[en] The biological receptor for tumor-promoting phorbol esters has been identified as the Ca²⁺/phospholipid dependent enzyme, protein kinase C. In the red cell, this enzyme is mainly cytosolic but becomes translocated to the membrane if the cellular Ca²⁺ is allowed to rise. Since cellular Ca²⁺ in sickle red cells is high, it was reasoned that this enzyme may become more membrane-bound. In fact, the authors noticed a four-fold increase in the binding of ³H-PDBu by membrane ghosts isolated from sickle red cells compared to normal red cells (pmoles PDBu bound/mg protein; normal = 0.3 vs sickle cell = 1.4). Attempts to assay the enzyme directly as phospholipid-activated ³²P incorporation into the acid-precipitable membrane proteins also indicated a two-fold increase in the radiolabelling of sickle cell membrane ghosts. Autophosphorylation of membrane proteins and analysis of the phosphorylation profile by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography revealed phosphorylation predominantly of bands 3, 4.1 and 4.9 which are known protein kinase C substrates for the red cell enzyme. The increased membrane-associated protein kinase C in sickle red cells may have a bearing on the altered membrane properties reported in this condition

[en] Total body irradiation (TBI), given as 10 rad daily for five days a week for a total dose of 150 rad has been used in an attempt to control the chronic phase of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Thirteen patients with CML received fractionated TBI leading to rapid and good control of WBC count without any adverse reaction. The chronic phase of CML could also be controlled with TBI, even in three patients who were resistant to busulfan. Following TBI, WBC count remained under control for a period of 32 weeks as compared to 40 weeks following vusulfan alone. Repeat TBI was also well tolerated with good response. It appears that TBI is an effective and safe therapy for controlling the chronic phase of CML

[en] Though an increasing number of chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-related leukaemias are being reported, acute promyelocytic leukaemia developing as a therapy-related second malignancy is still uncommon. Here the authors report a case of acute promyelocytic leukemia, microgranular variant, developing in a case of intracranial malignant ependymoma, 1.5 years following treatment with craniospinal radiotherapy

[en] Acute leukemia is a rare complication of long-term chemotherapy, immunosuppressive therapy and radiotherapy. With improved survival in cancer patients resulting from modern methods of investigations and treatment, more case of secondary leukemia have come to light. In this review, fifteen cases of secondary leukemia, its prognostic implications and methods to reduce the risk of its development are emphasised. Relevant literature is also reviewed. (author). 3 tabs., 24 refs

[en] Though radiotherapy has traditionally been the treatment of choice for patients with localised extranodal lymphomas of the head and neck areas, its adequacy as the sole modality of treatment has come to be questioned. The disease is shown to relapse in other distant extranodal sites especially the gastrointestinal tract. The addition of systemic chemotherapy has been suggested. Fifty-five patients with localised head and neck extranodal lymphomas were treated at the Tata Memorial Hospital during the period 1976-1982, 35 with radiation therapy alone and 20 with combination therapy. The total survival at 5 years was 65% for patients treated with radiation alone and 85% for those treated with combination therapy. The 5 year disease-free survival dropped to 45% for the former group but was 74% for the latter group. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). The authors infer that localised extranodal lymphomas be regarded as a systemic disease and be treated by a multimodal approach. 30 refs.; 2 figs.; 4 tabs

[en] Non-specific immunomodulators including BCG or levamisole have been used as an adjunct to chemotherapy or radiotherapy in both Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). In early stage HD, BCG and levamisole failed to show any effect over the use of radiotherapy alone. In advanced stage HD, disease-free survival as well as delayed type hypersensitive (DTH) appeared to be better though not significantly, in patients receiving combination chemotherapy interspersed with BCG as compared to chemotherapy alone. Levamisole proved to be ineffective both in HD and NHL as an immuno-restorative agent. The present study indicates that non-specific immunotherapy in malignant lymphomas, administered during the induction phase of therapy may not have the desired beneficial effect. (author)

[en] One hundred eight patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (high and intermediate grade) were treated with a new protocol: continuous cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (CHOP). They were evaluated for long-term survival and pretreatment characteristics predictive of response and survival. Continuous CHOP protocol consists of initial 8 weeks of intensive chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone, followed by local/cranial radiotherapy and maintenance therapy. Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 84 of 108 (78%) patients; seven (6%) had a moderate response and 17 (16%) had a poor response. A statistically significant difference in CR rate was found only in patients with different stages. Seventeen of 84 (20%) complete responders have had a relapse of the disease. The median survival has not been reached. Results show an actuarial disease-free survival (DFS) of 77% for the 84 patients who had a complete response. The overall survival for all patients was 53% at 5 years of follow-up. The difference in DFS at the end of 5 years between different stages, main histologic subgroups, and age groups was not statistically significant. The toxicity observed was acceptable. Thus continuous CHOP appears to be an effective protocol for the treatment of intermediate-grade and high-grade lymphomas

[en] ^99mTc-tetrofosmin has been used in the imaging of cancers of diverse origin. In this report the use of it in the family of round cell tumors, mainly Ewing's sarcoma and peripheral neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), where differentiation between the two is not always simple on the basis of histopathological features alone is discussed