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Biomedical subjects

M Virolainen

Publications and source records attributed to M Virolainen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Oral trofosfamide: an active drug in the treatment of soft-tissue sarcoma.

A total of 23 patients with metastatic sarcomas were treated with continuous oral trofosfamide, an alkylating agent structurally related to cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide. In all, 12 of the patients were chemotherapy-naive. Doses were escalated every 3rd week until the development of leukopenia of WHO grade 2. The treatment was well tolerated and produced little subjective toxicity. Leukopenia was the dose-limiting toxicity. The daily dose that produced grade 2 leukopenia was 200-250 mg in 65% of the patients. Three patients responded, all of whom had been treated with trofosfamide as first-line treatment.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1995

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors--value of CD34 antigen in their identification and separation from true leiomyomas and schwannomas.

The term "gastrointestinal stromal tumor" (GIST) has been applied to mesenchymal tumors that represent neither typical leiomyomas nor schwannomas. In this study we analyzed immunohistochemically 67 histologically benign [< 2 mitoses/10 high-power field (HPF)], six borderline (3-5 mitoses/10 HPF), and 23 malignant GIST (> 5 mitoses/10 HPF) and compared them with 10 typical leiomyomas and 5 schwannomas of the gastrointestinal tract. The benign GISTs with spindle cell pattern (67 cases) were typically negative for muscle cell markers (only 3% positive for desmin and 25% for alpha-smooth muscle actin) and S100 protein, but 70% of the cases were positive for CD34, the myeloid progenitor cell antigen also present in endothelial cells and some fibroblasts. However, none of the cases was positive for CD31 (PECAM-1), a more endothelial cell-specific antigen. The absence of CD31 in GIST separates it from Kaposi's sarcoma, a tumor known to be positive for both CD34 and CD31. Fourteen cases of benign GIST of epithelioid cell type showed an immunophenotypic profile similar to the spindle cell tumors. The small intestinal tumors were more commonly actin positive and less commonly CD34 positive than were the gastric tumors. The malignant spindle and epithelioid GIST showed features essentially similar to those in corresponding benign tumors. In contrast, all typical leiomyomas were positive for muscle cell markers and were negative for CD34 and S100 protein. Gastrointestinal schwannomas were S100-protein positive, and negative for muscle markers and CD34. Our results show that gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors can be immunophenotypically divided in categories that correlate with light microscopically defined diagnostic entities, namely typical leiomyomas, schwannomas, and GIST, most cases of the latter representing tumors of primitive mesenchymal cells that are CD34 positive.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1995

Response of subcutaneous and cutaneous metastases of malignant melanoma to combined cytostatic plus interferon therapy.

A chemotherapy regimen consisting of dacarbazine (DTIC), vincristine, bleomycin and lomustine (CCNU) was combined with natural leucocyte interferon (IFN) in the treatment of 37 patients with cutaneous and subcutaneous metastases of malignant melanoma. Twenty-five also had concomitant lymph node, visceral, bone or brain metastases. Fifteen patients (41%) experienced complete response (CR) and 10 (27%) partial response (PR) of the superficial lesions. In addition, three patients were rendered surgically tumour-free after PR or disease stabilization during drug therapy. The median overall duration of response was 10.2 months (range 1-53 months). In disseminated disease, the combined therapy produced favourable results, particularly with regard to superficial lesions. It is also possible that this therapy may retard the growth of aggressive subcutaneous metastases in patients who have previously had multiple surgical procedures in an attempt to stabilize their disease. In a small proportion of patients, the long-term complete remission with the drug therapy alone, or in combination with surgery, suggests that this regimen might have been curative.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma with t(9;22)(q34;q11-12).

Translocation t(9;22)(q22-31;q11-12) is associated with the myxoid variant of chondrosarcoma. We present here a report of a patient with a dedifferentiated grade IV chondrosarcoma, which originated from the iliac bone and contained areas of grade I chondrosarcoma. There was no evidence of myxoid differentiation. The tumor had the karyotype 46,X,-X,t(9;22)(q34;q11-12), + mar[5]/52-61,x?,2-3 min,inc[9]/46,XX[2]. It is possible that the different breakpoints in the t(9;22) may reflect different histopathologic subgroups of chondrosarcoma.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

The association between cholangiocarcinoma and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal carcinoma.

Eighteen patients with a biliopancreatic carcinoma in 15 different cancer family syndrome (CFS) families were studied. Only families with three or more first-degree relatives with colorectal carcinoma were included, and other characteristics of CFS were required in at least two cases. In 14 patients, the histologic specimen was available for reevaluation. In 11 (79%), the tumor was confirmed as a carcinoma of the biliary tract or papilla of Vater. In three (21%), carcinoma of the pancreas was the most probably alternative. In all four patients without histologic reevaluation, the diagnosis had been carcinoma of the biliary tract. This study suggests that carcinoma of the biliary tract or papilla of Vater is associated more commonly with CFS than with carcinoma of the pancreas. In this respect, CFS resembles familial adenomatosis coli, in which this association previously has been established.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1992

Ifosfamide, vincristine, doxorubicin and dacarbazine in adult patients with advanced soft-tissue sarcoma.

