Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Rose

Publications and source records attributed to C Rose.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

The influence of chemotherapy on survival after recurrence in breast cancer--a population-based study of patients treated in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

In a population-based study survival after recurrence was compared in three cohorts of patients with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer in 1959, 1969 and 1979, respectively. The use of chemotherapy after recurrence in these cohorts was either none, sporadic or widespread. This allowed a retrospective analysis of the survival impact of chemotherapy. Given the basic assumption that the natural history of breast cancer and the influence of endocrine therapy have not changed significantly during the 20-year period covered by the study, our data suggest that chemotherapy in recurrent breast cancer prolongs survival by 9.5 months in patients who survive more than 2 weeks from the start of treatment for this recurrence.

Adult↗

Second-order stereology of benign and malignant alterations of the human mammary gland.

The purpose of the present study was a quantitative characterization of the three-dimensional arrangement of the epithelial component of benign and malignant alterations of the female breast by combining stereology with stochastic geometry. Twenty cases of fibrous mastopathy and 20 cases of invasive ductal mammary cancer were studied at the light microscopic level. Segmentation of the epithelial tissue component was performed with an image analyser. From the resulting binary images, unbiased estimates of the covariance C(r) and the intensity Vv of the epithelial volume component were obtained automatically by computer. From these data, estimates of the correlation function k(r), of the pair correlation function g(r), of the radial distribution function RDF(r) and of the reduced second moment function K(r) of epithelial volume were determined. The estimates of C(r) and RDF(r) differed between groups, but these functions depend on spatial pattern and Vv. As carcinomas showed a significantly higher epithelial volume density Vv than mastopathies, estimation of C(r) and RDF(r) alone did not permit a safe distinction between possibly different types of spatial arrangement of epithelium in the benign and malignant lesions. Analysis of the estimates of k(r), g(r) and K(r), which are not influenced by Vv, showed definite interaction between epithelial volume elements, with clustering at short distances and repulsion at long distances. In both groups, the null hypothesis of purely random arrangement of epithelium had to be rejected. The clearest distinction between groups was obtained by estimation of g(r), which showed that short-range, tubular pattern as well as long-range, lobular architecture are better preserved in benign than in malignant lesions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analysis of Variance↗

Depressive symptomatology in hospitalised children.

This study was undertaken to determine the extent and nature of depressive symptoms exhibited by black South African children during hospitalisation for orthopaedic procedures. Social factors associated with the risk for depression, in response to hospitalisation, were also examined. Pre- and post-test assessments were conducted on a sample of 30 children, aged between 6 and 12 years. The assessment entailed a structured interview, together with the following psychometric instruments: A Global Mood Scale, a Depressive Symptoms Checklist, a Hospital Fears Rating Scale and a Self Report Depression Rating Scale. A large proportion of the children were rated by ward sisters as showing high levels of depressive symptomatology two weeks after admission to hospital. As expected, discrepancies were found between adult and child self-ratings of depression. The results of this study indicate that hospitalisation for orthopaedic child patients is associated with the development of depressive symptomatology. It is suggested that emphasis be placed on the development of supportive programmes and procedures aimed at maximising children's coping responses to hospitalisation, particularly for children who find themselves isolated from their communities and families, as a result of both centralised health services and poor socio-economic conditions.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

[In vitro studies of shock wave effects during ablation of normal and atherosclerotic vascular wall by excimer laser].

Ablation of atherosclerotic plaque and normal arterial wall was performed using a xenon-chloride-excimer laser with a wavelength of 308 nm and a pulse duration of 115 ns. The light was transmitted via a 600 micron fiber and adjusted to an energy density of 3.5 J/cm2. The acoustic signals generated by the laser pulse were measured with hydrophones consisting of polyvinylidenefluoride with active diameters of 0.3 mm and recorded on a dual-channel digital storage oscilloscope using either a 0.5 m coaxial cable or a broadband transmission system. From 19 cadavers human aortic tissue segments were excised and macroscopically classified as either normal or calcified atherosclerotic plaque. Approximately 500 measurements were performed in saline and blood each. Histological analysis was carried out after the experiments to verify the macroscopic diagnosis and to correlate the acoustic responses with the tissue characteristics. For "normal" arterial segments, maximum peak pressure was 1.25 MPa +/- 0.85 MPa, rise time 163 ns +/- 43 ns, and pressure increase 8.2 kPa +/- 5.4 kPa/ns in saline. For calcified, atheromatous segments a significantly higher maximum pressure (2.20 MPa +/- 1.16 MPa), a significantly shorter rise time (69.9 ns +/- 25.8 ns), and a significantly higher pressure increase (32.3 kPa +/- 21.3 kPa/ns) was found in saline (p < or = 0.0001). In blood, maximum peak pressure was 1.29 MPa +/- 0.43 MPa, rise time 93.3 ns +/- 27.7 ns, and pressure increase 14.6 kPa +/- 5.2 kPa/ns for "normal" arterial segments. Maximum peak pressure (2.28 MPa +/- 0.63 MPa) and pressure increase (32.8 kPa +/- Pa/ns) were significantly higher for calcified tissue segments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angioplasty, Balloon, Laser-Assisted↗

