[Phase I clinical study of zinostatin stimalamer (YM 881) by intravenous injection]

A phase I clinical study by intravenous injection of zinostatin stimalamer (YM 881), a protein anti-cancer drug, was conducted in 50 patients with malignant tumors. The initial dose was 0.5 mg/m2 (n) in the single dose test, and 0.2 mg/m2/day in the repeated dose test for 5 successive days. Doses were increased up to 12n according to the modified Fibonacci's method in both the single and repeated dose tests. The dose limiting factor was thrombopenia in both the single and repeated dose tests. The maximum tolerated dose was 6.0 mg/m2 (12n) in the single dose test, and the subtoxic dose was 2.4 mg/m2/day in the five day repeated dose study. These results indicate that dose of 1.0 to 1.4 mg/m2/day (5 n to 7 n) are appropriate for the phase II repeated dose study.

[Early phase II study of YM 881 (zinostatin stimalamer) by intravenous injection. Research group for intravenous YM 881]

An early phase II multicentered study of YM 881 (zinostatin stimalamer) was conducted in 36 patients to investigate response and the safety of the drug in malignant tumors. The response could be evaluated in 18 patients, one with brain tumor, 2 with lung cancer, one with breast cancer, one with liver cancer, one with pancreatic cancer, 6 with gastric cancer, and 6 with colon cancer. PR was found in the patient with brain tumor. Major subjective unwanted effects were gastrointestinal symptoms. Objective evidence of hematological changes (thrombocytopenia, decreased hematocrit, and lymphocytopenia) was also obtained.

[Phase II study of (2" R)-4'-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin (THP) in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer. Clinical study group of THP for gastric cancer in Japan]

A multi-institutional collaborative phase II study of (2"R)-4-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin (THP) was performed by intravenous administration to patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer. The administration schedules were (1) 40-60 mg/body every 3 or 4 weeks and (2) 20-40 mg/body once a week. Of 58 registered patients, 49 cases were eligible and 37 cases were evaluable for response. The therapeutic results were 1 CR, 4 PR, 14 NC and 18 PD. The response rate of the evaluable cases was 13.5%. The side effects were mainly bone marrow suppression and digestive symptoms. In particular, the frequency of leukopenia was a high 75.5%, while there was a decrease in hemoglobin in 38.8% and anorexia in 30.6%. The frequency and severity of alopecia, which is a known problem with anthracyclines, were slight, and no abnormal electrocardiograms were observed.

[Phase I trials--clinical studies of antineoplastic agents]

The establishment of the starting dose and the dose escalation are the principal issues of the Phase I trials of anticancer agents. We report the procedures and results of the Phase I studies we participated in Japan in the 1980's concerning 17 intravenous anticancer agents. The drugs indicated a correlation between the mouse LD10 and the man MTD (maximum tolerated dose) in mg/m2. Median mouse LD10 (135 mg/m2) approximated to median man MTD (137 mg/m2) in mg/m2. One fifth of the mouse LD10 was lower than the man MTD. Therefore, as recognized at the 23rd Annual Congress, Japan Society for Cancer Therapy, the lower one of either 1/5 the mouse LD10 or 1/3 the dog TDL (toxic dose low) in mg/m2 has to be determined as safe starting dose. The modified Fibonacci search scheme has been generally adopted for the dose escalation. 14 applicable drugs were examined including 7 drugs in the early 1980's and 7 drugs in the late 1980's. The real number of steps that reached the man MTD was compared to the number of the steps taken in the dose escalation by the Fibonacci's method. The real steps were more than the Fibonacci's ones in the late 1980's. It showed the tendency of a more careful and safer dose escalation, however, to put it critically, the dose escalation was not efficient enough. It is expected that the contradictory problem between safety and efficacy in the Phase I studies will be solved by developing methods like pharmacokinetic study in animals and man.

