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Biomedical subjects

J Richner

Publications and source records attributed to J Richner.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Phase II study of continuous subcutaneous interferon-alfa combined with cisplatin in advanced malignant melanoma.

Interferon-alfa (IFN-alpha) and cisplatin have shown synergism in vitro against tumour cell lines and optimal effects were observed with continuous and high IFN concentration. 20 patients with advanced malignant melanoma were treated with 10 MU IFN subcutaneously continuously, daily, plus cisplatin 50 mg/m2 intravenously on days 8 and 9. Cisplatin was repeated every 4 weeks. The main toxic effects were myelosuppression, fatigue and weight loss. Toxicities always resolved completely after reduction/interruption of IFN and no life-threatening infection was observed. There were 1 complete and 6 partial responses. 6 patients had stable disease. Median time to progression was 7 months with a range of 16 to 2 months. The combined regimen of IFN-alpha and cisplatin is active in patients with multiple visceral and skeletal sites.

Adult↗

Number of helper T cells and phytohemagglutinin stimulation correlate in cancer patients.

Mononuclear cells from 12 normal controls (co), 10 advanced untreated (c1), and 6 advanced treated cancer patients (c2) have been isolated. The numbers of mononuclear cells bearing Leu1, Leu2, Leu3, Leu2/HLA-DR and LeuM3 were measured with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. Only the quantity of helper T cells (Leu3) was decreased in cancer patients (co: 0.89, cl: 0.32, c2: 0.44 x 10(9)/l). Expression of all other markers, including activated suppressor T cells (Leu2/HLA-DR), did not differ significantly from the control. The proliferation of the lymphocytes was determined in a phytohemagglutinin-culture assay. The cancer groups showed a significantly decreased response (co: 95.8 x 10(9), cl: 28.7 x 10(9), c2: 25.7 x 10(9) cpm). These values correlated with the number of helper T cells but not with the suppressor T cells. Monocytes of cancer patients absorbed significantly more immunoglobulins than the monocytes of controls. The addition of indomethacin or isoprinosine to phytohemagglutinin-culture assay increased the proliferation of lymphocytes from both the cancer patients and normal controls.

Adult↗

Effects of cytotoxic chemotherapy on ovarian and adrenal steroidogenesis in pre-menopausal breast cancer patients.

Many patients on cytotoxic chemotherapy show reduced frequency of menstrual bleeding due to a reduction in ovarian follicular activity. The endocrine perturbations related to these changed menstrual patterns were studied in detail. Nineteen regularly menstruating patients with primary breast cancer were given either cyclophosphamide or chlorambucil in combination with methotrexate and fluorouracil as adjuvant therapy. Some patients continued to menstruate normally, while others became amenorrhoeic. However, the majority showed reduced menstrual activity, and, in these, the reproductive endocrinology was highly variable. Increased gonadotrophin levels brought about episodes of follicular activity but not ovulation. During these episodes, oestradiol levels reached normal follicular values. Adrenal function appeared to be unaffected. Although an endocrine response by the tumour might be expected to cytotoxic-induced ovarian ablation, the clinical significance of the disrupted, but incompletely suppressed ovarian function, is unknown.

Acetone↗

c-erbB-2 protein expression in node negative breast cancer.

We investigated the expression of c-erB-2 protein in two matched groups of breast cancer patients, one with and one without relapse. 37 patients with relapse were compared with 42 patients without recurrence for time of observation, adjuvant treatment, age, menopausal status and estrogen receptor content. Paraffin-embedded sections were stained with the polyclonal antibody 21N, raised against a synthetic peptide from the predicted sequence of the c-erbB-2 protein. The staining of c-erbB-2 was measured on a scale of 0 to 3+. C-erbB-2 staining was negative in 16 (38%) patients in the relapse-free group, and in 8 (22%) of the patients with metastases. Neither disease-free survival (DFS) nor overall survival (OS) were dependent upon the extent of c-erbB-2 expression. An analysis by estrogen receptor (ER) status (i.e. positive or negative) and by c-erbB-2 expression (i.e. positive or negative) revealed that patients with ER-positive primaries and negative c-erbB-2 have the longest disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). We conclude that c-erbB-2 expression might be clinically useful only if other prognostic variables (e.g. estrogen receptor content in the tumor) are also considered.

