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Biomedical subjects

L F Massuger

Publications and source records attributed to L F Massuger.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Improvement of clinical staging in cervical cancer with serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen and CA 125 determinations.

Staging of cervical cancer is routinely performed by means of examination under anesthesia in combination with radiographic and/or endoscopic techniques. This "clinical" staging leads to 10-25% misclassification, mostly due to positive lymph nodes or lymph or blood vessel invasion. Determination of pretreatment squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) and CA 125 serum levels may solve part of this staging problem and may improve the selection of the most appropriate individual therapy. Using 2.5 ng/ml (SCC) and 35 U/ml (CA 125) as cutoff levels, we studied 99 patients retrospectively. Elevated levels were found in 27% (SCC) and 23% (CA 125). In clinical stage IB or IIA disease 45/81 patients had positive nodes or lymph or blood vessel invasion at operation. Of these patients 49% had elevated serum levels of SCC or CA 125. Strongest correlation was found with blood vessel invasion (57%). Only 19% of low-stage patients without evidence of vascular spread of disease had positive levels. The positive predictive value of SCC and CA 125 for detection of vascular spread of disease in low-stage cervical cancer was 76%. In most centers surgery is the primary treatment of choice in low-stage cervical cancer. Nevertheless, with respect to patient survival, results of primary surgery and primary radiotherapy are comparable. Radiotherapy given in an adjuvant setting leads to a high incidence of severe complications. In order to overcome part of these complications one should consider radiotherapy as the primary therapy of choice in patients with clinical stage IB or IIA cervical cancer with elevated pretreatment SCC or CA 125 levels.

Adult↗

Comparison of four 'second generation' immunoassay systems to determine CA 125 in serum by using a graphical approach to method comparison analysis.

Clinical management of ovarian cancer patients is facilitated by CA 125 determinations in serum. Presently, several assay systems based on different concepts and different methodologies are available to measure CA 125. Method comparison analysis of such assay systems is usually performed through (linear) regression analysis, which requires assumptions about the distribution of experimental data and its measurement error. The aim of the present study was to compare four newly developed second generation assay systems for quantitation of CA 125 by utilizing an alternative simple approach to method comparison analysis. This alternative comprises the construction of relative difference plots and mountain plots, previously described by Krouwer et al. (Eur J Clin Chem Clin Biochem 1995; 33:525-7). In addition, the diagnostic value of the assays was illustrated through receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curves. Sera obtained from 300 women were assayed for CA 125 using the Abbott IMx CA 125 assay (Abbott), the Centocor CA 125 II RIA assay (Centocor), the Berilux Ov testing kit for CA 125 (Behringwerke), and the CA 125 TR-FIA assay (Wallac Oy). Both the relative difference plots and the mountain plots revealed higher serum concentrations with the Centocor RIA II (Median +33%, P2.5 to P97.5: -25% to 161%) and Berilux (Median +28%, P2.5 to P97.5: -17% to 108%) compared to the Abbott IMx system. The TR-FIA assay system showed lower serum concentrations (Median - 17%, P2.5 to P97.5: -74% to 229%). The combination of relative difference plots and mountain plots demonstrated clearly the wide range of differences between CA 125 assays measuring the same analyte. The relative difference plots provided insight into the distribution of the differences over the range of measurement as well as the identification of outliers. A simple quantitative assessment of the median differences could be made from the overlaying mountain plots. The close correspondence observed between the ROC curves illustrated that assay systems for CA 125 differing in design (type of antibodies used) and format can produce similar results on group level. However, the results of the clinical evaluation underline the importance of the application of assay specific cut-off values.

Adolescent↗

Pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and biological effects of intravenously administered bispecific monoclonal antibody OC/TR F(ab')2 in ovarian carcinoma patients.