Mutations of the P53 gene, including an intronic point mutation, in colorectal tumors

In this study, analysis of structural changes of the p53 gene in colorectal tumors revealed point mutations detected in 8 of 14 carcinomas and 2 of 2 adenomas. Of these 10 cases with point mutations, eight had one or more missense mutations, one had a nonsense mutation, and the remaining one had, interestingly, an intronic point mutation with subsequent activation of a cryptic splice donor site in the flanking exon. This report contains the first identification of an intronic point mutation of the p53 gene in a colorectal cancer case.

[Evaluation of cardiotoxicity in new anthracycline analog ME 2303. ME 2303 Study Group]

ME 2303 is a new anthracycline analog which differs from adriamycin in the sugar moiety. ME 2303 displays a higher antitumor activity against L 1210 and P 388 Leukemia than adriamycin. To evaluate the cardiotoxicity of ME 2303, ECG tracings (21 patients) and Holter ECGs (9 patients) were recorded before and after the administration of ME 2303 for various malignancies (mean dose 123.8 mg/m2), and some of the electrocardiographic parameters were analyzed. Control ECGs were normal in 17 patients, in 4 patients minor ECG findings like sinus tachycardia (2 patients), low voltage (1 patient) and flattening of the T wave (1 patient) were observed. After treatment, no relevant ECG changes were observed except one case who showed a flat T in pretreatment ECG. In this patient developed ST-T changes were seen after treatment. The basic rhythm was sinus rhythm in all of the cases, and the heart rate showed no significant changes. ME 2303 had no effects on the specialized conduction system. With regard to arrhythmia, no increase in number and severity was observed. In Holter ECG no development of ST-T changes was seen after treatment.

Undifferentiated sarcoma of the liver in a 21-year-old woman: case report

A successful surgical case of malignant undifferentiated (embryonal) sarcoma of the liver (USL), a rare tumor normally found in children, is reported. The patient was a 21-year-old woman, complaining of epigastric pain and abdominal fullness. Chemical analyses of the blood and urine and complete blood counts revealed no significant changes, and serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were within normal limits. A physical examination demonstrated a film, slightly tender lesion at the liver's edge palpable 10 cm below the xiphoid process. CT scan and ultrasonography showed an oval mass, confined to the left lobe of the liver, which proved to be hypovascular on angiography. At laparotomy, a large, 18 x 15 x 13 cm tumor, found in the left hepatic lobe was resected. The lesion was dark red in color, encapsulated, smooth surfaced and of an elastic firm consistency. No metastasis was apparent. Histological examination resulted in a diagnosis of undifferentiated sarcoma of the liver. Three courses of adjuvant chemotherapy, including adriamycin, cis-diaminodichloroplatinum, vincristine and dacarbazine were administered following the surgery with no serious adverse effects. The patient remains well with no evidence of recurrence 12 months after her operation.

Expression of glutathione S-transferase-pi messenger RNA in human esophageal cancers

The expression of human glutathione S-transferase-pi (GST-pi) in resected primary esophageal tumors and in matching normal esophageal mucosa from 25 patients undergoing radical surgery was measured by RNA blot hybridization. The RNA transcript levels of GST-pi in the tumor tissues were higher than those in normal tissues in 20 of 25 cases (80%). The mean GST-pi mRNA value in the tumor tissues (n = 25) was significantly (P less than 0.01) elevated as compared with that in background mucosa (n = 29), and in ten of 25 tumors (40%) the level of GST-pi mRNA exceeded the mean normal tissue value by two standard deviations (normal mean value + 2 X SD). The results obtained from the current experiment thus suggests that GST-pi might be a useful marker for human esophageal cancer. No correlation between GST-pi mRNA level and clinical stage or histologic characteristics was apparent.