Detection of antibodies to the recombinant P39 protein of Borrelia burgdorferi using enzyme immunoassay and immunoblotting.

The diagnostic value of serologic tests using the recombinant P39 protein of Borrelia burgdorferi was compared with that of tests prepared from a whole spirochete antigen source. Immunoassays (ELISA and Western blot) prepared from either the recombinant protein or whole spirochetes were evaluated using a test panel comprised of 2 sera groups, one obtained from patients with clinically diagnosed Lyme disease, the other from individuals with no indication of past or current infection with B. burgdorferi. Results obtained indicate that ELISA screening tests relying on the recombinant protein are less sensitive than ELISA tests using whole spirochete antigen preparations. Western blot tests based on the P39 protein were more specific than P39 ELISA yielding no false positive or indeterminate results. These findings suggest that the P39 protein may prove valuable for confirmation testing for Lyme disease.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

Adjuvant radiotherapy and risk of contralateral breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The risk of contralateral breast cancer is increased twofold to fivefold for breast cancer patients. A registry-based cohort study in Denmark suggested that radiation treatment of the first breast cancer might increase the risk for contralateral breast cancer among 10-year survivors. PURPOSE: Our goal was to assess the role of radiation in the development of contralateral breast cancer. METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted in a cohort of 56,540 women in Denmark diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from 1943 through 1978. Case patients were 529 women who developed contralateral breast cancer 8 or more years after first diagnosis. Controls were women with breast cancer who did not develop contralateral breast cancer. One control was matched to each case patient on the basis of age, calendar year of initial breast cancer diagnosis, and survival time. Radiation dose to the contralateral breast was estimated for each patient on the basis of radiation measurements and abstracted treatment information. The anatomical position of each breast cancer was also abstracted from medical records. RESULTS: Radiotherapy had been administered to 82.4% of case patients and controls, and the mean radiation dose to the contralateral breast was estimated to be 2.51 Gy. Radiotherapy did not increase the overall risk of contralateral breast cancer (relative risk = 1.04; 95% confidence interval = 0.74-1.46), and there was no evidence that risk varied with radiation dose, time since exposure, or age at exposure. The second tumors in case patients were evenly distributed in the medial, lateral, and central portions of the breast, a finding that argues against a causal role of radiotherapy in tumorigenesis. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of women in our series were perimenopausal or postmenopausal (53% total versus 38% premenopausal and 9% of unknown status) and received radiotherapy at an age when the breast tissue appears least susceptible to the carcinogenic effects of radiation. Based on a dose of 2.51 Gy and estimates of radiation risk from other studies, a relative risk of only 1.18 would have been expected for a population of women exposed at an average age of 51 years. Thus, our data provide additional evidence that there is little if any risk of radiation-induced breast cancer associated with exposure of breast tissue to low-dose radiation (e.g., from mammographic x rays or adjuvant radiotherapy) in later life.

Adult↗

Factors influencing women to undergo screening mammography.

Despite the fact that mammography is a valuable tool for early detection of breast cancer, the majority of age-eligible American women do not avail themselves of screening mammography. To better understand why women do or do not undergo mammography and to further develop guidelines for promoting breast cancer screening, the authors investigated what impact personal factors, attitudes, and health-related behaviors have on compliance with screening mammography by surveying 521 women for information related to health behavior, health concerns, sense of well-being, satisfaction with health care, and knowledge about breast cancer. Women who underwent mammography were more likely to have a regular physician, to practice breast self-examination, to be less concerned over the cost of mammography, to be generally satisfied with their health care, to believe they have a greater sense of control over their health, and to be more knowledgeable about mammography and breast cancer. Age, health behavior, sense of well-being, locus of control, and breast cancer experience helped differentiate between women who had undergone mammography and those who had not.

