Importance of race on breast cancer survival

Background: Breast cancer survival has been shown to be significantly less among black women than white women. The reason for this difference in survival is unclear. Methods: Data were obtained retrospectively on 439 women seen between 1985 and 1993 based on a detailed chart audit. The impact of race and several known prognostic factors on overall survival, time to relapse, and survival after relapse were studied. Results: Black women with breast cancer were found to have a greater risk of recurrence, shorter overall survival, and shorter survival after relapse than did white women. Black patients were found to be younger and have higher stage of disease and lower hormone receptor levels than were white patients. After adjustment for menopausal status and disease stage, a significant independent effect of race was observed on overall survival but not risk of recurrence. In multivariate analysis, a significant interaction was observed between race and age in some models. Survival after recurrence of disease was lower among black than white women after adjustment for menopausal status and estrogen receptor level. Conclusion: Black women experience shorter survival times than do white women, including a shorter survival time after disease recurrence. Breast cancer in black women is associated with younger age, higher stage at presentation, and low hormone receptor levels. After adjustment for known prognostic factors, race remains a significant independent predictor of breast cancer survival. Presented at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Philadelphia, 1996.     

The relationship of plasma levels of pyridostigmine to clinical effect in patients with myasthenia gravis

The relationship between plasma levels of pyridostigmine to clinical evaluation of muscle power was examined in nine patients with myasthenia gravis during treatment with pyridostigmine in doses of 60 to 1040 mg daily. Five of the nine subjects demonstrated a trend towards a positive correlation, but in only two of them was this statistically significant at p < 0.05. In addition, the presence or absence of a possible correlation between muscle power and plasma concentration was not related to the duration of the disease, additional prednisolone therapy or thymectomy.     

Evaluation of the Effects of Cypermethrin on Female Reproductive Function by Using Rabbit Model and of the Protective Role of Chinese Propolis

正The prophylactic effects of Chinese propolis against cypermethrin toxicity were evaluated by performing ovary and uterus histopathology,as well as by characterizing ovarian function,embryos,and litters.Cypermethrin induced atypia in the ovary and uterus,and decreased the ovulation sites and the number of embryos.Cypermethrin-induced oxidative stress during pregnancy,decreased the parturition rate as well as the number and weight