C-myc mRNA Expression in Epithelial Ovarian Carcinomas in Relation to Estrogen Receptor Status, Metastatic Spread, Survival Time, FIGO Stage, and Histologie Grade and Type

Recently, it has been suggested that c-myc expression might correlate with estrogen receptor (ER) status and metastatic spread in ovarian cancer. In this study, expression of c-myc mRNA in 90 epithelial ovarian carcinomas was determined using the S1 nuclease protection assay. Expression of c-myc mRNA was detectable in 27 of 90 tumors. There was no significant association between c-myc mRNA expression and metastatic spread, survival time, FIGO stage, or histologic grade and type. C-myc mRNA was expressed in 45% of ER-positive tumors but only 24% of ER-negative tumors (p = 0.094; Fisher's exact test). Similarly, 44% of progesterone receptor (PR)-positive and 23% of PR-negative tumors expresse…

Reversibilität von Veränderungen der links- und rechtsventrikulären Geometrie und Hämodynamik bei pulmonaler Hypertonie. Echokardiographische Charakterisierung bei Patienten vor und nach pulmonaler Thrombendarteriektomie (Reversibility of changes in left- and right ventricular geometry and hemodynamics in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Echocardiographic characteristics before and after pulmonary thrombendarterectomy)

Durch pulmonale Thrombendarteriektomie kann bei Patienten mit chronischer embolisch bedingter pulmonaler Hypertonie eine akute rechtsventrikulare Nachlastsenkung erzielt werden. Der Einflus auf die rechts- und linksventrikulare Geometrie und Hamodynamik wurde prospektiv mit Hilfe der transthorakalen Echokardiographie an einem Kollektiv von 14 Patienten (8 Frauen, 6 Manner; Alter 55 ± 20 Jahre) vor und nach 18 ± 12 Tagen postoperativ untersucht. Nach operativer Desobliteration der Pulmonalarterien fand sich eine Abnahme des invasiv bestimmten totalen pulmonalen Gefaswiderstands von 986 ± 318 auf 323 ± 280 dyn x s/cm5; p < 0,05. Der echokardiographisch erfaste systolische pulmonalarterielle D…

mdm2 mRNA expression is associated with survival in ovarian cancer

Expression of mdm-2 mRNA was measured in 90 ovarian-cancer tissue specimens using the S1 nuclease assay, to investigate a possible association between MDM2 expression and prognosis. mdm-2 mRNA expression was an independent prognostic factor for patients with primary ovarian cancer, FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stages III and IV (n = 57), who all received chemotherapy with carboplatin or cisplatin and cyclophosphamide. Median survival time for patients (FIGO stages III and IV) with no detectable expression of mdm-2 mRNA (n = 14) was 171 days, as compared with 839 days for patients (n = 43) with detectable mdm-2 mRNA (p = 0.0194; log-rank test). However, no ass…

Prognostic significance of c-erB-2 mRNA in ovarian carcinoma.

The oncogene specific mRNA of c-erbB-2 was detected by the S1 nuclease protection assay in 95 ovarian cancer specimens. In 79 primary carcinomas, we found 16 (20%) with strong expression, 13 (17%) with weak expression, 4 (5%) with very weak expression, and 46 (58%) with no expression. In 3 of 16 recurrencies (19%) a strong expression of c-erbB-2 mRNA was detected, in 2 (12%) weak expression was detected, and in 11 (69%) no expression of c-erbB-2 mRNA was detected. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no significant association between strong expression of c-erbB-2 mRNA and survival of the 79 patients with primary cancer. However, in the subgroup of patients with FIGO (International Federation of …

Weitere Migräne-Studie der Modellvorhaben veröffentlicht: Effektivität der Akupunktur zur Prophylaxe der Migräne: eine multizentrische, randomisierte, kontrollierte Studie

Background Our aim was to assess the efficacy of a part-standardised verum acupuncture procedure, in accordance with the rules of traditional Chinese medicine, compared with that of part-standardised sham acupuncture and standard migraine prophylaxis with beta blockers, calcium-channel blockers, or antiepileptic drugs in the reduction of migraine days 26 weeks after the start of treatment. Methods This study was a prospective, randomised, multicentre, doubleblind, parallel-group, controlled, clinical trial, undertaken between April 2002 and July 2005. Patients who had two to six migraine attacks per month were randomly assigned verum acupuncture (n = 313), sham acupuncture (n = 339), or sta…

Case Control Study on Childhood Leukemia in Lower Saxony, Germany

In two municipalities in Lower Saxony statistically valid clusters were observed, which attracted great public interest. Committees were set up to initiate a large variety of on-the-spot-investigations. Finally, it was decided to conduct a case control study throughout Lower Saxony to explore potential risk factors which might explain the observed clusters. A limited number of already established and currently discussed hypotheses was chosen for investigation. The study was based on patients registrated at the German Children's Cancer Registry (GCCR). For each child with leukemia diseased between 1988 and 1993 two population-based controls (local and state controls) and one tumour control w…

erman case control study on childhood leukaemia - Basic considerations, methodology and summary of the results

In order to explore potential risk factors of childhood leukaemia, a case control study was performed including all incident cases from 1992 to 1994. The study was based on the German Childhood Cancer Registry. It was restricted to cases from West Germany and extended retrospectively until 1980 for children who were living in regions covered by a previous incidence study on nuclear installations (21). The study was conducted in close correspondence with a preceding case control study in Lower Saxony (13). Results of this study and of others published in the literature were used to define explicit hypotheses for the present study. This paper presents the methodology of the study and gives an…

Efficacy of acupuncture for the prophylaxis of migraine: a multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial.

