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C Alamowitch

Publications and source records attributed to C Alamowitch.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The intratumoral immunoassayable somatostatin concentration is frequently elevated in medullary thyroid carcinoma. Results in 34 cases.

The current work has been performed by the Cooperative French Group of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (GETC). A systematic evaluation of RIA somatostatin (SRIH) was performed in 34 medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC) (25 inherited, seven sporadic). Plasma SRIH was measured by radioimmunoassay in parallel with calcitonin (CT) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Immunoassayable SRIH was tested in fresh tumoral tissue samples from the same 34 MTC and, for comparison, in 10 nontumoral thyroid extracts (less than 6 pmol/g wet). Although plasma SRIH was only slightly elevated in two of 20 cases, tumoral SRIH was elevated in 70.6% of our MTC (10 to 3973 pmol/g). The chromatography of two tumoral extracts showed that somatostatin 14 was the major molecular form. We found no correlation (P greater than 0.1) between tumoral SRIH and the following: (1) tumor size (r = 0.227); (2) epidemiologic form of MTC (r = 0.144); (3) plasma SRIH (r = 0.045), plasma CT (R = 0.095) or (4) plasma CEA (r = 0.032). Thus, in the authors' experience, SRIH appears as a major product of tumoral C-cell in human MTC, even when plasma SRIH is normal and SRIH immunohistochemical staining is scarce. Multiple hormonal production of these tumors may explain its presence but SRIH may act also as a regulator, since negative influence of SRIH on CT is demonstrated in normal as well in tumoral conditions.

Adolescent↗

A new non-invasive method for treating insulin-reaction: intranasal lyophylized glucagon.

The main therapeutic indication for glucagon is the treatment of hypoglycaemia in insulin overdosed Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients. We have previously shown that an intranasal spray of 7.5 mg glucagon with deoxycholic acid as surfactant was able to correct an i.v. insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in diabetic patients. However, bioavailability and stability needed to be improved before intranasal glucagon could be introduced into clinical practice. This has now been achieved with a freeze-dried mixture of glucagon (1 mg) and glycocholic acid (1 mg) as a surfactant. Kinetics and efficacy have been controlled by (1) comparing subcutaneous and intranasal glucagon in 12 healthy non-hypoglycaemic subjects; (2) testing intranasal glucagon in six Type 1 diabetic patients in whom hypoglycaemia was induced by an i.v. bolus of insulin and (3) comparing subcutaneous and intranasal glucagon in six Type 1 diabetic patients in whom hypoglycaemia was induced by adding extra subcutaneous regular insulin to their usual morning dosage. Our results show that 1 mg of intranasal glucagon is as effective as 1 mg of subcutaneous glucagon in terms of the rise in blood glucose. Differences in kinetics between the subcutaneous and the intranasal routes may be observed: intranasal glucagon initiates the blood glucose rise earlier than does the subcutaneous form but the effect of the latter is more sustained. Glycocholic acid appears to be a perfectly tolerated agent in acute conditions. The use of intranasal lyophylized glucagon, for the reversal of hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetes, seems to be a clinically relevant alternative to its parenteral equivalent and should now be ready to be introduced in the market.

Administration, Intranasal↗

[Estrogenic paradox: treatment of ulcerated or atrophic scirrhous carcinoma of the breast in elderly women. A method not to be forgotten].

The authors report their experience in the treatment of advanced scirrhous carcinoma of the breast with estrogens only at the Curie Institute. Patients were elderly women in whom other forms of treatment were contraindicated because of local tumor extension or a poor general condition related to age. 32.5% of the patients responded favorably (out of a total of 40 patients). Mean duration of treatment was 21.5 months. Dosage varied according to efficacy and side-effects. Both dienestrol and diethylstilbestrol were used with no preference for one or the other. Serious side-effects were relatively infrequent and minor side-effects either resolved or improved significantly when dosage was reduced or treatment discontinued. Considering the present widespread use of antiestrogens and the systematic detection and dosage of intratumoral hormone receptors, the authors stress the advantages of this seemingly paradoxical effect of estrogens and underline the need for comparative studies.

Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous↗

[Association of Recklinghausen's disease with carcinoid of Vater's ampulla. A new nosologic entity: apudoma. A case].

The coexistence of neurofibromatous skin lesions and carcinoid of Vater's ampulla is not fortuitous. The melanocytes in the brownish pigmented skin lesions bind DOPA, while the chromaffin cells in the digestive tumour contain cytoplasmic granules where precursors of amines with digestive activity are synthetized and stored. DOPA is one of these precursors. Both diseases, therefore, are interrelated by a common embryological origin: the neural crest.

Adult↗