We evaluated the antitumor activity and toxicity of recombinant human interferon gamma (LBD -001) as a new modality for advanced renal cell carcinoma from March, 1988 to August, 1989 at the Department of Urology, St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College. Eleven patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma were given recombinant gamma interferon at dose of 5.0-7.6 x 106U/day, subcutaneously three days per week. Among eleven patients, only one achieved partial response. Major adverse effects included fever, fatigue, myalgia and leukopenia, but no life threatening side effects were found. Although recombinant human interferon gamma have an antitumor activity against advanced renal cell carcinoma, further study is necessary to define the optimal treatment regimen.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Fatigue ; Fever ; Humans ; Interferons* ; Leukopenia ; Myalgia ; Urology

Colon cancer is a major cause of cancer deaths in Western countries and is increasing rapidly in the East where Western nutrition and life-styles are being adopted. About 75% of the individuals with colon cancer will have a primary surgical resection with the hope of complete tumor eradication. Despite the high resectability rate and a general improvement in therapy, nearly half of all patients with colon cancer still die of metastatic tumor. Over the past three decades, many clinical studies have failed to demonstrate benefits from adjuvant therapy. Recently, new data from several studies have demonstrated delays in tumor recurrence and increase in survival for specific groups of patients. (Objectives) This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of 5-fluorouracil plus low-dose leucovorin as postoperative adjuvant therapy for patients with Dukes' stage B and C colon cancer. (Methods) Eighty seven patients with surgically resected colon cancer in Dukes' stage B and C from Jan 1991 to Dec 1994 were included in this study and divided into two groups. First group (LF arm) included 53 patients who received combination chemotherapy of 5-FU and low-dose leucovorin following surgical resection of colon cancer and the second group (control arm) included 34 patients who received no adjuvant treatment. 5-FU and low-dose leucovorin chemotherapy consisted of leucovorin 20mg/m2, intravenously, plus 5-FU 400mg/m2, intravenously, on days 1-5 every 4 weeks for 12 cycles. (Results) There were significantly less recurrences and distant failure in LF arm than in the control arm. The 4-year disease-free survival rate was 84.2% in LF arm and 54.5% in control arm(p=0.0074). The 4-year overall survival was 89.7% in LF and 48.4% in control arm(p=0.0005). The suvival differences between LF arm and control arm were significant in Dukes' stage B and C respectively. Age of patients, number of metastatic lymph nodes, histologic differentiation and whether or not patients received 5-FU/Leucovorin chemotherapy, were each found to have prognostic significance. (Conclusions) This study strongly suggests that treatment with 5-FU plus low-dose leucovorin significantly prolongs disease-free survival and results in a significant benefit relative to overall survival in patients with surgically resected Dukes' stage B and C colon cancer.
Arm ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Fluorouracil* ; Hope ; Humans ; Leucovorin* ; Lymph Nodes ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation can induce apoptosis of melanocytes and melanoma cells. However, mechanism of UVB-induced apoptosis of melanoma cells is not clarified yet. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to study the molecular mechanism of UVB-induced apoptosis of melanoma cells. METHODS: G361 lightly pigmented melanoma cells were analyzed for apoptotic mechanism by flow cytometry and western blotting. RESULTS: G361 melanoma cells showed apoptotic features with gradual increment of UVB doses by MTT and flow cytometry. Western blotting disclosed activation of caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) after UVB irradiation. CONCLUSION: In this study, we showed that UVB-induced apoptosis of melanoma cells is mediated by PARP activation which is induced by caspase cascade.
Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 3 ; Caspases* ; Cell Line* ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans* ; Melanocytes ; Melanoma*

We reviewed retrospectively 23 patients treated with M-VAC (Methotrexate. Vinblastine, Doxorubicin, Cisplatin) from October 1987 to June 1990 at our hospital to evaluate predictive variables for response to chemotherapy and long term survival free of disease. Treatment consisted of monthly cycles of 30mg. per m2 methotrexate, followed 24 hours later by 3mg. per m2. vinblastine, 30mg. per m2. doxorubicin and 70mg. per m2. cisplatin and concluded with repeat vinblastine and methotrexate on days 15 and 22. The Median number of cycles was 3 (range 2 to 5). Complete plus partial remission were observed in 13 of 23 patients (57%) with a median survival or 13 months (range 7+ to 32+ months). Stabilization occurred in 3 patients (14%) and progression in 7 patients (29%) with median survivals of 10 months (range 7+ to 11 months) and 8 months(4 to 12+ months). 1 year survival rate was 77% in complete puls partial remission and 66% in stabilization and 28% in progression. 10 patients with a complete plus partial remission are alive with a median follow up of 15 months ( range 4 to 32+ months), of whom 1 is surviving for more than 2 years. Toxicity included moderately severe myelosuppression that resulted in nadir sepsis in 1 patient mild to moderate anorexia, vomiting, alopecia and renal dysfunction. Though the number of availuable patients are limited, these preliminary results suggest that treatment with M-VAC is effective against disseminated urothelial transitional cell tumors.
Alopecia ; Anorexia ; Cisplatin ; Doxorubicin* ; Drug Therapy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Methotrexate ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Survival Rate ; Urothelium* ; Vinblastine* ; Vomiting

