[Carcinoembryonic antigen in carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Correlations with clinical stage, histopathology, and survival about 115 cases (author's transl)]

Carcinoembryonic antigen is elevated in the serum of approximately 35% (35/98) of patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix. The incidence of elevated serum CEA is not related to stage of disease, histopathology, lymphangiogram and survival rate. Carcinoembryonic antigen levels return to normal after curative radiation therapy (25/32). Persistently high values after irradiation are indicative of residual disease (3/32). Reappearance of CEA, with a progressive rise evoke a recurrence, and may precede the clinical diagnosis.

[Lymphopenia and variations in T and B lymphocytes appearing immediately after irradiation (author's transl)]

Immunity tests were conducted in 21 patients with cancer, before and two months after irradiation. T and B lymphocyte counts were normal before irradiation when compared to a control group. Lymphopenia was present after irradiation affecting mainly the T lymphocytes (P = 0.005), whereas changes in B lymphocytes were not significant. These results suggest that irradiation has an immunosuppressive effect which should be studied in greater detail to establish possible therapeutic applications.

Preliminary results using twice-a-day fractionation in the radiotherapeutic management of advanced cancers of the head and neck

Twenty-four cases of advanced T4 cancers of the head and neck were treated using a twice-a-day treatment fractionation delivering a 1,200 rad weekly tumor dose and 7,000 rad total tumor dose in 5 1/2-6 weeks. Acute normal mucosal reactions and skin reactions were plotted weekly and corresponded to reactions observed when delivering 1,000 rad per week in five treatment sessions. Chronic problems have been limited to severe neck fibrosis appearing in three of five patients who underwent a planned neck dissection 6 weeks after the completion of radiotherapy. Local control was observed in 14 of 23 patients (61%) and regional control in 22 of 23 patinets (96%).