Incidence and survival in patients with pharyngeal cancer in northern Finland

A population-based survey was conducted in northern Finland in order to study the incidence rate and survival in patients with pharyngeal cancer diagnosed between 1986 to 1996. A total of 95 new patients with hypopharyngeal, oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal cancers were identified. The overall age-adjusted incidence rates (per 100,000 years) were 1.28 in men and 0.60 in women, giving an overall incidence rate of 0.89. Most of the tumours were diagnosed at stage IV, and the median disease-specific survival times were 27.6 months for the patients with oropharyngeal cancer, 13.5 months for nasopharyngeal cancer and 17.7 for hypopharyngeal cancer. The most important factors that were associated with a poor prognosis were stage IV in oropharyngeal [Hazard ratio (HR) 3.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97-13.92] and hypopharyngeal cancer (HR 3.99, CI 1.51-10.67) and age over 65 years in nasopharyngeal cancer (HR 9.28, CI 1.79-47.99).     

Surgical treatment of cavernous haemangiomas of the liver

Cavernous haemangiomas of the liver were surgically treated in 36 women and 14 men over a 10-year period. The tumours were solitary in 42 cases and multiple in 8. Locations were the right lobe in 39 cases, the left one in 5 and both lobes in 6. The size of the tumours ranged from 0.4 to 14 cm in diameter. Enucleation of tumours was carried out in 29 cases, an atypical liver resection in 19 cases, anatomical lobectomy in 2 cases and a right trisegmentectomy in 1 case. There was no mortality. Morbidity rate seems to be lower in patients who underwent enucleation. The authors indicate the importance of enucleation for removal of liver haemangiomas of various sizes.

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Chirurgische Behandlung kavernöser Hämangiome der Leber

Zusammenfassung Über einen Zeitraum von 10 Jahren wurden kavernöse Hämangiome der Leber bei 36 Frauen und 14 Männern chirurgisch behandelt. Bei 42 Patienten waren die Tumoren solitär, bei 8 multipel. Sie waren in 39 Fällen im rechten, bei 5 Patienten im linken und bei 6 in beiden Leberlappen lokalisiert, ihr Durchmesser betrug 0,4 bis 14 cm. In 29 Fällen wurde eine Enukleation, in 19 eine atypische Leberresektion, in 2 eine anatomische Lobektomie und in einem Falle eine rechtsseitige Trisegmentektomie durchgeführt. Die Mortalität war gleich Null; die Morbiditätsrate scheint bei den Patienten geringer, die mit Enukleation behandelt wurden. Der Beitrag hebt die Bedeutung der Enukleation zur Beseitigung von Leberhämangiomen unterschiedlicher Größe hervor.

     

Effect of cisplatin chemotherapy on extracortical tissue formation in canine diaphyseal segmental replacement

The reconstruction of large bone and joint defects after the resection of malignant tumors remains a major challenge. Chemotherapy has significantly lowered the risk of metastasic disease, but complications associated with reconstructive techniques continue to result in late morbidity. In the present study, biomechanical torsion testing, gait analysis, and histomorphometric and scanning electron microscopic evaluations of 24 dogs were used to examine the effects of preoperative and postoperative administration of cisplatin on the biologic fixation of a porous-coated segmental replacement prosthesis. The chemotherapy consisted of four cycles of cisplatin administered at a dosage of 75 mg/m:² preoperatively or postoperatively. The healing was enhanced by use of an autogenous corticocancellous bone graft. The graft was placed evenly around the prosthesis and the adjacent femoral cortex. Mechanical analyses of torsional stiffness, yield strength, and maximum strength revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups at 12 weeks. Such lack of difference was mainly due to the penetration of highly organized fibrous tissue into the porous surface; this provided strong fixation of the implant to bone even in the absence of bone ingrowth. Although bone ingrowth into the prostheses was not affected, electron microscopic, histomorphometric, and radiologic analyses showed a clear difference in the formation of new bone around the prosthesis. Preoperative chemotherapy did not alter the formation of new bone, but specimens from animals treated postoperatively with cisplatin showed significantly less bone graft resorption and less new bone formation. Hence, the effect of cisplatin administration caused only a temporary delay, not a permanent effect, on extracortical capsule formation. The formation of extracortical bone and soft tissue might prevent debris-incised osteolysis and, therefore, prevent late complications by forming a tight capsule around the bone-prosthetic interface.     

