Fine wood dust is epidemiologically associated with human nasal cancer. The aim of the present study was to elaborate an animal model for inhalation studies of the effects of fine wood dust on the upper and lower airways. Syrian golden hamsters were used. After 10 months one animal in the group which was exposed only to wood dust, had developed a malignant nasal tumour and another animal in the same group had nasal dysplasia. Spontaneous nasal tumours in this laboratory animal is not known. Many tumours of the nose, larynx and trachea arose in animals treated with a carcinogen (diethylnitrosamine). There was no increase in tumours in animals with combined exposure to diethylnitrosamine and wood dust.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Is digitalis a therapy for breast carcinoma?

We have previously reported effects on breast carcinoma by digitalis on patients in vivo with significant effects on cytometric features and recurrence rate. Increased attention is now paid to the anti-proliferative and apoptosis inducing effect on cancer cells in vitro by glycosides from foxglove as well as by some other glycosides. The present study is a long-term follow-up (22.3 years) of 175 patients with breast carcinoma, of which 32 were on digitalis treatment, when they acquired their breast carcinoma. There was a lower death rate (6%) from breast carcinoma among the patients on digitalis, when compared with patients not on digitalis (34%). Also proliferation/aneuploidy was less pronounced of the tumors in patients on digitalis. These observations were statistically significant although the statistical analysis was hampered in the life-table analysis by the fact that only 2/32 patients on digitalis died from breast cancer. Serious consideration should be given to the effects of digitalis derivatives on cancer cells in cancer drug design. This field of research is not sufficiently explored and holds promise to contain drugs superior to present-day adjuvant therapy both with respect to effects and side-effects.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

X-ray and fine-needle biopsy in diagnosis of non-palpable breast lesions.

Using mammography and xeroradiography among 78 patients with non-palpable breast lesions, three cases of suspected carcinoma were detected. The diagnosis was confirmed by cytology after x-ray guidance of the fine-needle biopsy.

Aged↗