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Altavilla, G., Adamo, V., Alafaci, E. et al.

Universita di Messina, Istituto di Clinica Oncologica e di Ricerca sui Tumori, Messina, Italy. Minerva. Med. 76: 2117-2120, 1985.

Serum copper levels (SCL) and serum zinc levels (SZL) were measured in two groups of lung cancer patients divided according to disease extension. SCL was higher, SZL was lower and the SCL/SZL ratio was raised to a greater extent in patients extensively affected by the disease. It is confirmed that SCL, SZL and the SCL/SZL ratio play an important role in indicating the stage of lung cancer development. Plumbers are consi- stent with previous reports. Elevated risks for stomach cancer among carpenters and ma- chinists may reflect exposure to dusts, abrasives, and cutting oils.

Imune Reactivity to Thomsen-Friedenreich Antigen in Patients with Lung Cancer Detect- ed by Superoxide Assay Leukocyte Adherence Inhibition Test. Ichinose, y., Yagawa, K., Kaku, M. et al. Department of Chest Surgery, Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka 815, Japan. Cancer Res. 45: 4473-4477, 1985.

The immune reactivity to partially purified Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen was investigated in patients with lung cancer. The modified method of original leukocyte adherence inhibition test, termed super- oxide assay-leukocyte adherence inhibition test, was used to detect the reactivity. The coded peripheral mononuclear cells from 34 of 50 (68%) patients with lung cancer showed a positive response to the antigen whereas in only 3 of 19 (16%) patients with benign pulmonary disease was there a reac- tion to the antigen. The same experiments were performed using the 3 m KCI extract of lung tumors as an antigen. In this case in 39 of 50 (78%) patients with lung cancer but in only 4 of 24 (17%) with benign pulmo- nary disease and in none of the breast cancer patients (0 of 17) was there a reaction to the antigen. These results strongly suggest that patients with lung cancer are sensitized to both Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen and tumor-associated antigens expressed in can- cer cells of lung tissue origin.

Cardiac Metastasis from Adenocarcinoma of the Lung. Echocardiographic-Pathologic Correlation.

weg, I.L., Mehra, S., Azueta, V., Rosner, F. Department of Medicine, Queens Hospital Center Affiliation of Long Island Jewish- Hillside Medical Center, Jamaica, NY 11432, U.S.A. Am. J. Med. 80: 108-112, 1986.

Metastatic cancer to the heart is dif- ficult to diagnose ante-mortem. This report describes a patient with adenocarcinoma of the lung who presented with cardiac manife- stations mimicking coronary artery disease.

Two-dimensional echocardiography demonstra- ted massive cardiac infiltration with tumor, correlating with subsequent autopsy findings, which were also remarkable for endocardial implants and coronary artery emboli without myocardial infarction. Use of two-dimen- sional echocardiography may detect intra- cardiac tumor at an earlier stage.

Giant Cell Carcinoma of the Lung. Clinical and Roentgenographic Manifestations. Shin, M.S., Jackson, L.K., Shelton, R.W. Jr., Greene, R.E. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Alabama, Birming- ham, AL 35233, U.S.A. Chest 89: 366-369, 1986.

Giant cell carcinoma of the lung is an unusual form of pulmonary malignancy that follows an extremely aggressive clinical course. We report the clinical and roent- genographic manifestations of 14 patients with pathologically proven giant cell car- cinoma of the lung, and compare our data to other reports in the literature. Our patients often presented with or developed constitutional or nonthoracic symptoms. This neoplasm was characterized by early evidence of wide-spread metastases. However, extension of tumor to the chest wall was not as frequent in our series as has been previously described. The survival from the time of diagnosis was extremely short. Any hope of successful treatment of this neo- plasm depends on prompt, early diagnosis. PulmonMry giant cell carcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of large, round or oval, sharply outlined peripheral lung masses.

Possible Risk of Invasive Pulmonary Asper- gillosis With MarijuanaUse during Chemo- therpay for Small Cell Lung Cancer. sutton, s., Lum, B.L., Torti, P.M. Depart- ment of Pharmacy, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA 94304, U.S.A. Drug. Intell. Clin. Pharm. 20: 289-291, 1986.

Bacterial and fungal contaminants have been identified in marijuana samples and thus are a potential risk factor in the im- munocompromised patient using it as an antiemetic. We describe the development of an invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in a patient using illicitly obtained marijuana as an antiemetic during combination anti- tumor therapy for small cell lung cancer. Although this patient had multiple risk factors implicated in the developmmnt of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, the in- fectious potential of inhaled marijuana must be recognized. Further study of this potential health risk is needed.

Sensory Neuronopathy and Small Cell Lung Cancer. Antineuronal Antibody tha t a l so Reacts with the Tumor.