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Biomedical subjects

S A Gall

Publications and source records attributed to S A Gall.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Study of secretory component in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

A radioimmunoassay was developed for secretory component, a glandular epithelial cell product secreted as an accessory protein with dimeric immunoglobulins A and M. Forty-four normal women between the ages of 40 and 70 had plasma concentrations of secretory component of 7.195 microgram/ml +/- 3.590 (+/-2 SD). Of the patients with metastic breast cancer of epithelial origin, 34 (91.9%) had plasma concentrations greater than 8.990 microgram/ml; 29 (78.1%) had plasma concentrations greater than 10.785 microgram/ml; 10 (27%) had concentrations greater than 15.000 microgram/ml; and 3 (8.1%) had concentrations greater than 22.710 microgram/ml. Serial plasma concentrations (averaging 3.48 per patient) of 35 (94.6%) of these patients reflected the clinical course of the disease. All patients had some combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. No direct correlation was noted between the type of therapy and concentration of secretory component. However, plasma secretory component served as a marker in the systemic circulation of a change in the status of the metastatic breast cancer. The impact of this research may lie in its incorporation into clinical management.

Adenocarcinoma

The efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics in cesarean section.

The objective of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of cefazolin-cephalothin administration as a prophylactic regime in patients undergoing cesarean section. The study was to randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation. Cefazolin, 1.0 gm or placebo was administered intramuscularly on call to the operating room, and cephalothin, 2.0 gm, or placebo was administered intravenously at 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively. Ninety-five patients were included in the study with 49 in the placebo group and 46 in the drug group. Nineteen patients developed 28 infections in the placebo group while eight patients developed eight infections in the drug group (P = less than 0.05). Eight patients in the placebo group developed infections at two or more sites whereas no patient in the drug-treated group developed multiple infections. No infant developed infection and no overgrowth of bacteria occurred. This study supports the concept of preoperative antibiotic administration being beneficial to the obstetric patient.

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Growth of type 2 herpes simplex virus in newborn and adult mononuclear leukocytes.

Growth of type 2 herpes simplex virus (HSV) in newborn and adult human mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) was compared. Phytohemagglutinin stimulation of cultures for 3 days yielded comparable peak titers in newborn (10(5.3) PFU) and adult (10(5.1) PFU) MNL. Unexpectedly, 3-day cultures of unstimulated newborn MNL also substantially replicated HSV (10(4.7) PFU), whereas similarly treated unstimulated adult cells did not. Growth of HSV in freshly isolated human MNL was next investigated. MNL from 4 mothers and 6 nonpregnant adults showed no evidence of virus growth; however, leukocytes from 11 of 24 newborns (46%) supported replication. Newborn MNL manifested an increased ability to replicate HSV within 1 day of culture, whereas comparable growth in adult MNL was not achieved until the 4th day of culture. The significance of the above observations as it relates to visceral dissemination of HSV in the neonate is discussed.

Adult

Facilitated light microscopic cytochemical diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia.

Hydroperoxidase-positive Phi bodies and rods are much more prominent and prevalent than rods visualized with a Romanovsky-type stain (Auer rods) in immature leukocytes of patients with active acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). They are readily observed with the light microscope in peripheral blood or marrow films of AML patients stained to show their peroxidatic activity. In many of these patients, Auer rods, which apparently constitute only a small subpopulation of the hydroperoxidase-positive Phi bodies and rods, were detected with difficulty, if at all. The hydroperoxidase-positive Phi bodies and rods were observed in 92% of 36 patients with active disease. They were never observed in leukocytes of patients with other hematopoietic disorders or of normal individuals. Thus, they facilitated the distinction of AML from acute lymphocytic leukemia and chronic granulocytic leukemia in blast crisis. They were absent in full clinical remission after chemotherapy and were greatly diminished in partial remission. They were present in disease relapse and reappeared in five patients who had been in full remission. These results suggest that these hydroperoxidase-positive enlarged particles are pathognomonic of AML and that monitoring them with the light microscope may aid in guiding its clinical management.

Adolescent

Quantitation of secretory component levels in cyst fluids, ascitic fluids, and sera from ovarian adenocarcinoma patients.

A secretory component (SC) was detected by radioimmunoassay in the cyst fluids, ascitic fluids, and sera from patients with ovarian adenocarcinomas. Serous cyst fluids and ascitic fluids showed lower levels (expressed as means +/- SE) of SC (1.37 +/- 0.37 and 1.24 +/- 0.24 microgram/ml, respectively) than mucinous cyst fluids (181.50 +/- 50.40 microgram/ml). SC levels in the sera of all patients with ovarian adenocarcinoma were high (12.67 +/- 1.43 microgram/ml) when compared to SC levels in the sera of normal individuals (2.34 +/- 0.41 microgram/ml). Sera from patients with ovarian cancers diagnosed as serous, mucinous, papillary, and poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas showed SC levels of 9.93 +/- 1.68, 22.44 +/- 3.24, 7.35 +/- 1.13, and 10.10 +/- 1.58 microgram/ml, respectively.

Adenocarcinoma

Immunologic studies on the cystic effusions of ovarian epithelial neoplasms.

Cystic effusions from 12 epithelial tumors of the ovary and pooled normal ovarian tissue were studied by immunodiffusion for the presence of immunoglobulins G (IgG), M (IgM), and A (IgA) and free secretory component (FSC). In pooled normal ovarian tissue, IgG was the only immunoglobulin detected. In the neoplastic samples studied, IgG was detected in each of the 12 samples (100%), IgM was found in 10 of the 12 samples (83%), and IgA was detected in 11 of the 12 samples (92%). There was no discernible correlation between the immunoglobulins detected and the composition of the effusions or the pathologic classification of the tumors. FSC was detected in all mucinous samples studied, malignant as well as benign. This substance was not detected in any of the nonmucinous samples or in pooled normal ovarian tissue. The data suggest a correlation between the presence of FSC and the mucinous composition of the tumor effusion. Possible use of FSC assays in the study of mucinous tumors of the ovary is discussed.

Adolescent

A review of tumor antigens in gynecologic malignancies.

Evidence for the presence of tumor-associated gynecologic tumor antigens from our laboratory and others is presented. Tumor-associated antigens have been described for invasive carcinoma of the cervix and mucinous carcinoma of the ovary with cross-reacting antigens in malignant vulvar tissue. The provocative finding of a cross-reacting antigen in malignant cervical, vulvar and ovarian tissue raises the possibility of a common etiologic agent. The hope of the clinician is to utilize the tumor antigens in diagnosis and therapy. However, it is necessary to caution against overzealous acceptance so the carcinoembryonic antigen story is not repeated.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous