germanium and Neoplasms

The aim of this study is to compare the natural radioactivity and excess life time cancer risk (ELCR) factor of soil in different regions of Pakistan during last decade. Soil contains various elements and compounds including naturally occurring radioactive elements (. In this reviewed data, gamma rays spectroscopy used to determine the concentrations of. Mostly, different gamma rays energy peaks of relevant daughter radionuclides of radioactive element were used such as the energy peak lines of daughter radionuclides

Topics: Germanium; Humans; Neoplasms; Pakistan; Risk Assessment; Soil

Inflammation plays an essential role in the development and progression of most cancers. Chemokine C-C motif chemokine 2 (CCL2) and its receptor C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) constitute a key signaling axis in inflammation that has recently attracted much interest on the basis of evidence showing its association with cancer progression. Propagermanium (3-oxygermylpropionic acid polymer) is an organogermanium compound that is given for the treatment of hepatitis B in Japan and which inhibits the CCL2-CCR2 signaling pathway. Herein, we review the importance of the CCL2-CCR2 axis as a target in cancer treatment as shown by studies in mice and humans with pharmacological agents including propagermanium.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Chemokine CCL2; Clinical Trials as Topic; Germanium; Humans; Japan; Mice; Neoplasms; Organometallic Compounds; Propionates; Receptors, CCR2; Signal Transduction; Small Molecule Libraries

Review is made of dosimetric studies of Ge-doped SiO(2) telecommunication fibre as a 1-D thermoluminescence (TL) system for therapeutic applications. To-date, the response of these fibres has been investigated for UV sources, superficial X-ray beam therapy facilities, a synchrotron microbeam facility, electron linear accelerators, protons, neutrons and alpha particles, covering the energy range from a few eV to several MeV. Dosimetric characteristics include, reproducibility, fading, dose response, reciprocity between TL yield and dose-rate and energy dependence. The fibres produce a flat response to fixed photon and electron doses to within better than 3% of the mean TL distribution. Irradiated Ge-doped SiO(2) optical fibres show limited signal fading, with an average loss of TL signal of ~0.4% per day. In terms of dose response, Ge-doped SiO(2) optical fibres have been shown to provide linearity to x and electron doses, from a fraction of 1 Gy up to 2 kGy. The dosimeters have also been used in measuring photoelectron generation from iodinated contrast media; TL yields being some 60% greater in the presence of iodine than in its absence. The review is accompanied by previously unpublished data.

Topics: Brachytherapy; Germanium; Humans; Neoplasms; Optical Fibers; Radiometry; Silicon Dioxide; Thermoluminescent Dosimetry; Ultraviolet Rays

With the introduction of combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) systems, several questions have to be answered. In this work we addressed two of these questions: (a) to what value can the CT tube current be reduced while still yielding adequate maps for the attenuation correction of PET emission scans and (b) how do quantified uptake values in tumours derived from CT and germanium-68 attenuation correction compare. In 26 tumour patients, multidetector CT scans were acquired with 10, 40, 80 and 120 mA (CT10, CT40, CT80 and CT120) and used for the attenuation correction of a single FDG PET emission scan, yielding four PET scans designated PET(CT10)-PET(CT120). In 60 tumorous lesions, FDG uptake and lesion size were quantified on PET(CT10)-PET(CT120). In another group of 18 patients, one CT scan acquired with 80 mA and a standard transmission scan acquired using 68Ge sources were employed for the attenuation correction of the FDG emission scan (PET(CT80), PET(68Ge)). Uptake values and lesion size in 26 lesions were compared on PET(CT80) and PET(68Ge). In the first group of patients, analysis of variance revealed no significant effect of CT current on tumour FDG uptake or lesion size. In the second group, tumour FDG uptake was slightly higher using CT compared with 68Ge attenuation correction, especially in lesions with high FDG uptake. Lesion size was similar on PET(CT80) and PET(68Ge). In conclusion, low CT currents yield adequate maps for the attenuation correction of PET emission scans. Although the discrepancy between CT- and 68Ge-derived uptake values is probably not relevant in most cases, it should be kept in mind if standardised uptake values derived from CT and 68Ge attenuation correction are compared.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Calibration; Female; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Germanium; Humans; Image Enhancement; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Neoplasms; Radiographic Image Enhancement; Radioisotopes; Radiopharmaceuticals; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tomography, Emission-Computed; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Spirogermanium, a heavy metal compound in which germanium has been substituted in an azaspirane ring structure, was studied in 39 patients with advanced malignant neoplasms. Thirty-one patients were considered evaluable for toxic effects of spirogermanium. Transient neurological symptoms occurred in 12 patients (39%), including dizziness or lightheadedness, marked fatigue, visual blurring, ataxia, paresthesia, and nausea. These symptoms could be reduced by infusing the drug over 2 hours rather than over 1 hour. Persistent neurotoxicity in the form of partial loss of taste or extreme weakness was observed in three patients. No evidence of hematologic, renal, or hepatic toxicity was observed. Antitumor activity of spirogermanium was not identified in this group of heavily pretreated patients. Spirogermanium had limited and acceptable toxicity in utilizing a dose of 120 mg/m2 infused over 2 hours, three times weekly.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Clinical Trials as Topic; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Evaluation; Female; Germanium; Half-Life; Humans; Infusions, Parenteral; Kinetics; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Organometallic Compounds; Spiro Compounds