Expression of glutathione S-transferase-pi messenger RNA in human esophageal cancers

The expression of human glutathione S-transferase-pi (GST-pi) in resected primary esophageal tumors and in matching normal esophageal mucosa from 25 patients undergoing radical surgery was measured by RNA blot hybridization. The RNA transcript levels of GST-pi in the tumor tissues were higher than those in normal tissues in 20 of 25 cases (80%). The mean GST-pi mRNA value in the tumor tissues (n = 25) was significantly (P less than 0.01) elevated as compared with that in background mucosa (n = 29), and in ten of 25 tumors (40%) the level of GST-pi mRNA exceeded the mean normal tissue value by two standard deviations (normal mean value + 2 X SD). The results obtained from the current experiment thus suggests that GST-pi might be a useful marker for human esophageal cancer. No correlation between GST-pi mRNA level and clinical stage or histologic characteristics was apparent.

Induction of natural killer (NK) activity in mice by injection of chromomycin A3

Intravenously or intraperitoneally administered Chromomycin A3 (CHRM), an anticancer drug, augmented natural killer (NK) activity of both spleen cells and peritoneal exudate cells in BALB/c mice. When CHRM was administered intravenously, NK activity increased to about five fold that in nontreated mice on the 3rd to the 5th day, then rapidly decreased by the 7th day. On the other hand, when CHRM was administered by the intraperitoneal route, a peak of increased NK activity was observed on 5th to 7th day followed by a more gentle decrease. Augmentation of NK activity by CHRM was enhanced by additional administration of Interferon- gamma (IFN-gamma). Experimental evidence that NK activity could be augmented by CHRM in various strains of mice, independent of H-2 haplotype, suggested that involvement of genetic control within class I region of major histocompatibility complex could be excluded. When BALB/c mice inoculated subcutaneously with Meth A cells were treated with i.p. injection of CHRM, or CHRM in combination with IFN-gamma, the growth of the tumor cells was inhibited, indicating in vivo significance for the increased NK activity. Since this inhibitory effect was decreased by the injection of anti Asialo GM1 antibody (alpha-ASGM1), the effector cells presumably exerting killing activity against Meth A cells were concluded to be Asialo GM1 antigen positive.

[The effect of induced hypertension chemotherapy using angiotensin II human in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma--a histopathological evaluation on the excised stomachs]

In an attempt to evaluate the effect of induced hypertension chemotherapy (IHC) using angiotensin II human, histopathological analysis was performed on stomachs excised from thirteen patients who had advanced gastric carcinoma and were submitted to presurgical cancer chemotherapy. IHC was introduced in randomly chosen eight patients and, in the remaining five patients, chemotherapy was designed under conventional conditions. A common regimen comprising 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin, mitomycin C was applied in both the IHC and non-IHC groups. The clinical effect in these patients, assessed prior to surgery, gave rise to the confirmation of three CR patients in the IHC group, while in the non-IHC, PR was the highest score. Histological examination illuminated a patient in the IHC group in whom no viable carcinoma cell proved to remain in the excised stomach, a state meeting the requirements for the highest (Grade 3) effectiveness according to the standard given by the Japanese Research Society for Gastric Cancer. In another two patients of the same group, the effect was Grade 2, i.e., the degeneration and loss of carcinoma cells in the major part of tumor. In contrast, the effect in the non-IHC group was Grade 1b at the highest, where chemotherapy-associated degeneration and necrosis did not predominate over one third of tumor area. Thus, the mean histological score was apparently higher in the IHC than in the non-IHC group, with a difference significant at p less than 0.05 by Wilcoxon's test. Patients clinically evaluated as effective tended to be so pathologically as well, as shown by Spearman's rank correlation test which gave a significant correlation between the clinical and pathological scores.

