We undertook a study to investigate the therapeutic potential of orally administered melatonin in patients with advanced melanoma. Forty-two patients received melatonin in doses ranging from 5 mg/m2/day to 700 mg/m2/day in four divided doses. Two were excluded from analysis. After a median follow-up of 5 weeks, six patients had partial responses, six additional patients had stable disease. Sites of response included the central nervous system, subcutaneous tissue and lung. The median response duration was 33 weeks for the partial responders. There was a suggestion of a dose-response relationship. The toxicity encountered was minimal and consisted primarily of fatigue in 17 of 40 patients. Melatonin also appeared to reduce basal levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). No significant changes were encountered in serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) or thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). We conclude that further study of melatonin as a potentially useful agent in metastatic melanoma is warranted.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mental health: counselling sexual abuse survivors.

Some nurses are now becoming involved in helping adult survivors of child sexual abuse to overcome problems caused by an early abusive relationship. Developing a therapeutic partnership between victim and counsellor is a fundamental part of resolving such problems. Using a psychodynamic perspective, the author examines the effects of child sexual abuse on female survivors, and discusses the benefits of group therapy and individual counselling in helping the survivor to come to terms with the abuse.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Electrocardiography of ventricular-wall rupture following myocardial infarct].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Do the eosinophilic granulomas observed in Brittany represent a form of anisakiasis? The larvae of Thynnascaris aduncum do not produce these granulomas experimentally].

To explain the enigmatical origin of gastric eosinophilic granulomas prevailing among patients in Brittany (France), we have tried to experiment with the larvae of Thynnascaris (Thynnascaris aduncum (Rud.)), a Nematode found in the sardine (Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum)), a fish sometimes eaten raw in our country. In a preliminary experiment, larvae of Thynnascaris were observed to penetrate the mucosa of the rabbit stomach in vitro at room temperature. But in vivo, whatever the means, the ways and the experimented mammals of our study, we have failed to experimentally reproduce such tumours. We think that this result belongs to the fact that the larvae of Thynnascaris in the conditions of our experimentation could not perform an evolution in homeothermal animals.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[A critical study of the penile Doppler test. Considerations apropos of a personal series of over 850 patients tested for the evaluation of impotence since 1983].

The penial Doppler is, in 1990, the first intention examination the most asked for when there is a suspicion of a vascular origin in an erection problem. In fact, due to the technical difficulties to carry it out, this examination presents many uncertainties in its interpretation, and can even be the source of diagnostic errors. The aim of this study is to argue in favour of a systematic intracavernous injection of 8 mg of papaverine when the penial Doppler is carried out, enabling an increase in its diagnostic value and often a therapeutic orientation straightaway.

Adult↗