Biomedical subjects

P Quaglino

Publications and source records attributed to P Quaglino.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

"Aleukemic" granulomatous leukemia cutis.

Aleukemic leukemia cutis is a rare condition characterized by the infiltration of the skin by leukemic cells before their appearance in the peripheral blood. The authors report a case of aleukemic leukemia cutis in a 30-year-old seemingly healthy man who presented with multiple skin papulonodular lesions and lack of peripheral blood involvement. Histopathologically, the skin infiltrates showed prominent granulomatous features that masked the underlying malignant process. Immunophenotypic studies of skin and bone marrow infiltrates revealed the myelomonocytic lineage of the atypical cells, consistent with M4 acute myelomonocytic leukemia. The authors emphasize the value of immunohistochemical studies in diagnosing a cutaneous atypical infiltrate and discuss problems of histopathologic differential diagnosis.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Multiple primary melanomas: analysis of 49 cases.

Development of multiple primary melanomas is a rare but well recognized disease, with an estimated incidence ranging from 1.75% to 8.5% in several series. The clinical, histological and epidemiological characteristics of 49 patients, identified from 2470 with histologically confirmed melanoma, are described in this study. Thirty-five of these patients had two primary melanomas, 11 had three melanomas and three had four, five and six melanomas, respectively. Diagnosis was concurrent in 22 patients (45%); in the remaining cases the median time interval between the first and second melanoma was 22.6 months and the longest interval was 21.5 years. The mean Breslow's thickness decreased significantly (P < 0.001) from the first melanoma to the second and third lesion. The multiple melanoma patients had a higher percentage of subjects over 70 years of age or with lentigo maligna melanoma than single melanoma patients. The mean follow-up time was 12 years (range 4 23 years). The 5-year survival rate from first melanoma excision (83%) does not differ from that of patients with a single melanoma. In conclusion, the presence of multiple primary melanomas does not appear to be a negative prognostic factor; our data show the importance of close follow-up in melanoma patients in order to detect not only metastases, but also subsequent primaries in their earliest phases.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Systemic polychemotherapy in the treatment of primary cutaneous lymphomas: a clinical follow-up study of 81 patients treated with COP or CHOP.

The efficacy of systemic polychemotherapy in the treatment of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (CBCL) or T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) is still controversial. A series of 81 patients (46 primary CBCL and 35 CTCL) were treated with COP or CHOP regimens. In primary CBCL, the overall objective response rate (RR) was 98%, with an 89% CR rate and a 33% relapse-rate. Five-year disease-free survival was 70%, 5-year survival 97%. Patients with leg or widespread lesions showed a higher relapse-rate (55% vs 26%) than those with trunk or head lesions. The overall objective RR was 40% in CTCL patients, with a 23% CR rate; median response duration was 5.7 months, median survival 19 months. The results confirm both the good prognosis of primary CBCL and the efficacy of polychemotherapy. CHOP regimen is to be preferred to COP in as much as it reduces relapse rates. Conversely, there are no indications for the use of COP/CHOP regimens as first-line chemotherapy in CTCL patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Combination of etoposide, idarubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone and bleomycin (VICOP-B) in the treatment of advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Response of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) to systemic chemotherapy is unsatisfactory: despite an initially high response rate (RR), duration is always short-lived. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the capability of a third-generation regimen including idarubicin in improving RR and response duration in CTCL patients. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with advanced CTCL (stages IIB and IV) were treated with a 12-week polychemotherapeutic regimen (VICOP-B), which foresees the use of idarubicin in association with etoposide, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone and bleomycin. RESULTS: The overall objective RR was 80% (36% complete response). The mycosis fungoides (MF) RR was 84%, with a median duration of 8.7 months. The pleomorphic-lymphoma RR was higher (100%), but the corresponding response duration was shorter (median: 3 months). No responses were documented in Sézary syndrome. CONCLUSION: VICOP-B regimen is effective and feasible as first-line chemotherapy in advanced MF, with or without extracutaneous involvement.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

CD56-positive cutaneous lymphoma: a poorly recognized entity in the spectrum of primary cutaneous disease.

CD56-positive (CD56+) lymphomas, characterized by the expression of the neural cell adhesion molecule on pathological lymphocytes, share a frequent extranodal involvement and a generally aggressive course. Five CD3- CD56+ lymphoma patients presenting with nodular lesions were identified among 180 immunophenotyped cutaneous lymphomas. All the patients were men, with ages ranging from 55 to 78 years. After staging, two patients were diagnosed as having primary cutaneous lymphomas; the remaining three had the secondary cutaneous type. The clinical course was aggressive and four patients died within 8 months from diagnosis. The remaining patient is still alive after a 17-month follow-up. The histological diagnosis was immunoblastic lymphoma in two patients, and medium and large cell pleomorphic lymphoma in three. The angiocentric infiltrate was located mainly in the dermis; azurophilic granules were present in three of the five patients. Immunogenotypic analyses suggested the natural killer cell origin of these neoplasias: all cases exhibited a CD56+ CD3- CD5- T-cell receptor (TCR) silent phenotype, and Southern blot analysis showed a germline configuration of the TCR beta-chain gene.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Gas chromatographic system equipped with a mass detector and a selective nitrogen-phosphorous detector operating simultaneously in the analysis of pesticide residues.

The possibility to perform gas chromatographic analysis using both a mass detector and a selective nitrogen-phosphorous detector will enable highly sensitive analytical results and an optimal identification reliability. In this work we describe an easily workable technical solution, which has been accomplished in our laboratory and the application of the above system to analytical procedures for the detection and determination of nitrogenous herbicides in drinking water and phosphorylated pesticides in agricultural products is discussed.

