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Biomedical subjects

M Marangolo

Publications and source records attributed to M Marangolo.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Cyclophosphamide, methotrexate,5-fluorouracil, alternating with adriamycin and mitomycin C in metastatic breast cancer: a pilot study.

To explore the clinical applicability of the Goldie and Coldman hypothesis, we treated 28 patients with metastatic breast cancer with alternating non-cross-resistant chemotherapy. The patients received cyclophosphamide, 600 mg/m2, 5-fluorouracil, 600 mg/m2, methotrexate, 40 mg/m2, alternated every three weeks with adriamycin, 60 mg/m2, and mitomycin C, 10 mg/m2. Only one patient had previously received palliative chemotherapy. Six patients had received adjuvant CMF, and 17 patients had been pretreated with endocrine therapy (13 for advanced disease, 4 as adjuvant). Fourteen patients had bone involvement, and 10 had visceral metastases. A mean of 12 cycles was given to 24 evaluable patients. The objective response rate was 67%: 11 patients (46%) achieved complete and 5 (21%) partial remission. Response rate in soft tissues was 83.3%, in bone 50%, in liver 100%, and in lung 80%. The median duration of response was 14 months, with 7 patients still in remission. No life-threatening toxicity was observed. Our preliminary results support the validity of this approach and the efficacy of this combination chemotherapy. A large-scale randomized study is warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Alternating regimens in recurrent and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

In the present pilot study, two courses of CF and CABO combination chemotherapy were administered in an alternating manner to 27 patients affected with recurrent and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Of the 23 evaluable patients, 5 complete responses and 5 partial responses were observed; the overall response rate was 43.5%. Two out of five complete responders are still free of disease 30 and 65 weeks after the administration of CR. The toxicity of this program was tolerable and was carried out on an out-patient basis in all cases. The median survival of the entire group was 41 weeks (range 8-98.+). We conclude that these alternating regimens are not likely to produce better responses than other conventional cisplatin-including combinations, but they seem to significantly increase the duration of the response.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1986

Primary gastric lymphoma: a review of 45 cases.

Primary gastric lymphoma accounts for about 2% of gastric neoplasms. The prognosis of patients affected with non-Hodgkin's gastric lymphoma appears better than for other lymphatic sites. In a retrospective study, the authors have analyzed 45 patients, by evaluating the histopathologic characteristics and relative prognostic factors. The main factors significantly influencing 5-yr survival are: serosal penetration (31.17% vs. 71.2%, P less than 0.05), regional lymph node involvement (53.07% vs. 68%), and clinical stage of disease (IE: 85.6%, IVE:10%, P less than 0.001). The histologic characteristics, the high or low grade of malignancy, and patient age can also be considered important prognostic factors, but not statistically significant in our series of cases. Comparison between overall survival and disease-free survival of patients in stages IE and IIE who underwent surgery alone, with those who had chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy after surgery shows a higher survival (85.6%) of the group who had combined treatments, even though this difference is not statistically significant.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Modulated chemo-hormonotherapy in advanced breast cancer. A pilot study.

Twenty-two patients with advanced breast cancer have been treated with sequential chemo-hormonotherapy consisting of tamoxifen 20 mg/day orally for 14 consecutive days, followed by no therapy for ten days, then estrogen 0.625 mg/day orally for three days; the next day methotrexate 200 mg/m2 i.v. and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 i.v.; after 24 hours folinic acid 200 mg/m2 i.v. and 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 i.v. Fifteen patients were evaluable for response, 22 were evaluable for toxicity. All but one were heavily pretreated with chemo and/or hormonotherapy. Nine of 15 had previously received palliative CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil) (mean 9 cycles), and one patient 12 cycles adjuvant CMF. Thirteen of 15 previously received tamoxifen (median treatment of 18 months). Six patients had multiple metastatic disease, while five had visceral involvement. They were all postmenopausal, with median age 57 years, and median disease-free interval 31 months. ER status was not known and the median ECOG performance status was 1. Overall response rate was 20%. Only one patient attained complete remission; 46.6% were stable disease and 33.3% progressive disease. Accepting that the response rate is very low in pretreated patients, this 20% can be significant. Ninety cycles were administered to 22 patients and the treatment was very well tolerated: both hematologic and nonhematologic toxicities were mild.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Clinical relevance of bone marrow biopsy in staging and follow-up of breast cancer.

Bone marrow biopsies by Jamshidi needle were performed in 106 breast cancer female patients. Sixty-four of them were in follow-up after mastectomy, and neoplastic involvement of marrow was found in 21 patients (32.8%). Among the 42 women undergoing staging before mastectomy, the incidence of marrow involvement was 11.9% (5 women, all with radiographic positivity). Of the 37 women, either in follow-up or in the staging phase, with bone metastases detected by roentgenographic and isotopic examination, the bone biopsy was positive in 23 (62.1%), and 7 histologically had micrometastases. Three women, without any radiographic or isotopic sign of metastases, had positive biopsies. A good correlation was found between the hydroxyproline:creatinine ratio and neoplastic involvement of bone marrow.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1983

Neuroradiologic picture of cerebral vasculitis in rheumatoid arthritis.

The central nervous system is rarely involved in rheumatoid arthritis. In this paper the authors report a case of a 50-year-old woman who had rheumatoid arthritis for about 6 years. A month before admission she presented a symptomatology resembling an expansive intracranial process. Angiography revealed cerebral arteritis and CT showed areas of hypodensity with marked contrast enhancement.

Arteritis↗
PubMed1980

[Hydroxyprolinuria and bone metastases of breast cancer].

The urinary excretion of Hydroxyproline (OH-P), evaluated as OH-P/creatinine ratio, has been examined in the follow up of 142 breast cancer patients. The mean value obtained in the women with bone lytic lesions, prior to treatment, was 5.3 +/- 1.9 (min. 3, max. 9), whereas in the women without bone metastases it was 1.7 +/- 0.5 (min. 0.6, max. 3), similar to the control group. The patients affected by osteoplastic lesions had a normal OH-P/creatinine ratio. The highest values of OH-P/creatinine ratio were found in women with bone marrow infiltration, ascertained by bone needle biopsy. In the group of patients with bone lytic metastases, a good correlation between changes of OH-P/creatinine ratio and response to hormonal or chemotherapeutic treatment has been observed. Therefore the OH-P/creatinine ratio could be effectively useful, with other clinical parameters, in the follow up of breast cancer patients.

Bone Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

N-methylformamide affects spontaneous metastases of 3LL lines and increases natural killer activity of tumor-bearing mice.

The antitumor activity of the polar solvent N-methylformamide (NMF) was evaluated on three lines derived from the Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL), endowed with different metastatic potential. Two administration schedules were tested, these being repeated regimens of NMF (200 mg/kg per dose) for 12 consecutive days, starting 24 h or 6-10 days after tumor implantation (early or late treatment, respectively). The results of the present work can be summarized as follows: (1) NMF regimens did not greatly affect tumor growth behavior of 3LL lines; conversely, they markedly influenced their spontaneous colonizing ability in the lungs, either by delaying early metastatic spread or by reducing the number and size of pulmonary metastases already implanted. (2) A significant increase of NK cell activity during and after early treatment with NMF was observed in the more-metastasizing lines, thus suggesting the possibility of an immunomodulating effect of NMF.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors following peripheral blood progenitor cell rescue after high-dose chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer: a prospective study.

The use of high-dose chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic rescue is increasing worldwide for solid tumors. Several studies have suggested that the period of absolute neutrophil count (ANC, < 500/ml) may be shortened in patients who receive peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC). To estimate the clinical value of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor, we examined a cohort of 26 consecutive patients with advanced breast cancer who received one or two cycles of high-dose chemotherapy with PBPC rescue with or without filgrastim. Thirty-five courses of high-dose ICE (ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide) chemotherapy were administered and evaluated. All patients received PBPC rescue. Sixteen patients (21 courses) received subcutaneous filgrastim (5 mg/kg) following PBPC infusion. Recovery to > or = 500 ANC occurred at a median time of 7 days post PBPC infusion among patients who received filgrastim versus 10 days among patients who received standard support care only (P < 0.01). The administration of filgrastim was not associated with a reduction in the duration of hospitalization, in the total number of days on nonprophylactic antibiotics, number of red blood cell transfusions, time to platelet engraftment, or number of febrile days. This could be the consequence of the high hematopoietic cell dose administered in the study. Therefore, any effect of filgrastim was probably masked by the use of a large number of PBPC. Larger prospective randomized studies, specifically focused on the utility of the administration of growth factors following high-dose chemotherapy and PBPC rescue, may be warranted to know whether the administration of filgrastim after PBPC transplantation is really necessary.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Radioimmunotherapy trials in germ testicular carcinoma: a phase I study.

