Influence of Sex on Antipyrine Metabolism in Patients with Gastric Cancer

The metabolism of antipyrine was studied in male and femalepatients with localized gastric cancer. Antipyrine eliminationis apparently decreased in female patients, suggesting thatthe sex of patients must be taken into account in cancer chemotherapy.     

ULTRASOUND MEASUREMENT OF SKIN THICKNESS IN SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

Sclerotic skin change in systemic sclerosis (SSc) usually accompaniesincreased skin thickness. In order to quantify the cutaneouschanges and to clarify the changes in the ‘uninvolved’skin in systemic sclerosis (SSc), we measured the skin thicknesson the chest, the forearms and the hands of 79 patients withSSc and 81 healthy controls with a B-mode ultrasound (30 MHz)apparatus. The thickness of the ‘uninvolved’, aswell as the ‘involved’ skin in patients with SScwas significantly greater than that of healthy controls. Increasedskin thickness on the forearms and/or the hands showed a 64.6%sensitivity and a 100% specificity for SSc. These results indicatedthat the skin which appears to be ‘uninvolved’ inpatients with SSc is already pathologic, as shown by increasedthickness. Moreover, measurement of skin thickness may be beneficialin the diagnosis of this disease at an early stage. KEY WORDS: Systemic sclerosis, Skin thickness, ‘Uninvolved’ skin, Ultrasound measurement     

Gastrin-Enhanced Tumor Growth of a Xenotransplantable Human Gastric Carcinoma in Nude Mice

A human tumor line serially transplantable in nude mice, originatingfrom a well-differentiated papillo-tubular adenocarcinoma ofthe stomach, was established. The growth of this tumor was enhancedby daily injection of C-terminal tetrapeptide gastrin into themice. Although there was little difference in histology, thegastrin-stimulated tumor had larger glandular spaces filledwith mucin-like substance than the control tumor. ³H-thymidine uptake of the gastrin stimulated tumor was higherthan that of control, as shown by microradiography and countingof radioactivity in tissue homogenates. The plasma membrane fraction of the tumor revealed positivebinding for gastrin and the cytosol fraction contained cyclicAMP dependent- and independent protein kinases. Incubation oftumor slices with gastrin caused a conformational change inthe enzymes. Therefore we conclude that this G4 tumor line xenotransplantablein nude mice is sensitive to gastrin in its trophic and secretorymechanisms.     

A Case of Periodic Somnolence Whose Sleep was Induced by Glucose

A case of a 29-year-old man who exhibited periodic somnolence for periods ranging from 2 to 10 days from the age of 18 onward and whose 3 family members had similar episodes of somnolence is reported. The main symptoms of this case were somnolence and depressive state. The specific manifestations were paraesthesia in the limbs, alteration of body schema, exceptional liking for sweets previous to somnolence, difference in the amount of serum potassium between the interval stage and somnolence stage, and the inducement of sleep by glucose. Carbamazepine plus phenobarbital with an addition of imipramine were effective in the treatment.     

Testosterone and High Density Lipoproteins in Patients With Disseminated Gastric Cancer

The plasma concentration of testosterone and the serum concentrationof high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in male patientswith disseminated gastric cancer and hepatic cirrhosis and innormal male controls were measured. The mean concentration ofHDL-C in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and in patients withdisseminated gastric cancer was significantly lower than thatin the control subjects. Positive correlation was establishedbetween HDL-C and plasma testosterone in patients with disseminatedgastric cancer. The group with low testosterone levels (<5ng/ml) had significantly lower serum albumin than the groupwith high testosterone (>5 ng/ml) in patients with disseminatedgastric cancer. Significant positive correlations were alsoobserved between survival time and either testosterone or HDL-Clevels. These observations indicate that the decreased levelsof HDL-C in patients with disseminated gastric cancer mightnot be primarily due to the decreased levels of testosteronebut rather to the nutritional status and liver funcion of theindividual.     

Clinical Trials of a New Anticancer Drug, 1-Hexylcarbamoyl-5-fluorouracil

1-Hexylcarbamoyl-5-fluororacil (HCFU) is a new anticancer drugdiscovered as a derivative of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). In thisstudy, peculiar types of toxicity such as a hot sensation, pollakisuriaand urgency to defecate appeared in 23% of the patients, whilegastrointestinal, hematological, hepatic and renal toxicitywas very rarely observed. Blood levels of the HCFU fractionand 5-FU were maintained at high concentrations until four hoursafter administration. In a study of 30 evaluable cases withtumors in the various primary sites, good responses were obtainedin an infant with a recurrence of hepatoblastoma and in a patientwith recurrent cancer of the stomach.     

Case Report: Primary splenic non-Hodgkin's B cell lymphoma in a patient with chronic hepatitis C

A case of primary splenic lymphoma in a patient with chronic hepatitis C is reported. A 69-year-old man with chronic hepatitis C was admitted to Fukuoka City Hospital for evaluation of an enlarging splenic tumour. In the spleen, ultrasonographic examination revealed a hypoechoic tumour and computed tomography demonstrated a non-enhancing low density area measuring 7 cm in diameter; coeliac angiography revealed a hypovascular tumour. Gallium scintigraphy showed uptake of the radioisotope in the splenic tumour. A splenectomy was performed and the morphological and immunohistochemical findings of this tumour were compatible with those of non-Hodgin's B cell lymphoma. Recently, cases of malignant B cell lymphoma associated with hepatitis C virus infection have been reported. Lymphotropism of hepatitis C virus may play a pathological role in the development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We emphasize the importance of considering lymphoma in the differential diagnosis of extrahepatic disorders during the course of chronic hepatitis C virus infections.