Measurement of cell production rates in human gastro-intestinal cancer-a guide to treatment?

Abstract

Cell production rates were measured in 19 cases of rectal carcinoma and in 11 cases of gastric carcinoma using a stathmokinetic technique. These measurements were compared with results from normal rectal and gastric mucosa. It was found that most of the cases of rectal cancer were proliferating more slowly than morphologically normal rectal mucosa. This was true for the majority of gastric cancers, but a small proportion appeared to be proliferating more rapidly. These results are discussed with their relevance to appropriate therapy.

Epithelial cell kinetics. A review of methods of study and their application to oral mucosa in health and disease

“…For example, the spread of Mi's and Li's amongst leukoplakia speeimens within separate investigations ranged from 2 to >f 0-fold, while the spread of values amongst eontrol tissue from the same studies was only of the order of 2 to 4-fold. Similar high levels in inter-patient variation have been reported for squamous eell carcinoma of the oral cavity (Breseiani et al 1974, Chavaudra et al 1979, basal eell eareinotna (Weinstein & Frost 1970), cervical earcinoma (Dixon et al 1977, Siracky et al 1977, gastric and eolonie carcinoma (Britton et al 1975, Lesher et al f977, Maskens & Deschner 1977) and breast cancer (Meyer & Bauer 1976, Sklarew et al 1977. Sueh wide variation between individuals probably contributes to the failure to deteet signifieant differenees between patient and control groups in some studies.…”

“…Gastrointestinal eancer is reported to account for more than 25% of deaths from malignant disease in Western countries (Britton et al 1975) and response to radiotherapy and ehemotherapy is generally disappointing. Furthermore, in gastrointestinal tumours perhaps more so than in tumours affecting certain other organs, the variation in cell proliferation is extensive (Lesher et al 1911, Maskens & Desehner 1977.…”

“…It was suggested that this group might correspond to the JO-20% of patients who responded clinically to 5-fluorouracil and methotrexate (Comis & Carter 1974). Although based on different experimental data, this time using an in vivo metaphase arrest technique with vincristine, Britton et al (1975) also observed that approximately 20% of gastric tumours pr-oliferate more rapidly than adjaeent tiormal mucosa and suggested that these tumours might represent the ones suseeptible to chemotherapy. In the major-ity of the other cases involving both gastric and rectal mucosa, the tumour's proliferated more slowly than the adjacent normal mucosa and in sueh eases any cytototoxic agent might be expected to have a greater adverse effeet on normal tissue.…”