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Biomedical subjects

R C Ho

Publications and source records attributed to R C Ho.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Representation of Asian Americans in clinical cancer trials.

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study are to analyze the accrual of Asian Americans to National Cancer Institute (NCI)-supported prevention, screening/diagnosis, and treatment trials and to determine if there is proportional ethnic representation. METHODS: Data were obtained on all participants accrued to ongoing prevention and screening/ diagnosis trials and on all patients accrued to treatment trials from 1994 to mid-1998. In the analysis, the percentage of Asian Americans to the total number of trial participants is calculated. For treatment trials, participants were stratified into five age groups: 0-20 years, 21-44 years, 45-54 years, 55-64 years, and 65 or more years. RESULTS: Asian Americans represented 4.8% of subjects accrued in screening/diagnosis trials, 1.8 to 2.2% of subjects in treatment trials, and 0.9% of subjects in prevention trials. Comparison of treatment trial age groups revealed that younger Asian Americans participate significantly more in treatment trials than older Asian Americans. CONCLUSIONS: Asian American accrual in NCI-supported trials is representative of the cancer burden of Asian Americans in the United States. However, Asian Americans 65+ years are underrepresented. Their full participation in cancer trials is justified.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Comparison of risk factors for obesity in young, nonobese African-American and Caucasian women.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether specific risk factors for obesity were more evident in young, normal-weight African-American (AA) compared to Caucasian-American (CA) women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional age-matched study. SUBJECTS: Young, nonobese, sedentary AA (n= 13, 22.5y of age, 23.6% body fat) and CA women (n = 11, 21.5y of age, 24.0% body fat). MEASUREMENTS: Aerobic physical fitness (peak VO2), resting metabolic rate (RMR), resting and submaximal exercise fat oxidation rates, total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) by the doubly-labeled water method, physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE), skeletal muscle glycolytic (phosphofructokinase activity (PFK)) and beta-oxidative (beta-hydroxy-acyl CoA dehydrogenase (beta-HADH)) activity, and insulin sensitivity estimated by the insulin-augmented frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: The AA and CA subjects were similar in age, body mass index and body composition, but the AA women exhibited lower peak VO2. There were no group differences in RMR adjusted for body composition, or in the rates of submaximal exercise energy expenditure or fat oxidation, and no difference in skeletal muscle beta-HADH or PFK activity. The AA women exhibited lower insulin sensitivity and greater acute insulin response to glucose. The mean TDEE for the AA women was only 74% that of the CA women, primarily due to a lower physical activity energy expenditure (AA group: xPAEE = 1,246+/-438 kJ/day; CA group: x= 3,310+/-466 kJ/day. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that PAEE and its correlates of peak aerobic capacity and insulin sensitivity are lower in young, nonobese AA women compared to their CA counterparts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Medical management of stage IV malignant melanoma. Medical issues.

BACKGROUND: Stage IV melanoma is defined by TNM staging as any tumor, any node, and M1, the presence of distant metastasis. The prognosis of Stage IV melanoma is grim. The expectation for 5-year survival is less than 10%. METHODS: The experience with single-agent chemotherapy, combination chemotherapy, and high dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplantation support are reviewed, as are the results of treatment with interferon and interleukin-2. RESULTS: Chemotherapy with single agents yields up to a 20% response rate. More aggressive treatments with chemotherapy combinations yield approximately 40% responses but have no survival advantage over treatment with single agents. Recombinant alpha-interferon yields an objective response rate of approximately 20%. Results are dose related and require a dose in the range of 12 million U/M2 for optimal response. The results of treatment with interleukin-2 and lymphokine-activated killer cells are promising, but the optimal dose and method of administration need to be confirmed. The interesting appearance of a vitiligo-like depigmentation in some patients who respond to treatment seems to be associated favorably with survival. Gene transfer therapy opens up a new horizon for treatment of metastatic melanoma, and this exciting approach is discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of metastatic melanoma is reviewed, including the roles of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, interferon, interleukin-2, vaccines, and gene transfer therapy.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1994

The future direction of clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: A milestone in the acquisition of medical information was the development of the concept of clinical trials, which has permitted the documentation and codification of treatment results. This has led to significant advances in clinical medicine during the past few decades. METHOD: This article addresses the future of clinical trials from several perspectives. What forces are present in the clinical world that would affect the continuation of clinical trials? What are the influences of cost and participants' attitudes on clinical trials? What developments in basic science may alter the direction of clinical trials? RESULTS: The role of volunteers in the conduct of clinical trials is explored. The entry of gene transfer therapy into clinical trials is discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical trials hold the key to treatment decisions in medicine. Health care planners will look at clinical trial results for the basis of reimbursement or financing. Therefore, as medical professionals, we must be vigilant of the conduct and results of clinical trials. We must be sure of the validity of their results and ensure their applicability to the proper management of patients.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1993

The past, the present, the future.

Lung cancer in women has replaced uterine cancer among the cancers causing the highest mortality in women. However, breast cancer remains a leading cause of death because of increasing incidence. Potential causes for the increase in both these diseases in women will be explored. An exciting development in recent years has been the clarification of the role of oncogenes in carcinogenesis. It appears that some cancers require multiple sequential mutations for malignant transformation to occur. This may be the model for the study of carcinogenesis. These developments in molecular genetics have important implications in screening, diagnosis, prevention, and in treatment strategies. We may be witnessing the beginning of the era of cell differentiation therapy. Retinoids have a potential for impacting on the treatment of neoplasms such as promyelocytic leukemia and oropharyngeal cancers. Understanding of the mechanism of cell differentiation may be forthcoming although molecular genetic studies.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Relapsing disease.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed1989

Asymptomatic intrathoracic extramedullary hematopoiesis: a report of three cases.

Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) is observed in people suffering from severe anemia of prolonged duration and appears to be a compensatory mechanism for disturbed medullary hematopoiesis. The hemoglobinopathies (such as thalassemia, spherocytosis, and sickle cell disease), neoplastic diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma, and others, including myelofibrosis and osteitis fibrosa cystica, are associated with EMH. These diseases and their resultant anemia have in common the ability to stimulate erythropoietin production, which in turn may stimulate hematopoiesis in organs of mesenchymal origin. The liver and spleen are the most common sites of EMH; however, other sites, including the falx cerebri, thoracic cavity, retroperitoneal area and pelvis have been reported. When present, intrathoracic EMH is most frequently associated with thalassemia. Spinal cord compression and hemothorax have also been reported as complications of intrathoracic EMH.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Cytogenetic study of Kaposi's sarcoma associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

We performed cytogenetic studies on direct preparations and short-term cultures from Kaposi's sarcoma cells obtained from malignant pericardial effusion. The patient, a 46-year-old man with human immunodeficiency virus infection, initially presented with metastatic Kaposi's sarcoma. Despite therapy, his tumor proved aggressive, and the patient died of widespread pulmonary involvement nine months after diagnosis. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a predominant karyotype of 48,X,-Y, t(2;7)(q32;q36), +der(5)t(5;15)(q?15;q?15), -7, +del(7)(p15), +del(7)(p15), +der(8)t(8;D or G)(q24;p11.2), del(10)(p13), dup(12)(q24), t(18;20)(q21;q13). This case is described in relation to other published cytogenetic studies of this tumor.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pain in the cancer patient.

In summary, the ACS has acknowledged the magnitude and severity of the cancer pain problem nationally and recognized that cancer pain can be relieved. It has identified cancer pain control as a priority and has devised programs that emphasize the importance of pain assessment, recognize the availability of pain relief programs, and encourage treatment to achieve optimum pain relief for the cancer patient.

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice↗