An approach for high sensitivity detection of breast cancer by analysis of changes in structure of the cytoplasmic matrix of lymphocytes specifically induced by a specific breast tumour antigen (MUC-l/SEC).

An alternative procedure for detection breast cancer was examined based on the observation that lymphocytes re-exposed in vitro to antigenic stimulation will change their intracellular structuredness as measured by polarization of fluorescent light emitted by fluorescein labeled cells (SCM test). The specific antigen MUC-l/SEC was used to elicit such response in lymphocytes of patients with and without breast cancer. Eighty-five samples with breast cancer were tested, of which 72 were correctly diagnosed. Of the 41 controls, 35 were correctly identified as healthy subjects. The sensitivity of the test was 85% and the specificity was 81%. These results suggest a possible valuable method for screening and early detection of breast cancer. The clinical importance of this procedure lies in the ability to screen high-risk populations with higher specificity and sensitivity than any combinations of currently available procedures for breast cancer detection.

[Closure of postoperative anastomotic fistulas with a somatostatin analogue].

Postoperative gastrointestinal fistula formation is not rare, and is accompanied by considerable morbidity and mortality. Somatostatin, a potential, universal endocrine and exocrine inhibitor, is a peptide synthesized in the nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. We describe 2 men, 58 and 53 years old, respectively, with postoperative fistulas, the first after pancreatic-jejunal and the second after jejunal anastomosis. 7 and 3 days, respectively, after starting a synthetic somatostatin analogue (SMS 201-995), discharge from the fistulas decreased and they closed completely.

Sandifer's syndrome--a rare complication of hiatal hernia. A case report.

A 13-year-old boy with Sandifer's syndrome whose only symptoms were abnormal posture and movements of the head and neck, underwent a repair of a hiatus hernia. The disappearance of all symptoms following the operation could be explained by the common innervation of the diaphragm and the neck.

Physiological and pharmacological studies of the internal anal sphincter in the rat.

The rectoanal reflex in the rat consists of relaxation followed by contraction of the internal anal sphincter (IAS). Beta-adrenergic drugs produce prolonged relaxation of the IAS, where alpha-agonists cause brief relaxation followed by contraction. Muscarinic cholinergic drugs contract the IAS. ATP and related purines produce relaxation which is blocked by theophylline. The reflex persists during adregeneric, cholinergic, and purinergic block. The potassium-blocker apamin prevents the relaxation induced by rectal distension. This suggests that the reflex is not mediated by adrenergic, cholinergic, or purinergic transmitters. Blocking potassium conductance was apparently the only way to eliminate this reflex.