The bispecific monoclonal antibody (biMAb) OC/TR combines the anti-ovarian-cancer reactivity of the MOv18 monoclonal antibody (MAb) with the reactivity of an anti-CD3 MAb. Pre-clinical studies have indicated that this biMAb is able to redirect the cytolytic activity of T cells towards tumour cells, resulting in efficient tumour-cell lysis. To assess the clinical potential of systemic biMAb-based cancer therapy we initiated a study in ovarian-cancer patients. Five patients suspected of ovarian cancer received 123I-OC/TR F(ab')2 i.v. Unexpectedly, the first patient developed side effects (grade III-IV toxicity) starting 30 min after infusion (p.i.) of 1 mg of OC/TR F(ab')2. After approval of the Ethical Committee, the study was continued at lower dose levels (0.1 mg; 0.2 mg). However, at the 0.2-mg dose level similar side effects were observed. FACS analysis indicated that all peripheral T cells were coated with biMAb immediately following the infusion. The cytokines tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma and interleukin-2 showed maximum serum concentrations 2 h p.i. Tumour uptake ranged from 0.8 to 1.9% ID/kg, resulting in tumour/background ratios of 3 to 8. Our results suggest that at higher antibody dose levels OC/TR F(ab')2 causes T-cell activation with acute release of cytokines. Only low doses of biMAb can be administered safely. Despite the interaction with T cells, OC/TR F(ab')2 preferentially localizes in tumours following i.v. administration, thus offering therapeutic perspectives.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Ovarian cancer incidence (1989-1991) and mortality (1954-1993) in The Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: To examine ovarian cancer incidence and mortality in the Netherlands, and to relate trends in mortality to changes in parity and use of oral contraceptives. METHODS: Age-standardized and age-specific incidence and mortality rates are presented using incidence data from the Netherlands Cancer Registry, 1989-1991, and mortality data from the Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics, 1954-1993. RESULTS: In the period 1989-1991, age-standardized incidence of ovarian cancer was 14.9 per 10(5) woman-years. The majority (89%) of these tumors had an epithelial origin. Two-thirds of all newly diagnosed ovarian cancers already showed extension to the pelvis or beyond at diagnosis. From the period 1954-1958 to 1969-1973, age-standardized mortality rates increased from 10.6 to 13.1 per 10(5) woman-years. Thereafter, a decline was noted to 11.4 per 10(5) woman-years in the period 1989-1993. Age-specific mortality rates showed a pattern of rising mortality in the elderly, whereas mortality in the younger age categories was declining. The number of live births has declined gradually, and oral contraceptive use has increased. CONCLUSION: Incidence of ovarian cancer is high in the Netherlands, but comparable to other countries in north-western Europe and North America. Mortality rates are rising in the elderly and declining in the young. Further research is needed concerning the effects of oral contraceptives, fertility drugs, and hormone replacement therapy on the incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer.

Adult↗

Humoral anti-OV-TL 3 response after the intravenous administration of radiolabelled Fab' or F(ab')2 fragments in ovarian cancer patients.

The human anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) response was determined in the serum of patients suspected of having ovarian cancer who underwent radioimmunoscintigraphy with either 99Tcm-OV-TL 3 Fab' (n = 20) or 111In-DTPA-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 (n = 73). Blood samples were collected prior to and at several time points post-intravenous injection. The detection of HAMA was performed with an in-house OV-TL 3 F(ab')2-based sandwich-type immunoradiometric assay (IRMA). The homologous IRMA demonstrated that 8 of 20 (40%) patients had developed HAMA responses after injection of Fab' fragments and that 14 of 73 (19%) patients had developed HAMA responses after F(ab')2 administration. The subclass of the measured HAMA was analysed in a limited number of samples, showing IgG or IgM as well as mixed responses. The kinetics of the HAMA responses varied greatly. Our study showed the relevance of the sampling time and frequency: HAMA responses can be easily underestimated with a low sampling frequency. The homologous IRMA described in this study was able to quantify the OV-TL 3-specific HAMA responses. With additional assays, the subclass of the HAMA could be further analysed. Remarkably, the fraction of HAMA responders after injection of OV-TL 3 Fab' fragments was in the same range as the proportion of HAMA responders after F(ab')2 administration.

Animals↗

Analytical and clinical performance of improved Abbott IMx CA 125 assay: comparison with Abbott CA 125 RIA.

