Immunological and side effects of low sc recombinant interleukin-2 dose in addition to conventional treatment in relapsed breast and colorectal cancer patients.

Thirteen relapsed cancer patients, four of them operated for colorectal and the nine remaining for breast cancer, were cyclically given low subcutaneous (sc) recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) doses in addition to chemo- or hormone therapy. Cycle intervals were 2 or 6 weeks in length, and the number of cycles ranged from one to 14 and from one to six respectively. Tolerance assessed by clinical and laboratory data, eosinophils, lymphocytes (total number), T subpopulations, B lymphocytes and NK cells were the evaluated parameters. One (7.6%) of the 13 studied patients interrupted the first low dose sc rIL-2 cycle due to a hypersensitive reaction. This case showed relapse from breast cancer. During further cycles, three patients (25%), one operated on for colorectal and two others for breast cancer of the 12 remaining cases who completed all rIL-2 cycles showed an increase in glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), gamma-gt, and creatininemia without any clinical symptoms. A slight influenza-like syndrome and 10-20 mmHg decrease in blood pressure sporadically occurred in all patients under rIL-2 therapy. In both cancer types, a significant (P < 0.05 - P < 0.001) increase in lymphocytes, eosinophils. T4 and T3 subpopulations but not in T8 subpopulations and NK cells occurred at the end of the rIL-2 cycles. In 11 of the 13 patients responsive to conventional therapy, a highly significant increase (P < 0.001) in all parameters apart from B lymphocytes and T4/T8 ratio was observed, while in three cases which were no longer responsive and in another case which had never been responsive to conventional therapy, a slightly significant increase in eosinophils only occurred (P < 0.05). Three colorectal cancer patients showed a partial response and the last a complete response to conventional therapy. In these four patients, time to progression during rIL-2 cycles ranged from 2.5-5 months and the duration of response ranged from 8-19 months. In seven of the eight breast cancer patients who completed all rIL-2 cycles, the response ranged from 3-51+ months and in the last case, which was not responsive to conventional therapy, the disease progressed in spite of the addition of rIL-2. These data suggest that: a) rIL-2 is likely to constitute a well-tolerated and suitable home therapy even when cyclically given for a prolonged period; b) following rIL-2 administration, eosinophils and lymphocytes increase in addition to the T subpopulations.

The use of ACTH and beta-endorphin levels to measure the stress impact and safety of extracorporeal lithotripsy.

The authors measured the plasma levels of beta-endorphin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) related to pain in 11 urologic patients who underwent extracorporeal lithotripsy. The study included eight male and three female patients (aged 24 to 65 years) with single kidney stones of less than 20 mm who were treated with the Lithoring Multi-One device. The device delivered 2,000 shock waves from 18 kV to 25 kV, increasing by 1 kV every 250 shock waves. Three patients experienced pain, but only one required intravenous analgesia. The assay of plasmatic ACTH and beta-endorphin is proposed to control the safety and the stress impact of new devices and techniques. In addition, the study demonstrates the medicolegal relevance of such an assay in the evaluation of pain.

[A case of nephrogenic adenoma of the bladder. Clinical and anatomopathological aspects]. / Un cas d'adénome néphrogénique de la vessie. Aspects cliniques et anatomopathologiques.

Nephrogenic adenoma (about 300 cases in the literature) is an uncommon, benign lesion of the urothelium that may occur anywhere along the transitional urothelium. A case report of nephrogenic adenoma of the bladder accompanied by etiologic, histologic and ultrastructural aspects is presented.

Alfa-antitrypsin increase in lung cancer.

The Authors controlled the content of A1AT in the sera of 100 patients with L.Ca. As controls there were examined: 20 cases of metastatic neoplasm of the lung, 5 cases of systemic sarcomatosis, 10 cases of acute bacterial bronchopneumonia, 4 cases of bronchiectasis and emphysema. Moreover, the levels of A1AT was studied in 15 pl.fl., neoplastic and not, in comparison with the levels of the sera. None of the controls demonstrated an increase in A1AT, excepting the cases of acute bronchopneumonia, in which the levels were very high but only for a few days. The results indicate that in more than 90% of the L.Ca. the level of the A1AT is significantly higher than in the sera of the controls, with possible variations during the disease. There is a clear trend towards increase parallel with the worsening of the condition of the patients. A course of chemotherapy may bring down the levels, proportionally to the length and intensity of the treatment. After discontinuance, the level increases again more or less quickly, reaching the previous values.