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Biomedical subjects

B Littbrand

Publications and source records attributed to B Littbrand.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Effects of smoking and irradiated volume on inflammatory response in the lung of irradiated breast cancer patients evaluated with bronchoalveolar lavage.

Quantitative measurements of the effects of irradiation on normal tissues in humans have been hard to obtain because most tissues are inaccessible and/or direct responses are difficult to quantify in a nondestructive manner. Pneumonitis and fibrotic lung disease are adverse effects seen in varying intensity in patients treated with radiotherapy for carcinomas of the thorax, e.g., breast cancer. In the present study the aim was to evaluate the inflammatory reaction in the underlying parenchyma following postoperative irradiation with bronchoalveolar lavage technique. Twenty-one patients (11 smokers, 10 nonsmokers) with breast cancer stage T1N0M0 received radiotherapy with photons to a target dose of 56 Gy following breast conservative surgery. Nineteen healthy controls were also included. The results showed a clear elevation of neutrophils, mast cells, eosinophils, and lymphocytes in the total irradiated groups, compared to controls. When subclassifying the material according to smoking habit, it was obvious that the smokers displayed a significantly decreased inflammatory reaction, i.e., reduced levels of mast cells and lymphocytes, compared to both nonsmoking controls and patients. Eosinophils were seen in an elevated number in all irradiated patients. Radiological signs of pneumonitis were observed in three patients, all in the nonsmoking group. No correlation was found between the volume of lung irradiated and the inflammatory response. It is concluded that bronchoalveolar lavage is a suitable and sensitive method for investigating radiotherapy-induced reactions in the human lung. Furthermore, ongoing smoking during the treatment depressed the inflammatory response in the lung parenchyma induced by irradiation. The present study as well as earlier observations justify further studies concerning the possibility of interaction of smoking with cancer treatment, both from the view of therapeutic failures and reduced adverse effects.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1990

Interactions between antibiotics and antineoplastic drugs on antibacterial activity in vitro.

The effects of various combinations of antibacterial (ampicillin, cephadroxil, doxycycline, imipenem, trimethoprimsulfadiazine) and antineoplastic (cisplatin, epirubicin, mitoxantrone) drugs were evaluated in vitro with regard to antibacterial activity on five clinical isolates from cancer patients of respectively Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis. With one exception no significant effects on the bacterial growth were observed in the presence of the antitumor drug alone. In contrast, all five strains of Strept. faecalis grew better when mitoxantrone was included in a concentration of 0.1 mg/l. A synergistic action between imipenem and mitoxantrone was seen for single strains of Staph. aureus and E. coli. Furthermore, a dose-effect related inhibition by cisplatin on the growth of Strept. faecalis in the presence of sub MIC levels of trimethoprimsulfadiazine was observed. The study indicates that interaction between antibacterial and antineoplastic drugs is an erratic phenomenon, which has to be dealt with separately for each combination of drugs as well as for each bacterial strain.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1988

Managing side-effects in radiotherapy with regard to the gastrointestinal tract.

Three different means of diminishing discomfort during radiation therapy of the gastrointestinal tract are demonstrated and discussed: 1. Use of the smallest possible treatment volumes in medically well developed regions with good possibilities for follow-up of all patients. 2. Regular consultations, with advice concerning food intake and dental hygiene 3. Use of the drug sucralfate, which may improve tolerance against the radiation-induced damage to the gastrointestinal mucosa.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Irradiation therapy with multiple small fractions per day in urinary bladder cancer.

In a clinical trial 168 patients with carcinoma of the bladder, T2-T4, were randomized to one of two treatments; 1 Gy 3 times a day to a total of 84 Gy or 2 Gy once a day to a total of 64 Gy. Local eradication of the tumour in the bladder cystoscopically and cytologically at 6 months after completion of treatment and patient survival were analyzed. The results favoured significantly the patients treated with 84 Gy. All patients were followed 5-9 years. The survival was significantly improved in patients with T3 lesions treated with 84 Gy (p less than 0.01). Complications in the bowel requiring surgical treatment were not significantly different between the two groups of patients. The results indicate a therapeutic gain by hyperfractionated radiotherapy in comparison to conventional fractionated radiotherapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Quality assurance in radiation therapy: multidisciplinary considerations--European experience.

The organization of a multidisciplinary cancer treatment center is very heterogeneous in Europe. In Eastern Europe, there are written concepts of cancer treatment with advanced plans and an acceptable position for radiotherapy. In the future, there will be no principal differences between Eastern and Western Europe. In the development of radiotherapy in Europe, a determining factor seems to be that radiotherapy has been an independent clinical speciality. The problem in Germany can be explained on the basis that only now is radiotherapy separate from diagnostic radiology. In other countries radiotherapy has long been a strong independent speciality, often working with other cancer specialties. Great Britain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Italy are the leading countries in the development of radiotherapy. In the Scandanavian countries, radiotherapy has always had a strong position and has been able to develop further by integration with medical oncology. Cooperation between radiotherapists, radiophysicists, surgeons, pathologists, cytologists, etc., has given the cancer patient an opportunity for better overall treatment. The quality assurance in cancer therapy is the teamwork between different specialists before the treatment plan for the patient is decided.

Cancer Care Facilities↗
PubMed1984

Sexual function in prostatic cancer patients treated with radiotherapy, orchiectomy or oestrogens.

Sexual function in prostatic carcinoma patients was studied in 12 patients from each of three treatment groups: radiotherapy, orchiectomy and oestrogen treatment. Significant deterioration occurred in all groups. Although erectile potency was preserved in 9 of 12 patients treated with radiotherapy, 7 of these had a marked reduction in the frequency of sexual activity. Men subjected to orchiectomy or oestrogen treatment were seldom capable of having intercourse or of experiencing orgasm. However, oestrogen-treated men continued sexual activity with their partner more often than orchiectomised subjects. Patients receiving oestrogen treatment scored significantly higher for mental depression than those in the other two treatment groups.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Evaluation of carcinoembryonic antigen, tissue polypeptide antigen, placental alkaline phosphatase, and modified nucleosides as biological markers in malignant lymphomas.

