Incidence and occupational pattern of leukaemias, lymphomas, and testicular tumours in western Ireland over an 11 year period.
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STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine incidence of the following malignancies, testicular tumours, all leukaemias and all lymphomas in the West of Ireland in an 11 year period. Secondly, to examine the relation between disease patterns and available occupational data in male subjects of working age. DESIGN: A census survey of all cases occurring in the three counties in the Western Health Board (WHB) area, Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, for the 11 year period 1980 to 1990 inclusive. Average annual age standardised incidence rates for the period were calculated using the 1986 census data. Rates for the area are compared with rates from the southern region of Ireland, which had a tumour registry. Trends over the time period are evaluated. All male subjects for whom occupational data were available were categorised using the Irish socioeconomic group classification and incidence rates by occupation were compared using the standardised incidence ratio method. In one of the counties, Galway, a detailed occupational history of selected cases and an age matched control group was also elicited through patients' general practitioners. SETTING: All available case records in the West of Ireland. RESULTS: There are no national incidence records for the period. Compared with data from the Southern Tumour Registry, the number of cases of women with myeloid leukaemias was significantly lower. Male leukaemia rates were significantly lower as a group (SIR 84 (95% CI 74, 95) but not when considered as individual categories. Regression analysis revealed an increasing trend in the number of new cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among both men (r = 0.47, p = 0.02) and women (r = 0.90, p = 0.0001) and of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in men (r = 0.77, p = 0.005) and women (r = 0.68 p = 0.02) in the WHB region over the last decade. Four hundred and fifty six male cases over the age of 15 years were identified and adequate occupational information was available for 74% of these. Standardised incidence ratios of testicular tumours 100, 938) and agriworkers other than farmers (SIR 377, 95% CI 103, 967). There were also significantly increased incidence ratios for both non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (SIR 169, 95% CI 124, 266) and three categories of leukaemias among farmers. Hodgkin's disease and acute myeloid leukaemias were significantly increased among semi-skilled people. Interview data with 90 cases and 54 controls of both sexes revealed that among farmers, cases (n = 31) were significantly less likely than controls (n = 20) to use tractor mounted spraying techniques (OR = 0.19 (95% CI 0.04, 0.80)) and less likely to wear protective masks (OR 0.22 (95% CI 0.05, 0.84)). CONCLUSIONS: Trends of increase in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and some leukaemias are consistent with studies elsewhere. The study provides further evidence of the relation between agricultural work and certain lymphoproliferative cancers. The possible carcinogenic role of chemicals used in agricultural industries must be considered as an explanation. (+info)
Tissue specific expression and chromosomal mapping of a human UDP-N-acetylglucosamine: alpha1,3-d-mannoside beta1, 4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase.
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A human cDNA for UDP- N -acetylglucosamine:alpha1,3-d-mannoside beta1,4- N- acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnT-IV) was isolated from a liver cDNA library using a probe based on a partial cDNA sequence of the bovine GnT-IV. The cDNA encoded a complete sequence of a type II membrane protein of 535 amino acids which is 96% identical to the bovine GnT-IV. Transient expression of the human cDNA in COS7 cells increased total cellular GnT-IV activity 25-fold, demonstrating that this cDNA encodes a functional human GnT-IV. Northern blot analysis of normal tissues indicated that at least five different sizes of mRNA (9.7, 7.6, 5.1, 3.8, and 2.4 kb) forGnT-IV are expressed in vivo. Furthermore, these mRNAs are expressed at different levels between tissues. Large amounts of mRNA were detected in tissues harboring T lineage cells. Also, the promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 and the lymphoblastic leukemia cell line MOLT-4 revealed abundant mRNA. Lastly, the gene was mapped at the locus on human chromosome 2, band q12 by fluorescent in situ hybridization. (+info)
Bone marrow transplantation in pediatric patients with therapy-related myelodysplasia and leukemia.
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Eleven children underwent BMT for therapy-related MDS or leukemia, four from HLA-identical siblings and seven from unrelated donors. Ten of the 11 were conditioned with busulfan and cyclophosphamide as the majority had received prior irradiation to the chest and/or abdomen. All patients engrafted. Regimen-related toxicity was more common when compared to historical controls. Eight patients developed acute GVHD and four of eight who survived 100 days post transplant developed extensive chronic GVHD. Non-relapse related mortality occurred in three patients. Five patients developed recurrent malignancy: one died from recurrence of osteosarcoma, three died of recurrent leukemia or MDS and another developed two subsequent malignancies (duodenal carcinoma and anaplastic astrocytoma). Three survive disease-free at 14+, 22+ and 43+ months for a 2 year actuarial cancer-free survival of 24% (95% confidence interval = 5-53%). Although allogeneic BMT can be curative, regimen-related toxicity is frequent and recurrent malignancy remains the major obstacle. (+info)
Advances in therapy of multiple myeloma: lessons from acute leukemia.
