Mammography in a health maintenance organization

The charts of a random sample of 496 women, aged 51 and older, in a staff model health maintenance organization (HMO) were retrospectively audited for mammography frequency over an 8-year period. Of the 496 women, 306 (61.7%) had at least one mammogram. For the 422 women who had been members of the HMO for at least 2 years, 196 (46.4%) had mammography within the previous 18 months.

Undifferentiated carcinoma of the salivary gland in Greenlandic Eskimos: demonstration of Epstein-Barr virus DNA by in situ nucleic acid hybridization

Paraffin sections of 11 undifferentiated salivary gland carcinomas of lymphoepithelioma type (malignant lymphoepithelial lesion) arising in Greenlandic Eskimos (Inuit) were examined for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) using in situ nucleic acid hybridization with a 35S-labeled EBV-specific probe. Epstein-Barr virus genomes were detected in each case in malignant epithelial cells, but were not found in lymphoid stroma or in residual benign salivary epithelium. Eight undifferentiated salivary gland carcinomas from non-Eskimo patients (including two with lymphoepithelioma-like features) were negative for EBV-DNA. Our results confirm the existence of a consistent and specific association between EBV and tumor cells of undifferentiated salivary gland carcinoma of lymphoepithelioma type arising in Greenlandic Eskimos.

Atherosclerosis in native Greenlanders. An ultrasonographic investigation

A low frequency of ischemic heart disease in Eskimos (Inuit) has been regarded as an expression of absent or low atherosclerosis. The true extent of atherosclerosis in the Eskimo populations of the World is not known due to low autopsy activity. In order to register atherosclerotic changes in the carotid and femoral arteries 61 Native Greenlanders from two settlements with a traditional Eskimo life style in the Uummannaq district of Northwestern Greenland were examined ultrasonographically with a portable scanner (Aloka) using a 7.5 MHz 4 cm linear array transducer. The results obtained were compared to an age and sex matched urban control group of 122 Danes from Copenhagen. The investigation showed that the Native Greenlanders had almost the same degree and extent of atherosclerosis in the carotid and femoral arteries as the Danes. Thus, the low incidence of ischemic heart disease in Native Greenlanders may not be attributed to lesser atherosclerosis. Further studies, particularly autopsy studies are needed.

Synthesis and expression of metastasis-associated, Met-72/83 antigens

In the present study, we report a more detailed biochemical analysis of the B16 melanoma, metastasis-associated, Met-72 antigen. Specifically, we have examined (1) the molecular forms of Met-72 isolated during synthesis, surface expression and 'shedding' and (2) the cell-surface expression of Met-72 during the cell cycle. These experiments show that the 72 kD species originally described has an isoelectric point of between 6.3 and 6.9, but is the desialylated derivative of an 83 kD native molecule whose isoelectric point ranges between pH 4.9 and 5.6. In addition, a 90 kD glycoprotein doublet was immunoprecipitated from biosynthetically labelled B16 melanoma cells, but does not appear to be a precursor of the 83 kD or 72 kD molecule. These findings have led us to interchangeably use the terminology Met-72 and Met 72/83. The latter terminology more accurately describes the physical forms which can be identified by different labelling procedures. When culture supernatants from 3H-leucine labelled cells were subjected to anti-Met-72 immunoprecipitation, a 35 kD species was identified as a possible 'shed' product of these cells. Met-72/83 expression during the cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry and found not to be restricted to any particular stage. In addition, experiments were performed to determine whether low levels of Met-72 expression on poorly metastatic B16 melanomal clones was a direct result of low levels of synthesis, or if other control mechanisms regulated intracellular pools of Met-72 prior to cell-surface expression.