[Randomized controlled trial of induced hypertension chemotherapy (IHC) using angiotensin II human (TY-10721) in advanced gastric carcinoma (TY-10721 IHC Study Group Report)]

A randomized controlled trial was carried out to elucidate the enhancement of chemotherapeutic effect of induced hypertension chemotherapy (IHC) using newly synthesized angiotensin II human (TY-10721) in advanced gastric carcinoma under multi-institutional cooperation. In IHC, the drugs were administered under the hypertensive state induced and maintained by the continuous infusion of TY-10721. The regimen for the trial was as follows: adriamycin (33 mg/m2, day 3), 5-fluorouracil (330 mg/m2/day through day 1 to 3, 8 to 10) and mitomycin C (5 mg/m2, day 8). It was repeated every 4 weeks. Of 67 registered cases, 62 eligible patients were randomized to either IHC arm or control arm (non-IHC) in which the drugs were administered by an ordinary i.v. injection. According to the Criteria of Japanese Society for Cancer Treatment, the response rate of IHC group was 31.3% and that of non-IHC was 6.7% with statistically significant difference (p less than 0.05; chi 2c). There were 4 CR and 6 PR in 32 eligible cases of IHC and 2 PR in 30 of non-IHC. Clinical characteristics of patients and toxicities were not different in both groups. Clinical advantage of IHC was confirmed by increase of the response rate in this trial.

Association between restriction fragment length polymorphism of the human cytochrome P450IIE1 gene and susceptibility to lung cancer

Cytochrome P450IIE1 (P450IIE1) is involved in metabolic activation of carcinogenic nitrosamines, aniline and benzene. We detected a restriction fragment length polymorphism of the human P450IIE1 gene with the restriction endonuclease DraI. The population was thus divided into three genotypes, namely, heterozygotes (CD) and two forms of homozygotes (CC and DD). The distribution of these genotypes among lung cancer patients differed from that among controls with statistical significance of P less than 0.05 (chi 2 = 7.01 with 2 degrees of freedom). This result strongly suggests that host susceptibility to lung cancer is associated with the DraI polymorphism of the P450IIE1 gene.

[High-dose leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil in advanced gastric and colorectal cancer. High-Dose Leucovorin and 5-FU Study Group]

A multicenter cooperative study was conducted from June 1988 to July 1989 to evaluate the clinical efficacy of high-dose dl-Leucovorin (dl-LV) and 5-FU treatment in 61 cases of advanced gastric and colorectal cancer. The administration schedule was a 2-hour infusion of dl-LV (500 mg/m2) and an IV bolus of 5-FU (600 mg/m2), given 1 hour after the beginning of LV infusion. Patients (pts.) were treated q week x 6 then evaluated for response. Thirty one gastric cancer pts. were divided into two groups; nine pts. treated with 30 min. infusion of 5-FU, and the remaining 23 pts. treated with IV bolus. PR was obtained in 2/9 (22.2%) and in 7/22 (31.8%) of the first and second group, respectively. An overall response rate was 9/31 (29%). Thirty colorectal cancer pts. were divided the same: 13 pts. treated with 30 min. infusion of 5-FU and the remaining 17 pts. treated with IV bolus. PR was obtained in 2/13 (15.4%) and in 7/17 (41.2) of the first and second groups, respectively. An overall response rate was 9/30 (30%). Median survival time for the gastric cancer group was 9.4 months, and for the colorectal cancer group was 13.6 months. Toxicity was within acceptable limits. Toxic effects included diarrhea, stomatitis, anorexia and myelohypoplasia. Our data suggests that high dose LV and 5-FU seems to be a very promising combination and warrants a further investigation.

[Cooperative research of UFT E phase II study. Cooperative Study Group of UFT E in Tohoku Area]

