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Biomedical subjects

D G Mayernik

Publications and source records attributed to D G Mayernik.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

A phase II study of 9-aminocamptothecin in patients with refractory breast cancer.

We evaluated 9-aminocamptothecin (9-AC) in patients with metastatic or locally recurrent breast cancer who were no longer responsive to standard therapy. Patients were treated with 9-AC with a 72-hr continuous infusion given at a dose of 45 micrograms/m2/hr every 2 weeks. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor 5 micrograms/kg was given subcutaneously for 7-10 days after completion of the treatment. Eighteen patients were treated, with all patients assessable for toxicity and 15 patients assessable for response. There were two partial responses seen in the 15 patients lasting 3.5 and 5 months, respectively. The major toxicity seen was myelosuppression, with 12 patients having grade 3 or greater granulocytopenia with four episodes of significant infectious complications. In addition, significant thrombocytopenia was seen in 14 patients. The other complications commonly seen were nausea and vomiting and alopecia. 9-AC given as a 3-day continuous infusion has limited activity in previously treated metastatic and locally recurrent breast cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Randomized placebo-controlled trial of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating-factor support for dose-intensive cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and cisplatin.

This is a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating-factor (GM-CSF) after dose-intensive cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and cisplatin (DICEP). Fifty-six patients with lymphoma or breast carcinoma were randomized to receive GM-CSF 250 microg/m2 or placebo subcutaneously (SC) every 12 hr after each course of DICEP until recovery of absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of 1.5 x 10(9)/L. Each patient was to receive three courses of DICEP. There were 28 patients in each group. The median duration of ANC below 0.5 x 10(9)/L was 10 versus 12 days for Course 1 (P = 0.010), 10 versus 12 days for Course 2 (P = 0.248), and 16.5 versus 15 days for Course 3 (P = 0.126); platelet counts below 20 x 10(9)/L was 4 versus 4 days for Course 1 (P = 0.586), 8.5 versus 7 days for Course 2 (P = 0.013), and 23.5 versus 10.5 days for Course 3 (P = 0.104); hospitalization for patients readmitted with cytopenic fever were 4 versus 8 days for Course 1 (P = 0.035); 7 versus 6 days for Course 2 (P = 0.692); and 8 versus 12 days for Course 3 (P = 0.884) in the GM-CSF and placebo group, respectively. GM-CSF significantly shortens the duration of neutropenia and readmission only during the first course of DICEP. There was a delay in platelet recovery and an increase in transfusion requirement during subsequent courses in the GM-CSF group. The result cautions the routine use of lineage specific hematopoietic growth factors in supporting repeated cycles of dose-intensive chemotherapy.

Adult↗

Adjuvant methotrexate-5-fluorouracil for extracapsular squamous cell carcinoma in cervical metastasis.

A trial of surgery, irradiation, and adjuvant chemotherapy was offered to patients with extracapsular spread of squamous cell carcinoma in cervical metastases. Following surgery and irradiation, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin were administered 18 times over 6 months. Fifty patients undertook chemotherapy, while 47 patients declined further therapy. Comparison of the two groups according to stage, site, and Karnofsky performance status demonstrated no significant differences. The number of nodes encountered and the number and percentage of nodes with extracapsular spread were similar in the two groups. The minimum 5-year adjusted survival for patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy is 54% (20 of 37 patients), while survival of patients who failed to undertake adjuvant chemotherapy was 17% (5 of 30 patients). These data suggest the efficacy of methotrexate-5-fluorouracil adjuvant chemotherapy and support the need for a prospective randomized clinical trial.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Adjuvant chemotherapy for high-risk squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

A prospective clinical trial was developed to evaluate efficacy, toxicity, and patient compliance to adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery and postoperative radiation therapy in patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck with extracapsular spread of tumor in cervical metastases. Following postoperative radiation therapy, 18 courses of methotrexate (MTX) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were administered over 6 months. Fifty patients were registered. A total of 771 doses were administered. Dose reduction was required 72 times. Therapy was stopped in one patient (2%) because of toxicity. Three patients (6%) refused to complete the adjuvant therapy. Adjusted 2-year no evidence of disease (NED) survival is 66%. This study demonstrates that patients with advanced squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck can undertake an aggressive program of adjuvant MTX/5-FU with acceptable compliance and toxicities. Preliminary data generated in this nonrandomized study support the call for a prospective randomized multiinstitutional trial of this program.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Hodgkin's disease presenting with isolated craniospinal involvement.

