The pineal gland and opioid peptides play roles in the neuroendocrine control of immunity. Both neuroendocrine and immune dysfunctions have been observed in cancer but the importance of the altered secretion of neurohormones in the immunoincompetence of cancer patients has never been investigated. This study concomitantly evaluated neuroendocrine and immune functions in 40 patients with early or advanced neoplastic disease. In each patient, melatonin and beta-endorphin blood levels and lymphocyte subtypes were determined on venous blood samples collected during the morning. Metastatic patients had lower melatonin levels and a lower T4/T8 ratio than patients without metastases but no significant correlation was found between melatonin and the T4/T8 ratio. beta-endorphin levels appeared to be normal in all patients. These results suggest that melatonin and beta-endorphin secretion have no role in determining immune dysfunctions in cancer.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Lack of changes in soluble interleukin-2 receptor serum levels during chemotherapy-induced lymphocyte damage.

The biological significance of soluble IL-2 receptors (sIL-2R) is still unknown; in particular, it is not yet clear whether their increase in the blood may reflect activation of immune cells, or whether it is related to an immune dysfunction. To investigate this problem, we evaluated serum levels of sIL-2R before and after administration of a highly lymphocytolitic chemotherapy (FEC: fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide) in a group of 6 patients with advanced breast cancer. SIL-2R were analyzed in relation to lymphocyte number. Absolute mean number of lymphocytes was significantly lower after than before chemotherapy. On the contrary, no significant difference was seen in sIL-2R mean levels, and no significant correlation was observed between changes in sIL-2R and in lymphocyte number following chemotherapy. These results would exclude that sIL-2R may simply be due to a passive release following lymphocytic damage.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Activation of the complement system during immunotherapy of cancer with interleukin-2: a possible explanation of the capillary leak syndrome.

The capillary leak syndrome, responsible for fluid loss into the interstitial space, represents one of the major cardiovascular toxicities of IL-2 during the immunotherapy of cancer. The mechanisms involved in the increased vascular permeability have still to be better understood. The present study was carried out to investigate the role of the complement system in mediating the IL-2 vascular toxicity. The study was performed in metastatic renal cancer patients, treated with IL-2 through a 24-hour i.v. infusion at a daily dose of 3 x 10(6) U/m2 for 5 consecutive days, corresponding to one IL-2 course. Six IL-2 courses were evaluated. C3 and C4 were measured daily during IL-2 infusion, and 2 and 5 days after its interruption. IL-2 administration induced a significant decrease in both C3 and C4 mean levels, which became within the normal range 5 days after the end of IL-2 infusion. These results show that IL-2 administration may directly activate the complement system through the classical pathway, which might play a role in determining the increased vascular permeability.

Capillary Permeability↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[A clinical case of possible screen dermatitis].

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Biopsy↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Occupational accidents in temporary work].

In 2000 in Italy about 470,000 workers found jobs provided by Temporary Work Agencies, i.e., more than twice the number in 1999. Temporary Work is an expanding phenomenon since it well suits the flexibility requirements of business: 77% of Temporary Work is in the manufacturing industry, involving mostly unskilled workers. The young age, low level of qualification, poor training, and lack of knowledge of the working environment are factors that can favour occupational accidents. There are studies that relate the frequency of labour accidents to the level of training and job experience. There are no data in the literature about occupational accidents during temporary work. Our study concerns sixteen temporary work Agencies that employed more than 250,000 manual workers in 2000. From the occupational accident registers of these agencies, we analysed all accidents concerning manual workers employed during 2000, with reference to: the number of accidents with up to three days prognosis, age, sex, nationality, prognosis pattern and cause. The agencies supplied data regarding the number of hours worked during 2000. We considered 5259 accidents: the overall frequency index (FI) was 92.1, with a considerable difference between the three main agencies (87.5) and the others. The mean age accident was 27.8 years, mean duration of sick leave 13.7 days, and the main causes were work tools (51.5%); 76% of the accidents concerned unskilled manual workers. The above indexes are definitely higher than those provided by INAIL (italian compulsory insurances) for the metalworking (38.1), construction (47.7) and mining (58.8) sectors during 1997. There is evidence that temporary work is related to an increased risk of occupational accidents. Further studies are required to confirm this evidence.

Accidents, Occupational↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The accident phenomenon during temporary work].

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Accidents, Occupational↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Endocrine effects of a 24-hour intravenous infusion of interleukin-2 in the immunotherapy of cancer.

Several experiments have demonstrated that there is a relationship between neuroendocrine and immune systems. Despite these interesting findings, only few studies have been performed up to now to evaluate the possible importance of neuroimmune interactions in influencing the biological efficacy and toxicity of cancer immunotherapy with IL-2. To analyze the effects of IL-2 on endocrine secretions, we have measured by RIA serum levels of cortisol, beta-endorphin, GH, PRL and of the pineal hormone melatonin in metastatic renal cancer patients, treated with 5-day courses of IL-2 at a daily dose of 3 x 10(6) U/m2, given through a 24-hour intravenous infusion. Six IL-2 courses were evaluated, by collecting blood samples at 4-hour intervals for 24 hours and by comparing the hormonal values with those observed in baseline conditions. Both cortisol and beta-endorphin mean values significantly increased during IL-2 infusion. GH and PRL also increased, but not in a significant manner. Finally, melatonin mean levels significantly decreased during the infusion. The IL-2-induced effects on cortisol, beta-endorphin and melatonin resulted in a complete abolition of their physiological circadian rhythm. These results show that IL-2 infusion induces important changes in endocrine secretions. Because of the immunosuppressive effect of cortisol and the stimulatory one of melatonin, their changes during IL-2 infusion might influence the biological activity of immunotherapy itself. Further studies will be required to define better the clinical importance of IL-2 induced hormonal changes.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