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Biomedical subjects

R D Thornes

Publications and source records attributed to R D Thornes.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

A critical analysis of the use of sialic acid determination in the diagnosis of malignancy.

The measurement of serum sialic acid in sera from individuals with leukemia, breast, gastrointestinal, lung and bladder cancers, brucellosis and manic depression is described. The serum sialic acid levels were also examined in mice bearing Landschutz ascites tumours. The presence of sialic acid-enriched glycopeptides in serum was shown. The results indicate that while sialic acid may be significantly elevated in sera of some tumour-bearing individuals, it is not solely tumour-derived. Its application as a tumour marker is limited and requires critical analysis.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

The rarity of liver toxicity in patients treated with coumarin (1,2-benzopyrone).

1. Two thousand, one hundred and seventy-three patients with cancer or chronic infections were treated with coumarin in a clinical trial. 2. 0.37% of these patients developed elevated liver enzyme levels during therapy with coumarin. 3. This hepatitis was probably a form of idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity and may have been immune in origin.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Chronic human brucellosis and anti-anergic treatment with levamisole.

Dysfunction of the cellular immune mechanism was found in 23 patients with persistent symptoms of brucellosis of more than one year's duration when skin tested for delayed hypersensitivity to dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). Eighteen patients had low normal or depressed E rosetting capacity of their lymphocytes. Anti-anergic treatment with levamisole 150 mg daily for one month and for two consecutive days each week for six months produced an exacerbation of symptoms after one to four weeks followed by complete relief from symptoms in 15 patients and partial relief in four. Vitamin A was used to potentiate the effect of levamisole in seven patients.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1975

Adjuvant therapy of cancer via the cellular immune mechanism or fibrin by induced fibrinolysis and oral anticoagulants.

The value of the oral anticoagulant warfarin sodium and fibrinolytic agents is discussed in relation to cancer surgery. A controlled trial of 128 patients showed that in a variety of recurrent cases the addition of warfarin to chemotherapy doubled the 2-year survival rate. The best results were obtained in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer. Warfarin depresses cellular immune responses which might militate against its use for cases undergoing "curative" surgery. Instead, induction of fibrinolysis by streptokinase or Brinase is suggested, because it increases the activity of the cellular immune mechanism. The results to date of an ongoing controlled randomized trial of streptokinase with surgery of tumors of the large bowel are presented, showing that the trends are in favor of streptokinase therapy; however, insufficient time has elapsed to make it, as yet, statistically significant. The action of streptokinase-induced plasmin and Brinase on lymphocytes is described.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1975

The enhancing influence of proteolysis on E rosette forming lymphocytes (T cells) in vivo and in vitro.

The T lymphocytes populations of 22 young healthy adults, 21 healthy middle aged and older blood donors, 35 non-pregnant women of child bearing age and 14 patients with advanced malignant disease were assessed and compared. It was found that the mean T cell counts in the middle aged and older controls were significantly lower than in the healthy young adults and were further reduced in the patients with malignant disease. The addition of the proteolytic agent brinase (protease 1 obtained from Aspergillus oryzae) to the rosetting test increased the T cell counts signficantly in all groups. This was mot marked in the older age groups and the patients with malignant disease. The proteolytic agent is shown to exert its effect on the lymphocytes in the test. Slow intravenous infusion of either brinase or streptokinase into patients with malignant disease is shown to result in increased T lymphocyte counts pari passu with a restoration of skin allergy. The significance of these findings and possible mode of action of the proteolytic agents in increasing T cell activity are discussed.

Adolescent↗