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Biomedical subjects

M Tribalto

Publications and source records attributed to M Tribalto.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

A phase-II trial of all trans retinoic acid and low-dose cytosine arabinoside for the treatment of high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes.

Twenty-two patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (HRMDS) were treated with a 10-day course of oral all trans retinoic acid (45 mg/m2) and s.c. low-dose cytosine arabinoside (LDARAc) given at the dose of 20 mg twice per day. The courses were repeated monthly until response or progression, in the case of response, the therapy was administered until relapse. Morphologic diagnoses were refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) in nine, RAEB in transformation (RAEB-t) in nine, and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMMoL) in four patients; in all cases, bone-marrow blast infiltration was greater than 10% (median 20%, range 12-30%). When the international prognostic scoring system was applied, all the cases qualified as intermediate/high-risk categories. Nineteen patients were males and three were females; the median age was 69 years (range 25-90 years); three patients had previously been treated with conventional chemotherapy, and one of them had also undergone autologous bone-marrow transplantation. The criteria of response were defined as follows: (1) complete response: normalization of blood counts and bone-marrow blasts (<5%), and (2) partial response: decrease in bone-marrow blast infiltration by 50%, and two of the following parameters - improvement in hemoglobin level by 1.5 g/dl or decrease by 50% in transfusional requirement, increase by 50% in absolute neutrophil count, and increase by 50% in platelet count. Overall, 7 (32%) of 22 patients achieved a response, with 5 (23%) being classified as complete responders and 2 (9%) as partial responders. Fifteen (68%) patients did not achieve any response, and 14 died of progressive disease or infectious disease. The overall median survival was 8 months (range 1-27 months), whereas the median survival of responders was 16 months (range 8-27 months); the median duration of response was 11 months (range 2-21 months). Moderate to severe hematological toxicity and infections were the most common side effects. In conclusion, it seems that the association of ATRA and LDARA-C may be effective in approximately 30% of HRMDS patients. Optimizing this approach might be pursued by selecting, on a biological basis, those cases more likely to respond or by incorporating other differentiating agents or growth factors.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2000

Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation as first line treatment of multiple myeloma: an Italian Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The outcome of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) has not changed markedly since the introduction of melphalan and prednisone. In recent years several studies have investigated the role of intensive therapy followed by infusion of autologous peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) together with the administration of hematopoietic growth factors. In this study we evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of a PBSC transplantation program for patients with de novo MM in a multicenter setting. DESIGN AND METHODS: In a non-randomized controlled trial 52 patients with de novo MM from 6 Italian centers underwent a three phase treatment strategy including 3 cycles of VAD-like chemotherapy for initial debulking, followed by high-dose cyclophosphamide (HD-CY) and collection of PBSC, that were transplanted after a conditioning regimen with melphalan plus busulfan. Maintenance treatment was a conventional dose of interferon, given until relapse. Actuarial survival and response duration curves were plotted according to Kaplan and Meier's method; the groups were compared using the log rank test. Response rates were compared by the c(2) test; multivariate analysis was performed according to the stepwise regression model. RESULTS: Overall 39/52 (75%) of patients responded, with a complete remission (CR) rate of 31%. After a median follow-up of 55 months, median duration of event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) are 21 and 57 months, with 24% and 48% probabilities of being event-free and alive after 6 years, respectively. Among the group of 39 responders, CR was significantly associated with prolonged response and survival (2 deaths and 6 relapses/16 patients) as compared with PR (11 deaths and 15 relapses/23 patients), and remained the only significant variable also in a multivariate analysis. Myelosuppression did not protract beyond one week in transplanted patients; extra-hematologic toxicity was very low. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: This multicenter study confirms the feasibility of an aggressive approach to de novo MM patients. Additional confirmation is given of the increased rate of CR, and the significant prolonged survival observed in complete responders. In this experience the association melphalan plus busulfan was shown to be effective, at least as part of conditioning regimens, in the transplant strategy.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Autologous transplantation in multiple myeloma: a GITMO retrospective analysis on 290 patients. Gruppo Italiano Trapianti di Midollo Osseo.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Autologous transplantation is a better treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) than chemotherapy, but uncertainty remains about patient selection, optimal timing of autograft, conditioning regimen, need for a second autograft, and role of maintenance. To provide partial answers to these questions we assessed the results of autologous transplantation in a large cohort of patients whose data were reported to the GITMO registry. DESIGN AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 290 patients with MM (M = 150; F = 140; median age 52 years, range 19-70; stage I = 34, stage II = 75, stage III = 167) reported to the GITMO. At the time of autograft, 20% were in CR, 66% in PR, while the remaining had non-responsive or progressive disease. Median time between diagnosis and transplant was 16 months (1-90). Seventy-two patients (26%) had been planned to receive a double autograft, but this was actually done in only 35 (12%). The conditioning was chemotherapy in 90%. Peripheral blood was the only source of stem cells in 94%, and purging was applied in 10% of cases. For statistical analysis of data, differences between patient subsets were analyzed using the chi-square test, while the Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate event-free survival (EFS) and survival (OS) probabilities. The Cox model was used for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Following the autograft, 116 patients (40%) were in CR, 144 (50%) in PR, 24 (8%) did not respond or progressed and 6 (2%) died before response evaluation. Transplant-related mortality occurred in 3%. At a median follow-up of 23 months, 223 (77%) patients are alive, 71 (24%) of them in CR, and 67 (23%) patients have died at a median time of 20 months (0-70). OS and EFS at 6 years are 47% and 28%, respectively, but the EFS curve shows no plateau. In multivariate analysis, age, beta2-microglobulin level and status at transplant emerged as significant prognostic factors for both OS and EFS, while time from diagnosis to transplant showed borderline significance. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Based on the prognostic factors identified in multivariate analysis, we were able to assess the weight of a single prognostic factor or their combinations on transplant outcome. We also calculated the probability of OS and EFS by the number of factors at the time of autograft. Autologous transplantation is a safe and effective procedure, not only in sensitive patients, but also in resistant cases, provided they are <55 years of age and have low beta2-microglobulin. It should be applied early after the diagnosis of multiple myeloma, following the delivery of brief primary chemotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Red blood cell depletion of cord blood using hydroxyethylstarch double sedimentation: analysis of 40 cases.

