Antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and other neoplastic conditions.

Sera from patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) or other malignant diseases and from apparently healthy controls were examined for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies. A difference existed in the percentage of positive sera among the groups studied. High-titer antibody levels were observed in the NPC group, but no statistical difference was found among other groups of patients and controls. The data reaffirmed the association of EBV with NPC but did not support its etiologic role in the development of other human neoplasms.

Isolation of a cDNA clone from colon carcinoma.

cDNA clones of differentially expressed mRNAs in a colon carcinoma have been isolated by subtractive cDNA cloning. The substracted material was at least 90x enriched for differentially expressed sequences and can be used for the construction of substractive cDNA libraries and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification to generate differential probes. In this way rare mRNA (less than 0.1% abundance) which are differentially expressed, can be isolated utilising this procedure. A cDNA clone which we call IH12 has been isolated. Its mRNA is expressed exclusively in actively proliferating cells.

Osseous metastases from carcinomas of the colon and rectum.

Of 765 patients with disseminated metastatic carcinoma of the colon and rectum treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center during the ten-year period 1960--1970, 53 (6.9 per cent) had skeletal metastases. Of these, 14 (1.8 per cent) had osseous metastases only. In one case the osseous lesion was the first symptom of a cancer of the sigmoid colon, and one patient had metastasis in the fibula from a primary rectal cancer. In our series the incidences of osseous metastases were 8.9 per cent from rectal carcinoma and 5.1 per cent from colonic carcinoma. The mean period from manifestation of skeletal metastasis to death was 13.2 months.

The effects of urea treatment in combination with curettage in extensive lip cancers.

Thirty cases of lip cancer in 28 patients, 23 of which were extensive or very extensive, were treated with local urea injections in combination with curettage. Out of the 30 cases there were 26 squamous cell carcinomas, three basal cell carcinomas extending to the mucosa from the skin of the lips, and one adenocarcinoma of the mucosa of the interior surface of the upper lip. This treatment was effective in all our patients. Recurrences appeared in four patients. These were easily treated in three out of the four patients who returned for treatment, by the same method. In three cases metastases appeared in the lymphnodes of the neck, which were surgically treated.

Telemetric estimation of the descending colon pressure changes on dogs before and after total and selective vagotomy.

This experimental study describes the pressure changes of the descending colon before and after total and selective vagotomy combined with Finney's pyloroplasty as estimated by telemetry. The results obtained from the study of 20 dogs show that the motility of the descending colon is extremely reduced after total vagotomy with no change after selective vagotomy.

Subtraction hybridization cDNA libraries from colon carcinoma and hepatic cancer.

cDNA clones of differentially expressed mRNAs in a colon carcinoma and a hepatocellular carcinoma have been isolated by subtractive cDNA cloning. The subtracted material is at least 90 X enriched for differentially expressed sequences and can be used for construction of subtractive cDNA libraries and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification to generate differential probes. Commercially available lambda ZAP II is used for construction of primary libraries since single-stranded phage bearing the cloned cDNA can be excised in vivo and because lambda libraries are convenient for subsequent screening and manipulations. Rare mRNAs (less than 0.01% abundance), which are differentially expressed, can be isolated utilizing this procedure.

Surgical adjuvant therapy of rectal carcinoma: a controlled evaluation of leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil and radiation therapy with or without interferon-alpha2b.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether the efficacy of the combination of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), leucovorin (LV) and radiation therapy (RT) could be improved by the addition of interferon-alpha2b (IFN-alpha) in patients who have had a 'curative' resection, for rectal adenocarcinoma (Dukes' B2/C; T3 N0, T4 N0, N1-3). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 207 eligible patients with a performance status of 0 or 1 were randomized postoperatively between days 21 and 70 to one of the two treatment groups: group A, LV 20 mg/m2 i.v. bolus and 5-FU 425 mg/m2 i.v. days 1-5 and 29-33, LV 20 mg/m2 and 5-FU 400 mg/m2 days 57-60 and 85-88, LV 20 mg/m2 and 5-FU 380 mg/m2 days 1-5 and 29-33 with the second day 1 occurring 28 days after the completion of RT (45 Gy); group B, LV, 5-FU and RT as in group A, and IFN-alpha 5 x 10(6) IU s.c. three times during each week chemotherapy is given. RESULTS: 104 patients were randomized into group A and 103 into group B. There was no statistically significant difference in either disease-free survival or overall survival between the two groups. Toxicity was also the same, except for the flu-like syndrome associated with the IFN-alpha administration. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in efficacy between the two combinations. Toxicity was greater with the LV + 5-FU + IFN-alpha regimen because of the flu-like syndrome.