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Biomedical subjects

A Cajozzo

Publications and source records attributed to A Cajozzo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Comparative activity of idarubicin and idarubicinol in combination with cyclosporin A in multidrug-resistant leukemia cells.

4-Demethoxydaunorubicin (idarubicin, IDA) is an anthracycline that has shown good cytotoxic activity in vitro against tumor cell lines displaying the multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotype. IDA is converted in the liver into idarubicinol (2HIDA) and, in this form, seems to exert its antitumoral activity in vivo. Recent studies have shown that 2HIDA has tumoricidal activity similar to that of the parent drug when tested in vitro in sensitive neoplastic cells. In this work we compared in vitro the effects of IDA and 2HIDA used alone and in combination with 2 microM cyclosporin A (CyA) in the MDR leukemic cell lines FLCR and K562R and in their sensitive parent cell lines FLC and K562. IDA and 2HIDA showed the same cytotoxic activity in sensitive cells. After 1 h of exposure of cells to each anthracycline, we observed that the cellular uptake of IDA and 2HIDA was also similar. In resistant cells, 2HIDA was 3-4 times less active than IDA. We observed that the intracellular uptake of 2HIDA was lower than that of IDA, and this may be correlated with a greater ability of P-glycoprotein to expel 2HIDA as opposed to IDA. Indeed, when MDR cells were exposed to IDA and 2HIDA in combination with 2 microM CyA, the cytotoxic effect of these anthracyclines was the same, and it was similar to that observed in sensitive cells. These data confirm the utility of the combination of IDA and an MDR-reversing agent in hematological malignancies displaying the MDR phenotype.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic↗
PubMed1996

[The use of hyperimmune anti-cytomegalovirus immunoglobulins in HIV infection].

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most frequent opportunistic agents that affects HIV positive subjects. The prophylaxis and treatment of cytomegalovirus infection in HIV positive subjects represent difficult and controversial problems. In this study we evaluated efficacy of anti-CMV immunoglobulins (derived from plasma with a high titer of CMV anti-bodies) in primary and in secondary prophylaxis for CMV disease in adults with severe immunodeficiency caused by HIV infection. For primary prophylaxis, in 22 patients with CD4 < 200/mmc enrolled to receive a monthly infusion of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) at 200 mg/kg we observed prophylactic effect for the prevention of CMV and bacterial infections. Concerning secondary prophylaxis, 7 patients with CMV manifestation treated after remission with anti-CMV IVIG at 200 mg/kg every two weeks, had a low frequency of relapse and a good clinical outcome. Because their tolerability, anti-CMV immunoglobulins are an interesting option particularly for the prevention of CMV and bacterial infection in HIV-positive adults in advanced stages of disease.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1995

Phase III comparative trial using CHOP vs CIOP in the treatment of advanced intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Until now, literature data support the fact that the CHOP regimen represents the standard first line treatment for patients with advanced intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Recently, idarubicin has been introduced in clinical trials because of its favourable preclinical profile: it is more active than daunorubicin and doxorubicin against a number of experimental tumour systems and is significantly less cardiotoxic in animal models. From March 1991 to June 1993, 115 previously untreated patients with stage II to IV intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, according to the Kiel classification, were enrolled in a phase III comparative trial. The objectives of the study were to compare the efficacy and safety of using idarubicin instead of doxorubicin in the polychemotherapeutic regimen CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and dexamethasone). Of the 115 patients registered for the trial, 103 were evaluable: 52 received CH (doxorubicin)OP and 51 received CI(Idarubicin)OP. Known prognostic factors were equally distributed among the two groups. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in the rates of partial and complete response. The overall response rate was 87%, with complete response in 62%: 63% in the CHOP group, and 59% in the CIOP group. At 30 months (median 20 months), 86% of all CR patients were alive without disease in the CHOP group and 85% in the CIOP group. Patients treated with CHOP experienced severe alopecia more frequently (P = .004). Only three patients in the CIOP group showed cardiac adverse events (1 moderate and 2 mild), while in the CHOP group 4 mild, 2 moderate and 1 severe were recorded. LVEF monitoring was carried out in 31 patients of the CHOP group and in 27 of the CIOP group. A median drop of 8.3% of the LVEF was observed in patients treated with CHOP regimen as compared to 4.8% in patients with CIOP regimen (P = .0001). In this trial, the "idarubicin arm" (CIOP regimen) was found to have an equivalent therapeutic efficacy and, slightly, reduced clinical toxicity in comparison to the standard doxorubicin-containing CHOP regimen in patients with intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Anthracycline containing regimens in intermediate grade lymphoma. Italian Cooperative Study Group on Intermediate Grade Malignant Lymphoma.

