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Z Arlin

Publications and source records attributed to Z Arlin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Pilot study of all-trans retinoic acid as post-remission therapy in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Chemotherapy may decrease relapses of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) following induction with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), however the optimal timing of these two modalities remains to be determined. We treated eight patients with morphologic evidence of APL with intensive induction chemotherapy followed by ATRA (45 mg/m2/d for 10 weeks). All eight patients achieved a complete remission following chemotherapy. After a median follow-up of 29.0 months, seven patients remain in complete remission; one patient relapsed at 26.9 months. RT-PCR analysis for the PML/RAR alpha rearrangement was performed to monitor patients for evidence of minimal residual disease. Both of the patients with persistence of this rearrangement after induction chemotherapy converted to negative following ATRA. Toxicity of ATRA given in the post-remission setting was mild and consisted of headache, dry skin, and elevations of triglycerides and transaminases. No patient developed evidence of the retinoic acid syndrome. The administration of ATRA after intensive induction chemotherapy is associated with durable remissions and minimal toxicity in patients with APL. Disappearance of the PML/RAR alpha rearrangement after ATRA suggests that ATRA is effective against minimal residual disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Phase I clinical and pharmacokinetic evaluation of high-dose mitoxantrone in combination with cytarabine in patients with acute leukemia.

PURPOSE: To determine the maximally tolerated dose of mitoxantrone in combination with cytarabine in patients with acute leukemia and advanced phases of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and to assess the pharmacokinetics of high-dose mitoxantrone in this patient population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a phase I study, 68 patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and accelerated- and blastic-phase CML received induction therapy consisting of cytarabine 3 g/m2 by infusion over 3 hours daily for 5 days, with escalating doses of mitoxantrone 40 to 80 mg/m2 over 1 to 2 days by intravenous infusion over 15 minutes. Mitoxantrone pharmacokinetics were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in 15 patients given a single dose of mitoxantrone ranging from 40 to 80 mg/m2 in combination with cytarabine. RESULTS: Severe, but reversible hyperbilirubinemia (> three times normal) was considered the dose-limiting toxicity, and was observed in 25% of all patients and in 35% of those who received 70 to 80 mg/m2 of mitoxantrone. Other extramedullary toxicity, including cardiac dysfunction, was mild. Myelosuppression was universal and the median time to complete remission (CR) was 28 days (range, 19 to 77). The CR rate for previously untreated and relapsed patients with AML was 85% (17 of 20) and 38% (seven of 18), respectively. Eighty-three percent (15 of 18) of patients with ALL achieved a CR, including all patients with previously untreated disease. Eight of 12 patients with advanced-phase CML achieved a CR. No significant changes in mean mitoxantrone plasma elimination rates (ie, terminal plasma half-life and total-body clearance rate) occurred as the mitoxantrone dose doubled, indicating linear pharmacokinetics. CONCLUSIONS: The recommended phase II dose of mitoxantrone is 80 mg/m2 administered over 15 minutes as a single intravenous infusion in combination with cytarabine 3 g/m2/d for 5 days. At this dose, high concentrations of mitoxantrone are achievable in vivo to levels that have been shown to be extremely cytotoxic in vitro.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Phenotypic analysis of 1-B-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine deamination in patients treated with high doses and correlation with response.

Two phenotypes for 1-B-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) deamination corresponding to a ratio of distribution for "slow" (ratio, less than or equal to 14) vs "fast" (ratio, greater than 14) deaminators of 70%:30%, have been determined on the basis of studies on plasma ratios of 1-B-D-arabinofuranosyluracil/ara-C (ara-U/ara-C) in 56 subjects treated with high-dose ara-C (3 g/m2 infused i.v. over 3 h). A positive correlation of age with the concentration of ara-U was observed. In a subgroup of 36 patients with leukemia, the ara-U/ara-C pattern was similar to that observed for all 56 subjects. In these leukemic patients, who were treated with combinations of ara-C plus other conventional agents, a tendency toward a positive response (complete response + partial response) was found for those showing low ara-U/ara-C ratios (slow deaminators). The phenotypic effect of deamination in acute leukemia needs to be evaluated prospectively.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

A phase I pharmacokinetic study of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor administered by a 5-day continuous infusion.

Nineteen patients with advanced cancer were entered into a phase I clinical trial of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) which was designed to determine the pharmacokinetic profile, safety, and maximal tolerated dose (MTD) of the recombinant human cytokine in vivo. TNF was administered by continuous infusion for 24 hours followed by pharmacokinetics and a 120-hour infusion repeated every 3 weeks. The initial dose was 40 micrograms/m2 and was ultimately escalated to 200 micrograms/m2. A total of forty 5-day cycles were administered to 18 of these patients; and all were evaluable for toxicity. Toxicities in this trial included fever, chills, rigors, hypotension, headaches, seizures, lethargy, weight loss, and malaise. At all dose levels, but more significantly at the highest doses, hematological toxicities were observed and grade 3 neurotoxicity (headache and confusion), and hypotension were noted. Two patients expired during the study, and this was felt to be related to septic episodes. Because of these severe toxicities, 160 micrograms/m2 was defined as the MTD. At 160 micrograms/m2 peak serum levels occurred within 5-20 minutes of initiation and were not detectable 1 hour later. No anti-tumor responses were observed. No measurable plasma levels of TNF were observed with the administration of doses of 80 micrograms/m2. This dose level could be further studied in phase II studies alone and in combination with other agents, utilizing a continuous infusion schedule.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1992

Phase I trial of ImuVert (natural membrane vesicles associated with ribosomes) in patients with advanced cancer.

