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Biomedical subjects

J Bellmunt

Publications and source records attributed to J Bellmunt.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Diagnostic value of bronchoalveolar lavage in peripheral lung cancer.

A prospective study has been performed to assess the value of the addition of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) to the routine bronchoscopic exploration with bronchial washing (BW) and postbronchoscopy sputum (PBS) procedures in the diagnosis of peripheral primary lung cancer not visible through bronchoscope when fluoroscopic guidance is not available. BW, BAL, and PBS were performed in 67 patients with suspected primary lung cancer by peripheral lung lesion on chest radiograph (39 nodules and 28 infiltrates) and nonendoscopically visible lesion. The sequence of procedures was in all cases BW, BAL, and post-bronchoalveolar lavage bronchoaspirate (PBBA). An attempt was made to collect early morning postbronchoscopy samples of sputum (PBS) on 3 consecutive days. BW and PBBA were collected in the same test tube, and the cytologic result was considered as BW diagnostic yield. If there were negative bronchoscopic results, either percutaneous fine-needle aspiration or open-lung biopsy were performed for diagnosis. Fifty-five patients were found to have malignant disease (23 adenocarcinomas, 22 squamous cell carcinomas, six small cell carcinomas, and four bronchioloalveolar cell carcinomas). BAL was positive in 18 of the 55 (33%) carcinomas, and it gave the only positive result in six (11%). BW was also positive in 18 of the 55 (33%), but it gave positive results in only 3 (5%). PBS was positive in 13 of the 43 (30%) patients from whom samples could be spontaneously obtained and were suitable for cytologic examination (not consisting of saliva), and gave the only positive result in three (7%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Carboplatin, methotrexate, and vinblastine in patients with bladder cancer who were ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: A Phase II trial with a new regimen of methotrexate, carboplatin, and vinblastine (M-CAVI) was conducted for patients with bladder cancer who could not receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy. METHODS: Treatment consisted of methotrexate (30 mg/m2) on days 1, 15, and 22; carboplatin (300 mg/m2) on day 2; and vinblastine (3 mg/m2) on days 2, 15, and 22, scheduled at 28-day intervals. The dosage of carboplatin was adjusted for creatinine clearance. Twenty-five patients with metastatic (n = 9) or locally advanced or locoregional bladder cancer with a poor prognosis (n = 16) were treated with M-CAVI. Fifteen patients had abnormal serum creatinine levels, 4 had a low performance status, 3 had cardiac disease, and 3 were older than 70 years old. RESULTS: Among 23 patients assessable for clinical response, the response rate was 48%. The median duration of response for metastatic disease was 7 months. Among nine patients assessable for pathologic response, there were two complete responses and three partial responses. The toxic effects have been moderate. CONCLUSIONS: M-CAVI is an active and well-tolerated regimen that can be used in patients with bladder cancer who are ineligible to receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Adult↗

Endobronchial metastases in colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Between 1982 and 1990, 2388 bronchoscopic examinations were carried out in patients with cancer in our hospital. A diagnosis of endobronchial metastasis was established in 30 patients (2.09%), with the following primary tumors in descending order of frequency: breast, large bowel, melanoma, neuroblastoma, leiomyosarcoma and endometrial. Despite the rarity of endobronchial metastases secondary to colon adenocarcinoma, we were able to study 3 cases from our Center. In one case the diagnosis of endobronchial metastasis was simultaneous with that of the primary tumor, and in the other 2 this metastatic complication occurred 16 and 42 months, after the original diagnosis. When this complication occurred, the stage of the disease was advanced in all 3 cases: 2 were Dukes' stage C and one stage D. Although this metastatic location usually implies a very negative prognosis as regards life expectancy, it did not seem to significantly reduce the latter in our patients.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Cavitary pulmonary metastases in transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

About 4% of metastases to the lung eventually evolve into cavitary lesions. The origin of these lesions are squamous cell carcinomas in 69% of cases and adenocarcinomas in the rest. Lung metastases develop in 20% of patients with transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder (TCB), usually as multiple nodules. The cavitation of these metastases is an unusual finding, and a review of the literature has revealed only 7 cases of cavitary metastatic lesions from TCB. We add 2 further cases with cavitary metastases and study their clinical and radiographic features, in comparison with those previously described in the literature.

Aged↗

[Bladder neoplasm in a patient with panarteritis nodosa treated with cyclophosphamide].

Cyclophosphamide is used both in the treatment of malignant and non-malignant diseases. Urinary neoplasms secondary to its use have been described. We discuss the case of a patient with panarteritis nodosa treated with cyclophosphamide during 63 months, with a total dose of 210 grams, and that showed a bladder neoplasm 8 years after beginning of the treatment. In patients receiving a total dose of cyclophosphamide over 85 grams, a follow-up of ten years minimum should be performed aimed to the early detection of secondary neoplasms.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

[Spinal cord compression as a primary manifestation of occult thyroid carcinoma].

