We evaluated the anti-tumor activity of fermented grain extracts using a mouse tumor model. An experimental diet containing materials from fermented rice germ, wheat germ, hulled rice, soybean and seaweed (fermented materials, FM) was fed to 4-week-old female C57BL6 mice for 14 days prior to and 21 days following the subcutaneous implantation of B16 melanoma (5×10 ⁵ cells/mouse). FM retarded tumor growth and increased the duration of host survival. We further examined the anti-tumor activity of FM using the B16 metastasis model. An experimental diet containing FM was fed to C57BL6 mice for 14 days prior to and 21 days following B16 tail vein administration (5×10⁴ cells/mouse). The decrease in observed metastasis in the lungs of mice treated with FM was also significant. In order to identify this anti-tumor activity of FM, NK-activity in the FM fed mice was evaluated. However, the values were comparable to the control mice. These results suggest that the fermented grain extracts induce anti tumor activity in vivo, although the mechanism of this activity is not yet clear.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in differentiating between cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (cBCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) in the head and neck region.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among patients with cutaneous head and neck cancers, 14 with primary cBCCs and 15 with primary cSCCs with a histologic tumor height of ≥ 4 mm underwent MR examinations; the findings were then examined for correlations.RESULTS: cBCCs (71%) occurred more frequently on the nose than cSCCs (13%) (p < 0.01). The maximum diameter (23.5 ± 7.2 mm vs. 12.7 ± 4.5 mm; p < 0.01) and diameter-to-height ratio (2.8 ± 0.9 vs. 1.7 ± 0.4; p < 0.01) were significantly greater in cSCCs than in cBCCs. Superficial ulcer formation (67% vs. 21%; p < 0.05), protrusion into the subcutaneous tissue (60% vs. 21%; p < 0.05), ill-demarcated deep tumor margins (60% vs. 7%; p < 0.01), and peritumoral fat stranding (93% vs. 7%; p < 0.01) were more frequently observed in cSCCs than in cBCCs. Intratumoral T2-hyperintense foci (57% vs. 13%; p < 0.05) were more frequently observed in cBCCs than in cSCCs.CONCLUSION: cBCCs predominantly occurred on the nose with intratumoral T2-hyperintense foci, whereas cSCCs predominantly exhibited a flattened configuration, superficial ulcer formation, protrusion into the subcutaneous tissue, ill-demarcated deep tumor margin, and peritumoral fat stranding.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Epithelial Cells ; Head ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neck ; Nose ; Skin Neoplasms ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Ulcer