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Biomedical subjects

M Feldstein

Publications and source records attributed to M Feldstein.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Small-cell lung cancer: initial treatment with sequential hemi-body irradiation VS 3-drug systemic chemotherapy.

The therapeutic value of sequential hemi-body irradiation (HBI) as a primary treatment for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) was compared to 3-drug cyclic chemotherapy (CC) in a group of 64 patients with early and advanced disease. Thirty patients were randomized to receive sequential HBI and 34 to receive CC. All patients received a local radiation boost to the primary lesion. An overall response rate of 87% was obtained in patients treated with sequential HBI and 88% in patients treated with CC. In patients with early disease, the estimated median survival was 43 weeks when treated with HBI and 42 weeks when treated with CC, but in advanced disease the estimated median survival was 15 weeks and 44 weeks respectively. Of the patients with an initial complete response, the estimated median survival was 51 weeks for HBI and 62 weeks for CC. From these observations we suggest that sequential HBI treatment technique with local radiation boost is an efficient method of tumour control in patients with early small-cell lung cancer.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Extended-wear aphakic soft contact lenses and corneal ulcers.

A review of 100 aphakic extended-wear soft contact lenses is presented for the period July 1980 to August 1981. Four previously successfully fitted patients with either American Optical Company's Sofcon or Cooper Laboratories' Permalens for extended wear developed corneal ulcers either directly under the lenses or shortly after removal. Three of the female patients were well controlled diabetics without retinopathy, one of whom sustained severe visual loss and neovascular glaucoma after a pseudomonas ulcer. Another patient, who had developed a Seratia marcescens ulcer 3 months later, developed metastatic carcinoma of the bowel. Special attention to diabetic aphakic patients being fitted with extended-wear soft contact lenses is suggested.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

Low tissue enzyme activity seen in breast cancers of patients who fail adjuvant chemotherapy.

Primary breast cancers from 54 patients undergoing postsurgical adjuvant chemotherapy were analyzed for several enzymes and estrogen receptors to determine if biochemical parameters might offer a prognostic index for determining outcome of therapy. Recurrence of disease during therapy or within 12 months after cessation of therapy was the criterion for classifying the patient as a treatment failure. Recurrence rates were similar in ER-positive vs. ER-negative patients, indicating that estrogen receptor status offered no predictive value in this series. However, patients who failed therapy had tumors that displayed significantly lower activities of lactate dehydrogenase, glucosephosphate isomerase, and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase vs. patients who showed no evidence of recurrence for this observation period. When either premenopausal or ER-negative patients were compared, a similar observation was made; low enzyme activities occurred in patients failing to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. Based on this series of patients, it is suggested that a selected enzyme activity profile may offer a predictive index for recurrence in the adjuvant chemotherapy setting.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1981

Development of brief measures of psychological adjustment to medical illness applied to cancer patients.

The interrater reliability and validity of brief interview rated measures of psychosocial adjustment were examined in four sequential studies. A total of 25 videotaped interviews with cancer patients were rated by 105 social workers, nurses, physicians, and specialists in psychosocial oncology. The Rating of Psychosocial Function (RPF), Coping Adequacy Rating (CAR), and Global Adjustment to Illness Scale (GAIS) were used by various rating groups with an indication of interrater agreement. Agreement on ratings was not influenced by the length of interview (15 vs. 30 minutes) but appeared to the affected by the structure of the interview and profession of the raters. All three instruments showed a measure of matching with clinical impressions in addition to demonstrating a measure of both convergent and divergent construct validation. The GAIS was chosen as most adequately reflecting their clinical impression by a majority of raters. With a degree of training, any of the three instruments could be used to assess psychosocial adjustment with some measure of confidence in the validity of the rating.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1980

Potentiation of cigarette smoking and radiation: evidence from a sputum cytology survey among uranium miners and controls.

To assess the effect of cigarette smoking and of exposure to radon daughters, a prospective survey consisting of periodic sputum cytology evaluation was initiated among 249 underground uranium miners and 123 male controls. Sputum cytology specimens showing moderate atypia, marked atypia, or cancer cells were classified as abnormal. As compared to control smokers, miners who smoke had a significantly higher incidence of abnormal cytology (P = .025). For miner smokers, the observed frequencies of abnormal cytology were linearly related to cumulative exposure to radon daughters and to the number of years of uranium mining. A statistical model relating the probability of abnormal cytology to the risk factors was investigated using a binary logistic regression. The estimated frequency of abnormal cytology was significantly dependent, for controls, on the duration of cigarette smoking, and for miners, on the duration of cigarette smoking and of uranium mining.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

A survey of psychotropic drug prescriptions in an oncology population.

The present study examined the prescription practices concerning psychotropic drugs in 5 major oncology centers over a 6 month period. During the survey period 1579 patients were admitted to the collaborating institutions, and 51% of them were prescribed at least one psychotropic medication. Hypnotics were the most frequently prescribed drugs, accounting for 48% of total prescriptions, followed by anti-psychotics at 26% and anti-anxiety agents at 25%. Anti-depressant drugs accounted for only 1% of psychotropic prescriptions. Analysis of prescription rationales revealed that 44% of the psychotropic prescriptions were written for sleep, while 25% were given for nausea and vomiting; approximately 17% were attributed to psychological distress, and 12% were associated with diagnostic medical procedures. The overall rate of prescription was approximately 2 psychotropic drugs per patient per admission, with only 2% of prescriptions resulting in chart-documented side effects. At the level of individual compounds, 3 distinct drugs accounted for 72% of total prescriptions--flurazepam (33%), prochlorperazine (21%), and diazepam (17%).

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