Ferritins are iron-containing proteins found in normal tissues; they increase in concentration in many tumors and the blood of tumor-bearing individuals. We utilized a double-antibody radioimmunoassay for measurement of serum ferritin and defined the upper limit of normal as 146 ng/ml for women (mean 34 ng/ml) and 193 ng/ml for men (mean 93 ng/ml). Serum ferritin levels exceeded these limits in preoperative sera of 41% of women with mammary carcinoma (mean 199 ng/ml) and in 67% of women with locally recurrent or metastatic mammary carcinoma (mean 671 ng/ml). Individuals with hepatic inflammatory states are known to have high serum ferritin, and ferritin was increased in 43% of patients with hepatitis or cirrhosis (mean 364 ng/ml) and in 13% of patients with ulcerative colitis or gastroduodenal ulcers (mean 106 ng/ml). Measurement of serum ferritin may be useful in evaluation of patients with breast cancer and in monitoring their response to therapy.

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Pleurodeles waltlii is reared in many aquaria and its eggs are used for experimental embryological work. Embryologists have, however, been handicapped by the lack of accurate studies of the development and morphology of its chondrocranium. A study of the developing chondrocranium of Pleurodeles waltlii of six different developmental stages has therefore been carried out. The youngest stage used was 38 (Gallien and Durochet, '57) and the oldest was of a specimen at the end of metamorphosis. MATERIAL AND METHODSThree larvae of each of the six stages were fixed in Zenker's solution and decalcified in 1:6 Na-formate and formic acid. The heads were embedded in paraffin, serially sectioned, at 10 N and stained with azan. From each stage one larva was chosen for a graphic reconstruction of the chondrocranium. The reconstructions were carried out according to Pussey's method ('36) by using the drawings of eveiy second section at an enlargement of 50. Stage A (figs. 1 ; 2 ) Total length of larva 10 m m ; length without tail -6 m m The chondrocranium of this stage is comprised mainly of two symmetrical relatively large cartilaginous complexes (fig. 1). Each of these complexes is composed of a trabecula, which appears from the first to be continuous with the dorsal orbital cartilage (fig. 2) by means of an anterior preoptic root and a posterior pila antotica, between which the foramina for the second and third nerves are enclosed separated from each other by the pila metoptica. The fourth nerve passes dor-J. MORPH., 114: m -s m

Ten biochemical parameters, each of which has been individually advocated in the past as a tumor-index substance for breast cancer, were measured in 5 1 patients with breast disease, 42 of whom had active breast cancer. All patients with overt metastatic breast cancer had abnormalities of at least three of these parameters, of which ferritin (88%), carcinoembryonic antigen (81%) and Creactive protein (81%) were most commonly abnormal. Many combinations of two markers will detect all of these patients and the incidence of biochemical abnormalities in this group compared favorably with the results of physical methods of detecting metastases. Eleven (73%) out of 15 patients with disease apparently localized to the breast and draining lymph nodes, but who were considered to have a poor prognosis (Grade 3 tumor; T4 tumor; involved axillary lymph nodes) had at least one abnormal biochemical parameter. Three of these 11 patients have subsequently developed overt metastases within a year of mastectomy. However, these abnormalities were spread over a wide range of parameters and measurement of a total of seven index substances would be needed to detect all these patients. These preliminary data, however, tend to indicate that patieqts in this group, with both histology indicating a poor prognosis and an abnormal biochemical profile, will relapse sooner than the other patients, and that such a group may benefit from systemic therapy in addition to local treatment of their breast carcinomas.. Cancer 40:937-944, 1977. ORE THAN 50% OF PATIENTS WITH BREAST M cancer who undergo local surgical treatment will eventually die of metastatic disease, la suggesting that the present physical methods of