Immunohistochemical profiling and telomerase activity of a canine medulloblastoma.

A well-demarcated mass was found by computed tomography in the left cerebellar hemisphere of a 4-year-old male Boxer with acute onset of progressive central vestibular syndrome. At necropsy, the pink, gelatinous mass was in the flocculonodular lobe. Histologically, neoplastic tissue arose from the granular layer of the cerebellar cortex and consisted of sheets of oval to round hyperchromatic cells, consistent with the diagnosis of medulloblastoma. Synaptophysin and neuron-specific enolase immunoreactivity supported the neuronal origin of the neoplastic cells; furthermore, a weak to moderate c-kit expression was detected, as reported in pediatric medulloblastoma. Telomerase activity of tumor cells was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and by the telomere repeat amplification protocol, suggesting involvement of this enzymatic pathway.

A case-control study of gastric cancer and diet in Italy.

A case-control study was conducted in high- and low-risk areas of Italy to evaluate reasons for the striking geographic variation in gastric cancer (GC) mortality within the country. Personal interviews with 1,016 histologically confirmed GC cases and 1,159 population controls of similar age and sex revealed that the patients were more often of lower social class and resident in rural areas and more frequently reported a familial history of gastric (but not other) cancer. After adjusting for these effects, case-control differences were found for several dietary variables, assessed by asking about the usual frequency of consumption of 146 food items and beverages. A significant trend of increasing GC risk was found with increasing consumption of traditional soups, meat, salted/dried fish and a combination of cold cuts and seasoned cheeses. The habit of adding salt and the preference for salty foods were associated with elevated GC risk, while more frequently storing foods in the refrigerator, the availability of a freezer and use of frozen foods lowered risk. Reduced GC risk were associated with increasing intake of raw vegetables, fresh fruit and citrus fruits. Lowered risk was also related to consumption of spices, olive oil and garlic. Neither cigarette smoking nor alcoholic beverage drinking were significantly related to GC risk. The case-control differences tended to be consistent across geographic areas, despite marked regional variations in intake levels of certain foods. The high-risk areas tended to show higher consumption of food associated with elevated risk (traditional soups, cold cuts) and lower consumption of foods associated with reduced risks (raw vegetables, citrus fruits, garlic). Our findings indicate that dietary factors contribute to the regional variation of stomach cancer occurrence in Italy, and offer clues for further etiologic and prevention research.

CEA levels in gastric juice in precancerous conditions and cancer.

First described in 1965 as a specific antigen for cancer of the colon, CEA is now considered to be an antigen associated with many types of malignant neoplasia, although the CEA-Test's role in clinical routine has yet to be clearly defined. In the present study CEA levels in gastric juice were measured in subjects with gastric carcinoma (n = 25) and with benign gastric lesions (n = 171). CEA was significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in patients with gastric carcinoma (GC) than in subjects with benign gastric lesions, other than chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) associated with intestinal metaplasia (IM). In this latter condition CEA levels were similar to those in patients with GC. These results suggest that the assay of CEA in gastric juice could be included in the diagnostic program for gastric cancer and its precursors with the aim of assessing its utility as risk indicator in the management of precancerous conditions and lesion.

Chemotherapy of advanced gastric cancer: a study of 43 consecutive cases treated with fluorouracil, adriamycin and mitomycin C (FAM).

All consecutive patients with advanced gastric carcinoma who came to the Oncology Dept. of the "L. Pierantoni Hospital" in Forlì, between June 1, 1980 and August 30, 1983, were treated with 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin and mitomycin C (FAM). None of the patients had previously received chemotherapy. The dominant location of metastasis was the liver in 21 pts (48.8%), the abdomen in 15 pts (34.8%) and distant organs in 7 pts (16.2%). The schedule of FAM regimen used was: 5 Fluorouracil, 600 mg/m2, days 1, 8, 29, 36; Mitomycin C 10, mg/m2, day 1; Adriamycin, 30 mg/m2, days 1, 29. Complete remission (CR) was reached in 2 pts (4.6%) with a median length of response (m.l.r.) of 55 weeks (range 20-90), partial remission (PR) in 9 pts (20.9%) with a m.l.r. of 15.1 weeks (2.2-60), no change (N.C.) in 19 pts (44%) with a m.l.r. of 10 weeks (2.2-54) and progression (P) in 13 pts (30.2%). Median survival of patients in CR + PR considered together was 48 weeks (12 months), for the NC pts 20 weeks (5 months) and for those in P 14.1 weeks (3.5 months). The authors reached the conclusion that gastric carcinoma may be treated with FAM both for palliation and to improve survival even if in a small number of patients.