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Biomedical subjects

A Levanto

Publications and source records attributed to A Levanto.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The Finnish leukaemia group: levamisole in maintenance therapy of acute myeloid leukemia in adults.

The Finnish Leukaemia Group has carried out a randomized, multicenter trial to study the effect of levamisole on the remission maintained with 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate in acute myeloid leukaemia in adults. Levamisole was given on 3 consecutive days every 2 weeks. Twenty-five patients received only chemotherapy, while 26 patients received levamisole as well. The patients receiving levamisole showed significantly better remission duration than those given only chemotherapy (P = 0.033, Mantel's summary chi 2-text). There are four long term survivors in the levamisole group versus none in the chemotherapy group. The remissions have lasted 48-75 months.

Adult↗

Effect of granulocytic chalone on acute myeloid leukaemia in man. A follow-up study.

Non-pyrogenic preparations of granulocytic chalone have been administered to patient with acute myeloid leukaemia (A.M.L.) who had relapsed after chalone-induced complete remission of the disease. Another regression of the leukaemia was obtained. Normal and leukaemic granulocytes were inhibited without effect on other cell types. Survival was prolonged in 4 other patients with A.M.L. Further investigations are needed to elucidate the therapeutic role of granulocytic chalone.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Effect of granulocyte chalone on acute and chronic granulocytic leukaemia in man. Report of seven cases.

This study reports results from the first clinical tests in which 7 patients with myeloid leukaemia (5 acute and 2 chronic leukaemias in metamorphosis) were treated from 4 to 45 days with granulocyte chalone, the tissue-specific endogenous inhibitor of granulopoiesis. It was observed that i.v. injection of partially purified chalone inhibits proliferation of leukaemic, and presumably also normal granulocytic cells, leaving all other cell types unaffected. Inhibition of leukaemic growth was distinct in 6 of the 7 patients; in 5 cases the inhibition was followed by acutal regression of the leukaemia, lasting up to several months in the absence of any maintenance therapy, and in one case the treatment led to a complete remission. Chalone treatment also resulted in an enhancement of erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis, and in phenomena some of which were totally unexpected, such as immunostimulation and a remarkable resistance to bacterial infections in the presence of extreme granulocytopenia. This study shows that granulocyte chalone is biologically active against myeloid leukaemia in man, but not that the therapeutic value of the impure chalone is superior to modern cytostatic drugs. Long-term therapeutic trials were not possible with the partially purified preparations available, mainly because of side-effects which prevented adequate dosing.

Adult↗