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Biomedical subjects

M M Roberts

Publications and source records attributed to M M Roberts.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

The use of cerebral computer assisted tomography as a staging investigation of patients with carcinoma of the breast and malignant melanoma.

These results indicate that computer assisted tomography of the brain, even when contrast medium enhanced, does not contribute to the detection of occult intracerebral metastases in patients with primary carcinoma of the breast and of malignant melanoma, even if the disease is locally advanced. The number of patients with malignant melanoma is still small, and this part of the study is continuing. However, we have discontinued the use of computer assisted tomography as a staging investigation for patients with carcinoma of the breast. Although the yield of positive scans in those 31 patients with metastatic, or locally recurrent, disease, but no neurologic symptoms, is subsequently found to be 13 per cent at follow-up study, this would not appear to be a profitable investigation in the absence of effective therapy. In our series of patients with neurologic symptoms, abnormal and positive scans were obtained in five of 18 patients. However, even in such patients, a negative computer assisted tomography did not exclude intracerebral metastatic disease. There is no place for routine computer assisted tomography as a staging investigation for patients with early carcinoma of the breast or with malignant melanoma. Its use should be restricted to those patients who have symptoms of cerebral disease.

Brain↗
PubMed1979

Amphetamine- and phenylethylamine-induced alterations in dopamine synthesis regulation in rat brain striatal synaptosomes.

Amphetamine and phenylethylamine stimulate dopamine synthesis in rat brain striatal synaptosomes via a calcium- and tyrosine-dependent mechanism. The similarity of this stimulation to that produced by depolarizing concentrations of veratridine, along with the non-additivity of maximally stimulating concentrations of amphetamine and veratridine, suggests that these treatments may all share a common locus of action. Differences in exact modes of action can be seen, however, in the blockade only of the stimulation of veratridine by tetrodotoxin, and by the lack of effect of amphetamine or phenylethylamine on tyrosine uptake. At high concentrations, amphetamine and phenylethylamine lose their ability to stimulate dopamine synthesis and produce an antagonism of veratridine-induced synthesis stimulation.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Measurement of oestradiol receptors by five institutions on common tissue samples.

The soluble oestrogen-receptor content of common breast tumours has been measured by 5 different laboratories, each using their own assay procedure. Good agreement was achieved on whether a sample was positive or negative for oestrogen receptor. Qualitative differences between laboratories could be explained by differences in thiol-reagent content of assay medium and by the method of homogenization. Recommendations are made on some of the factors involved in the routine assay of receptors in breast tumours.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1978

Oestrogen receptors and the response to endocrine therapy in advanced breast cancer.

The relationship between oestrogen-receptor protein (ER) content of the tumour and the response to endocrine therapy was determined in 119 patients, in a collaborative prospective study. Twenty-eight of the 80 patients with measurable ER responded to treatment according to UICC criteria, compared with only 3/39 without ER. It was found that site of biopsy did not influence the result, but tumour content of the tissue sample was significantly related to the presence of receptors. The organizational problems of such a study are discussed.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1978

Maturation linked expression of a myeloid cell surface antigen.

An antiserum raised against myelomonocytic and monocytic leukaemia cells has been used to define a cell surface antigen shared by normal and leukaemic cells of the granulocyte and monocyte cell lines. The quantitative expression of this antigen was investigated using the Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter and was shown to correlate with the degree of morphological maturation.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Reproducibility of measurements of oestrogen-receptor concentration in breast cancer.

The reproducibility of measurements of oestrogen-receptor activity has been examined in multiple specimens from a rabbit uterus, a rat mammary tumour and human breast tumours. The relationship between receptor concentration and tumour histology has also been investigated in 11 large primary tumours. In the animal tissues, receptor measurements were relatively reproducible (coefficient of variance: wet wt. basis 16-17%, protein basis 16-21%) but in human breast tumours receptor activity varied considerably (c.v.: wet wt. basis, 22-125%; protein basis, 28-72%). In addition to these variations in receptor activity within tumours, there was a difference between tumours, as demonstrated by an analysis of variance (P less than 0.01). In the 11 primary breast cancers selected for study, the level of receptor activity was related to menopausal status and the tumour content of the specimen. We conclude that the receptor activity detected varies within a tumour and depends upon the tumour content of the biopsy specimen. Predictions based on precise quantitation of receptor concentrations may therefore necessitate replicate tumour sampling and correction for the fraction of non-tumour tissue in each sample.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Chronic leg ulcers treated by the pinch graft method.

Forty-nine patients with chronic leg ulcers were treated by pinch grafting. The initial success of this procedure was high for both gravitational and arterio-sclerotic ulcers. Over half the grafted gravitational ulcers and 70% of grafted arteriosclerotic ulcers were intact after 2 years. Some grafts remained stable for 6 years. Arteritic ulcers did not respond as well; none of the grafted ulcers survived more than 6 months. Pinch grafting is still a simple, cheap and effective therapy offering prolonged graft stability as well as quicker healing to those patients who are not fit for more extensive surgery.

Adult↗