Phase II clinical research of UFT E granules (enteric coated) was carried out in 18 institutes (21 clinical dept.) by Study Group of UFT E in Tohoku Area, to investigate its effect and safety on cancer of the digestive organs. Of all the registered 26 cases, 21 cases were available for evaluation (perfect cases: 17 and imperfect cases: 4). Patients were administered UFT E 600 mg/body/day in principle. The response rate of the overall 26 cases was 14.3% and that of perfect 17 cases was 17.6%. PR was seen in 2 cases with far advanced gastric cancer and in 1 case with sigmoid colon cancer metastasized to lung, NC in 8 cases and PD in 6 cases. Side effects more than Grade II were seen in 4 cases (19%), of which 1 case caused diarrhea with leucopenia, 1 case caused diarrhea with anorexia, fever, pigmentation, stomatitis and general tiredness, 1 case caused anorexia and the other 1 case caused paresthesia on both legs with diarrhea and anorexia. Side effects in upper digestive tract were slight, making it possible to continue administration. But 1 case, which caused simultaneously Grade II anorexia, Grade II diarrhea and Grade III paresthesia on both legs, refused administration and dropped out. He recovered from those symptoms 5 days after discontinuance of administration. UFT E is able to administer for a long term because of its slight side effects on the upper digestive tract.

[Home administration of anti-cancer drug with Baxter infusor]

Baxter infusor was evaluated for the degree of its safeness, and effectiveness, to use in a chemotherapy. The study covered a total of 36 cases, each receiving an average 11 days of care under this therapy. In seventeen of those cases, the patient had received outpatient care, or had spent day and night at their homes. In nine of the total 36 cases, the infusor had been set for use by the patients or by their family. Results were evaluated with a focus on three factors: the patients' quality of life, the infusor's ease of use and its comparability to conventional systems. As to quality of life, those patients generally appreciated the infusor as an improvement to conventional systems with 10 of them citing "an ability to live with their family", 16 citing "freedom to move around", and 35 citing "satisfying functional performance", as reasons for their favorable acceptance. 97% of the patients had found the infusor easy to use, and all had found it simpler and easier to use than the conventional system. Their overall rating for the infusor was "good" to "excellent" in 97% of the cases. And 33 out of the 36 patients thought the infusor safe and effective if used at the homes.

The changes in the levels of dihydrofolate reductase mRNA and its gene dosage in 5-fluorouracil-resistant L1210 cells

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)-resistant L1210 cell line (L1210/5-FU-1) was established in this laboratory, and maintained by serial passage in the peritoneal cavities of BDF1 mice. This and another 5-FU-resistant cell line (L1210/5-FU-2) showed approximately 50-fold increase in resistance to 5-FU, i.e., IC50 of 5-FU determined for wild type L1210 cells was 3 x 10(-7) M, whereas those for 5-FU-resistant lines, L1210/5-FU-1 and L1210/5-FU-2 were 1.65 x 10(-5) M and 1.35 x 10(-5) M, respectively. The incorporation of 3H-5-FU into L1210/5-FU-1 cells was about 57% of that observed in wild type L1210 cells. Northern blot analysis of DHFR mRNA obtained from 5-FU-sensitive and -resistant cell lines revealed four distinct bands of 1.6 kb, 1.2 kb, 1.0 kb and 0.75 kb in length. Although all these bands showed higher density in autoradiography in 5-FU-resistant lines than in wild type, no extra band was observed. Southern blot analysis of DHFR DNA, digested with the restriction enzymes, EcoRI, BamHI or HindIII, revealed no rearrangement. However, all the fragments were expanded, showing that DHFR gene increased in 5-FU-resistant cells. The karyotype analysis carried out for L1210/5-FU-1 showed abnormal banding region in a part of chromosome X, and this chromosomal aberration was considered to be the reflection of the amplification of DHFR gene. Many investigators have reported that thymidylate synthetase (TS), a target enzyme for 5-FU, increased in 5-FU-resistant cells and that the increase of TS was responsible for the drug resistance to 5-FU. The increase both in DHFR mRNA and DHFR DNA suggested the increase in DHFR and also in N5, N10 methylenetetrahydrofolate (methylene THF), a coenzyme of TS. The increase of methylene THF, together with the increase of TS, might result in the resistance of the cells to 5-FU.

