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Biomedical subjects

N Haim

Publications and source records attributed to N Haim.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Malignant lymphoma in first-degree blood relatives.

The statistical significance of familial lymphoma in first-degree blood relatives was evaluated for the series of all lymphoma cases referred to our department since 1968. Four pairs of immediate relatives with Hodgkin's disease (HD) were found among 183 patients diagnosed between 1960 and 1980. The expected number during that period was 0.45. Thus, close relatives of HD patients had about ninefold increased risk of the disease (P less than 0.005). Mixed-cellularity was the most common subtype in these familial cases (6/8 patients). There were three pairs of close relatives with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) among 532 patients diagnosed during the same period, 1960-1980. The expected number was 3.86. These findings further indicate that HD may differ from NHL with regard to familial clustering.

Adolescent↗

Treatment of advanced gastric carcinoma with 5-fluorouracil adriamycin, and mitomycin C (FAM).

Thirty-three evaluable patients with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma were treated with a combination of 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin, and mitomycin C (FAM). Two complete and five partial remissions (21% response rate) were observed. The overall median survival of all 33 patients was 5.9 months. Responding patients had significantly better survival than the non-responders (P less than 0.02). Analysis of the results according to sex, pretreatment performance status, and the histologic differentiation of the tumor failed to demonstrate that any of these factors influenced therapeutic results. The low response rate to FAM found in this study might be related to the fact that in the majority of the patients (85%) the primary gastric tumor had not been resected. The side-effects of this regimen were moderate. Taking into account the low response rate and the moderate myelotoxicity observed, a more intensive use of these three drugs in combination is suggested.

Adult↗

Combined adjuvant therapy of radically operated colorectal cancer patients. (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and MER-BCG).

Seventy-three patients with Dukes' B2 and C colorectal cancer were randomized to adjuvant therapy after radical surgery. One group was treated with chemotherapy either alone or in combination with radiotherapy (RC). The second group was treated by chemotherapy (with or without radiotherapy) plus MER/BCG (RCM). In patients with Dukes' C disease, the survival at 54 months and the disease-free interval up to 24 months were significantly better in the RCM than in the RC subgroup. There were no significant differences in the survival and disease-free interval between RC- and RCM-treated patients with Dukes' B2 disease. Entry of additional patients and further follow-up are needed before we can decide whether the combination of RCM increases the cure rate in Dukes' C cancer or merely delays recurrence and prolongs survival.

Adult↗

Comparative study of the endotoxin-stimulated nitroblue tetrazolium test in disease and health.

Endotoxin-stimulated nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction was evaluated in 853 individuals: 270 healthy controls, 334 with various non-neoplastic conditions, 220 with solid non-lymphomatous tumours, and 29 with lymphoma. Each of the above groups was divided into three age subgroups: less than 60, 60-69, and greater than or equal to 70 years. In the controls and in patients with nonmalignant diseases, significantly lower values were recorded for elderly subjects (greater than or equal to 60 years) compared with younger subjects of the same group, whereas in cancer patients the results were independent of age. Under the age of 60, stimulated values for both patient groups were significantly lower than the control values, and in patients with solid non-lymphomatous tumours significantly lower values were attained than in the other patients. NBT reduction in lymphoma patients was comparable to that of the controls. In the elderly (age greater than or equal to 70) no significant differences were noted between patients and controls. It is suggested that stimulated NBT reduction declines with advancing age. While this test clearly demonstrates some leucocyte dysfunction in solid cancer, its value in investigating neutrophil behaviour in elderly subjects is questioned.

Adult↗

Neutrophil function in cured cancer patients.

Spontaneous and endotoxin-stimulated nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) dye reduction was evaluated in 86 individuals cured of various types of solid malignancies and in 55 healthy adults. Oxygen consumption tests, at rest and during phagocytosis, were performed with polymorphonuclear leukocytes of 22 patients and 10 controls, chosen at random. The results revealed an impaired capacity of patients' neutrophils to reduce NBT. The decrease in the stimulated reduction values was more pronounced (p less than 0.0005) than in spontaneous values (p less than 0.01), and was also noticed in patients who had been treated by surgery alone and in those with a disease-free interval of 10 years or more. Oxygen consumption by patients' leukocytes was similar to that of controls. The present results, especially those of the endotoxin-stimulated NBT test, might reflect a neutrophil dysfunction in cured cancer patients. The nature of such an abnormality and its possible clinical implication are still obscure.

Adult↗

Spontaneous and stimulated nitroblue tetrazolium tests of leukocytes from patients with solid malignant tumors.

Histochemical nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction tests, spontaneous and endotoxin-stimulated, were performed on samples of blood from 202 adult patients with solid neoplastic tumors and 37 healthy control subjects. The patients were classified according to activity of the disease, chemotherapy, and presence of bacterial infection. The NBT test did not prove helpful in detecting the latter condition in these patients. Low median spontaneous reduction values were recorded for patients with active malignancies, or receiving chemotherapy, compared with controls or cured patients without chemotherapy. Stimulated reduction values were significantly lower for all groups of patients than for controls, although for those apparently cured and untreated, stimulated reduction attained significantly higher values than for the other patients. A leukocyte dysfunction caused by both the underlying disease and its chemotherapy is assumed, and the usefulness of the endotoxin-stimulated NBT reduction test in detecting this dysfunction is stressed.

