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Biomedical subjects

R D Bulbrook

Publications and source records attributed to R D Bulbrook.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Plasma immunoglobulin levels in patients with breast cancer.

The plasma levels of the immunoglobulins IgA, IgG and IgM have been measured in 55 patients with benign breast disease, 28, 68 and 22 patients with early breast cancer one day before, 10-14 days after and three-six months after mastectomy, respectively, and 35 normal healthy control women. The mean levels of IgA, IgG and IgM were similar for all groups examined except for IgG levels in breast cancer patients 10-14 days after mastectomy. In this latter case there was a significant decrease in IgG level shortly after mastectomy but at three-six months after surgery the amounts of plasma IgG were within the normal range. There was no correlation between the amounts of immunoglobulin measured at 10-14 days after surgery, and time to recurrence of the disease.

Breast Diseases↗

Thymus and breast cancer--plasma androgens, thymic pathology, and peripheral lymphocytes in myasthenia gravis.

Plasma androgen sulfates were measured in 92 patients with myasthenia gravis. Plasma androgen sulfates were strongly associated with thymic pathology. The presence of germinal centers was associated with decreased androgen levels. A weak but significant positive correlation existed between androgen sulfates and lymphocyte counts. Low lymphocyte counts in patients with germinal centers were associated with subnormal androgen concentrations. Plasma androgen sulfate levels decreased immediately after thymectomy, but overall no significant differences were found between prethymectomy and post thymectomy levels. A trend toward higher concentrations of plasma androgens was noted 5 or more years post thymectomy. Plasma androgen sulfate levels in myasthenia gravis patients with breast cancer were markedly depressed. The lowest androgen sulfate levels were observed in patients who had previous bilateral breast cancer and those who, subsequent to the determination of the steroid sulfates, developed a second primary lesion of the breast.

Adult↗

Plasma prolactin and its relationship to risk factors in human breast cancer.

The prolactin concentration has been determined in plasma from ostensibly healthy women living on the Island of Guernsey. There were 102, 42, and 41 women who had a mother, sister or maternal aunt, respectively, with breast cancer. The remaining 184 women in this study claimed to have no known family history of breast cancer and were used as a control group. The increased risk of breast cancer due to family history was not associated with a raised mean prolactin level compared to the control group. However, in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, daughters of breast cancer patients had significantly raised levels of prolactin at 19.00 h. There were no abnormalities in the mean plasma prolactin levels for the above groups associated with differences in age at first child, age at menarche, interval between age at menarche and first child, and body weight of post-menopausal women. (All these factors have been reported to influence breast cancer risk). It is concluded that prolactin has no obvious function in the aetiology of breast cancer. If it is involved, the mechanism by which it acts must be subtle and concerned with the homeostatic control governing nycthemeral prolactin rhythms.

Adolescent↗

Serum ferritin concentration in early breast cancer.

The concentration of circulating ferritin was measured in 250 normal adult women and 229 women presenting with early breast cancer. Ferritin concentrations are higher in cancer patients than in normal women. Patients with an intial circulating ferritin concentration above 200 mug/1 have a higher tumour recurrence rate during the subsequent 4 years.

Adolescent↗