The University of Chicago Cancer Research Center: Clinical Cancer Research Program is a multidisciplinary research effort encompassing diagnosis, staging, treatment, and correlations with basic science investigations in the following broad areas: (1) Breast Cancer -Pathologic evaluation of cases and correlation with estrogen receptors, lymph node morphology, and endocrine data will be continued; antibodies to receptor protein have been prepared and efforts to develop a radioimmunoassay will continue. (2) Gastrointestinal Cancer - The program to assess vulnerability of ulcerative colitis patients for cancer continues employing histologic and cytologic assessment with colonoscopy as well as studies of humoral and cell-mediated immunity. (3) Thyroid Cancer - Comparison of irradiated patients and patients who had thyroid carcinoma without history of irradiation continues. The immunologic status of thyroid cancer patients is being evaluated. TSH receptors on the surface of thyroid tumors will be studied. Immune complexes are being determined in the circulation of the patients. (4) Comprehensive Approach to Glioma Therapy - Kirsten virus induced brain tumors in rats are employed to study pathogenesis and test radio/chemotherapeutic interventions. A study of combined surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy with BCNU and epipodophyllotoxin is being completed. Glia maturation factor has been purified to homogeneity and specific antiserum is being obtained. (5) Lymphoma-Leukemia Program -Sensitive cellular assays measuring nanogram quantities of Ig have been developed to study B-cell function; T-cell cytotoxicity can also be assayed accurately. These techniques are used to study neoplastic lymphocytes. The project encompasses a determination of surface T- and B-cell markers, a cytogenetic analysis, the measurement and functional role of autologous serum immune complexes, and the determination of the effects of alpha-fetoprotein, an oncofetal protein, on the neoplastic cells contained in these separate lymphocytic malignancies.
NIH ExPorter
NIH ExPorter