Our aim was to assess the efficacy of a part-standardised verum acupuncture procedure, in accordance with the rules of traditional Chinese medicine, compared with that of part-standardised sham acupuncture and standard migraine prophylaxis with beta blockers, calcium-channel blockers, or antiepileptic drugs in the reduction of migraine days 26 weeks after the start of treatment.This study was a prospective, randomised, multicentre, double-blind, parallel-group, controlled, clinical trial, undertaken between April 2002 and July 2005. Patients who had two to six migraine attacks per month were randomly assigned verum acupuncture (n=313), sham acupuncture (n=339), or standard therapy (n=308). …

High-birth weight and other risk factors for Wilms tumour: results of a population-based case-control study.

Wilms tumour, or nephroblastoma, is one of the childhood cancers included in two recent population-based case-control studies in West Germany. Altogether, 177 children under the age of 10 years with Wilms tumour diagnosed between 1988 and 1994 and 2006 control children sampled from population registration files participated. Information on potential risk factors was obtained from the parents using a questionnaire and by subsequent telephone interview. We found an association with a high birth weight >4000 g (odds ratio 1.58; 95% confidence interval 1.01–2.48), which was somewhat stronger for children aged 2 years or older. Findings for young maternal age at birth and certain parental occupa…

Intraventrikuläre Obstruktionen bei der Dobutamin-Streßechokardiographie: Determinanten ihrer Entstehung und klinische Folgen (Dynamic intraventricular obstruction during dobutamine stress echocardiography. Determinants of the phenomenon and clinical consequences)

Die Dobutamin-Stresechokardiographie (DSE) fuhrt zu einer starken Hyperkontraktilitat des Myokards bei Tachykardie und Vesodilatation. Diese Effekte konnen zu einer unphysiologischen Abnahme des endsystolischen Volumenindex (ESVI) mit Obstruktion des linksventrikularen Ausflustraktes (LVOT) fuhren. Bei 100 Patienten (Pat.), die sich einer DSE (5–40) μg/kg/min) unterzogen, wurde die kontinuierliche Dopplerregistrierung (DW-Doppler) vor Infusion und bei maximaler Herzfrequenz durchgefuhrt. Eine dynamische, spat-systolische, Flusakzeleration auf mehr als 2 Meter/Sekunde (m/s) unter maximaler Stimulation wurde als systolische Obstruktion des LVOT interpretiert. Manifestationsfaktoren systolisch…

Detection of Strands in Native Aortic Valves by Transesophageal Echocardiography

Prevalence and echocardiographic characteristics of strands on the leaflets of native aortic valves were examined. According to our data, the strands we found in 39% of patients are most likely Lambl's excrescences.

Leukemia and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Childhood and Exposure to Pesticides: Results of a Register-based Case-Control Study in Germany

Previous studies have suggested an association between exposure to pesticides and different types of childhood cancer. This paper presents results from a population-based case-control interview study of parents of children less than 15 years of age, which was conducted in the states of West Germany from 1993 to 1997. Cases were 1,184 children with leukemia, 234 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and 940 with a solid tumor; 2,588 controls were also included. Parental occupational exposures were found to be related to childhood cancer regardless of the time period of exposure and the type of cancer. This finding might partially be explained by different recall of past exposures by the parents of ca…

Meta-analyses of studies on the association between electromagnetic fields and childhood cancer.

During the last 15 years several studies have investigated a possible relationship between exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) and childhood cancer. There is considerable variation between these studies with respect to methods of exposure assessment and reported results. Methods of exposure assessment range from simple visual criteria to costly and time consuming measurements or estimations of electric flux density. Additional individual refinements further hinder the comparability of results. We carried out several meta-analyses of data published so far taking into account the heterogeneity between studies as far as possible. Our particular interest was to investigate a potential dose…

Childhood cancer and residential radon exposure - results of a population-based case-control study in Lower Saxony (Germany)

A population-based case-control study on risk factors for childhood malignancies was used to investigate a previously reported association between elevated indoor radon concentrations and childhood cancer, with special regard to leukaemia. The patients were all children suffering from leukaemia and common solid tumours (nephroblastoma, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, central nervous system (CNS) tumours) diagnosed between July 1988 and June 1993 in Lower Saxony (Germany) and aged less than 15 years. Two population-based control groups were matched by age and gender to the leukaemia patients. Long-term (1 year) radon measurements were performed in those homes where the children had been liv…

Activity of O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in relation to p53 status and therapeutic response in ovarian cancer.

