PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

O Mella

Publications and source records attributed to O Mella.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Half-body irradiation. An effective palliative treatment of widespread skeletal metastases].

In a large number of cancer patients, extensive skeletal metastases or myelomatosis induce vast suffering, such as intolerable pain and local complications of neoplastic bone destruction. Analgetic drugs frequently do not yield sufficient palliation. Irradiation of local fields often has to be repeated, because of tumour growth outside previously irradiated volumes. Wide field irradiation of the lower or upper half of the body causes significant relief of pain in most patients. Adequate pretreatment handling of patients, method of irradiation, and follow-up are of marked importance to reduce side effects, and are described as they are carried out at the Department of Oncology, Haukeland Hospital.

Bone Neoplasms↗

Thermochemotherapy with cisplatin or carboplatin in the BT4 rat glioma in vitro and in vivo.

The effect of thermochemotherapy with cisplatin or carboplatin was compared in the BT4-cell line. In vitro: BT4C-cells were treated with different concentrations of cisplatin or carboplatin, with or without simultaneous hyperthermia. In vivo: Inbred BD IX rats with transplanted glioma-like BT4A or glioblastoma-like BT4An tumors on the hind leg were treated with cisplatin (4 mg/kg) or carboplatin (50 mg/kg), with or without local hyperthermia. In vitro the benefit of adding hyperthermia to chemotherapy was similar for cisplatin and carboplatin. For both cisplatin and carboplatin, the difference of treatment effect between thermochemotherapy and chemotherapy alone increased with higher drug concentrations. In vivo hyperthermia clearly enhanced the effect of carboplatin on BT4A tumors. When treating BT4An tumors, thermochemotherapy with cisplatin or carboplatin was equally effective. Both combinations were superior to treatment with hyperthermia alone. Local toxicity and weight loss following thermochemotherapy were comparable when substituting cisplatin with carboplatin.

Animals↗

Hyperthermia enhances mitoxantrone cytotoxicity on human breast carcinoma and sarcoma xenografts in nude mice.

In this preclinical in vivo study, we measured antitumor response, local side effects and systemic toxicity of locally applied water-bath hyperthermia given alone or simultaneously with mitoxantrone (3 mg/kg b.w. i.v.; LD 10) on a human derived breast carcinoma (MX 1) or a human sarcoma (S 117) transplanted to female athymic (nude) mice. A single hyperthermia treatment at a tumor temperature up to 43 degrees C for 1 hr caused in both tumor lines only minor tumor regressions and transient tumor growth delay. However, the antitumor effect of mitoxantrone was significantly enhanced by local hyperthermia at 42 degrees C and particularly at 43 degrees C. In both tumor lines complete tumor regressions were achieved only if mitoxantrone was combined with hyperthermia. Undesired side effects and drug toxicity were not enhanced by hyperthermia. According to in vitro data and the results of the present in vivo study mitoxantrone seems to be a good candidate for clinical trials in combination with locoregional hyperthermia.

Animals↗

Droloxifene--a new anti-estrogen. A phase II study in advanced breast cancer.

Twenty-six patients with advanced breast cancer were treated with a new anti-estrogen, Droloxifene (3-hydroxy-tamoxifen). They had all used tamoxifen either in the adjuvant or the advanced situation. The dose schedule was 100 mg orally daily. Partial remissions were observed in 4 (15%) of the patients, and in another 5 patients stable disease (greater than 24 weeks of duration) was observed. Three of the responders were resistant to tamoxifen. Fourteen of the 26 patients had no side-effect. In 2 patients therapy had to be stopped due to fatigue. Droloxifene seems to be an interesting new anti-estrogen which should be further exploited.

Adult↗

[Nausea and vomiting during treatment with cytostatics].

Combination chemotherapy can often induce severe side effects such as nausea and vomiting. These unpleasant symptoms can delay or stop potentially curative therapy. Metoklopramid has traditionally been the most potent antiemetic drug, either given in doses of 20-50 mg or as high doses combined with dexamethazone and diazepam. The authors review antiemetic regimens and make a recommendation on antiemetic treatment.

Antiemetics↗

[Breast conserving surgery in breast cancer. Experiences from the Haukeland Hospital 1983-88].

From 1983-88, 97 breast cancers in 94 women were treated with breast conserving surgery at Haukeland University Hospital. 71% of the tumours were less than 2 cm in diameter and 94% less than 3 cm. 65% had negative axillary nodal status. 90 patients had ductal carcinoma, three of whom also had extensive intraductal carcinoma. Pathological findings in the resection margins (invasive carcinoma, intraductal carcinoma or atypical epithelial hyperplasia) were reasons for reoperation in 14 patients, eight of them by mastectomy. Thus, after completion of initial treatment the breast was preserved in 89 patients. Postoperative irradiation to the breast was given as a routine. Three elderly patients were excepted. Two patients developed ipsilateral breast recurrences after six and 24 months respectively. The first was treated by re-resection and the second by mastectomy. Neither of these showed evidence of distant metastases. Distant metastases were discovered in five patients, two of these have since died.

