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Anas Younes

Publications and source records attributed to Anas Younes.

60 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte very favorable and favorable, lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin disease.

BACKGROUND: Lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin disease (LPHD) is rare and has a natural history different from that of classic Hodgkin disease. There is little information in the literature regarding the role of chemotherapy in patients with early-stage LPHD. The objective of this study was to examine recurrence free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and patterns of first recurrence in patients with LPHD who were treated with radiotherapy alone or with chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. METHODS: From 1963 to 1996, 48 consecutive patients ages 16-49 years (median, 28 years) with Ann Arbor Stage I (n = 30 patients) or Stage II (n = 18 patients), very favorable (VF; n = 5 patients) or favorable (F; n = 43 patients) LPHD, according to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte (EORTC-GELA) criteria, received radiotherapy alone (n = 37 patients) or received chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (n = 11 patients). The percentages of patients with VF disease (11% vs. 9% in the radiotherapy group vs. the chemotherapy plus radiotherapy group, respectively) or F disease (89% vs. 91%, respectively) within the two treatment groups were similar (P = 1.00). A median of three cycles of chemotherapy with mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (MOPP) or with mitoxantrone, vincristine, vinblastine, and prednisone (NOVP) was given initially to six patients and five patients, respectively. A median total radiotherapy dose of 40 grays (Gy) given in daily fractions of 2.0 Gy was delivered to both treatment groups. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 9.3 years, and 98% of patients were observed for > or = 3.0 years. RFS was similar for patients who were treated with radiotherapy alone and patients who were treated with chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (10-year survival rates: 77% and 68%, respectively; P = 0.89). The OS rate also was similar for the two groups (10-year survival rates: 90% and 100%, respectively; P = 0.43). MOPP or NOVP chemotherapy did not reduce the risk of recurrence outside of the radiotherapy fields. CONCLUSIONS: MOPP or NOVP chemotherapy did not improve RFS or OS significantly in patients with VF or F LPHD, although the statistical power was limited. Ongoing clinical trials will help to clarify the role of a watch-and-wait strategy or systemic therapy, including anthracycline (epirubicin or doxorubicin), bleomycin, and vinblastine-based chemotherapy or antibody-based approaches, in the treatment of these patients.

Adolescent↗

Expression of CD40 ligand (CD154) in B and T lymphocytes of Hodgkin disease: potential therapeutic significance.

BACKGROUND: The malignant Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (H/RS) cells of Hodgkin disease (HD) express CD30 and CD40 receptors that can activate nuclear factor kappa B and transduce survival signals. The authors have reported previously that the B lymphocytes of HD express CD30 ligand (CD30L, CD153). Furthermore, they and others have reported previously that the CD40L survival pathway is augmented in patients with B-cell malignancies, as CD40L was constitutively expressed by the malignant B cells and infiltrating T cells, and sera from those patients contained elevated levels of soluble CD40L. In this study, the authors investigated the hypothesis that the survival of H/RS cells was similarly promoted by an augmented CD40L signals in HD patients. METHODS: The expression of CD40L on lymphocyte subsets of patients with classic HD was determined by two-color fluorescent-activated cell sorter analysis. Serum soluble CD40L levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: CD40L was constitutively expressed on both the T and B cells of HD patients but was more prominently expressed on the B lymphocytes. Soluble CD40L was detected in the serum of 17 of 37 patients (45%) and was higher than 1 ng/mL in 4 patients (10%). Both interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10, which are known to be secreted by H/RS cells and surrounding T cells, up-regulated CD40L expression on normal B cells. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the expression of CD40L and CD30L on the B cells of HD patients suggests that B lymphocytes may play a role in the regulation of H/RS cell growth in vivo. Depriving H/RS cells from CD30L and CD40L survival signals by eliminating B cells from HD lesions may be of therapeutic value.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Radiotherapy alone for lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's disease.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to analyze the results with radiotherapy alone in a select group of asymptomatic adults with nonbulky, early-stage lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1963 and 1995, 36 patients with nonbulky stage IA (N = 27) or IIA (N = 9) supradiaphragmatic (N = 27) or subdiaphragmatic (N = 9) lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's disease were treated with radiotherapy alone. Eleven of the patients underwent laparotomy. Limited-field radiotherapy involving only one side of the diaphragm and extended-field radiotherapy encompassing both sides of the diaphragm were used in 28 and 8 cases, respectively. Median dose to involved areas was 40.0 Gy given daily in 20 2.0-Gy fractions. Salvage treatmentconsisted of MOPP (mechlorethamine, vincristine, prednisone, procarbazine), CVPP/ABDIC (cyclophosphamide, vinblastine, procarbazine and prednisone/doxorubicin, bleomycin, dacarbazine, lomustine, and prednisone), or ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) chemotherapy and/or involved-field radiotherapy. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 8.8 years (range, 3.0-34.4 years). None of the 15 patients with supradiaphragmatic disease who received limited-field radiotherapy to regions that did not include the mediastinal or hilar nodes subsequently experienced relapse there. Only one of 20 patients who received supradiaphragmatic limited-field radiotherapy alone experienced relapse in the paraaortic nodes or spleen. The 5-year relapse-free and overall survival rates for the 20 patients with stage IA lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's disease treated with involved-field or regional radiotherapy were 95% and 100%, respectively. There were no cases of severe or life-threatening cardiac toxicity. No solid tumors have been observed in-field in patients treated with limited-field radiotherapy, even though they have been followed up longer than those treated with extended-field radiotherapy (median follow-up, 11.6 vs 5.5 years); two solid tumors have developed in-field in patients who received extended-field radiotherapy. DISCUSSION: Involved-field or regional radiotherapy alone may be adequate in stage IA lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's disease patients. Longer follow-up will help to more clearly define the risks of cardiac toxicity and solid tumors that result from involved-field or regional radiotherapy, which appear to be low based on follow-up to date.

Adolescent↗

Clinicopathologic and molecular features of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Hodgkin's lymphoma is a relatively uncommon malignancy that predominantly effects young adults. It became the first human cancer to be cured with combination chemotherapy. Unfortunately, many cured patients do not live their expected lifespan because of long-term lethal effects of therapy. Novel treatment strategies based on our understanding of Hodgkin's lymphoma biology are currently being explored to maintain the high cure rate without the added treatment related toxicity.

Adult↗

Pentostatin in T-non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: efficacy and effect on CD26+ T lymphocytes.

Pentostatin is an adenosine deaminase (ADA) inhibitor with antineoplastic activity. CD26 is a surface glycoprotein with a key role in T cell function as the ADA binding protein. We conducted a phase II study to evaluate pentostatin efficacy in relapsed T-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (T-NHL) and to correlate response with tumor CD26 expression. We also examined the lymphopenic effect of pentostatin on CD26+ T lymphocytes. Eighteen patients were registered for the study. Pentostatin was administered as intravenous bolus daily over 3 days at an initial dose of 5 mg/m(2)/day, repeated every 4 weeks. CD26 surface expression on tumor cells and T lymphocytes was determined by flow cytometry. Out of 14 patients evaluable for response, there was 1 (7%) complete response (CR) and 6 (43%) partial responses (PR). Median progression-free survival for responders was 6 months (range: 2-15 months); median number of courses was 4 (range: 1-6). Responders included 1 of 2 CD26+ and 5 of 9 CD26- cases. Pentostatin also specifically depleted CD26+ rather than CD26- T lymphocytes, potentially associated with immunosuppression. We therefore conclude that while pentostatin is a safe and active agent for T-NHL regardless of CD26 expression, it may selectively deplete CD26+ T lymphocytes, with potentially significant clinical implications.

Adult↗