Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0025202 (melanoma)
 69,561 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes from 120 samples of human cancers, including melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, breast cancer, sarcoma, and colon cancer, were examined. The percentage of lymphocytes recovered from the cancer varied widely; that of renal cell carcinoma was higher than that of breast or colon cancer (65% vs 45%), which was higher than that of melanomas or sarcomas (30% to 35%). The types of lymphocytes before and after interleukin 2 activation showed specific patterns. CD4+ helper T cells predominated in all tumors except melanomas, which had more CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. CD16+ natural killer cells were recovered in renal cell carcinoma and sarcomas. Three different cytotoxic lymphocytes were identified among interleukin 2-activated tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes: (1) CD3+ CD16- cytotoxic T lymphocytes with cytotoxicity restricted to autologous tumor cells in melanomas, (2) CD3-CD16+ natural killer cells with vigorous major histocompatibility complex-nonrestricted cytotoxicity in renal cell carcinoma, and (3) CD3+ CD16- T cells with modest levels of major histocompatibility complex-nonstricted cytotoxicity in all cancers except melanomas. Thus, there was considerable diversity of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes among these histologically distinct tumors with respect to magnitude of lymphocyte infiltration, phenotypic expression, and functional capacity.
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PMID:Patterns of human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in 120 human cancers. 168 43

Macrophages derived from in vitro cultured monocytes were infected with herpes simplex virus type 2. A marked impairment in the intrinsic antiviral activity was found in macrophages obtained from patients with breast cancer or melanoma. Moreover, the antiviral activity of macrophages from healthy donors, differentiated in serum from patients with neoplasia, was also impaired. The aim of this work was the evaluation of alpha, beta, gamma exogenous interferon in restoring the intrinsic antiviral activity of macrophages from patients affected by breast cancer or melanoma under different conditions. Pretreatment of macrophages with alpha, beta interferons, but not gamma interferon, restored their impaired intrinsic antiviral activity.
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PMID:Role of exogenous interferons on intrinsic antiviral activity of macrophages from patients affected by neoplasia. 169 41

Acronycine (I) is a broad-spectrum antitumor agent whose development as a clinically useful agent has been hindered, in part, due to its poor solubility characteristics. With the goal of acquiring information that may prove of value in the development of structurally related compounds of greater clinical utility, mechanistic studies were performed with acronycine (I) and two semisynthetic derivatives, 2-nitroacronycine (II) and acronycine azine (III). These three substances demonstrated cytotoxic activity with several human tumor cell lines (breast, colon, lung, melanoma, KB-3, and drug-resistant KB-V1). Compounds II and III demonstrated greater activity than I, and more detailed studies were performed with cultured human breast cancer cells (UISO-BCA-1). Acronycine azine (III) induced the cells to accumulate in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. It effectively inhibited the in vitro catalytic activities of partially purified DNA and RNA polymerases in a manner that was competitive with respect to DNA substrate. As judged by spectrophotometric titration, compound III interacted with calf thymus DNA, calf liver RNA, and a variety of single- and double-stranded (deoxy)ribonucleotides. Although no nucleic acid base specificity was discernable, this interaction appeared to be related to the cytotoxic mechanism of this dimeric substance. Monomeric compounds I and II did not interact with nucleic acids, but were effective inhibitors of DNA and RNA synthesis as judged by in vitro systems comprised of cultured UISO-BCA-1 cells or homogenates derived from these cells. The relative inhibitory activities of compounds I and II correlated with their cytotoxic activities suggesting a causal relationship. In addition, these two compounds induced cultured cells to accumulate in the phase of the cell cycle wherein the DNA content ranged from 2n-4n (S + G2/M), and inhibited in vitro DNA and RNA synthesis in a manner that was competitive with respect to nucleotide (TTP or UTP) substrate. Compounds I and II demonstrated greater cytotoxic activity with drug-resistant KB-V1 cells as compared with the parent (drug-sensitive) cell line, whereas this was not the case with compound III. Based on these results and previous literature reports, compounds I, II and III are likely to function by multiple mechanisms of action. However, it appears that alteration of nucleic acid metabolism is key to the activity of each of the substances.
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PMID:Evaluation of the cytotoxic mechanisms mediated by the broad-spectrum antitumor alkaloid acronycine and selected semisynthetic derivatives. 173 Jan 47