The development of photoactive nanomaterials with high biocompatibility for targeted tumor phototherapy is of great significance for antitumor applications; this study presents a novel phototherapeutic agent, the Ge/GeO2 complex, which shows broad photoabsorption in the near infrared (NIR) region. As a result, it can synchronously produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and heat under NIR irradiation. After being loaded onto macrophages, Ge/GeO2 could be delivered to tumors in a targeted fashion. Combining the abovementioned merits together, macrophage-loaded Ge/GeO2 realized in vivo synergetic photothermal and photodynamic outcomes to completely remove solid tumors in mice via intravenous administration. In this study, B-ultrasonography was also employed to monitor the tumor evolution after phototherapy, revealing a sequential process of tumor necrosis, liquefaction/softening, and finally disappearance. In addition, Ge/GeO2 proposed in this study shows negligible cytotoxicity and hematotoxicity, especially after being loaded onto macrophages.

Topics: Animals; Cell Survival; Coordination Complexes; Female; Germanium; Hep G2 Cells; Humans; Infrared Rays; Macrophages; Mice; Mice, Nude; Neoplasms; Photochemotherapy; Phototherapy; Reactive Oxygen Species

Thorium-227 is a potential therapeutic radionuclide for applications in targeted α-radioimmunotherapy for the treatment of various types of cancer. To provide nuclear medicine departments involved in Phase I clinical trials traceability to the SI unit of radioactivity (Bq), a standardisation of a radiochemically pure

Topics: Alpha Particles; Germanium; Half-Life; Humans; Neoplasms; Radioimmunotherapy; Radiometry; Radiopharmaceuticals; Reference Standards; Scintillation Counting; Spectrometry, Gamma; Thorium

Carbon dots doped with germanium (GeCDs) were firstly prepared by a new simple 15 min carbonation synthesis route, exhibiting excitation-independent photoluminescence (PL), which could avoid autofluorescence in bioimaging applications. The as-prepared GeCDs have low cell toxicity, good biocompatibility, high intracellular delivery efficiency, stability and could be applied for detection of mercury(II) ions with excellent selectivity in complicated medium. It is to be noted that the as-prepared GeCDs used as a new type of probe for visualization of dynamic invasions of mercury(II) ions into Hep-2 cells display greatly different properties from most of the previously reported CDs which are regularly responsive to iron ions. All the results suggest that the GeCDs can be employed for visualization and monitoring of the significant physiological changes of living cells induced by Hg(2+).

Topics: Carbon; Germanium; Hep G2 Cells; Humans; Mercury; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Neoplasms; Quantum Dots

New highly cytotoxic 1-{3-[1-(5-organylsilyl-furan-2-yl)silinan-1-yl]propyl}amines and some trimethylgermyl analogues (IC50 1-7 μg mL(-1)) have been synthesized by a hydrosilylation reaction of aliphatic and heterocyclic N-allylamines in the presence of Speier's catalyst. The effects of the silacycle, the element-organic substituent in position 5 of the furan ring, and the structure of the amine on the cytotoxicity of the new compounds have been studied.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Cell Line, Tumor; Germanium; Humans; Methylation; Mice; Neoplasms; NIH 3T3 Cells; Organosilicon Compounds