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This paper traces the lack of progress, until recently, in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) to having ignored the principles that led to cure in acute leukemia more than 2 decades ago. Only in the mid-1980s did investigation begin to consider complete remission (CR) a research objective, representing a necessary first step toward cure. The experience with autologous and allogeneic stem cell-supported high-dose therapy is reviewed, demonstrating, in both historically controlled and randomized studies, the validity of the dose-response concept in MM in terms of increased CR rates as well as extended event-free (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Avoidance of hematopoietic stem cell-damaging agents, especially melphalan, nitrosoureas, and ionizing radiation to marrow-containing sites, assures the ability of peripheral stem cell collection of high quality and quantity, providing rapid engraftment so that mortality is well under 5% following high-dose melphalan (200 mg/m2). This treatment can be applied safely to patients even >70 years of age and in the presence of renal failure. Tandem autotransplants after multiregimen induction have yielded CR rates in the 40% range with median durations of EFS and OS of 43 and 62 months, respectively. Certain chromosomal abnormalities (11 and 13; and translocations) represent the dominant adverse prognosticator for EFS and OS, confirmed in over 500 patients including those with prior therapy. Allogeneic transplants, possible in less than 10% of MM patients, are associated with a 50% mortality during the first year and, unfortunately, late relapses; thus, this approach should be reserved for patients with high-risk disease early in their management. A risk-based treatment algorithm that matches a patient's disease risk with the risk of intervention is presently used, followed by bisphosphonate therapy, not only to delay the onset of MM-related bone disease but also to induce tumor cell apoptosis, indirectly or directly, by down-regulation of cytokines with antiapoptotic activities. Although many patients relapse, this author subscribes to his mentor's motto: "Be Prepared for Success!". (+info)
The evolution of antibiotic therapy for neutropenic patients.
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Considerable progress has been made in the treatment of infections in neutropenic patients during the past three decades. A major contribution to this progress has been the discovery of effective new therapies and their prompt administration. Unfortunately, successful therapy of each important pathogen has resulted in the emergence of new pathogens, usually with unique patterns of antibiotic susceptibility. Unfortunately, antibiotic resistance has become an increasing threat in recent years, raising the possibility of infections that will be difficult to eradicate. Fortunately, there are new classes of antimicrobials that hold promise for therapeutic success in the future. (+info)
Toward a leukemia treatment strategy based on the probability of stem cell death: an essay in honor of Dr. Emil J Freireich.
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Dr. Emil J Freireich is a pioneer in the rational treatment of cancer in general and leukemia in particular. This essay in his honor suggests that the cell kill concept of chemotherapy of acute myeloblastic leukemia be extended to include two additional ideas. The first concept is that leukemic blasts, like normal hemopoietic cells, are organized in hierarchies, headed by stem cells. In both normal and leukemic hemopoiesis, killing stem cells will destroy the system; furthermore, both normal and leukemic cells respond to regulators. It follows that acute myelogenous leukemia should be considered as a dependent neoplasm. The second concept is that cell/drug interaction should be considered as two phases. The first, or proximal phase, consists of the events that lead up to injury; the second, or distal phase, comprises the responses of the cell that contribute to either progression to apoptosis or recovery. Distal responses are described briefly. Regulated drug sensitivity is presented as an example of how distal responses might be used to improve treatment. (+info)
Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes: therapeutic implications.
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Genetic instability is a hallmark of cancer. Alterations in DNA through mutations, deletions, and translocations affect genes that are fundamental to normal cell growth differentiation and programmed cell death. Here, we discuss these alterations as they relate to oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. In addition, we describe the implications the changes in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes have on designing new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of cancer. (+info)
Cyclin A1 expression in leukemia and normal hematopoietic cells.
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Human cyclin A1 is a newly cloned, tissue-specific cyclin that is prominently expressed in normal testis. In this study, we showed that cyclin A1 was highly expressed in a subset of leukemia samples from patients. The highest frequency of cyclin A1 overexpression was observed in acute myelocytic leukemias, especially those that were at the promyelocyte (M3) and myeloblast (M2) stages of development. Cyclin A1 expression was also detected in normal CD34(+) progenitor cells. The expression of cyclin A1 increased when these cells were stimulated to undergo myeloid differentiation in vitro. Taken together, our observations suggest that cyclin A1 may have a role in hematopoiesis. High levels of cyclin A1 expression are especially associated with certain leukemias blocked at the myeloblast and promyelocyte stages of differentiation. (+info)