The DNA-repair protein O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (alkyltransferase; MGMT) is a major determinant of resistance of cells to various alkylating cytostatic drugs. Its expression in tissues is highly variable, indicating complex regulatory mechanisms involved. Transfection-mediated expression of wild-type p53 has been shown to negatively regulate basal promoter activity of MGMT in vitro. To elucidate whether p53 is involved in regulation of MGMT in tumor tissue, we examined MGMT expression and the p53 status of 140 primary ovarian carcinomas and analyzed the data as to the correlation between MGMT and p53, as well as the survival response of the patients after chemotherapy. We sh…

Electromagnetic Fields and Childhood Leukemia: Pooled Analyses of Two German Population-Based Case-Control Studies

From 1992 to 1995 we conducted a population-based case-control study on residential magnetic fields and childhood leukemia in Lower Saxony, a region in northwestern Germany with 7.4 million inhabitants.1,2 Because of the rural character of this area, we detected elevated magnetic fields in only 1.5% of all dwellings. We therefore expanded the EMF-measurements to an ongoing case-control study on childhood leukemia in the capital of Germany, Berlin. We applied the same methods of exposure assessment, intending to pool the data of the two studies and to calculate combined risk estimates.3

Risk factors for pediatric tumors of the central nervous system: Results from a German population-based case-control study

From 1993 to 1997 we conducted two population-based case-control studies on childhood cancer and a variety of potential risk factors in Germany. One case group involved children under the age of 15 years having a tumor of the central nervous system (CNS).For both studies, one conducted in the northwestern area of Germany, the other covering the whole of West Germany, incident cases were identified from the nationwide German Childhood Cancer Registry, and controls were randomly selected from complete population registration files.In total 466 pediatric CNS tumor cases and 2,458 controls were available for analyses. We observed only few positive associations, namely, between CNS tumors and lo…

Association of childhood leukaemia with factors related to the immune system

The childhood peak of common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia has been proposed as being a rare response to delayed exposure to a common infection. In this context, factors related to the child’s immune system are of special interest. Information on such factors was obtained in a recent German case-control study comprising more than 1000 children with acute leukaemia. Neither being the first-born child, nor a short duration of breastfeeding, indicators of a deficit in viral contacts during infancy or the number of infectious diseases, were significant risk factors. We observed a strong association with fewer routine immunizations with a 3.2-fold increase for those children getting less than fo…

The Authors Respond to Olshan and Daniels

Association of childhood cancer with factors related to pregnancy and birth

It has been hypothesized that risk factors of childhood cancers may already operate during the prenatal and neonatal period. Results of previous epidemiological studies have been inconsistent.During 1992-1997 a large case-control study on childhood cancers and a variety of potential risk factors was conducted in Germany. Cases were ascertained by the German Childhood Cancer Registry. Each case was matched to a population-based control of the same age and gender, sampled from the district where the case lived at the date of diagnosis. For the analyses, 2358 cases and 2588 controls were available.Risk of childhood acute leukaemia increased with maternal ageor =20 years at time of delivery (od…

Risk factors for neuroblastoma at different stages of disease. Results from a population-based case-control study in Germany

Neuroblastoma is one of the childhood cancers included in two recent population-based case-control studies in West Germany. Altogether, 183 children under the age of 8 with neuroblastoma diagnosed in 1988-1994 and 1785 control children sampled from population registration files participated. Information on potential risk factors was obtained from the children's parents by a self-administered questionnaire and subsequent telephone interview. We observed positive associations with the use of oral contraceptives or other sex hormones during pregnancy (particularly with male offspring), a shorter gestational duration, lower birth weight, and maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. While …

Quantitative assessment of aortic stenosis by three-dimensional echocardiography

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of three-dimensional echocardiography in aortic stenosis. Planimetric determination of valve area and dynamic volume-rendered display were performed. Three-dimensional echocardiography permits display of any desired plane of the cardiac structure. Thus in the case of aortic stenosis, the plane used for planimetric evaluation can be positioned exactly through the valve orifice. Dynamic volume-rendered display may provide a spatial demonstration of the stenotic valve. In 48 patients aortic valve area was measured by planimetry. The three-dimensional data set was acquired by a workstation in the course of a multiplane transesophageal exam…

Glutathione, GlutathioneS-Transferase α and π, and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Content in Relationship to Drug Resistance in Ovarian Cancer

Glutathione, glutathione S-transferases alpha and pi, and aldehyde dehydrogenase are associated with resistance to carboplatin and/or cyclophosphamide in cell lines. Therefore, we examined whether the expression of these factors in ovarian cancer tissue specimens is associated with resistance of the patients to combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide/carboplatin. Ovarian cancer tissue specimens were taken intraoperatively from 139 patients and frozen in liquid nitrogen, and the contents of glutathione S-transferases alpha and pi, total glutathione, and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity were determined. No association between the levels of glutathione S-transferases alpha and pi or alde…