[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.

Influence of adenosine on basal myocardial function: observations in anaesthetised, domestic swine

Data from experiments in isolated cardiac muscle preparations indicate that adenosine in high concentration (10(-3) mol X litre-1) exerts a negative inotropic effect on the myocardium under basal conditions. The following study was performed to test the hypothesis that adenosine exerts a similar negative inotropic effect when administered in an intact animal model in a dose sufficient to cause maximal coronary vasodilatation. Six open chest anaesthetised pigs were studied as follows. Ultrasonic length sensors were placed in the endocardium of the free wall of the left ventricle in a region perfused by the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. Large increases in endocardial blood flow in response to adenosine administration, which could enhance segmental function ("garden hose effect"), were prevented by inserting an artificial stenosis (73% reduction in lumenal diameter) in the proximal third of the LAD. Measurements of haemodynamics, regional myocardial blood flow (microsphere technique), and regional systolic function were made at control 1, at the end of 10 min of intracoronary adenosine infusion (3.0 mumol X min-1) at a dose which exceeded that previously shown to cause maximal coronary vasodilatation and at second control 20 to 40 min after discontinuation of adenosine infusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Objective evaluation of local xenogeneic graft-versus-host reaction by computerized radioisotope imaging (CRI)

The local xenogeneic graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) assay has been used clinically to evaluate cellular immune competence and experimentally to monitor the immunomodulatory effects of several drugs. By employing a computerized radioisotope imaging (CRI) technique, we were able to perform the assay with smaller numbers of mononuclear cells (MNC) and to rid it entirely of any bias. Measuring the local GVHR by CRI compares well with the conventional measurement of the volume (correlation coefficient r = 0.619; P less than 0.001). A clear-cut distinction was documented between normal donors and cancer patients (P less than 0.001) when 10 X 10(6) or more MNC were used in the assay. This is an improvement over the previous, conventional testing of local GVHR which required injection of 20 X 10(6) MNC in order to achieve a similar resolution. The indications for the presence of immune competence have therefore been redefined using the local GVHR index as determined by CRI according to the scale of MNC injected. Thus, immunocompetence is considered present if the CRI index is greater than or equal to 1.2 for 10 X 10(6) MNC, greater than or equal to 2.0 for 15 X 10(6) MNC and greater than or equal to 2.6 for 20 X 10(6) MNC.

Immune restoration and/or augmentation of local graft versus host reaction by traditional Chinese medicinal herbs

The in vitro restorative effect of aqueous extracts from two traditional Chinese medicinal herbs were studied in 19 cancer patients and in 15 normal healthy donors. Using the local graft versus host (GVH) reaction as a test assay for T-cell function, the extract from astragalus membranaceus (10 microgram/ml) induced a restored reaction in nine of ten patients with an increase in local GVH reaction from 18.2 plus/minus 15.8 mm3 to 112.9 plus/minus 94.2 mm3 (P less than 0.01). The extract from ligustrum lucidum, likewise effected an immune restoration in nine of 13 cancer patients with an increase in local GVH reaction from 32.3 plus/minus 36.1 mm3 to 118 plus/minus 104.9 mm3 (P less than 0.01). This degree of immune restoration appears to be complete as it equals the local GVH reaction observed among untreated mononuclear cells from normal healthy donors (82.8 plus/minus 41.1 mm3, P greater than 0.1). These results suggest that both extracts of the traditional Chinese medicinal herbs contain potent immune stimulants which may provide the rational basis for their therapeutic use as biological response modifiers.

Isolation of genome-enzyme complex from cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus of silkworm Bombyx mori

The genome-enzyme complex is isolated from the silkworm cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus with DEAE-Sephadex column chromatography after ultraviolet irradiation. The genome-enzyme complex shows both RNA-polymerase and methyltransferase activities while using 3H-UTP and [3H-methyl]-S-adenosyle-L-methionine as substrates. Like the double-stranded RNA genome of CPV, the genome-enzyme complex could be separated into nine segments on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It is demonstrated that the RNA polymerase and methyl-transferase are tightly bound to the double-stranded RNA genome and that the individual segments of the genome-enzyme complex all possess RNA-polymerase and methyltransferase activities. It appears that each segment of the double-stranded RNA genome is transcribed independently.