Phase I-II study of gamma interferon and 5-fluorouracil for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma

We have completed a phase I/II trial to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of the combination of gamma interferon and 5-fluorouracil in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Gamma interferon was administered at a weekly dose of 100 micrograms. 5-fluorouracil was given as a 5 day continuous infusion days 1-5 of each 21 day cycle. In the phase I portion of the trial, the gamma interferon dose was held constant, while the 5-fluorouracil was escalated from 500 to 800 mg/m2/day. Serum neopterin and beta 2 microglobulin were measured prior to and 48 hours after each dose of gamma interferon for the first six weeks of treatment. Dose limiting toxicity was not encountered in the phase I part of the trial; therefore the phase II study was initiated at the 800 mg/m2/day dose of 5-fluorouracil. No responses were seen among 34 patients treated on the phase II trial. Forty-six percent of patients experienced disease stabilization and the remainder progressed through treatment. In the phase I trial, increments in neopterin and beta 2 microglobulin levels differed significantly between patients treated with lower and higher doses of 5-fluorouracil. We conclude that the addition of 5-fluorouracil to gamma interferon does not appear to enhance the cytokines clinical activity. Incremental increases in macrophage activation markers with escalating 5-fluorouracil doses suggests a role for 5-fluorouracil beyond its usual proposed cytotoxic activity and warrants further investigation into potential immunologic effects of this drug.     

Destruction of WiDr multicellular tumor spheroids with the novel thymidylate synthase inhibitor 1843U89 at physiological thymidine concentrations

The activity of a novel thymidylate synthase inhibitor, 1843U89, against WiDr human colon carcinoma multicellular tumor spheroids was investigated. Continuous exposure of the spheroids to 3 nM 1843U89 for 10 days resulted in spheroid disruption, whereas 100 nM methotrexate (MTX) was required for similar effects. Short-term treatment experiments demonstrated that a 3-day exposure to 100 nM 1843U89 caused spheroid disruption 9 days after drug removal. A 4-day exposure to 10 nM 1843U89 caused spheroid disruption 8 days after drug removal. In contrast, treatment with 10 or 100 nM 1843U89 for 6–48 h or treatment with 1 nM 1843U89 for up to 5 days caused only growth delay. Continuous exposure of spheroids to 30 nM 1843U89 in the presence of 0.05–0.3 M thymidine was as effective in causing spheroid disruption as treatment in the absence of thymidine, but treatment in the presence of 0.7–3.0 M thymidine caused partial reversal of spheroid disruption. The results of these experiments suggest that 1843U89 should have potent solid tumor activity in humans but should be less effective in mice due to differences in circulating thymidine levels (0.1 vs 1 M, respectively).     

Clinical audit of the process of referral to genitourinary medicine of patients found to be chlamydia positive in a family planning service

This paper describes a collaborative audit between a large family planning and genitourinary medicine (GUM) service undertaken to ensure that all women presenting for termination of pregnancy (TOP) or IUD fitting were offered screening for chlamydia, were informed of a positive result, and were subsequently referred to GUM for full sexual health screening and contact tracing. Over a six month period in 1996 1072 patients were seen for either TOP (763) or W1) fitting (309) and of these 999 were offered a test which was performed in 988. Overall 38 positive tests were reported (3.8 per cent) but only two of 259 patients tested prior to lUD fitting were found to have chlamydia (<0.8 per cent). Only 27 of these 38 women (74 per cent) had information recorded in their notes that they had been given their result and 24 patients (63 per cent) were seen in GUM. The audit uncovered problems with documentation and cross-referencing of information which largely accounted for the failure to reach some of the standards set. An action plan has been formulated in an attempt to improve this aspect of the screening service. If more widespread screening for chlamydia is to be effectively implemented as recommended by the 31st RCOG Study Group on the Prevention of Pelvic Infection, then it is of importance that workable local protocols are in place including arrangements for partner notification and treatment. This will involve close collaboration between a range of specialities working in the sexual health field.     

Use of HRT and the subsequent risk of cancer

At least 20 million women in developed countries are estimated to be currently using hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Almost 100 epidemiological studies have reported on the relationship between the use of HRT and the risk of cancer of female reproductive organs, namely the breast, uterus or ovary. Cancer at these sites is common and there are a priori reasons why the use of hormonal therapy to 'replace' the endogenous production of ovarian hormones after the menopause might increase the risk of these cancers. The available evidence indicates that the risk of breast cancer or endometrial cancer is increased while women are using HRT, the risk increasing with increasing duration of use. Most of the evidence about these cancers relates to use of HRT preparations containing oestrogens alone. The limited evidence about combination therapy, with oestrogens and progestogens, suggests that, compared to oestrogens alone, the effect on the breast is similar, but the effect on the endometrium is diminished, the diminution in risk being greater the more days each month that progestogens are used. The effect of HRT on breast cancer wears off after use ceases and has disappeared largely, if not wholly, within 5 years, whereas the effects on endometrial cancer take longer to wear off, if at all. The breast and endometrial cancers that are diagnosed in HRT users are less aggressive clinically than cancers in never-users but, as yet, there is little reliable information about the relationship between use of HRT and mortality from these cancers. For other cancer sites, the existing data about the effects of HRT are inconclusive. The longer the period of use of HRT, the greater the excess incidence of cancer of the breast and endometrium is likely to be. Use of HRT for short periods of time should have little effect on the incidence of these cancers. The cumulative excess incidence in 1000 women who used HRT for 10 years, beginning at age 50, is estimated to be six for breast cancer, 42 for endometrial cancer in women with an intact uterus using oestrogen therapy alone and about 20 for endometrial cancer in women with an intact uterus using oestrogen-progestogen combinations. The estimate for combined therapy is based on small numbers and may well vary with the type of preparation used. The overall balance between the excess incidence of these cancers and other effects of HRT needs to be evaluated carefully and will require more reliable data than exist at present.     

