Showing papers by "American Cancer Society published in 1983"

Selective Toxicity of Rhodamine 123 in Carcinoma Cells in Vitro

Abstract: The study of mitochondria in situ has recently been facilitated through the use of rhodamine 123, a mitochondrial-specific fluorescent dye. It has been found to be nontoxic when applied for short periods to a variety of cell types and has thus become an invaluable tool for examining mitochondrial morphology and function in the intact living cell. In this report, however, we demonstrate that with continuous exposure, rhodamine 123 selectively kills carcinoma as compared to normal epithelial cells grown in vitro. At doses of rhodamine 123 which were toxic to carcinoma cells, the conversion of mitochondrial-specific to cytoplasmic-nonspecific localization of the drug was observed prior to cell death. At 10 microgram/ml, greater than 50% cell death occurred within 7 days in all nine of the carcinoma cell types and lines of different origin studied, while six of six normal epithelial cell types and lines remained unaffected. Cotreating carcinoma cells with 2-deoxyglucose and rhodamine 123 enhanced the inhibition of growth by rhodamine 123 alone in clonogenic survival assays. The observation of the selective toxicity of rhodamine 123 appears to be unique in view of the absence of selective toxicity reported in vitro for the various antitumor agents currently in clinical use. Preliminary results with rhodamine 123 in animal tumor systems indicate antitumor activity for carcinomas.

Disordered salivary immunoglobulin secretion and sodium transport in human chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Abstract: Whole saliva samples and lip biopsies were collected from 12 allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients who developed extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and from 10 healthy allogeneic and syngeneic recipients without GVHD. Six of ten biopsies from patients with chronic GVHD had lichenoid stomatitis or sialadenitis, or both, with sialodochitis. Seven of nine biopsies from patients free of chronic GVHD were entirely normal, and two had either mild glandular or mucosal changes. Salivary gland involvement in chronic GVHD was associated with decreased or absent levels of salivary IgA and inorganic phosphate, decreased salivary flow rates, and increased concentrations of salivary sodium, albumin, and IgG. The most striking abnormalities were found in patients with histologic evidence of sialadenitis. In contrast, marrow transplant recipients without chronic GVHD had normal salivary immunoglobulin and electrolyte levels. Secretory IgA deficiency may contribute to the frequent sinobronchial infections observed in patients with chronic GVHD.

Recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

Abstract: A retrospective analysis of all patients having the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin at a single hospital over a ten-year period was performed. These lesions are less common than both basal cell carcinomas and malignant melanomas. Noninvasive squamous cell carcinomas were not observed to recur. There was a 20% incidence of recurrence in 86 patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma. The presence of solar changes in the skin did not obviate recurrence. The larger, less differentiated lesions had a greater probability of recurrence. When the depth of invasion of the lesions were determined, it was found that only the lesions that penetrated to Clark's Level IV or V recurred. Squamous cell carcinomas that penetrate to this depth have the potential to recur and metastasize to regional lymph nodes and should be considered malignant lesions, even if they are associated with actinic skin changes.

Permanent Iodine-125 implants in head and neck cancer.

Abstract: One hundred twenty-four patients were treated with advanced recurrent head and neck cancer for palliation with radioactive permanent Iodine-125 (125I) implants. Complete regression occurred in 71% of the 118 lesions for which evaluation was possible and greater than 50% regression occurred in 18%; no meaningful regression occurred in 11%. Local recurrence of cancer was subsequently seen in 21% of the lesions which had regressed completely, in 55% of those which had regressed incompletely, and in 100% of those which had not regressed. The incidence of serious complications was 5.5%. Overall, in 64% of the instances the implanted lesions remained controlled until the patient's death, usually due to progression of cancer elsewhere in the body. It is concluded that permanent 125I implants offer useful palliation to the patient with recurrent head and neck cancer with a minimum of toxicity and inconvenience. Because of their low toxicity even after prior full-course external radiation therapy, the authors are currently investigating their use as planned adjunct to external radiation therapy and chemotherapy in the initial definitive management of patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Absence in Glucocorticoid-resistant Mouse Lymphoma P1798 of a Glucocorticoid Receptor Domain Responsible for Biological Effects

Abstract: Glucocorticoid-resistant (CR), in contrast to glucocorticoid-sensitive (CS), mouse lymphoma P1798 was shown to lack antiglucocorticoid receptor immunoactivity. Antibodies raised against the purified rat liver glucocorticoid receptor (GR) cross-reacted with the GR from CS, but not with the GR from CR, P1798 lymphoma. Using highly specific antisera against the GR in an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, it was demonstrated that α-chymotrypsin digestion of the GR from CS P1798 lymphoma caused a separation of a “resistant-like” nonimmunogenic steroid and DNA-binding domain (Stockes9 radius, 3.3 nm) from an immunoactive domain (Stokes9 radius, 2.6 nm). In contrast to CS P1798 lymphoma, neither before nor after α-chymotrypsin digestion, immunoactivity could be found in the cytosol from CR P1798 lymphoma. This was assayed after chromatography on DNA-cellulose or gel filtration on Agarose A (0.5 m). These results suggest that the domain of the CS GR containing the immunoactive determinant(s), normally removed by limited proteolysis by α-chymotrypsin, appears to be missing in CR P1798 lymphoma cytosol. It seems that this domain plays an important role in the mechanism of action of glucocorticoids. This might suggest that a mutation has occurred affecting the genome resulting in defective transcription of the receptor gene(s) in CR P1798 lymphoma.

The proliferation of human tumor cell lines in the presence of different agars, agaroses, and methyl cellulose

Abstract: Human tumor cell lines, derived from cancers of the colon, ovary, and cervix, were grown in liquid tissue culture media and media made semisolid with agar (Bacto & deoxycholate lactose agar), agarose [LE, ME, Sea Plaque and Sea Prep (15/45)], and methyl cellulose. The effects of each agent on overall cell proliferation and rate of overall cell proliferation were examined. The agents, used to make media semisolid, were observed to inhibit or, in some cases, enhance cell growth in a fashion that was characteristic of individual cell lines. These phenomena may be of consequence to the optimization of nutrient media for primary tumor cell preparations.

The changing role of radiation oncology in cancer management.

Abstract: Radiation therapy has made major contributions to the improved quality of care for the cancer patient. This quality improvement has derived not only from a greater understanding of the natural history of the disease process but also from a more critical evaluation of the results of clinical treatment. Today, clinical radiation therapy stands on a firm foundation of basic understanding of ionizing radiations and its effect on tissue, the biology of the effect in normal tissues and tumor. This explosive growth in knowledge relative to radiation therapy physics, clinical treatment planning, the utilization of computers in radiation therapy as well as basic information in radiation biology and how it might be implemented in clinical situations are well known. Data will be presented to illustrate how major and important applications of basic physics and biologic data in clinical practice are beginning to influence the changing character of cancer management. These new techniques, now being implemented in general clinical practice, offer major potential opportunities toward improving the expectation for cure of many cancers, not cured in the past.