Cord blood has been shown to successfully reconstitute haematopoiesis following allogeneic transplantation in a variety of disorders. A major drawback of cord blood has been the risk of transfusion reaction secondary to ABO incompatibility and reduction in the stem cell pool if cord blood is manipulated to remove red cells. We report our experience on red blood cell depletion of cord blood (CB) with hydroxyethylstarch (HES) double sedimentation. The nucleated and mononucleated cell recovery passed from 78.4% at 90 min to 92.9% at 180 min and from 85% at 90 min to 96% at 180 min, respectively. The overall recovery of CCD34+ cells and of haemopoietic progenitors (CFU-GM) was 90.5% and 83.8%, respectively. The data indicate that HES double sedimentation is a simple and effective technique for cord blood manipulation, but further studies are necessary to evaluate the clonogenic progenitor recovery after thawing.

Cell Separation↗
PubMed1997

Conventional induction treatments do not influence overall survival in multiple myeloma.

A retrospective analysis was performed on two subsequent myeloma patient series treated with the same conventional induction treatments, melphalan and prednisone or alternating VMCP/VBAP: 273 were enrolled in the multicentre M83 trial (M83 trial group) from 1983 to 1986; 160 were referred to a single institution (Haemat. To group) from 1986 to 1994. Response to treatment was very similar in the two groups (53% v 50.3%). Remission duration curves merely overlapped (median 20 v 21 months). However, overall survival was significantly longer in the Haemat. To group (43.2 v 33 months, P < 0.04). This difference was due to a prolonged period from relapse or progression to death (21 v 8 months, P < 0.01; 20.8 v 7 months, P < 0.009). Prolonged survival was also observed in poor-prognosis patients with a serum beta2-microglobulin level > 3 mg/l, in the Haemat. To group (31.8 v 24.2 months, P < 0.04). The same induction treatments produced almost identical response rate and remission duration in both groups, but overall survival was 10 months longer for one group. However, it could be argued that treatment salvage modalities and support therapies have been improved in a decade. Lastly, induction treatments did not influence overall survival.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Clinical relevance of P-glycoprotein expression in de novo acute myeloid leukemia.

Cytofluorimetric detection of the multidrug resistance (MDR)-associated membrane protein (P-170) was performed at the time of diagnosis in 158 patients with acute myeloid leukemia using the C219 monoclonal antibody (MoAb). In 108 of these cases the JSB1 MoAb was also tested. An improved histogram subtraction analysis, based on curve fitting and statistical test was applied to distinguish antigen-positive from antigen-negative cells. A marker was considered positive when more than 20% of the cells were stained. At onset, P-170 was detected in 43% of cases with C219 and in 73% of cases with JSB1. There was a strict correlation between C219 and JSB1 positivity, as all C219+ cases were also positive for JSB1 MoAb (P < .001). No relationship was found between sex, age, organomegaly, and MDR phenotype. Significant correlation was found between CD7 and both C219 and JSB1 expression (P < .001 and .001, respectively). C219-negative phenotype was more often associated with a normal karyotype (24 of 55 with P = .030). Rhodamine 123 (Rh123) staining and flow cytometry analysis showed a significantly decreased mean fluorescence in 51 C219+ and 38 JSB1+ patients compared to 42 MDR negative ones (P < .001). The rate of first complete remission (CR) differed both between C219+ and C219- cases and between JSB+ and JSB- ones (30.9% v 71.1% and 35.4% v 93.1%, respectively, P < .001). Of the 21 C219+ patients who had yielded a first CR, 19 (90.4%) relapsed, compared with 28 of 64 (43.7%) C219- patients (P < .001). Of the 28 JSB1+ patients in first CR, 17 (60.7%) relapsed relative to 8 (29.6%) of 27 JSBI- ones (P = .021). A higher rate of relapses among MDR+ compared with MDR- patients was observed both for C219 and JSB1 MoAbs taken separately (C219 80% v 44%; JSB1 52% v 27%), with no relationship to age. The survival rates (Kaplan-Meyer method) were significantly shorter both in C219+ patients and in JSB1+ cases (P < .001). Disease-free survival curves followed this same trend. The combination (C219- JSB1+) identified a subset of patients with an intermediate outcome compared to C219 positive cases. The prognostic value of both markers (C219 and JSB1) was confirmed in multivariate analysis. These results suggest that the assessment of MDR phenotype by flow cytometry may be an important predictor of treatment outcome.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗
PubMed1996

