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Biomedical subjects

T A Ruma

Publications and source records attributed to T A Ruma.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Rhodesian trypanosomiasis in a splenectomized patient.

We report the first apparent case of a splenectomized individual who developed severe trypanosomiasis with central nervous system involvement. The patient was a 41-year-old man who participated in an east African safari. Upon his return to the United States, the patient presented with an infection with Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense that was treated successfully with suramin and melarsoprol. The onset of symptoms, laboratory studies, and disease progression did not differ from previously reported cases in the literature. The role of the spleen in trypanosomiasis is not well understood and the few reports available describe only animal models. This report suggests that asplenia had no apparent effect on the onset of symptoms and overall severity of illness. Further studies are necessary to ultimately define the role of the spleen in trypanosomiasis.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Phenotypic variation in hereditary adenomatosis: unusual tumor spectrum.

Familial adenomatous polyposis coli is a heterogeneous disease with respect to genetics as well as its colonic polyposis and cancer phenotype. The authors report a family with variation in phenotypic expression of polyps ranging from isolated polyps to florid carpeting of the entire colonic mucosal surface. In addition to early-onset colonic cancer, a patient with isolated polyps had a seminoma and subsequently developed gastroesophageal cancer. His son, also with isolated colonic polyps, manifested a pararectal rhabdomyosarcoma. The significance of these variations can only be assessed fully through the study of cancer of all anatomic sites in many additional families.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Total colectomy and the cancer family syndrome: report of a case.

A case is reported of a 47-year-old man with a family history consistent with Cancer Family Syndrome (CFS), who manifested proximal colon carcinoma. On the authors' recommendation, with the knowledge that the colon in CFS shows an inordinate lifelong susceptibility to malignant neoplastic transformation, a total abdominal colectomy was performed. The resected colon was found to contain an additional occult carcinoma distal to the primary lesions. Knowledge of this phenomena is critical to the management of CFS.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1981

Sex differences in lung cancer incidence: a genetic model.

Family histories pertaining to cancer of all anatomic sites were ascertained on 88 Caucasian patients (61 males, 27 females) with histologically verified lung cancer. Lifetable analysis revealed that relatives of female probands had a significantly higher risk for cancer (all sites) at younger age (p less than .04) compared to relatives of male probands. This trend was peculiar to nonsmoking-associated cancer sites, and was not apparent for smoking-associated cancer sites. We hypothesize that certain components of genetic liability to lung cancer are common to nonsmoking-associated malignant neoplasms, and that females who develop lung cancer are more extreme with respect to genotype than are males who develop lung cancer. Our hypothesis accounts for the lower incidence of lung cancer among females, as well as the apparent increased susceptibility to cancer among their relatives.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of platelet glass bead retention techniques in patients with clinical bleeding disorders.

Platelet glass bead retention by the Salzman and infusion pump techniques were compared in 36 control individuals, 10 patients with von Willebrand's syndrome and four patients with thrombocytopathies. No significant differences between the results of the two assays were observed. Eleven percent or less of the control individuals had diminished platelet glass bead retention. The mean percentage platelet retention of the von Willebrand's group and the thrombocytopathy group was less than the mean platelet retention of the control group. However, at least 50 percent of the patients with von Willebrand's syndrome had normal platelet retention by both methods. In the thrombocytopathy group, glass bead retention was more consistently diminished. Although an inverse correlation existed between the duration of bleeding time and the platelet retention assays, consistently diminished platelet retention results were observed only when the bleeding time was 18 minutes or longer. It has been concluded by us that while the glass bead retention assays may be helpful in characterizing certain types of platelet disorders, they are not useful screening assays in the diagnosis of von Willebrand's syndrome.

Blood Coagulation Disorders↗