[Tryptophan metabolism and oligophrenia (author's transl)]

After dealing with the biochemistry of tryptophan metabolism the most important results obtained in humans are presented. Special emphasis is given to the hereditary defects of tryptophan metabolism associated with mental retardation and convulsions due to lack of pyridoxine. The author's findings demonstrate the existence of a hereditary disturbance of the tryptophan metabolism via kynurenine in a certain part of oligophrenic patients. This metabolic defect can be controlled by high doses of vitamin B6. Furthermore investigations conducted with a view to interpreting these results are discussed, especially the determination of kynureninase activity, serotonin blood levels and pyridine nucleotide synthesis.

Limited surgical excision as the basis of a comprehensive therapy for cancer of the breast

A comprehensive program of therapy has evolved with collaborating roles for surgery, pathology, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Our experience includes 131 patients with breast cancer treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital since 1956 by limited excision of the cancer. The tumors of 10 patients were noninvasive or sluggishly so; the patients received no further therapy. Because of the invasive character of their tumor, 121 patients received heavy postoperative irradiation. In 12 of these 121, the irradiation has been followed by immediate and prolonged chemotherapy. It is too soon to judge the effect of the chemotherapy, but survival rates of those treated by limited excision and primary irradiation compare favorably with those of patients treated by radical mastectomy.

[Tryptophan metabolism research in oligophrenic children. 4.: Activity and possibility of activating hepatic kynureninase after vitamin B6 treatment]

In 8 selected test persons of the 3rd series of experiments who were showing signs of pathological kynureninase activity, hepatic kynureninase was again established after 3 week's treatment with large doses of vitamin B6. The enormous in-vivo activation of the kynureninasis established goes to prove that apoenzyme synthesis may be stimulated by pyridoxine. On the basis of these results and the relative frequency of disorders dependent on B6, the question arises whether children from endangered families should not be given prophylactic vitamin B6 treatment from birth.