Serum thymidine kinase in diagnosis and follow-up of the small cell carcinoma of the lung.

Serum thymidine-kinase (sTK) was assayed in 48 males affected by small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCCL) at the time of diagnosis. On the same drawing carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and beta 2microglobulin (beta 2 microG) were assayed in 19 of these subjects. For staging, the criterion of limited (LD) and extensive (ED) disease was used. Mean sTK and CEA values were above normal range in both the LD and ED groups, while mean beta 2 microG value remained below normal range. Thirty-two patients were subsequently submitted to therapy; sTK was assayed at the end of each treatment cycle. Mean sTK concentrations differed depending on response to therapy. From the data obtained it is concluded that sTK assay is helpful for diagnosis of SCCL; CEA to a lesser extent, above all in association with sTK, and beta microG not at all. sTK assay can also be useful for prognosis and follow-up.

Changes of magnesium concentrations in endurance athletes.

Erythrocitary and serum magnesium (Mg) were determined in a group of 11 well-trained athletes before and after a 25-km running race, and in a group of 30 sedentary controls. The significant increase of mean erythrocitary Mg (EMg) concentration observed in the athletes after physical strain (2.58 +/- 0.34 mEq/l before, 3.10 +/- 0.45 mEq/l after the race: significance level = 5%) leads to the assumption that the possible Mg uptake is effected by the red blood cell to enhance some enzymatic reactions. The decrease of mean serum Mg concentration observed in the same subjects after the effort (1.70 +/- 0.14 mEq/l before, 1.64 +/- 0.15 mEq/l after the race) is not significant. The difference between mean Mg concentrations observed in the athletes' group before the race and in the sedentary group (EMg: 2.58 +/- 0.34 mEq/l in athletes, 3.67 +/- 0.38 mEq/l in sedentaries, significance level = 1%; serum Mg: 1.70 +/- 0.14 mEq/l in athletes, 1.96 +/- 0.15 mEq/l in sedentaries, significance level = 1%) suggests that athletes suffer from a Mg deficiency, partially due to physical exercise. The two hypotheses and the possible causes of the observed phenomena are discussed.

Pre- and postsurgery activation of blood coagulation in gastric and large bowel cancers: diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic hints.

In 12 patients with gastric cancer and in 14 with large bowel neoplasia, classified according to the TNM system, some major blood indices of hemostasis, platelet activation and fibrinolysis were assessed before and for 1 month after surgery, to show whether possible variations of such indices may provide useful clues to follow-up, treatment effectiveness and prognosis. The following conclusions may be drawn: (1) the assay of platelets, fibrinogen, AT III, fibrin(ogen) degradation products, fragment X, platelet factor 4 has provided useful clues in neither group of patients; (2) preoperative high beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) is a reliable index of tumor presence in both gastric and large bowel cancer; (3) postoperative high beta-TG and fibrinopeptide A (FpA) are reliable indices of (a) tumor persistence in both gastric and large bowel cancer; (b) lymph node involvement in gastric much more than in large bowel cancer; (c) metastatic spreading from gastric cancer; (4) the FpA levels are proportional to the tumor mass in gastric cancer. The finding of lower plasma heparin levels in neoplastic patients, when compared with controls (20 patients having undergone abdominal surgery for extraneoplastic affections) suggests higher than conventional doses (5,000 units every 8 h s.c.) of the drug should be given to neoplastic patients in order to prevent thromboembolic bouts and possibly reduce metastatic spreading.

Reduction of erythrocyte magnesium concentration in heterozygote beta-thalassaemic subjects and in normal subjects submitted to physical stress.

Erythrocyte and serum magnesium (Mg) concentrations have been assayed in a group of sedentary heterozygote beta-thalassaemic subjects (beta-thal), in a group of non-thalassaemic well trained runners before and after a 25 km running race, and in a group of sedentary healthy controls. The mean erythrocyte Mg concentration (EMg) found in beta-thal (2.72 mEq/litre) and in runners, both before and after the race (2.58 mEq/litre before, 3.10 after), was significantly lower than the EMg values from the control group (3.69 mEq/litre). We propose various hypotheses to explain the reductions observed.