Cancer
-
Comparative Study
Differences between phosphotyrosine accumulation and Neu/ErbB-2 receptor expression in astrocytic proliferative processes. Implications for glial oncogenesis.
Previous work has shown that enhanced growth potential of malignant astrocytomas correlates with increased expression of growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases. The functional implications of increased receptor expression were addressed by analyzing possible accumulation of phosphotyrosyl proteins in neoplastic and nonneoplastic astrocytic proliferative processes. The results were compared with the expression of Neu receptor protein (also called ErbB-2 or HER-2). ⋯ Upregulation of tyrosyl protein phosphorylation enables differentiation of neoplastic from nonneoplastic astrocytic proliferative states. Inhibition of this phosphorylation impairs growth of cells. Increased Neu receptor protein expression can distinguish malignant from low grade astrocytomas. We speculate that genetic events leading to stably increased phosphotyrosine may be critical for neoplastic transformation of astrocytes, whereas increased receptor tyrosine kinase expression could be a factor in the aggressive growth associated with malignancy.
-
In this article the authors report an analysis and long term results of delayed/salvage radiation therapy administered to asymptomatic patients who had an elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, many months to many years after radical prostatectomy. ⋯ This experience shows that delayed/salvage radiation therapy to the pelvis (45 Gy) and prostate bed (59.5 Gy), even many years after radical prostatectomy for pathologic stage pB, pC, and pD1 carcinoma of the prostate, was well tolerated and provided freedom from clinical disease in 24 of 37 patients (65%), and a decrease in elevated PSA level in 10 patients (27%). Delayed/salvage radiation therapy appears to be beneficial for patients who had undergone radical prostatectomy only and then developed rising PSA levels during the follow-up period.
-
The function of long term indwelling venous access devices is commonly perturbed by postinsertion catheter-related complications (CRC). In an effort to assess the patterns of CRC in our community accurately, a prospective analysis of Groshong catheters in adult cancer patients was undertaken. ⋯ Multiple sequential complications are common in patients with Groshong catheters, occurring in a rather predictable sequence. The increased risk of CR-VT in patients with catheters with an early complication suggests a cause-effect relationship. An awareness of this sequencing may lead to improved strategies for the prevention of primary and subsequent complications.
-
Dyspnea is the fourth most common symptom of patients who present to the emergency department (ED) at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and may, in some patients with advanced cancer, represent a clinical marker for the terminal phase of their disease. This retrospective study describes the clinical characteristics of these patients, the resource utilization associated with the management of dyspnea, and the survival of patients with this symptom. ⋯ Lung cancer patients presenting to the ED with dyspnea have much shorter survival than patients with other malignancies. For some patients, the presence of dyspnea requiring emergency treatment may indicate a phase in their illness in which resources should be shifted from acute intervention with hospitalization to palliative and supportive care measures.