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M Castelli

Publications and source records attributed to M Castelli.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Prognostic significance of DNA ploidy in male breast carcinoma. A retrospective analysis of 32 cases.

BACKGROUND: DNA aneuploidy has been prognostically significant in female breast carcinoma of low stage, but its value in male breast carcinoma remains undetermined. METHODS: Flow cytometric DNA analyses were performed retrospectively on paraffin-embedded tissue from 32 men with breast carcinoma (mean follow-up time, 5.97 years [standard deviation +/- 4.63]; range, 1 to 18 years). RESULTS: Multivariate discriminant function analysis showed only tumor size less than 2 cm to be independently predictive of better disease-free survival (P less than 0.05). DNA ploidy (aneuploid, 25 patients; diploid, 7 patients) and lymph node status (positive, 22 patients; negative, 10 patients) were not predictive of survival, regardless of tumor size. CONCLUSIONS: The authors concluded that DNA ploidy may not significantly predict survival in male breast carcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Effect of somatostatin analogue and cholecystokinin receptor antagonist on bile-induced acute canine pancreatitis.

To determine whether a synthetic somatostatin analogue, octreotide, and a cholecystokinin receptor antagonist, L-364,718, may be beneficial in acute pancreatitis, 33 dogs were assigned to four groups. Each dog underwent laparotomy with injection of autologous bile into the dorsal pancreatic duct. Thirty minutes after the induction of pancreatitis, Group 1 received a subcutaneous injection of octreotide (200 micrograms/kg), Group 2 received an equal volume of the octreotide carrier, Group 3 received an hourly intravenous bolus of L-364,718 (60 micrograms/kg), and Group 4 received an equal volume of the L-364,718 carrier. Hemodynamic profiles, arterial blood gases, plasma glucose, and serum amylase were obtained before laparotomy, at bile injection, and at hourly intervals. The pancreas was removed after 8 hours for gross evaluation, measurement of water content, and histologic examination. A significant decrease in cardiac index and a significant increase in serum amylase and pancreatic edema occurred in all four groups 8 hours after the induction of pancreatitis (P less than 0.05), but there was no statistical difference between any group. Likewise, there was no difference in gross or histologic changes in the pancreas of any group. The somatostatin analogue, octreotide, and the cholecystokinin receptor antagonist, L-364,718, did not ameliorate the effects of severe, bile-induced pancreatitis in dogs.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Deep dorsal vein arterialization in vasculogenic impotence: our experience.

We describe our experience of surgical therapy for vasculogenic impotence, using a technique of arterialization of the deep dorsal vein. This technique was chosen because vascular anastomosis can easily be performed, and because of the possibility of inducing haemodynamic mechanisms which favour the maintenance of rigidity, using venous arterialization. The operation was performed on 22 selected subjects with positive results. 12 patients (55%) reported erections which enabled them to have satisfactory sexual relations one year after follow-up. From the data reported we can conclude that penile revascularization, using the technique of arterialization of the deep dorsal vein, in well selected cases of vasculogenic impotence, should be considered a valid alternative to a penile prosthesis implant.

Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical↗
PubMed1991

Immunosuppressive acidic protein and CA 125 levels in patients with ovarian cancer.

The serum levels of immunosuppressive acid protein (IAP) and CA 125 were determined in 98 patients with ovarian cancer, in 20 patients with benign ovarian tumors and in a group of normal postmenopausal women as controls. On the basis of the mean values of normal controls (346.46 +/- 133.26 micrograms/ml), the IAP threshold was fixed at 613 micrograms/ml. Increased IAP levels were found in 70.4% of patients with ovarian cancer, in 25% of benign tumors and in 4.5% of normal women. Elevated levels of CA 125 were observed in 66.6% of cancers, in 40% of benign tumors and in 6.9% of controls. In particular, in early stage ovarian cancer the combined assay of the two markers increased by about 30% with respect to CA 125 alone. The simultaneous determination of IAP and CA 125 allowed an overall sensitivity of 84% without any significant reduction of specificity.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗
PubMed1991

Postpubertal cryptorchidism: review and evaluation of the fertility.

We assessed the fertility of 91 patients affected by unilateral cryptorchidism who were subjected to postpubertal orchidopexy in the last 15 years. All cases were clinically examined, evaluated by semen analysis and Doppler ultrasound of the spermatic artery. Twenty-two patients underwent testicular biopsy. The results indicate that orchidopexy is not the best treatment for postpubertal cryptorchid patients. After orchidopexy, 83.5% of patients were azoospermic or oligospermic, with or without asthenospermia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Preparation of tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) from sera pools of cancer patients.

