Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0018799 (heart disease)
 34,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Peripheral neuroblastic tumors (PNT), including neuroblastomas, pheochromocytomas, ganglioneuromas, and paragangliomas, have been reported in association with congenital heart disease (CHD). If a significant correlation between PNT and CHD could be demonstrated, it would suggest that peripheral neuroblastic tumors might represent reactive, secondary phenomena rather than independent or incidental events. We examined this question by reviewing the autopsy files of The Johns Hopkins Hospital and found that the frequency of congenital cardiovascular problems among patients with PNT was significantly greater than the frequency of CHD in the general autopsy population (p less than 0.001). There was no correlation between CHD and central neuroblastic tumors (CNT), i.e., medulloblastomas, retinoblastomas, or pinealoblastomas, or between CHD and metastatic malignant melanoma. We examined the hypothesis that erythropoietic activity, as might be stimulated by hypoxia, was correlated with the presence of peripheral neuroblastic tumors. We found that most (87%) cardiac malformations associated with PNT produced cyanosis, and histologic assessment of hematopoiesis revealed greater activity in patients with PNT (with or without CHD) compared to those with CNT (p less than 0.05) or malignant melanoma (p less than 0.05). In addition, patients with PNT and CHD had higher frequencies of extramedullary hematopoiesis compared to age-matched controls with similar congenital heart defects (p less than 0.05), and compared to patients with CNT or metastatic malignant melanoma (p less than 0.01). These results suggest that peripheral neuroblastic tumors may arise in a setting of chronic hypoxia produced by congenital heart disease.
 ...
PMID:Peripheral neuroblastic tumors and congenital heart disease. Possible role of hypoxic states in tumor induction. 384 56

This retrospective cohort study examines mortality and cancer incidence among 3,686 men and 75 women who were employed as chemists in 1959. During the period 1964 to 1977, the male chemists experienced lower overall mortality than other salaried employees of the chemical company (198 deaths observed, 241.0 expected, SMR = 82). Large deficits are seen in lung cancer and arteriosclerotic heart disease death. The chemist appear to be at slightly higher risk for death from malignancies of the colon (12 observed, 6.7 expected, SMR = 178) and from cerebrovascular disease (15 observed, 10.8 expected, SMR = 138). The low overall mortality resulted in a larger than expected proportion of deaths due to cancer. Fewer than expected cases were diagnosed of cancer of all sited combined (61 observed, 86.5 expected, SIR = 71) and of the lung (8 observed, 20.0 expected, SIR = 40). The incidence rates of melanoma and of cancer of the prostate are slightly higher than expected, relative to the Third National Cancer Survey and the experience of nonchemists, respectively. Among female chemists, deaths due to all causes and suicide occurred more frequently than expected. Possible explanations for the lack of anticipated excess risks and for the observed deficits are presented.
 ...
PMID:A retrospective cohort study of mortality and cancer incidence among chemist. 725 10

A mortality study of workers employed for at least one year between 1 January 1950 and 31 December 1975 at eight oil refineries in Britain has been carried out. Over 99% of the population were successfully traced to determine their vital status at 31 December 1975. The mortality observed in the study population was compared with that which would be expected from the mortality rates for the all male population of England and Wales, and Scotland, with adjustment for regional variation in mortality for the English and Welsh refineries. The overall mortality observed was considerably lower than that expected on this basis, as was the mortality from heart disease, stroke, bronchitis, and pneumonia. The observed number of deaths from all neoplasms was also very much less than expected, a result almost entirely due to a large deficit of observed deaths from lung cancer. Raised mortality patterns were found in several refineries for cancers of the oesophagus, stomach, intestines, and rectum, although no location was consistently high for all these causes of death. Different year-of-entry cohorts and job groups were also affected. In general, mortality from these causes increased as length of service and interval from starting work increased. There were also significantly more observed deaths than expected from cancer of the nasal cavities and sinus, and melanoma. Further work is required to ascertain whether these are due to an occupational factor and, if so, to identify the physical or chemical nature of the risk.
 ...
PMID:An epidemiological survey of eight oil refineries in Britain. 727 34

The globes from two elderly women who underwent enucleation for malignant melanoma of the choroid showed cavernous degeneration of the optic nerve. Both individuals had prominent optic cups and a strong family history of severe cardiovascular disease; one patient also had mild anemia and substantial arteriosclerotic heart disease. Neither patient showed any clinical or histologic evidence of glaucoma. It is proposed that cavernous degeneration of the optic nerves in some patients may represent an aging change associated with generalized arteriosclerosis. Individuals with large optic cups may be more at risk of developing this condition.
 ...
PMID:Nonglaucomatous cavernous degeneration of the optic nerve. Report of two cases. 735 88

