In this naturally allocated, population-based cohort study, IMNI increased overall survival in patients with early-stage node-positive breast cancer.

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Stored whole blood, plasma-reduced whole blood, and saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol blood may release white cell- and platelet-derived bioactive substances in a time-dependent manner, which may be related to the detrimental effects of perioperative blood transfusions. Therefore, prestorage white cell reduction should be considered for further improvement of red cell suspensions.

A kinetic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for plasma tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 was developed in order to examine the potential diagnostic and prognostic value of TIMP-1 measurements in cancer patients. The ELISA enabled specific detection of total TIMP-1 in EDTA, citrate and heparin plasma. The assay was rigorously tested and requirements of sensitivity, specificity, stability and good recovery were fulfilled. TIMP-1 levels measured in citrate plasma (mean 69.2 ± 13.1 μg l −1 ) correlated with TIMP-1 measured in EDTA plasma (mean 73.5 ± 14.2 μg l −1 ) from the same individuals in a set of 100 healthy blood donors (Spearman's rho = 0.62, P < 0.0001). The mean level of TIMP-1 in EDTA plasma from 143 patients with Dukes' stage D colorectal cancer was 240 ± 145 μg l −1 and a Mann–Whitney test demonstrated a highly significant difference between TIMP-1 levels in healthy blood donors and colorectal cancer patients ( P < 0.0001). Similar findings were obtained for 19 patients with advanced breast cancer (mean 292 ± 331 μg l −1 ). The results show that TIMP-1 is readily measured in plasma samples by ELISA and that increased levels of TIMP-1 are found in patients with advanced cancer. It is proposed that plasma measurements of TIMP-1 may have value in the management of cancer patients. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaign