Basal cell carcinomas, gastrointestinal carcinomas, and ulcerative colitis in relation to the disappearance of a...

Our previous findings have shown that the plasma of cancer patients lacks a factor (LCMEF) that is characterized by its ability to enhance lymphocytic cortisol metabolism. In the present study we have examined whether this phenomenon also appears in patients suffering from basal cell carcinoma, a seldom metastasizing disease, and in patients with ulcerative colitis regarded to be at high risk of developing cancer. Known concentrations of human lymphocytes from healthy donors were incubated with cortisol in media containing 50% phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and 50% of one of the following additions: 1) homologous plasma, 2) plasma from the patients being tested, or 3) additional PBS. Previous findings showed that the plasma of cancer patients has a mean metabolism-enhancing rate of 62% of that obtained with homologous plasma. In the present work the results were as follows: basal cell carcinomas--98%, gastrointestinal carcinomas--63%, ulcerative colitis--95%, and healthy donors--90%. The results with regard to cancer patients show that lack of LCMEF does not characterize basal cell carcinoma and ulcerative colitis. Hence, it is possible that the disappearance of LCMEF 1) does not characterize ulcerative colitis as long as a malignant tumor does not appear and 2) does not characterize seldom metastasizing disease (basal cell carcinoma).