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Biomedical subjects

P Obrecht

Publications and source records attributed to P Obrecht.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1987

Long-term results of two Swiss AML studies.

The Swiss group for clinical cancer research (SAKK) completed two first line protocols for the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). In the first protocol (SAKK AML 74, from August 1974 to April 1977; 107 patients) the effectiveness of immunization with viral oncolysate during maintenance treatment was tested. After successful induction treatment, the patients were randomized in two groups: Group A: monthly maintenance chemotherapy for 2 years and group A+IT, which received the same maintenance chemotherapy regimen plus, on day 15, injection of viral oncolysate. Of the 107 patients, 57 (53%) achieved complete remission, 29 then being randomized to group A, 28 to group A+IT. As of August 1984, there is no statistical difference between the survival times of the two groups (p = 0.288). Ten years after the start of the study there is still no clear plateau of the survival curve. Nine percent of all patients (18% of the remission patients) are alive today. With the treatment of the mid-seventies, therefore, the cure of a patient suffering from AML was a rare event. The second protocol (SAKK AML 77, from April 1977 to April 1982; 162 patients) was designed to evaluate the usefulness of a prolonged maintenance treatment after early consolidation. The 74 patients who were still in remission after early consolidation treatment were assigned to either maintenance chemotherapy or to observation only. At 3.5 years after the last patient's entry there was no difference between the groups in duration of survival (p = 0.332).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[Chemo-(hormonal)-therapy of advanced ovarian neoplasms in FIGO stages III and IV. Prospective SAKK-study 20/71].

From 1971 to 1974 89 patients with advanced ovarian cancer (FIGO-stage III-IV), admitted to seven centers of the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK), were randomly allocated to three different treatment schedules: cyclophosphamide (CYT) alone or CYT in combination with either medroxyprogesterone acetate (GEST) or 5-fluorouracil (FU). Results in 71 evaluable patients (according to standardized group criterial) were as follows: 1. The overall remission rate was 48% (34 out of 71 patients) with no clear-cut statistical difference between the three treatment schedules but a firm trend towards higher remission rate with CYT + FU (58% as compared to 42% with CYT alone). 2. The scheduled "second-look" operations were performed in only 5 of 34 patients clinically judged to respond to therapy (PR), and does not allow objective surgical monitoring of therapeutic effects intraabdominally. 3. The median remission duration varied from 3 months (CYT alone) to 6 months (CYT + FU or CYT + GEST), again with only marginal statistical differences. 4. With regard to survival from initiation of chemotherapy, no treatment regimen was superior to another. The median survival ranged from 6.6 months (CYT) to 10.3 months (CYT + GEST). Patients responding to chemo-(hormone) therapy (CR + PR + NC) showed a significant prolongation of survival as compared to those with initial disease progression: median survival in "responders" was 11 months and in "non-responders" 2.9 months. A small group of 8-10% of all treated patients has survived in documented tumor remission for 4 years and more. 5. Toxicity was moderate and consisted mainly of mild temporary hematologic depression, tolerable nausea and transient alopecia, with equal distribution in the three treatment regimens. Hemorrhagic cystitis due to CYT was observed only in 3 cases. 6. Progress in remission induction and duration, as well as survival in advanced ovarian cancer, seems to depend on the inclusion of new effective agents (such as adriamycin, hexamethylmelamine and cisplatinum) and, most probably, on significantly more intensive treatment.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1979

[Immune profile in patients with Hodgkin's disease in long-term remission after cytostatic chemotherapy].

13 patients in complete and prolonged remission after treatment with cytostatic chemotherapy for disseminated Hodgkin's disease have been investigated for immune competence by a total of 27 immunological parameters. 11 patients had abnormal values for lymphocyte populations, lymphocyte function and skin tests. The immune profile described is suitable for long-term evaluation of patients under immunosuppressive therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

[Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia in malignant tumors. 2 cases].

Two cases of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia in disseminated carcinoma are reported. Both showed the classical features of this illness, namely acute generalized hemorrhagic diathesis, severe hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, fragmentation of erythrocytes in the peripheral blood smear, increased erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis or tumor cell invasion in the bone marrow, tumor cell emboli in venules and disseminated intravascular coagulation. In both cases the microangiopathic hemolytic anemia was the first sign of the disseminated carcinoma. Differential diagnosis, pathogenesis and therapy are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1975

A controlled study in the use of combined drug therapy for metastatic breast cancer.

Three prospectivelyly planned and controlled cooperative clinical studies in the use of combination drug therapy for metastatic breast cancer are reported. Each study contained two drug regimen arms. A total of 326 evaluable patients were treated with one of the five various drug combinations employed. As the number of drugs used in each regimen was increased from two to five, a concommitant increase in remission rates from 50% to 75% was observed. Remission duration of approximately 8 months and survival from the onset of treatment, however, remained relatively constant at 13 to 16 months in all drug regimens. Patients achieving tumor remission survived an average of three times longer than those with progressive disease under therapy. The results are correlated to patient age and predominant metastatic type. Subjective improvement was definitely related to objective tumor regression or stabilization. Treatment was relatively well tolerated and well applicable to outpatient care. Dosage adjustments were often necessary during the initial phases of therapy. Combined cystostatic drug therapy is highly effective in the prognostically worst forms of metastatic breast cancer, and is the treatment of choice for younger patients with visceral type metastases.

Age Factors↗