Among the highlights in the November 1999 Cancer Watch issue are: Prolactinomas: Predictors of Outcome After Surgical Treatment, Testing for Genes in Colon Cancer, Tumor Vascularization, Polyamines in Breast Cancer: Prognostic Implications, Lower Genital Tract Infections, An Important Biomarker for Cervical Lesion, Treatment of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Infections, Soy Diet Can Induce Apoptosis in Cancer Cells, An Alternative Procedure to Surgical Breast Biopsy, Effect of Smoking on Potency of Prostate Cancer Patients, Universal Immune Defense Against Cancer, Anticancer Agents from Natural Sources, All Is Not Well With Contemporary Medicine, Antidepressant Helps Cancer Therapy, Amifostine Improves Quality of Life for Cancer Patients.

• Prolactinomas: Predictors of Outcome After Surgical Treatment
• Testing for Genes in Colon Cancer
• Tumor Vascularization
• Polyamines in Breast Cancer: Prognostic Implications

• The Second Annual International Conference on Lower Genital Tract Infections and Disorders in Chicago provided a forum for a wide range of topics for both clinicians and the lay public. These included screening, diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms for human papillomavirus (HPV)-related diseases, including cervical cancer; comprehensive colposcopy with interactive case presentations; diagnostic strategies and management algorithms for vaginitides and herpes simplex virus; and a public health forum on sexually transmitted diseases. Some of the most interesting presentations involved the diagnosis and treatment of the cervical cancer precursor, low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL), which follow.
  

• Laminin-5, a major extracellular matrix protein, can be used as a marker to identify abnormal cervical lesions with invasive potential. Thus early diagnosis of invasive cancer could lead to appropriate treatment.

• In the intestine reside varieties of bacteria, enterococcus, a group of streptococcus is one of them. Cancer patients who may have poor immune reaction and whose intestinal membrane may be damaged by chemotherapy are susceptible to infections caused by these endogenous bacteria. They may get exogenous infection in the hospital from contaminated devices. More and more drug-resistant bacteria are detected and this presents a therapeutic challenge to physicians.
  

• Diet rich in soy product is found to reduce risk of breast cancer. Isoflavones, the plant estrogens, are thought to be in part responsible for this effect. In animal experiments it is shown that soy-rich diet can also retard the growth of prostate cancer. It induces apoptosis and inhibits angiogenesis.

• A hand-held device has been developed that can be used to obtain biopsy tissue sample from suspicious breast abnormalities. This procedure can be performed in doctors’ office and does not require any stitches.

• Nonsmoking may improve the sexual potency of prostate cancer patients treated with 3D conformal radiation.
  

• A universal anticancer antibody is detected in human blood that is cytotoxic to all cancer cells. This antibody is so far the earliest marker of cancerous transformation and is found to increase with age as the risk of cancer increases. Presence of this antibody in serum indicates that the immune system is trying to combat the disease. It is observed that the survival of cancer patients is directly related to the concentration of the antibody, and hence it can be used as a marker for prognosis. This specific immunoglobulin has been isolated and produced in vitro. This product can be used as a general cancer vaccine and opens new possibilities for cancer prevention and treatment.

• Nature is and has always been an abundant source of substances with therapeutic effects. We tend to forget that from taxol and plant alkaloids to microbial antibiotics æ most of the currently used antineoplastic agents originate indeed from "natural sources"; eventually, the majority of these substances have been synthesized, became available commercially and are considered as man-made. The traditional medical attitude of scepticism and incredulity for plant- and marine-based compounds is very much out of place; the recent forays of scientists into coral reefs and deep subsurface thermal vents opens an entirely new world of bioactive agents.

• During this century, progress in health care has been dramatic and flamboyant; we have come to expect a continuous upward trend, bordering with miracles. Highly refined imaging techniques, heroic surgical interventions and transplants, futuristic gene therapy and a torrent of novel drugs æ this is what the media are preparing the public for. Perhaps it is timely to pause and re-evaluate: is this exponential curve in medical knowledge and achievement truly for ever?

• A severe side effect of alpha-interferon treatment is depression. Pretreatment of cancer patients with antidepressants seems to reduce the degree of depression and certain neuromuscular discomforts. Cancer therapy can then be continued.

• Amifostine, a new drug, when given about 15 minutes before radiation therapy to head and neck cancer patients alleviates therapy-induced severe dryness of the mouth, that is the most common side effect of radiation treatment.

• A glossary of unfamiliar words and jargons in Cancer Watch, November '99.