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Biomedical subjects

M Brausi

Publications and source records attributed to M Brausi.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Intravesical electromotive administration of drugs for treatment of superficial bladder cancer: a comparative Phase II study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of electromotive administration (EMDA) of intravesical mitomycin-C (MMC) in patients with superficial bladder tumors and to evaluate the toxicity of the treatment. METHODS: Thirteen patients with multifocal Stages Ta-T1 and G1-G2 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, primary or recurrent (group A), received MMC 40 mg (retained in the bladder for 2 hours) once a week for 8 weeks. Fifteen patients with the same characteristics (group B) were treated with EMDA/MMC at a current of 15 mA for 20 minutes once a week for 8 weeks. All lesions in the bladder except one (marker) were resected in each patient. RESULTS: In group A, 5 of 12 patients (41.6%) demonstrated complete macroscopic and histologic disappearance of the marker lesion (complete response [CR]). In group B, 6 of 15 patients (40%) had a similar CR. Recurrence rate in responders was 60% in group A versus 33% in group B after 7.6 and 6 months, respectively. Disease-free interval was 14.5 months in the EMDA/MMC group compared to 10.5 months in the MMC group. Side effects were few. CONCLUSIONS: In intermediate risk patients with TCC of the bladder, EMDA/MMC was not superior to MMC alone with a CR rate of 41% versus 41.6%. In responders, a lower recurrence rate and a longer disease-free interval were observed in the EMDA/MMC group.

Administration, Intravesical↗
PubMed1998

Complete androgen blockade versus chemical castration in advanced prostatic cancer: analysis of an Italian multicentre study. Italian Leuprorelin Group.

OBJECTIVES: In spite of a great amount of data, the hormonal treatment of advanced prostatic carcinoma (CaP) still remains controversial. As a relevant amount of dihydrotestosterone is present within the prostate tissue after castration, complete androgen blockade (CAB), with inhibition of the activity of both testicular and adrenal androgens, has been advocated as up-front treatment of advanced CaP. However, many controlled studies have failed to demonstrate a benefit for CAB in comparison with simple surgical or chemical castration. The present study was performed to bring additional data for a worldwide meta-analysis of all phase III trials comparing castration and CAB. METHODS: This is a centrally controlled phase III study in which chemical castration with leuprorelin acetate depot was compared with leuprorelin plus flutamide in stage C and D CaP. Two hundred and forty-one eligible and evaluable patients with histologically proven CaP were recruited for the study (120 treated with castration and 121 with CAB). The diagnostic and staging workup consisted of blood chemistry, general condition assessment, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), abdominal sonography and computed tomography scan, and whole-body isotopic bone scan. End points of the study were survival, time to treatment failure, and time to progression. The patients were followed every 6 months with PSA and sonography. RESULTS: At a cut-off analysis performed in December 1996, when the mean follow-up period was 43.7 +/- (SD) 24.1 months, no statistical differences in terms of time to treatment failure, time to progression, and death rate could be detected. Also considering the common risk factors, such as basal PSA, haemoglobin, alkaline phosphatase, and Gleason score, the outcome did not show any clear advantage for CAB. CONCLUSIONS: This study appears to confirm that the advantages of first-line CAB in CaP are at best marginal. The final analysis will be performed when the follow-up period has reached 5-years, but it seems unlikely that the present results will change.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Does isoniazid reduce side effects of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy in superficial bladder cancer? Interim results of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Protocol 30911.

PURPOSE: We analyzed the influence of the tuberculostatic agent isoniazid on the incidence and severity of adverse effects of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy in patients with superficial bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective randomized multicenter study the side effects of intravesical instillations with Tice strain BCG with and without isoniazid were compared in patients with stages pTa and pT1 bladder tumors. Isoniazid was given orally at a dose of 300 mg. daily at every instillation in an attempt to decrease the side effects of BCG. RESULTS: No differences in local or systemic adverse reactions after intravesical immune therapy with BCG could be observed between patients treated with or without prophylactic isoniazid therapy. However, analysis of liver function tests after BCG with isoniazid showed slightly more liver toxicity compared to BCG alone. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic administration of isoniazid during BCG instillations provides no decrease in any known side effect of BCG. In contrast, transient liver function disturbances are encountered slightly more frequently when isoniazid is administered. The use of prophylactic isoniazid in patients treated with BCG is not recommended.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1995

High dose epirubicin is effective in measurable metastatic prostate cancer: a phase II study of the EORTC Genitourinary Group.

