Symposium on structural properties for determining mechanisms of toxic action. October 18-20, 1988, Duluth, Minnesota. Proceedings.

In a one-year follow-up study, 444 blood histamine determinations were performed in 163 patients with solid malignant tumours. Compared with normal subjects, blood histamine levels were significantly lower in patients with unresected primary tumours (30.7 + 19.9 ngml -), metastases (34.1 + 17.1 ngml -), or both (24.5+12.8ngml-1). By contrast, after successful tumour resection, histamine blood levels were nearly normal (52.1 + 18.4 ng ml -, versus 59.6 + 22.6 in control patients). Stability of the histamine blood levels was associated with stability of the disease. A progressive decrease in histamine blood levels preceded clinical relapse or detection of metastasis. In patients with consecutive histamine blood levels which were