A 34-year-old man presented with tumor of his cervical spinal meninges and bone and the dura over the right frontal lobe, which was shown on biopsy to be Hodgkin's lymphoma. Extensive noninvasive evaluation failed to reveal any other sites of disease. Central nervous system involvement with Hodgkin's disease is extremely rare and is almost always a late complication in patients who have widely disseminated disease in the usual nodal sites. The current patient is unique in that his initial symptoms were due to involvement of the central nervous system and he had no evidence of Hodgkin's disease elsewhere.

Adult↗

Maintenance chemotherapy for high-risk patients. A preliminary report.

A prospectively designed program employing surgery, radiotherapy, and maintenance chemotherapy was initiated for patients with histologic evidence of extracapsular spread of tumor in cervical metastases. Postoperative radiotherapy consisted of 6,000 rad of cobalt 60 administered in 180- to 200-rad fractions. Chemotherapy was initiated two to four weeks following radiotherapy. Methotrexate sodium (250 mg/sq m), fluorouracil (600 mg/sq m), and leucovorin calcium were administered one day per week, two weeks of three, for a total of 18 treatments in six months. Thirty-two patients have been in the therapeutic program. Toxic reaction has been minimal and self-limiting. One patient stopped chemotherapy because of toxic reaction. One patient (3%) was noncompliant. All patients have been followed up for 18 to 33 months. Twenty-one patients remain alive and free of disease (81% determinate survival). This compares with a 36% (9/25) disease-free survival for concurrent controls and 39% survival for historic controls.

Adult↗

Interleukin 1 secretion by human monocytes and macrophages.

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is generally regarded as a major regulator of T lymphocyte proliferation. Macrophages from animals and cloned tumor cell lines have been shown to produce this monokine in response to a variety of stimuli. The ability of human monocytes and macrophages to generate IL-1 is much less well characterized. We previously demonstrated that human monocytes cultured for 1-6 days transformed to macrophages but retained their capacity to support concanavalin A-driven T cell proliferation. However, cultured macrophage capacity to support antigen-driven T cell proliferation began to decline after 3 days of culture and was markedly deficient by 6 days of culture. To determine if this loss of accessory cell function was due to the inability to secrete IL-1, we measured the monokine produced by normal fresh human monocytes and macrophages cultured in vitro from monocytes. IL-1 was assayed by the mouse thymocyte proliferation method. Fresh monocytes secreted IL-1 readily in response to lipopolysaccaride and latex particles. Macrophages cultured from fresh monocytes, however, lost this ability after greater than or equal to 2 days in culture. Mixing experiments failed to demonstrate an inhibitor present in the macrophage supernatants that would suppress thymocyte proliferation. Stimulated T cells incubated with monocytes and 3-day cultured macrophages failed to prolong or promote IL-1 secretion.

Animals↗

Interleukin 1 secretion is not required for human macrophage support of T-cell proliferation.

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is a soluble factor secreted by stimulated monocytes (Mo) and animal macrophages (Mx). We have previously demonstrated that human Mo cultured in vitro for 1-6 days transform to Mx, and retain their ability to support concanavalin A (Con A)-driven T-cell proliferation. We have also shown that, paradoxically, these Mx do not secrete IL-1, when stimulated by endotoxin (LPS). In this study we examined two alternative hypotheses: T cells plus mitogen induce Mx IL-1 production, and human Mx deliver a second signal to T cells via a non-IL-1 mechanism. IL-1 was assayed in a mouse CD-1 thymocyte system without concanavalin A. Mo/Mx were cultured with T cells at low (2 X 10(4)/200 microliters) or high (1 X 10(5)/200 microliters) concentrations for 2 or 4 days, in the presence of Con A. Six hours prior to quantitation of proliferation, 50 microliters of supernatant was removed and assayed for IL-1. As expected both Mo and Mx enhanced T-cell proliferation eight- to tenfold. Mo secreted large amounts of IL-1; there was no demonstrable IL-1 activity present in supernatants from cultures containing either T cells and Mx, or Mx alone. Similar results were obtained by preincubating the cells (Mo, Mx, and T cells) with Con A for 12 hr and removing Con A prior to a 36-hr coculture. We examined the possibility that a small amount of IL-1 may be able to support Con A-stimulated T-cell proliferation and yet may not induce thymocyte proliferation. The highest dilutions of Mo supernatant (1:125) which supported T-cell proliferation also caused a fivefold increase in thymocyte proliferation. Supernatants from Mx failed to stimulate thymocyte proliferation or support Con A-driven T-cell proliferation. However, Mo and Mx lysates contain Il-1 activity. We conclude that human Mx support Con A-induced T-cell proliferation in the absence of IL-1 secretion. Mx may support T-cell proliferation by cell-bound IL-1 or by a non-IL-1 mechanism.

