Biomedical subjects

C Pagliarulo

Publications and source records attributed to C Pagliarulo.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1988

Prognostic significance of circulating immune complexes in a long-term follow-up of breast cancer patients.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prognostic value of circulating immune complexes (CIC) in surgically treated breast cancer patients as compared with other well-known prognostic factors. CIC of IgG and IgM classes were determined by a C1q immunoenzymatic assay in serum samples of 122 patients before mastectomy and 51 of them were found positive for IgG. The other class of CIC was virtually absent. No relevant differences of distribution of other prognostic parameters such as estrogen and progesterone receptors, histological grading, nodal and menopausal status were found according to CIC levels. Level of IgG CIC was affected by surgical removal of the tumor since significant reduction of it was observed 2 weeks after mastectomy; however, this reduction did not show prognostic significance. The patients included in the present study were subjected to a 7-year follow-up; eventually a significant association was observed between preoperative IgG CIC and relapse of the disease. Patients with positive values of immune complexes relapsed more frequently than those with negative values. Serial determinations of IgG CIC were carried out within the 24 months following mastectomy and statistically evaluated for their prognostic use. No significant association was found between increase of IgG CIC level and relapse of the disease.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

PubMed1987

The treatment of metastatic pleural effusion in breast cancer: report of 25 cases.

We report our experience in the treatment of pleural effusion in 25 patients with metastatic breast cancer. Seventeen patients received initial systemic therapy and in 13 of them local intrapleural therapy was subsequently employed; the remaining 8 patients received local therapy only. Several modalities of local treatment were used: intrapleural chemotherapy with thiotepa and 5-fluorouracil; the production of pleural adhesion by the use of chest drainage alone or associated with instillation of sclerosing agents, such as nitrogen mustard or tetracycline. Of the 21 patients who were subjected to local therapy, 19 (90.5%) achieved an objective response (16 complete (76.2%) and 3 (14.34%) partial). Complete responses were observed exclusively in patients who had pleurodesis. Our data suggest that pleurodesis is the treatment of choice for neoplastic pleural effusion and that the use of tetracycline as a sclerosing agent is the most useful because of its availability, low cost and low morbidity.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis in women with operable breast cancer treated with adjuvant CMF and tamoxifen.

The effect of adjuvant CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil) and tamoxifen (TM) on hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian function was studied in 120 women with stage I-II operable breast cancer. Sixty patients were premenopausal, of whom 25 were treated with CMF for 9 cycles, 25 with CMF for 9 cycles + TM for 2 years, started concurrently, and 10 with TM alone for 2 years. Sixty patients were postmenopausal and they were all treated with TM alone for 2 years. In all groups treatment was started within 4 weeks of mastectomy. Plasma levels of estrone (E1), estradiol-17 beta (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (Prl), testosterone (T) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were determined in all patients before surgery and again at 3-month intervals from initiation of the adjuvant therapy. In ten patients of each treatment group FSH-LH and Prl-TSH release was determined following stimulation with releasing hormones. CMF and CMF+TM therapy resulted in amenorrhea in 42/50 premenopausal patients with decrease of E1+E2 (p less than 0.001) and elevation of FSH (p less than 0.001) and LH (p less than 0.01) plasma concentration to postmenopausal levels. In premenopausal women treated with TM a marked increase of E1+E2 (p less than 0.001) was observed with unaltered FSH-LH plasma concentration. A significant fall of Prl also occurred in these patients. In postmenopausal women and premenopausal patients with CMF-induced amenorrhea TM produced a marked fall of FSH-LH and a decrease of Prl plasma level. Plasma TSH and T were not affected in any patient by any of the treatment regimens. The results of the stimulatory tests are in agreement with the hormonal changes observed under basal conditions and indicate that, whereas CMF suppresses the ovary and does not alter hypothalamic-pituitary function, TM induces profound changes of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Effect of adjuvant tamoxifen and CMF on endocrine function of patients with operable breast cancer.