39 hormone-resistant prostate cancer patients with bidimensionally measurable metastatic lesions were given epirubicin 100 mg/m2 intravenously every 3 weeks. One patient was ineligible and excluded from analyses. According to WHO criteria, 9 patients (24%) had a partial response, 16 patients (42%) had stable disease (including 3 patients (8%) with a partial response not confirmed 1 month later), 11 patients (29%) had progressive disease, and in 2 patients (5%) response was not evaluated. Toxicity was as expected. Fifty-five per cent of patients had WHO grade 3/4 toxicity for white blood cells, and 3% of patients grade 3 toxicity for platelets. Other toxicities included nausea and vomiting, mucositis and alopecia. 2 patients with pre-existing cardiac disease developed cardiotoxicity (1 grade 2, 1 grade 3). An attempt was made to correlate response with prostate specific antigen (PSA) measurements. A positive trend was seen, but 2 non-responding patients showed a > 50% decrease in value.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Expression of p53 protein in prostate cancers of different histologic types.

Mutations and overexpression of p53 gene in prostate carcinoma have been found but their significance in the development and progression of cancer is so far unknown. We investigated the prevalence of abnormalities of p53 protein in a heterogeneous group of prostate carcinoma to verify whether acinar and non acinar carcinomas have a different expression of p53 protein. Paraffin sections of 45 prostate carcinomas (39 acinar, 3 ductal papillary, 1 transitional cell, 1 mucinous and 1 pure small cell) were examined for the expression of p53 protein using a panel of antibodies (monoclonal antibodies Pab 1801, D07 and polyclonal antibody CM1). No p53 expression was observed in any acinar carcinomas independent of grade and stage. For non acinar carcinomas only small cell and transitional cell carcinomas exhibited detectable amounts of p53 protein in tumour cell nuclei. The prevalence of p53 overexpression in prostate carcinoma is relatively low compared with that found in many other tumours. In the present study, the overexpression of p53 in a small cell carcinoma and in a transitional cell carcinoma suggest that the loss of suppressing role of p53 gene may be an important mechanism in the genesis and in the development of these uncommon tumours.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Rare prostatic carcinomas: histogenesis and morphologic pattern.

Most prostate cancers (90%) are acinar adenocarcinomas, originating in the peripheral or other prostatic regions. In a series of 650 cases of prostate carcinoma we found 7 cases of prostate carcinoma with unusual features, including 3 pure duct papillary carcinomas, 1 pure transitional cell carcinoma, 1 mucinous adenocarcinoma and 2 pure small cell carcinomas. Ductal papillary carcinoma consists of papillary fronds and branching, fibro-connective tissue, covered by a single layered to multilayered lining of columnar cells. Also the tumours located in central portions of the prostate derive from periurethral prostatic ducts. Primary transitional cell carcinoma of the prostate implies no pre-existing bladder cancer and arises from indifferent or reserve cells, lying between the luminal epithelium and the basement membrane of the periurethral ducts. The diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma should be reserved for these cases in which a sufficient quantity of extracellular mucin is seen to form pools and lakes. True mucinous carcinoma is likely to be a variant of prostate carcinoma. Classic oat cell carcinomas are composed of small, fairly uniform tumour cells only slightly larger than lymphocytes, arranged in solid nests wherein central necrosis is commonly observed. The pathological finding, clinical course and immunohistochemical studies, indicate that the small cell carcinoma of the prostate is most likely to be a neuroendocrine neoplasm.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗
PubMed1991

Methotrexate, vinblastine, epidoxorubicin and cisplatin (M-VEC) in patients with locally advanced transitional bladder cancer.

M-VEC (methotrexate, vinblastine, epidoxorubicin and cisplatin), a new combined drug regimen in which epidoxorubicin has been substituted to adriamycin to reduce the toxicity of the original M-VAC chemotherapy, has been tested in 23 patients with locally advanced transitional cell bladder cancer (TCBC) (stage T2-T4 No Mo). After two to four courses, an objective response was observed in 19 patients, with 13 clinical complete responses. Seven patients underwent cystectomy after chemotherapy: one patient had no residual tumor on bladder specimens, five patients had a surgical eradication of the disease, while one patient had only a partial resection. Eight relapses of bladder carcinoma were observed, three among the surgically treated patients and five among patients who did not undergo cystectomy, with a median time-to-relapse of 9.7 months. Progression-free survival at 24 months was 52.3%. M-VEC regimen appears to be effective in locally advanced TCBC, with acceptable toxicity.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Recombinant alpha interferon in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. A cooperative phase II study.

A total of 61 evaluable patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma have been treated with 3 x 10(6) IU per square meter of body surface with recombinant alpha 2b interferon three times a week within a Cooperative Phase II Study. Toxic death for terminal renal failure occurred in 1 patient (1.63%), and toxicities greater than WHO grade 2 were present in 10 cases (16%). The overall response rate after six months of treatment was 13.1% (partial response 4, minor response 4). Two complete responses were obtained at nine and fifteen months (3.3%). Long-lasting stabilization of disease was 13.1 percent.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Morbidity of modified pelvic lymphadenectomy and radiotherapy for prostatic cancer.