Cyclic RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) peptides radiolabeled with (68)Ga have great potential for the early tumor detection and noninvasive monitoring of tumor metastasis and therapeutic response. Herein, the preparation of (68)Ga-labeled DOTA-E[c(RGDfK)](2) (DOTA=1,4,7,10-tetraazacylododecane-1,4,7,10-tetracetic acid; E=Glutamic acid; R=Arginine; G=Glycine; D=Aspartic acid; f=phenyl alanine; K=lysine) using (68)Ga directly eluted from a nanoceria-polyacrylonitrile (CeO(2)-PAN)-based (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator developed in-house was reported. The (68)Ga complex of DOTA-E[c(RGDfK)](2) was synthesized with >98% radiochemical purity by incubating 20 μg of the conjugate with (68)GaCl(3) (74-111 MBq) in acetate buffer (pH 3.5-4.0) at 90°C for 10 minutes. The complex exhibited excellent in vitro stability in 0.1 M EDTA solution at room temperature upto 1 hour studied (radiochemical purity: 98.0%). The biological efficacy of the radiolabeled conjugate was studied in C57/BL6 mice bearing melanoma tumors. The results of the biodistribution studies revealed significant tumor uptake (4.14±0.54%ID/g) within 10 minutes postinjection (p.i.), which increased further to 4.61±0.31%ID/g at 30 minutes p.i. The tumor-to-blood ratio was found to increase from 1.75±0.42 at 10 minutes p.i. to 2.25±0.20 at 60 minutes p.i., whereas the tumor-to-liver and tumor-to-muscle ratio between the same time points increased from 2.71±0.76 to 3.31±0.84 and 5.37±1.08 to 8.97±1.32, respectively. The study successfully demonstrated the preparation of (68)Ga-DOTA-E[c(RGDfK)](2) as a potential positron-emission tomography radiotracer for possible use in tumor imaging by using (68)Ga eluted from a reliable, easy-to-handle (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator developed in-house, without any postelution purification of (68)Ga.

Topics: Animals; Cerium; Female; Gallium Radioisotopes; Germanium; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Nanoparticles; Neoplasms; Peptides, Cyclic; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radionuclide Generators; Radiopharmaceuticals; Tissue Distribution

Since 1990, Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) has been used for over 400 cancer patients at the Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute (KURRI). After BNCT, the patients are radioactive and their (24)Na and (38)Cl levels can be detected via a Na-I scintillation counter. This activity is predominantly due to (24)Na, which has a half-life of 14.96 h and thus remains in the body for extended time periods. Radioactive (24)Na is mainly generated from (23)Na in the target tissue that is exposed to the neutron beam in BNCT. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the radioactivity of blood (24)Na following BNCT and the absorbed gamma ray dose in the irradiated field. To assess blood (24)Na, 1 ml of peripheral blood was collected from 30 patients immediately after the exposure, and the radioactivity of blood (24)Na was determined using a germanium counter. The activity of (24)Na in the blood correlated with the absorbed gamma ray doses in the irradiated field. For the same absorbed gamma ray dose in the irradiated field, the activity of blood (24)Na was higher in patients with neck or lung tumors than in patients with brain or skin tumors. The reasons for these findings are not readily apparent, but the difference in the blood volume and the ratio of bone to soft tissue in the irradiated field, as well as the dose that leaked through the clinical collimator, may be responsible.

Topics: Blood; Borohydrides; Boron Compounds; Boron Neutron Capture Therapy; Brain; Deuterium Oxide; Equipment Design; Gamma Rays; Germanium; Humans; Lung; Neck; Neoplasms; Neutrons; Phenylalanine; Radiometry; Radiotherapy Dosage; Regression Analysis; Skin; Sodium Isotopes; Sulfhydryl Compounds

In Sm(3+)-doped K(+)-Na(+) ion-exchanged aluminum germanate (NMAG) glass channel waveguide, a clear and compact red amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) trace is observed under the excitation of a 488nm Ar(+) laser. 78% photons of ASE fluorescence in visible region are demonstrated to be located in 600-730nm wavelength range. High-directivity and high-brightness ASE fluorescence of Sm(3+)-doped NMAG glass channel waveguide, which matches the excitation band of most photosensitizers (PS) currently used in photodynamic therapy (PDT) or clinical trials, has promising potential application as an excitation light source for PDT treatment.

Topics: Equipment Design; Germanium; Glass; Humans; Lasers, Gas; Lasers, Semiconductor; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; Models, Theoretical; Neoplasms; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Samarium; Ultraviolet Therapy

