Biomedical subjects

M Rampino

Publications and source records attributed to M Rampino.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Impact event at the Permian-Triassic boundary: evidence from extraterrestrial noble gases in fullerenes.

The Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) event, which occurred about 251.4 million years ago, is marked by the most severe mass extinction in the geologic record. Recent studies of some PTB sites indicate that the extinctions occurred very abruptly, consistent with a catastrophic, possibly extraterrestrial, cause. Fullerenes (C60 to C200) from sediments at the PTB contain trapped helium and argon with isotope ratios similar to the planetary component of carbonaceous chondrites. These data imply that an impact event (asteroidal or cometary) accompanied the extinction, as was the case for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event about 65 million years ago.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

[Prognostic factors in the treatment of carcinoma of the cervix uteri in IB-IIA stage. Retrospective study].

January, 1977, to December, 1990, 311 patients with stage IB-IIA cervix carcinoma were treated at the Radiotherapy Department of the University of Turin. The distribution by stage was: 232 T1b (74.6%) and 79 T2a (25.4%). One hundred and eighty-nine patients (77% T1b-23% T2a) underwent preoperative radiotherapy, 63 patients (58% T1b-42% T2a) radiotherapy alone and 59 (85% T1b-15% T2a) postoperative radiotherapy. The first group of patients was treated according to three treatment protocols, based on different surgical procedures. During the median follow-up period of 86 months (82.6% of the patients underwent a minimum 3-year follow-up), 55 locoregional relapses (17%) and 21 extrapelvic metastases (7%) were observed. The 5-year NED survival rate and local control was 80%. The prognostic factors which significantly influenced survival in the univariate analysis, were: disease stage (p < .01), age (p < .05), the period between first symptom and therapy (p = .01), treatment protocols (radiotherapy combined with surgery versus radiation therapy alone: p < .05), residual disease after brachytherapy (p < .01), nodal status (p < .00001). In the radiotherapy alone group, the total dose influence on survival was not statistically significant (p = .12). In our series, histology and surgical procedures did not seem to influence prognosis. In the multivariate analysis, treatment protocol, age and residual disease after brachytherapy did not influence the prognosis, whereas the total dose of radiotherapy, pain (as first symptom) and Wertheim-Meigs surgery approach are prognostic factors. Severe late-effects were 17: 13 in the radiotherapy plus surgery protocol and 4 in the radiotherapy alone protocol. The incidence of major complications seems to correlate with surgical impact.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Concomitant radiotherapy and daily low-dose carboplatin in locally advanced, unresectable head and neck cancer. Definitive results of a phase I-II study.

The combination of daily low-dose carboplatin and radiotherapy was studied in 55 patients with inoperable head and neck cancer. All patients were planned to receive 70 Gy plus carboplatin i.v. daily, 45-60 min before radiotherapy. A starting schedule of 30 mg/m2 on days 1 through 5, weeks 1, 3, 5 and 7 was administered to 17 patients; an escalating daily dose, up to 55 mg/m2, was given to 38 additional patients. Up to a daily dose of 45 mg/m2, only 4.4% of the patients developed grade 3 leukopenia; on the contrary, grade 3 and 4 leukopenia was seen in 62.5% of patients receiving 50 mg/m2 or more. Mucositis was the major nonhaematologic toxicity and seemed to be dose-dependent. At the end of the loco-regional treatment there were 33 (61.1%) CR and 17 PR; the most effective total carboplatin dose seemed to be 40-45 mg/m2. After surgical salvage the number of CRs increased to 37 (68.5%). One- and 2-year loco-regional control rates were 64% and 53% respectively. One- and 2-year actuarial survival rates were 71% and 53% respectively; the corresponding rates of disease-free survival were 60% and 43%. There was a strong correlation nodal status and both survival and disease-free survival.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Interstitial brachytherapy for carcinomas of the lower lip. Results of treatment.

From 1973 to 1988 47 patients with previously untreated T1 and T2 squamous cell carcinomas of the lower lip received a definitive course of interstitial brachytherapy by iridium 192 wires. The disease stage was T1 in 21 cases (44.7%) and T2 in 26, and N0 in all cases except 2 of N1. Radiation therapy dose ranged between 6000 and 8000 cGy. Local control was obtained in 44 patients (93.6%). Treatment failure in the neck was observed in 3 patients (6.7%). The 5- and 10-year actuarial disease-free survival rates were 92% and 85%, respectively. A surgical salvage was attempted in 3 patients, with postoperative definitive control of the disease in 2. The 10-year actuarial overall survival was 95%. The incidence of complications was acceptable (10.6% of mucosal necrosis). An excellent or good cosmetic result was obtained in 91.7% of patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

[The surgical and radiotherapy treatment of endometrial adenocarcinoma. A retrospective analysis of 128 patients].

