Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0006142 (breast cancer)
 160,383 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The authors studied 68 patients suffering from breast cancer, with or without lymph node metastasis, who underwent surgery and antitumour therapy (CMF). Twenty-three patients were treated using CMF and 1.5 mg/kg of thymostimulin, 24 with CMF and 1 mg/kg of thymostimulin and lastly, 21 subjects received anti-tumour therapy with CMF alone. Thymostimulin was administered every day for a week prior to surgery; subsequently, it was administered on alternate days for a week and then twice a week for 3 months. The blastogenesis of immunocompetent cells was evaluated. During thymostimulin treatment a higher rate of 3HTdR captation (p < 0.005) by cells stimulated with ConA + IL-2 was observed; these levels tended to increase after 3 weeks and reached statistically significant levels after 3 months of treatment; no significant changes were observed in those patients treated with CMF alone. In addition, the cytotoxic activity of monocytes and NK cells against K-562 cells and against short-lasting cell lines derived from breast carcinoma was also studied. It was observed that this activity increased significantly (p < 0.002) following thymostimulin treatment; this increase was greater in subjects treated with 1.5 mg/kg compared to those treated with 1 mg/kg, but the difference was not statistically significant. The study also evaluated the presence of IL-2 receptors (Tac): thymostimulin treatment for 3 months led to the appearance of receptors, although in restricted numbers, on non-stimulated cells. After IL-2 stimulation, the percentage of cells with Tac receptors increased significantly (p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Effect of immunostimulating therapy on the immunocompetent system in breast carcinoma. 129 46

We developed a local AIT using PEL cultured with TCGF combined with preadministration of OK-432. Twenty-six patients of breast cancer with pleural effusion have been treated with this therapy since 1983. PEL expanded and tumor cells collapsed by day 9 in culture with TCGF. Cultured PEL possessed significantly higher cytotoxic activity against autologous tumor cells than PBL cultured in the same condition (p less than 0.05), but there was no difference between their cytotoxic activities against K562. The proliferation rate of PEL obtained after intrapleural administration of OK-432 was higher than that obtained before OK-432 (p less than 0.01). Moreover, the cytotoxic activities against both autologous tumor and K562 of cultured PEL obtained after OK-432 administration was significantly (p less than 0.05) higher than those cultured PEL obtained before. Cultured PEL (1 x 10(8)-6 x 10(9)) were transferred into the pleural cavity after the intrapleural administration of OK-432 (1-5 KE). The volume of pleural effusion increased temporarily after the administration of OK-432 but significantly (p less than 0.01) decreased after AIT. Tumor cells disappeared cytologically in 22 patients at the last puncture of pleural effusion. Pleural effusion disappeared completely in 19 of 26 patients and decreased by more than 50% in volume in 6 patients. Performance status improved in 22 patients. The response rate for OK-432-combined AIT in the present study was 96%. The survival period of the patients treated by OK-432-combined AIT in this trial was significantly (p less than 0.002) prolonged compared to that of the patients receiving chemotherapy alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Therapeutic and life-prolonging effect of intrapleural injection with a streptococcal preparation, OK-432, and IL2-cultured effusion lymphocytes to breast cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion. 138

In this study we have evaluated two new immunological parameters, soluble IL-2 receptor (s IL-2 R) and TNF, in 119 patients with female solid neoplasms (47 ovarian and 72 breast cancer). Our data demonstrate that both these markers have mean serum levels in cancer patients higher than in normal population, particularly in ovarian cases. Also the overall positivities were higher in ovarian (68%) than in breast cancer (51%). Finally we observed no relevant differences according to the status of disease in both groups of cancer patients. These preliminary results could suggest the possible usefulness of an immunological monitoring in cancer patients, above all when an immunotherapy with biological responder modifiers is proposed.
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PMID:Tumor necrosis factor and soluble interleukin-2 receptor: two immunological biomarkers in female neoplasms. 151 22

Cytokines have recently appeared to be effective in the palliative therapy of neoplastic effusions. The present study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy and the tolerability of an intracavitary injection of IL-2 in patients with neoplastic effusion due to solid tumors. The study included 14 patients with cytologically positive effusion (pleura, 11; peritoneum, 2; pericardium, 1). Tumor histotypes were: mesothelioma, 5; non-small cell lung cancer, 3; breast cancer, 2; ovarian cancer, 2; cervix carcinoma, 1; unknown primary tumor, 1. The efficacy was evaluated according to the criteria of Paladine et al. (Cancer 38: 1903, 1976). An objective response was achieved in 10/14 (71%) patients (4 CR, 6 PR), with a median duration of 4 months (range, 2-8). No important toxicity was seen. This preliminary study showed that low dose IL-2 given intracavitarily is an effective and well-tolerated therapy in patients with neoplastic effusions.
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PMID:Intracavitary administration of interleukin-2 as palliative therapy for neoplastic effusions. 152 3

