Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D C Tormey

Publications and source records attributed to D C Tormey.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Evaluation of tamoxifen dose in advanced breast cancer: a progress report.

The results of an ongoing trial randomizing patients with progressive, metastatic breast carcinoma between tamoxifen (Tam, NSC-180973) and Tam plus fluoxymesterone (Flu) (7 mg/m2 bid) are reported. Each patient received a single dose level of Tam in the range of 2-100 mg/m2 bid. The combination had a higher response rate overall (45% vs 28%) and when only the patients' soft tissue sites were analyzed (54% vs 9%, P=0.04). The time to treatment failure was longer for the combination among those patients with a response or disease stabilization (P=0.08). Response rates with Tam doses less than 12 mg/m2 bid were also higher than with doses greater than or equal to 12 mg/m2 for all patients in the study (62% vs 30%, P=0.025) and for those where only soft tissue sites were evaluable (43% vs 29%, P=0.07). Side effects were mild and consisted primarily of transient hematologic suppression, nausea, masculinization, hepatic enzyme elevations, and edema. The latter three were observed only with the Flu regimen. Leukopenia and thrombocytopenia were more frequent at Tam doses less than 12 mg/m2 bid whereas nausea was more common at higher doses. Tam doses as high as 100 mg/m2 bid were well tolerated. Tam amy be more effective at low doses, has only mild side effects, and is well tolerated at doses up to 100 mg/m2 bid. Combining Tam with Flu appears to enhance the therapeutic effectiveness.

Adult↗

Evaluation of an intermittent schedule of dibromodulcitol in breast cancer.

Dibromodulcitol was administered orally on Days 1-10 every 3-4 weeks to 29 patients with metastatic breast carcinoma refractory to previous combination chemotherapy. Initial doses between 70 and 280 mg/m2/day were utilized. The dose was escalated as tolerated in subsequent cycles in individual patients. Hematosuppression was dose-limiting. At doses of greater than 200 mg/m2/day leukopenia (greater than 1000 cells/mm3) and thrombocytopenia (greater than 25,000 platelets/mm3) occurred in one of 28 cycles and two of 27 cycles respectively. In contrast, at doses of less than or equal to 200 mg/m2/day leukopenia and thrombocytopenia occurred in four of 18 cycles and five of 18 cycles respectively. Recovery of leukocytes (less than 4000 cells/mm3) and platelets (less than 100,000 platelets/mm3) by Day 29 after the start of therapy was also delayed at higher doses. Responses were observed in three of 29 evaluable patients and subjective improvement of osseous disease in one additional patient. A dose of 180 mg/m2/day X 10 Every 28 days is recommended in previously treated patients to avoid severe hematologic side effects.

Adult↗

Protein-bound carbohydrates in breast cancer. Liquid-chromatographic analysis for mannose, galactose, fucose, and sialic acid in serum.

We describr high-resolution chromatographic analysis for protein-bound sialic acid in serum, with use of a cerate oxidimetric detector. Values for sera from normal women averaged 680.5 mg/liter, with a coefficient of variation of 23%. Including data obtained by previously developed chromatographic procedures for protein-bound mannose, galactose, and fucsoe, we assessed sera from breast-cancer patients whose malignancy had been categorized as either stable, responsive, or progressive (based on clinical observations spaced from two to five months apart). All of 12 responsive patients had decreases of protein-bound fucose averaging 34.5% (SD, 16.1) and all of 10 patients with progressive disease had increases averaging 38.3% (SD 21.5). Changes in fucose averaged less than 6.7% (SD, 4.9) for eight patients with clinically stable breast cancer. Changes in protein-bound mannose, galactose, and sialic acid did not correlate as well as did fucose with the clinical disease status of the patients.

Animals↗

Biological markers in breast carcinoma. I. Incidence of abnormalities of CEA, HCG, three polyamines, and three minor nucleosides.

Patients with breast carcinoma were screened for abnormal concentrations of CEA, HCG, putrescine, spermidine, spermine, pseudouridine, N2, N2-dimethylguanosine, and 1-methylinosine. Abnormal polyamine levels occurred in less than 15% of the patients. Among the nucleosides, N2, N2-dimethylguanosine was the most frequently abnormal, occurring in 57% of the patients with metastatic disease. CEA levels were abnormal in 30% of postoperative N+ patients and 74% of patients with metastatic disease, while HCG elevations were found in 45% and 50%, respectively. All the patients with one or more marker abnormalities could be detected by measuring only CEA, N2, N2-dimethylguanosine, and HCG. Among these three tests, a singular marker abnormality occurred in 35.8% of the patients, and all three tests were abnormal in 21.8% of the patients. The performance of these three tests in each patient revealed one or more abnormalities 97% of the patients with metastatic disease, and 67% of the postoperative N+ patients.