TPA is a tumor marker characteristic of general cellular proliferation. High serum levels are found in patients with tumor progression. With the aim of bettering the clinical use, the authors have isolated TPA in purer form, in order to develop, in the future, a more specific immunoenzymatic method based on unlabeled antipeptide antibodies. A simple method for the isolation of small amounts of tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) from the sera of patients suffering from neoplastic diseases is described. The procedure takes advantage of the availability of commercial anti-TPA coated beads; sera pools with high levels of antigen are allowed to react with such beads, then the antibody-antigen complex is dissociated by drastic changes of pH or molarity, and TPA recovered. Such TPA preparations contain low amounts of extraneous proteins, and thus can be utilized in immunoenzymatic tests, or in laboratory investigations.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1990

Flow and image cytometric DNA analysis in rhabdomyosarcoma.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common malignant soft-tissue tumor in childhood, with an overall 3-year disease-free survival of 73%. DNA content is known to correlate with prognosis and therapy response in many cancers. To determine the role of DNA content in rhabdomyosarcoma, 23 tumor samples were studied retrospectively: 18 primary tumors and 5 post-chemotherapy recurrences or specimens obtained at second-look surgeries. The DNA analysis was performed on disaggregated paraffin-embedded tissue nuclei by flow and image cytometry and correlated with the histology and clinical history. Of the primary tumors 4 were diploid, 4 polyploid, and 10 aneuploid (9 with a single aneuploid G0G1 peak and 1 multiploid) by flow cytometry. The concordance rate between flow and image cytometry was 19 of 23 (83%); one case did not have flow cytometry available. Most embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas were aneuploid (10 of 12; 83%), and they had a high incidence of recurrence in Stages III and IV (4 of 12; 33%). Although aneuploidy in pediatric cancers may predict a therapeutic response and good prognosis, this was not supported by our findings in rhabdomyosarcoma. The tumor DNA content correlated with the clinical stage but not with the patient's clinical course or tumor histopathological type. DNA content did not appear to be as important a prognostic tool as tumor stage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Separate annular strictures of the rectosigmoid colon secondary to unsuspected prostate cancer.

Rectal involvement from prostate cancer occurs in 1.5-11% of cases. A rarer presentation is that of a separate metastasis to the high rectosigmoid colon causing an annular stricture. We present our experience with six such cases who presented with gastrointestinal symptoms. Two of the cases had undergone intestinal resections. All 6 patients had radiographic evidence of an annular stricture in the rectosigmoid area. Retrospective review revealed evidence of metastatic disease in all cases in the form of abnormalities in one or more of the following: intravenous urography, radionuclide bone scan, liver spleen scan, acid phosphatase, or alkaline phosphatase. The mean survival was 9.3 months. This rare presentation of prostate cancer may be difficult to distinguish from primary colorectal cancer and therefore needs to be ruled out to avoid intestinal resections.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Follicular cell predominance in the cytologic examination of dominant thyroid nodules indicates a sixty percent incidence of neoplasia.

The interpretation of aspiration cytologic smears that contain a predominance of follicular components often presents a dilemma to the clinician who is treating a patient who has a dominant thyroid nodule, especially when thyroid-stimulating hormone suppression does not produce any significant involution of the dominant nodule. We reviewed a consecutive series of 555 fine-needle aspiration cytologic examinations of dominant thyroid nodules. All specimens that contained colloid or follicular cells mixed with lymphocytes or Hürthle cells were excluded from this review. Additionally, nine aspirates contained degenerated follicular cells with insufficient material for cytologic diagnosis. The remaining 76 specimens contained a predominance of follicular cells: 27 specimens were interpreted as containing "normal" follicular cells, and the remaining 49 specimens were read as "atypical" follicular cells. Histopathologic examination of the resected specimens indicated a 60% incidence of neoplasia (30% carcinoma, 30% adenoma) in which the aspiration cytologic study was interpreted as "normal" follicular cells. On the other hand, a 63% incidence of neoplasia (27% carcinoma, 36% adenoma) occurred in which the cytologic study was read as "atypical." In conclusion, aspirates showing a predominance of follicular cells, whether "normal" or "atypical" indicate a 60% incidence of neoplasia in dominant thyroid nodules that do not decrease significantly in size with thyroid-stimulating hormone suppression.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1989

Profile of sequential determinants in tissue polypeptide antigen BrCN:B fragment.

A synthetic approach has been applied to determine the profile of sequential determinants of one immunodominant region of Tissue Polypeptide Antigen (TPA). Five overlapping peptides, covering 30 of the 32 amino acid residues of this fragment, were chemically synthesized, and their antibody-binding activities for rabbit anti-TPA antibodies determined by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbant assays. Anti-TPA reacted with two overlapping fragments at the COOH-terminal end of the fragment, but not with peptides that include Arg 15 considered as essential for the antigenicity of the whole fragment. This might suggest that this critical residue is involved in the formation of a complex conformational determinant.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Multivariate analysis of a tissue CEA, TPA, and CA 19.9 quantitative study in colorectal cancer patients. A preliminary finding.