Comparative studies on the action of 7-N-[2-[[2-(gamma-L-glutamylamino)ethyl]dithio]ethyl]mitomycin C and of mitomycin C on cultured HL-60 cells and isolated phage and plasmid DNA

The mechanism of action of a new mitomycin C (MMC) derivative, KT6149, was studied in human leukemia HL-60 cells and in isolated phage and plasmid DNA, and its effects were compared with those of MMC. Cell growth was markedly inhibited by KT6149, with an IC50 of 2 x 10(-9) M, that for MMC being 2 x 10(-8) M. DNA synthesis of HL-60 cells as determined by incorporation of [3H]-thymidine was also inhibited by KT6149, with an IC50 of 2 x 10(-7) M as compared with 2 x 10(-6) M for MMC. RNA and protein synthesis were less markedly inhibited at low concentrations. Alkaline sucrose density-gradient centrifugation revealed a significant decrease in sedimentation velocity for cellular DNA of the cells after 1 h treatment with KT6149 at concentrations higher than 10(-7) M. In contrast, no such change was observed for DNA of cells treated with MMC, even at a concentration of 10(-5) M. In a cell-free system, analysis by agarose gel electrophoresis patterns showed that the drug induced a decrease in the amount of covalently closed circular DNA of phage PM2 and an increase in that of open circular DNA in the presence of dithiothreitol (DTT), whereas MMC did not cause any change in DNA subfraction amounts. Furthermore, the electrophoretic mobility of linearized pBR322 DNA in alkaline agarose gel was significantly decreased by KT6149 in the presence of DTT and FeSO4, no such change being observed in the case of MMC. The results clearly indicate that the inhibitory effects of KT6149 on the growth and DNA synthesis of HL-60 cells are more potent than those of MMC and that KT6149-induced DNA damage is due to single-strand scission and to cross-linking of DNA, suggesting a mode of activation different from that of MMC.

[Randomized controlled study on chemotherapy with 5-FD, ADM plus CDDP in advanced gastric carcinoma]

The clinical effects of combination chemotherapy with 5-FU, ADM plus CDDP for advanced carcinoma of the stomach were evaluated in a prospective randomized and controlled study. Seventy-seven patients from 18 major hospitals were randomly divided into A group and B group using the envelope method. A group was treated with protocol I (5-FU 270-300 mg/m2 iv from the 1st day to the 5th day and ADM 25 mg/m2 iv on the 5th day), and B group was treated with protocol II (5-FU, ADM plus CDDP 70 mg/m2 iv on the 1st day). These protocols were repeated every 3 weeks and repeated 3 courses in principle. Thirty-three cases from A group and 32 cases from B group were available for evaluation. The prognostic factors were compared between A and B group. No difference could be observed between the two groups. No cases from A group were interpreted as PR, while 6 cases (19%) from B group were recognized on PR after 3 courses. The response rate of the overall 19 cases from A group was 0%, while that of the overall 18 cases from B group was 33%. The statistical difference was observed between the two groups. However, no significant difference for the 50% survival time was observed between the two groups. One patient showing PR survived for 28 months. Gastrointestinal disturbances were observed in 60% and leukopenia plus thrombocytopenia in 40% of each group. Frequency and grade of the side effects were not significantly different between A and B group.

Characterization of glycyrrhizin-binding protein kinase from the crude membrane fraction of rat liver

Using GL-affinity column chromatography, a casein phosphorylating protein kinase was purified selectively from the crude membrane fraction of rat liver. The biochemical characteristics of the purified kinase (approximately Mr 210 kDa) are very similar to those reported for polypeptide-dependent protein kinase (kinase P). Moreover, low doses of GL selectively inhibit phosphorylation of Mr 35-36 kDa polypeptides (which are cross-reacted with anti-lipocortins I and II) by the kinase in vitro. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory activity of GL may involve the impairment of the physiological functions of lipocortins through their specific modification by the kinase at the cell membrane level.