Minimally differentiated acute myeloid leukemia (AML-M0): a distinct clinico-biologic entity with poor prognosis.

FAB proposals for the diagnosis of AML-M0 represent the formal recognition of a distinct entity which has been described over the past few years by several authors and called minimally differentiated acute myeloid leukemia. By definition, AML-M0 includes acute leukemias which do not fit morphological and cytochemical criteria for the diagnosis of AML, and for which myeloid lineage assignment can be made by immunological assay showing positivity for MPO, CD13, and CD33 and negativity for lymphoid markers. Involvement of an early myeloid progenitor in the leukemic process is a possible theory hypothesized to explain the existence of such a form. Validity of this assumption has been based on the observation that AML-M0 frequently bears "stem cell" markers such as CD34, HLA-DR, Tdt, CD7, and promiscuous IgH/TCR gene rearrangements, which are thought to occur in uncommitted cells. Finally, AML-M0 very frequently carries cytogenetic abnormalities common to MDS or secondary AML, such as -5/5q- or -7/7q- deletions and or complex karyotype. In our experience, AML-M0 is also very often associated with the MDR phenotype, which in turn has been found strictly linked to "stem cell" features, especially in MDS. These biological aspects, altogether, translate into a very unfavorable prognosis, confirming even from a clinical point of view that AML-M0 is a distinct entity. In conclusion, "stem cell" markers, MDR phenotype, complex chromosome lesions, frequent occurrence in elderly patients, and intrinsic chemoresistance characterize AML-M0 and indicate the need for tailored treatments, possibly involving the use of MDR modulators and/or differentiating agents.

Humans↗
PubMed1996

FISH analysis for CML monitoring?

Conventional cytogenetics is considered the gold standard for evaluating CML during interferon (IFN) treatment. Drawbacks to this approach are the small number of metaphases available during IFN therapy and the impossibility of scoring interphase cells. We applied, besides cytogenetics, double-color FISH (dc-FISH) detection of BCR-ABL gene fusion to monitor 20 CML patients on IFN. dc-FISH easily detected 200 cells per specimen, while with cytogenetic examination a mean of 16.1 mitoses per sample were scored. Though the correlation of dc-FISH and cytogenetic data was good (r = 0.77, p < 0.001), the discrepancy between the two methods as regards the proportion of leukemic cells in the marrow was often important dc-FISH detected a relevant proportion of BCR-ABL+ cells in three patients classified as complete cytogenetic responders and showed that, after 9-12 months of IFN treatment, a significant reduction of BCR-ABL+ cells was present in all the 20 patients tested. This might suggest that all CML patients are potentially responsive to IFN. Though more data are required, we think that dc-FISH is more informative than cytogenetic analysis for CML monitoring. Notably because of the simplicity of the procedure, this method could be easily standardized among different laboratories, thus permitting cross-comparison in therapeutic trials.

Cytogenetics↗
PubMed1995

Cytogenetic analysis is non-informative for assessing the remission rate in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients on interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy.

Cytogenetic analysis is considered pivotal for assessing the remission rate in CML patients on IFN therapy. On the basis of general agreement, at least 25 metaphases should be analyzed in each case. The main limitations to this approach are: 1) the small number of analyzable metaphases generally found in cytogenetic preparations from IFN-alpha-treated patients; and 2) the inability of this technique for scoring interphase cells. We compared the results of cytogenetic analysis and double-color FISH detection of bcr/abl genes fusion in 13 CML patients on IFN-alpha therapy (marrow sampling for cytogenetic and FISH analysis was carried out after 12 months in all patients and repeated after 18 months of IFN therapy in patients 4, 6, and 8). In five specimens, 20 to 25 cells were evaluable for cytogenetic examination, in another five no analyzable metaphases were scored, and in the remaining six samples two to 14 cells could be analyzed. With FISH detection at least 100 cells were easily scored in each specimen (mean number, 175). Comparing the results carried out with the two methods in different samples it emerged that cytogenetic analysis led to improper conclusions as regards the rate of Ph positivity, even in those patients where 20-25 metaphases were analyzed. Although many more cases have to be studied to establish the role of FISH analysis in Ph-positive patients, we are of the opinion that cytogenetic analysis is unfit for easily and accurately assessing the actual quality of remission in IFN-treated subjects.

