[Cytologic examination of the axillary lavage fluid obtained during modified radical mastectomy]. / Citologia lavajului axilar practicat în cursul mastectomiei radicale.

The axillary dissection is part of the breast cancer surgical protocol. We have cytologically analyzed the axillary lavage fluid obtained during 67 modified radical mastectomy. Our results showed good correlation between the node status, histological grading and the cytological diagnosis of the axillary lavage fluid. As some other dissemination assessment techniques showed important prognostic value, the cytologic analysis of the axillary lavage fluid also seems to be a prognostic parameter.

[Cancer of the cervical stump]. / Cancerul bontului cervical.

Subtotal hysterectomy may represent, in specific conditions, a justified alternative to total hysterectomy. Some of the reasons may be vaginal stenosis, preservation of the menstrual function, conservation of the erogene cervical zone. The main disadvantage consists in developing cancer on the cervical stump. In order to reduce the risk of developing cervical carcinoma, total hysterectomy remains the procedure of choice for most women. Our study presents 16 cases with carcinoma of the cervical stump after subtotal hysterectomy from the lot of 313 cases with cervical neoplasms operated on at the Division of Gynecologic Oncology of the 4th Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Iasi. The main conclusion of this study is illustrated by the firm conviction of the authors that subtotal hysterectomy is an unjustified surgical procedure in women after 40 years old.

Prevalence and correlates of ventricular premature beats detected by ambulatory electrocardiography in working populations.

The associations of ventricular premature beats detected on a one-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram with demographic, behavioral, physiologic, and anthropometric variables were examined in 2,331 factory workers aged 20-69 years. Ventricular premature beats were more prevalent with increasing age and with abnormal resting electrocardiograms. From the age of 40, they were more common among males than among females. An association with ethnicity was observed, ventricular premature beats being most common among Israelis of European origin. In univariate analysis, resting heart rate was inversely associated with the presence of ventricular premature beats for females only. Ambulatory heart rate was positively associated with ventricular premature beats only among males. No associations with smoking habits or relative weight were found. Among males and females with normal electrocardiograms, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significant correlates of ventricular premature beats in univariate analysis and after controlling for age, resting and ambulatory heart rates, and ethnic origin.

Estradiol binding to nuclear receptors in human breast cancer tissue (MCF-7 cell line) and in dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary carcinoma.

PIP: The presence or absence of estrogen receptors in the nuclei of human breast tumor may be a useful tool in determining whether the tumor will or will not respond to endocrine therapy. This paper describes an assay which measures both unoccupied and occupied nuclear receptors in human breast cancer tumors. The assay was predicated on the fact that at low salt concentration, the nuclear receptor is bound to chromatin particles and can be separated from the soluble components containing proteolytic acitivity. Nuclear estradiol receptors were measured in human breast cancer tissue (MCF-7 cell line) and in DMBA (dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced rat mammary carcinomas) tumors. Complete translocation of the cytoplasmic receptor in the MCF-7 cells was observed compared to only 35-50% of the cytoplasmic receptors seen in the nucleus of the DMBA tumor after estradiol injection. The study also showed 6 pmol/mg DNA for total unoccupied nuclei and cytoplasmic estrogen receptors, and 25% of it in the nucleus; this finding differed from Zava et al's finding of 2 pmol/mg DNA and 75% in the nucleus, probably because of differing methodology or use of a later passage of cell line. 29 out of the 34 tumors with cytoplasmic receptors were found to contain unoccupied nuclear receptors, indicating that free nuclear receptors are not exceptions. The assay used in this study is currently being used to determine the translocative ability of the cytoplasmic receptors in human breast carcinomas.^ieng