Molecular and biological analysis of echovirus 9 strain isolated from a diabetic child

The full-length infectious cDNA clone was constructed and sequenced from the strain DM of echovirus 9, which was recently isolated from a 6-week-old child at the clinical onset of type 1 diabetes. Parallel with the isolate DM, the full-length infectious cDNA clone of the prototype strain echovirus 9 Barty (Barty-INF), was constructed and sequenced. Genetic relationships of the sequenced echo 9 viruses to the other members of the human enterovirus type B species were studied by phylogenetic analyses. Comparison of capsid protein sequences showed that the isolate DM was closely related to both prototype strains: Hill and Barty-INF. The only exception was the inner capsid protein VP4 where serotype specificity was not evident and the isolate DM clustered with the strain Hill and the strain Barty-INF with echovirus 30 Bastianni. Likewise, the nonstructural protein coding region, P2P3, of isolate DM was more similar to strain Hill than to strain Barty-INF. However, like echovirus 9 Barty, the isolate DM contained the RGD-motif in the carboxy terminus of capsid protein VP1. By blocking experiments using an RGD-containing peptide and a polyclonal rabbit antiserum to the alpha(v)beta(3)-integrin, it was shown that this molecule works as a cellular receptor for isolate DM. By using primary human islets, it was shown that the isolate DM is capable of infecting insulin-producing beta-cells like the corresponding prototype strains did. However, only isolate DM was clearly cytolytic for beta-cells. The infectious clones that were made allow further investigations of the molecular features responsible for the diabetogenicity of the isolate DM.     

Role of the galactose lectin of Entamoeba histolytica in adherence-dependent killing of mammalian cells.

Entamoeba histolytica extracellular killing of host cells is contact dependent. Adherence to human colonic epithelial cells and mucins is mediated by a galactose-specific lectin. The effect on cytotoxicity of a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) directed against the galactose lectin was tested. As expected, those MAb which inhibited adherence also decreased cytotoxicity. However, one antilectin MAb blocked cytotoxicity after adherence had occurred, indicating that the lectin has a role in cell killing that is distinct from its adherence function.     

Difference in cytokine production and cell activation between adenoidal lymphocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes of children with otitis media

We evaluated the immunological potential of adenoidal lymphocytes from children with recurrent otitis media. Interleukin-4 release and CD69 expression were lower in adenoidal lymphocytes than in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Our results suggest that there may be a difference between the immunological potential of adenoidal lymphocytes and that of PBL in children with otitis.     

Renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: The inactive form of pyruvatekinase could be established in different tumours. Purpose of this study was to demonstrate the presence or absence of the inactive form of pyruvatekinase in renal cell carcinoma, metastases and benign renal tissue by immunohistology. METHOD: After deparaffinization of formaline-fixed tissue (5 original tumours, 2 metastases and 5 benign renal tissues) cells were stained (APAAP-method) with Clon DF4 (ScheBo Tech). RESULTS: All malign tissue showed a positive reaction, inside benign tissue we saw a positive reaction of endothelial cells however we saw no reaction with benign renal cells. CONCLUSION: Renal cell carcinoma and metastatic cells show a strong immunohistological reaction against the inactive form of pyruvatekinase, no reaction of benign renal cells. It should be possible to develop a serological tumour marker for renal cell carcinoma.     

mGluR5 antagonist MPEP reduces ethanol-seeking and relapse behavior.

The glutamatergic system plays an important role in mediating neurobehavioral effects of ethanol. Metabotropic glutamate receptors subtype 5 (mGluR5) are modulators of glutamatergic neurotransmission and are abundant in brain regions known to be involved in ethanol self-administration. Here, we studied the effects of 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)-pyridine (MPEP), a highly potent, noncompetitive mGlu5 receptor antagonist, on voluntary ethanol consumption and relapse behavior. For this purpose, we used two models for the measurement of relapse behavior: (i) reinstatement of ethanol-seeking behavior by drug-associated cues and (ii) the alcohol deprivation effect in long-term ethanol-consuming rats. In the first set of experiments, rats were trained to lever press for ethanol in the presence of a distinct set of cues. After extinction, the animals were exposed to the respective cues that initiated reinstatement of responding. A response-contingent ethanol prime further enhanced responding compared to the conditioned cues alone. Under these conditions, MPEP (0, 1, 3, and 10 mg/kg) attenuated ethanol seeking significantly and in a dose-related manner. However, at the highest dose, MPEP also decreased the number of inactive lever responses. In the second set of experiments, rats with 1 year of ethanol experience and repeated deprivation phases were used. A subchronic treatment with MPEP (twice daily; 0, 3, and 10 mg/kg) resulted in a significant and dose-dependent reduction of the alcohol deprivation effect (ADE). Although the same MPEP treatment regimen decreased baseline drinking, this effect was not as pronounced as on the ADE. These results show in two commonly used models of relapse to ethanol that pharmacological targeting of mGlu5 receptors may be a promising approach for the treatment of alcoholism.     

Das Verhalten der Fett- und Lipoidsubstanzen in der Leber bei Vergiftungen

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