Drug sensitivity testing for clinical samples from oesophageal cancer using adhesive tumour cell culture system

Effect of chewing betel nut on measurements of salivary progesterone and estradiol

The measurement of steroids in saliva is both simple and non-invasive and has been widely used in field and clinical-based research. The observance of particular cultural practices by some populations, however, may hamper accurate hormonal analyses. The present study evaluated the effects of one such practice-the chewing of betel nut-on the accurate measurement of salivary progesterone and estradiol. A time series experiment was conducted among Bangladeshi women who are regular users of betel nut. Salivary steroids were analyzed by radioimmunoassay in samples collected prior to and then 30, 60, 120, and 240 min following betel quid use. Results show no significant difference between basal steroid levels and those obtained 60, 120, and 240 min after chewing betel nut. We conclude that with specific collection protocols that take into account time since chewing, salivary steroid analyses can be undertaken in populations among whom the practice of chewing betel nut is endemic.

Betel Nut Use among First and Second Generation Bangladeshi Women in London, UK

This study evaluated the effects of socio-economic variables and migration history on the prevalence of betel nut and smokeless tobacco use in both UK- and Bangladeshi born migrant women resident in London. No significant difference in betel nut use prevalence was found among women of different generations. However, in all groups betel nut users were significantly older and less educated than non-users. Among first generation women there was no effect of either length of time living in the UK or age at migration on use of betel nut, even after controlling for current age. No significant differences in prevalence use due to language spoken, occupation, marital status or borough of residence in London were found. We conclude that, although there are some indications of a change in behavior among younger individuals, betel nut chewing is a practice very much present among Bangladeshi women born and brought up in a bicultural context.

A feasibility study of chemosensitivity assay by adhesive tumor cell culture system using biopsy specimens for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The adhesive tumor cell culture system (ATCCS) is known to produce high colony-forming efficiency. We, therefore, studied the feasibility of ATCCS for gastric cancer by use of biopsy specimens and the relationship between the results of ATCCS and histological effects of anticancer drugs.

METHODS

Tumor specimens extracted by gastroendoscopic biopsy were sufficient for obtaining the result of sensitivity to at least one drug in 24 out of 30 (80%) patients. Twenty patients were administered 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for 14 days prior to surgery, and the results of ATCCS were compared with histological changes of the resected specimens.

RESULTS

The histological response rate was found to be 100% (4/4) when the 90% inhibition concentration (IC90) of 5-FU was less than 0.24 microg/ml (sensitive) and was 0% (0/3) when IC90 was greater than 0.40 microg/ml (resistant).

CONCLUSIONS

Although lacking in statistical significance, the results suggest that the drug to which the tumor revealed sensitivity in the ATCCS would produce histological effects and the drug to which the tumor was resistant would have no histological effect.

Cancer incidence in the south Asian population of England (1990-92)

Cancer incidence among English south Asians (residents in England with ethnic origins in India, Pakistan or Bangladesh) is described and compared with non-south Asian and Indian subcontinent rates. The setting for the study was areas covered by Thames, Trent, West Midlands and Yorkshire cancer registries. The study identified 356 555 cases of incident cancer (ICD9:140-208) registered between 1990 and 1992, including 3845 classified as English south Asian. The main outcome measures were age specific and directly standardized incidence rates for all cancer sites (ICD9:140-208). English south Asian incidence rates for all sites combined were significantly lower than non-south Asian rates but higher than Indian subcontinent rates. English south Asian rates were substantially higher than Indian subcontinent rates for a number of common sites including lung cancer in males, breast cancer in females and lymphoma in both sexes. English south Asian rates for childhood and early adult cancer (0-29 years) were similar or higher than non-south Asian rates. English south Asian rates were significantly higher than non-south Asian rates for Hodgkin's disease in males, cancer of the tongue, mouth, oesophagus, thyroid gland and myeloid leukaemia in females, and cancer of the hypopharynx, liver and gall bladder in both sexes. The results are consistent with a transition from the lower cancer risk of the country of ethnic origin to that of the country of residence. They suggest that detrimental changes in lifestyle and other exposures have occurred in the migrant south Asian population.

Microdialysis assessment of 5-fluorouracil release from thermosensitive magnetoliposomes induced by an electromagnetic field in tumor-bearing mice

The current study was designed to evaluate the properties of thermosensitive magnetoliposomes (TMs), a new drug carrier proposed by the authors, in an electromagnetic field pertaining to their selective heating and drug release under an in vivo condition. TMs containing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were prepared by reverse-phase evaporation, injected into the tumor mass of B 16-BL6 melanoma in mice, and selectively heated by a 500-kHz electromagnetic field. The release profile of 5-FU from TMs was examined by using a microdialysis technique. The temperature of TMs in the tumor was effectively elevated to 42 degrees C and maintained at this temperature, overcoming the "cooling effect" of blood flow and surrounding tissues. The release kinetics of 5-FU from TMs was successfully analyzed by physiological modeling, which allows the prediction of intratumor drug concentrations during electromagnetic field exposure under various conditions. In conclusion, this study first demonstrated an in vivo evidence for the electromagnetic field-induced thermosensitive release of a drug from TMs in a tumor with the use of microdialysis.