Biomedical subjects

G W Sybrecht

Publications and source records attributed to G W Sybrecht.

110 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Serum anti-p53 antibodies in patients with lung cancer.

Antibodies against the p53 protein are produced by some cancer patients. In some tumour entities, the presence of p53 autoantibodies have been linked to poorer survival. This study was designed to assess the prevalence and prognostic implications of p53 autoantibodies in patients with lung cancer. Serum samples of 180 patients were tested for antibodies against p53 protein using an ELISA. We studied 134 patients with primary lung cancer [histology: small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) n=35; non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) n=99]. The control group consisted of 46 patients without lung cancer. In 17/134 (12.6%) of the cancer patients, p53 autoantibodies were detected (4/35 SCLC, 13/99 NSCLC). Most of the positive results were found in advanced stages of NSCLC (stage I-IIIA: 1/34; stage IIIB/IV: 12/65). One of the 46 control patients tested positive. Statistical analysis of survival shows no correlation with p53 antibody status in SCLC, but a significant correlation with shorter survival in NSCLC (p=0.01). After correction for stage of disease this correlation remains significant (stage IIIB/IV: p=0.02). In our series, the presence of anti-p53 autoantibodies is almost exclusively linked to the presence of malignant disease. Prognosis for patients with NSCLC, but not SCLC seems to be linked to the p53 autoantibody status.

Autoantibodies↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Therapy of bronchial asthma during pregnancy].

Asthma has been reported to occur in 0.4-1% of pregnant women. A number of clinical studies have attempted to clarify the effect of pregnancy on the course of asthma. Taken together, there is little consistent evidence that pregnancy profoundly influences the severity of asthma, except in occasional individuals. The goals of therapy in managing asthma in a pregnant women are identical to those in a nonpregnant woman with asthma. Management of pregnant women with asthma aims at preventing recurrent attacks of wheezing, acute severe asthmatic attacks, and respiratory failure. Recent studies suggest that inflammation in the airway walls may play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. It is increasingly apparent that several different cells, particularly eosinophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, produce a variety of mediators that interact in a complex way to produce a number of pathologic effects. Therefore, the primary treatment should involve antiinflammatory drugs. At present, inhaled corticosteroids appear to be the most effective therapy. Cromolyn sodium may also have an antiinflammatory effect. On the other hand, beta 2-sympathomimetics are the most effective bronchodilators available, followed by theophylline. None of these anti-asthma drugs is harmful in usual doses, to either woman or fetus.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