Metastatic disease is the first clinical manifestation of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) in less than 5% of cases. Bone metastases as the first sign of DTC are associated with a poor prognosis, both for being resistant to treatment and for complications due to them. Spinal cord compression is a rare development in DTC, which may present late in the course of the disease. An initial presentation of DTC with a spinal cord compression is an extremely rare condition.

Adenocarcinoma↗

European early phase II dose-finding study of droloxifene in advanced breast cancer.

Preliminary results from clinical phase II studies with droloxifene demonstrated efficacy and good tolerability. One hundred ninety-six female, postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer were treated with 20, 40, or 100 mg of droloxifene daily. Exclusion criteria were as follows: negative ER/PR status, tamoxifen treatment within the preceding three months, chemotherapy within the preceding three weeks, and performance grade of four. Seventeen percent of the patients treated with 20 mg daily responded to treatment, exhibiting complete or partial responses according to World Health Organization criteria. In the 40-mg group, 30% responded and in the 100-mg group, 31% responded. Adverse symptoms generally were mild.

Adult↗

Orbital metastases from transitional-cell cancer of the urinary bladder.

Transitional-cell cancer accounts for 90% of the histological types of cancer of the urinary bladder. This tumor most often spreads towards the lymph nodes, lung and bones, but other much more infrequent metastatic sites such as the orbit, have also been described. We report on 2 patients with transitional-cell bladder tumors that developed metastases to the orbit.

Carcinoma, Transitional Cell↗

[Alternating chemotherapeutic treatment in patients with localized undifferentiated small-cell carcinoma of the lung].

The results obtained from 23 patients suffering small cell lung carcinoma limited to the thorax, treated with 4 cycles of cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine alternating with cisplatin and VP/16, followed by mediastinal and holocranial prophylactic radiotherapy in patients with a complete response (CR) are here presented. An 87% of global responses were obtained with a 64% rate of RC. The average survival rate was 12 months with an 18% of patients alive two years after treatment. The main toxicity was hematologic and neurologic. Even if this alternating regime produces a high response rate, the results are not superior to those obtained with conventional chemotherapy.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Addison's disease secondary to prostatic carcinoma. A case report.

Adrenal cortical insufficiency secondary to destruction of the cortex by a metastatic tumor is a rare condition. Addison's disease is usually caused by an autoimmune process or by a tuberculous infection. We report a case of adrenal insufficiency as the first clinical manifestation of a metastatic prostate carcinoma that occurred simultaneously with an active pulmonary infection by M. tuberculosis.

Addison Disease↗

[Treatment with interferon of systemic Langerhans-cell histiocytosis in an adult].

We report an adult patient with systemic Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LHX), who was refractory to multiple chemotherapy courses and in whom a partial clinical and biological 3-month remission was achieved with alpha-2-interferon. The patient's response was associated with an increase in the rate of natural killer cells and to a return to normal of the H/S T-lymphocyte ratio. Immunological abnormalities have been reported in this condition, and it is now accepted that the most important one is a decrease in suppressor lymphocytes. However, it is not known whether these abnormalities are endogenous or exogenous. The experience with modifiers of the biological response for the treatment of LHX is scanty, but the probable immunological pathogenesis of the condition justifies a therapeutic trial of those agents in patients not responding to conventional therapy.

Adult↗

Capillary microscopy is a potentially useful method for detecting bleomycin vascular toxicity.

Capillary microscopy is an easy, noninvasive procedure to examine in vivo the dermis capillaries of the nailfold. It has demonstrated clinical use in the etiologic study of Raynaud's phenomenon. We consider a "vascular activity pattern" to be present at capillary microscopy when one of the following associations is observed: tortuous capillary vessels plus ramifications with or without loss of a moderate amount of capillaries. Capillary tortuousity alone is not considered pathologic. It is well known that bleomycin (BLEO) can occasionally induce vascular-associated diseases. To examine the vascular damage produced by BLEO, we performed capillary microscopic studies on 40 patients with neoplasia, 21 of whom had received BLEO during the previous year. The maximum accumulated doses ranged from 15 to 379 U. The other 19 patients had advanced neoplasia, and 10 of them had received antitumoral combinations that did not contain BLEO. No one had clinical signs attributable to vascular toxicity. Twenty-six patients had no pathologic patterns (11 received BLEO and 15 did not). In the group of 14 patients with activity patterns, 10 had received BLEO and 4 had not (P = 0.035). Ten of 11 patients treated with BLEO who had normal capillary microscopic studies received total doses of less than 100 U. We conclude that capillary microscopy may demonstrate the vascular damage induced by BLEO even in asymptomatic patients.

Bleomycin↗