Adult↗

Cytotoxic treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Which drugs and drug combinations to use?

Although the optimal efficacy of cytotoxic therapy plateaued in the 1970s, no consensus yet exists regarding which cytotoxic combination to offer as first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer. Comparison of a combination of CAF/CEF with other cytotoxic combinations reveals that an anthracycline-containing regimen not only increases response rate, but also improves time to progression and survival. Regarding appropriate duration of cytotoxic therapy, randomized trials indicate that therapy in excess of 6 months is beneficial. Although the main objective of cytotoxic therapy in patients with metastatic disease is to palliate symptoms at the least toxic cost, the finding that adjuvant cytotoxic therapy improves survival provides a clinical and ethical rational for continued research into new drugs and combinations in the hope that new strategies can be employed not only against metastatic breast cancer but may be applied with benefit also in the adjuvant situation.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Weekly oral idarubicin in advanced prostatic cancer. A phase II study.

Twenty-five patients with advanced prostatic cancer progressing after one course of endocrine treatment entered a phase II study of weekly administration of 30 mg Idarubicin orally. Twenty-two patients were evaluable for response and partial response (PR) was noted in 2 patients and stable disease (NC) in 10 patients. Median survival was 31 weeks and median time to progression was 14 weeks. Twenty-three patients were eligible in a score system combining analgetic consumption and pain reduction measured on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and 30% achieved a subjective response. Fifteen patients fulfilled treatment with the planned dose and 10 patients had dose reduction to a median of 23.8 mg Idarubicin. Haematological toxicity was greater than or equal to grade 3 (WHO) in 20% of the patients. Non-haematological toxicity was dominated by nausea/vomiting with 48% grade 3 (WHO). In conclusion, Idarubicin seems of limited value in the treatment of patients refractory to first line endocrine treatment.

Administration, Oral↗

Danish randomized trial comparing breast conservation therapy with mastectomy: six years of life-table analysis. Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group.

The Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group (DBCG) conducted a randomized trial comparing breast conservation with mastectomy in patients with invasive mammary carcinoma. From January 1983 to March 1989, the trial accrued a total of 1153 women. Of this number, 905 patients (79%) were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment options, whereas 248 patients (21%) did not accept randomization. Of the randomly assigned patients, 90% received the surgical option to which they had been originally assigned. In the breast conservation arm the tumor was excised with the intention of obtaining free margins determined at gross examination, and radiotherapy was subsequently administered to residual breast tissue. The axilla was dissected in all instances. Patient and tumor characteristics were similar in the two randomization arms. The median follow-up time was 40 months. At 6 years of life-table analysis the probability of recurrence-free survival was 70% in the breast conservation arm against 66% in the mastectomy arm. Survival figures were 79% against 82%, respectively.

Breast Neoplasms↗

[Adjuvant endocrine treatment of postmenopausal patients with breast cancer with high risk of recurrence. 5. Results from the DBCG (Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group) 77C randomized trial].

The role of antiestrogen treatment of postmenopausal breast cancer patients with high risk of recurrent disease is evaluated in a nationwide, prospective trial conducted by the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group (DBCG). After total mastectomy and postoperative radiotherapy (RT), 840 patients were randomized to treatment with tamoxifen (RT + TAM) for one year, and 824 were randomized to no further therapy (RT). The recurrenceree survival (RFS) after ten years of lifeable analysis is 31% in the RT + TAM treated group, and 28% in the RT group (p = 0.01). Survival is 38% and 34% in the two treatment groups, respectively (p = 0.04). The data were further analyzed with respect to prognostic factors such as age, number of positive nodes, tumour size, and degree of anaplasia. Survival is prolonged in nearly all subgroups of patients treated with RT + TAM. However, the prolongation is only significant in patients with four or more positive nodes, with tumours of less than 5 centimeters or with tumours of anaplasia grade II. Estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) concentrations were measured in tumours from 309 and 219 patients, respectively. Only patients with ER and PgR values above 100 fmol/mg cytosol protein seemed to have a prolongation of survival. In conclusion, a modest survival benefit is achieved with one year of adjuvant tamoxifen treatment. Nevertheless, this is the first example of a systemic treatment approach being able to change the fatal course of breast cancer in postmenopausal patients. By means of endocrine therapy, and in the context of a new randomized trial, the DBCG will try to improve the survival in these patients even further.