Chromosome Aberrations↗
PubMed1995

Trisomy 4 as the sole karyotypic anomaly in acute biphenotypic leukemia with B lineage markers and in acute minimally differentiated myeloid leukemia (M0).

Trisomy 4 is a recently defined chromosomal aberration in acute leukemia. The first reports suggested that this cytogenetic anomaly belongs to the M4 leukemia subtype of the FAB classification, but recent reports have described this alteration in a wider spectrum of leukemia subtypes. Here we report two cases of trisomy 4 as the sole chromosome anomaly: one was observed in a patient with acute biphenotypic leukemia with B-lineage markers and the second in a patient diagnosed with acute minimally differentiated myeloid leukemia (M0) with myelodysplastic features. To our knowledge these are, respectively, the first and second reports of trisomy 4 as the sole chromosomal anomaly in these leukemia subtypes.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase score in plasma cell dyscrasias: correlation with disease severity and circulating levels of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor.

In this study the leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) score in 106 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) in various phases of the disease (66 at diagnosis, 18 in plateau phase, 22 in relapse) was examined and compared with the score of 68 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and 53 normal volunteers. In addition, the circulating levels of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) were measured to explore the possible involvement of this cytokine in the pathogenetic mechanisms that lead to increased LAP activity. The results showed that the mean LAP score in patients with MGUS was comparable to normals and significantly lower than in MM (p < 0.001). Also, it increased with increasing tumor mass, and was lower in myelomas with stable disease than in those with active disease. G-CSF concentrations closely mirrored the behaviour of LAP score (r = 0.850, p < 0.001), significantly differing between each group of individuals. Its mean levels in MGUS were comparable to those of controls, whereas they were significantly increased in MM (p < 0.001), again with escalating values from cases with low tumor mass to advanced stages, and with lower concentrations in patients in plateau phase than in those in relapse. A significant correlation was found between G-CSF and neopterin levels (r = 0.578, p < 0.001), thus indicating an origin of the cytokine from monocytes and macrophages. These findings suggest that LAP scoring may assist in distinguishing benign from malignant paraproteinemias and may be used to follow the progression of plasma cell neoplasias.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Peripheral stem cells: from biology to therapy].

The tumor cells' response to more aggressive treatment has been shown in many different malignancies with various drugs, as alkylating agents, antimetabolites and anthracyclines. The use of high-dose chemotherapy is limited by especially haematological toxicity. Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is now used to prevent or decrease haematological toxicity induced by intensive chemotherapy. Stem cells can be harvested using bone marrow or peripheral blood. In both cases recombinant human growth factors (G-CSF, GM-CSF, IL3) have been administrated to decrease marrow aplasia duration after transplant. Peripheral blood stem cell autograft seems to be the first transplantation technique in patients with bone marrow hypocellularity induced by previous irradiation and/or neoplastic involvement.

Female↗
PubMed1995

All-trans retinoic acid and low-dose cytosine arabinoside for the treatment of 'poor prognosis' acute myeloid leukemia.

Thirty-three patients with 'poor prognosis' acute myeloid leukemia, no longer suitable for aggressive chemotherapy, were treated with daily oral all-trans retinoic acid (45 mg/m2) daily and subcutaneous cytosine arabinoside (20 mg standard dose twice a day, day 1 to 10, every 4 weeks). Seventeen patients were males and 16 females, the median age was 67 (range 39-82 years). Eleven patients were at onset of disease, 15 were refractory to previous conventional therapies, three were in first relapse and three in second relapse and one patient had a secondary AML. Seventeen patients had a bone marrow blast infiltration < 50% and 16 > or = 50%. A total of 16 (48%) patients entered complete remission; the rate of complete remission increased to 88% in those patients (n = 17) with < 50% blast infiltration at the time of entering the study. Seventeen patients (52%) were resistant. The difference in response to therapy, according to bone marrow blast percentage (< or > or = 50%), was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Median duration of complete remission was 34.4 weeks (range 6.4-62.8). Mild to moderate hematologic toxicity was the most common side-effect. In conclusion all-trans retinoic acid and low-dose cytosine arabinoside appears to be an effective regimen for inducing complete remission in 'poor prognosis' acute myeloid leukemia and patients with < 50% bone marrow infiltration are likely to represent the ideal target to receive this combination therapy.

Adult↗