Maffucci’s syndrome associated with spindle cell hemangioendothelioma

 The case of a 49-year-old man with Maffucci’s syndrome, who developed multiple spindle cell hemangioendotheliomas, is presented. The case provides support for recent reports suggesting an association between this peculiar vascular lesion and skeletal enchondromatosis.     

Fluid shear induced endothelial cell detachment from glass - influence of adhesion time and shear stress

In this study, human umbilical vein and human saphenous vein endothelial cells were seeded on glass and exposed to fluid shear in a parallel-plate flow chamber. Cell retention, morphology and migration were studied as a function of shear stress and of adhesion time prior to exposure to shear. Three-hour and 24-h adhesion times gave rise to comparable cell retention values after 2 h of flow for both cell types. Cell retention decreased from 85 to 20% as shear stress increased from 88 to 264 dynes cm⁻² (8.8 to 26 Pa). Mean spreading areas decreased after the onset of flow, but subsequently stabilized to plateau values, which were smaller at higher shear stresses. Shape factors increased faster to higher values as cells were exposed to higher shear stresses, without any obvious preference in orientation of the cells with respect to the direction of flow. Migration was unidirectional with flow and linear with time. Migration was faster for cells which had adhered for 24 h than for cells which had adhered for 3 h and was accompanied by the presence of fibrillar structures left behind on the surface upstream of migrating cells. It is concluded that after 3 h adhesion to glass, cells have adhered with an adhesion strength that does not substantially increase during the next 21 h. However, during this time changes in cell-substratum interactions seem to occur judging by the differences in, e.g., migration rates.     

血浆巨细胞病毒多聚酶链反应检测用于指导干预性治疗

目的：分析用血浆巨细胞病毒（cytomegalovirus,CMV)多聚酶链反应（plymerase chain reaction,PCR)检测结果指导抗CMV干预性治疗的临床意义。方法：1999年8月至2001年7月行异基因造血干细胞移植（hematopoietic stem cell transplantation,HSCT)的所有患者自预处理开始，常规用PCR法检测血浆的CMV－DNA（采用华美公司生产的巨细胞病毒4℃ PCR检测试剂盒），每周1次。其中尚无CMV病的临床表现而检测到血浆CMV阳性的患者89例。随机选取52例阳性患者给予干预性治疗。将上述89例患者分为3组（分别为停止治疗时血浆CMV－PCR转阴组、停止治疗时未转阴组、血浆CMV阳性未治疗组）比较各组CMV病的发生率。CMV病的发生率采用Kaplan-Meier曲线表示，曲线间的比较用Log-Rank（曲线无交叉）或Breslow（曲线交叉）检验，某时点率的比较采用RXC列联表或χ^2检验。结果：100d内CMV病的发生率，在治疗后血浆CMV－PCR由阳性转为阴性组为10．26％，治疗结束时血浆CMV－PCR仍为阳性组为66.67%，血浆CMV－PCR阳性未治疗组为36．24％（P＝0.0000)。上述3组中任两组移植后100d CMV病的发生率差异均有显著性。移植后1年时上述3例CMV病累积发生率分别为30.65%、75.00%、42.95%(P=0.0009)，治疗未转阴组与治疗转阴组和阳性未治疗组相比，CMV病的发生率明显升高。结论：血浆CMV－PCR检测结果用来指导干预性治疗有一定临床意义。干预性治疗后血浆CMV－DNA仍未转阴者，应考虑换药或联合用药治疗。     

胃癌单克隆抗体在裸鼠移植瘤中的免疫定位和显像

本文采用Ｉｏｄｏｇｅｎ法将鼠抗人胃癌单克隆抗体ＲＳＦ９（ＩｇＭ）予以１３１Ｉ标记，研究ＲＳＦ９在荷人胃癌裸鼠中的定位和显像能力。结果表明，ＲＳＦ９在体内能特异性地与肿瘤组织结合，Ｔ／ＮＴ比值随时间延长逐渐升高，９６ｈＴ／ＮＴ比值均大于２．５，瘤／血比值为２．６９，肿瘤定位指数达５．１８，ＳＰＥＣＴ得到清晰的肿瘤图像。ＲＳＦ９具有良好的体内导向定位能力。ＩｇＭ型单抗也可用于肿瘤显像。     