We compared the improved Abbott IMx cancer antigen (CA) 125 assay (cat. no. 7A89) with the Abbott CA 125 RIA. Serum specimens were from healthy perimenopausal women (n = 124) and from patients with benign gynecologic and nongynecologic diseases (n = 124), ovarian carcinoma (n = 104), or other malignancies (n = 193). The IMx assay detected as little as 0.193 kAU/L CA 125 (AU = arbitrary Abbott unit), demonstrated up to 29% overestimation upon serum dilution, low within-assay (2.7-5.6%) and between-assay (4.8-8.2%) CVs, and no high-dose hook effect < or = 46,000 kAU/L nor influence from human anti-mouse antibodies in serum of women injected with OC 125 F(ab')2. Values by IMx were 20% lower than by RIA for healthy perimenopausal women (n = 100; IMx = 0.80 RIA - 2.5 kAU/L), and at least 50% higher for those with benign or malignant ovarian disorders at concentrations < 100 kAU/L. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of ovarian neoplasma vs perimenopausal controls indicated a gain of specificity and sensitivity with the improved IMx assay over the RIA, but ROC performance was the same with either assay if patients with benign ovarian disorders were used as controls.

Adolescent↗

Effect of the route of administration on the biodistribution of radioiodinated OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 in experimental ovarian cancer.

The effect of the route administration on the distribution of radioiodinated OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 was studied in Balb/c female mice with intraperitoneal or subcutaneous ovarian carcinoma xenografts. In the intraperitoneal tumour model in which both ascites and solid tumour deposits were present, intraperitoneal administration resulted in a lower estimated radiation dose to blood as compared with intravenous administration. In this model normalization to equal estimated radiation doses to blood for both routes of administration indicated that a twice as high estimated radiation dose can be guided to solid intraperitoneal tumour deposits following intraperitoneal administration. Evacuation of ascitic tumour cells prior to monoclonal antibody injection further increased the estimated radiation dose to solid intraperitoneal tumour deposits following intraperitoneal delivery. Following simultaneous intravenous and intraperitoneal injection of the monoclonal antibody, tissue uptake showed no relevant differences in the subcutaneous tumour model. Overall, the intraperitoneal route of administration was found to be the best choice for therapeutic delivery of iodine-131 labelled monoclonal antibodies.

Animals↗

Decreased kidney uptake of technetium-99m-labelled Fab' fragments in ovarian carcinoma bearing nude mice using a cleavable chelator.

A new 99mTc labelling method using a cleavable chelator, RP-1, was developed. In this study Balb/c mice with ovarian carcinoma xenografts received various Fab' fragments labelled with 99mTc either directly or via RP-1. Kidney uptake was significantly lower for the RP-1 linked conjugates. Tumour uptake showed no significant differences between RP-1 conjugates and directly labelled preparations. In conclusion, with the use of the cleavable linker RP-1, kidney uptake can be reduced significantly resulting in a lower radiation dose to the kidneys.

Animals↗

CA 125 serum levels in the early post-operative period do not reflect tumour reduction obtained by cytoreductive surgery.

In order to assess whether CA 125 serum levels reflect the outcome of cytoreductive surgery, CA 125 antigen levels were determined prior to and after debulking surgery in 50 ovarian cancer patients and compared to CA 125 serum levels before and after surgery in a control group of 140 patients undergoing laparotomy for various malignant or benign diseases. A significant CA 125 decrease in the first post-operative week was seen in 56% of ovarian cancer patients whereas 26% remained stable and 18% showed a significant increase after surgery. Although removal of tumour had been complete in all 14 stage I-II ovarian carcinomas, only 2 of these patients showed a subsequent significant CA 125 decrease after cytoreductive surgery, while 4 patients showed a significant increase. Such increases of CA 125 following surgery were also seen in uterine carcinomas (30%), in gastrointestinal carcinomas (75%) and in patients after laparotomy for benign gynaecological diseases (23%). CA 125 pre-treatment levels were significantly lower in patients with post-operative increases than in patients with stable or decreasing CA 125 patterns. Patients with stable CA 125 levels also had lower CA 125 pretreatment levels compared to patients with a post-operative CA 125 decrease. Post-operative increases were observed for at least 2 weeks after debulking in the case of ovarian cancer. Pre-operative levels of these patients were either within the normal range or moderately elevated. Serial measurements during surgery in partial debulking showed a rapid CA 125 decline within 24 h followed by increasing CA 125 values thereafter. Our data indicate that CA 125 serum levels in the direct post-operative period do not always reflect the outcome of cytoreductive surgery. There appears to be an effect on CA 125 levels caused by the abdominal surgical procedure itself. Consequently, CA 125 levels after abdominal surgery should be interpreted with caution.

