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Biomedical subjects

C Wilson

Publications and source records attributed to C Wilson.

658 records · Page 37Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

hTERT mRNA expression is associated with a poor clinical outcome in human breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein enzyme that synthesises telomeres after cell division and maintains chromosomal length and stability thus leading to cellular immortalisation. hTERT (human telomerase reverse transcriptase) gene is the rate-limiting determinant of telomerase reactivation. The present study aims to quantitatively measure the expression of hTERT mRNA in human breast cancer, examine the association between hTERT and the clinicopathological characteristics of the cancer specimens including the Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) and to explore the relationship between hTERT expression and clinical outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: RNA was extracted from 116 breast carcinomas and 31 matched adjacent non-cancerous tissue (ANCT). hTERT mRNA expression was estimated by reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) and Taqman methodology. RESULTS: hTERT mRNA was present in all of the cancerous specimens (mean=0.1701, median=0.0205) and most ANCT specimens with levels being 2.6 times higher in the cancerous tissue than in ANCT (mean=0.156 vs. 0.68, p=0.18). The mean mRNA levels increased with NPI scores (0.0816 for NPI 1, 0.1186 for NPI 2 and 0.68 for NPI 3), however this failed to reach statistical significance (P-values= 0.33 for NPI 1 vs. 2, 0.27for NPI2 vs. 3 and 0.24 for NPI 1 vs. 3). hTERT levels also increased with increasing tumour's grade (mean= 0.0459 for grade 1, 0.111for grade 2, and 0.27 for grade 3) but this trend did not reach a statistical significance. Low levels of hTERT were associated with mucinous carcinoma compared with ductal (p=0.023) and lobular (p=0.021) types. hTERT mRNA levels were higher in patients who had recurrent disease or died from breast cancer compared with those who remained alive without disease after a median follow up of 6 years (p=0.0026). CONCLUSION: High hTERT mRNA levels are associated with a poor clinical outcome in human breast cancer and should be included as a prognostic marker in future validation studies.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

High dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow rescue in small cell lung cancer.

Twenty five patients diagnosed as having small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were treated with etoposide and cisplatinum. After assessment for tumour response, autologous bone marrow (ABM) was collected from five patients in good clinical state who had shown a partial response (PR) and no bone marrow involvement with tumour. These patients were treated with high dose cisplatinum, etoposide and melphalan and then by ABM infusion. Although all patients (3 with extensive and 2 with limited disease) responded (4 CR and 1 PR), 3 patients with extensive disease relapsed and died of their disease. One patient with limited disease died of infection while pancytopaenic; one patient is alive but has relapsed at eighteen months. Although patient numbers are small, our data support the conclusion that high dose chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow rescue has a very small role or none at all in the management of patients with extensive or limited stage SCLC.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Developing a breast cancer screening program for Chinese-American women.

The Chinese, like other minority groups, often underuse cancer screening services because of language, cultural, and economic barriers. Nonattendance reduces the probability that cancer will be detected in its earliest and often most curable form. To improve use of cancer screening services among Chinese-Americans, a community-based coalition organized a one-day demonstration cancer awareness and screening program--the Breast Cancer Screening Day for Chinese Women. More than 100 women, many of whom did not speak English, attended the program. Six abnormal mammograms required follow-up and one breast cancer was detected. The planning process used to develop this successful project is described as are suggestions to improve future screening programs for ethnic minorities.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Beta-adrenoceptor subtypes in human, rat, guinea pig, and rabbit atria.

Selective beta-adrenoceptor agonists and antagonists were used to characterize the beta-adrenoceptor subtypes in human right atrium. The activity order of selective agonists for rat, guinea pig, and rabbit atrial inotropic and chronotropic responses was consistent with the hypothesis that only beta 1-adrenoceptors mediate these responses. In human right atrium, however, the beta 2-selective agonists fenoterol and salbutamol were relatively much more active. The beta 1-selective antagonist practolol preferentially antagonized the human atrial response to noradrenaline (beta 1-selective) as opposed to fenoterol (beta 2-selective), whereas the beta 2-selective antagonist ICI 118,551 preferentially antagonized the response to fenoterol. The data indicate that the response of human right atrium to beta-adrenoceptor agonists is mediated by a mixed beta 1-plus beta 2-adrenoceptor population. The implications of these results with respect to the therapeutic uses of beta-adrenoceptor agonists are discussed.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Patient statement: chemical sensitivity--one victim's perspective.

Not a day goes by that I don't miss my old life and the old me. To illustrate how my life has changed, I have two brief stories. In 1982, I developed a lending procedure in conjunction with Banker's Life Insurance Company that enabled commercial real estate developers to secure permanent financing for property that had not yet been developed--in essence using a permanent loan in place of a construction loan. It fixed the interest rate, at a time when new construction rates were bankrupting many projects and it allowed the developer to invest the excess funds to offset interest expenses. I received national recognition for this loan. In 1989, the police found me wandering around in 15 inches of snow, in below zero weather with no shoes or coat. The officer took me to the hospital because I was obviously disoriented. I didn't even know my name or where I lived. These stories show the disparity between my life as a successful, independent business woman and my life as someone who is chemically disabled.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of two dosages of oral midazolam as a conscious sedation for physically and neurologically compromised pediatric dental patients.

Physically and neurologically handicapped pediatric dental patients are often a challenge to treat and may require the use of pharmacological agents for behavior modification. The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety, in terms of vital sign changes and complications, and the effectiveness, in terms of behavioral changes, of two dosages of oral midazolam as a conscious sedative agent for this unique population. Participating in this study were 31 patients of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, who were uncooperative (as rated on the Frankl scale) at a previous dental appointment. The patients, 3-18 years old, were randomly selected to receive one of the two dosage regimens; Group A received 0.3 mg/kg oral midazolam and Group B received 0.5 mg/kg. Physiologic parameters and behavior were recorded throughout the appointment and overall safety and success were determined. Although clinically insignificant, Group A's pulse rates 20 min into treatment were significantly higher than at baseline or treatment start, and oxygen saturations were lower during treatment than at baseline and start of treatment. Intratreatment systolic and diastolic blood pressures and pulse rates of Group B were significantly higher than the baseline figures; however, these changes were not clinically significant. No clinical or postoperative complications were noted for either dosage. The regimen of 0.3 mg/kg of oral midazolam was successful 75% of the time, and the regimen of 0.5 mg/kg of oral midazolam was successful 60% of the time in providing adequate sedation to allow operative treatment to be safely and efficiently performed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Oral↗