[History of tumor markers for cancers of the digestive system]. / Az emésztoszervi tumorjelzok története.

Tumor markers are gene products which signal the occurrence of tumors in different organs as well as their response to surgery and chemotherapy. The discovery of tumor markers occurred after the demonstration of tumor-specific transplantation antigens in chemically or virally induced tumors in syngenic rodents. The history of currently used tumor markers began in the 1940s, the first discovered being alpha-fetoprotein in 1956, followed by that of carcinoembryonic antigen in 1965. Since then the range of tumor markers has widened continously. Their chemical structure and genetics is now well known. Some may play part in tumor growth and development of metastases. The potential uses of tumor markers are general or high risk population screening, adjunct in diagnosis of cancer, preoperative indicator of tumor burden, indicator of therapeutic success, evidence of postoperative recurrences and use in tumor localization. However, there is no ideal tumor marker fulfilling all the criteria. Isotope-labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibodies and small molecular E-selectin inhibitors could play a role in the molecular radio- and chemotherapy of colon and pancreatic carcinomas.

Gastrinomas: a historical perspective.

The journey of gastrinomas had its beginnings in 1955 when Zollinger and Ellison published their seminal paper (Zollinger and Ellison, Ann Surg 1955; 142: 709-723). The evolution of the diagnosis and management of this syndrome has paralleled many important advances in medicine, including the development of various diagnostic tools to the major impact of medical treatment on the management of an inherently surgical pathology. There are numerous excellent review articles on the most current developments and treatment options of gastrinomas available in the literature today. The purpose of this paper is to present a historical perspective on this most fascinating condition. This article will illustrate the way in which the discovery of gastrinomas evolved and how its management has developed with it. The evolution of the surgical treatment of gastrinomas has evolved over the last 50 years.

[Three decades of roentgen-diagnosis of the upper digestive tract in the light of modern endoscopy]. / A felsö emésztötraktus röntgendiagnosztikájának három évtizede a modern endoszkópok tükrében.

The author commemorating professor Géza Hetényi, discusses the relation of endoscopy and x-ray diagnostic. He observes that the spreading of recent fibre optical endoscopes did not solve the problem of the early gastric cancer diagnosis. The experiences of the author based on his practice for several decades, data from the literature and, especially, the Japanese results show that x-ray did not lose its position but rather strengthened it in the diagnostics of the upper gastrointestinal tract. For examinations at identical levels, both diagnostic methods have equal opportunities to reveal gastric cancer at an early stage. In accordance with the type variety of early gastric cancer, the author discusses the relationship between early gastric cancer and gastric ulcer, and he proposes a rational algorithm for its diagnosis and follow-up. He shows that the most effective method for the diagnosis of the upper gastrointestinal tract is a reasonable combination of all available methods, and "primus inter pares" of them is x-ray examination, in addition to endoscopy.