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Biomedical subjects

K A Starling

Publications and source records attributed to K A Starling.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

ICRF-159 (razoxane) in the treatment of pediatric solid tumors: a Southwest Oncology Group study.

ICRF-159 is active in several animal tumor model systems and human adult malignancies. In this phase II study, ICRF-159 was given on a weekly schedule, 3000 mg/m2/day, orally in three divided doses at 6-hour intervals to 78 children with a variety of malignant neoplasms. Fifty-three patients were evaluable for tumor response. Toxicity was primarily hematopoietic and gastrointestinal. There were no responses in any of the eight patients with osteogenic sarcoma, four with lymphoma, five with Ewing's sarcoma, ten with neuroblastoma, or six with rhabdomyosarcoma. There was a transient partial response in one of four children with Wilms' tumor. Further trials with this drug using this schedule are not indicated for the common childhood solid tumors.

Adolescent↗

Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (NSC-119875) in childhood malignancies: a Southwest Oncology Group study.

Children with malignancies resistant to conventional therapy were treated with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (PDD), 15 to 20 mg/m2, given daily by rapid intravenous infusion for 5 days at 3-wk intervals. Eleven of 24 children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) received two or more courses; among these no remissions occurred. Fifty-four children with solid tumors were treated: 25 neuroblastoma, 9 rhabdomyosarcoma, 4 Ewing sarcoma, 2 testicular embryonal carcinoma, 2 retinoblastoma, and 12 miscellaneous tumors. One complete remission, 3 partial remissions, and 2 improvements were observed in children with neuroblastoma. One girl with metastatic osteogenic sarcoma achieved a partial remission. One child with metastatic testicular embryonal carcinoma showed improvement. The side effects were vomiting controlled by antiemetics in 26 children and transient elevations of serum creatinine and BUN in 14 children. Nineteen of 39 children with solid tumors, who received more than one course of PDD, had moderately severe myelosuppression caused by PDD. In summary, PDD is a promising agent in neuroblastoma, osteogenic sarcoma, and testicular embryonal carcinoma, and an ineffective agent in ALL. The effect of PDD on other types of solid tumors should be evaluated in the future.

Adolescent↗

Accidental intrathecal administration of vincristine.

Vincristine is a chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of various neoplastic diseases. Its neurotoxicity after therapeutic and pharmacologic doses has been well documented. We report a case of accidental intrathecal administration of vincristine in order to describe the complications seen, discuss possible means of therapeutic intervention, and serve as a reminder that preventive measures are mandatory to avoid such accidents in the future.

Child, Preschool↗

Effects of continuous or discontinuous maintenance therapy on subsequent remission maintenance in childhood leukemia.

This study was designed to determine if resistance to a standard drug during the second remission of children with acute leukemia was reduced by discontinuation of therapy during the initial remission. The initial maintenance therapy was either 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), methotrexate (MTX), or cyclophosphamide (CYC) given continuously to relapse or discontinued (at random) at 2 or 6 months. Following the initial relapse and after induction of a second complete remission, 72 evaluable patients received (continuously to relapse) either 6-MP (53 patients) or CYC (19 patients) for the second remission maintenance. Resistance of 6-MP occurred during the second maintenance, regardless of the drug used during the initial maintenance, in that the length of second remissions was significantly shorter than the length of first remissions. However, this resistance was most pronounced in patients who initially relapsed while on continuous 6-MP maintenance (medium duration of remission [MDR] of 9 weeks). Patients whose initial relapse occurred after the discontinuation of 6-MP had a MDR of 23 weeks and patients whose second remission was maintained with CYC (after relapse from initial continuous remission on 6-MP) had a MDR of 25 weeks.

Acute Disease↗

Dissimilar courses of twins with leukemia.

Twin girls, genetically identical, probably experienced different leukemogenic events and presented with acute lymphocytic leukemia 6 years apart. Their clinical presentations were similar, but they received significantly different therapy. The first twin died 34 months after diagnosis following multiple remissions and relapses, having received single-drug maintenance. The second twin remains free of apparent disease 60 months after diagnosis, following vincristine and prednisone induction, 6-mercaptopurine maintenance, methotrexate and prednisone reinforcement, and central nervous system treatment of occult disease. Their dissimilar clinical courses may have been due to different leukemogenic events and/or markedly different therapeutic programs.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Combination chemotherapy in histiocytosis X.

Twenty-five children with generalized histiocytosis X were treated with a combination of cyclophosphamide, vinblastine, and prednisone: 8 patients experienced complete response, 8 partial response, 2 imporvement, and 7 no response. Response rates for children over 1 year of age were higher than those reported for single agents. Twelve children are now off therapy with no evidence of disease for 10--50 months. Very poor response rates and high toxicity were seen in children less than 1 year of age. The two infants who eventually achieved CR did so by other therapies. Further trials in combination chemotherapy must weight possible long-term effects of such therapy against the prospect of more rapid disease control.

Administration, Oral↗

Symptoms and signs of cancer in the school-age child.

The American Cancer Society's seven warning signs of cancer are: 1. Unusual bleeding or discharge. 2. A lump or thickening in the breast or elsewhere. 3. A sore that does not heal. 4. Change in bowel or bladder habits. 5. Hoarseness or cough. 6. Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing. 7. Change in size or color of a wart or mole. These signs apply to children as well as to adults. Cancer in children, however, is often more insidious than in adults and may well mimic many other diseases, developmental processess, or childhood psychologic problems. The knowledge that cancer kills more children than any other disease and the awareness of the presenting symptoms and signs may well save a child's life. Early detection with prompt, aggressive therapy is of paramount importance in achieving cures in childhood cancer.

