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Biomedical subjects

H J Katz

Publications and source records attributed to H J Katz.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Treatment of carcinoma of the esophagus with 5-fluorouracil and recombinant alfa-2a-interferon.

BACKGROUND: Combinations of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and recombinant alfa-2a-interferon (IFN) are synergistic in vitro and have demonstrated activity in colorectal carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and urothelial tumors. METHODS: A Phase II trial of the combination of 5FU, 750 mg/m2 daily x 5 followed by weekly bolus therapy, and IFN, 9 MU subcutaneously three times per week, was initiated in patients with esophageal carcinomas. Patients were required to have biopsy-proven squamous cell or adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, locally advanced or metastatic disease beyond the scope of surgical resection, and adequate performance status, renal, hepatic, and bone marrow function. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were enrolled; one patient was inevaluable for response because he had received prior chemotherapy, but was evaluated for toxicity. Eleven patients had metastatic disease, and 10 had locally advanced disease. Thirteen patients had squamous cell carcinoma and 8 adenocarcinoma. Toxicities were acceptable with no serious diarrhea and only two cases of serious stomatitis, although a greater than expected incidence of neurologic toxicity was observed. There were five responders (25%) including two patients with advanced or locally advanced disease rendered pathologically free of disease. One patient, initially considered surgically unresectable, was able to undergo a total thoracic esophagectomy after responding to treatment with 5FU/IFN, at which time only a single microscopic focus of carcinoma in situ was found. She remains alive and free of disease at 18+ months. A second patient who presented with metastatic disease and nearly complete obstruction of the esophagus regained normal swallowing function after treatment with 5FU/IFN; rebiopsy of all lesions revealed the patient to be pathologically free of disease. He survived over 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: This regimen employing a single cytotoxic agent has activity in esophageal carcinoma. Strategies employing biochemical modulation deserve additional investigation in the treatment of esophageal carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1985

Simulation of colonic carcinoma by ischemia.

Nine cases of colonic ischemia are presented in which an initial diagnosis of carcinoma was made from roentgenographic, endoscopic, or intraoperative appearance of the lesion. The clinical features were insufficient to differentiate colonic ischemia from carcinoma. In 7 patients a barium enema was interpreted as, or consistent with, carcinoma. In 3 of these patients colonoscopy also suggested malignancy. In 2 patients, endoscopy suggested a neoplasm but no barium enema was performed. Endoscopic biopsies when performed were negative for malignancy. Three patients were considered to have cancer from the gross appearance of the lesion at laparotomy. Routine use of both barium enema and colonoscopy in patients with suspected colonic neoplasms will usually identify the ischemic nature of lesions incorrectly diagnosed by one technique or the other. In the uncommon patient in whom both studies suggest a neoplasm, but biopsy specimens are negative for tumor, repeat studies 7-10 days later may identify the evolving nature of ischemic lesions and obviate the need for surgery. When no changes are seen, prompt laparotomy is indicated.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Use of a simple visual assay of Willebrand factor for diagnosis and carrier identification.

A visual assay of factor VIII-related Willebrand factor (VIIIR:WF) is described which utilizes formaldehyde-fixed platelets, end points being read in microflocculation tiles. Four dilutions of a sample can be assessed simultaneously, and the correlation with aggregometric assays is high (r = 0.91). Measurement error is 8.0% for a single assay in triplicate and less than 5% if an assay is repeated three times. The method has been used for 2 years by the coagulation genetics group at Chapel Hill for diagnosing subjects with von Willebrand's disease and assigning genotypes to members of families transmitting this disorder. Its utility in classifying known carriers of haemophilia A has also been examined, both in conjunction with assays of VIII:C and in a three-way test with assays of VIII:C and VIIIR:Ag. As predicted by the Lyon hypothesis, the rate of false negative diagnosis was higher than false positive diagnosis, but the overall rate of misclassification on single plasma samples was 7/51 = 13.7%. The error rate was the same whether discrimination was based upon assays of VIII:C vs. VIIIR:Ag, VIII:C vs. VIIIR:WF, or VIII:C vs. VIIIR:Ag vs VIIIR:WF, the same individuals being misclassified by each method. The observed rate of misclassification was well within the rates reported by others and very similar to our previous experience. We have concluded that this method of assaying VIIIR:WF is highly useful for diagnosing vWd, detecting inhibitors to VIIIR:WF, and examining large numbers of column fractions. It is a useful supplement, although it cannot yet substitute for, assays of VIIIR:Ag in detecting carriers of haemophilia A.

Antigens↗