Autologous tumor lysate/Bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy as an adjuvant to conventional breast cancer therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Autologous tumor cell vaccines rely on the concept of preserving an individual's own tumorigenic makeup, expressing its unique set of tumor-associated antigens as well as antigenic elements from the surrounding stroma. These autologous tumor characteristics are usually presented with an immune adjuvant in the hopes of enhancing an immune response. METHODS: The autologous vaccine we used was composed of tumor cells combined with BCG and formalin. Animal safety and toxicity were evaluated using mice tumors for the immunotherapy. A small number of patients with advanced stage breast cancer were recruited for an uncontrolled study, using the vaccine solely or combined with chemotherapy/radiotherapy. RESULTS: The immunotherapy had shown to be safe in mice and humans. Upon a 5-year follow-up, the survival rate was 60 % for the combined treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that the combined treatment could be a feasible and safe therapeutic strategy. However, further controlled studies should be conducted.

Las necesidades y motivos como factores fundamentales de las estudiantes de enfermería / Needs and motivations as fundamental factors for nursing students

Se estudian las necesidades y motivos que manifiestan las estudiantes selecciondas para cursar los estudios de Enfermería Pediátrica en el Instituto Politécnico Docente de Centro Habana, curso escolar 1984-1985. Tomamos como ejemplo entrevistas realizadas por el científico soviético Bozhovich. De las 60 estudiantes encuestadas se obtuvieron diversas opiniones acerca de la motivación para optar por la profesión, lo que nos permitió conocer que las necesidades y motivos se conjugan y coresponden, y su objetivo fundamental es actuar sobre la motivación, lo que lleva a las adolescentes a estudiar dicha profesión. Se detectó que la vocación es la causa esencial de la motivación que hizo que las estudiantes eligieran esta carrera