Clinical and pathologic characteristics in patients with tracheobronchial tumor: report of 50 patients

From January, 1961, to July, 1985, 50 patients in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital with intraluminal tracheobronchial tumors were operated on. There was no gender or age predominance either in the 24 patients with tracheal tumor or in the 26 patients with bronchial tumor. The 13 cell types found in these patients' specimens were divided into four groups: malignant, low-grade malignant, benign with tendency to recur and benign without tendency to recur. Squamous cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma were the most common tumors of the trachea. Carcinoid and adenoid cystic carcinoma were the most common tumors of the bronchus in this group of patients. Conservative excision with postoperative irradiation may be sufficient for patients with advanced lesions of low-grade malignancy.

The study of spectra and X-ray crystal structure of a novel bionics insecticide--(CH3)2NHCH(CH2S2O3)2Na X H2O

IR and NMR spectra of novel bionics insecticide--C5NS4O6H12Na X H2O have been studied. The molecular and crystal structures of the compound also have been determined. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C5(2)h-P21/n with a = 8.0972(9)A, b = 16.262(4)A, c = 10.370(3)A, beta = 94.26(2)degrees and z = 4. The result shows that N atom in this compound captures a proton to form HN+ group, Na+ is in statistical disorder. Therefore, the structural formula of the compound is (CH3)2HN+-CH(CH2S2O3-)2 X 1/2(Na+)2 X H2O.

Preliminary report on AT1727 as a potential radiosensitizer

AT1727 is a derivative of ICRF 154. The purpose of this study was to evaluate its "radiosensitizer" properties. From October 1979 until the end of December 1980, 89 patients with radiation resistant cancers such as soft tissue sarcoma, squamous lung cancer (with large lesion, 6-8 cm diameter) and other cancers had been included in trial. Radiation therapy was carried out using CO60 or 8 Mev Linac. Fifty-five patients had a remarkable objective remission rate of 61.8% (55/89). Eighteen of 30 patients with soft tissue sarcomas obtained obvious remission (60%), and 26 of 38 patients with lung cancer had remission (68.4%). Patients with esophageal cancer (5/6) and nasopharyngeal cancer (5/5) also had good remission rates. The side-effects of this treatment were very mild: anorexia and vomiting were noted in 50% and no significant changes were noted in liver and kidney function tests and blood platelet count. Leucopenia was slight in all but one patient. No difference in the lung fibrosis rate was noted between the two randomized groups. From the results of this study we concluded that AT1727 had some effect as a "radiosensitizer" but much more work is needed to confirm this.

Hormonal regulation of transcription of rDNA: use of nucleoside thiotriphosphates to measure initiation in isolated nuclei

Nuclei isolated from cultured mouse and rat cell lines initiated pre-rRNA chains at the correct site and with the correct nucleotide specificity (A for mouse, G for rat). Nucleic acid filter hybridization and S1 nuclease mapping were used to analyze the RNA products initiated with nucleoside (beta-S)triphosphates. Initiation of pre-rRNA was completely resistant to alpha-amanitin but was inhibited by either actinomycin D or heparin. Experiments with P1798 mouse lymphoma cells indicated that the antiproliferative effects of glucocorticoids on lymphoid cells includes a reduction in the ability of nuclei to initiate pre-rRNA chains.

Small cell carcinoma of the lung: results of combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy (COF vs. COFP randomized analyzed)

Forty-three patients with small cell carcinoma were admitted to our hospital in 1977. These patients were treated with combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the latter being CO60 or 8 MEV Linac. The protocol for treatment is the following: 1) Chemotherapy, randomized into two groups COF (Cytoxan, Vincristin, and 5-fluorouracil) and COFP (Cytoxan, Vincristin, 5-Fu and Procabazine). 2) Radiotherapy with 2 split courses. In the rest period chemotherapy was given as randomized above for COF and COFP groups, but drugs given only once in this rest period, followed by the whole course of radiotherapy using same drugs as above, but only once a month for at least 2 years. The 1-year survival rates were 63.1% and 57.8% respectively, 2-year survival rates were 21% for both programs, and 3-year survival rates were 10.5% for both programs also. Therefore, we believe that procarbazine does not play a very important role in the program, and can be dispensed with. Compared with international reports, the efficacy of COF and COFP programs is as good as any other of the combined chemotherapy programs in the world. These programs may be of more benefit to the patients because of the very mild toxicity and very low cost. In this study the extent of the lesion was found to play important role in prognosis, in other words, the earlier the stage the better the results, just as for other solid tumors. Median survival time in Stage II groups is 20 months, the 1-year survival rate is 81.8% (8/11), 2-year survival rate is 45.4% (5/11), while in Stage III groups median survival time is 11.5 months, the 1-year survival rate is 57.1% (13/21), and 2-year survival rate is 14.2% (2/21). Because the survival time exceeded 18 months, there are 10 of 15 patients alive and without evidence of disease (66.6%), and 6 of 8 patients alive over 24 months without evidence of disease (75%). We offer a program that for maintenance combined chemotherapy periods should be prolonged to 2-3 or more years.

Identification and characterization of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) receptors in the endometrial tissue of pregnant rats

The mechanisms by which LH-RH or its agonists inhibit decidua formation and terminate pregnancy in rats are not clear. Evidence so far accumulated indicates that the gonadotropic releasing hormone or its analogues may act directly on the uterus. If this is the case, then we would be able to identify LH-RH receptors in the endometrial tissue. The results presented here demonstrate that the homogenate preparation of rat endometrial tissue bound 125I-LH-RH with an affinity constant of Ka = 1.3 X 10(8) M-1. The binding capacity was measured as 236 fmole/mg protein. It was found that the binding is highly specific, because no binding was observed in a variety of non-target tissues, such as liver, kidney and muscle. Competitive binding with TRH, P substance and bradykinin did not occur under our experimental condition. It was of particular interest to note that Day 3 of pregnancy is a critical time showing a higher binding activity. The significance of work is discussed.