Malignant melanoma and primary breast cancer are tumours which have an association based on genetic and hormonal factors. It is not generally appreciated that there is an increased incidence of melanoma in patients with breast cancer and vice versa. We present two cases of patients who developed breast carcinoma following previous treatment for melanoma. We review previous reports of this association and examine the theoretical reasons why this should be so. Medical practitioners should be aware of this association in order to alter their index of suspicion appropriately.
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PMID:Primary breast carcinoma in patients with malignant melanoma. 152 36

The general practitioners in the Canterbury Area Health Board area were surveyed for their screening policies for cancer and medical conditions. Responses were obtained from 210 (79%), 55% of whom had age/sex registers. Ninety-seven percent provided cervical smears, usually at 1-2 year intervals; 62% offered a female smear taker. Smears were initiated opportunistically by 76%, by age/sex register (47%) or on request by 27%. Breast cancer was screened by 69% using mammography and by 59% using breast physical examination; 73% taught breast self examination. Mammography was recommended every two years for women aged 50-64 years by 45% of responders, and annually to women aged 40-50 years by 19%. Mammography was initiated opportunistically by 88%, on request by 70% and using an age/sex register by 21%. Melanoma was screened by 66%, colorectal cancers in those at high risk by 42%. Testicular self examination was promoted by 43%. Ninety-one percent screened for hypertension, and 51% for hyperlipidaemia, 54% for diabetes mellitus in people without risk factors. Smoking (97%) and alcohol intake (82%) were usually inquired for, and safe sex practices by 59%. Established screening modalities were recommended by most practitioners, but the frequency exceeded current guidelines in many cases; opportunistic screening predominated.
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PMID:Cancer and health screening in Canterbury general practices. 174 58

Two cases of necrotic myelopathy are presented. This is a very rare paraneoplasic syndrome. One patient had clear cell renal carcinoma and other had lymphatic metastasis of malignant melanoma without filiation of the primary tumor. The complete spinal study (MNR, CT, myelography) proved normal. Diagnosis is possible when all other causes of spinal disease have been discarded. Nowadays, it is possible to diagnose this disease premortem. The international literature reviewed showed 31 cases published since 1903, associated mainly to malignant diseases such as lymphomas, lung cancer, renal carcinoma, breast cancer, leukemias, etc. The differential diagnosis appears in the comments, as well as the presentation and evolution of the cases described up until now.
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PMID:[Necrotizing myelopathy associated with neoplasia. A clinico-pathological study of 2 cases and a review of the literature]. 175 90

Bioactive terpenes were isolated from the following plant species: 1) Pseudolaric acids: The active compounds of novel diterpenes, Pseudolaric acid A, B, C, and D, were isolated from Pseudolarix kaempferi Gordon (pinaceae). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data and chemical correlations. In continuous studies, absolute configurations, confirmation in solutions, fragmentation mechanisms of MS, and assignments of all nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral signals were also reported. They showed antifungal and cytotoxic activities. Pseudolaric acid A 1 and B 2 showed antifungal activities. Recently, pseudolaric acid B was established as a general cytotoxic agent against P-388 lymphocytic leukemia, KB carcinoma of the nasopharynx, HT-1080 fibrosarcoma, H00 578T breast cancer, human melanoma, human lung cancer, and human colon cancer cell lines. 2) Daphnane diterpenes: In further studies on the plants of Thymelaeaceae, besides 10 known diterpenes, 16 new daphnane diterpenes were isolated from Daphne genkwa, D. tangutica, D. giraldii, Wikstroemie chamaedaphne that showed antifertility activities. In continuous studies, besides 6 known compounds, 17 new daphnane diterpenes were isolated. 3) Tripterygium diterpenes: 14 new diterpenes were isolated from Tripterygium wilfordii, T. regeli and T. hypoglaucum. Tripterygium wilfordii has been used as an anticancer drug, male contraceptive, and immunedepressant in Chinese folk medicine for a long time. Some of them showed antitumor activities. The CD spectra showed that A/B ring of all diterpenes had the same transconfiguration as tripdiolide and triptolide as determined by X-ray diffraction. In 1972 triptolide, tripdiolide and triptonide were isolated with significant anti-tumor activities. Celastrol demonstrated immunodepressive activities. In addition to 10 known triterpenes, 15 new diterpenes were isolated from the plants of Tripterygium by silica gel chromatography. 4) Pregnane glycosides from Marsdenia koi: Two new pregnane glycosides, marsdenikoiside A and marsdenikoiside B, which can terminate early pregnancy were isolated from Marsdenia koi. Their structures were elucidated by hydrolysis and spectroscopic methods.
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PMID:Some progress on the chemistry of natural bioactive terpenoids from Chinese medicinal plants. 184 5

