Tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) levels were measured in the plasma of patients with different types of Gaucher disease (GD) and patients with other lysosomal storage diseases. The highest TNF-a levels were observed in the most severe neuronopathic type of GD, exceeding those found in healthy individuals as well as patients with other lysosomal disorders. Type I GD cases showed a wide range of TNF-a levels ranging from normal to 2.5 x the highest control value. TNF-a is a pleiotropic cytokine produced mainly by activated macrophages. Our data suggest that it may play a role in the pathophysiology of GD disease.

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Abstract. Immunochemotherapy combined with total hysterectomy was used in the treatment of 21 cases of adenocarcinoma of the ovary, of which 7 were in stages Ic–IIb, 8 in stage III and 6 in stage IV. Another 6 cases had irradiation with or without hysterectomy, or various other schemes of treatment prior to immunochemotherapy. The immunotherapy depends on stimulation of the humoral and cellular immunity by a battery of antigens (Te, Di–Te, influenza, mumps). Chemotherapy starts by administration of cyclophosphamide three days after each course of immunotherapy. Each course of immunochemotherapy is followed by a period of 10 days free from any medication. The stimulation of the immune mechanism with B. C. G. starts 10 days after the 4th course of immunochemotherapy. This last course of treatment is repeated up to the end of the first year of immunochemotherapy. The same annual scheme of treatment is constantly repeated. The patients are under constant clinical and laboratory follow‐up. The cyclophosphamide is discontinued when ever the WBC falls below 4500 to 4000 per cmm. All patients receive vitamins A, E, C and B complex. All our cases of stages Ic–IIb, and III, with total hysterectomy and without any prior treatment, showed a progressive recovery and are living normal lives. The lymphocytes, the immunoglobulins and the E rosettes returned, in most of our cases to normal levels. The favourable results and the survival rate obtained in cases of cancer without distant metastasis may be attributed to the reduction of the tumour masses by surgery, to the administration of antigens prior to chemotherapy, which seems to diminish the side effects of cyclophosphamide, to the administration of cyclophosphamide in small daily doses to avoid leukopenia and, finally, to the fact that patients are under continuous protective immunochemotherapy.