Biomedical subjects

G Pichert

Publications and source records attributed to G Pichert.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1992

Chemotherapy with MACOP-B and VACOP-B for intermediate- and high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: clinical results and analysis of prognostic factors.

Eighty-three previously untreated patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas were treated with either MACOP-B (23 patients) or VACOP-B (60 patients) as originally described by Klimo and Conners [1, 2]. Their median age was 46 years. Thirty-seven patients had stage I or II and 46 stage III or IV disease. The tumor histopathology was reviewed in all cases. Sixty-five patients had intermediate grade and 18 high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas according to the International Working Formulation. The rate of complete response was 74% for MACOP-B and 76% for VACOP-B. At the time of analysis the duration of follow-up was 50 months for the MACOP-B and 22 months for the VACOP-B group. The actuarial three-year progression-free survival was 35 +/- 10% for the MACOP-B group, 48 +/- 11% for the VACOP-B group, and 46 +/- 7% for all patients. Treatment mortality was 6%. A univariate and a multivariate analysis of selected pretreatment parameters and of regimen demonstrated that stage III or IV, high-grade lymphoma, and elevated serum LDH, but not the type of regimen, are significantly associated with poor progression-free survival in our patient population.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Clinical and immune modulatory effects of alternative weekly interleukin-2 and interferon alfa-2a in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma and melanoma.

The clinical and immune modulatory effects of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon (INF) alfa-2a were examined in a phase II study in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (six patients) and melanoma (eight patients). Treatment consisted in IL-2 3 MU/m2 continuous infusion days 1-4 and INF alfa-2a 6 MU/m2 subcutaneously day 1 and 4, both given on alternate weeks. Tumour response was assessed after four cycles of treatment or earlier, if necessary. Patients with stable disease or response were to be continued for another nine cycles or up to disease progression. The 14 patients received a total of 60 cycles of treatment. Major toxicities (WHO Grade III/IV) were fever, capillary leak syndrome with hypotension, nausea and vomiting, erythema with pruritus, leuco- and thrombopenia and sepsis with staphylococcus aureus. Five of 14 patients (36%) developed a self limiting autoimmune thyroiditis with HLA-DR expression on thyrocytes. Long term treatment toxicity was moderate with an average weight loss of 5% and an average fall in Karnofsky index of 10% compared to baseline. No responses were seen in renal cell carcinoma, two patients with melanoma had a partial and two a minor response with a duration of 1-7 months. Serial measurements of immune modulatory parameters showed a functional response to treatment with an increase of NK- and LAK-activity during the first two cycles, followed by a plateau and decrease during the third and fourth cycles. These findings were paralleled by a successive decline in treatment induced INF gamma response. These findings suggest, that alternative weekly treatment with IL-2 and INF alfa-2a results in an exhaustion of lytic capacity of NK- and LAK-cells and an attenuation of secondary cytokine release.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Thyroiditis after treatment with interleukin-2 and interferon alpha-2a.

Serial thyroid functions studies were carried out in patients with melanoma and renal cell carcinoma treated with interleukin-2 (3 MU m-2 by continuous infusion days 1-4) and interferon alpha-2a (6 MU m-2 subcutaneously on days 1 and 4), both given on alternate weeks. The results on eight patients who completed at least three cycles of treatment are described. Four patients developed thyroid dysfunction with a hyperthyroid phase of 2 weeks followed by a hypothyroid phase ranging from 12 to 24 weeks. Two patients became clinically symptomatic and required treatment. Fine-needle aspirates of the thyroid were obtained in three patients with thyroid dysfunction. The cytology revealed a mixed cellular infiltrate with lymphocytes and histiocytes, and immunocytochemical staining showed strong HLA-DR expression of all thyrocytes, both suggestive of an autoimmune thyroiditis. One patient with thyroiditis developed anti-thyroglobulin antibodies, the serology of all other patients was normal. Patients with thyroid dysfunction tended to have higher in vivo stimulated lytic activity of peripheral mononuclear blood cells and had significantly higher levels of CD16 positive blood cells as compared to euthyroid patients. The possibility of autoimmune thyroiditis should be anticipated in future trails combining interleukin-2 and interferon alpha-2a.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Placebo controlled phase I/II study of subcutaneous GM-CSF in patients with germ cell tumors undergoing chemotherapy.

Patients with metastatic germ cell tumors undergoing five-day chemotherapy with etoposide, vinblastin, bleomycin and cisplatinum were given recombinant GM-CSF (mammalian glycosylated, Sandoz/Schering-Plough) at increasing dose levels of 75, 150, 300 or 600 micrograms protein/day in a double blind placebo controlled study. The drug was administered SC twice a day for 5 days starting 24 hours after completion of chemotherapy. Fourteen treatment courses, 10 with GM-CSF and 4 with placebo in 11 patients were evaluable for assessment of toxicity and hematological recovery, and 2 were not evaluable due to complications of progressive germ cell tumor. One patient receiving the highest dose level developed a delayed skin reaction at the site of injection. Fever under 38.5 degrees C and a flu-like syndrome were observed in 4/5 patients receiving the higher two dose levels, but not with lower dose levels or placebo. Two patients experienced mild bone pain. The neutrophil nadir was similar in the two groups, but the duration of neutropenia was significantly shorter in the GM-CSF group. At day 21 of chemotherapy the neutrophil count was 2.57 +/- 1.37 10(9)/l with GM-CSF, and 1.01 +/- 0.56 10(9)/l with placebo (p less than 0.05). Patients receiving GM-CSF could be retreated on day 21, whereas in patients given placebo, retreatment was delayed for an average of 7 days (p less than 0.05). Thus, a 5-day treatment with GM-CSF given subcutaneously resulted in a significant shortening of neutropenia and allowed for the timely administration of the subsequent cycle of chemotherapy.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

[Conservative therapy of chronic subdural hematomas].

Between 1975 and 1984, subdural hematoma was diagnosed in 66 patients at the Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Zürich. In this report we evaluate the therapeutic results retrospectively. In 13 patients treatment was surgical, while 53 patients were treated medically, i.e. with bedrest and corticosteroids. Three surgery patients developed a recurrence which was then also treated medically. Of this total number of 56 patients in the medically treated group, 8 had to undergo surgery later and two patients died. Soporose patients with distinct focal symptoms and comatose patients with incipient herniation received immediate surgical treatment. Of the 46 medically treated patients, 83% were symptom-free and 17% showed residual symptoms. Comparing these results with those of surgical treatment in the literature, conservative treatment can be recommended if strict guidelines are observed.

Aged↗