therefore use of non-aimed LFF to diagnose gastric cancer during mass prophylactic examinations seems to be not rational.     

Formation of an esophageal-intestinal anastomosis in stomach cancer]

It is suggested to contruct entero-entero, and entero-esophageal anastomoses by means of the SPTU-suturing apparatus with detachable heads through the lumen of the anastomosed jejunum. The technic in use prevents the development of reflux-esophagitis, thus greatly accelerating the accomplishment of the most painstaking stage of the operation--constructing of the anastomoses, and reduced the incidence of suture incompetency of entero-esophageal anastomosis.     

Evaluation of pepsinogen A expression in stomach cancer]

The report deals with a molecular-genetic study of human pepsinogen A (PGA) genetic locus. EcoRI, HindIII and BamH 1 restriction endonuclease technique were employed. The investigation involving 58 patients with stomach cancer (SC) and 18 healthy donors failed to identify any significant PGA genetic restructuring in the blood of healthy donors. However, DNA sampled from tumor tissue showed lower expression and deletion of PGA fragments as compared with those of unaltered gastric mucosa in the same patients. Such changes were identified in 27 SC patients.     

Immunologic reactivity in different courses of stomach cancer]

The immunological status was examined in 106 patients with cancer of the stomach, who were subjected to different operative interventions. 74 of them were considered to be operable and 32-inoperable. The immunological activity was compared (according to the tests of cell immunity and general immunological reactivity) in aggressive--unfavourable and torpid-favourable course of the disease. A torpid course of the lesion after surgery for gastric cancer was associated with stabilization and some activation of immune response indices. However, radical operations fail to provide the normalization of these tests, and the state of immune depression in the patients would persist. An aggressive course of the lesion after surgery for gastric cancer was associated with considerable shifts in immunological tests indices toward their suppression, these being increased with the approach of patient's death.     

Use of areflux anastomoses in inoperable stomach cancer]

Under consideration is the experience with 64 operations of palliative areflux gastro-enteroanastomoses for inoperable cancer of distal portion of the stomach. The absence of lethal issues and such complications as suture incompetency at the anastomosis site, peritonitis, postoperative reflux-gastritis are felt by the authors to be due to the advantages of this operative technic. In 39 of 64 patients palliative surgery was soon followed by chemotherapy. The longer survival from 4--6 months to 11 months was noted only after palliative operations.     

Improvement of ultrasonographic diagnosis of stomach cancer]

A method for abdominal ultrasonographic diagnosis of gastric cancer is suggested which includes evaluation of the gastric wall and regional lymph nodes, and search for distant metastases. Gastric tumors were visualized in 92.9% of cases. The procedure should be performed both in cancer suspects and cases with reliably established gastric neoplasm to assess local extent of tumor and detect regional and distant metastases.