Adult↗

Tumour detection and localization using 99Tcm-labelled OV-TL 3 Fab' in patients suspected of ovarian cancer.

Fab' fragments of the monoclonal antibody OV-TL 3, that recognizes an ovarian carcinoma-associated antigen (OA3), were labelled with 99Tcm using D-glucarate as a ligand. Twenty patients suspected of having primary or recurrent ovarian cancer received intravenously 1 mg of the Fab' labelled with 740 MBq 99Tcm. Both planar and single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) scintigraphy were performed up to 30 h after intravenous infusion. In 19 out of 20 patients surgical and histopathological evaluation was performed between 2 and 6 days postinfusion. Imaging results were compared with X-ray computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography (US) and CA 125 serum level. Blood clearance was fast with median t1/2 beta of 9.5 h. Thirty-seven per cent of the injected dose (% ID) was excreted in the urine within the first 24 h, whereas 7% ID was excreted in the 24 h faeces. In one patient with an OA3 negative ovarian carcinoma, radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) did not visualize the tumour. In two other patients a benign ovarian cyst was found, also showing no elevated uptake. In 13 out of 17 patients ovarian cancer lesions were detected with RIS, whereas CT and US detected lesions in, respectively, 15 and 12 patients. Of 36 surgically defined tumour deposits larger than 1 cm in diameter, 53% were detected and localized with RIS, whereas CT and US detected 61 and 40%, respectively. Radioimmunoscintigraphy with 99Tcm-OV-TL 3 Fab' is less distressing for the patients but the overall imaging performance is not improved when compared with 111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2.

Adult↗

Specific and nonspecific immunoassays to detect HAMA after administration of indium-111-labeled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 monoclonal antibody to patients with ovarian cancer.

The development of human anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA) may cause problems in radioimmunotargeting studies, but may also improve survival of patients. To identify the presence of HAMA in blood samples from patients intravenously injected with 1 mg of 111In-labeled OV-TL3-F(ab')2, we developed three specific OV-TL 3-based HAMA assays and tested these along with two commercially available nonspecific HAMA assays (Sorin and Immunomedics). The specific assays were positive for HAMA with 10 postinjection serum samples from 7 patients. Eight of the 10 samples were also HAMA positive with one or both nonspecific HAMA assays. Conflicting results were observed with half the number of samples. The two nonspecific assays also reacted positively with another 11 serum samples from 5 patients including their preinjection samples. Despite some contradictory results, the nonspecific HAMA assays identify both pre-existent and Mab-induced HAMA, whereas the specific OV-TL3-based HAMA assays identify specific immune-responses occurring after the OV-TL 3 injection.

Animals↗

Dosimetric evaluation of immunoscintigraphy using indium-111-labeled monoclonal antibody fragments in patients with ovarian cancer.

This study reports the biodistribution and dosimetry for a monoclonal antibody against ovarian carcinoma. Eight patients received 140 MBq 111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2; thereafter gamma camera imaging was performed daily up to 96 hr. By using the conjugated view counting method, activity in the organs was quantitated by phantom calibration and by whole-body measurements using a whole-body counter with the conjugated view counting method. Red bone marrow uptake was derived from regions of interest over the lumbar vertebrae and iliac crest. In both methods, organ uptake varied only slightly with time, having a mean value of approximately 18%, 4%, 6% and 17% of the injected dose in the liver, spleen, kidneys and red bone marrow, respectively. The mean radiation dose to these organs was 0.9, 1.5, 1.2 and 0.5 mGy/MBq. The effective dose equivalent was 0.4 mSv/MBq. In this study, two different methods of uptake calculations, result in similar values of organ uptake.

Aged↗

Carcinoma-associated mucin serum markers CA M26 and CA M29: efficacy in detecting and monitoring patients with cancer of the breast, colon, ovary, endometrium and cervix.

