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E Salminen

Publications and source records attributed to E Salminen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Management of testicular cancer--16 years' experience from southwest Finland.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the outcome of testicular cancer treatment in Finland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data on 88 testicular cancer patients treated in Turku University Central Hospital between 1976 and 1992 were studied to analyse outcome and survival. RESULTS: The histological diagnosis was seminoma for 39 patients and non-seminoma for 49 patients. Two seminoma patients relapsed (5%) and one patient died of progressive disease (3%; initially stage II seminoma). Eleven non-seminoma patients relapsed (22%), nine of whom were cured with chemotherapy. Four non-seminoma patients died of progressive disease (8%; initially one stage I non-seminoma and three stage III non-seminomas). The median time to relapse after the completion of treatment was 9 months (range 3-50 months). Non-seminoma patients had significantly more relapses than seminoma patients (p = 0.03). Most relapses (73% of the non-seminoma relapses) were found among the stage I non-seminoma patients who had not received adjuvant chemotherapy, while none of the stage I seminoma patients relapsed (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Close surveillance is important for all non-seminoma patients to guarantee the early detection and treatment of recurrent disease. Treatment and surveillance should be covered by national guidelines and be conducted in centres with special interest in this rare but mostly curable cancer.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Characterisation and anaerobic batch degradation of materials accumulating in anaerobic digesters treating poultry slaughterhouse waste.

We characterised materials accumulating in two failed mesophilic semi-continuous anaerobic digesters treating poultry slaughterhouse waste and, for reference, materials in the two well-performing digesters, to find the anaerobic degradability of these materials and the factors affecting their degradation. We also studied materials accumulating and stratifying in various layers in one of the two well-performing digesters. The material from the most severely failed digesters produced methane sluggishly and did not improve appreciably even with 33 percent dilution suggesting that the recovery of failed process is slow. The methane production was apparently affected by the accumulated long-chain fatty acids, totalling 8.1 g l-1, which degraded slowly. However, the material produced methane in the end, which shows that the failure was reversible. In the well-performing digester, considerable amounts of long-chain fatty acids already floated on top of the digester after 20 hours without mixing, a phenomenon which may have affected their bioavailability and toxicity. However, materials from the top, middle, and bottom layers of the digester were readily and largely methanised by the microbial populations present in them and additional inocula did not markedly enhance the methanation. The results indicate that long-chain fatty acids are apparently the main factor affecting both the failure and recovery of a poultry slaughterhouse waste digester. Thus excessive feeding of lipids into the digester should be avoided.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed2001

Impact of FDG-labelled positron emission tomography imaging on the management of non-small-cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in most Western countries. Although 5-year survival rates have doubled from 1960s, they are low compared with survival rates for other cancer types. Tumour stage is the strongest prognostic factor and the most important parameter that guides treatment decision making. Metabolic imaging with fluorodeoxyglucose-labelled positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has proved superior to conventional imaging for staging of non-small-cell lung cancer. This new imaging modality permits more accurate planning of treatment with surgery and radiotherapy and provides information of greater prognostic significance than what can be obtained with conventional approaches. FDG-PET has been approved in the USA and the UK as a basic and invaluable tool in the management of lung cancer. This paper reviews current trends in clinical practice on the applications of FDG-PET in the management of non-small-cell lung cancer.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung↗
PubMed2000

