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Biomedical subjects

D H Berry

Publications and source records attributed to D H Berry.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Combination chemotherapy with MOPP in children with recurrent brain tumors.

Twenty-three children with CNS tumors were treated with combination chemotherapy including nitrogen mustard, vincristine sulfate, procarbazine, and prednisone (MOPP). All but one had progressive or recurrent tumors following surgery and irradiation. In addition, nine of these patients had prior chemotherapy. Seventeen out of 23 patients (73.4%) responded to MOPP chemotherapy including seven patients who had prior chemotherapy with single or multiple agents such as VCR, nitrosoureas, intrathecal methotrexate, and VM-26. Three comatose patients who were being kept on Decadron without benefit recovered from coma. At the time of this report 8 of the 17 responders are surviving without evidence of recurrence 7--30 months from the start of MOPP chemotherapy. In two of these children chemotherapy has been completely stopped.

Adolescent↗

Differential effects of cranial radiation on growth hormone response to arginine and insulin infusion.

The growth hormone responses to arginine infusion and to insulin-induced hypoglycemia were studied in 13 patients with neoplastic disease after treatment with radiation and chemotherapy. Patients who received intensive cranial radiation (greater than 2,400 rads) had no response to either arginine or insulin; those who received moderate cranial radiation (greater than or equal to 2,400 rads) had GH response to arginine but not to insulin; patients receiving no cranial radiation responded to both arginine and insulin. These data support the hypothesis that GH secretion in response to arginine infusion has a different mechanism in contrast to the response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia and that the latter is more vulnerable to cranial radiation.

Adolescent↗

Combination chemotherapy in histiocytosis X.

Twenty-five children with generalized histiocytosis X were treated with a combination of cyclophosphamide, vinblastine, and prednisone: 8 patients experienced complete response, 8 partial response, 2 imporvement, and 7 no response. Response rates for children over 1 year of age were higher than those reported for single agents. Twelve children are now off therapy with no evidence of disease for 10--50 months. Very poor response rates and high toxicity were seen in children less than 1 year of age. The two infants who eventually achieved CR did so by other therapies. Further trials in combination chemotherapy must weight possible long-term effects of such therapy against the prospect of more rapid disease control.

Administration, Oral↗

Urinary 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylacetic (homovanillic) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic (vanillylmandelic) acids: gas-liquid chromatographic methods and experience with 13 cases of neuroblastoma.

We present a quantitative gas-chromatographic method for determining urinary 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid (vanillylmandelic acid) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (homovanillic acid). In this rapid technique an internal standard is used and the procedure involves ether extraction and silyl ether formation. Analytical recovery of vanillylmandelic acid averages 87.5% (CV, 0.95%), of homovanillic acid 102.3% (CV, 9.95%). Our data on 34 samples from 13 neuroblastoma patients show that homovanillic acid is more consistently elevated than is vanillylmandelic acid.

Child↗

Hepatic adenomata with type 1 glycogen storage disease.

In older patients with glucose-6-phosphatase deficiency adenomatous nodules develop within the liver parenchyma. Investigation of eight such patients, age 3 to 28 years, using radioisotopic scans, has demonstrated areas of depressed isotope uptake in the liver in all except the one preteenaged child. Three patients were further studied with hepatic angiograms and liver biopsy specimens. A diffuse nodularity, more widespread than apparent on isotopic scans, was demonstrated on angiograms. Although initial histologic study in each case showed adenomatous tissue without evidence of neoplasm, the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in one of our patients and in others from the literature suggests that the nodules may be premalignant.

Adolescent↗

Comparison of prednisolone, vincristine, methotrexate, and 6-mercaptopurine vs. vincristine and prednisone induction therapy in childhood acute leukemia.

This was designed to compare vincristine-prednisone (VP) vs. prednisolone, vincristine, methotrexate, and 6-mercaptopurine (POMP) with respect to response rates and toxicity for induction therapy in acute leukemia. Children with acute lymphoblastic, acute undifferentiated, or acute stem cell leukemia were stratified on the basis of initial leukocyte count and age, then randomly assigned to POMP or VP induction therapy. On the POMP regime, 19/34 (56%) achieved complete remission (CR), 7 achieved partial remission (PR), and 5 did not respond (NR). Three died prior to day 25 of the study. On the VP regime, 37/39 (95%) had CR, and 2 NR. On the VP regime neither sepsis nor toxicity were significant problems. The POMP regime had a higher incidence of sepsis and other toxicities frequently causing therapy interruption, but not enequivocally causing the poor response rate. Several other factors were evaluated as possible causes for the lack of response to POMP therapy.

Acute Disease↗

Three dose regimens of adriamycin for induction of remission in acute leukemia in children: a Southwest Oncology Group Study.

Three therapeutic regimens (6-hr intervals for 6 doses daily for 3 days, and a single infusion) utilizing the same total dose of adriamycin for the induction of remission in children with late-stage acute leukemia were evaluated in 150 patients. Complete remission rates were 15%, 28%, and 25%, respectively. Twenty-five children who achieved complete bone marrow remissions with adriamycin therapy were treated a second time after subsequent relapses. Of these children 20% achieved second bone marrow remissions.

Acute Disease↗