Two recently developed monoclonal antibody (MAb)-based anti-mucin assays, CA M26 and CA M29, were studied in 250 cancer patients and compared to 3 well-established marker tests, viz., CA 125, CA 15.3 and SCC, in order to assess their clinical usefulness as serum tumor markers. Pre-treatment sera were obtained from patients with predominantly low-stage epithelial malignancies comprising 200 adenocarcinomas (of the ovary, endometrium, breast and large intestine) and 50 squamous-cell carcinomas (of the uterine cervix). Pretreatment sera of 50 patients with benign ovarian tumors were included to evaluate levels in benign disease, CA M26 and CA M29 cut-off levels were established in 89 healthy controls. In patients with adenocarcinomas, overall positivity for CA M29 was 24%, ranging from 10% in breast cancer to 60% in ovarian cancer. Overall positivity was highest for CA 125 (30%) and lowest for CA M26 (18%) with CA M29 (24%) being similar to CA 15.3 (25%). In adenocarcinomas the combined CA M26-CA M29 assays equalled results obtained with the CA 125-CA 15.3 combination (33% vs. 36%). Elevation of 2 or more markers was highly indicative of advanced disease (p less than 0.025). A majority of positive patients showed either CA M26 or CA M29 elevations, indicating that both antibodies detect distinct epitopes. After adjustment for tumor site and stage, the profile of CA M26 as a single marker differed significantly from the profiles of CA 125 and of CA M29. CA M26 was frequently (32%) elevated in patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the cervix and CA M26 levels were often independently elevated. CA M26 seems to be valuable as an additional marker in breast cancer and perhaps as a new marker in cervical cancer. CA M29 may be useful in ovarian cancer in addition to CA 125.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Kinetics and biodistribution in relation to tumour detection with 111In-labelled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 in patients with ovarian cancer.

The biological behaviour of 111In-labelled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 was studied in 22 patients with suspected ovarian cancer. After i.v. injection with 140 MBq 111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 (1 mg) blood samples were taken up to 96 h and urine and faeces were collected throughout the whole study. At surgery, 5 to 7 days post-injection, primary and metastatic tumour tissues, as well as fragments of several normal tissues, were removed and 111In uptake was measured. Blood activity disappeared with half-life values of 6.1 +/- 1.1 and 17.9 +/- 6.5 h. Within 96 h excretion in urine and faeces was 16.1 +/- 2.0% i.d. (mean +/- S.D.) and 3.1 +/- 1.9% i.d., respectively. Mean tissue uptake, expressed as % i.d. kg-1 was 3.9 +/- 1.0 for primary tumour, 11.5 +/- 5.0 for liver and 0.4 +/- 0.1 for several normal background tissues. Higher tumour uptake correlated with a higher detection rate at immunoscintigraphy. However, no strict correlation was found between the amount of tumour uptake and the expression of the monoclonal antibody defined OA3 antigen. Quantitation of organ activity, using region of interest analysis, resulted in mean peak organ activities for the liver of 16% i.d., spleen 9% i.d. and kidney 4% i.d. Distribution data indicate that besides specific antibody-antigen interaction several other mechanisms play a role in uptake in tumour and other tissues.

Animals↗

Immunoscintigraphy of ovarian cancer with indium-111-labeled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 monoclonal antibody.

The safety and diagnostic accuracy of immunoscintigraphy with the indium-111-labeled monoclonal antibody OV-TL 3 F(ab')2(111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2) for diagnosis and follow-up of ovarian cancer was prospectively studied in 31 patients. Planar and SPECT scintigraphy were performed up to 4 days after i.v. injection of 140 MBq 111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2. Surgical evaluation was possible in 22 out of 31 patients. Imaging results were compared with X-ray computed tomography, ultrasound, and CA 125 serum level using the histologically confirmed surgical findings as a "gold standard." Apart from a transient rash observed in two patients, no other immediate or delayed adverse reactions were observed. Within the surgically evaluated group, ovarian cancer lesions were detected in 16 out of 17 patients (94%). Of 45 distinct tumor deposits found at operation, 67% were detected and localized with immunoscintigraphy while X-ray computed tomography and ultrasound visualized 53% and 23%, respectively.

Adult↗