This paper describes the history of the epidemiologic research on lung cancer prior to 1970 and its effect on chronic disease epidemiology. In the 1930s, epidemiology was largely concerned with acute infectious diseases. As the evidence grew that the incidence of lung cancer was increasing among men, however, epidemiologists undertook research into the etiology of the disease. In 1950, Doll and Hill, in England, and Wynder and Graham, in the United States, published substantial case-control studies that implicated the use of tobacco as a major risk factor for the disease. A controversy developed over the credibility of this finding and was increased in 1954 when a cohort study by Doll and Hill and another by Hammond and Horn each gave estimates that the risk of lung cancer was greatly increased among smokers relative to the risk among comparable non-smokers. An account is given of the disputes surrounding these and related studies. The controversy had a stimulating effect in fostering the developing discipline of chronic disease and epidemiology.

Case-Control Studies↗

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Education needs of immunization nurses.

A survey was conducted to identify the various levels of responsibility, experience and management tasks of registered nurses (RNs) involved in immunization services in South Australia. Questionnaires were sent to 109 RNs and 94 were completed. Educational deficits were common: 68% of respondents had received no orientation to immunization; 49% indicated five years or less experience in such programs and 86% expressed interest in inservice education.

Australia↗

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The pharmacologic basis for the efficacy of high-dose Ara-C and sequential asparaginase in adult acute myelogenous leukemia.

Dose-related effects of ara-C include overcoming a relative transport impediment in human leukemia cells. This result then allows intracellular metabolism and incorporation into DNA to proceed to the maximum extent possible. In addition, the increased synthesis of ara-CDP-choline associated with these high doses may serve as an alternate substrate for phosphatidyl choline synthesis, which may contribute to membrane fragility and cell lysis. HiDAC also serves as a "prodrug" for high concentrations of ara-U, which in turn diminishes ara-C catabolism with a prolonged gamma phase of systemic clearance and also causes cytostasis in S-phase with enhanced anabolism and cytotoxicity of subsequent doses of ara-C. This metabolite/drug interaction could be termed "self-potentiation," a feature which contributes to the overall activity of HiDAC. Asparaginase enhances these effects in a schedule-dependent fashion by lowering the cellular pool size of dCTP and consequent enhanced metabolism of ara-C. The therapeutic benefit of these pharmacologic manipulations has been verified in a randomized clinical trial in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied