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Biomedical subjects

M Marty

Publications and source records attributed to M Marty.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The immune response to p53 in breast cancer patients is directed against immunodominant epitopes unrelated to the mutational hot spot.

Alteration of the p53 gene is the most frequent genetic feature of human cancer and leads to overexpression of the altered protein in the tumor cell nucleus. Two diagnostic procedures are currently available to assess p53 mutations: (a) molecular analysis of the gene sequence; and (b) immunohistochemical analysis of p53 protein accumulation. We now report a third approach, serological analysis. Fifteen % of primary breast cancer patients were found to have circulating antibodies to p53 protein by immunoprecipitation or immunoblotting. We have found a close correlation between the presence of such antibodies and bad prognosis such as high histological grade and the absence of hormone receptors. Furthermore, we found that the B-cell response to p53 protein is induced by two immunodominant regions located at the carboxy and amino termini of the protein, outside the central mutational hot spot region. These findings suggest that serological analysis, combined with molecular and histochemical methods, may be suitable for assessing the state of the p53 gene in cancer patients.

Antibodies, Neoplasm

[Cancer of the breast at the time of diagnosis. A national CANAM study: analysis of 3007 cases].

Between April 1988 and February 1990, 3,007 cases of female breast cancer were recorded among people insured by CANAM*; 118 cancers were bilateral from the start and 2,889 were unilateral. At the time of diagnosis the patients' age ranged from 24 to 101 years (median: 60 years), and 35.6 percent of the tumours were virtually subclinical. Lymph node involvement was clinically absent in 75 percent of the cases and histologically absent in 57 percent. In women under 50 the proportion of small TO-T1 tumours was greater than 40 percent, which pleaded for detection before the age of 50 years. Conversely, in economically weak populations and in women who were followed up for cancerous disease, breast cancer was diagnosed at a later stage. In older (retired) women (median age: 74), who accounted for 44 percent of the whole population, the proportion of advanced tumours was practically doubled (T4: 11 percent versus 6 percent), and the probability of metastases at the time of diagnosis had risen from 4.2 to 6.1 percent. In these patients, clinical examination once a year should contribute to an earlier diagnosis.

Adult

Early assessment of a new anticancer drug analogue--are the historical comparisons obsolete? The French experience with pirarubicin.

Data of all phase II studies of pirarubicin (THP-doxorubicin) have been analysed for toxicity or activity in breast cancer and compared with published reports on doxorubicin, epirubicin or mitoxantrone used as single drugs. A graph of the 95% confidence intervals for each event was used. The results suggest that pirarubicin is as effective as other intercalating drugs in breast cancer and grossly better tolerated than doxorubicin, especially alopecia and cumulative cardiotoxicity. The equimyelotoxic doses of each drug were also estimated. The methodology and the validity of such historical comparisons is discussed: they cannot replace prospective randomised phase III studies, and do not allow definitive conclusions. However, most comparative trials of anticancer drug analogues cannot answer the right questions because their objectives are not adequate (especially for equiefficacy). But early evaluation by historical comparisons can help the conception of phase III studies.

Breast Neoplasms

A comparison of granisetron as a single agent with conventional combination antiemetic therapies in the treatment of cytostatic-induced emesis. The Granisetron Study Group.

The safety and efficacy of intravenous granisetron were compared with combinations of conventional antiemetics in two single-blind, parallel-group studies which have been reported previously. In this review updated data from both studies is presented. In both studies granisetron (40 micrograms/kg) was given as a single 5-min infusion before chemotherapy with two additional doses allowed to control subsequent nausea and vomiting. All patients were naive to chemotherapy. Patients due to receive cisplatin (greater than 49 mg/m2) were randomly assigned to receive either granisetron alone or metoclopramide (3 mg/kg) plus dexamethasone (12 mg) given prophylactically followed by an 8-h infusion of metoclopramide (4 mg/kg). In the 24 h after the start of chemotherapy 70% of granisetron-treated patients and 67% of comparator group were complete responders. In patients due to receive moderately emetogenic chemotherapy, granisetron was compared with chlorpromazine (up to 200 mg/24 h) plus dexamethasone (12 mg). Twenty-four hour efficacy was significantly higher in the granisetron group with complete response in 68% of patients compared to 47% in the comparator group (P less than 0.001). A subset of 40 patients in this study were crossed over to receive the alternative antiemetic on their next cycle of chemotherapy. A significant majority of patients (32/34; 94%) preferred granisetron (P less than 0.001). Around 80% of the granisetron-treated patients in both groups required only a single prophylactic dose of granisetron. Following the first additional dose of granisetron, around 87% of patients reported symptoms to be improved or resolved. Adverse experience reporting was higher in the comparator groups with somnolence and extrapyramidal reactions representing the most common events. Headache was the most commonly reported adverse experience in granisetron-treated patients. Granisetron has proved safe and effective in controlling chemotherapy-induced emesis and is more convenient to administer than conventional antiemetics.

Adolescent

Human pharmacokinetics of N-L-leucyl-doxorubicin, a new anthracycline derivative, and its correlation with clinical toxicities.

A pharmacokinetic study of N-L-leucyl-doxorubicin, a new derivative of doxorubicin, has been undertaken during a phase I trial in 19 patients with advanced cancer after intravenous bolus administration at doses ranging from 30 to 240 mg/m2. The pharmacokinetics of N-L-leucyl-doxorubicin was linear with a total body clearance of 41.3 +/- 25.7 L/hr/m2. N-L-leucyl-doxorubicin was extensively metabolized into doxorubicin, which appeared in plasma immediately after N-L-leucyl-doxorubicin infusion. The mean molar doxorubicin/N-L-leucyl-doxorubicin area under the curve (AUC) ratio was 0.49 +/- 0.22 and was independent of the administered dose. A relationship has been established between the doxorubicin AUC (r = 0.74; p less than 0.001) and the surviving factor in white blood cell counts. Other toxic side effects (thrombocytopenia or stomatitis) did not correlate with any pharmacokinetic parameter. These findings suggest that the degree of metabolization of N-L-leucyl-doxorubicin into doxorubicin may be responsible for the toxicity, that is, N-L-leucyl-doxorubicin may simply represent a pro-drug for doxorubicin.

Dose-Response Relationship, Drug

A review of the antitumour activity of vinorelbine in breast cancer.

The use of vinorelbine 30 mg/m2/week as a single-agent treatment in advanced breast cancer has achieved response rates of > 20% as second-line treatment and 40 to 50% as first-line treatment. The major toxicity of the drug is reversible neutropenia; 35 to 50% of treated patients have grade IV neutropenia. The agent did not induce thrombocytopenia and proved mildly emetogenic and neurotoxic. Activity was confirmed in combination with fluorouracil or doxorubicin, when response rates ranging from 60 to 74% were achieved. Thus, vinorelbine appears to be a promising agent in the treatment of advanced breast cancer.

Adult

Hodgkin's disease, clinical stages I, II A-B and IIIA. Results of brief chemotherapy followed by irradiation.

From October 1980 to September 1985, 152 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) in clinical stages (CS) I, II A-B and IIIA were treated with combined modality therapy (CMT): brief chemotherapy (CT) followed by radiotherapy (RT). CS IA and IIA cases received 3 cycles of MOP, while CS IB, IIB and IIIA cases were randomly assigned to receive MOP or MOP alternating with ABVD (4 cycles). Irradiation was delivered according to the areas initially involved and response to CT. CS I and II subjects in complete remission (CR) received localized fields, whereas CS I, II and IIIA subjects in partial remission (PR) received extended fields, with subtotal nodal RT for CS I and II and CS IIIA without pelvic involvement and total nodal RT for CS I and II below diaphragm and CS IIIA with pelvic involvement. Following CT, CR was 60% (IA-IIA: 71.5%, IB-IIB: 37%, IIIA: 55.5%), PR 35.5% and failure 4.5%. After CT and RT, CR was 98% (IA-IIA: 100%, IB-IIB: 95.5%, IIIA: 94.5%). Responses were similar using MOP and MOP/ABVD regimens. Fifteen patients relapsed (10%) and 15 died, 11 due to HD and 4 due to other causes, while after 7 years overall survival and relapse free survival were respectively 87% and 82% (IA-IIA 90% and 85%, IB-IIB: 80% and 80%, IIIA: 87% and 62%). Results were equivalent irrespective of CT regimen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent

Comparison of the 5-hydroxytryptamine3 (serotonin) antagonist ondansetron (GR 38032F) with high-dose metoclopramide in the control of cisplatin-induced emesis.

To compare ondansetron (GR 38032F), a 5-hydroxytryptamine3-receptor antagonist, with metoclopramide in the prophylaxis of acute cisplatin-induced emesis, we conducted a double-blind crossover study in 97 patients scheduled to receive cisplatin (80 to 100 mg per square meter of body-surface area) for treatment of cancer. None had received chemotherapy before this trial. Among the 76 patients who satisfactorily completed both parts of the study, complete or nearly complete control of emesis (i.e., no episodes of emesis occurred, or only one or two) was achieved in 57 of 76 treatments (75 percent) with ondansetron and in 32 of 76 treatments (42 percent) with metoclopramide (P less than 0.001). Ondansetron was also more effective in controlling acute nausea, as assessed with a visual-analogue scale (P = 0.019) or a graded scale (P = 0.024). There was a significant preference among patients for ondansetron (55 vs. 26 percent; P = 0.006). Dystonic reactions were observed during three treatments with metoclopramide; both agents were otherwise well tolerated. We conclude that ondansetron is more effective than metoclopramide in the control of cisplatin-induced nausea and vomiting, and that this suggests that serotonin is an important mediator of this side effect.

Adult

Phase I study of oxaliplatin in patients with advanced cancer.

Oxaliplatin, or trans-1-diaminocyclohexane-platinum, was tested in a phase I study. A total of 44 patients received 116 courses with dose escalation from 45 to 200 mg/m2. Neither renal nor hematologic toxicities were observed at doses up to 200 mg/m2. Gastrointestinal toxicity was practically constant and often of grade 3-4 on the WHO scale (53% of patients). The dose-limiting toxicity was a peculiar sensory neuropathy; the first neurologic phenomena appeared at a dose of 135 mg/m2 and continued thereafter, occurring after 75% of the courses with mild to moderate intensity (WHO grade 1-2 after 67% of the courses). Neurotoxicity was cumulative and six patients developed grade 3 disabling neuropathy after a cumulative dose of 500 mg/m2, with walking and handwriting difficulties being slowly regressive in three cases. A peculiar symptom was the influence of temperature, with exacerbation of parethesias when patients touched cold surfaces. Nerve-conduction studies carried out in six cases showed a predominantly sensory neuropathy with axonal degeneration. No other toxicities were observed, although audiograms were not systematically done. We observed four partial responses that lasted 6-13 months in patients with oesophageal (2 cases), lung (1), and urothelial cancer (1); two of these patients had been pretreated with cisplatin. Since neurologic side effects occur very frequently and may produce a long-lasting sensory neuropathy, for phase II studies we recommend a starting dose of 135 mg/m2, with a careful neurologic survey.

Adult

Phase II study of oral idarubicin in elderly patients with advanced breast cancer.

Thirty-one elderly patients with measurable advanced breast cancer entered this phase II study. A dose of 15 mg/m2/day of Idarubicin (IDA) for 3 consecutive days every 3 weeks was given orally. Mean total cumulative dose of IDA received was 175 mg/m2 (range: 45-475 mg/m2). Mean number of cycles given was four (range: 1-15). Out of 27 evaluable patients, three achieved a complete response (CR), four had a partial response (PR) (CR + PR = 26 +/- 17%), nine showed no change, and 11 had a progressive disease. Median time to progression was 83 days (range: 19-728 days). Out of 26 patients evaluable for toxicity, hematologic toxicity at day 21 was moderate: neutropenia grades 3 and 4 = 16% of cycles: two patients had grade 1 thrombopenia; and three patients, grade 3. No cumulative hematologic toxicity was detected. Nonhematologic toxicities consisted of nausea and vomiting in 72% of patients [World Health Organization (WHO) grades 3 and 4 = 8%)] and alopecia in 76% (WHO grades 2-3 = 38%). Grade 1 stomatitis occurred in 4% of cycles. Chemotherapy was discontinued in one patient because of drop of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from 0.62 to 0.44 at a cumulative IDA dosage of 322 mg/m2. The results of this study show that IDA is an active drug in elderly patients with advanced breast cancer. Due to its simplicity of administration IDA deserves further investigations in combination with other drugs.

Administration, Oral

ABO blood groups and bladder carcinoma.

Following some reports concerning the possible influence of ABO blood groups on constitutional types and different features of human pathology, we have investigated if there are relationships between ABO blood groups and bladder tumors. Our findings show that tumoral behavior in patients with bladder carcinoma and blood group O has a tendency to an increased aggressivity with higher tumoral grade and more relapses than what is seen in tumors of patients with A blood group. Although this difference is not statistically significant, we believe that blood group ABO should be considered as a constitutional prognostic factor in bladder carcinoma and further investigations in this field are needed.

ABO Blood-Group System