From January 1980 through December 1987, 128 endometrial carcinomas were treated with combined irradiation and surgery (101 cases) or with radiotherapy alone (27 patients). Mean follow-up was 5 years (range: 2-9). Actuarial disease-free (DF) survival (according to the Kaplan and Meyer method) was 86% for T1-T2 patients, 50% for T3 cases and 35% for T4. Recurrence rate was 20% (26 patients): 9 had local recurrences, 9 nodal relapses, and 8 distant metastases. Overall side-effects were observed in only 7/128 patients (5.4%): they were grade I in 6 cases and grade II in 1. The evaluation of the prognostic factors confirms the importance of: stage (disease-free survival at 5 years: 86% for T1-T2 versus 50-35% for T3-T4); uterus size in stage T1 (DF survival at 5 years: 90% for T1A versus 70% for T1B); grading (DF survival at 5 years: 92, 87, 62% for G1, G2, G3, respectively). Myometrial infiltration seems to have no prognostic value.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1990

[Total skin therapy with electron beams. I. Physical and geometric factors].

The study pf physical and geometrical factors influencing dose distribution is necessary in performing the Total Skin Electron Therapy. The authors examined some aspects. Photographic emulsions in humanoid phantom were used for dosimetry. The techniques uses 6 dual fields at 320 cm treatment distance, with a degrading lucite filter 100 x 200 x 0.6 cm3 at 20 cm from the patient. Absorbed dose and energy were determined according TG 30 and 21 AAPM. The position of degrading filter was recognized to be the main factor influencing dose rate, penetration depth and dose homogeneity.

Electrons↗

PubMed1990

[Total skin therapy with electron beams. II. Clinical results in mycosis fungoides].

Between 1985 and 1989, 19 patients with mycosis fungoides were treated by Total Skin Electron Therapy (TSET). Overall and disease-free survival at 3 years were 72% and 40%. The complete remission (CR) rate was 100% in patients with plaque and 33.3% in those with tumor masses; patients with negative nodes had a 90% CR rate whereas in those with adenopathy the rate was 55%. Overall and disease free survivals were also correlated with these factors.

Actuarial Analysis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Prognostic factors in the treatment of advanced cervical cancer. A retrospective study].

BACKGROUND: The value of prognostic factors in patients with advanced cervix carcinoma treated by radiotherapy was assessed in a retrospective study. METHODS: From January 1977 through December 1990, 261 patients (average age 60 years) were treated at the Radiotherapy Department of the University of Turin. Distribution by stage was: 142 T2b (54%), 8 T3a (3%), 98 T3b (38%) and 13 T4 (5%). 83% of the patients underwent radiotherapy alone; the total dose was 45-88 Gy in 91 patients (42%) with poor clinical conditions, 60-75 Gy in 121 (56%) and 75-80 Gy in 5 cases. 17% of the patients was treated by surgery combined with radiotherapy. The median follow-up was 50 months (minimum 2, maximum 177 months). RESULTS: The 5-year NED survival and local control were 42% (52% for T2b, 33% for T3 and 15% for T4). The severe (G3-G4) complication rate was very low (1.9%). CONCLUSION: In our series, the prognostic factors which significantly influenced survival in the uni-variate analysis were: advanced T stage, contemporary infiltration of parametrium and vagina, nodal status, non squamous neoplasm, younger age and the absence of brachytherapy in the radiotherapy alone protocol.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Basic and clinical research for the new radiotherapy.

Basic research has allowed the full knowledge of the underlying mechanisms of the use of radiotherapy in cancer treatment. However, in spite of the crop of radiobiological studies, the impact on clinical research in last years has been relatively little. Within the recent research in man, studies on altered dose fractionations, combined radiation and chemotherapy together with the development of sophisticated technology have allowed the use of new methods of radiotherapy while those existing have been optimized.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Brachytherapy and local control.

Locoregional control of primary tumor is fundamental to cure since only in one third of patients the onset of distant metastases is the major cause of therapeutic failure. Thus recently, all therapeutic approaches aimed at the enhancement of locoregional control have been considered with growing interest. More particularly, brachytherapy alone or in combined modality therapy as an important option in the local treatment of various malignant tumors, has been widely used; this being related to the now available information on dose-rate, remote after-loading procedures, the new, safe and handy radionuclides and computerized dosimetry systems which allow a more accurate and rapid dose calculation. These advances have led to a wider application of brachytherapy. Together with the classical indications for head and neck and cervical tumors, brachytherapy plays now a well-established role in the treatment of breast, brain, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, soft tissue lung and eye tumors.

Bile Duct Neoplasms↗