[DNA damage and anticancer effect]

In a sense, cancer chemotherapy is similar to antibacterial chemotherapy. The main target for both chemotherapies is on DNA and its precursors. Whenever anticancer drugs exhibit its activity on cancer cells, damage or metabolic abnormality of DNA is usually accompanied. Among various anticancer drugs, the main cellular target of alkylating agents or anticancer antibiotics is DNA strand, and many of newly introduced anticancer drugs exert effect on DNA strand or DNA synthesis. The mechanism of action of quinocarmycin, KT 6149, which is a derivative of mitomycin C, YM534, which shows thrombocyte agglutination activity, and MCNU, a nitrosourea, were studied for their antitumor action and damage to DNA strand. It was found that there was a close relationship between anticancer effect and single strand scission of DNA in all the agents tested.

[Subrenal capsule assay using nude mice]

Six-day subrenal capsule assay (SRCA) using normal immunocompetent mice developed by Bogden et al. is a promising in vivo chemosensitivity test. This method, however, has a problem of influence of the host reaction. We compared the tumor growth kinetics and host reaction between normal immunocompetent and nude mice. The tumor diameter increased until day 6 in normal and day 16 in nude mice, respectively. However the histological finding revealed many host reactive cells and few viable tumor cells on day 6 in normal mice, and well preserved tumour cells on day 16 in nude mice. These results were supported by flow cytometrical analysis. Then, we examined two immunosuppressive drugs; cyclophosphamide (EX) and cyclosporin A (CSA) in SRCA. The tumors increased in the diameter until day 16 in both EX and CSA-treated groups, but the results of the histological examination showed that tumor cells were preserved in tissue on day 14 in CSA-treated and day 6 in EX-treated group. These results were also supported by flow cytometrical analysis. From the investigation of antitumour activities of adriamycin (ADR) and mitomycin C, it was suggested that the 12-day assay was suitable if nude mice were used in SRCA, and six-day assay also, if EX-treated normal mice were used. In CSA-treated group, more toxicity of anticancer drugs was manifested than usual. We studied whether or not CSA had a usefulness in SRCA with normal immunocompetent mice. Sixty mg/kg of CSA was given to BDF1 mice daily SC, and various dosage of ADR was given i.v. on day 2. The body weight of BDF1 mice decreased over 20% within 10 days when ADR was given at more than 5 mg/kg. MX-1, a human breast carcinoma cell line, is known to be sensitive to ADR. This tumor was implanted SC in the back of BALB/c nu/nu mice and chemosensitivity was tested against ADR. ADR resulted to be positive at the dose of 8 mg/kg. On the other hand, the dose of 5 mg/kg proved to be negative, and hence the result of SRCA would be false negative, if the dose of ADR is reduced to avoid the toxicity of CSA. The tumor grew slowly when only 60 mg/kg of CSA was given daily for three weeks, and the inhibition rate was 56.2%. The toxicity of CSA was neglected because the body weight loss was approximately 13%. CSA may have the antitumor effect by itself, and EX did not suppress the host reaction sufficiently.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Subsets of peripheral blood lymphocytes and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in cancer patients received chemotherapy]

Forty-three patients with advanced cancer were evaluated for the changes of absolute counts of peripheral blood lymphocytes and lymphocyte subsets during chemotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy. In 27 patients who did not respond to the therapy, whole lymphocytes, T cells, helper/inducer T cells and NK cells decreased significantly in number. In contrast, they showed little decrease in 16 cases responded to the therapy. In situ immunohistochemical analysis of the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes was performed on the carcinoma tissues obtained from 25 gastric cancer patients. T cell infiltration, in which helper/inducer T cells were predominant over suppressor/cytotoxic T cells, and NK cell infiltration were found in most of the tissues comprised various carcinoma types of histology. Furthermore, an analysis of a gastric cancer patient treated with systemic administration of 3 BRMs and intratumoral injection of OK-432 indicated that infiltration of cytotoxic T cells and NK cells augmented by cytokines such as IFN-gamma produced from activated helper/inducer T cells and NK cells. Therefore, it is suggested that movements of helper/inducer T cells and NK cells relate to the response to chemotherapy and participate in prognosis of advanced cancer patients.