Tissue CEA, TPA, and CA 19.9 concentrations from samples of surgical specimens were measured in 47 evaluable colorectal cancer patients (median follow-up, 20 months, 13 recurrences) and correlated with individual patient follow-up status. The quantitative method appeared to be sensitive, easily reproducible, and standardizable. The tissue marker concentration was analyzed by means of the multivariate discriminant analysis, to evaluate the risk of relapse in each patient; the tumor CEA (CEA T) showed the best discriminant capacity (P = .005). The relative Fisher function provided a reliable prognostic patient index, independently of other recognized prognostic factors (Dukes' stage and cellular differentiation grade). The Cox model showed a statistical significance analyzing the tumor (T) and healthy mucosa (M) CEA values (P = .001 and P = .006, respectively). The combination of these two variables allowed for identification of three classes of patients according to CEA T and M threshold values of 216 and 85 ng/mg of protein, respectively, and different disease-free curves were obtained for each group. The two-year disease-free rate was 81 percent for patients with low values of both CEA T and M, and 21.4 percent for the group with both values above these thresholds (P = .0008). In the third class (CEA T or M higher than the reported cut-off levels), the two-year disease-free rate was 65.9 percent.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed1989

Buttock abscess complicating Crohn's disease.

Two patients with buttock abscesses developing as an extension of Crohn's disease are described. In each, the abscess extended through the sciatic foramen into gluteal soft tissues. Cross-sectional imaging, particularly computed tomography, is of major help in identifying these lesions and the pathway of spread.

Abscess↗
PubMed1988

DNA fingerprinting in domestic animals using four different minisatellite probes.

Four probes known to allow DNA fingerprinting in the human (M13, Jeffreys' core sequence, the human alpha globin hypervariable region [HVR], and a mouse probe related to the Drosophila Per gene) were checked for their ability to reveal "genetic bar codes" in cattle, horses, pigs, dogs, chickens, and a European cyprinid fish, the barbel (Barbus barbus L.). Individual-specific patterns were obtained in cattle using M13, Jeffreys' core sequence, and the alpha globin HVR, in horses, dogs, and pigs using M13, Jeffreys' core sequence, and the Per probe, and in chicken and fish using the four different probes. Although we observed a considerable heterogeneity in the extent of interindividual variation, depending on the particular probe-species combination, the fingerprints are polymorphic enough to be used efficiently in animal identification, paternity testing, and as a source of genetic markers for linkage analysis. These markers should substantially accelerate the mapping of genes affecting economically important traits.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Needle biopsy of nodular thyroid disease.

To evaluate nodular thyroid disease, 150 patients underwent 169 fine needle biopsies (FNB) and recently 28 have also had core needle biopsies (CNB). Multiple biopsies were required in 19 patients because of multiple lesions, reaccumulation of cysts, follow-up of nodules failing to regress, or inadequate material. Adequate material was obtained in 97 per cent of FNB and 92 per cent of CNB. FNB and CNB agreed in 20 of 28 cases. There were no complications with FNB and one patient (4%) hemorrhaged with CNB. Forty nine patients underwent thyroidectomy. Postoperative diagnoses include papillary carcinoma (9), follicular carcinoma (2), lymphoma (2), medullary carcinoma (1), metastatic carcinoma (1), benign nodular goiter (14), follicular neoplasm (15), and thyroiditis (5). Sixty per cent of patients avoided surgery, 61 per cent of operated specimens contained neoplasia and 31 per cent contained malignancy. Eighty seven per cent of malignancies were identified at the initial evaluation. FNB had 86 per cent sensitivity for neoplasia and 44 per cent specificity for neoplasm (94% for papillary carcinoma). CNB had 89 per cent sensitivity and 67 per cent specificity for neoplasm. FNB and CNB are useful means of assessing thyroid nodules for the presence of cancer. They can decrease the need for diagnostic thyroidectomy. However, clinical evaluation must still be used in conjunction when determining the need for thyroidectomy.

Biopsy, Needle↗
PubMed1987

Unusual extramedullary relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in a bone marrow transplant patient.

An unusual form of relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia is described in a woman who developed a solitary large focal mass of lymphoblasts in her liver and an isolated polypoid lymphoblastic mass in her uterus after bone marrow transplantation, despite continued marrow remission. Extramedullary visceral leukemic relapse in the form of such discreet focal masses is highly unusual and to our knowledge has not been described in this setting. Awareness and recognition of atypical forms of relapse are important since such a diagnosis carries critical therapeutic and prognostic implications.

Adult↗