[Clinical studies of 145 cases of endometrial carcinoma--analysis of prognostic factors, especially pathological types].

One hundred and forty-five patients with confirmed endometrial carcinoma treated at Kumamoto University Hospital were studied from the clinicopathological point of view. As risk factors, the incidence of high age, postmenopause, atypical genital bleeding, sterility, nulliparity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and obesity was showed to be high. These factors may be expected to assist in screening for early diagnosis by using each factor or combination of factors. As prognostic factors, we examined the relationship between stage, depth of myometrial invasion, histological grade, histological type and survival rate. The stage was shown to be a most important predicator of survival. The depth of myometrial invasion and the histological grade closely correlated with the stage. The relationship between the histological subtype, especially papillary serous carcinoma (PSC) and prognosis, was investigated in our series of studies. PSC found in an incidence of 9.4% had a relatively poor prognosis compared with endometrioid carcinoma. Its 5-year survival rate was only 30%. Because PSC has a potential for aggressive invasion and rapid metastasis as compared to endometrioid carcinoma, careful histological examination and aggressive treatment are warranted.

Activities of glycogen synthetase and glycogen phosphorylase in the human endometrium: relative distribution in isolated glands and stroma.

The activities of glycogen synthetase and glycogen phosphorylase were studied in endometrial samples obtained from 51 premenopausal women during the menstrual cycle. The total activities of glycogen synthetase and glycogen phosphorylase and the activity of the active form of glycogen phosphorylase increased gradually from the proliferative phase to the secretory phase and reached a maximum during the midsecretory phase, while the activity of the active form of glycogen synthetase increased slightly. In 30 of the 51 women, the relative distribution of glycogen synthetase and glycogen phosphorylase activities in isolated glands and stromal cells was determined following collagenase digestion of the endometrial specimens. The results indicated that the activities of the active form of glycogen synthetase and glycogen phosphorylase in the isolated glands during the secretory phase were more than threefold and twofold, respectively, greater than those present in the isolated stromal cells and that the levels of these enzymes in the glands and stromal cells changed in parallel with those in the undissociated endometrium observed during the menstrual cycle. In addition, histochemical studies revealed the presence of glycogen phosphorylase activity in both the glands and the stromal cells, whereas the glycogen synthetase activity was present only in the glands. These findings suggest that the stromal cells of the human endometrium as well as the glands may play an important role in the nutrition of the implanting blastocyst.

[Fundamental and clinical studies on cefotaxime in the field of obstetrics and gynecology (author's transl)].

UNLABELLED: Fundamental and clinical studies were made on cefotaxime (CTX), a new cephalosporin antibiotic. The following results were obtained: 1. Antibacterial activity: At a concentration of 3.13 mcg/ml, CTX inhibited the growth of 90.2% of 92 strains of Gram-negative rods and 80.0% of 15 strains of Gram-positive cocci. 2. Concentrations of CTX in body fluids and genital organs after 2 g i.v.: (1) CTX level in pus reached the peak (5.6mcg/ml) at 2 hours after administration. (2) Mean CTX levels in the pelvic space exudate reached the peak (28.0 mcg/ml) at 2 hours after administration. (3) CTX levels in the uterine appendages and uterus reached the peak (8.9 and 4.5 mcg/g, respectively) at 100 to 280 minutes after administration. 3. CLINICAL RESULTS: CTX was excellent in 7 of 13 cases and good in the remaining 6 cases. The response rate to CTX was 100%. 4. The bacteriological effect: The bacteriological effect of CTX was also 100%. Bacteria were eradicated in 7 of the 10 cases where organisms were demonstrated before CTX treatment. Partial reduction bacteria was observed in the remaining 3 cases. 5. No side effect attributable to CTX was observed.