Sarcomas of the breast: a clinico-pathological study of 67 patients with long term follow-up

A national Danish series of 68 breast sarcomas from 66 women and one man (age 17-86 years) was investigated. Tumour sections from 22 stromal sarcomas (SS), 24 phyllodes tumors of malignant type (MCSP), seven phyllodes tumors of borderline type (BLCSP), four malignant fibrous histocytomas (MFH), eight liposarcomas, two angiosarcomas and one leiomyosarcoma were reviewed retrospectively, and all patients were traced with a minimum follow-up of 15 years. Tumor contours appeared to be the best prognostic factor in predicting the risk of metastatic spread. Stromal overgrowth of MCSP was considered less utilizable due to difficulties in distinguishing between MCSP with marked stromal overgrowth and SS, which we consider as a variety of MCSP and which only showed slightly increased death rates compared to MCSP (45% versus 38%). Both angiosarcomas and the leiomyosarcoma proved lethal, and the other sarcoma subtypes had a death frequency of about 50%, with the exception of BLCSP, neither of which proved lethal. All patients, who died from metastases, were dead within 5 years irrespective of treatment. No positive lymph nodes were identified at the time of primary treatment, supporting the findings of previous investigators. We therefore advocate simple mastectomy or local excision with a wide margin as sufficient treatment of breast sarcomas. The indications for adjuvant therapy is as yet unclarified.

Cancer pattern among Greenlandic Inuit migrants in Denmark, 1968-1982

For several cancer sites the incidence among Inuit (Eskimos) in Alaska, Canada and Greenland differs markedly from that in non-Inuit in adjacent areas. This is the first study of Inuit migrants. Among 11,571 Inuit Greenlandic people living in Denmark in the period 1968-1982 we found 69 cases of cancer. Significantly increased risks compared to the Danish population were found for cancer of the rectum (RR = 5.5) in males and for nasopharyngeal cancer (RR = 185.2) and cancer of the cervix uteri (RR = 1.9). The significance of these findings in relation to the role of environmental factors in the aetiology of cancer in Inuit is discussed.

Older maternal age and pregnancy outcome: a review of the literature

We are in the early phase of a period when the increased numbers of women born during the 1947 to 1965 baby boom are entering their later child-bearing years. They are also part of a generation of women who are increasingly delaying childbirth until their 30s. These two factors will likely increase the proportion of total births accounted for by this 35- to 49-year age group by 72 per cent, from 5.9 per cent in 1982 to 8.6 per cent by the turn of the century. There are important and specific risks related to pregnancies for older women as compared to younger women. It is likely that a woman's ability to conceive declines steadily to where it has been estimated that 34 to 46 per cent of women age 35 and older are unable to become pregnant. Hypertension, preeclampsia, and diabetes mellitus are not only more common but seem to carry an even greater risk for older women, resulting more frequently in fetal demise. Although there are conflicting findings, older women seem to have more babies weighing under 2,500 gm and more over 4,000 gm. It appears that there are more problems with abnormal labor patterns and a definite higher incidence of cesarean section. The literature seems to support the finding of high incidences of late pregnancy bleeding from placenta previa and abruptio placenta. Many of those factors contribute to a several-fold increase in maternal mortality for older compared to younger pregnant women. The fetus, likewise, is at greater risk. There appears to be a greater risk for spontaneous abortion, although the magnitude of the risk is unclear because of the potential confounding from gravidity, birth order, and reduced fecundity. The stillbirth rate seems to double by the late 30s and increases to 3- to 4-fold by the mid-40s. The neonatal mortality rate seems to have a mild association with maternal age. Chromosome abnormalities, especially trisomies 13, 18, and 21, and sex chromosome aneuploidies, increase exponentially with maternal age starting in the 30s, reaching levels of 1.4 per cent at age 35, 1.9 per cent at 40, and 8.9 per cent at 45, according to amniocentesis data. Some of those contribute to the higher stillbirth rate resulting in a slightly smaller incidence of chromosome abnormalities in newborns. Overall, the literature supports the finding that women and their offspring experience significant increased problems as maternal age progresses through the mid-30s and beyond.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)