Cells, Cultured↗

Differentiation-associated alteration in human monocyte-macrophage accessory cell function.

Human monocyte (Mo) to macrophage (Mx) differentiation is associated with marked and well studied changes in morphology, biochemical parameters, and effector cell function. Nevertheless, the comparative accessory cell (AC) function of blood Mo and differentiated Mx has not been carefully studied. We, therefore, examined the kinetics and mechanisms of change in AC function during in vitro Mo to Mx differentiation. The system utilized has two distinctive features: blood Mo and resultant cultured Mx represent a cohort of cells derived from the bone marrow within a 12-hr period. Moreover, the in vitro derived Mx utilized herein have been characterized extensively and are functionally and biochemically similar to pulmonary macrophages (PMx). In the experiments reported, AC functions of blood Mo, Mx derived from Mo after 1 to 6 days of culture, and PMx was compared. AC were cultured with nylon wool column-purified autologous T cells and were stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A) or streptokinase-streptodornase (SKSD). Blood T cell proliferation to Con A or SKSD was inhibited greater than 90% by the removal of Mo and was reconstituted by 20% Mo. Mx derived from Mo by culture for 1 to 3 days exhibited the same (or better) AC function as Mo when T cells were stimulated with either SKSD or Con A. In marked contrast, Mx derived from 6-day cultures exhibited less than or equal to 15% of Mo (i.e., control) capacity to support T cell proliferative response to SKSD. Six-day Mx support T cell proliferation to Con A was somewhat variable. Similar to 6-day cultured Mx, PMx failed to function as AC. The mechanism of loss of AC function was examined: a) cultured Mx maintained Ia antigen positivity for greater than 8 days; b) mixing experiments with Mo + 6-day cultured Mx or Mo + PMx demonstrated no T cell suppression; c) the normal capacity of most 6-day cultured Mx to support Con A but not SKSD induced T cell proliferation, apparently ruled out the loss of the ability to deliver a nonspecific "second signal" as the involved mechanism; d) inhibition of Mo to Mx differentiation by dexamethasone preserved AC activity. Thus, human culture-derived Mx and PMx exhibit deficit AC function through loss of an undefined mechanism. However, loss of AC antigen processing or presentation may occur.

5'-Nucleotidase↗

Cisplatin--5-fluorouracil chemotherapy for advanced inoperable squamous carcinoma of the head and neck.

Patients with locally advanced, inoperable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were offered three courses of cisplatin and 96-h 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) infusion. Subsequent therapy included surgery when feasible, irradiation therapy, and a maintenance program of methotrexate (MTX)-5-FU. Thirty-three patients were evaluated prospectively. Seven patients underwent a single course of chemotherapy. Five patients underwent two courses of chemotherapy. Twenty-one patients underwent three courses of adjuvant chemotherapy. The overall response rate was 48% (16 of 33). Fifteen of 21 patients (76%) receiving three courses of chemotherapy evidenced a response; this included three complete responses (CRs) (9%). No responses were seen in patients receiving only one or two courses of chemotherapy. Among responding patients, the initial favorable response to chemotherapy was apparent after the first course of chemotherapy. Patients who failed to demonstrate any response after two courses of chemotherapy did not respond after a third course. A significant group of patients fail to respond and should be offered participation in other investigational protocols as they become available.

Aged↗