Adult↗

Epidemic AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma in southern Africa: experience at the Johannesburg General Hospital (1980-1990).

Epidemic acquired immune deficiency syndrome-related Kaposi's sarcoma (AKS) in tropical and southern Africa is a highly varied neoplastic disease, characterized by multifocal mucocutaneous, lymphatic and visceral involvement. It follows a clinical course similar to AKS in Europe and the USA. However, lack of adequate medical facilities in many African countries hampers successful palliation of this fatal disease. In this retrospective analysis, we summarize our experience with 52 patients with AKS treated at Johannesburg General Hospital, South Africa, between 1980 and 1990. Radiation therapy can provide good to excellent palliation with only minimal side-effects, producing a lesser impact on the haematological and immunological system than chemotherapy.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Treatment of gastric adenocarcinoma with the combination of etoposide, adriamycin and cisplatin (EAP): comparison between two schedules.

The results of two schedules of the combination of etoposide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (EAP) in gastric cancer are reported. EAP-1 was administered as originally reported and consisted of i.v. doxorubicin (adriamycin) 20 mg/m2 on days 1 and 7, i.v. cisplatin 40 mg/m2 on days 2 and 8 and i.v. etoposide (VP-16) 120 mg/m2 (100 mg/m2 in patients aged 60-65) on days 4-6. EAP-2 consisted of i.v. adriamycin 40 mg/m2 on day 1, i.v. cisplatin 80 mg/m2 (total dose per cycle) given in 3 divided doses on days 1-3 and i.v. VP-16 100 mg/m2 on days 1-3. Cycles of the two regimens were repeated on day 22. Drug doses were reduced in patients over 65 years of age. Twenty patients were treated with EAP-1 and 43 with EAP-2. Forty-five of the 63 patients included in this study had advanced gastric carcinoma, 16 had radically resected stage III disease, and 2 had metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma of unknown primary origin. Thirty-eight patients with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma were evaluable for response. The response rate for EAP-1 (6/13, 46%) was similar to that of EAP-2 (13/25, 52%). The median duration of response was 8 months for EAP-1 and 6.5 months for EAP-2. Myelotoxicity of EAP-1 was much more severe than that of EAP-2. Hospitalization due to granulocytopenic fever was required in 15/78 (19%) EAP-1 versus 20/215 (9%) EAP-2 courses. Toxic deaths occurred in 3/20 treated with EAP-1 and in 1/45 treated with EAP-2. The difference in toxicity between the two regimens could not be attributed to differences in patients' characteristics or to dose intensity. We conclude that the modified EAP regimen (EAP-2) is effective in the treatment of gastric cancer and is less toxic than the original EAP.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Megestrol acetate in advanced breast carcinoma after failure to tamoxifen and/or aminoglutethimide.

Seventy-three patients with metastatic breast cancer, whose disease progressed on hormonal therapy with tamoxifen or aminoglutethimide, were treated with megestrol acetate, 160 mg/day. No complete responses were observed. Partial response was achieved in 3 patients (4%), for a median of 9 months (range 5-13). Thirty-five patients (48%) remained stable, for a median of 8 months (3-26). The remaining 35 patients (48%) had clear progression of their metastatic disease on therapy. Response to megestrol acetate was achieved in patients with metastases in bone and pleura only. There was no correlation between response to megestrol acetate and response to prior chemotherapy, prior tamoxifen therapy, previous treatment with aminoglutethimide, or hormone receptor status. The actuarial 24-month survival for all patients was 37%. The main side effects of megestrol acetate included weight gain (20% or over), pruritus, elevation of blood pressure, weakness, and vaginal bleeding; they were only occasionally observed. The objective improvement observed during this trial is disappointing; the only reasons to justify the use of megestrol acetate as second- or third-line hormonal therapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer, would be the relatively long duration of disease stabilization in a large proportion of patients, and the low toxicity observed with the drug.

Adult↗

Chemotherapy-induced spontaneous pneumothorax in a patient with bulky mediastinal lymphoma: a rare oncologic emergency.

Chemotherapy-induced spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) has been described sporadically in chemosensitive tumors, particularly sarcoma, with multiple lung metastases. We present a patient who developed SP following rapid regression of bulky mediastinal lymphoma. Immediately on chest tube insertion, the lung recovered and further chemotherapy could be delivered uneventfully. We suggest that (1) chemotherapy-induced SP should be included amongst oncologic emergencies and that (2) a high degree of awareness of this complication is required.

Adult↗

Radiation-induced primary brain lymphoma: a case report.

A patient who developed primary brain lymphoma 6 years following whole brain irradiation due to a low-grade glioma is described. The patient had no evidence of congenital or acquired immunodeficiency state and achieved a good and prompt response to aggressive chemotherapy, including high-dose methotrexate. The previous radiation therapy is implicated in the etiology of the lymphoma because of the geometric coincidence, the relatively long latency period and the different histology. A brief review of current literature is reported.

Adult↗