An autoradiography method revealed intratumoral inhomogeneity in various solid tumors. It is becoming increasingly important to estimate intratumoral inhomogeneity. However, with low spatial resolution and high scatter noise, it is difficult to detect intratumoral inhomogeneity in clinical settings. We developed a new PET system with CdTe semiconductor detectors to provide images with high spatial resolution and low scatter noise. Both phantom images and patients' images were analyzed to evaluate intratumoral inhomogeneity.. This study was performed with a cold spot phantom that had 6-mm-diameter cold sphenoid defects, a dual-cylinder phantom with an adjusted concentration of 1:2, and an "H"-shaped hot phantom. These were surrounded with water. Phantom images and (18)F-FDG PET images of patients with nasopharyngeal cancer were compared with conventional bismuth germanate PET images. Profile curves for the phantoms were measured as peak-to-valley ratios to define contrast. Intratumoral inhomogeneity and tumor edge sharpness were evaluated on the images of the patients.. The contrast obtained with the semiconductor PET scanner (1.53) was 28% higher than that obtained with the conventional scanner (1.20) for the 6-mm-diameter cold sphenoid phantom. The contrast obtained with the semiconductor PET scanner (1.43) was 27% higher than that obtained with the conventional scanner (1.13) for the dual-cylinder phantom. Similarly, the 2-mm cold region between 1-mm hot rods was identified only by the new PET scanner and not by the conventional scanner. The new PET scanner identified intratumoral inhomogeneity in more detail than the conventional scanner in 6 of 10 patients. The tumor edge was sharper on the images obtained with the new PET scanner than on those obtained with the conventional scanner.. These phantom and clinical studies suggested that this new PET scanner has the potential for better identification of intratumoral inhomogeneity, probably because of its high spatial resolution and low scatter noise.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Bismuth; Cadmium Compounds; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Female; Germanium; Glucose; Humans; Male; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms; Neoplasms; Phantoms, Imaging; Positron-Emission Tomography; Semiconductors; Tellurium; Time Factors

This study evaluated lesion mislocalization between PET and CT on PET/CT studies when CT instead of germanium is used for attenuation correction (AC).. PET/CT scans were obtained for 300 clinical patients. Both CT and germanium scans were used to correct PET emission data. Cases were noted of suspected inaccurate localization of lesions on any of the 5 sets of images (PET using germanium AC [GeAC] fused and not fused with CT, PET using CT AC fused and not fused with CT, and PET with no AC [NAC]). Independent CT or MRI was used to determine true lesion locations.. Six of 300 patients (2%) had lesion mislocalization when CT was used for AC or fusion. True liver dome lesions were mislocalized to the right lung base on PET/CT, likely because of a respiratory motion difference between PET and CT. No mislocalization was present on NAC PET or non-CT-fused GeAC PET images.. Serious lesion mislocalization on PET/CT studies may occur, albeit very infrequently, when CT is used for either AC or fusion.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Breast Neoplasms; Colonic Neoplasms; Diagnostic Errors; False Negative Reactions; False Positive Reactions; Female; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Germanium; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Radioisotopes; Radiopharmaceuticals; Rectal Neoplasms; Reproducibility of Results; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Subtraction Technique; Tomography, Emission-Computed; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

In PET, transmission scanning for attenuation correction has most commonly been performed with an external positron-emitting radionuclide source, such as (68)Ge. More recently, combined PET/CT scanners have been developed in which the CT data can be used for both anatometabolic image formation and attenuation correction of the PET data. The purpose of this study was to assess the quantitative differences between CT-based and germanium-based attenuation-corrected PET images.. Twenty-eight patients with known or suspected cancer underwent whole-body (18)F-FDG PET/CT scanning for clinical diagnostic purposes. For each patient, attenuation maps were obtained from both the CT scan and the (68)Ge transmission data, and 2 different attenuation-corrected emission datasets were produced. Measured activity concentrations (both mean and maximum) from identical regions of interest in representative normal organs and in 36 pathologic foci of uptake were compared.. CT-corrected emission images generally showed slightly higher radioactive concentration values than did germanium-corrected images (P < 0.01) for all lesions and all normal organs except the lung. Mean and maximum radioactivity concentrations were 4.3%-15.2% higher for CT-corrected images than for germanium-corrected images. Calculated radioactivity concentrations were significantly greater in osseous lesions than in nonosseous lesions (11.0% vs. 2.3%, P < 0.05, for mean value; 11.1% vs. 2.1%, P < 0.01, for maximum value). A weak positive correlation was observed between the CT Hounsfield units within the regions of interest and the percentage difference in apparent tracer activity in the CT-corrected images.. Although quantitative radioactivity values are generally comparable between CT- and germanium-corrected emission PET images, CT-based attenuation correction produced radioactivity concentration values significantly higher than the germanium-based corrected values. These effects, especially in radiodense tissues, should be noted when using and comparing quantitative PET analyses from PET and PET/CT systems.

