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Purpose: The present study was undertaken, to evaluate whether ophthalmic drug, containing iodine applied to conjunctival sac might result in a significant increase of urine iodine excretion and thus might be indirectly associated with the risk of iodine-induced hyperthyroidism. The aim of the study was to examine the occurrence of biochemically relevant changes in urine iodine excretion and in thyroid function after topical administration of ophthalmic drug containing iodine., Material and Methods: In the study twenty-two patients without a history of thyroid disease were examined. The Vitreolent (Ciba Vision) was applied topically to conjunctival sac four times a day for one month. The urinary iodine excretion, using "Rapid Urinary Iodine Test" (Merck KgaA) and parameters of thyroid function (TSH, FT3, FT4) were measured before starting and after therapy., Results: The data showed, that was a significant increase in urinary iodine excretion at the end of therapy; as far as thyroid function was concerned, neither changes in level of TSH nor thyroid hormones were observed.

The aim of the study was to evaluate radiation risk in the environment of patients treated with 131I as an ablative therapy following radical surgery for the differentiated thyroid cancer. The activities of radioiodine used in this form of therapy approximate 2.8 GBq (76 mCi) and the in cases of the cancer metastases to other organs may be as high as 7.4 GBq (200 mCi). Dose equivalent rates were estimated in nine seated patients at the level of the thyroid close to the gland surface, and 0.5 and 1 m away from it. The measurements were performed at one, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and 168 hours after the injection of 131I. The dose equivalent rates at various distances from the thyroid surface at different times were approximated with the exponential function by the least square method. Then, the dose equivalents were calculated from the moment of 131I application to the moment of the total removal of the isotope from the organism. From this relation, time intervals after which the annual threshold doses of 1, 5, and 50 mSv would be exceeded were computed as the function of the applied 131I activity. The results of the present study indicate that attendants of the patients treated with 131I will not be exposed to the doses of ionising radiation exceeding the acceptable annual thresholds provided with the limited time intervals. In addition, the present results may be useful in elaborating procedures of dealing with and handling the patients during their stay at hospital, at home, and at work.

Ablative treatment of thyroid cancer with 131I is associated with the exposure to ionizing radiation of not only the target cells but also other cells and organs in the patient's body. Thermoluminescent dosimetry showed that the mean dose equivalent in ovaries equaled to several dozen mSv when the mean therapeutic dose was 2.8 GBq of 131I. In the treated young women the performed ovulation tests revealed no dysfunction of the ovaries. The highest dose equivalent in the clinic staff would not exceed 20 mSv per year. Accordingly, the dose equivalents to the public would not exceed the threshold limit of 1 mSv per year. In order to fulfill the requirements of regulations for disposal of radioactive waste and the necessity to store the waste for as long as 80 days it is obligatory to utilize setting tanks of very large capacity.

Treatment and diagnostics with 131I play an important role in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) after thyreoidectomy. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of some factors on ablative therapy results. Fifty seven patients with DTC were investigated (44 females--mean age 46.6 yrs, 13 males--mean age 55.6 yrs.). Papillary thyroid cancer was diagnosed in forty five patients (79%) however, follicular thyroid cancer in the others (21%). We performed post-therapeutic whole-body scan (WBS) after high fixed doses of 131I (median = 75 mCi) and six months later diagnostic WBS (mean 4.3 mCi) in every patient. Postoperative radioiodine uptake, levels of TSH and thyroglobulin (Tg) serum concentrations were assessed after thyroid hormones withdrawal before imaging. The absence of radioiodine uptake in the thyroid bed (effective ablation) was observed in 64.9% of patients. In other cases scans showed significantly diminished uptake of the tracer in the remnants. Statistically significant difference in TSH levels before and after radioiodine therapy (75.6 vs. 106.7 microIU/ml, p < 0.001) was found in all patients. However, effectiveness of the ablative therapy did not depend on radioiodine uptake, TSH and Tg levels before radioiodine treatment.

Interleukin-2 is a lymphokine with documented antineoplastic influence, with not completely understood mechanism of action. The case of 46-years old patient with relapsed metastatic malignant melanoma treated with constant-infusion of rIL-2 is described. 9-month remission was achieved. During the course of treatment a lot of side effects including flu-like symptoms, hypotonia, anemia and thrombocytopenia, and also many biochemical disturbances were observed.

In the time period from November 1984 to January 1987 eight allogeneic bone marrow transplantation were performed from HLA-identical siblings. The theoretical chance of success in this group was between 21 and 50%, according to the recent data of the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry, depending on the diagnosis and clinical condition. The average chance was 37.5%. Haemopoietic reconstitution was achieved in 6 recipients, while 2 died of early complications (cytostatic induced hepatocellular damage and fungal sepsis). Another 3 patients died of complications of the intermediate period (pulmonary bleeding, virus hepatitis, graft rejection). The remaining 3 recipients are alive, in excellent clinical condition, including one girl surviving more than 2 years after the transplantation.

In 25 patients with malignant pulmonary neoplasms 38 scintiscanning investigations were carried out using the method of albumin microspheres labeled with 131I, technetium -99 m, or indium -113 m and macrocolloids of ferric hydroxide labeled with 113mIn. In 10 patients with infiltration of the main or lobar bronchi scintiscanning demonstrated in 9 cases complete absence of perfusion of one lung. In these cases routine radiological investigations demonstrated normal perfusion and aeration of lung parenchyma in the involved lung. Among 13 cases of carcinoma situated in segmental or subsegmental bronchi the areas with absent perfusion were in 7 cases larger than changes observed during radiological examination. Scintiscanning investigations were used also for evaluation of therapeutic results of synchronized chemotherapy in malignant neoplasms of this organ. Scintiscanning is a method well tolerated by the patients and it may be performed repeatedly in the same case for evaluation changes in perfusion disturbances caused by malignant lung neoplasms. It may be helpful in choice of a proper method of treatment.