The response and survival of 26 patients with liver metastases from breast cancer, who received OK-432-combined adoptive immunotherapy from 1984 to 1990, were evaluated. OK-432-combined adoptive immunotherapy was comprised sequential treatment via the hepatic artery with a streptococcal preparation, OK-432 (1-5 KE), and adoptive transfer of lymphocytes expanded in T-cell growth factor and sonicated tumor extract antigen. Seventeen (65%) patients responded to the therapy. The median survival time of all patients after treatment was 13 months (range, 2-63 months). Of the 20 prognostic factors analyzed, performance status (PS) alone was related to response (P less than 0.01). The response rate of the patients with a PS of 0-2 was 83% but only 25% in those with a PS of 3 or 4. In univariate analysis, 11 factors significantly influenced the survival: tumor response; size of primary tumor; menopausal status; PS; serum bilirubin, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase and glutamate-oxalate transaminase (aspartate aminotransferase); the extent of liver involvement; and the number and the proliferation rate of transferred lymphocytes. The MST was 22.8 months for the responders versus 2.8 months for the nonresponders (P less than 0.01). In multivariate analysis, the most important factor associated with survival was the tumor response, as well as PS, liver involvement, lactate dehydrogenase and albumin. These results suggest that OK-432-combined adoptive immunotherapy can be considered a candidate for a randomised control study and these factors should be used for stratification.
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PMID:Factors influencing the response and survival of patients with liver metastases from breast cancer receiving OK-432-combined adoptive immunotherapy. 173 36

To date, the results concerning the prognostic importance of parameters of cell-mediated immunity in breast cancer patients are very contradictory; moreover, in most of them the results are hardly comparable due to methodological differences and heterogeneous groups of patients. In 123 patients with nonmetastatic breast carcinoma TNF alpha, INF alpha, IL 2 and reactivity in the leucocyte migration inhibition test (LMI-Test) against autologous tumor tissue were determined and the results correlated with the clinical course of the disease up to a maximum of 108 months. In breast cancer patients TNF alpha-serum levels were significantly (p less than 0.05) elevated compared to healthy controls. We also found that patients with progressive disease had higher levels than patients without recurrences. There were no differences concerning the IL-2 and IFN alpha serum levels between cancer patients and controls, nor did we find a correlation with the clinical course of the disease. In 38% of all breast cancer patients examined, a MIF production against tumor tissue could be demonstrated in the LMI-test. There was no difference concerning the LMI-reactivity between the groups of lymph-node negative and positive patients, but the observation that those patients with an unfavourable clinical course respond more frequently with an enhanced macrophage migration and rarely with migration inhibition was considered of notable prognostic significance. According to these results, it is possible that determination of TNF alpha and delayed type hypersensitivity reaction against tumor tissue in the LMI-test is of clinical value for the determination of risk groups.
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PMID:Determination of TNF alpha, interferon alpha, interleukin 2 and reactivity in the leucocyte migration inhibition test in breast cancer patients. 174 7

In 48 postmenopausal patients with non-disseminated breast cancer an adjuvant therapy with tamoxifen, and in 17 breast cancer patients with disseminated disease a therapy with high-dose medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) was performed and the results obtained were compared to a control group of 35 postmenopausal patients with non-disseminated disease receiving no further adjuvant treatment and 9 patients with disseminated disease, who were not treated by hormonal therapy or chemotherapy. Before therapy was started and at the end of therapy reactivity in the leukocyte migration inhibition test (LMI-Test) against autologous and homologous tumor tissue, serum levels of TNF alpha, IL-2 and IFN alpha, as well as the differentiation of different lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood, were determined. In patients undergoing adjuvant therapy with tamoxifen an increase of reactivity in the LMI test against tumor tissue (14.6% before and 22.9% after tamoxifen therapy) and increase of the percentage of NK cells (13.6% before and 19.8% after therapy) could be observed, whereas with TNF alpha, IL-2 and IFN alpha serum levels, as well as the differentiation of other lymphocyte subsets, no differences were found. In breast cancer patients with disseminated disease treated with high-dose MPA no changes of LMI reactivity and cytokine serum levels could be observed. We only found a decrease of T-helper cells from 38.4% before to 22.7% (p less than 0.05) at the end of therapy. These results indicate that tamoxifen has no severe suppressive side effects on different parameters of cell-mediated immunity and possibly leads to an increase in the number of NK cells. Contrary to this, high-dose MPA must be considered as a depletor of T-helper cells.
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PMID:Effect of tamoxifen and high-dose medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) on cell-mediated immune functions in breast cancer patients. 215 29

