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C Ferrada

Publications and source records attributed to C Ferrada.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Dendritic cell immunizations alone or combined with low doses of interleukin-2 induce specific immune responses in melanoma patients.

Dendritic cell (DC)-based therapy has proved to be effective in patients with a variety of malignancies. However, an optimal immunization protocol using DCs and the best means for delivering antigens has not yet been described. In this study, 20 patients with malignant melanoma in stages III or IV were vaccinated with autologous DCs pulsed with a melanoma cell lysate, alone (n = 13) or in combination with low doses of subcutaneous (s.c.) interleukin (IL)-2 injections (n = 7), to assess toxicity, immunological and clinical responses. Monocyte-derived DCs were morphological, phenotypic and functionally characterized in vitro. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), harvested from patients either prior to and after the treatment, were analysed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT). After vaccination, 50% of the patients tested (seven of 13) from the first group and (three of seven) from the second, showed an increase in interferon (IFN)-gamma production in response to allogeneic melanoma cell lines but not to controls. Four of five tested human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-A2(+) patients with anti-melanoma activity also showed specific T cell responses against peptides derived from melanoma-associated antigens. Delayed type IV hypersensitivity reaction (DTH) against melanoma cell lysate was observed in six of 13 patients from the group treated with DC vaccines only and four of seven from the group treated with the combination of DCs and IL-2. Significant correlations were found between DTH-positive responses against tumour lysate and both disease stability and post-vaccination survival on the stage IV patients. There were no toxicities associated with the vaccines or evidence of autoimmunity including vitiligo. Furthermore, no significant enhancement was observed as a result of combining DC vaccination with IL-2. Our data suggest that autologous DCs pulsed with tumour lysate may provide a standardized and widely applicable source of melanoma specific antigens for clinical use. It is safe and causes no significant side effects and has been demonstrated to be partially efficient at triggering effective anti-melanoma immunity.

Antigen Presentation↗
PubMed2004

Pharyngo-esophageal reconstruction by free jejunal graft and microvascular anastomosis in a 10-year-old girl.

Pharyngeal and upper esophagus substitution is an ordinary procedure in adults, performed mainly for oncologic purposes, but it is rarely done in children. The authors present a case report of a free jejunal graft pharyngo/esophageal reconstruction with microvascular anastomosis to the primitive carotid artery and the internal jugular vein in a a 10-year-old girl who had a loss of lower pharynx and cervical esophagus secondary to esophageal perforation by foreign body. Other surgical approaches for pharyngo-esophageal reconstruction in children are revisited.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗
PubMed1998

[Impact of hypertensive disease of pregnancy on intrauterine growth retardation].

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine growth retardation, associated to hypertensive disease of pregnancy, is responsible for a higher perinatal mortality and morbidity. AIM: To assess obstetrical, perinatal and neonatal features of intrauterine growth retardation associated to hypertensive disease of pregnancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty seven newborns with intrauterine growth retardation, whose mothers had hypertensive disease of pregnancy, were compared to 165 similar newborns but whose mothers did not have the disease. RESULTS: The incidence of intrauterine growth retardation associated to hypertensive disease of pregnancy was 45.4%. Maternal obesity at the start and end of pregnancy, a pregestational weight over 65 kg and a weight increment of more than 20 kg during pregnancy were risk factors for hypertensive disease of pregnancy with relative risks of 1.76, 1.62, 1.62 and 2.09 respectively. Relative risks for cesarean section and prematurity were also higher among women with hypertensive disease of pregnancy. Intrauterine growth retardation associated to maternal hypertension was symmetrical and severe in 37.9% of newborns. All seven neonatal deaths occurred in newborns with severe retardation. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal and perinatal morbidity and mortality are higher in newborns with intrauterine growth retardation. Hypertensive disease of pregnancy was associated with a twice higher incidence of asymmetrical intrauterine growth retardation.

Birth Weight↗