Of 182 polyps retrieved from 100 patients who underwent colonoscopic polypectomies, 160 were adenomas; of these, 16 contained epithelial inclusions within the stalk. The importance of recognizing this lesion lies in the fact that it mimics invasive cancer. From histologic study, criteria are proposed for differentiating the pseudocarcinomatous lesion from invasive cancer. The differentiation from colitis cystica profunda is also discussed.

Adenoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

In vitro activity of sulphimidazole alone and in association with trimethoprim against enteric pathogens.

Sulphimidazole is a new sulphonamide belonging to the class of intestinal sulphonamides and characterized by the fact that it is active even in vitro. It has the heterocyclic ring of 5-nitroimidazoles on amidic nitrogen. Its antibacterial activity is similar to that of the classical sulphonamides but differs in that it also combats certain anaerobic bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum. This effect is completely absent in the case of sulphadiazine and sulphamethoxazole. Also, since p-amino-benzene-sulphonamide is present in the molecule, the drug acts in synergism with trimethoprim against certain aerobic or facultative strains of enteric pathogens.

Bacteria↗

PubMedDate not supplied

In vitro activity of trimethoprim in association with sulfimidazole against aerobic gram-negative and gram-positive microorganisms and Clostridia.

The in vitro activity of a chemotherapeutic agent, sulfimidazole (SIZ), obtained by combining two molecules belonging to groups of extremely different antibacterial drugs, p-aminobenzene sulfonamide and a derivative with a 5-nitroimidazole ring, was studied. In association with trimethoprim, SIZ induces an intense synergistic antibacterial effect on gram-negative and gram-positive aerobic microorganisms and Clostridia. The results show that, in SIZ, the activity of each starting molecule remains unchanged providing that its structure-action relationship is kept intact.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) and CA 125 assays in detection of human ovarian cancer: preliminary results.

Serum levels of the immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) and CA-125 were measured in 45 patients with ovarian tumors (30 malignant and 15 benign) before surgery. Concentrations of both markers were slightly increased in benign forms but still within the upper limit for controls. The sensitivity of IAP in detecting ovarian cancer was higher than CA-125 (83.4% versus 76.7%). Five false negatives were observed in IAP assay and seven for CA-125. Parallel determination of both markers, however, improved the diagnostic accuracy up to 90.0% of the total malignant cases. Combined measurements of circulating IAP and CA-125 are therefore recommended in the detection of ovarian cancers.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparative analysis of CEA and SCC serum markers with IAP in human lung cancer.

Serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) and immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) were measured in 37 patients with lung cancers, in 24 with non-cancer pulmonary diseases and in 24 normal controls We evaluated the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of these three markers alone and combined. The highest specificity was observed for SCC (83.3%) and the highest sensitivity for IAP (94.6%). The best accuracy was obtained with the combined determination of CEA and SCC. In cancer and non-cancer pulmonary diseases the best correlation was observed between CEA and SCC (r = 0.30 in cancer and r = 0.45 in non-cancer pulmonary diseases). Although the IAP test is not specific in the detection of lung cancer, its use may be helpful in monitoring the acute phase reactions that occur very frequently in this malignancy.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of cytokeratin 19 serum fragments (CYFRA 21-1) in patients with lung cancer: results of a multicenter trial.

Recently, a new immunometric assay (Cyfra 21-1) was developed to measure serum concentrations of a soluble fragment of cytokeratin subunit 19. With this method, supplied by Boehringer Mannheim (EIA Test Cyfra 21-1), an Italian multicenter trial was performed in patients with lung cancer. Cyfra 21-1 serum levels were determined in 568 normal subjects (blood donors), 607 patients with non-malignant diseases (491 respiratory diseases) and 730 patients with malignancies. In the latter group 584 had lung cancer. All these 584 patients had pathologically confirmed disease; 314 were epidermoid tumors, 166 adenocarcinomas, 88 small cell cancers and 16 large cell cancers. In the 568 healthy blood donors the mean Cyfra 21-1 value was 0.91 ng/ml (SD 0.47 ng/ml; range 0.05-2.90 ng/ml). A threshold of 1.9 ng/ml was chosen as the upper limit of normality. High levels of Cyfra 21-1 were observed in patients with chronic hepatitis (positivity rate: 17/51-33.3%) and with pancreatitis (positivity rate 5/16-31.3%). In 114 out of 491 (23.2%) patients with respiratory diseases Cyfra 21-1 showed values greater than 1.9 ng/ml. The overall sensitivity (all stages) of Cyfra 21-1 in lung cancer was 65.6% (383/584). When the histology was considered the highest positivity rates were found in patients with squamous cell tumors (226/314; 72%) followed by adenocarcinomas (105/166; 63%). In patients with SCLC the global sensitivity was 52.3% (46/88). Higher sensitivity of Cyfra 21-1 was observed from stage I to stage IV (53.9% vs 85.7%; Chi square: p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical profile of a new monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay for tissue polypeptide antigen.