The biological significance of soluble IL-2 receptors (sIL-2R) is still unknown; in particular, it is not yet clear whether their increase in the blood may reflect activation of immune cells, or whether it is related to an immune dysfunction. To investigate this problem, we evaluated serum levels of sIL-2R before and after administration of a highly lymphocytolitic chemotherapy (FEC: fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide) in a group of 6 patients with advanced breast cancer. SIL-2R were analyzed in relation to lymphocyte number. Absolute mean number of lymphocytes was significantly lower after than before chemotherapy. On the contrary, no significant difference was seen in sIL-2R mean levels, and no significant correlation was observed between changes in sIL-2R and in lymphocyte number following chemotherapy. These results would exclude that sIL-2R may simply be due to a passive release following lymphocytic damage.
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PMID:Lack of changes in soluble interleukin-2 receptor serum levels during chemotherapy-induced lymphocyte damage. 217 11

In breast cancer patients on whom modified radical mastectomy is performed, relatively more of the regional lymph nodes draining the breast carcinoma remain in comparison with standard radical mastectomy. Therefore, investigation of the functions of lymph nodes draining breast carcinoma has become important. Lymphocyte subsets of 33 axillary lymph nodes from 19 breast cancer patients were analysed using flow cytometry. In axillary lymph nodes, both OKT-3(+) cells and OKT-8(+) cells were decreased in comparison with those in peripheral blood. However, the OKT 4/8 ratio was increased in axillary lymph nodes. These findings suggest that axillary lymph nodes are immunologically more functional against cancer spread than peripheral blood. OK-M1(+) cells, Leu-7(+) cells and Leu-11a(+) cells were decreased in axillary lymph nodes in comparison with peripheral blood. The ability of IFN production in axillary lymph nodes and peripheral blood was analysed using the cytopathic effect of VSV-sindbis virus. After 72 hours incubation, IFN production of axillary lymph nodes showed maximum titer. When lymph nodes were co-cultured with OK-432, IFN production of axillary lymph nodes was strongly augmented. IFN production of axillary lymph nodes draining breast carcinoma were increased in comparison with peripheral blood. Axillary lymph nodes draining breast carcinoma would thus seem to be important as cytokine-producing organs. IFN has been found to be an activator of NK cells, cytotoxic T cells and IL-2 production. Axillary lymph nodes may therefore play an important role against the spread of breast cancer.
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PMID:[Interferon production in lymph nodes draining breast carcinoma and its augmentation by OK-432]. 242 12

Cytotoxic T cells (CTL) have been known to be one of the effector cells responsible for regression of tumors. In tumor-bearing hosts, CTL insufficiently attack the tumor because the suppressor cells inhibit the induction and activation of CTL. In our in vitro study, CTL were induced from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of cancer patients. These CTL showed the specific cytotoxic activity against autologous tumor in one case and broad specificity against tumors in other cases. A patient with breast cancer was treated with adoptive immunotherapy of CTL because she had severe side effect from antineoplastics . Her breast cancer was histologically scirrhous type adenocarcinoma which was resistant to antineoplastics. Patient's PBL were cocultured with mitomycin C treated-autologous tumor, and they were proliferated with interleukin 2 or T-cell growth factor (TCGF). Then, these CTL were injected to this patient intravenously at the interval of one or two weeks. Before serial injection of CTL, antineoplastics was prescribed in order to inhibit the function of suppressor cells and cancer cells. The sizes of tumors were gradually reduced, suggesting clinical regression. We suggest that combined treatment of adoptive immunotherapy using CTL and antineoplastics (CTL therapy) is very useful in the treatment of cancer patients.
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PMID:[Basic and clinical study of adoptive immunotherapy using cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) against cancers]. 254 6


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