Topics: Algorithms; Female; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Germanium; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Radioisotopes; Radiopharmaceuticals; Tomography, Emission-Computed; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Using a tungstate-coated graphite tube, trace germanium in serum samples was determined by Zeeman graphite AAS with NH4NO3 as a matrix modifier. The sensitivity of Ge can be significantly improved. The matrix interference has been removed. The relative standard deviation is less than 3.61%. The method is simple, rapid and accurate.

Topics: Blood Chemical Analysis; Germanium; Graphite; Humans; Neoplasms; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; Temperature; Tungsten Compounds

We have evaluated the toxicity of the antitumor agent spirogermanium on a schedule of continuous intravenous administration for periods up to five days. The doses tested were between 100 mg/m2/day and 500 mg/m2/day. Peripheral vein phlebitis occurred at all dose levels and was not relieved by addition of hydrocortisone or heparin to the infusion. No phlebitis occurred when the drug was administered through a central vein. The dose limiting toxicity of spirogermanium was neurologic, notably tremors and mental confusion. These problems became progressively more severe at doses above 250 mg/m2/day. There was no discernible bone marrow, renal or hepatic toxicity. One patient developed reversible interstitial pneumonitis. The recommended Phase II dose of spirogermanium is 200 mg/m2/day for five days, with the possibility of escalation in selected patients. Because spirogermanium is more toxic to tumor cells with prolonged exposure than with intermittent exposure, this schedule could be considered for Phase II trials, particularly in diseases thought to be especially sensitive such as ovarian and prostatic carcinoma or lymphomas.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Agents; Drug Evaluation; Female; Germanium; Humans; Infusions, Parenteral; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Nervous System; Organometallic Compounds; Phlebitis; Spiro Compounds

Spirogermanium (NSC 192965) is a new metallic investigational anticancer drug of novel heterocyclic structure. Although its mode of action has not been fully elucidated, it appears that spirogermanium is not a phase or cell cycle specific drug and inhibits DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, the protein synthesis being the most susceptible to this agent. Spirogermanium has shown cytotoxic activity in vitro against several human tumor cell lines at concentrations (1 micrograms/ml) that were also found toxic to the cultured rat neurons. Although spirogermanium has no effect on normal bone marrow colony forming cells in mice, dogs, or man, it has revealed cytotoxic activity in vitro against human myeloid leukemia cell line K 562 at clinically achievable concentrations. These in vitro findings, indicating selective cytotoxic activity against leukemic cells suggest this drug as a candidate for clinical studies in acute and chronic leukemias. Spirogermanium has revealed activity in vivo against intraperitoneally implanted Walker 256 sarcoma, 13762 mammary adenocarcinoma, and 11095 prostatic carcinoma in rats, but no antitumor activity in vivo was found in the murine tumors used in the past by the NCI screen (L 1210 and P 388 leukemia, B 16 melanoma, Lewis lung carcinoma). Spirogermanium is remarkable for its lack of bone marrow toxicity confirmed in preclinical toxicology and clinical studies; moderate, predictable, and reversible CNS toxicity is dose-limiting. Activity in malignant lymphoma, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, large bowel cancer, and prostatic cancer was reported in the clinical studies. The drug is currently under clinical investigation against the wide spectrum of solid tumors and malignant lymphomas. The dose of 80-120 mg/m2, given by 60' infusion three times a week, is currently used and tolerated in Phase II clinical studies. The recently introduced five days continuous infusion schedule has been also under clinical investigation and the doses of 250-300 mg/m2/day are recommended for Phase II studies. Of interest are results reported in this paper of spirogermanium in vitro preferential activity against the resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum at clinically achievable concentrations suggesting this drug as a possible new antimalarial agent of novel structure.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Bone Marrow; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Dogs; Drug Evaluation; Germanium; Humans; Mice; Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Experimental; Organometallic Compounds; Spiro Compounds

Early detection of small tumors (approximately 3 mm) with only a moderate uptake ratio is often difficult because of poor statistics and a small signal-to-background ratio. The detection capability of a germanium semiconductor camera is analyzed to show that a very large number of counts is required even when the spatial resolution is matched to the size of the tumor. A potential enhancement of statistics using the tissue-scattered gamma rays is discussed based on the superior energy resolution of the semiconductor.

Topics: Gamma Rays; Germanium; Neoplasms; Radionuclide Imaging; Scattering, Radiation; Semiconductors

Topics: Animals; Arsenic; Body Weight; Chromium; Diet; Female; Germanium; Growth; Kidney; Liver; Longevity; Lung; Male; Mice; Mortality; Myocardium; Neoplasms; Rats; Spleen; Tin; Trace Elements; Vanadium