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Biomedical subjects

W Weiss

Publications and source records attributed to W Weiss.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

The Philadelphia Pulmonary Neoplasm Research Project. Symptoms in occult lung cancer.

In a prospective study of 6,027 older men screened every six months for ten years by means of chest photofluorograms and questionnaires regarding symptoms, 121 developed lung cancer after the first examination. Eighty-five men with lung cancer had the opportunity to be screened eight times before the tumor was detected by chest x-ray film, but only 33 actually reported that often. These 33 men were compared with matched controls for symptoms before the neoplasm was detected radiologically. The common symptoms of expectoration and chronic cough showed a significant increase in frequency over time in the cases of cancer, while only expectoration showed a slight increase in the controls. Uncommon symptoms more suggestive of lung cancer (hemoptysis and worsening cough) occurred in only four men prior to detection of cancer. Symptoms are seldom useful in the detection of occult lung cancer, but the appearance of expectoration and chronic cough in older male smokers should raise a suspicion of this disease.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1978

Pleuropulmonary disease among asbestos workers in relation to smoking and type of exposure.

The chest roentgenograms of employees aged 40 and over in two asbestos manufacturing plants were read by consensus without knowledge of the plant or smoking habits. Plant A used only chrysotile asbestos throughout its history and Plant B used amosite as well as chrysotile, the amosite being limited to the period 1950-64. The prevalence of pulmonary disease was 25% in Plant A and 33% in Plant B. The prevalence of pleural thickening was 18% in Plant A and 35% in Plant B. Neither age nor work duration were factors in these differences. In Plant A there was no obvious relationship between smoking and pleuropulmonary disease. In Plant B there was a definite relationship of smoking to pulmonary disease and perhaps to pleural thickening. Both type of asbestos and smoking habits appear to be determinants of pleuropulmonary disease in asbestos workers.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

[Clinical significance of the combined determination of alpha 1 fetoprotein, lipoprotein X, and hepatitis B antigen and antibodies].

In a four-year prospective study 4000 patients of a gastroenterologic and hematologic department were screened for alpha1-fetoprotein (AFP), lipoprotein-X (LPX), and hepatitis-B antigen and antibody (HBsAg, HBsAb). Only histologically confirmed results were used for the evaluation of this study. Liverscintigraphy using 99m-Tc-S-colloid was performed as the morphological examination. 85% of focal liver diseases were seen as space-occupying lesions in the radioscan. The interpretation of their dignity was performed with success by means of 67-galliumcitrate with an overall diagnostic accuracy of 90%. With the methods, presented in this paper, positive results of AFP-LPX-, HBsAg- and HBsAb-determinations mean, without exception, an informational gain. In 1241 of 4000 patients, 1417 positive results were recorded. In combination with two-step radionuclide-scintigraphy as the morphological element of our screening procedure, focal diseases of the liver are no longer a diagnostic problem. Additional information of diagnostic relevance is expected in about 35% of all diffuse hepatocellular diseases.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1977

[Clinical value of rectal digital examination in early diagnosis of colorectal cancer (author's transl)].

A prospective study was carried out on a series of 1500 patients of a gastro-enterological and surgical unit in order to evaluate critically the accuracy of rectal digital examination as a single tool in the early diagnosis of colorectal tumours. The patients in this study were explored independently by two investigators, first by rectal digital palpation and afterwards by means of the proctosigmoidoscope. Endoscopy confirmed the presence of 239 tumours, 96 of these being diagnosed histologically as carcinoma. Comparative analysis of the results of physical and endoscopic examination demonstrated that digital palpation provided a correct diagnosis in 58 out of 239 tumours, equivalent to an accuracy of 24.3% for tumours within the reach of the rectoscope, and 10% for all colorectal tumours. Hence, rectal examination should not be used as single diagnostic tool in screening for large bowel cancer. A multiphasic screening system, including investigations for occult blood, proctosigmoidoscopy, endoscopic polypectomy and determination of colon-embryonic-antigen levels is discussed to obtain better results in general health screening, early diagnosis and avoidance of incurable colorectal carcinomas and the early detection of recurrence.

Colonic Neoplasms↗
PubMed1977

Serum glycoside concentrations after single or repeated intravenous doses of beta-methyl-digoxin and digoxin.

