On the basis of an earlier model of chemical carcinogenesis, the antitumor activity of the mono-, bi-and poly-nuclear ferrocene derivatives ferricenium tri-iodide (l), ferricenium tetrachloroferrate (2), 1,l'-diethylferricenium triiodide (3), N-(ferrocenylmethy1)hexamethylenetetramine tetrafluoroborate (4), bis(ferrocenylmethy1)benzotriazolium tetrafluoroborate (3, bis(ferroceny1-a-ethy1)benzotriazolium tetrafluoroborate (6) and bis(ferrocenylmethyl)-2-methylbenzimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (7), and the oligomer (-Fc-CH,-FC+'--CH~),~-(PF& (8) was studied in uiuo (Fc = C,,H,Fe).The tumor models studied included MCH-11 (mouse sarcoma induced by methylcholantrene), P-815 (mouse mastocytoma of DBA/2 origin) and virus-induced Raucher leukemia (RLV). The cytotoxic effects of these preparations were examined against in vitro cultured normal murine cells (line L-929). The binuclear ferrocene derivatives 5, 6 and 7 inhibited the development of experimental tumors in mice. Ferricenium tri-iodide (1) was effective in Rauscher leukemia. Kinetic dependencies for most complexes had a two-phase character: the region of inhibition of tumorogenesis was followed by a region in which the complexes accelerated the development of this process. The link between the structure of compounds 1-8 and their antitumor effects is discussed.

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The effect of ferrocene additive concentrations on the stability of polyethylene polymers under atmospheric ageing and ultraviolet irradiation is reported. At concentrations under ca 5 X 1O-j mol kg-' polymer the ferrocene compound is shown to diminish pdymer resistance to light, whereas above this concentration such a compound stabilizes the polymeric matrix. Another purpose of the work is to look into the photo-oxidative destruction of polyethylene doped with ferrocene compound by using an EPR technique. A mechanism of photo-oxidative destruction of polyethylene polymers in the presence of ferrocene compounds is proposed.

BACKGROUND:Although PET-scan is an advanced, innovative and widely used method for monitoring patients with different types of cancer diseases, it is important to note that its application in patients with cutaneous melanoma is limited and should be reconsidered.CASE REPORT:To affirm this new statement, we are presenting a case from our clinical practice of a patient with melanoma of the interdigital space (with resected in sano primary melanoma and performed complete lymphadenectomy) that showed locoregional and systemic progression in two months post operation. The PET scan performed within the second hospitalization (and before the second operation) did not detect the presence of any cutaneous metastases, which were clinically and histologically verified after the second operative procedure.CONCLUSIONS:This data suggests that shortly more reliable and sensitive imaging methods for monitoring patients with cutaneous melanoma should be found. Having in mind that our patient has been operated twice in the area of the primary lesion (as the surgical wound underwent secondary healing), theoretically, the abundant cicatrization could have led to reduced glucose uptake in the surrounded cancerous tissue. Monitoring of a larger number of patients with locoregional metastases and surgical interventions in different locations would shed light on the observations shared by us.