[Promoting effect of the Chinese medicinal herb, wikstroemia chamaedaphne and tung oil extracts on carcinoma of the uterine cervix induced by HSV-2 or methylcholanthrene (MCA) in mice]

The promoting effect of the Chinese medicinal herb, Wikstroemia chamaedaphne and Tung oil extracts (WC and HHPA) on carcinoma of uterine cervix induced by HSV-2 or MCA in mice was studied. The results showed that WC and HHPA extracts were not carcinogenic themselves. After carcinogen HSV-2 and MCA treatment, WC and HHPA were added separately. The inducing rates by HSV-2 increased from 7.4% to 21.1% and 26.3%, those by MCA increased from 56.5% to 82.8% and 84.4%. There was a significant difference between the combined groups and groups with HSV-2 or MCA only. The experimental results suggest that these two kinds of extracts play a promoting effect on carcinogenesis. The relation between the carcinogenesis of uterine cervix or nasopharynx and WC or HHPA extracts is discussed.

[COMVp regimen in the treatment of small cell lung cancer--report of 106 patients]

One hundred and six consecutive small cell lung cancer patients were treated by a combination regimen COMVp (CTX 1,000-1,400 mg IV D 1,8; VCR 1-2 mg IV D 1,8; MTX 20-40 mg IV or IM D 3,5,10,12; VP-16 100 mg IV drip D 3-7; three weeks as a cycle and 2-3 cycles as a course) in our hospital during 1983 to 1984. Among the 95 patients who were evaluated, 10 (10.5%) gave CR, 57 (60%) PR, 19 (20%) no change and 9 (9.5%) progression. The overall response rate was 70.5%. In this paper, factors influencing the response and side effects are also analysed. The data show that COMVp regimen is one of the good front line combination chemotherapy regimens currently available in the management of small cell lung cancer.

[Evaluation of combined chemotherapy including high-dose cisplatin in the treatment of malignant tumors]

The results of 63 patients with advanced malignant tumors treated by combined chemotherapy including high-dose cisplatin (HD-DDP) (single dose 50-100 mg/m2) are reported. The remission rates and duration of the remission for various malignant tumors were: 40% (10 PR out of 25 patients) and 3-8 months for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated by PMFV (DDP, MMC, 5FU and VCR) regimen; 87% (4 CR and 9 PR out of 15) and 3-14 months for breast cancer treated by PCMF (DDP, CTX, MTX and 5FU) regimen; 100% (1 CR and 3 PR out of 4) and 3-10 months for testicular cancer treated by PPV (DDP, Pingyangmycin and VCR) regimen; 57% (1CR and 3 PR out of 7) and 5-12 months for malignant melanoma treated by PBDV (DDP, BCNU, DTIC and VCR) regimen; 33% (2 PR out of 6) and 5 months for esophageal cancer treated by PPV regimen. In 6 patients with other malignant tumors, the remission rate was 50% (3 PR). The results show that the combined regimens including HD-DDP in the treatment of breast cancer and NSCLC (remission rate 87% and 40%, respectively) are better than that including low-dose DDP (17% and 7%) (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.01) and that including adriamycin (30% and 13%) (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.05). In the treatment, obvious gastrointestinal reaction, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and mild functional damage of the liver and kidney were observed.

[Intraoperative cytodiagnosis of lung masses by fine needle aspiration]

The results of intraoperative cytodiagnosis by fine needle aspiration of 51 cases with lung masses are presented. The diagnosis of benign lesion in 17/51 cases and malignancy in 34/51 cases was established by cytology. The accuracy of this cytopathologic diagnosis was 100% in our series. In 34 cases with malignant lung tumors, the accuracy, as compared with histological diagnosis in cell type, was 84.2%. At thoracotomy, this approach is easy, safe and rapid and without any complication for undetermined pulmonary lesions. In some cases with a deep lesion, this approach has proved to be most useful to avoid a blind major pulmonary resection. We believe that intraoperative cytodiagnosis of lung masses by fine needle aspiration is a valuable supplementary diagnostic measure for pulmonary neoplasms.

Vitamin A and other deficiencies in Linxian, a high esophageal cancer incidence area in northern China

Biochemical analyses were conducted to evaluate the nutritional status of a high esophageal cancer risk population in Linxian, People's Republic of China. A study was conducted in September 1980 in which plasma levels of vitamins A, B2, and C were analyzed. In a second study in 1983, the plasma fat-soluble vitamins were analyzed with a newly developed high-performance liquid chromatography method that allowed the simultaneous determination of retinol, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and lycopene in 0.1 ml of plasma sample. The average plasma retinol levels ranged from 24 to 27 micrograms/dl among the population groups, with 20-35% of the individuals having levels under 20 micrograms/dl. Low plasma beta-carotene levels averaging 8-12 micrograms/dl were observed among the population groups. Low plasma alpha-tocopherol levels with average values around 700 micrograms/dl were also observed; about half the individuals were either low or deficient in vitamin E. After 4 months of supplementation with daily multivitamin tablets, the plasma contents of retinol and alpha-tocopherol were significantly increased. The plasma alpha-carotene and beta-carotene were also increased, possibly as a reflection of seasonal changes in the diet or a sparing effect of vitamins A and E on these carotenes. Low plasma ascorbate levels with an average of 567 micrograms/dl were observed, and about 23% of the individuals had values under 200 micrograms/dl. Riboflavin deficiency was prevalent, with about 90% of the subjects having an erythrocyte glutathione activation coefficient over 1.2. The study establishes the low nutritional status in vitamins of the population in Linxian and provides the background for further studies on the effects of nutritional deficiency on carcinogenesis.