The effect of adjuvant CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil) and tamoxifen (TM) on endocrine function was studied in 120 women with stage I-II operable breast cancer. Sixty patients were premenopausal, of whom 25 were treated with CMF for 9 months, 25 received CMF for 9 months + TM for 2 years, started concurrently, and 10 TM alone for 2 years. In all groups treatment was started within 4 weeks from mastectomy. Sixty patients were postmenopausal and they were all treated with TM alone for 2 years. Plasma levels of estrone + estradiol -17 beta (E1 + E2), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (Prl), and testosterone (T) were determined in all patients before surgery and again at 3-month intervals from initiation of the adjuvant therapy. In ten patients of each treatment group FSH-LH and Prl-TSH release was determined following stimulation with releasing hormones. CMF and CMF + TM therapy resulted in amenorrhea in the majority of premenopausal patients with decrease of E1 + E2 and elevation of FSH-LH plasma concentration to levels of the post-menopausal. In premenopausal women treated with TM a marked increase of E1 + E2 was observed with unaltered FSH-LH plasma concentration. A significant fall of Prl was also present in these patients. In postmenopausal women and premenopausal patients with CMF-induced amenorrhea TM produced a marked fall of FSH-LH and a decrease of Prl plasma level. In no patients was plasma T affected by any of the treatment regimens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Fractures of long bones previously treated for Ewing's sarcoma.

Patients with Ewing's sarcoma of a long bone who survive for two years from the time of diagnosis and have been treated with irradiation and chemotherapy have a significant risk of fracture of the involved segment of bone. In our experience, this risk is especially high when the humerus or femur is involved. Healing of these fractures is not normal, and our data suggest that early or even prophylactic internal fixation and bone-grafting may be indicated.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Salvage chemotherapy for non Hodgkin's lymphoma of unfavourable histology with a combination of CCNU and vinblastine.

Twenty patients with relapsed or refractory, intermediate or high grade non Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with a combination of CCNU and vinblastine. Complete responses occurred in four patients (20 per cent), partial responses in eight (40 per cent), for an overall response rate of 60 per cent. The regimen was more effective in patients with high grade lymphoma, absence of constitutional symptoms, better response to prior treatment. Duration of response was 4, 8, 16, 30 months for complete responders; 2, 2, 6, 6, 6, 8, 9, 14 months for partial responders. This combination regimen seems at least as effective as most of other regimens utilized in salvage treatment of non Hodgkin's lymphomas, with a very acceptable toxicity.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

CAVBP/DEP alternating chemotherapy for the treatment of intermediate and high grade non Hodgkin's lymphoma: final results of a pilot study.

Between May 1984 and September 1986, 40 patients with intermediate or high grade non Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with a novel protocol, which alternated a conventional regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, bleomycin, and prednisone (CAVBP) with a second chemotherapy regimen, including two drugs with newly discovered activity against lymphomas, such as cis-platin, etoposide, and prednisone (DEP). Twenty-one patients (52.5 per cent) achieved a complete response, 11 patients (27.5 per cent) had a partial response. Eight of the 21 complete responders (38 per cent) relapsed 5 to 24 months after completion of treatment. With a median follow-up of over 40 months, 22 patients are alive, six with disease and three in a second complete response after salvage chemotherapy. Factors negatively associated with response included 'B' symptoms, advanced stage of disease, bulky tumour, poor performance status, number of extranodal sites of disease. 'B' symptoms, bulky tumour, and poor performance status were also negatively associated with survival. Toxicity was modest, with no treatment-related deaths and only six cases of severe leukopenia. The results of this pilot study do not justify comparison of CAVBP/DEP with more efficacious regimens in prospective, randomized trials.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

CA 15-3 in human breast cancer. Comparison with tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).

CEA, TPA, CA 15-3 were assayed in 238 patients in follow-up for breast cancer after surgery. CA 15-3 showed the best sensitivity and specificity; the predictive value of a positive CA 15-3 test was three times higher than CEA and TPA. No association was found between marker positivity and the number of organs involved by metastases. CA 15-3 positivity was significantly associated with visceral rather than soft tissue recurrences; no significant similar association was observed for CEA and TPA. CA 15-3 serum levels were early predictors of relapse in four out of nine patients within a 6-12 month follow-up period.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Impact of preoperative CA 15-3 levels in operable breast cancer. Comparison with tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).

CA 15-3, TPA and CEA were assayed before surgery in 60 patients with breast cancer. A significant association was found between preoperative CA 15-3 levels and some of the most important prognostic factors in breast cancer, such as lymph node status and tumor size. No similar association was discovered for CEA and TPA. Preoperative CA 15-3 levels were also significantly associated with early recurrences of the disease, thus adding useful information to prognosis especially in N+ patients.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