A total of 37 adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) entered a pilot study of combination chemotherapy based on the CYVADIC (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and dacarbazine) regimen, in which cyclophosphamide was replaced by ifosfamide and mesna (1 g/m2 ifosfamide given daily on days 1-5 as 2-h infusions, 1.5 mg/m2 vincristine given on day 1 as a bolus injection, 50 mg/m2 doxorubicin given on day 1 as a 5-min infusion, and 250 mg/m2 dacarbazine given daily on days 1-5 as 30-min infusions). The overall response rate in 24 patients who were evaluable for response was 46% [95% confidence interval (CI), 25%-67%] and that in subjects who had not undergone prior chemotherapy was 50% (CI, 27%-73%). In all, 4 patients achieved a complete response (17%; CI, 5%-37%) and 2 remain in remission; 3 additional subjects were surgically rendered disease-free after they had shown a partial response. Overall, 31 patients were evaluable for toxicity. Toxicity was mainly hematological; in 3 patients the nadir WBC was less than 0.5 x 10(9)/l, and in 2 cases the nadir platelet count was less than 50 x 10(9)/l. During neutropenia, infections requiring intravenous antibiotics occurred in 8 patients (26%) and in 14 of 190 cycles (7.5%); 1 of these was fatal. We conclude that this new regimen offers promise for the treatment of advanced STS, producing acceptable toxicity.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Immunologic features of chronic granulomatous mucocutaneous candidiasis before and after treatment with transfer factor.

We report the acquisition of skin test sensitivity to Candida albicans antigen and the ability to produce leukocyte migration inhibition factor (MIF) by a Candida-negative patient with chronic granulomatous mucocutaneous candidiasis after treatment with dialyzable transfer factor (TFd). The TFd was acquired from Candida-positive healthy donors. Three of seven attempts to transfer Candida skin test sensitivity were successful, and the acquired skin reactivity lasted for 12 to 21 days. The acquisition of cellular immunity to Candida was demonstrated in vitro by production of leukocyte MIF. No Candida-induced lymphocyte transformation was observed before or after TFd injection. The TFd did not cause Candida-induced blast transformation when added directly to cultures of lymphocytes from the patient. Pain, tenderness, redness, and edema were observed around the Candida granulomas on each occasion when the skin test to Candida became positive. Two weeks after TDd injection, the proliferative response of peripheral blood lymphocytes increased, as measured by incorporation of tritiated thymidine into lymphocytes within the first hour of in vitro incubation.

Candidiasis, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1979

Prevalence of tenosynovitis and other injuries of the upper extremities in repetitive work.

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the prevalence of soft tissue disorders in the neck, arms and hands between packers doing repetitive work and shop assistants with variable tasks. One hundred and fifty-two female assembly-line packers in a food production factory and 133 female shop assistants were interviewed about their symptoms and given a clinical examination of the neck and upper extremities. The number of cases of tension neck, cervical syndrome, scalenus syndrome, and humeral epicondylitis did not differ significantly between the two groups. The prevalence of tenosynovitis and humeral tendinitis was significantly higher for the assembly-line packers. The packing work consisted of static muscle work by the arms, grasping and maximal extensions of the fingers, and lateral deviations of the wrists. The movements numbered up to 25,000/workday. A relationship between some work load factors and some disorders of the upper extremities is probable.

Acromioclavicular Joint↗
PubMed1977

Clinical study of a patient with lupus vulgaris before and after injection of dialyzable transfer factor.

This report describes the clinical improvement and acquisition of tuberculin skin-test sensitivity by a tuberculin-negative, drug-resistant patient with lupus vulgaris after a single injection of dialyzable transfer factor (TFd) from a tuberculin-positive healthy donor. The patient's lymphocytes showed a slight response to tuberculin in the leukocyte migration inhibition test and in the lymphocyte transformation test before TFd injection. The acquisition of cellular immunity to tuberculin was demonstrated in vitro by enhanced tuberculin-induced blast transformation. A good correlation between skin test and in vitro tuberculin sensitivity and clinical improvement was seen during the three years that the patient was observed.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Fractionation studies on human leucocyte dialyzates. Demonstration of three components with transfer factor activity.

Fractionation of dialyzates of human leucocyte lysates on a Sephadex G-10 column yielded seven fractions. Oidiomycin sensitivity could be induced with fractions I, III and VI in those recipients whose skin tests had previously been negative. Uraemic patients, who were skin test negative to 100 TU of PPD, regained their in vivo reactivity to PPD after receiving 5 mug of fraction VI, while no alteration in their blast transformation responses to the antigen was observed. We suggest that the active components at least in fractions III and VI, and perhaps also in fraction I, act nonspecifically by stimulating weak immune reactivity or by supporting reactions leading to the expression of this reactivity.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Roentgenographic findings of the lumbosacral spine in preemployment examinations of lumbermen with special reference to spondylolisthesis.

The X-ray findings of the lumbar spine in the preemployment examination of 807 lumbermen are presented. From the applicants 11.4% were rejected because of roentgenological and/or clinical low back abnormalities. The youngest age group showed a high frequency of spondylolisthesis (8%). The possible role of heavy work in adolescence in the etiology of spondylolisthesis is discussed.

Adolescent↗