PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Knerich

Publications and source records attributed to R Knerich.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Multidisciplinary treatment for central nervous system tumours with nitrosourea compounds.

The authors report the results of a controlled clinical trial in patients with primitive and metastatic CNS tumours treated with combined therapy: surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy (BCNU or CCNU). A total of 102 patients were treated, 50 with BCNU, and 52 with CCNU. The overall response (R. + P.R.) was 68% for the BCNU group, and 65% for the CCNU group. No significant differences were found between the two types of treatment, either in terms of response or in terms of quality and length of survival.

Adolescent↗

[Combined treatment for malignant primitive brain tumors in infants using CCNU, neurosurgery and radiotherapy (author's transl)].

The preliminary data (13 cases) is used to make a comparison between the survival length from the beginning of chemotherapy of these pediatric neuro-oncotypes with that of adults bearing sovra-tentorial astrocytomas or glioblastomas given the same treatment. Approximating, by means of normal distributions, the experimental results the Authors also note that the clinical efficacy of CCNU is more or less the same for infants and adults.

Age Factors↗

Single versus multiple drug therapy in the combined treatment of malignant gliomas. A multicenter study.

The best treatment of malignant gliomas has been considered to be surgery followed by irradiation and chemotherapy with nitrosourea compounds. Our controlled and randomized trial was designed in 1982 to analyze the effectiveness of multiple-drug versus single-drug therapy in patients bearing malignant gliomas. After 3 weeks from surgery and histopathological diagnosis 173 patients were randomly assigned to receive one of the three chemotherapy regimens: CCNU alone, CCNU plus VM-26 or CCNU plus VM-26 plus 5-FU. Radiotherapy was administered whole-brain (40-45 Gy) and coned-down focal (15-20 Gy) irradiation for a total of 60 Gy (1700 rets) in conjunction with the first course of chemotherapy. 150/173 patients are evaluable. Statistical analysis of results shows a better quality of life and survival for patients treated with polychemotherapy using a three drug combination than two drug or single drug therapy (13.8 vs 14.7 vs 18.2 months MST; P less than 0.01) but with a higher incidence of toxicity problems. An analysis of prognostic factors and their distribution in each arm of the protocol will be made in the near future.

Adolescent↗

Enzymes related to energy metabolism in human gliomas.

The evaluation of the specific activity of some enzymes related to energy transduction was performed in 7 fresh samples of malignant gliomas and in 4 samples of normal brain tissue. Compared with normal brain tissue, the hexokinase, phosphofructokinase and citrate synthase activities are lower; the lactate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase are unchanged, while glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and NADP+-isocitrate dehydrogenase activities are higher in gliomas.

Brain Neoplasms↗

Chemotherapy plus immunotherapy for patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors.

The authors report two clinical trials concerning chemotherapy and immunotherapy combined in the treatment of primary and metastatic brain tumors. In the first study bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and in the second Levamisole (LMS) were utilized as immunostimulating agents. Chemotherapy was performed with BCNU or CCNU in association with surgery and/or radiotherapy. The immunological response was obtained but immunotherapy failed to demonstrate any significant effect on survival.

Astrocytoma↗

[Post-traumatic hydrocephalus].

Post-traumatic hydrocephalus is a complication of cranio-cerebral injuries and can manifest itself through different clinical syndromes. These include obtunding, a tetrad composed of psychomotory delay, memory loss, motility disturbances and sphincter incompetence, and unusual symptoms which comprehend emotional disturbances. Intracranial pressure monitoring, lombo-ventricular infusion test, in addition to neuroradiologic exams, are necessary in order to decide wether or not to derivate a post-traumatic hydrocephalus; neuropsychologic tests complete these investigational methods. The post-traumatic hydrocephalus bearer patient's recovery is always problematic when an important parenchimal damage exists. When a NPH (normal pressure hydrocephalus) is found the shunting operation is always indicated. However it is difficult to take a decision when the patient has a normal liquoral pressure but is too wounded to show a NPH or when he has an atypical clinical feature.

Brain Injuries↗