Breast Neoplasms↗

The urinary excretion of nucleosides of ribonucleic acid by patients with advanced cancer.

By means of a sensitive and specific method utilizing gas-liquid chromatography, the excretion levels for three nucleosides, degradation minor base products of ribonucleic acid, primarily transfer ribonucleic acid, were determined in 24-hour urine specimens from over 200 patients with solid tumor malignancies. These nucleosides were N2,N2-dimethylguanosine, l-methylinosine, and pseudouridine. When compared to normal control values, elevated levels of these compounds were found for patients in each of several tumor types studied. Increases in pseudouridine excretion suggest increased tumor transfer ribonucleic acid turnover; in addition, for the methylated nucleosides, higher than normal values may reflect enhanced transfer ribonucleic acid methylase activity of the neoplastic cells.

Chromatography, Gas↗

Combined chemotherapy and surgery in breast cancer: a review.

The current results of trials testing combined surgery and chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer is reviewed. Information concerning eight trials utilizing nine single-agent regimens was obtained. The results at this time are conflicting. There appear to be differences among the regimens utilized in the various patient subsets. Some of the possible reasons for the observed differences, and their implications for future studies, are discussed.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Concurrent monoclonal IGM and IGA proteins in lymphocytic lymphoma.

A case of lymphocytic lymphoma with monoclonal elevations of both IgA and IgM is described. The cytogenetic and immunoglobulin findings in this case suggest that the cells producing the abnormal elevated proteins were different cells that appeared to be derived from a common percursor cell.

Aged↗

An analysis of a multiple-drug program in the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer utilizing 5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone with or without vincristine.

Ninety patients with advanced breast cancer received a polychemotherapeutic program composed of 5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone with or without vincristine as a control group in a series of four consecutive Phase II clinical trials of new drug programs. Objective regression rates were 59% without vincristine and 46% with vincristine. Projected mean length of regressions exceeds 1 year. Site of dominant disease, disease-free interval, or performance scale score (if score was 0, 1, or 2, ECOG scale) failed to influence response rates; decreasing response rates were noted as the length of time increased after menopause. No advantage existed in patients experiencing severe myelosuppression (nadir leukocyte count of less than 1,500/mm), and appreciable response rates occurred without significant myelosuppression. The addition of vincristine to the regimen failed to increase the response rates, and only increased toxicity. The program as outlined is reasonably tolerable and effective for this group of patients with advanced breast cancer.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Breast scintigraphy with 99mTc-pertechnetate and 67Ga-citrate.

Radionuclide breast scintigraphy was evaluated as a noninvasive tumor-localizing modality. Technetium-99m-pertechnetate (99mTcO4) demonstrated good correlation between malignancy and postive scintigraphy (88% accuracy in 16 cases of breast carcinoma). The high false-positive rate (29% of proven benign breast disease) limits the use of 99mTcO4 as an aid to differential diagnosis. Gallium-67-citrate (67Ga) is limited as a diagnostic adjunct (localizing in only five of ten breast malignancies). Refined techniques of positioning, shielding, gamma camera imaging, and computer assistance have helped in visualizing abnormal radionuclide accumulation.

Adult↗

Usefulness of gallium scintigraphy in primary and metastatic breast carcinoma.

Gallium-67-citrate whole-body scintigraphy was incorporated into the evaluation of 125 patients with primary and metastatic breast carcinoma. A prospective analysis of these patients demonstrated gallium scanning to be limited in its corroborative value and of practical use only in detecting metastatic breast carcinoma in the mediastinum. Since the extent of tumor involvement is a significant prognostic factor, the gallium scan merits consideration for the detection of mediastinal metastases.

Adult↗

Nonbacterial pneumonitis with multidrug antineoplastic therapy in breast carcinoma.

Seventeen patients with metastatic breast carcinoma were treated with a combination of 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, vincristine, cyclophosphamide and prednisone. Six of the patients (35%) developed a syndrome consisting of fever, malaise, dyspnea, hypoxemia and bilateral pulmonary interstitial infiltrates from 41 to 148 days after institution of therapy. The syndrome varied from a mild to a life-threatening illness with recovery in 10 to 60 days. It is believed that these cases represent examples of methotrexate-induced pneumonitis. The high incidence of the syndrome in this patient group may be related to the concomitant administration of cyclophosphamide with methotrexate. The observations also suggest that patients with previous adrenalectomies may have pneumonitis with an especially severe and protracted course.

Adenocarcinoma↗