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry↗

PubMed1996

Low-dose integrated chemoimmuno-hormonotherapy with cisplatin, subcutaneous interleukin-2, alpha-interferon and tamoxifen for advanced metastatic melanoma--a pilot study.

Recently, Khayat et al. reported that high-dose recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) i.v. may induce tumour regressions in metastatic melanoma patients through an association with cisplatin (CDDP) and alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN). Treatment-related toxicities are, however, important. Previous studies have demonstrated that rIL-2 toxicity may be reduced through a subcutaneous injection. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of low subcutaneous rIL-2 doses in a chemoimmuno-hormonotherapeutic combination, 36 metastatic melanoma patients were treated with CDDP, rIL-2, alpha-IFN and tamoxifen (TAM). The overall response rate was 47.2%: five patients had complete response (14%), 12 partial response (33%) and 13 stable disease (36%). Median response duration was 6.4 months (range: 2-29+). Median overall survival was 10 months (range: 3-36+). The CDDP/rIL-2/alpha-IFN/TAM regimen was effective both on soft tissue and visceral metastases. Toxicity was low and patient management did not require an intensive care unit. A statistically significant increase in both percentage and absolute values of lymphocytes, eosinophils, CD3+/CD4+, CD25+, CD16/56+ and HLA-DR+ cells was found in all patients after two treatment courses. This study shows that lower doses of subcutaneous rIL-2, as well as CDDP and alpha-IFN, associated with TAM, may have similar anticancer efficacy with respect to Khayat's schedule but lower toxicity.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Keratinocytes express dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (CD26) in benign and malignant skin diseases.

CD26 expression on keratinocytes, in both normal and pathological skin, was investigated using immunohistochemical techniques. A sporadic focal CD26 positivity was found in normal skin, whereas increased expression of CD26 was observed both in cutaneous T-cell lymphomas and in inflammatory skin diseases, e.g. psoriasis, lichen planus and spongiotic dermatitis, in the basal and spinous layers. CD26 keratinocyte staining was not specific for a single disease, but seems to be associated with the presence of a reactive or neoplastic infiltrate in the epidermis. We propose that the CD26 molecule may function as a keratinocyte activation antigen.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Adjuvant therapy of stage IIIb melanoma with interferon alfa-2b: clinical and immunological relevance.

BACKGROUND: The poor prognosis of stage IIIb melanoma (5-year survival: 36%) shows the need for effective adjuvant therapy to prolong disease-free survival. OBJECTIVE: The feasibility and efficacy of interferon alfa-2b (IFN-alpha) therapy in stage IIIb melanoma patients was investigated. METHODS: alpha-IFN was given at a dose of 3 MU i.m. three times a week to 50 patients. Clinical and immunological controls were carried out. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 43 months (range 5-84). Median survival was 43 months and median disease-free survival 39 months. Overall 5-year survival (62%) was higher than that reported in the literature to date. A significant increase of circulating CD56+ and DR+ lymphocytes after therapy was more evident in disease-free patients than in those with progressing disease. CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant IFN-alpha therapy in stage IIIb melanoma patients is well tolerated and seems to increase survival. However, multicenter randomized trials are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Peripheral blood involvement in a mycosis fungoides patient with limited skin lesions: phenotypical features and homing molecule pattern.

Peripheral blood involvement in mycosis fungoides (MF) patients is more frequent in the advanced stages and is associated with a worse prognosis. We report a MF patient with limited patch lesions on her shoulders, upper chest and thighs (T2N0M0) and peripheral blood involvement. Clonality in the peripheral blood was demonstrated by the PCR assay and confirmed by the expansion of the same restricted variable region of the TCR beta-chain (vbeta17) expressed in the cutaneous infiltrate. The patient was treated with fludarabine achieving a complete hematological response followed by an early relapse, whilst the cutaneous lesions remained unchanged. The soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels showed a decrease from baseline levels down to normal values at hematological remission, followed by a further increase. The low sLex/CLA expression in the cutaneous lymphoid infiltrate could have given rise to a higher recruitment in the peripheral blood.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Tyrosinase mRNA RT-PCR analysis as an additional diagnostic tool for the identification of melanoma cells in biological fluid samples other than blood: a preliminary report.

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of tyrosinase mRNA has been applied for the detection of melanoma cells in the peripheral blood, lymph nodes and bone marrow of melanoma patients. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of RT-PCR in comparison to standard cytology and immunocytochemistry (ICC) for the identification of melanoma cells in biological fluids other than blood. Tyrosinase expression was evaluated together with standard cytology and ICC (anti-S100, HMB-45 and Melan-A antibodies) in biological fluid samples collected from 17 melanoma patients according to the site of metastatic involvement or clinical suspicion (eight cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples; three pleural effusions; four ascites; one bile sample, one pericardial effusion); 17 samples collected from patients with non-melanoma metastatic cancer were used as controls. Tyrosinase expression in the biological fluid sample was compared with the expression determined at the same time in peripheral blood. Positive tyrosinase expression was found in 12/17 melanoma and 3/17 non-melanoma cancer patients. Cytology/ICC showed the presence of neoplastic cells in only 7/12 melanoma samples with positive tyrosinase expression: radiological evidence of disease involvement was found in all these patients (three meningeal, two pleural, two peritoneal). Clear-cut radiological evidence of disease involvement at the sampling site was found in the five patients with negative cytology/ICC and positive RT-PCR (one CSF; four serous membrane effusions); all patients died of disease progression within four months of sampling. The five patients who were negative for both cytology/ICC and RT-PCR did not show any clinical evidence of disease recurrence at the sampling site. Only five of the 12 metastatic patients with positive tyrosinase expression in biological fluid showed positivity for tyrosinase in the peripheral blood. These preliminary results suggest that the analysis of biological fluids other than blood could be considered as a new potential clinical field of application for the tyrosinase mRNA assay.

Adult↗