Tailored fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide compared with marrow-supported high-dose chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment for high-risk breast cancer: a randomised trial. Scandinavian Breast Group 9401 study.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy drug distribution varies greatly among individual patients. Therefore, we developed an individualised fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide (FEC) regimen to improve outcomes in patients with high-risk early breast cancer. We then did a randomised trial to compare this individually tailored FEC regimen with conventional adjuvant chemotherapy followed by consolidation with high-dose chemotherapy with stem-cell support. METHODS: 525 women younger than 60 years of age with high-risk primary breast cancer were randomised after surgery to receive nine cycles of tailored FEC to haematological equitoxicity with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support (n=251), or three cycles of FEC at standard doses followed by high-dose chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, thiotepa, and carboplatin (CTCb), and peripheral-blood stem-cell or bone-marrow support (n=274). Both groups received locoregional radiation therapy and tamoxifen for 5 years. The primary outcome measure was relapse-free survival, and analysis was by intention to treat. FINDINGS: At a median follow-up of 34.3 months, there were 81 breast-cancer relapses in the tailored FEC group versus 113 in the CTCb group (double triangular method p=0.04). 60 deaths occurred in the tailored FEC group and 82 in the CTCb group (log-rank p=0.12). Patients in the CTCb group experienced more grade 3 or 4 acute toxicity compared with the tailored FEC group (p<0.0001). Two treatment-related deaths (0.7%) occurred in the CTCb group. Six patients in the tailored FEC group developed acute myeloid leukaemia and three developed myelodysplastic syndrome. INTERPRETATION: Tailored FEC with G-CSF support resulted in a significantly improved relapse-free survival and fewer grade 3 and 4 toxicities compared with marrow-supported high-dose chemotherapy with CTCb as adjuvant therapy of women with high-risk primary breast cancer.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2000

Effect of etoposide on experimental testicular teratoma in 129/SvJ mice.

To study the effects of etoposide on experimental testicular teratoma in 129/SvJ mouse we analysed the tumour growth, differentiation, apoptosis and the localisation of mdr1 P-glycoprotein (mdr1-Pgp). In this model the implanted gonadal ridges developed into testicular teratomas in 17 out of 56 implanted testes (30%) and in 14 out of 28 mice (50%). The tumour-bearing mice were treated with etoposide on 4 successive days either 4 weeks or 6 weeks after implantation, and killed 7 days after the last dose. The mice in the control groups did not receive etoposide. The teratomas consisted mainly of neural tissue. The etoposide-treated 4-week teratomas, but not the 6-week teratomas, were significantly smaller than those in the corresponding control groups. The density of apoptotic cells and the distribution of the mdr1-Pgp were not altered by etoposide. The decreased proportion of immature neuroectodermal tissue components was observed in all treated teratomas, converting the histology towards that of a mature teratoma. In addition, a low proportion of immature tissue components was frequently combined with a low density of apoptotic cells. In conclusion, etoposide decreased the immature tissue components of teratomas, while mature tissues remained unaffected. These results may have clinical relevance in man, since they confirm that postchemotherapy mature teratomas cannot be treated with chemotherapy. Despite benign histology, the human residual tumours have a significant malignant potential and require complete surgical excision and close surveillance.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗
PubMed2000

Prognostic value of the expression of tumor suppressor genes p53, p21, p16 and prb, and Ki-67 labelling in high grade astrocytomas treated with radiotherapy.

Cumulative inactivation of tumor suppressor genes and/or amplification of oncogenes lead to progressively more malignant astrocytic tumors. We have analyzed the significance of tumor suppressor genes p53, p21, p16 and retinoblastoma protein (pRb) and proliferative activity for survival in 77 high grade astrocytic tumors. After operation, the patients--25 anaplastic astrocytomas (AA) and 52 glioblastomas (GBs)--were treated with similar radiotherapy. The expression of the suppressor genes and the proliferative activity were analyzed immunohistochemically. p53 immunopositivity was found in 44% of AAs and 46% of GBs. Tumors with aberrant p53 expression had lower proliferation indices than p53 immunonegative tumors. Neither p53 expression nor p21 immunonegativity (52% of AAs and 48% of GBs) correlated with survival. p16 immunostaining was negative in 16% of AAs and in 44% of GBs, and it correlated inversely with survival in both uni- and multivariate analyses. pRb immunostaining was negative only in 8% of both AAs and GBs and the absence of p16 and pRb were mutually exclusive. Ki-67 labelling index (LI) was significantly higher in GBs (26.8%) than in AAs (20.3%), and in multivariate analysis it was an independent prognostic factor for survival. In 48% of AAs Ki-67 LI exceeded 20% and this subset of AAs had similar prognosis as GB. In high grade astrocytic tumors p16 immunonegativity was an independent indicator of poor prognosis in addition to the previously established patient's age, histopathology and Ki-67 LI. Furthermore, there was a subset of AAs with a high proliferation rate (> 20%) in which the histopathological hallmarks of GB were lacking, but which had similarly dismal prognosis as GB.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Adhesion of inactivated probiotic strains to intestinal mucus.