Transmission routes of HIV-1 gp120 from brain to lymphoid tissues

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricts the entry of antiviral agents into the CNS thereby facilitating the creation of a reservoir of HIV that could potentially reinfect peripheral tissues. We characterized the efflux from brain of radioactively labeled viral coat HIV-1 gp120 (I-gp120) after intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection. The half-time disappearance rate of I-gp120 from brain was 12.6 min, which was faster than could be explained by the reabsorption of cerebrospinal fluid into blood but could not be explained by a saturable transporter. After i.c.v. injection, I-gp120 appeared in the serum and was sequestered by spleen and the cervical nodes, demonstrating a potential for virus within the CNS to reinfect peripheral tissues. However, the amount of I-gp120 appearing in serum was less than that expected based on the efflux rate, whereas uptake by the cervical nodes was much greater after i. c.v. than after i.v. injection of I-gp120. These findings were explained by drainage from the brain directly to the cervical lymph nodes through the brain's primitive lymphatic system. These lymphatics potentially provide a pathway through which CNS reservoirs of HIV-1 could directly reinfect lymphoid tissue without being exposed to circulating antiviral agents.     

Preliminary report of mortality among workers compensated for work-related asthma

BACKGROUND: Although fatalities due to asthma have been reported among subjects with occupational asthma (OA) associated with re-exposure, groups of subjects with work-related asthma have not been systematically followed up for mortality. During a review of compensation claims for asthma in Ontario, we identified 3 respiratory deaths among subjects previously compensated for OA for whom their surviving spouses received death benefits. This suspected "cluster" prompted us to undertake an investigation to examine mortality pattern among workers compensated for work-related asthma. METHODS: Subjects receiving compensation for OA or aggravation of asthma (AA) between 1980 and 1993, and a comparison sample of workers with claims for musculoskeletal injuries during the same period were identified from the Ontario Workers' Compensation Board. We also identified another comparison group of non-compensated asthmatic patients seen at a hospital clinic during the same period. The files of those with work-related asthma were reviewed to determine if OA or AA was adequately documented. Mortality was ascertained by linkage with the Mortality Database at the Ontario Cancer Registry through 1996. We compared the mortality of the three groups with that expected in the general population of Ontario using SMRs, and directly by proportional-hazards regression. RESULTS: The study included 3,070 subjects: 1,112 with work-related OA/AA with adequate documentation, 1,556 with work-related injuries, and 402 patients with non-work-related asthma. Of the 66 deaths identified, only 2 deaths were due to asthma, both in the work-related asthma group: one from the index cluster and one not previously identified. A second index death was coded as dying from COPD not elsewhere classified (ICD9 496), while the third index death also died of asthma but there was not sufficient information documenting OA to include the subject in the analyses. As compared with the general population, there were fewer deaths than expected from most causes, except for deaths among the work-related asthma claimants and the nonwork-related asthma patients from respiratory diseases (SMRs 1.3 and 5.9, respectively; 0.5 among injury claimants), all chronic obstructive lung disease (ICD9 490-496; SMRs 2.3 and 7.7, respectively), and asthma (SMRs 18.2 and 0, respectively). In direct comparison of the work-related asthma claimants with the injury claimants, the risk of death appeared elevated from respiratory disease (RR 2.6) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) (RR 2.8) but the confidence intervals included unity. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary report raises the possibility that serious outcomes, including excess deaths from respiratory disease, in particular asthma, may occur among those with work-related asthma even in the absence of re-exposure. However, the findings are inconclusive given that the number of deaths was small and we identified only one new asthma death in addition to the index cluster. We also observed for the first time that deaths due to circulatory disease, particularly IHD, may also be increased among such workers; this needs to be confirmed elsewhere.     