Adult↗

[Immunoscintigraphy with 99mTc marked melanoma antibody in patients with malignant melanoma].

In 38 patients with malignant melanoma 44 radioimmunoscintigraphies (RIS) with 99mTc labeled F(ab')2 fragments of an anti-melanoma monoclonal antibody (225.28S, Tecnemab-K, Sorin Biomedica) have been performed. No side effects have been observed even in the patients with repeated RIS. Overall 81% (35/43) of all lesions were detected by imaging and 9 lesions have been previously unknown. Sensitivity and specificity was highest for lymphnode metastases with 100% each. Poor imaging was observed in lung and mediastinal metastases (2/7) as well as small skin metastases. RIS has to be studied for its clinical value in staging of lymphnode metastases preoperatively in patients undergoing regional lymphnode dissection.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

In vitro adsorption of colon cancer sera over staphylococcus protein A: lymphocyte stimulation by leakage of adsorbance.

Serum factors may be responsible for reduced host-anti-tumor defence. Although there is still confusion about their origin, attempts have been made to immobilize serum components by Protein A columns as a therapeutic modality. In our study the in vitro adsorption of 90% of the IgG from cancer sera on "immobilized protein A" did not influence the inhibitory serum activity as measured in a mixed lymphocyte culture. Therefore, IgG or immune complexes do not seem to be the suppressive serum factor in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma. There is evidence for leakage of small amounts of protein A from the columns which have immunostimulatory activity. Perhaps this may explain necrosis after a therapeutic immunoadsorption.

Adsorption↗

Efficacy of large-volume plasma exchange in patients with chemotherapy-resistant metastatic colorectal cancer.

23 patients with advanced metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma and measurable metastases were treated with chemotherapy until resistance to chemotherapy was evident. Chemotherapy was then not discontinued but administered for at least a further cycle combined with large-volume plasma exchange (PE). 15 of 23 patients responded again for 4-45 weeks, an average of 13. This effect was thought to be due to dilution or elimination of serum-blocking factors, which could be measured by mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) assay. 16 of 20 patients showed a positive correlation between the clinical course and MLC activity, if the basic MLC reactivity was compared with the MLC levels at the start of each subsequent PE in each patient. It is postulated that in some tumors there is a resistance to chemotherapy mediated by plasma-blocking factors.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Glycoprotein-adsorption from cancer sera--influence on a mixed lymphocyte culture.

The nature of the inhibitory activity of sera of patients with metastatic cancer on in vitro immunoassays remains unclear. Serum glycoprotein levels in cancer patients show a reasonable correlation with the clinical status, especially with progressive metastatic disease. Glycoproteins like acute phase reactants have been connected with immunosuppressive activity in cancer patients' sera. In this study, we examined the influence of glycoprotein fractions of normal and cancer sera, separated by Con A immunoadsorption, on the mixed lymphocyte culture as a reference system for suppressive activity. Glycoprotein rich fractions with the utmost recovery of the acute phase reactants inhibited the mixed lymphocyte culture in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was more pronounced in patients sera as compared to control sera. But there is evidence of additional blocking activity in the glycoprotein poor serum fraction, indicating blocking factors still to be identified.

Blood Proteins↗

[Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: report on 5 cases and current therapy concepts].

Report on 5 patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Four of the five survived. The following forms of treatment have been used: up to 1976, splenectomy and corticosteroids; since 1976, antiplatelet agents and exchange transfusions, and since 1978, antiplatelet agents and fresh plasma or plasma exchange. The author's experience is identical to that in the more recent case reports: early treatment with antiplatelet agents and fresh plasma-in case of failure with plasma exchange - appears to improve the hitherto fatal prognosis.

Adult↗