It has been suggested that probiotics should be viable in order to elicit beneficial health effects. Inactivation of probiotics has been suggested to interfere with the binding to the mucosa and thereby with the immune modulating activity of probiotics. The effect of different inactivation methods on the mucus adhesion of nine probiotic strains was studied. Inactivation by heat or gamma-irradiation generally decreased the adhesive abilities. However, heat treatment increased the adhesion of Propionibacterium freudenreichii and gamma-irradiation enhanced the adhesion of Lactobacillus casei Shirota. Inactivation by u.v. was not observed to modulate the adhesion of the tested strains and it was concluded to be the most appropriate method for studying non-viable probiotics and preparing control products.

Bacterial Adhesion↗
PubMed2000

Cell cycle regulators p27 and pRb in lymphomas - correlation with histology and proliferative activity.

The cell cycle is a complex event in which multiple regulator-proteins participate. The G(1)/S checkpoint of the cell cycle is controlled by pRb protein, which functions in its hypophosphorylated form as a negative regulator of growth. p27 (Kip1), a member of CIP/KIP family of cyclin inhibitory proteins, participates in inhibition of forming complexes that allow pRb to phosphorylate and lead the cell into mitosis. The expression of these important cell cycle regulator proteins was studied in a total of 96 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) samples, which were classified according to the REAL classification. The expression of p27, pRb and the cell proliferation marker Ki-67 (MIB-1) was evaluated in lymphomas using immunohistochemistry. This study showed that there were coordinate changes in the expression of p27 and pRb in NHL. When compared to low-grade lymphomas, high-grade lymphomas showed significantly reduced expression of p27 and inversely pRb expression was increased (P< 0.001). Increase in expression of Ki-67 was parallel with pRb expression, and was mainly seen in cells that lacked p27 expression (P< 0.0001). This study suggests that changes in the control of the cell cycle closely relate to the pathobiology of NHL.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Alterations in laboratory test results during adjuvant breast cancer treatment.

An increasing number of women is treated with adjuvant cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil therapy for breast cancer. The effects of the chemotherapy on many laboratory tests are, however, inadequately known. This study investigates the effects of the treatment on various laboratory tests. Fifteen premenopausal women receiving adjuvant cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy and optional radiotherapy were included in the study. Common hormonal, biochemical, hematological, protein and lipid laboratory tests were taken serially during a 10-month follow-up. Twelve women became amenorrheic. Their serum follicle stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone concentrations increased accordingly. Other serum hormones (testosterone, androstenedione, sex hormone-binding globulin, prolactin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, cortisol, parathyroid hormone and thyroid hormones) changed only slightly. Hemoglobin concentration and white blood cell count decreased slightly. Serum alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, angiotensin-converting enzyme, amylase, glucose, potassium, phosphate, urea and triglycerides concentrations increased slightly whereas serum bilirubin, haptoglobin, and immunoglobulin A and M decreased slightly. Serum alpha1-antitrypsin fluctuated around the baseline concentration. Other test results remained at their pretreatment concentrations. With the exception of increases in serum gonadotrophins, the changes observed were slight and the mean concentrations remained within reference limits. Therefore, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil adjuvant treatment is unlikely to complicate the diagnosis of other diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Anaerobic batch degradation of solid poultry slaughterhouse waste.