Aged↗

[Shark liver oil (alkoxyglycerol) and cancer treatment].

Alkoxyglycerol derived from shark liver oil is marketed in Denmark and mentioned in popular articles as a supplementary agent in the treatment of cancer. A questionnaire investigation carried out in the Department of Oncology and Haematology in Odense Hospital revealed that approximately 1/3 of the patients in active neoplastic therapy employed shark liver oil preparations. The clinical investigations of alkoxyglycerol were all carried out on patients with cancer of the uterine cervix. All of the investigations were carried out by the same Swedish research group. Only a minority of the experimental material was blinded. No documentation was found for inhibited tumour growth or reduced mortality resulting from treatment with alkoxyglycerol. The number of cases of irradiation damage were found to be fewer in the groups treated with alkoxyglycerol, but the difference may be partially explained by different subdivision into stages. Alkoxyglycerol results in increase in the leukocyte and thrombocyte counts while higher or lower doses have, apparently, the opposite effect. The available literature concerning the clinical effect of alkoxyglycerol is limited and unsystematic and does not support the employment of alkocyglycerol in the treatment of cancer.

Animals↗

Multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of epirubicin at four different dose levels: studies in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Pharmacokinetic analysis of epirubicin and its metabolites epirubicinol and 7-deoxy-13-dihydro-epirubicinol aglycone during the first and the fourth courses of treatment was performed in 78 patients with metastatic breast cancer. The patients were treated every 3 weeks with epirubicin given as 10-min i.v. infusions at four different dose levels: 40, 60, 90 and 135 mg/m2. In most cases (76 of 78 cases), plasma concentration-time curves fitted to a three-compartmental pharmacokinetic model. The terminal half-life of epirubicin was independent of dose and duration of treatment. Large interindividual differences were demonstrated (mean t1/2 gamma, 21.6 +/- 7.9 h; range, 10.6-69 h; n = 110). In two subjects, extremely long half-lives and high serum bilirubin concentrations indicated impaired liver function. No correlation was found between the half-life and levels of liver alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) or serum creatinine. The metabolite epirubicinol appeared quickly after epirubicin administration and its half-lives were shorter than that of the parent compound (mean t1/2 gamma, 18.1 +/- 4.8 h; range, 8.2-38.4 h; n = 105). Formation of the aglycone metabolite was delayed and the half-life of this metabolite was shorter than that of epirubicin (mean t1/2 gamma, 13 +/- 4.6 h; range, 2.7-29 h; n = 104). The AUC of epirubicin and the total AUC (drug and metabolites) were linearly proportional to the dose, with the former value constituting two-thirds of the latter. A correlation was found between AUC and the plasma concentration of epirubicin at two time points (2 and 24 h after administration). The proposed model was AUC = 9.44 x c2 + 62.5 x c24 + 157.7 (r = 0.953).

Breast Neoplasms↗

A randomized study of epirubicin at four different dose levels in advanced breast cancer. Feasibility of myelotoxicity prediction through single blood-sample measurement.

Detailed pharmacokinetic analysis and subsequent evaluation of myelotoxicity were performed in 55 patients who had been randomized to 4 different doses of epirubicin (40, 60, 90 or 135 mg/m2 given i.v. every 3 weeks). A significantly positive correlation was demonstrated between the AUC and the myelotoxicity of epirubicin. A similar correlation was observed when the metabolite epirubicinol was also considered. The decrease in leucocyte count as expressed by the logarithmic ratio between nadir WBC and initial WBC was linearly correlated with the AUC of either epirubicin alone (r = -0.55, P less than 0.001) or epirubicin and epirubicinol together (r = -0.63, P less than 0.001). As a relationship between the concentration of epirubicin in a single plasma sample taken at 6 h following i.v. administration and the AUC of the drug has been established, a log-linear relationship between the expected decrease in leucocytes and the concentration at 6 h after administration could be calculated. The proposed model is expressed as the equation: log WBCnadir = log WBCinitial -0.0073 x c6 (ng/ml)-0.14.

Bone Marrow↗