Cytokines in combination with chemotherapy for advanced renal carcinoma--the importance of patient selection

An outpatient regimen of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was previously reported to have significant activity (response rate 48.6%) in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The patient group reported were generally of good performance status (PS), had undergone previous nephrectomy and would be considered of good prognosis with respect to response and survival after treatment with IL-2. The characteristics of patients with RCC referred to specialist units in the UK differ from that patient group in that many patients present with metastatic disease, are of poor PS and are considered unfit for nephrectomy. We tested the three drug regimen in a representative patient group of 55 patients who had: median PS of 1 (range 0-2); median time from diagnosis to treatment of 2.7 months (0.2-113); and median number of sites of disease 3 (1-5). 22/55 had not had prior nephrectomy and 31 were considered of poor risk, 15 moderate risk and only 9 of good risk. Treatment consisted of an 8 week cycle of IFN-alpha 6 MU/m2 day 1 weeks 1 and 4 and thrice weekly weeks 2-3 and 9 MU/m2 thrice weekly, weeks 5-8. IL-2 20 MU/m2 days 3-5, weeks 1 and 4 and 5 MU/m2 thrice weekly weeks 2-3. 5-FU 750 mg/m2 day 1 of weeks 5-8. There were no complete responses (CR), 9 (17%) partial responses (PR) and 13 patients (24%) had stable disease. Sixteen patients withdrew early from treatment and were not evaluable for response. Amongst 25 evaluable patients who had undergone nephrectomy the response rate was 32% (95% CI: 14-50%). Only 1 response was seen in patients who had not undergone nephrectomy. Survival was predicted by PS, nephrectomy, number of sites of metastasis and risk group. Most patients experienced significant toxicity of grade I/II but few grade III/IV toxicities were seen as compared to intravenous IL-2 regimens. These data are part of a large data set that has been submitted for publication in The British Journal of Urology. The regimen has been shown to have activity but this is seen predominantly in patients of good PS, with prior nephrectomy and limited sites of disease. Patients of poor risk are likely to experience significant toxicity without benefit and should be offered alternative palliative therapies.     

膀胱移行细胞癌微卫星不稳定性及其机制的研究

目的　探讨膀胱移行细胞癌 (BTCC)染色体微卫星不稳定性的表现及与基因突变的关系。方法　采用聚合酶链反应 (PCR)方法检测 4 0例 BTCC患者 5个微卫星位点的改变 ,同时用同样的方法检测癌组织中BAX基因和转化生长因子 (TGF) - β 型受体基因移码突变的情况。结果　至少发生一个微卫星位点改变的阳性率为 82 % (33/ 4 0 ) ,D9S16 2、D16 S4 76、D9S5 4、FGA和干扰素 (IFN) - A1位点改变各自的阳性率分别为 5 8%(2 3/ 4 0 )、 4 2 % (17/ 4 0 )、 38% (15 / 4 0 )、 4 8% (19/ 4 0 )和 5 5 % (2 2 / 4 0 ) ,阳性检出率与良性病变差异有显著性 ,与肿瘤的分期分级无显著相关性。发生微卫星改变的 33例中 ,33% (11/ 33)和 4 2 % (14 / 33)分别可见 TGF- β 型受体基因和 BAX基因的移码突变。结论　检测染色体微卫星的改变是 BTCC早期诊断、监测复发的有效手段 ,染色体微卫星改变可能是 BTCC发生过程中多基因突变的一种表现形式     

软式膀胱尿道镜检查技巧

目的 :提高软式膀胱尿道镜检查的技术水平。方法 :报告软式膀胱尿道镜检查的成功经验及所遇问题。结果 :软式膀胱尿道镜对膀胱、尿道的观察均具有明显的优势 ,可完成活检、插管、取异物等多项操作。结论 :软式膀胱尿道镜检查痛苦小 ,可替代硬式膀胱尿道镜 ,使用广泛 ;熟练掌握软式膀胱尿道镜的操作技巧是检查成功及延长使用寿命的关键     

异丙酚对神经元缺氧损伤的保护及其作用机制

目的　研究异丙酚对离体大鼠海马神经元缺氧损伤的保护作用及其机制。方法　以原代培养的大鼠海马神经元作为研究对象 ,建立缺氧、H2 O2 和谷氨酸损伤模型 ,用MTT法测定神经元存活率。采用激光扫描共聚焦显微镜动态监测缺氧前后 ,单个海马神经元内Ca2 + 浓度和线粒体膜电位 (△Ψm)的变化。用电子自旋共振技术测定异丙酚对羟基自由基和超氧阴离子自由基的清除作用。结果　 6～ 4 8mg·L-1浓度的异丙酚可明显降低神经元缺氧损伤时的细胞死亡率 (P <0 0 1) ,作用程度均呈剂量相关 (r =0 89,P <0 0 5 ) ;2 4～ 4 8mg·L-1浓度的异丙酚可明显降低H2 O2 损伤时的细胞死亡率 (P <0 0 1) ;12～ 4 8mg·L-1浓度的异丙酚可明显降低谷氨酸损伤时的细胞死亡率 (P <0 0 1)。 3～ 4 8mg·L-1异丙酚对缺氧诱发的细胞内钙离子超载有抑制作用(P <0 0 5 ) ;12、4 8mg·L-1异丙酚能减缓缺氧引起的△Ψm降低 (P <0 0 1)。 12、4 8mg·L-1异丙酚对羟基自由基的清除率分别为 17 1%和 2 1 1% ,但对超氧阴离子自由基无清除作用。结论　异丙酚对离体培养的大鼠海马神经元缺氧性损伤具有保护作用 ,其作用机制部分与异丙酚抑制缺氧引起的 [Ca2 + ]i 异常升高、抑制线粒体膜电位的下降和清除羟基自由基有关