We studied anaerobic batch degradation of solid poultry slaughterhouse wastes with different initial waste and inoculum concentrations and waste-to-inoculum ratios and simulated the dynamics of the process with a new generation model. Our modelling results suggest that inhibited propionate degradation by long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) and inhibited hydrolysis by a high propionate concentration constituted the rate-limiting step in the waste degradation. Palmitate was the most abundant LCFA in the assays. Within 27 days of incubation, up to 0.55 to 0.67 m3 of methane (STP)/kg VS added was produced under the studied conditions. Lower waste-to-inoculum ratios exhibited a faster onset and rate of specific methane production. In all the assays, ammonification occurred within 3 to 6 days and accounted for 50 to 60% of total nitrogen.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1999

A double-blind study of MPV-2213ad, a novel aromatase inhibitor, in healthy male subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Novel aromatase inhibitors are developed with requirements of high potency and selectivity for the aromatase enzyme. The hormonal effects of a new, non-steroidal competitive inhibitor of the aromatase enzyme, MPV-2213ad, were investigated in this study. METHODS: The study was conducted as a double-blind, placebo controlled phase I study, where 32 healthy male volunteers were randomized to receive a single oral dose of either 0.3, 3 or 100 mg of MPV-2213ad or placebo. Serum concentrations of estradiol (E2), testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), cortisol and aldosterone were determined from samples taken 0, 4, 8 h and 12 h during the day of drug administration and 1, 2, 4 and 7 days after drug intake. The individual diurnal variation of circulating hormone concentrations was determined in all participants at 0, 4, 8 h and 12 h on the day before drug intake. Specimens for hematological and biochemical analyses were also collected. RESULTS: A dose-dependent and statistically significant (P < 0.001) decrease in serum E2 concentrations was induced by MPV-2213ad. Lowest mean values were observed 8-12 h after drug administration and at 24 h the reductions were 10%, 34% and 69% from baseline in the 0.3-mg, 3-mg and 100-mg groups, compared with an 18% increase in the placebo group. Serum E2 concentrations returned to baseline within 4 days in all study subjects. A significant increase was observed in the serum concentrations of testosterone (P = 0.016), LH (P = 0.002) and FSH (P < 0.001) after administration of MPV-2213ad. Serum concentrations of cortisol and aldosterone were unaffected by MPV-2213ad. The drug was well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Single oral doses of MPV-2213ad, given to healthy male subjects, induced hormonal effects typical for a specific and selective inhibitor of the aromatase enzyme. Importantly, this study design with the determination of the diurnal rhythm in the levels of the corresponding hormones gives additional validity on the results.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Experimental testicular teratoma promotes formation of humoral immune responses in the host testis.

The testis is an immunologically privileged site. Very little is known about the factors regulating formation of immune responses elicited by a neoplasm in the testis. We have studied the immune response of the host testis against experimental testicular teratoma in mouse by localizing adhesion molecules (CD106, CD54, CD49d/CD29, CD44, CD18, CD8 and CD4), cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12), T-cell costimulators (CD80, CD86) and the lipid antigen presenting molecule CD1d in the testis of 129/SvJ mice with and without experimental testicular teratoma. The testicular teratomas were induced by grafting male gonadal ridges from 12-day-old 129/SvJ mouse fetuses into testes of adult mice from the same strain. The tumors cultured intratesticularly for 2, 3, 4 and 8 weeks (three animals per time point) were used for immunocytochemistry. CD1d was detected in Sertoli cells and in some degenerated tubules of the host testis surrounding the graft. In the tumor, CD1d was detected in glandular epithelia, smooth muscle and in thin fibers of neural origin. IL-2 was observed in some blood vessels of the host testis and of the tumor and in occasional cell infiltrates around these vessels. Some tubular structures of the tumor were also positive for IL-2. IL-6 was detected in Sertoli cells of the normal testis and in Sertoli cells and in solitaryinterstitial cells as well as in the walls of some blood vessels of the host testis. The reaction for IL-6 was more prominent in the tubules apparently damaged by the growing tumor. In the tumor IL-6 was detected in epithelial structures, muscle cells, in thin fibers of neural origin and in some blood vessels. IL-10 was detected in individual cells in the interstitium and in degenerating tubules of the host testis. In the tumor the epithelial structures were positive for IL-10. The interstitium of the host testis was positive for CD106 and the embryonic testicular cords in the graft were also positive, but the tumor was negative. CD44 and CD18 were observed in some blood vessels and in degenerated tubules of the host testis. In the tumor CD44 and CD18 were occasionally observed in cartilage and in epithelial structures. The results of the present study suggest that cytokine microenvironment in the testis containing neoplastic tissue promotes activation of humoral immune responses. In addition, as the damaged seminiferous tubules expressed increased amounts of two cytokines promoting humoral immune responses, IL-6 and IL-10, it is possible that also in other conditions with damage to the tubules, humoral immune responses predominate.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Second cancers in patients with brain tumours--impact of treatment.

