Use of (99m)Tc-doxorubicin scintigraphy in females with breast cancer: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Doxorubicin (Eurofarma, São Paulo, Brazil) is an antitumour agent widely used in the treatment of breast cancer and can be used for tumour tracking when labelled with a radionuclide. Here, we present the results obtained with technetium-99m ((99m)Tc)-doxorubicin, using the direct method, to evaluate its uptake in breast cancer. METHODS: Four females with confirmed breast carcinoma diagnosis and breast image reporting and data system Category 5 on mammography underwent whole-body and thorax single-photon emission CT/CT imaging 1 and 3 h after (99m)Tc-doxorubicin administration. RESULTS: We observed increased uptake in breast carcinoma lesions and elimination via renal and hepatic pathways. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results suggest that (99m)Tc-doxorubicin may be a promising radiopharmaceutical for the evaluation of patients with breast cancer. Further studies are ongoing. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the use of a directly labelled doxorubicin tracer in humans. (99m)Tc-doxorubicin could provide information on the response of tumours to doxorubicin.

Use of 99mTc-doxorubicin scintigraphy in females with breast cancer: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE:: Doxorubicin (Eurofarma, São Paulo, Brazil) is an antitumour agent widely used in the treatment of breast cancer and can be used for tumour tracking when labelled with a radionuclide. Here, we present the results obtained with technetium-99m (99mTc)-doxorubicin, using the direct method, to evaluate its uptake in breast cancer. METHODS:: Four females with confirmed breast carcinoma diagnosis and breast image reporting and data system Category 5 on mammography underwent whole-body and thorax single-photon emission CT/CT imaging 1 and 3 h after 99mTc-doxorubicin administration. RESULTS:: We observed increased uptake in breast carcinoma lesions and elimination via renal and hepatic pathways. CONCLUSION:: These preliminary results suggest that 99mTc-doxorubicin may be a promising radiopharmaceutical for the evaluation of patients with breast cancer. Further studies are ongoing. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE:: To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the use of a directly labelled doxorubicin tracer in humans. 99mTc-doxorubicin could provide information on the response of tumours to doxorubicin.

The impact of multidrug therapy on the epidemiological pattern of leprosy in Juiz de Fora, Brazil.

We investigated the impact of multidrug therapy (MDT) on the epidemiological pattern of leprosy in Juiz de Fora, Brazil, from 1978 to 1995. Evaluation of 1,283 medical charts was performed according to the treatment regimen used in two different periods. Following the introduction of MDT in 1987, prevalence of leprosy decreased from 22 patients/10,000 inhabitants to 5.2 patients/10,000 inhabitants in 1995. Incidence rate of leprosy was lower in period II (1987-1995) than in period I (1978-1986). Decreasing prevalence and incidence appear to be related to drug efficacy rather than decreased case identification, since both self-referred and professionally referred treatment increased markedly from period I to period II. For both periods, multibacillary leprosy was the most frequent clinical form of the disease (+/-68%), and the main infection risk factor identified was household contact. Leprosy is predominantly manifested in adults, but an increase in the number of very old and very young patients was observed in period II. The MDT program has been effective both in combating leprosy and in promoting awareness of the disease.

Abnormal blood pressure behaviour produced by intracerebral angiotensin during natural sleep.

The influence of the intracerebroventricular infusion of angiotensin II (Ang II) on the pattern of arterial pressure changes during natural sleep was studied in rats. The wakefulness-sleep cycle was observed during a sleep session of approximately 8 h in a group of rats (n = 7) receiving Ang II infusion, whereas the control group (n = 7) received a saline infusion. Angiotensin II infusion increased the time spent by the rats in sleep (75 versus 45% for saline infusion): both synchronized sleep and desynchronized sleep increased (50 versus 35% and 25 versus 10% in rats receiving Ang II and saline, respectively). Therefore, the increase produced by infusion of Ang II in desynchronized sleep was proportionally larger than the increase in synchronized sleep (150 versus 42%). Intracerebroventricular infusion of Ang II increased the arterial pressure during quiet wakefulness [124 +/- 3.0 (s.e.m.) versus 115 +/- 3.0 mmHg]. In 85 episodes of synchronized sleep the mean arterial pressure increased (6.0 +/- 2.0 mmHg), and it decreased in 50 episodes of desynchronized sleep (-12 +/- 2.0 mmHg) in rats treated with Ang II. In control rats the saline infusion produced no change in mean arterial pressure measured in quiet wakefulness (118 +/- 3.0 versus 116 +/- 3.0 mmHg). During 44 episodes of synchronized sleep the arterial pressure remained unaltered (2.0 +/- 1.0 mmHg), and it increased as in normal rats in 30 episodes of desynchronized sleep (5.0 +/- 1.0 mmHg). The data indicate that Ang II alters blood pressure regulation during sleep, a natural behaviour, probably by interfering with the central modulation of the baroreceptor reflexes.

Central angiotensin alters blood pressure regulation during natural sleep.

Sino-aortic denervation (SAD) in rats alters completely the pattern of pressure changes during sleep: from unchanged to a rise in SS and from slight increase to a market drop in DS. Rats with mild renal hypertension (1K - 1C) behaved like normotensive rats, whereas in those rats with hypertension accompanied by overactivity of RAS, the pattern of MAP changes during sleep was similar to SAD rats. Since acute SAD also produced overactivity of RAS we studied SAD rats treated with Captopril or when RAS was normal at the chronic phase of SAD and we showed that impairment of baroreceptor function per se determines the typical alteration of BP during sleep. Intracerebral infusion of angiotensin modifies the pattern of pressure changes during sleep in a way similar to that produced by impaired baroreceptor function (SAD), probably by altering the central integration of the baroreceptor reflexes. Therefore the pattern of pressure changes during sleep seems to be a sensitive index of the functional integrity of the baroreceptor reflex.