Previous studies showed that patients with neoplasms of various types and origins have abnormally high concentration of DNA in their serum. The current work compares circulating DNA levels in patients with benign or malignant disease of the gastrointestinal tract and determines the diagnostic value of such measurements. DNA was quantitated by radioimmunoassay capable of detecting 25 ng/ml, and as a simple and noninvasive test, it could be a useful addition to other diagnostic procedures. The GI tract was chosen because it affords a comparison of benign, precancerous, and malignant lesions of the same organ. Of the 386 patients studied prospectively, 48% had benign disease and mean DNA levels (±SE) of 118 ± 14 ng/ml, whereas 52% had malignant disease and 412 ± 63 ng DNA/ml. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The DNA assay showed the highest sensitivity for pancreas carcinoma: 90% of the patients had DNA levels above 100 ng/ml, chosen as the upper normal limit. Simultaneous measurements of both DNA and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) resulted in increased sensitivity and specificity, even when either marker alone had low sensitivity (gastric carcinoma). The results indicate that serum DNA concentration is markedly elevated in malignancy, and moderately elevated in benign disease, as compared with normal controls. These findings may have diagnostic and prognostic value.

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DNA levels were measured in synovial fluids and sera of 106 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), gout, pseudogout, and posttraumatic arthritis (TRA). In synovial fluids, the highest concentration was found in rheumatoid arthritis (mean f SE 18 f 3 pg/d for seropositive and 9 f 1 pg/d for seronegative variants), gout and pseudogout (17 f 3 pg/ ml). In contrast, the levels in patients with OA or acute TRA were very low: 0.8 f 0.1 pg/d and 1.1 f 0.2 pg/ ml, respectively. The difference between the means of the first disease group and OA or TRA is statistically significant. A similar pattern was observed for DNA levels in the circulation: in rheumatoid arthritis, the mean concentration was 135 f 28 ng/ml and 164 f 39 n g / d for seropositive and seronegative RA, respectively. Again the levels in OA and TRA were much lower, 52 k 18 ng/ml and 0 ng/ml, respectively. The latter are not significantly different from the mean levels of 95 normal,

Previous studies in vitro have shown that it is possible to achieve comparable temperature distribution in bone and the adjacent soft tissues, under appropriate experimental conditions. The objective of the present work was to determine the effects of hyperthermia on bone in vivo. In order to obtain direct temperature measurements in bone, catheters were surgically installed on top of and inside the medullary cavity of the femur of normal rabbits. The thighs were irradiated with 915 MHz microwaves for 45 min, once or twice a week. The temperatures on and inside the bone were maintained between 42.5 and 44.0 degrees C; the resulting temperatures in the muscle were within 1.0 degrees C at depths equidistant from the applicator. After four to six treatments the femora were excised for histopathological examination. New trabecular bone was deposited around the catheters; most bone components including periosteum, osteoid, and fully calcified matrix could be seen. Large numbers of osteoblasts and osteoclasts lined the trabecular surfaces, and numerous cement lines were visible, running in all directions, indicating extensive bone deposition and remodelling. In contrast, control bones (catheters installed--no hyperthermia) showed much less ossification, with many areas of thin incomplete osteoid. Further, bones treated with hyperthermia only (no surgical trauma) showed no such changes. Thus, it appears that following an initial insult, hyperthermia promotes bone deposition.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to document previously unreported anemia in prostate cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant combined androgen blockade (CAB) and pelvic radiotherapy (XRT). METHODS Four institutions treated 141 patients (mean age ± SD, 70.9 ± 6.5 years) with zoladex 3.6 mg injection subcutaneous depot monthly and flutamide 250 mg orally three times per day for 2 months (CAB), followed by zoladex and flutamide with concurrent XRT (65–70 Gy) for 7–8 weeks. RESULTS After the XRT, the patients were randomized to receive no further treatment (Z− group, 71 patients) or zoladex alone (Z+ group, 70 patients) for 2 years. Hemoglobin (Hb) levels decreased ≥1 g/dl (mean ± SE, 2.1 ± 0.1 g/dl) in 98/131 patients: (75%) after 2 months of CAB, and ≥2 g/dl (3.1 ± 0.1 g/dl; range, 0.1–6.8 g/dl) in 106/131 patients (81%) after an additional 2 months of CAB with concurrent XRT. The decrease in Hb levels paralleled the decrease in testosterone levels. No evidence of blood loss or hemolysis was found. CONCLUSIONS There was no association between incidence or rate of Hb‐decrease and race, age, or pretreatment prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) levels. However, the recovery from anemia after completion of CAB in African‐Americans was slower than in Whites in the Z+ group (P < 0.04). Whereas grade 1 hematologic toxicity may occur in <5% of the patients with zoladex alone, and ∼6% with flutamide alone, in our study 81% showed mild to pronounced anemia. Since anemia has not been observed after treatment with XRT alone or XRT followed by zoladex, we conclude that the anemia was due to CAB. Recognition of this side effect should avoid unnecessary diagnostic evaluations. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.