Since 1988, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has notified workers who were subjects in occupational epidemiology studies of the study findings ("worker notification"). This paper describes seven notifications and the worker's reactions to them. The chemicals of interest in the studies were: carbon monoxide, o-toluidine, bis-chloromethyl ether, polychlorinated biphenyls, cadmium, acid mist, and dioxin. Materials describing the study results were sent to 15,958 subjects who were notified of their increased risk of arteriosclerotic heart disease, bladder cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, kidney dysfunction, laryngeal cancer, all cancers combined, or soft tissue sarcoma. Workers provided feedback via telephone calls, and for three notifications, by postcards containing workers' comments and ratings of the notification materials. The percentage of telephone calls received from notified workers ranged from 0.3% to 3.8%, and the percentage returning postcards ranged from 8.8% to 17.6%. The two largest categories of callers were those with questions about their disease risk (30%) or who reported on their health status (25%). Most of the comments on postcards (26%) were complimentary or expressed appreciation for receiving the letters; reports of ill health were second (20%). A majority (66%) rated the notification materials well done. Few of the callers (5%) requested information on legal issues. Most (85%) did not find the materials, which ranged in reading level from sixth to ninth grade, too hard to read, although 15% reported difficulty reading them. Although this response system was effective in producing some input from workers, its limitation is that respondents may not be representative of all notified workers. However, such information is useful because there are few data on the effects of notifications on workers.
 ...
PMID:Workers' response to risk notification. 779 20

As a result of the content of benzene in various streams of refinery products, including gasoline, it is not surprising that over the years studies and case reports have linked gasoline exposure to lymphopoietic cancers (LPC), particularly leukemia and multiple myeloma (MM). Of three recently conducted studies of gasoline-exposed workers, one shows strong associations with leukemia and MM, a second suggests some association with leukemia and did not analyze data for MM, and the third study is not possible to evaluate because of a major problem with study design. Other diseases of particular interest in relation to gasoline exposure are kidney cancer, malignant melanoma, and heart disease. One study suggests an association with kidney cancer, but the second study did not. There appears to be no association between employment in refineries or gasoline exposure and heart disease. However, evaluation of risk of kidney cancer and heart disease is somewhat difficult because investigators did not control for cigarette smoking, even though it is related to these diseases. This is of particular concern when studying gasoline-exposed workers, who because of the explosive nature of gasoline probably smoke less than the general population used for comparison of mortality. Some studies of refinery workers and gasoline-exposed workers in particular show an excess risk of death from malignant melanoma. Whether this latter association is the result of benzene/gasoline exposure, sunlight exposure, or a combination of the two cannot be determined with the data currently available.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:State of the science on the carcinogenicity of gasoline with particular reference to cohort mortality study results. 802 Apr 33

The mortality profile of female nurses and teachers in British Columbia (BC) was examined using age-standardized proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) calculated for the period 1950-1984. Lowered overall mortality among nurses was seen for degenerative heart disease and for cerebrovascular accidents. Significantly elevated PMR values were observed for cancer of the breast and ovary in nurses of age 20-65 years. PMRs were significantly elevated for cancer of the pancreas and leukemia among those age 20 years and older. Elevated values were also observed for motor vehicle accidents and suicide among nurses in both age groups. Lower than expected mortality from degenerative heart disease and cerebrovascular accidents was seen in working age teachers (age 20-65 years). However, elevated PMRs were detected for carcinoma of the colon, breast, endometrium, brain, and melanoma. Among those 20 years and over, significantly elevated PMRs were also observed for cancers of the ovary and other digestive organs. Elevated PMRs were found for motor vehicle and aircraft accidents. Mortality from cirrhosis of the liver was lower than anticipated in both teachers and nurses. A number of significant PMRs declined when deaths of "homemakers" were withdrawn from the comparison group used to generate PMR values, suggesting that risk of death from various causes among women working outside the home differ from those seen in women who are predominantly in the home.
 ...
PMID:Mortality among female registered nurses and school teachers in British Columbia. 807 20

It is well known from autopsy series that metastatic tumors of the heart can be found in 1.5% to 21% of patients with malignancies and the incidence of cardiac metastases is showing a gradual increase in recent years. The most common cause of metastatic heart disease is bronchial carcinoma followed by carcinoma of the breast, pleural mesothelioma, malignant melanoma, leukemia and lymphoma, in decreasing order of frequency. However metastatic cancer to the heart is not commonly diagnosed prior to death. Atrial extension has been reported as a common route of local spread in patients with bronchial carcinoma, but cardiac conduction system invasion is infrequent. The purpose of this report is to describe an unusual case of pulmonary adenocarcinoma that presented with cardiac manifestations mimicking atrioventricular (AV) block. This AV block was corrected by pacemaker. Chest radiography and bidimensional echocardiography didn't visualize important lesions. The cardiac findings at autopsy were remarkable not only for the severity of epicardial, myocardial and endocardial involvement, but for the metastatic implants into the His bundle and for the elective and wide infiltration of bifurcating His bundle. On addition histological examination revealed neoplastic emboli in the myocardial lymphatics. No valvular involvement was noted. Technical annotation: histological examination of the conduction system of the heart has been carried out on serial sections with the technique devised by one of the present authors. Bichromic (hematoxylin-eosin) and trichromic (Heidenhain-azan) stainings have been routinely employed.
 ...
PMID:[Cardiac block caused by metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma to the bundle of His]. 849 66

Twenty patients with malignant uveal melanoma were treated at the The Svedbergh cyclotron in Uppsala from 1989 to 1991. Each tumour received a total dose of 54.6 Gy in four equal fractions on four following days. After treatment the melanoma in all eyes showed decrease in size combined with irradiation retinopathy. In eight patients the treatment was successful after five years. Nine eyes had to be enucleated, two due to recurrence and seven due to neovascular glaucoma. Three patients died, two from metastases and one from heart disease. In all patients the visual acuity was dependent on the distance between the irradiation field and the macula or optic nerve. Each patient suffered from transient post irradiation skin erythema and permanent loss of eyelashes and eyebrows when these were included in the irradiation field. The development of secondary glaucoma was positively correlated with tumour volume, but not to the age or sex of the patients. Histological examination of all the enucleated eyes revealed residual viable tumour without obvious radiation damage: mitotic figures were not identified. MRI examination, performed before and after treatment, demonstrated a marked shift in water binding properties after irradiation. The final visual acuity was dependent on the location of the tumour.
 ...
PMID:Proton irradiation of malignant uveal melanoma. A five year follow-up of patients treated in Uppsala, Sweden. 1005 9

This epidemiologic investigation comprised separate studies of the risk of cancer, cause-specific mortality rates, risks for neurodegenerative diseases, and the risk of arrhythmia-related heart disease among employees exposed to extremely low-frequency (50-Hz) electromagnetic fields (EMF) in the Danish utility industry. All the employees in this industry were followed-up in several registers. The risk of disease was analyzed in relation to occupational exposure to EMF, latency, and duration of employment. A specific job-exposure matrix was developed and validated by comparison with direct measurements of EMF during a workday. Linkage with the Danish Cancer Register did not identify increased risks for the cancers suggested a priori to be associated with exposure to EMF, including leukemia, brain tumors, and breast cancer. Significantly increased risks for lung cancer and mesothelioma were identified for workers highly exposed to asbestos. Linkage with the National Mortality Register revealed a significantly increased overall mortality rate from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), with an increasing trend with duration of employment and EMF exposure. In addition, a significantly increased mortality rate from electric accidents was observed. It was hypothesized that the observation of increased mortality from ALS was associated with exposure to EMF or electric shocks. No increased mortality rate from cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease was observed. Linkage with the National Hospital Register also revealed an increased risk of ALS and, thereby confirmed the finding of an increased mortality rate for this disease in the previous study. Linkage of the cohort with the Multiple Sclerosis Register revealed an increased risk of multiple sclerosis, which was not, however, significant. Linkage with the Pacemaker Register showed no increased risk of severe arrhythmia-related heart disease. The second part of the study included the establishment of a large, nationwide cohort of mobile phone subscribers comprising some 420 000 persons. No increased risk was observed for the cancers considered a priori to be possibly associated with the radiofrequency fields emitted by mobile phones, which were brain tumors, including acoustic neuroma, salivary gland tumors, and leukemia. The data were analyzed by duration of phone use, latency, system used (NMT, GSM or both) and age at first subscription. A study of the incidence of ocular malignant melanoma in comparison with the annual increase among the mobile phone subscribers showed a highly stable incidence rate for this rare cancer in Denmark over close to 50 years of registration. On the basis of these studies and the scientific literature, it is concluded that occupational exposure to 50-Hz EMF is not associated with an increased risk of cancer, but that these fields, electric shocks, or some other unknown factor related to alternating current electricity may be associated with the risk of ALS. There is no clear evidence that 50-Hz EMF is associated with other neurodegenerative or cardiovascular diseases. At present, there is little, if any, evidence that the use of mobile phones is associated with cancer in adults, including brain tumors, acoustic neuroma, cancer of the salivary glands, leukemia, or malignant melanoma of the eye.
 ...
PMID:Electromagnetic fields and health effects--epidemiologic studies of cancer, diseases of the central nervous system and arrhythmia-related heart disease. 1525 60


1 2 Next >>