It has been well established that sometimes cancer clusters within specific families. This has suggested the possibility that some of those families might carry genetic defects which provide susceptibility to specific cancers. Retinoblastoma, an embryonal tumor of the eye represents an extreme example of a tumor which has a dramatic genetic component. Several studies have shown that inactivation at the retinoblastoma gene is probably both necessary and sufficient to initiate retinoblastoma formation. Patients who survive the inherited form of the disease are at risk of developing mesenchymal tumors, melanoma and brain tumors in as high as 10% of the patients before they are 40 years old. Because the product of the retinoblastoma gene, p105Rb, is expressed in all cell types, the obvious question is what accounts for these tissue specific differences in the role of p105Rb. Small cell lung carcinomas virtually all have associated mutations in the Rb gene and yet those tumors do not occur at a significantly increased frequency in patients with the hereditary form of retinoblastoma. In order to identify genes which might predispose to some of the more common adult malignancies, we have focused on one form of hereditary breast cancer. We chose a rare form of hereditary breast cancer which occurs in families with sarcomas (Li-Fraumeni Syndrome). By use of the candidate gene approach we tested which germ line p53 mutations were found in affected family members with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). We have found that virtually all of the families with LFS have germ line p53 mutations, and that these tumors have undergone inactivation of the remaining wild-type p53 allele. In order to investigate the role of germ line p53 mutations outside of these rare families, we have begun to investigate other high risk groups. These results indicate that de novo germ line p53 mutations certainly occur in these high risk groups. These findings along with the recognition of the germ line p53 mutations in families with LFS provide clues about the importance of uncovering hidden susceptibilities from germ line tumor suppressor genes not only for the care of patients, but also for understanding the primary events that normally regulate the growth of cells in various tissue.
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PMID:Cancer risks from germ line tumor suppressor gene mutations. 184 52

In the Saarland there is a population-based cancer registry, which has collected information about cancer cases over a long period. An important task of population-based cancer registries is the analysis of its data in respect to incidence, mortality and survival of cancer patients. Not all patients who have been diagnosed with cancer die of that disease. In order to evaluate the survival of cancer patients in respect of their particular disease, survival rates are calculated after the determination of the influence of other causes of death. The so-called relative survival rates (calculated for the first five years after diagnosis) are also used in order to evaluate simultaneously the prognostic importance of variables such as sex, age and year of diagnosis. This analysis with data from the cancer registry of the Saarland deals with 9 tumor localizations: stomach, colon, rectum; breast, cervix uteri and corpus uteri; prostate, lung, malignant skin melanoma. In general the 5-year relative survival rates slightly increased when the time period 1972-1976 was compared with 1982-1986. Cancer of the corpus uteri was one exception, in that the relative survival rate was constant over time, and cancer of the cervix uteri was another, in that a decrease of relative survival rate was found, which together with the decreasing incidence might be ascribed to a successful early detection program. There was no significant improvement in the relative survival time for lung or breast cancer patients.
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PMID:[Do cancer patients survive longer today than before? Survival analysis of cancer patients in the Saar region from 1972 to 1986]. 186 15

The expression of the estramustine/estromustine-binding protein (EMBP) in human mammary cancer and malignant melanoma was examined by immunochemical methods and compared with that in endometrial and ovarian cancers. By RIA measurements, EMBP was detected in 6/17 mammary cancers (range 11.3-2,660 ng/g tissue) and 2/3 malignant melanomas (618 and 1,240 ng/g), whereas endometrial (n = 6) and ovarian (n = 3) cancers exhibited non-detectable levels. In breast cancer, EMBP-expressing tumours were all estrogen receptor-negative, suggesting an inverse correlation between EMBP and hormone responsiveness of the tumour. Biochemical characterization revealed properties of EMBP in mammary tumours and melanomas almost identical to those for EMBP purified from rat ventral prostate: i.e. surface-charge distribution by Mono Q/FPLC ion-exchange chromatography, a molecular weight of 50,000 by gel filtration, and a subunit composition by Western blot analysis under denaturing conditions. Finally, the EMBP immunoreactivity was confined to the cytoplasm of malignant cells in breast cancer and melanoma sections by immunohistochemical examination. This is the first study that demonstrates EMBP in mammary cancer and malignant melanoma. Our findings suggest that a mechanism for selective uptake of cytotoxic estramustine and estromustine is prevailing in these malignancies and that monitoring of EMBP in biopsy samples will be of value in defining patients who may benefit from Estracyt treatment.
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PMID:Expression and partial characterization of estramustine-binding protein (EMBP) in human breast cancer and malignant melanoma. 188 47


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