We have evaluated CEA, TPA, PLAP in sera from patients with three different kinds of malignant lymphomas. Six modified nucleosides, psi, m1A, m1G, m1I, m2G, and m2(2)G were analyzed in the urine from the same group of patients. The histological diagnoses were histiocytic lymphoma (21 patients), lymphocytic lymphoma (19 patients) and Hodgkin's disease (23 patients). The patients were classified into four different clinical stages. Consecutive samples were analyzed before and during ongoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy and during the post-treatment period. Our results showed that TPA and PLAP had limited value as biological markers for patients with malignant lymphomas. For CEA a possible correlation with clinical stage was observed only in patients with Hodgkin's disease. The modified nucleosides, especially psi, showed a correlation with clinical stage for patients with all three diagnoses. Elevated levels of psi in urine were in healthy adults 4%, in patients in clinical stage 1 14%, and in patients with advanced disease 62%. Six cases showed a good correlation between the change in clinical stage upon treatment and the parallel change in the level of psi in the urine. Our results suggest that modified nucleosides, especially psi, are valuable as biological markers for patients with malignant lymphomas.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Effects of external radiation therapy for cancer of the prostate on the serum concentrations of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and prolactin.

Testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and prolactin were analyzed in serum from 31 patients with carcinoma of the prostate treated primarily with megavoltage radiation therapy. The total tumor dose varied between 58 and 71 gray (mean 63.5 gray). Absorbed doses to the testes were measured at approximately 1 to more than 10 gray. We investigated retrospectively 17 patients 3 to 60 months (mean 20 months) after therapy and found significantly lower serum testosterone concentrations and significantly higher luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormone concentrations than in age-matched controls. Of the patients 14 were followed before and after radiation treatment. Testosterone concentrations were reduced significantly 1 week as well as 3 months after treatment but pre-treatment values were found on analysis 6 and 12 months after treatment. The values for luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones were significantly higher 3, 6 and 12 months after radiation treatment compared to pre-treatment values. The follicle-stimulating hormone value already increased after 1 week. The greatest observed testosterone alteration occurred 1 week after treatment in patients who received more than 10 gray over the gonads. The use of lead shields protecting the testes reduced the dose absorbed to the gonads by approximately 50 per cent.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Sensitivity of cells in exponential and stationary growth phase to combined treatment with radiation and quinacrine.

The effect of Quinacrine on the recovery of cells from sublethal radiation injury was analysed by testing cellular survival after exposure to low and high radiation doses, and after irradiation with split doses. Quinacrine was found to inhibit recovery in cell cultures in exponential growth phase but not, or only slightly, in cells in stationary growth. This finding is related to the inhibitory effect of Quinacrine on the repair of radiation induced DNA strand breaks.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Superfractionated irradiation combined with low doses of bleomycin in the treatment of oral carcinoma.

Seven patients with advanced oral carcinoma have been given 1 Gy per irradiation up to total dose 74 to 81 Gy. Bleomycin was given intramuscularly before irradiation. The therapeutic ratio of the proposed scheme was good. The early reactions were severe but were managed by a split course technique. No late complication occurred. All patients were tumour-free 18 to 54 months after treatment. A relapse occurred only in one case. The results are not conclusive, but bearing in mind that the results in advanced oral carcinoma are poor they suggest that the proposed treatment regime may be promising.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Irradiation combined with bleomycin treatment of synchronized cells in culture under oxic and hypoxic conditions.

Bleomycin-treated cells are sensitized to radiation delivered under oxic conditions both in the early S and G2 phases of the cycle, irradiated under hypoxic conditions, sensitization occurs only in the early S phase. This difference in the sensitizing effect of the drug is discussed in regard to the possible clinical advantages of a combined treatment ot tumors with irradiation and Bleomycin.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Characterization of metronidazole-phosphate, a water-soluble metronidazole derivative, as a radiosensitizer of hypoxic cells.

A water-soluble derivative of metronidazole (Flagyl) was synthetized with the purpose to overcome some practical difficulties in the clinical administration of the drug. The derivative, a phosphate ester of metronidazole, was characterized for different physical-chemical properties. It had a low toxicity both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, it retained a radiosensitizing effect specific for hypoxic cells which was, however, decreased in comparison with the parent compound. The decreased sensitization was related to a decreased one-electron reduction potential and octanol/water partition coefficient. In mice, metronidazole-phosphate had a prolonged blood life in comparison to metronidazole.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Radiation treatment of urinary bladder carcinoma.

A series of 602 patients with verified urinary bladder cancer have been treated with full irradiation in the period 1957--1970. As expected, the survival rate decreased with increasing stage of the tumour. Another group was randomized and treated according to either of two fractionation schemes. This trial started in 1971 and shows that there is increased survival and tumour clearance rate with superfractionation.

Aged↗
PubMed1975

Variations in sensitivity of synchronized Chinese hamster cells to oxic and anoxic X-ray exposures.

V-79 Chinese hamster cells in monolayer cultures on glass surfaces were synchronized by treatment with hydroxyurea and exposed at different times thereafter to X-rays in the air or in oxygen-free argon. Survival determinations indicated that the oxygen enhancement ratio OER as expressed by the ratio of the respective D0 values varied over a narrow range in the different phases of the cell cycle. These changes resulted from cyclic alterations in both aerobic and anaerobic D0 values, and perhaps in n values.

Air↗