The aim of the present investigation was to estimate the ratio of the intravenous doses of beta-methyl-digoxin and digoxin required to produce identical serum glycoside concentrations in man. 20 patients on intravenous maintenance therapy were changed from beta-methyl-digoxin to the identical dose of digoxin or vice versa. Each drug was given for 7 days. Serum concentrations 13% higher were found during administraton of beta-methyl-digoxin. Assuming a half life of 60 h after withdrawal, the dose of digoxin producing the same minimum serum concentration was estimated to be 1.16 times higher than that of beta-methyl-digoxin. 18 healthy volunteers received 0.4 mg beta-methyl- digoxin, and 23 the same dose of digoxin, as an intravenous infusion over 2 h. The serum concentrations and urinary glycoside excretion were measured over a period of 32 hrs. During the first hour after the infusion the serum concentration of digoxin declined more rapidly than that of beeta-methyl-digoxin. Thereafter, the ratio of the serum concentrtions did not change appreciably up to the end of the investigation. The area under the serum concentration/time curve was about 13% greater for beta-methyl-digoxin than for digoxin; this difference was not significant. The average renal clearance was 96 +- 9 ml for beta-methyl-digoxin, 151 +- 13 ml for digoxin. Since the total body clearance of digoxin is only about 1.16 times higher than that of beta-methyl-digoxin, the lower renal clearance of beta-methyl-digoxin must partly be compensated by higher extrarenal clearance. From the ratios of the areas under the serum concentration/time curves after single doses of beta-methyl-digoxin and digoxin, and the minimum serum concentrations during maintenance therapy, it was concluded that the dose of digoxin to produce the same average serum concentrations would be about 1.15 times higher than that of beta-methyl-dogoxin. In comparison wtih the large variations in individual dosage of digoxin and beta-methyl-digoxin, this difference is too small to be of practical importance.

Aged↗
PubMed1977

A cohort analysis of pancreatic cancer, 1939--1969.

Pancreatic cancer mortality in the United States was examined by cohort analysis for the period of 1939 to 1969. Birth cohorts at 5-year intervals were studied. White males and non-whites of both sexes showed a shift of the cohort mortality rate curves by age toward younger groups as birth cohorts went from 1870--1874 to 1900--1904. This shift disappeared in white males and diminished in non-whites of both sexes between the cohorts of 1890--1894 and 1900--1904. The shift in non-whites was larger than in white males so that although non-whites had lower rates than whites in earlier birth cohorts, their rates exceeded those of whites in the most recent cohort. In the search for environmental cause(s) of pancreatic cancer, exposure characteristics should be compatible with these observations.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Lung cancer type in relation to cigarette dosage.

In a retrospective study of 1,228 white males with histologically confirmed bronchogenic carcinoma, the proportion of squamous cell carcinoma increased with increasing age at diagnosis. Since the distribution of cell types was much the same in the 73% of cases aged 50-69, the relationship of cancer type to daily cigarette dosage was studied in this group. Squamous cell carcinoma increased from 48% of those men who smoked less than 20 cigarettes per day to 61% of those who smoked 40 or more cigarettes per day. Comparison with other studies showed conflicting results.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1977

Coloscopic inversion.

Direct visualization of the inner anal orifice by means of coloscopic inversion in the ampulla recti eliminates one of the last "blind zones" in digestive endoscopy.

Anus Neoplasms↗
PubMed1977

Endoscopic treatment of stenosized anastomosis after gastrectomy.

Reflux-induced strictures of anastomoses are well-known complications of total gastrectomys. Since 1974 ten patients with postoperative dysphagia were treated by endoscopy. The enlargement of the obstructed anastomotic ring was done with the unopened diathermy-snare. This simple and uncomplicated method removed the heavy complaints of the patients immediately; no complications were registered until now. Follow-up was 3 to 32 months.

Constriction, Pathologic↗
PubMed1977

The prognosis of lung cancer originating as a round lesion. Data from the Philadelphia pulmonary neoplasm research project.

A population of 6,027 men 45 or more years of age was screened every 6 months for 10 years with chest photofluorograms and questionnaires regarding symptoms. Although volunteers, they were similar to older men in the general population with respect to age, race, and smoking habits. Of 121 men who developed lung cancer after the beginning of observation, 48 had neoplasms appearing as round lesions at the time of radiographic detection. Only 8 per cent of the 48 men survived 5 years or more, a rate identical to that of men in whom cancer first appeared in some other form. There was an inverse relationship between initial size of the cancer and survival. Two thirds of the tumors were squamous cell carcinomas. Comparison with the literature suggests that selection accounts for the favorable prognosis of round lung cancers in hospital-based series.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1977

The metastatic spread of bronchogenic carcinoma in relation to the interval between resection and death.

Information from autopsy was obtained for 125 men who had had lung cancer resected. Metastases were most common among men whose carcinoma was undifferentiated, while the prevalence among those with squamous cell carcinoma and those with adenocarcinoma was about the same. Among men whose cancers were of the latter two types, extrathoracic metastases were more common among men with adenocarcinoma than among those with squamous cell carcinoma. In 44 cases with postoperative death, metastases were found in 36 percent (16 cases). With the passage of time, the incidence of metastases rose rapidly to 85 percent (17/20) 6 to 11 months after resection. These data support the concept that metastatic disease is often present at the time of diagnosis.

Adenocarcinoma↗