Our preliminary evaluation of a new monoclonal antibody-based assay for tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) has shown it to be clinically equivalent to the polyclonal antibody-based assay for TPA. The new assay (TPA-M) employs three monoclonal antibodies to epitopes on cytokeratins 8, 18 and 19. This multicenter, multinational study included 266 patients with newly diagnosed carcinomas of the lung, breast, large bowel and urinary bladder. TPA values from the two assays were compared with three other cytokeratin markers (TPS, CYFRA 21-1 and TPACyk) and with the established reference markers for these malignancies (CEA and NSE for lung, CA 15-3 for breast, CEA and CA 19-9 for colorectal tumors). Analysis of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves in lung, colorectal and bladder cancer showed similar sensitivities for the two assays, ranging from 50% to 80% with a specificity of 95%. In breast cancer all the markers studied showed poor sensitivity. However, TPA determination by either method could discriminate advanced stage (stages III and IV) from early stage disease (stages 0 to II). TPA showed similar discriminating ability in bladder cancer. On the basis of the results obtained in our patient series, it seems that of the cytokeratin markers studied, TPA and TPA-M are the most sensitive and offer a wide range of clinical applications.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Isolation, characterization and comparison of antipeptide and antiprotein rabbit antibodies to the pi-isoform of glutathione S-transferase.

The main linear epitopes of pi-glutathione transferase (pi-GST, EC 2.5.1.18), an enzyme related to cancer progression in a restricted number of tumours, were identified by testing in ELISA the reactivities of polyclonal anti-pi-GST rabbit sera against a panel of 51 overlapping decapeptides, covering the whole 216-residue sequence of the protein. Several major reactivity peaks were detected, each covering two or three adjacent peptides. The most active fragments were then reconstructed by conventional solid-phase synthesis, linked to Sepharose, and used as affinity ligands for isolating specific anti-pi-GST antibody subsets. A second group of antisera was then prepared in rabbits by using as immunogens some of the above described synthetic fragments, linked to a carrier protein, and antipeptide antibodies purified by affinity chromatography. An ELISA test was then performed, using as antigens a panel of peptides and different isoforms of GST, in order to establish whether antibodies isolated from total anti-pi-GST sera would display higher reactivity and specificity, as compared to traditional antipeptide antibodies. Binding data clearly confirm that the formers might be indeed better reagents for the detection and possibly quantitation of pi-GST.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Nucleolar protein p120 expression in oral carcinoma.

Nucleolar protein p120 is a proliferation-associated antigen expressed by cells in early G1 phase, identified by the monoclonal antibody FB-2. Its expression has been evaluated in breast and prostate cancer, and proved to be significantly correlated with other prognostic parameters. In oral pathology, p120 protein content is able to distinguish between non-neoplastic and malignant lesions. In the present study, the immunohistochemical expression of p120 protein was evaluated in fifty cases of oral squamous carcinoma and compared with histological grading, pTNM staging, DNA ploidy status and follow-up of the patients, in order to establish its prognostic value, p120 mean area was significantly correlated to all these parameters, apart from lymph node involvement, indicating the strong predictive potential of this marker. In conclusion, quantitative immunohistochemical analysis of p120 protein represents an easy and reliable method for the assessment of clinical outcome and the definition of risk groups in oral carcinoma.

Aged↗