Adult↗

A cerebral glioma model for experimental therapy and in vivo invasion studies in syngeneic BD IX rats.

An in vivo glioma model was developed in syngeneic BD IX rats. The BT4An tumor was derived from serial in vivo passages of the BT4A tumor, originally induced from transformed fetal rat brain cells after transplacental exposure to ethylnitrosourea. The cell line was characterized for the presence of neuroglial differentiation markers, chromosome content and cell cycle distribution as determined by flowcytometry. A standardized method for i.c. tumor induction was developed, and the tumors were investigated by light and electron microscopy and for evidence of blood-brain barrier disruption. Tumor cell ability for phagocytosis was studied, as this property may be important for the invasion pattern of the tumors. We conclude that the model seems suitable for both in vivo therapy and invasion studies. The tumor had 100% tumor take, yielded a predictable symptom-free life span after inoculation, had a characteristic histological picture of an aggressive glioma, and the blood-brain barrier within the tumor was in part disrupted. Compared to the parent cell line, there was loss of neuroglial differentiation markers, the chromosomal distribution was changed, and the ability for phagocytosis was practically lost.

Animals↗

[Breast-preserving surgery in breast cancer. Experiences from Haukeland Hospital 1983-1988].

From 1983-88, 97 breast cancers in 94 women were treated with breast-conserving surgery at Haukeland University Hospital. 71 per cent of the tumours were less than 2 cm in diameter and 94 per cent less than 3 cm. 65 had negative axillary nodal status. 90 patients had ductal carcinoma, three of whom also had extensive intraductal carcinoma. Pathological findings in the resection margins (invasive carcinoma, intraductal carcinoma or atypical epithelial hyperplasia) were reasons for reoperation in 14 patients, eight of them by mastectomy. Thus, after completion of initial treatment the breast was preserved in 89 patients. Postoperative irradiation to the breast was given as a routine. Three elderly patients were excepted. Two patients developed ipsilateral breast recurrences after six and 24 months respectively. The first was treated by re-resection and the second by mastectomy. Neither of these showed evidence of distant metastases. Distant metastases were discovered in five patients, two of these have since died.

Adult↗

Immunolocalization of extracellular matrix proteins during brain tumor invasion in BD IX rats.

The distribution of several native extracellular matrix proteins (type I, III, and IV collagens and fibronectin) using immunofluorescent localization is described for in two different malignant gliomas (BT4A and BT4An). In addition, antibodies against denatured forms of type I and III collagens were used to localize areas of active degradation within the tumors. We have shown that both tumors express the native connective tissue components studied, although the distribution of these components within and between the tumors was different. In addition, native type I and III collagens and fibronectin were overexpressed in the tumors compared to the normal brain. Morphometry on immunostained type IV collagen sections showed an increase in vascular elements in both tumors compared to normal brain tissue. The BT4A tumor, which by light microscopy showed a degradative mode of invasion, expressed denatured type I and III collagens at the tumor-brain border zone, suggesting that this tumor has collagenolytic activity. The present article suggests that the distribution and changes in extracellular matrix protein synthesis and degradation may play an important role in the progressive growth of brain tumors in vivo.

Animals↗

Hyperthermia improves local tumour control in locally advanced breast cancer.

We report three patients with advanced breast cancer who received hyperthermia (43 degrees C over 1 h, weekly x 4) and radiotherapy as palliative treatment for chest-wall recurrence. The case reports demonstrate situations where hyperthermia may be beneficial. These include tumours where radiotherapy alone is not expected to achieve control, such as large fungating tumours, and in previously irradiated areas. In these patients, hyperthermia with radiation achieves better local control of the tumour and delays the need for systemic chemotherapy. This may improve the quality of palliation.

Aged↗

Acute systemic toxicity of combined cis-diamminedichloroplatinum and hyperthermia in the rat.

To investigate the previously observed increased morbidity and mortality of combined cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (cis-DDP) and hyperthermia, BD IX rats were given 4 mg/kg cis-DDP i.p., waterbath hind leg heating (44 degrees C, 60 min) with resultant whole body hyperthermia, or combined treatment with or without systemic cooling. Cardiac blood and histopathologic sections of kidney, small intestine and liver were examined in rats sacrificed 2, 3 and 5 days after and femur bone marrow 5 days after treatment. In a separate experiment, the effect of systemic hyperthermia on renal function was tested. The most significant finding was a marked increase in cis-DDP induced renal damage by systemic hyperthermia, expressed as elevated creatinine levels and quantitatively enhanced proximal tubular necrosis. As both systemic hyperthermia and cis-DDP can result in primarily altered renal haemodynamics, it is postulated that relative tubular epithelial hypoxia and increased tubular exposure time to cis-DDP due to reduced tubular filtrate flow rate are likely mechanisms for the increased toxicity.

Animals↗