[en] Eight patients presenting primary myelofibrosis or spent polycythemia were submitted to a ferrokinetic study, a trephine bone marrow biopsy and a bone marrow puncture. In all cases before treatment (splenic radiotherapy) ferrokinetic measurements demonstrated an ineffective erythropoiesis, the intensity of which was precised on bone marrow biopsies, in numbering the erythroblasts per surface unit. Bone marrow biopsies permitted also, through a semiquantitative estimate of the bone marrow cellularity, to evaluate an aplasia component not always expected with ferrokinetic study. Study of bone marrow allowed to precise the site of the erythroblastic abortion, cellular death might occur during the last mitosis of the erythroblastic series (transition from the polychromatophil erythroblasts to the acidophil erythroblasts). In order to delineate the general pattern of erythropoiesis before treatment and when assessing the results of a treatment, besides ferrokinetic measurements, the study of bone marrow biopsy and smears appears relevant

[en] In vitro cultures of granulocytic progenitor cells (CFU/sub c/) were made from both irradiated and non-irradiated bone marrow taken from patients exposed to radiotherapy for hematosarcoma at least 1 year before the culture. Five patients had limited subdiaphragmatic irradiation, and 4 had total lymphoid irradiation. In addition to the cloning rate per 10⁵ nucleated medullary cells which gives the medullary concentration in CFU/sub c/, the cloning rate per 10⁵ metamyelocytes has been established as an index of the effectiveness of the leukopoiesis. The total number of medullary CFU/sub c/ has been calculated and the validity and interest of this calculation are discussed. Medullary granulocytic regeneration in the irradiated zone depends, as for the erythrocytic line, on the medullary volume irradiated. It is practically zero in the irradiated zone in the case of a limited target volume, and significant in the case of total lymphoid irradiation. The number of CFU/sub c/ was found to be normal or subnormal a few years after treatment by mantle field radiotherapy only, but can be reduced when chemotherapy was used after irradiation. It was further reduced after total lymphoid irradiation. A decrease in the CFU/sub c/ compartment can coexist with a normal granulocyte blood count suggesting a compensatory mechanism involving a mitotic amplification between the progenitor cell and the final differentiated cell

[en] In order to evaluate the efficiency of radio-iodine treatment in cases of first recurrences and lung or bone metastases in differentiated thyroid carcinomas, survival after diagnosis and treatment was assessed according to the lack or the presence of radio-iodine uptake in the first recurrences or in the metastatses. Survival was significantly longer in cases of positive uptake. In cases of lung metastases particularly, survival at 15 years with normalization of the chest radiography enabled to discuss the cure of the metastasis. Nevertheless such results cannot be due only to radio-iodine treatment as radio-iodine uptake appeared to be linked with the other main pronostic factors: pathology of the tumor and age at diagnosis of the primary tumor or of the local recurrences or me

[en] Two hundred and seven patients have been treated with either external radiotherapy or radioactive iodine at a time when they did not exhibit metastases. The results obtained in this group of patients are analyzed and the role of radiotherapy and radioactive iodine in the treatment of differentiated cancer of the thyroid gland without metastases are discussed. These data suggest a limited but real effectiveness of radiotherapy that appears to decrease the incidence of local recurrence. However, the survival is mainly influenced by the occurence of metastases. On the other hand, for either irradiated patients or patients treated with iodine 131 the following prognostic indicators are observed: the influence of the histological type of cancer and age

[en] Nine patients were submitted to splenic or, in two cases, hepatosplenic irradiation; these patients presented a primary myelofibrosis or a spent polycythemia vera characterized by splenomegaly, anemia, and occasionally leucocytosis and thrombocytopenia. The hematological condition returned to normal in 2 patients. This improvement lasted 4 years after a first series of irradiation. The recurrence of splenomegaly and anemia indicated a second series of irradiation, the results of which were as good as those of the first series. Ineffective medullary and splenic erythropoiesis without preeminent aplasia appeared to be correlated with a beneficial effect of splenic irradiation. Absence of hepatomegaly and marked leucocytosis were less important prognostic factors. The modee of action of radiotherapy and the way in which it differs from splenectomy are discussed. The irradiation delivered moderate doses (450 rad in 18 sessions of 25 rad). Hepatic irradiation did not appear to be essential even in cases of intense hepatic myeloid metaplasia: in 2 patients liver erythropoiesis regressed when the spleen alone was irradiated

[en] Quantitative sequential scintigrams together with a few blood samples can advantageously replace the heavy methodology of conventional ₅₉Fe ferrokinetic study. The visualization of all erythropoietic sites, the easy examination, and the quickness of obtaining results lead to a very fast interpretation of the scintigraphic examination which involves two ₅₉Fe scannings, the correction by means of one 99mTc labelled erythrocyte scanning, and the measurement of the plasma ₅₉Fe half-time (T1/2), the plasma iron turnover (PIT) and the red blood cell iron utilization (RBCU). This procedure can be applied to most of the clinical studies of iron metabolism. In cases of important hyperhemolysis, a further study seems to be useful. The conventional method is still interesting, even if it is heavy, in very precise cases, when a ferrokinetic study is required

[en] The production of iodoproteins by metastases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma was demonstrated by the measurement of serum protein bound iodine (PBI) and by the presence of labelled PBI after the administration of radioiodine. In 1967, Roitt and Torrigiani described a radioimmunoassay of thyroglobulin (Tg) in human serum. Later Van Herle simplified the technique and increased its sensitivity. This made its use possible in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Tg appears to be a useful marker since its level is low or undetectable in cases of complete remission but elevated in cases of metastases or of local recurrences. The purpose of this study was both to assess the usefulness of this assay during the follow-up of patients with thyroid carcinoma and also to analyse factors which may influence the level of serum Tg. (Auth.)