Biomedical subjects

G Facchini

Publications and source records attributed to G Facchini.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

Intraperitoneal (ip) cisplatin-mitoxantrone-interferon-alpha 2b in ovarian cancer patients with minimal residual disease.

Forty-one ovarian cancer patients with less than 2 cm residual disease after systemic cisplatin-based chemotherapy received 4 courses of an ip regimen including cisplatin (75 mg/m2), mitoxantrone (20 mg/m2), and interferon-alpha 2b (30 mil IU/m2). The most important side effects were abdominal pain and fatigue. Overall 15/41 patients (37%) required narcotic analgesia for severe abdominal pain. In 1 case laparotomy was necessary due to bowel obstruction. Grade 3-4 myelotoxicity was observed in 18/41 patients (28 courses). No treatment-related death occurred. Pathological complete response (pCR) was achieved in 23/37 (62%) evaluable patients. Four-year disease-free survival was 50%, and no relapse occurred after 32 months. The estimated 4-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival were 35 and 60%, respectively. Patients who achieved pCR showed significantly better survival than the others (P < 0.000). At multivariate Cox's analysis pCR achievement was the most important predictor of PFS (P < 0.005) and survival (P < 0.02). Age (< or = 60 vs > 60) and CA-125 serum levels at entry (normal vs increased) also showed independent predictive value. On the basis of multivariate analysis results we created a risk model for survival and PFS based on age and CA-125 at entry. We identified three subgroups of patients with significantly different outcomes. With this new ip combination long-term disease-free survival is achieved in a significant part of ovarian cancer patients with small tumor burden. A longer follow-up is needed to see whether it can cure some of these patients, and further comparisons with other ip or systemic regimens are needed to draw definitive conclusions about its role in these patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Value of the CD25+ CD16+ cell determination in defining the prognosis of operable breast cancer patients.

The immunologic status of 40 breast cancer patients with operable disease and 50 healthy women was studied at the Division of Medical Oncology of the 2nd Medical School in Naples. Skin tests and lymphocyte subpopulation determination were performed. The same tests were repeated after surgery in the cancer patients. At the same time, the immunologic modifications during chemotherapy (CMF) were studied in a further 25 premenopausal breast cancer patients. The cancer patients did not show significantly different reactivity to recall antigens, nor did surgery or chemotherapy modify this parameter. The breast cancer patients showed a significantly higher CD4+/CD8+ ratio (2.07 +/- 1.06 vs. 1.56 +/- 0.58; p < 0.05) and a higher percentage of CD16+ cells (15.7 +/- 7 vs. 9.1 +/- 6; p < 0.001), than controls. Patients without axillary lymph node involvement showed higher CD4+/CD8+ ratio, CD16+ and CD25+ percentage than the N+ patients. The percentage of CD25+ cells (expressing functional IL-2 receptor) and CD16+ cells proved to be predictive of early relapse: in 14 patients who had relapsed at a 37 month median follow-up, mean CD25+ and CD16+ cell values at diagnosis were significantly lower than those in the remaining 26 (CD25+: 0.87 +/- 0.7 vs. 2.44 +/- 2.19, p < 0.01; CD16+: 9.4 +/- 6 vs. 17.3 +/- 5, p < 0.001). These data suggest that a functional activation may occur in operable breast cancer patients except those with axillary node metastatization (especially when more than 3 axillary lymph nodes are involved).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Early manifestations of dementing illness: treatment with glycosaminoglycan polysulfate.

1. In a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial in 156 elderly patients with psychopathologic symptoms, glycosaminoglycan polysulfate was found to be a therapeutically effective agent in the treatment of the earliest manifestations of a dementing process. 2. Treatment with glycosaminoglycan polysulfate in the daily dosage of 600 LRU, administered on the basis of a divided dosage schedule for 24 weeks, was significantly superior to an inactive placebo on several outcome measures including the SCAG Total and factor scores (i.e., Cognitive Dysfunction, Withdrawal, Agitation/Irritability and Depression), the NOWLIS Total and Fatiguability factor scores, the MMSE, the HAM-D Total and Vegetative Symptoms factor score and the CGI Severity of Illness and Global Improvement. 3. The drug was well tolerated; vital signs and laboratory measures did not show clinically significant changes within the experimental period.

Affect↗

PubMed1991

Alpha 2b interferon (IFN) by intraperitoneal administration via temporary catheter in ovarian cancer. Preliminary data.

Thirty-nine patients with epithelial ovarian cancer admitted to the Division of Medical Oncology of the Medical School II of Naples were given 159 courses of alpha 2b interferon (30 Mil./sqm IU) intraperitoneally from October 1986 to November 1989. IFN was generally administered every three weeks, but six patients received the drug weekly at the same dose, for an additional period. In 15 patients IFN was added to standard systemic chemotherapy as first line treatment; the remaining patients, all pretreated (22 with minimal and 2 with no residual disease), received an intraperitoneal multidrug treatment combining IFN, cisplatin and mitoxantrone. Peritoneal access was achieved through a temporarily implanted 18 gauge catheter and the drug was instilled in a large fluid volume (2,000 ml) to ensure wide spread and uniform distribution. IFN was well tolerated: only one patient had to discontinue treatment because of severe fatigue. No major complication related to catheter implantation or function occurred. 3/15 untreated and 11/20 pretreated patients, evaluable for response, achieved a pathological complete response (pCR). In view of IFN's lack of significant toxicity and the safety and tolerability of a temporary small gauge catheter for peritoneal access, intraperitoneal chemotherapy including IFN should be useful in ovarian cancer patients with minimal or absent disease after first-line systemic treatment.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Malignant lymphoma of the ovary: report on two cases and review of the literature.

Two cases of malignant lymphoma of the ovary observed at the Division of Medical Oncology of the II Medical School of Naples, are described. One patient had a diffuse immunoblastic lymphoma confined to the ovaries, after accurate clinical-pathological staging. She received aggressive chemotherapy after surgery, and is disease free over one year after diagnosis. The second patient had a low grade lymphoma of the ovary that had spread throughout the abdomen. This patient failed to respond to first line chemotherapy. The literature on ovarian involvement by lymphoma is also reviewed, and prognosis according to different stages of the disease is explained.

Adult↗

PubMed1987