From March 1991 to April 1992, 44 previously untreated patients with stage II to IV intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (according to the Kiel classification) were entered in a phase III comparative trial. The objectives of the study were to compare the efficacy and safety of using idarubicin instead of doxorubicin in the combination chemotherapeutic regimen CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone). Forty-four patients were randomly assigned to receive either CI(idarubicin)OP or CH(doxorubicin)OP. The study is ongoing and so far no significant differences in complete response rate and (non-)hematologic toxicity have been observed.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Pefloxacin in the antibacterial treatment of immunodepressed patients.

Pefloxacin 800 to 1200 mg daily was given for 3 to 20 days, orally or intravenously, to 84 immunocompromised patients. Five patients dropped out because of side effects and 2 for other causes. Treatment efficacy was evaluated in 77 patients, 43 men and 34 women, aged 18 to 80 years. Immunodepression resulted from malignancy in 46 patients, LAS/ARC or AIDS in 28, and from unknown causes in 3. Fifty-eight patients had documented infections (respiratory-tract infections 29, urinary-tract infections 13, septicemia 10, other 6) and 19 had a fever of unknown origin (FUO). Cure or significant improvement of symptoms was achieved in 81% of patients with documented infections and in 74% of patients with FUO. Side effects (mainly gastrointestinal disturbances and skin rash) occurred in 7 patients (8.2%), including dropouts. These results suggest that pefloxacin may be useful for the antibacterial treatment of immunodepressed patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

[Minimal residual disease in hematological neoplasms].

The existence of neoplastic cells with low or no sensibility to antiblastic drugs represents the most important cause of relapse in hematological malignancies. The amount of leukemic cells that remains after antiblastic chemotherapy represents the minimal residual disease. These cells can re-expand at any moment, even after months or years, causing short-term or long-term relapse. The minimal residual disease is not always detectable with morphological examination. The recent utilization of techniques such as cell culture by stimulation with growth factors and genetic amplification have made it possible to reach resolutions of more than 1-10(5) cells. The therapeutic strategies for total eradication of residual neoplastic cells are currently under investigation. The combined use of biological responder modifiers with chemotherapy or the use of immunotherapy with Interleukin-2 or LAK cells has provided one possible solution to this problem.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1989

Hodgkin's disease in association with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). A report on 36 patients. Gruppo Italiano Cooperativo AIDS and Tumori.

In an Italian cooperative study on AIDS and cancer a diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease was established in 36 HIV-positive patients. The series was characterized by a high proportion of drug abusers, a high proportion of mixed cellularity and lymphocytic depletion subtypes and short survival. It is still unclear if HIV infection promotes the development of Hodgkin's disease or only modifies the course of the disease. According to the authors, however, patients who are HIV seropositive and have biopsy-proven Hodgkin's disease should be considered as fulfilling the criteria for AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1987

Primary gastrointestinal involvement in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

This paper reviews primary gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (GI-NHL). Every aspect of the topic is discussed though special attention is paid to histopathology and instrumental diagnosis as essential factors to stage the lymphoma and to determine an adequate therapy. Data from the most important works on the subject together with the results of our recent study of 40 primary GI-NHL are reported. Diverse findings by various authors are intentionally compared in a manner to present the work to the reader in the most critical way while trying to give an objective explanation of the different results on the basis of our own experience.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Prognosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a retrospective multicentric study from the GIMEMA group.

Clinical and biological data were evaluated using Desu univariate analyses or Cox multivariate analyses in a series of 1,777 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients from an Italian Cooperative Group. In univariate analyses, age and sex of patients, presence of bone marrow (BM; greater than or equal to 50%), and peripheral blood (PB; greater than or equal to 60,000/microL) lymphocytosis, anemia (hemoglobin [Hb] less than 11 g/dL), thrombocytopenia (less than 100,000/microL), direct Coombs' test positivity, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and extent of lymph node involvement were shown to be of significant prognostic value. Multivariate analyses, through a stepwise procedure, showed that the most important prognostic variables are Hb, hepatomegaly, lymph node involvement, PB lymphocytosis, and age and sex of patients. Further covariates would produce an improvement having a nonsignificant P value. Based on the results of multivariate analyses, a four-step staging using the significant variables of the Cox model is proposed.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Effect of buflomedil on the behavior of platelet aggregation and its clinical evaluation in elderly patients with chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency].

An examination was made of the behaviour of platelet function after a single i.v. injection of 150 mg Buflomedil in 8 non-diabetic vasculopathic patients. The drug was followed by a significant reduction of the platelet aggregability induced by ADP and adrenaline, but not by collagen, and did not alter the percentage of reversible circulating platelet aggregates. Its action was limited in time, since no activity was observed after 24 hr. The drug was also clinically evaluated in 30 patients aged over 80 yr with chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency, following treatment with 100 mg/day i.v. for 20 days, and then 450 mg/day per os for 80 days. Significant improvements were noted in vertigo, tinnitus, lapses of memory, and the ability to remember numbers. The results were less impressive with regard to insomnia, migraine, and asthenia.

Aged↗