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Biomedical subjects

A M Capodano

Publications and source records attributed to A M Capodano.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Evaluation of micronucleated lymphocytes, constitutional karyotypes and anti-p53 antibodies in 21 children with various malignancies.

The implication of environmental carcinogens in childhood cancer is still unknown. To assess a possible link between DNA damage and alterations of the tumor suppressor gene p53, blood samples of 21 children with malignancies were examined for the presence of micronuclei in lymphocytes using the cytokinesis blocked micronucleus assay (CBMA). The constitutional karyotypes were analyzed for chromosome abnormalities and the presence of anti-p53 antibodies in blood sera was evaluated by an enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA). A control group of 20 children was also included. The rates of micronucleated cells were 5.1 per thousand+/-3.9 and 2.4 per thousand+/-2.3 for the cancer and control groups, respectively. The difference between the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05 by the Mann-Withney rank sum test). Two children in the cancer group showed extensive chromosome breakage in lymphocytes. The sera of two other children from the cancer group and of one child from the control group contained anti-p53 antibodies. Chromosome breakage and anti-p53 antibodies from the five children were associated with increased micronucleated cell rates. The results of the present study suggest that genotoxic events can occur in the lymphocytes of children with a cancerous state.

Adolescent↗

[Ewing's tumor: current knowledge and ignorance].

The diagnosis of Ewing's malignant tumor in the young still raises major problems, either from a clinical point of view because of its rarity, its pluri-potentiality and various symptoms, or on imaging because of its numerous pitfalls. Accordingly the disease is often misdiagnosed as osteomyelitis. Only a high quality biopsy can determine histological diagnosis of undifferentiated small round cell tumor. The chromosomic study shows a specific (11;22)(q24;q12) translocation, and immunocytochemistry and molecular biology show the tumor's neuroectodermal origin. For 20 years, therapy tended toward first line tumor chemoreduction, followed, when appropriate, by complete resection and orthopedic reconstruction of the bone. Radiotherapy, which is responsible for long-term sequelae is now increasingly restricted to inaccessible or incompletely excised tumors. More intensive chemotherapy is being examined in patients with poor prognosis factors such as a negative response to induction chemotherapy, a significant mass or metastases. As a result of new strategies, disease-free survival rate is now between 60-70%. The management of this disease is highly multidisciplinary and patients will now be included in multicentric controlled therapeutic trials. Long term follow-up has to be carried out following completion of treatment.

Adolescent↗

Myelofibrosis in a child suffering from a hypereosinophilic syndrome with trisomy 8: response to corticotherapy.

The idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (IHS) is extremely rare in childhood and relationships of this syndrome with myeloproliferative diseases are controversial. We reported the observation of a 7-year-old girl suffering from an IHS with myelofibrosis. A clonal cytogenetic abnormality, trisomy 8, was detected in the bone marrow cells of this child. This is the decisive proof of a myeloproliferative disorder. IHS with myelofibrosis is usually considered as unresponsive to corticotherapy. In our case, corticotherapy resulted in a rapid, complete, and lasting disappearance of myelofibrosis. Complete remission of the disease, however, was not achieved and the trisomy 8 persisted after treatment.

Child↗

[Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children. Results of a protocol including bone marrow transplantation during the first remission in high-risk forms for relapse].

Ninety-two previously untreated children with ALL were admitted to the same institution between November 1984 and November 1988. According to early prognostic factors, patients were divided into 3 groups: group 1 at "low risk" for relapse (n = 18), group 2 at "intermediate risk" (n = 62) and group 3 at "high risk" (n = 12). Every patient received an 8 week-long induction chemotherapy; after CNS prophylaxis, groups 1 and 2 children received a consolidation chemotherapy and then a classical maintenance treatment. Group 3 patients were selected to receive a bone-marrow transplantation during their first remission because of the presence, at diagnosis, of at least one of the following criteria: hyperleukocytosis greater than 100,000 (7 cases), translocation t(1;19) and t(4;11) (2 cases), adolescents (2 cases), no remission at day 30 (2 cases). Ninety-one of 92 children achieved a complete remission and none died during induction therapy. Probability of leukemia-free survival at 4 years is 73 +/- 7% for the whole patient population and 95%, 71% and 60% for patients of groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively. Persistence or disappearance of leukaemic cells in bone marrow after the initial 15 days of chemotherapy appears to influence the probability of a leukemia-free survival.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Constitutive heterochromatin and micronucleoli in the human oocyte at the diplotene stage.

In the diplotene stage of the human oocyte, the processes of elaboration of the nucleolar material are amplified. The principal nucleoli are more voluminous but their relations with the secondary constrictions and the satellites of the D and G chromosomes are not modified. Numerous micronucleoli, frequently to the number of 15-20 this stage. The most remarkable point is their association to various segments of constitutive heterochromatin: centromeric regions, secondary constrictions of the C9 and probably of the A1 and E16. These observations reveal that the human oocyte at the diplotene stage shows an amplification of the ribosomal cistrons. This phenomenon is homologous, to a more reduced scale, of this described from the inferior vetebrates. Besides, the role of heterochromatin in the synthesis of nucleolar material without the intervention of the classic nucleolar organizers is suggested.

Cell Nucleolus↗