Seeking a system with which to study the antitheta-sensitive regulatory cell (TSRC), other than the W/Wv anemic mouse, we tested a model which utilizes mouse strains differing almost exclusively in theta allotype. AKR/FuRd Thy 1.1 mice were immunized against CBA Thy 1.2 mouse thymocytes to produce antibody. The immunized mice were lethally irradiated and grafted with marrow cells from AKR/Cum Thy 1.2 mice. It was reasoned that in this situation antitheta-sensitive cells present in or produced by the graft will be destroyed, while theta-incompatible host cells may not be as capable of collaboration with the graft stem cells as are the graft's theta-compatible cells. Anti-Thy 1.2 immunization did not influence the number of spleen colonies formed by marrow from Thy 1.2 mice; but the colonies formed, especially the erythropoietic colonies, were reduced in size. Also, both the relative and absolute frequencies of erythropoietic colonies were decreased, while those of granulopoietic colonies were increased. Therefore, the destruction of antitheta-sensitive cells in this system resulted in decreased effectiveness of spleen colony growth and altered the differentiation pattern of colony-forming cells. These effects were not observed in control groups immunized with CBA tissues not bearing the Thy 1.2 antigen. This study further stresses the importance of the theta antigen in hemopoietic differentiation and may provide an alternative in vivo model for studying the TSRC.

During MOPP (mechloretamine, vincristine, procarbasine and prednisone) chemotherapy in Hodgkin's disease a pattern of haematological injury develops gradually, and the period of maximal disturbances in peripheral blood parameters includes the last two or three months (the last 2 or 3 courses) of treatment with insufficient rebound between the courses. On the contrary, in the case of "synchronization" chemotherapy (vincristine and cyclophosphamide) in lung cancer a pattern of haematological injury develops rapidly, and the period of maximal disturbances in peripheral blood parameters takes only a few days, 7-12 days after each course, with sufficient or enhanced rebound between the courses. These differences are probably due to different scheduling of drugs in these methods of therapy.

Eighteen patients with various solid tumors were treated with combination of vincristine and 30-50 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide. Prior therapy and in 1-3 day intervals these patients had determined in peripheral bloods: frequency of reticulocytes (%R), absolute reticulocyte count (ARC), corrected reticulocyte count (CRC), reticulocyte production index (RPI) and hematocrit (Ht). These studies have shown that the impairment of reticulocyte production is earlier diagnosed by RPI than ARC and CRC, and finally by %R. On the other hand, %R was the parameter which allowed for the earliest detection of the beginning of recovery post chemotherapy. It is concluded that the RPI is the parameter of choice for detecting the impairment of erythropoiesis during evaluation of new drugs and protocols of cancer chemotherapy.

Twenty-three patients with histologically proven bronchogenic carcinoma of the lung were treated with regimen consisting of 3 intravenous doses of 0.4 mg/kg of MTX and intravenous infusion of 30-50 mg/kg body weight of CPM. Interval between 1st and 2nd dose of MTX, which served as synchronizing agent in phase G1/S, was 12 hrs, and interval between 2nd and 3rd dose -- 6 hrs. Infusion of CPM, which was considered to be a preferably S-phase killer was started simultaneously with administration of 3rd dose of MTX. Such courses were repeated every 21-30 days. Objective responses were noted in 10 of 19 adequately treated patients. MTX-CPM favourably influenced survival of the responders. The therapy was, however associated with a number of adverse reactions, from which neutropenia and complicating bacterial infections were particularly dangerous.

In a patient aged 22 years with acute myeloblastic leukaemia during complete remission an allogenic transplant of bone marrow identical in the HLA antigen range was rejected despite administration before transplantation of a full marrow-ablating dose of busulphan (16 mg/kg) and severe graft-versus-host disease. Graft rejection manifested itself as disappearance of its haemopoietic function which was confirmed during the life and on autopsy. The case deserves attention in view of the rarity of HLA-identical marrow graft rejections in patients treated for leukaemias.

The paper describes an accidental 137Cs internal and external contamination of a woman 28 years old by handling of two unsealed 137Cs sources of 2.5 Ci total activity. The only abnormality found by laboratory tests was leukopenia. The chromosomes of blood lymphocytes were also investigated. 137Cs content in urine between the 8th and 40th day after accident ranged from 34, 53 to 12.01 nCi/day. The mean feces: urine ratio was 0.25 +/- 0.06. The increase of 137Cs excretion in urine, after administration of diurectic "Lasix" and potassium was not observed. Mean biological half-life calculated from regression curve was 64 days. Body content found by whole body counting, performed on the 8th and 15th day after accident, was 6.5 muCi and 5.1 muCi respectively. The initial 137Cs body burden of 6.9 muCi was calculated for the value 5.1 muCi. The corresponding total radiation dose was 0.26 rads and quarterly dose was 0.16 rads.

The criteria for false positivity of the NBT test were described including absence of classical clinical signs of bacterial infection, negative blood (and, if necessary, other) cultures, and lack of response of antibacterial treatment as the basis for appreciation of positive NBT test result as false-positive. A case of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia with all the criteria being fulfilled was described.