The records of the Finnish Cancer Registry from 1953 to 1994 were used to assess the risk of subsequent primary cancer among 14,493 brain tumour patients. They had been treated with surgery only (n = 9804), radiotherapy (n = 4099), chemotherapy and radiotherapy (n = 493) or chemotherapy alone (n = 97). By the end of 1994, 403 subsequent primary cancers were registered in these patients, whilst the expected number based on national incidence was 332. The standardised incidence ratio (SIR) was 1.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-1.3). A significant excess risk of tumours in the central nervous system (CNS) including meningeomas (SIR 2.6, 95% CI 1.7-3.8), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (SIR 2.6, 95% CI 1.6-4.1) and skin melanoma (SIR 1.9, 95% CI 1.0-3.1) was observed. CNS tumours were observed in excess among patients treated with surgery alone (SIR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.2) and with radiotherapy (SIR 5.1, 95% CI 2.5-9.4). In conclusion, brain tumours are associated with an increased risk of both CNS second tumours and non-CNS second cancers, especially non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and melanoma. A moderately increased risk of second tumours in the CNS was observed among brain tumour patients treated with surgery only and a larger excess among those treated with radiotherapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Characterization of the model for experimental testicular teratoma in 129/SvJ-mice.

An animal model of experimental testicular teratoma has been established to study how a teratoma affects the host testis and how the host testis reacts against the teratoma. 129/SvJ-mice were used as experimental animals. To induce the experimental testicular teratoma, male gonadal ridges from 12-day-old 129/SvJ-mouse fetuses were grafted into the testes of adult mice for 1-12 weeks. The developing tumour was analysed by light and electron microscopy and by immunocytochemical localization of transcription factors SOX9 and c-kit, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and type IV collagen. Testicular teratoma was observed in 36 out of 124 testes with implanted fetal gonadal ridges (frequency 29%). One spontaneous testicular teratoma was observed in this material from 70 male mice (1.5%). One week after implantation intracordal clusters of cells were seen in embryonic testicular cords of the graft as the first sign of testicular teratomas. Four weeks after implantation the embryonic testicular cords had totally disappeared from grafts with teratomas, and the tumour tissue had enlarged the testis and invaded the interstitium of the host testis. It consisted of solitary pieces of immature cartilage as well as of glial cells and of primitive neuroepithelium. Six to eight weeks after implantation the tumour tissue had expanded so that the enlarged testis could be detected by macroscopic enlargement of the scrotum. The testicular tissue of the host had practically disappeared, and only solitary disrupted seminiferous tubules of the host were seen surrounding the teratoma. Neuroepithelial structures of some teratomas cultured for 8 weeks had cells with a granular nucleus as a sign of obvious apoptosis. Eleven to 12 weeks after implantation the growth of the teratoma had stopped, and the histology corresponded to that of a mature cystic teratoma. GFAP, SOX9 and type IV collagen were strongly positive in some parts of the tumours cultured for 4 and 8 weeks, while only occasional c-kit-positive areas were observed in tumours cultured for 8 weeks. As conclusions: (1) the metastasizing capacity of the experimental testicular teratoma is very low during 12 weeks, but the behaviour of the tumour in the testicular tissue of the graft is invasive; (2) the growth of experimental testicular teratomas cease 6-8 weeks after implantation of the fetal gonadal ridges with the obvious apoptosis of the immature tissue components; (3) the model of experimental testicular teratoma in the mouse is suitable for studying how the teratoma affects the host testis and how the host testis reacts to teratoma.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Docetaxel: standard recommended dose of 100 mg/m(2) is effective but not feasible for some metastatic breast cancer patients heavily pretreated with chemotherapy-A phase II single-center study.