Adolescent↗

A test for abnormal hemoglobins in umbilical cord blood.

This article describes a rapid, simple, and inexpensive method for testing the cord blood of infants for the common hemoglobinopathies by electrophoresis using cellulose polyacetate strips. In a study of 7,500 umbilical cord blood specimens, 11% were found to contain an abnormal hemoglobin. While the importance of evaluating cord blood in a screening program for hemoglobinopathies is evident, the procedure must be accurate, verified, and followed by proper counseling.

Black or African American↗

Cyclophosphamide-asparaginase- vincristine-prednisone induction therapy in childhood acute lymphocytic and nonlymphocytic leukemia.

A remission-induction regimen for childhood leukemia using cyclophosphamide, asparaginase, vincristine, and prednisone (CAVP) was compared to standard vincristine-prednisone (VP) induction. The more intensive regimen was associated with a lower complete remission rate (81% vs 93%) and a higher early death rate from infection (15% vs 5%) for acute lymphocytic leukemia. In contrast, complete remission was achieved in 58% of children with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia treated with CAVP compared to 18% for VP. Early death rates were similar (27% vs 25%). These observations corroborate previous studies in childhood nonlymphocytic leukemia showing activity for asparaginase. Preliminary analysis of remission duration and survival for responders shows no advantage for those who survived the more intensive induction.

Asparaginase↗

Acute leukemia in Burkitt lymphoma.

Burkitt lymphoma uncommonly presents as a acute leukemia. We describe the clinical course and findings of a 14-year-old female with Burkitt lymphoma who presented with acute leukemia. splenomegaly and an abdominal mass. She responded initially to prednisone alone and later achieved full remission with combination chemotherapy. Established morphologic criteria and clinical course were consistent with the diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma (1), although B-cell determinants were not present on her tumor cells.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗

Evaluation of dose and schedule of L-asparaginase in multidrug therapy of childhood leukemia.

Six regimens utilizing L-asparaginase in doses of 6,000 IU/M2, 2,000 IU/M2, and 500 IU/M2 in two separate schedules (consecutive and intermittent) along with vincristine and prednisone yielded remarkably similar response rates, approximating 70%, in 306 previously treated children with acute leukemia in relapse. The addition of daunorubicin to one regimen did not alter the response rate. Hypersensitivity reactions occurred in 5% and hyperglycemia in 7%. Lower doses of L-asparaginase significantly reduced the hypersensitivity rate but no such pattern was noted for hyperglycemia. A history of prior resistance to prednisone and vincristine significantly reduced the response rate.

Acute Disease↗

Adriamycin in the treatment of childhood acute leukemia. A Southwest Oncology Group study.

Sixty-six children with acute leukemia, in advanced stages of their disease and resistant to conventional chemotherapy, received adriamycin for remssion induction. Seventeen of 46 (37%) evaluable children with acute lymphocytic leukemia achieved a complete remission, and 5 (11%) achieved a partial remission. Two of 12 evaluable children with acute myelogenous leukemia achieved a complete remission, while an additional 3 achieved a partial remission. Two children with erythroleukemia also achieved a complete remission. Previous therapy with daunorubicin did not affect the response rate. The main toxicities observed with adriamycin were myelosuppression, fever, nausea and vomiting, stomatitis, alopecia, and cardiac toxicity (ST segment changes and arrhythmias).

Adolescent↗

Adriamycin in the treatment of childhood solid tumors. A Southwest Oncology Group study.

Ninety-eight children with solid tumors resistant to conventional chemotherapy received adriamycin 90 mg/m2, either as a single intravenous injection or in 6 divided doses administered every 6 hours. Of the 88 evaluable children, 6 (7%) achieved a complete response and 26 (29%) achieved a partial response. Tumors which demonstrated significant response rates were: neuroblastoma (9/18), Wilms' tumor (7/13), rhabdomyosarcoma (4/11), and lymphoma (4/8). The toxicities observed with this regimen included: alopecia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, nausea, vomiting, stomatitis, febrile episodes, and ST-segment changes.

Adolescent↗

Three dose regimens of adriamycin for induction of remission in acute leukemia in children: a Southwest Oncology Group Study.

Three therapeutic regimens (6-hr intervals for 6 doses daily for 3 days, and a single infusion) utilizing the same total dose of adriamycin for the induction of remission in children with late-stage acute leukemia were evaluated in 150 patients. Complete remission rates were 15%, 28%, and 25%, respectively. Twenty-five children who achieved complete bone marrow remissions with adriamycin therapy were treated a second time after subsequent relapses. Of these children 20% achieved second bone marrow remissions.

Acute Disease↗

Immunologic chimerism as evidence of bone marrow graft acceptance in an identical twin with acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Bone marrow from a well child was infused into her identical twin who had acute lymphocytic leukemia. In an attempt to provide an immunologic tag for use in twin transplantation, the donor twin was immunized to Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and yellow fever virus prior to the marrow infusion. Subsequent immunological chimerism in the recipient twin gave evidence for graft acceptance.

Bone Marrow Cells↗