Responses of tumors induced in inbred guinea pig strain JY=1 and strain Hartley/F to BCG.

A transplantable fibrosarcoma induced in inbred JY-1 guinea pig strain by 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA) and designated J4, an allotransplantable subline of J4 (JH4) which was obtained by the transplantation of J4 into the inbred Hartley/F guinea pig strain and maintained by passages in this strain, and a syngeneic liposarcoma H10 induced in a Hartley/F guinea pig by MCA were tested for their immunotherapeutic response with BCG. The growth of J4 and H10 tumors was suppressed in most of the animals when tumor cells were mixed with BCG before being injected sc into BCG-immune or BCG-nonimmune recipients. The growth of the JH4 tumor was suppressed at the sites of injection with a mixture of tumor cells and BCG in BCG-immune recipients but not in nonimmune animals. All guinea pigs surviving the injection of a tumor cell-BCG mixture resisted a second tumor cell challenge. When subcutaneous sarcomas grew to about 8-15 mm in diameter, BCG was injected into the tumors. The growth of JH4 tumor was not influenced by the injection in either BCG-immune or BCG-nonimmune animals, while the regression of the established J4 transplants was produced in 2 of 3 nonimmune recipients. The growth of the H10 tumor was not inhibited with an intratumor injection into nonimmune guinea pigs, while the H10 tumor regressed in BCG-immune animals for 4-5 weeks after intratumor injection and thereafter grew progressively. Skin reactions in animals that received repeated intradermal injections of the tumor cells and BCG were tested with 10(6) viable tumor cells as eliciting antigens. Typical delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions that were specific to the homologous antigens were observed. The possible reasons for the different responses to BCG among the guinea pig tumors, including line-10 hepatocarcinoma in strain-2 guinea pigs, were discussed.

The significance of thymidine phosphorylase expression in colorectal cancer.

We measured thymidine phosphorylase activity in colorectal cancer tissue and conducted immunostaining to investigate enzyme expression in the tumor tissue. The results showed a correlation between staining ratio of thymidine phosphorylase and cancer progression as well as a correlation between enzyme activity and staining ratios of cancer cells and stromal cells. Since enzyme activity levels can be judged by staining ratios, this method may be useful for assessing cancer malignancy.

[Recurrent breast cancer successfully treated with a weekly dose of paclitaxel--a case report].

The patient was a 46-year-old women who was treated for axillary lymph node recurrence of breast cancer by a variety of methods, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, but who experienced recurrences in the cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes and skin, and developed hydrothorax and ascites. Although the recurrent foci responded to 4 cycles of CAF chemotherapy, there was concern that the foci would become refractory or resistant to chemotherapy. The administration of paclitaxel was therefore initiated. The patient received a dose of paclitaxel once a week for 5 consecutive weeks followed by a 1-week recovery period (one cycle). After two cycles of the paclitaxel treatment, a marked shrinkage of the lymph nodes and complete resolution of the hydrothorax and ascites were observed. Even though the patient exhibited bone marrow suppression and G-CSF was administered twice for neutropenia, there were no adverse effects except mild alopecia, again suggesting the possibility that paclitaxel is effective chemotherapy for recurrent breast cancer.

[Analysis of the salvage synthesis within biosynthesis of nucleic acid route in colon cancer].

Orotate phosphoribosyl transferase (OPRT), thymidine phosphorylase (TP), uridine phosphorylase (UP), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), and thymidylate synthetase (TS) are enzymes which analyze the salvage synthesis within the biosynthesis of the nucleic acid route of colon cancer. These enzymes were measured in carcinoma and normal tissue. OPRT was 0.065 +/- 0.041 nmol/min/mg protein, TP 4.04 +/- 2.81 nmol/min/mg protein, UP 1.79 +/- 1.19 nmol/min/mg protein, DPD 23.8 +/- 12.0 pmol/min/mg protein, and TS 6.1 +/- 4.4 pmol/g tissue in the normal tissue, and OPRT was 0.199 +/- 0.146 nmol/min/mg protein, TP 13.63 +/- 6.04 nmol/min/mg protein, UP 5.84 +/- 2.37 nmol/min/mg protein, DPD 22.0 +/- 13.4 pmol/min/mg protein, TS 16.9 +/- 7.8 pmol/g tissue in the carcinoma. OPRT, TP, and UP in the carcinoma mainly existed about 3.06-3.37 times that in normal tissue and TS at about 2.77 times. No significant difference was seen in DPD. A correlation was found between OPRT in normal tissue and carcinoma. Biosynthesis of nucleic acid via salvage synthesis is actively stimulated. Enzymatic activity related to uracil was high, and was thought to be closely connected to the growth of the cancer.

[Two cases of recurrent gastric cancer for which combination chemotherapy with pirarubicin, cis-platinum and 5-fluorouracil were markedly effective].

In the treatment of 2 patients with recurrent gastric cancer who showed bone metastasis and lymph node recurrence, we administered 30 mg/body of pirarubicin (THP) on the first day of treatment, and 30 mg/body of cis-platinum (CDDP) and 500 mg/m2 of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for 3 days (FP therapy). Marked effects were achieved. Gastric cancer of Borrmann IV type was diagnosed in Case 1, and total gastrectomy was performed. The histological type was poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and the histological classification was II. A bone metastasis was found three years after operation. The patient was CR after three courses of treatment, and has survived for 2 years. In Case 2, advanced gastric cancer was treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and distal gastrectomy. The histological type was moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, and the histological classification was IIIa. Obstructive jaundice due to lymph node recurrence developed 6 years after operation. Two courses of treatment were provided after PTCD, and PR was observed. The patient has survived for 3 months. Both patients exhibited mild side effects such as anemia and leukocytopenia, but no serious complications were observed. Although various dosage regimens of FP therapy have been investigated, there has been a certain limit to the response rate achieved by this therapy, and new protocols have been explored. We achieved marked effects in 2 patients by adding THP to FP therapy. These cases are reported here together with some discussion of cases reported in the literature.