PURPOSE: Patients with metastatic breast cancer, especially those with progression after several prior chemotherapy treatments, need efficient chemotherapy. This study investigates the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel in metastatic breast cancer patients with previous chemotherapy for metastatic disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-one women (median age, 52 years; range, 40 to 65 years) treated for metastatic breast cancer with docetaxel were included. Eleven patients had one metastatic site, 10 patients had two, and 10 patients had three or more. The planned dose of docetaxel per course was the standard treatment of 100 mg/m(2) (or 75 mg/m(2) if liver enzyme levels were abnormal) every 3 weeks, given for six or eight cycles. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 48% (three complete responses [CR] and 11 partial responses [PR] ), and the median duration of response was 7 months (range, 2 to 16 months). Twenty patients (65%) experienced fatigue, and 27 patients (87%) had alopecia. Fifteen cases (48%) of grade 4 leukopenia were observed. Edema with a weight gain of 2 to 15 kg was seen in 12 patients (39%), and mucositis occurred in 20 patients (65%). Twenty-three patients (74%) interrupted treatment before reaching the planned number of courses, nine patients owing to progression of cancer and 14 owing to toxicity. Dose reduction was required in 18 (61%) of the patients. Only two patients were able to receive the planned eight courses without dose reduction. CONCLUSION: Docetaxel is highly active in metastatic breast cancer, even as a third-line treatment, and can be considered as an efficient standard option in second-line treatment. The standard recommended dose level of 100 mg/m(2) is not feasible in heavily pretreated patients; therefore, for such patients, an initial dose level not exceeding 75 mg/m(2) is recommended.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Prospective randomized trial of interferon alfa-2a plus vinblastine versus vinblastine alone in patients with advanced renal cell cancer.

PURPOSE: The combination of interferon alfa-2a (IFNalpha2a) plus vinblastine (VLB) induces objective tumor responses in patients with advanced renal cell cancer. However, no prospective randomized trial has shown that this treatment prolongs overall survival. We compared overall survival after treatment with IFNalpha2a plus VLB versus VLB alone in patients with advanced renal cell cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively randomized 160 patients with locally advanced or metastatic renal cell cancer to receive either VLB alone or IFNalpha2a plus VLB for 12 months or until progression of disease. In both groups, VLB was administered intravenously at 0.1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, and in the combination group IFNalpha2a was administered subcutaneously at 3 million units three times a week for 1 week, and 18 million units three times a week thereafter for the second and subsequent weeks. For patients unable totolerate IFNalpha2a at 18 million units per injection, the dose was reduced to 9 million units. RESULTS: Median survival was 67.6 weeks for the 79 patients receiving IFNalpha2a plus VLB and 37.8 weeks for the 81 patients treated with VLB (P =.0049). Overall response rates were 16. 5% for patients treated with IFNalpha2a plus VLB and 2.5% for patients treated with VLB alone (P =.0025). Treatment with the combination was associated with constitutional symptoms and abnormalities in laboratory parameters, but no toxic deaths were reported. CONCLUSION: The combination of IFNalpha2a plus VLB is superior to VLB alone in the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma. This is the first study to demonstrate that survival can be prolonged by using IFNalpha2a for these patients.

Adult↗