The records of 63 patients treated by pelvic lymphadenectomy and radiotherapy at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, Baptist Memorial Hospital of Memphis, and the Memphis Veterans Affairs Hospital were reviewed. Of those patients, 45 received external beam radiation therapy to the prostate while 16 were treated by Iodine-125 implantation. Two patients had only staging lymphadenectomy. The incidence of postoperative and late complications were analyzed.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Dose response relationship of methotrexate in combination with cisplatin in murine bladder cancer.

Methotrexate (MTX) has activity in transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in man and some have suggested an advantage of high-dose methotrexate versus the standard dose in controlling tumor growth and prolonging survival. MBT-2, a poorly differentiated TCC induced by the carcinogen FANFT, is both grossly and histologically similar to human TCC and has been used as an animal model. One hundred twenty C3H/HE female mice were injected in the hind limb with 7.5 X 10(4) MBT-2 tumor cells. When palpable tumors developed in all animals, therapy was initiated. Animals were randomized into a control group and nine treatment groups as follows: cisplatin (DDP), MTX32 mg, MTX50 mg, MTX80 mg, DDP + MTX32, MTX50 + Leucovorin, MTX80 + Leucovorin, DDP + MTX50 + Leucovorin, DDP + MTX80 + Leucovorin. The combination of MTX50 mg with Leucovorin + DDP and DDP alone were the two most effective regimens in controlling tumor growth and prolonging survival. No statistically significant difference was observed between the group treated by high-dose MTX alone and those treated by low-dose MTX. No toxicity was observed even when high doses of MTX were used.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Clonal growth requirements of human bladder tumor cell lines.

We have serially investigated the role of nutrients and growth factors for their ability to support the clonal growth of human bladder tumor cell lines. Five established human bladder tumor cell lines were selected for study of their requirements for clonogenic growth in semisolid cultures. We identified an "optimal medium" to be Alpha MEM medium, 15% horse serum, five micrograms/ml. of transferrin, five micrograms/ml. of insulin and 30 ng./ml. of epidermal growth factor. The "optimal assay" enhanced the growth of human bladder tumor cell lines 2.5 times compared to the standard clonogenic assay. The resulting medium is less complicated to maintain, less expensive and supports the growth of human bladder tumor cell lines better than the standard clonogenic assay.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1989

Progression and complications after external beam radiation therapy for carcinoma of prostate.

Sixty patients with prostatic carcinoma localized to the pelvis have been treated by external beam radiation therapy: 2 patients (2%) were Stage A, 12 (20%) Stage B, 14 (23%) Stage C, and 32 (53%) Stage D1. Twenty-two patients received adjuvant therapy (11 estramustine phosphate [Estracyt] and 11 cyclophosphamide [Cytoxan]) after radiation. Progression occurred in 22 patients (37%): 6 (10%) had local recurrence while 16 (27%) failed distally. The incidence of late major complications was 12 percent.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1987

Comparison of single agent cisplatin and cisplatin containing combinations in treatment of murine bladder cancer.

Using the FANFT-induced tumors MBT-2 and MBT-683 we compared the response rate and survival using cisplatin alone and in various combinations with doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin), mitomycin C, methotrexate, and vinblastine. Sixty C3H/He female mice received 7.5 x 10(4) MBT-2 cells in the right hind limb. The animals were randomly divided into a control group and four treatment groups as follows: cisplatin, 6.0 mg/kg; cisplatin, 2.0 mg/kg, vinblastine, and methotrexate; cisplatin, 2.0 mg/kg, vinblastine, methotrexate, and doxorubicin hydrochloride; and cisplatin, 2.0 mg/kg, vinblastine, methotrexate, and mitomycin C. The drugs were given intraperitoneally on days 7, 14, and 21. The study was repeated using MBT-683. Drug effect on tumor diameter and survival were compared. Cisplatin alone was as effective in MBT-2 and more effective in MBT-683 in reducing tumor volume and increasing survival than the various combinations. The higher tolerable dose of cisplatin used as a single agent probably accounts for these results and suggests that cisplatin is the most effective agent in these combination therapy regimens.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Local seeding of anaplastic carcinoma of prostate after needle biopsy.

We present the seventh case of perineal localization of anaplastic carcinoma after needle biopsy of the prostate. The patient first had cryosurgery and bilateral orchiectomy followed by hormonal therapy (estrogens) and chemotherapy. The surgical excision of the mass was performed, but he died a few days later of metastatic disease.

Biopsy, Needle↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Primary transitional-cell carcinoma of the male anterior urethra].

Primary carcinomas of the male anterior urethra account for less than 1% of all urological carcinoma. The majority of these neoplasias develop of the posterior part of the urethra (proximal portion). The most common histotype is the squamous-cellular carcinoma. We have only found 4 other published reports of primary transitional carcinoma of the male anterior urethra. The paper discusses the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures employed in these rare cases.

Aged↗