Two patients with germ cell testicular cancer were submitted to radioimmunotherapy (RIT) by using the monoclonal antibody 131I-radiolabelled (MoAb) H17E2, raised against placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP). Both patients had been previously treated with repeated chemotherapy regimens assisted by autologous bone marrow transplant (ABMT), that, in the end were unsuccessful, thus necessitating further experimental treatment. RIT was well tolerated and the targeting of multiple neoplastic lesions was satisfactory. Nevertheless, the clinical results of treatment were minimal owing to the extension of the tumour. The data obtained suggest the possibility of applying this form of treatment in patients with minimal residual disease after previous traditional chemotherapy regimens.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Adjuvant concomitant chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer].

Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer death. Despite improvement in diagnosis and treatment in the last 15 years, mortality rates essentially equal the incidence of the disease. Combination treatment with chemoradiation yields up to now better results than chemotherapy or radiotherapy given alone in consideration of substantial radio and chemoresistance of the cancer cells. This study will review the most important literature data about combination adjuvant treatment and preoperative (primary) chemoradiation in pancreatic cancer. Some other reports will be given on locoregional chemotherapy and finally a brief view on a possible perspective for promising future treatments coming from data of molecular pathology. Adjuvant chemoradiation after surgery has been shown to be superior to operation alone in potentially resectable pancreatic cancer in many studies, in terms both of local control and median overall survival. Unfortunately, a consistent percentage of patients cannot receive adjuvant treatment since late recovery after surgery or post-operative morbidity. Owing to this last reason, many authors prefer primary chemoradiation in potentially resectable pancreatic cancer; neoadjuvant treatment find out its background in other relevant biological and clinical evaluations. Some studies report encouraging results with primary chemoradiation using 5-fluorouracil. Other experiences with relatively new drugs, with potent radiosensiting effect, such as gemcitabine or taxol are going on; many of these are phase I studies. Clinical research in the field of preoperative treatment is up to now emerging in some important Oncological Institutions. The principal actual aim seems to be that of forsee periods of treatment which will be brief and use the dose of chemotherapy that is active, giving acceptable toxicity. Ongoing trials will give, in the next years, the answer about the improvement of efficacy of treatments largely expected by all researchers.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A sequential chemo-radiotherapeutic treatment for patients with malignant gliomas: a phase II pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the activity and toxicity of a sequential chemo-radiotherapeutic treatment on the basis of an earlier report by The Johns Hopkins Oncology Center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients with histologically diagnosed malignant gliomas entered the study. Fifteen patients had glioblastoma multiforme (83%). BCNU (40 mg/sqm/die) and Cisplatin (40 mg/sqm/die) were administered concurrently for 3 days every 3-4 weeks. Radiotherapy consisted of 45 Gy whole cranial irradiation plus a 15 Gy boost on the preoperative volume. RESULTS: Thirteen patients had measurable disease and were evaluable for response. After chemotherapy we obtained 3 CRs (complete remission) and 4 PRs (partial remission) (RR (response rate 54%). Three PRs were converted to CRs after radiotherapy, for a complete remission rate of 46% (6/13). The median duration of response was 10 months. The median survival of the entire patients population was 9 months with 33% survival rates at 1 year. Hematological toxicity grade 4 in one patient and grade 3 in two patients were the major complications due to chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our sequential chemo-radiotherapeutic regimen appears to have significant activity in adults with newly diagnosed high-grade gliomas.

Adult↗