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Biomedical subjects

D J Webster

Publications and source records attributed to D J Webster.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Elevated skeletal muscle sodium-potassium-ATPase in human obesity.

To determine whether muscle sodium-potassium-ATPase activity, an expression of energy turnover, is increased in obesity, we studied a group of nine non-obese and seven obese subjects undergoing elective cholecystectomy. The muscle ATPase activity was 87 per cent higher (p less than 0.001) in obese subjects compared with non-obese subjects. The increase in the ATPase activity positively correlated with both the body mass index (r = 0.81) and excess body weight (r = 0.75). No relationship was found between erythrocyte and muscle sodium-potassium-ATPase activities (r = 0.25). These findings demonstrate an increased ATPase activity in skeletal muscle obtained from obese subjects and that the erythrocyte is an inaccurate marker of this enzyme with respect to other body tissue.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Immediate reconstruction of the breast after mastectomy. Is it safe?

The authors have reviewed the results of their first 85 immediate reconstructive procedures following mastectomy for breast cancer. acceptable cosmetic results were obtained in most patients with no mortality or life-threatening morbidity. There were a number of problems related to the wounds and the prostheses, which decreased with increasing experience. There was a moderate increase in blood transfusion requirements, and a considerable increase in operating time. No detrimental effect on tumor behavior was observed when assessed as part of a case-control study. It is concluded that this approach is feasible and safe, and deserves further evaluation.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

The rectus abdominis myocutaneous island flap in breast cancer.

The use of 30 rectus abdominis flaps in patients with breast cancer is described. In 7 patients the flap has been used to repair the defect following ablation of recurrent disease or radionecrotic ulcers. In the remaining 23 the flap has been used as part of a primary reconstruction at the time of mastectomy. The technique is described together with the results in these patients. The cosmetic results have been satisfactory. The technique as described has proved completely reliable. Follow-up to 18 months has shown that fears of incisional hernias developing are unfounded.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMed1983

E-rosette inhibition and tumour recurrence in early breast cancer.

The relationship of serum blocking activity and susceptibility to tumour recurrence using E-rosette inhibition by normal allogenic lymphocytes was evaluated before and after operation in 20 patients with early breast cancer. Preoperative serum inhibition levels did not predict recurrent tumour. The mean postoperative inhibition in patient with recurrence was significantly greater than in those without recurrence. Postoperative testing only in a group of 124 patients showed that the development of local tumour recurrence was preceded by significantly greater inhibition of E-rosetting than occurred in patients without recurrence. The application of a threshold level of serum inhibition of 15 per cent distinguishes patients who are unlikely to develop tumour recurrence over a 4-year follow-up period. Serial measurements of serum inhibition at 6-monthly intervals over 2 years did not add to the predictive value of this test.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1983

The effect of tamoxifen on plasma growth hormone and prolactin in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer.

The effect of tamoxifen on serum levels of basal prolactin and basal and stimulated growth hormone was assessed in 10 women with advanced breast cancer prior to and after 1 and 8 weeks of treatment. Tamoxifen had no effect on basal levels of either hormone or on insulin-stimulated growth hormone. Two of 4 patients undergoing arginine provocation testing had a partial response to tamoxifen and both exhibited marked diminution of growth hormone stimulation which was not seen in the non-responders.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Importance of mastalgia in operable breast cancer.

The importance of pain as a presenting symptom of breast cancer has been assessed in a series of 240 patients with operable breast cancer over four years. From an analysis of the case histories of 36 patients the diagnosis proved difficult in one-quarter of the cancers. This is explained by the high incidence of subclinical and lobular carcinoma in the group. Cancer must be seriously considered as a diagnosis in patients presenting with well-localised breast pain of recent onset. These patients should be followed for at least one year after the onset of the pain before cancer is confidently excluded.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

A clinical assessment of fluorescence polarisation changes in lymphocytes stimulated by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) in malignant and benign diseases.

The modified double-zone SCM technique, developed in these laboratories as an in vitro test for cancer, is based on the differential response to PHA of lymphocytes harvested from two regions of a Ficoll-Triosil gradient. Lymphocyte responses are measured by changes in intracellular fluorescein fluorescence polarisation. We report its continued clinical evaluation in patients hospitalised with malignant and non-malignant diseases, including a blind trial of 78 patients with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, breast and lung. Overall "false' negative and "false' positive rates from 336 blood samples were 1.8 and 3.3% respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Biochemical aids to the staging of breast cancer.

Up to fifteen plasma proteins were measured before treatment in 249 women presenting with lumps in the breast. Concentrations showed considerable overlap between the various clinical stages, and were often normal even in metastatic disease. A discriminant function is proposed, based on measurement of C-reactive protein, beta 2-microglobulin, carcinoembryonic antigen and ferritin and calculation of a score for each subject. High-risk scores resulted for all 18 patients with Stage 4 (i.e., metastatic) disease, and the number of Stage 1 patients attaining high scores was consistent with the reported incidence of development of metastases in such a group. Follow-up studies are in progress.

Blood Proteins↗
PubMed1981

Tumour induction by carcinogens in iron deficient rats.

The hypothesis that the impaired delayed hypersensitivity reactions noted in humans with iron deficiency might predispose to malignant disease, has been examined in two experimental tumour situations. Dimethylbenzanthracene induced mammary tumours an methylcholanthrene induced fibrosarcomas have been studied in female Wistar rats. There is no difference between controls and animals fed on a semi-synthetic iron deficient diet when assessed by induction time, tumour size, total number of tumours, histological characteristics, or incidence of metastases. No support for the hypothesis has been found.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗
PubMed1980

Morphological abnormalities of lymphocytes from patients with advanced solid tumours.

Characteristic morphological abnormalities were found to be present on lymphocytes from patients with advanced solid tumours. Numerous microprojections were characteristically present on human peripheral blood lymphocytes from cancer patients while non-cancer subject control lymphocytes ('normal' lymphocytes) appeared significantly smoother. Incubation of normal lymphocytes in cancer serum resulted in increased occurrence of these microprojections whereas incubation of normal cells in normal heterologous serum resulted in no apparent surface changes. Incubation of cancer lymphocytes in levamisole, an immunostimulant, did not abrogate surface projections.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1979

Immunotherapy of a murine sarcoma using specific antitumor immune RNA.

The effect of IRNA therapy in a polyoma-induced fibrosarcoma of C3H mice has been studied. Although a protocol that transferred in vitro cytotoxicity was used, no reduction in incidence of tumors, tumor size, or survival was demonstrated. In one experiment, enhancement of tumor growth occurred. It is concluded that cytotoxicity does not reflect in vivo changes and that therapeutic trials of IRNA are premature.

Animals↗