Cyclosporine in the treatment of azathioprine-induced red cell aplasia following renal transplantation

Azathioprine, a well-known immunosuppressive agent, is used extensively in renal transplantation. There have been several case reports of pure red cell aplasia induced by this drug following a successful kidney transplant. Previous management of azathioprine-induced red cell aplasia included reduction of azathioprine dose, or treatment with cyclophosphamide. We propose the substitution of cyclosporine for azathioprine, in this clinical setting. Not only does cyclosporine allow recovery of bone marrow function, but it maintains a level of immunosuppression which stabilizes renal function in the post-transplant patient.     

Usefulness of preoperative low dose cisplatin treatment for advanced esophageal cancer

In order to decrease the perioperative complications by preoperative cisplatin chemotherapy, the preoperative single administration of cisplatin (30 mg/m²) was performed weekly from one to six times in 36 consecutive patients with esophageal cancer classified as higher than Stage II. The survival curve of 17 patients in Stage III was significantly better (P<0.05) than that of patients who had been treated without preoperative cisplatin treatment. In 3 of the 12 patients who had locally invasive cancer, either the main tumors or the metastatic lymph nodes, which had invaded the trachea or the left main bronchus, sufficiently receded, so that a curative esophagectomy became possible; 2 of them have survived over 33 months while 1 died of pneumonia 33 months after surgery. The number of perioperative complications was minimal, and thus, we consider that the postoperative use of cisplatin and fluorouracil is indicated in patients in whom a histological response is noted in the resected specimens.This work was partially supported by Grant No. 02454315 from the Japanese Ministry of Education     

Natural killer cell activity and CSF monoamine metabolites in suicide attempters

The aim of this study was to investigate markers of serotonin and immune function in suicidal patients. Cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells (NK) and CD16 lymphocytes were studied in 28 suicide attempters and 26 healthy controls, and related in patients to 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Patients with CSF 5-HIAA below the median had significantly lower NK cell activity than other patients. CD16 cell frequency was significantly lower in patients than in controls, and patients also tended to have lower NK cell cytotoxicity than healthy controls. There were no statistically significant correlations between 4-hydroxy-3methoxyphenyl glycol (HMPG), homovanillic acid (HVA), CSF cortisol and NK cell activity. The results support the hypothesis of compromised immune function in suicidal patients with evidence of disordered serotonin function.     

Quality of life in adult survivors of lung,colon and prostate cancer

In a cross-sectional study design, a disease free sample of 57 lung, 117 colon, and 104 prostate cancer survivors who represented short, intermediate and long-term survivors completed a detailed assessment of quality of life (QOL) and rehabilitation needs using the CAncer Rehabilitation Evaluation System (CARES). Demographic and medical data, social support, and a global QOL rating were also assessed. Lung cancer patients showed no differences in QOL with respect to their period of survival. QOL improved for survivors of colon cancer as they lived for longer periods, but declined with time for survivors of prostate cancer. The best predictor of QOL for all groups was KPS, although other variables such as type of hospital, gender, and work status were predictive for survivors of colon cancer. For survivors of prostate cancer comorbidity with other medical illnesses, time since diagnosis and comorbidity due to psychiatric difficulties were predictive of QOL. All groups had significant rehabilitation problems in the domains of physical, psychosocial, sexual, medical interaction, and marital relationships. Lung cancer survivors had more problems than the other cancer survivors. We conclude that patients who survive cancer do not return to a state of normal health. They demonstrate a variety of difficulties with which they must cope as they continue to survive. Greater efforts need to be made early in diagnosis and treatment to understand rehabilitation problems and target interventions in the hope of reducing later sequelae.Currently in private practice, Glendale, CaliforniaC. A. C. Schag was supported in part by Veterans Administration Health Research and Development Grant 83-002 and in part by Cares Consultants, 2210 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 359, Santa Monica, CA 90403.Address requests for Information about CARES to: CARES Consultants, 2210 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 359, Santa Monica, CA 90403, USA. Tel: (+1) 310-450-7410; Fax: (+1) 310-399-0016