This study was designed to find some potential natural products and/or constituents inhibiting proinflammatory cytokine generation in lung inflammation, since cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are pivotal for provoking airway inflammation. In our preliminary screening procedure, the 70% ethanol extract of the leaves of Perilla frutescens (PFE) was found to clearly inhibit TNF-alpha production in the lung at 100 mg/kg, after intranasal lipopolysaccharide treatment of mice. Based on this result, ten constituents including phenylpropanoids (allyltetramethoxybenzene, caffeic acid, dillapiole, elemicin, myristicin, nothoapiole, rosmarinic acid methyl ester, rosmarinic acid) and monoterpenes (perilla aldehyde and perilla ketone) were successfully isolated from the extract. Among them, elemicin and myristicin were found for the first time to concentration-dependently inhibit IL-1beta-treated IL-6 production from lung alveolar epithelial cells (A549) at concentrations of 10-100 microM. These findings suggest that the phenylpropanoids including elemicin and myristicin have the potential to be new inhibitory agents against lung inflammation and they may contribute, at least in part, to the inhibitory activity of PFE on the lung inflammatory response.
Animals ; Biological Products ; Bronchitis ; Cytokines ; Epithelial Cells ; Ethanol ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Lung ; Mass Screening ; Mice ; Monoterpenes ; Perilla ; Perilla frutescens* ; Pneumonia* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

This study was designed to find some potential natural products and/or constituents inhibiting proinflammatory cytokine generation in lung inflammation, since cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are pivotal for provoking airway inflammation. In our preliminary screening procedure, the 70% ethanol extract of the leaves of Perilla frutescens (PFE) was found to clearly inhibit TNF-alpha production in the lung at 100 mg/kg, after intranasal lipopolysaccharide treatment of mice. Based on this result, ten constituents including phenylpropanoids (allyltetramethoxybenzene, caffeic acid, dillapiole, elemicin, myristicin, nothoapiole, rosmarinic acid methyl ester, rosmarinic acid) and monoterpenes (perilla aldehyde and perilla ketone) were successfully isolated from the extract. Among them, elemicin and myristicin were found for the first time to concentration-dependently inhibit IL-1beta-treated IL-6 production from lung alveolar epithelial cells (A549) at concentrations of 10-100 microM. These findings suggest that the phenylpropanoids including elemicin and myristicin have the potential to be new inhibitory agents against lung inflammation and they may contribute, at least in part, to the inhibitory activity of PFE on the lung inflammatory response.
Animals ; Biological Products ; Bronchitis ; Cytokines ; Epithelial Cells ; Ethanol ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Lung ; Mass Screening ; Mice ; Monoterpenes ; Perilla ; Perilla frutescens* ; Pneumonia* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

The metastasis of renal cell carcinoma to the ureteral stump is very rare and only a Few cases were reported. In most cases ureteral metastasis appeared after nephrectomy. We are presenting a case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the ureteral stump after radical nephrectomy in a 14 years old male with brief review and literature.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adolescent ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Nephrectomy ; Ureter*

Neurilemmoma is wel1 encapsulated tumor of Schwann cell origin. It is more often solid than cystic and. usually solitary and may be benign. The treatment is surgical excision. We report a 42-year-old man hospitalized with complaints of RUQ pain and palpable mass. There was no endocrinological abnormality. Ultrasonography, computerized tomography and angiography revealed right huge extrarenal mass without metastatic evidence. The patient underwent surgical excision.
Adult ; Angiography ; Humans ; Neurilemmoma* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Fingers* ; Warts*

Hodgkin's lymphoma with its primary manifestation in the parotid gland is an exceedingly rare entity and seldom described in the literature. The vast majority of lymphoma occurs within lymph nodes. Lymphoma of parotid glands are typically a manifestation of systemic disease processes. This case report describes a parotid gland mass as a first symptom of Hodgkin's lymphoma. The patient underwent surgical excision and chemotherapy. The final diagnosis was established after an excisional biopsy and immunohistochemical staining.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Hodgkin Disease* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma ; Parotid Gland*