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Biomedical subjects

D De Maria

Publications and source records attributed to D De Maria.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Adjuvant radiotherapy of the pelvis with or without reduced glutathione: a randomized trial in patients operated on for endometrial cancer.

A randomized pilot trial was performed to evaluate the feasibility of administration of glutathione (GSH, 1200 mg, i.v.) as a protector in preventing diarrhea in patients operated on for endometrial cancer and submitted to adjuvant radiotherapy of the pelvis. Diarrhea occurred in 52% of patients in the untreated control group and only in 28% of patients in the GSH-treated group. Our preliminary data indicate that GSH administered before radiotherapy reduced the occurrence of diarrhea from oxidative damage to the intestinal mucosa. A large-scale phase III study is required to obtain definitive conclusions on the protective potential of GSH.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

BAL modifications after antiblastic and immunomodulant therapy in lung cancer.

The bronchoalveolar compartment can be easily investigated with BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage) before and after antiblastic therapy. We studied 50 patients affected by primary lung cancer, of whom 31 served as a control group and 19 were submitted to BAL after chemo- and/or radiotherapy. Data from BAL performed in an unaffected lung area show that antiblastic therapy can produce alterations in the terminal airways without clinical evidence. Chemotherapy causes a significant impairment of the alveolo-capillary barrier. Radiotherapy is able to affect lymphocytes, with a CD4/CD8 reduction. The concomitance of both therapies produces synergistic effects. Immunomodulant therapy with thymostimulin in otherwise untreated lung cancer patients seems able to modify alveolar lymphocyte number and subsets, but these are preliminary data which need further substantiation.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid↗
PubMed1988

Pattern of epithelial cell proliferation in colorectal mucosa of normal subjects and of patients with adenomatous polyps or cancer of the large bowel.

Microautoradiography has been largely used to characterize the proliferative activity of colorectal mucosa. We used this technique in a large series of patients with polyps or cancer of the large bowel and in normal controls with the following objectives: (a) to define the normal pattern of cell replication in different tracts of the large bowel; (b) to compare the proliferative activity of colonic crypts in patients with colorectal cancer or polyps with that of controls; (c) to evaluate replicative activity of colorectal mucosa in the close vicinity and at distance from a neoplastic mass. Specimens of colorectal mucosa were taken during endoscopy (controls and polyps) or at surgery (cancer). During histological examination each intestinal hemicrypt was divided into five equal longitudinal compartments from the base to the surface and the labeled cells in each compartment were counted. In controls, total labeling index (ratio of labeled to total cells) and labeling index per crypt compartment showed only minor differences between the various large bowel tracts. Total labeling index tended to be higher in patients with polyps or cancer than in controls (13.5 +/- 0.4 and 12.5 +/- 0.4, respectively, versus 11.3 +/- 0.5). Labeling index per crypt compartment in the most superficial portions of the crypt (compartments 3 to 5) was significantly higher in the two groups of patients with tumors than in controls. This was particularly evident in the fifth compartment (the most superficial), in which labeled cells were observed in 15.8% (three subjects out of 19) of controls but in 71% (15 out of 21) and 87.5% (14 out of 16) of polyp and cancer patients, respectively. In patients with colorectal cancer there were not significant differences of cell proliferation between mucosal samples taken at various distances from the tumor margin; however, increased cell replication, especially in the most superficial portions of the crypt, has been observed. In conclusion, a significant upwards expansion of the proliferative zone of intestinal glands has been observed in patients with either polyps or cancer of the large bowel. In particular, labeling of the fifth compartment seems to possess the highest discriminatory power between subjects with or without intestinal neoplasms. Hyperproliferation of the entire colonic mucosa seems to be a common feature in patients with colorectal cancer.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1988

Phase III randomized study of fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide v fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide in advanced breast cancer: an Italian multicentre trial.

From February 1983 to January 1985, 497 patients with advanced breast cancer were randomly allocated to receive either epirubicin or doxorubicin in the following combination chemotherapy regimen: fluorouracil (5-FU) 500 mg/m2 intravenous (IV) on days 1 and 8; epirubicin or doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 IV on day 1; cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 IV on day 1 (FEC or FAC). Cycles were repeated every 21 days until progression or to cumulative doses of 700 mg/m2 for epirubicin and 550 mg/m2 for doxorubicin. Dose reductions were applied according to the standard criteria. Activity was evaluated in 443 patients (222 in the FEC arm and 221 in the FAC arm). The two experimental groups were comparable in age, performance status, menopausal status, histology, previous treatments, and site of the disease. The overall response rate (complete response and partial response [CR + PR]) was not significantly different: 53.6% for FEC and 56.5% for FAC. The median time to progression was 273 days for FEC and 314 days for FAC; the median survival time was 591 and 613 days, respectively. Leukopenia, anemia, nausea, and vomiting were significantly lower in patients treated with FEC. As for cardiotoxicity, four cases of congestive heart failure (CHF) were recorded among patients treated with FAC while only one was observed in the FEC group. These results indicate that epirubicin in a combination chemotherapy regimen is as active as doxorubicin and is significantly less toxic.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

[The use of computerized tomography in recurrences of rectal tumors].

The authors refer the results of CT studies of 33 patients who underwent surgical resection of the rectum for cancer. In 20 of these cases there was only a suspicion of recurrence; in 13 recurrence had been already clinically or instrumentally demonstrated. In the latter group (13 patients) CT clearly showed the presence of a pelvic mass and of muscular infiltration; in 8 cases pelvic organs and in 7 cases pelvic bones were involved; the mass had liquid density features in 3 patients. In 12 of the 20 cases in which cancer recurrence was suspected, CT demonstrated the presence of a pelvic mass. Compared to the former group infiltration of pelvic organs and bones was less frequent. Granulation tissue, fibrous tissue, abscess formation and surgical removal of epiploon placed into the pelvis may all be causes of false positivity. In order to reduce the rate of wrong diagnosis it is useful a post-operative evaluation of the pelvis as soon as it has recovered from surgery.

Humans↗
PubMed1979

[Tc99m pertechnetate in the study of gastric function].

The authors explored the gastric function of 20 volunteers by classical methods and by the assessment of gastric 99Tc pertechnetate clearance. From a comparison of results obtained with the various methods they come to the conclusion that the pertechnetate clearance method is dependable, easy to perform, and noninvasive; accordingly, they recommend its use as the method of choice for monitoring the treatment of duodenal ulcers and evaluating its results.

Adult↗