ImuVert, a new biological response modifier, was evaluated for toxicity and potential efficacy in patients with advanced cancer. This agent consists of sized, labile, natural membrane vesicles associated with ribosomes derived from Serratia marcescens. ImuVert induces enhanced in vitro macrophage and natural-killer-cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and has demonstrated antitumor activity in palpable animal tumor systems. A group of 39 patients with a variety of tumors, 25 men, 14 women, with a mean performance status (Karnofsky) of 80% and median age of 57 years were entered into this trial. ImuVert was administered subcutaneously weekly for a minimum of 3 weeks. A total of 183 treatments were evaluated. Flu-like systemic toxicities, including fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and hypotension were observed. Erythema, induration and tenderness developed at the injection sites. Myelosuppression, thrombocytopenia, anaphylaxis, rental and hepatic toxicities did not occur. All symptoms resolved within 24 h. Two patients with nodular lymphoma achieved a partial response and two minor responses were seen in patients with glioblastoma and melanoma. On the basis of ImuVert's biological activity, and tolerable toxicity it warrants further clinical investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Phase II study of mitoxantrone and 5-azacytidine for accelerated and blast crisis of chronic myelogenous leukemia: a study of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group.

A total of 40 evaluable patients were treated for blastic crisis of chronic myelogenous leukemia with mitoxantrone, 12 mg/m2 per day for three days and 5-azacytidine 150 mg/m2 per day for 5 days. Toxicity was primarily hematologic and was manageable. The overall response rate was 23%, including five complete responders, two partial responders, and two with hematologic improvement. Cytogenetic and immunophenotypic characterization of the leukemia was performed on all patients with aspirable bone marrow, and these results were correlated with response and survival, but did not have predictive value once the patient was in blastic crisis. Only initial platelet count (p = 0.02), hemoglobin (p = 0.03), and lower white blood cell count (p = 0.09) were somewhat predictive of response. Lack of hepatic involvement (p = 0.05), lower white blood cell count (0.05), and higher platelet count (p = 0.02) were predictive of prolonged survival. Although response did not strongly correlate with survival, one third of responders were alive at one year. This regimen produces results similar to those of other recently published regimens in this disease. Earlier intervention and more effective therapy is necessary in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Homoharringtonine is safe and effective for patients with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Homoharringtonine (HHT) is a cephalotaxine alkaloid with reported efficacy in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). In a phase II trial, we evaluated HHT 5 mg/m2 by continuous infusion daily for 9 days in patients with relapsed or refractory acute leukemia and blastic phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia (BLCML). Sixty-six patients were entered. There were 40 males and 26 females with a median age of 41 years (range 15-81). Of 43 patients with relapsed AML, seven achieved a complete remission (16%, 95% confidence interval 5%-27%). Although 11 patients with AML primarily resistant to an anthracycline/cytarabine combination did not respond, two of three patients primarily resistant to low-dose cytarabine achieved complete remission. No patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, biphenotypic leukemia, or BLCML responded. Hypotension during the administration of HHT was the most difficult toxicity encountered, requiring multiple interruptions of therapy in several patients and the administration of intravenous saline. Fluid retention and weight gain occurred in 29% of patients. Transient asymptomatic hyperglycemia was observed in 63% of patients. Other toxicity was mild and included nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, mucositis, hepatic dysfunction, and cardiac arrhythmias. As expected, severe myelosuppression occurred in all patients. HHT is well tolerated, but with unique problems associated with administration. It has demonstrable efficacy in pre-treated patients with AML, but its role in the treatment of this disease remains to be defined.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗
PubMed1992

Homoharringtonine in combination with cytarabine for patients with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Homoharringtonine (HHT) is one of several cephalotaxine alkaloids that has shown clinical efficacy in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). In a phase I trial we evaluated cytarabine 100 mg/m2 by continuous infusion daily for 7 days in combination with four dose levels of HHT ranging from 1.5-5 mg/m2 by continuous infusion daily for 7 days to see if an effective regimen could be developed. Twenty-two patients with relapsed and/or primary refractory AML were treated. Seventeen males and five females were treated, with a median age of 40 years (range 19-63). There were five remissions in 14 patients with relapsed AML and none of eight responders in patients with primary refractory AML. None of the three patients treated at 1.5 mg/m2 dose level of HHT responded. Of three patients treated at the 3 mg/m2 dose level, there was one complete remission. At both 4 mg/m2 and 5 mg/m2, two of eight patients achieved complete remission. Four of the five remissions occurred in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Drug induced pancytopenia was universal, and hypotension and fluid retention were more common at the higher dose levels. Other toxicity was mild and included nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and mucositis. No significant hepatic, renal, or cardiac toxicity was seen. We conclude that the dose of HHT 4 mg/m2 for 7 days by continuous infusion in combination with cytarabine is safe for patients with AML; and this combination is appropriate for a phase II evaluation.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Treatment with interleukin-3 plus granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factors improves the selectivity of Ara-C in vitro against acute myeloid leukemia blasts.

Hematopoietic growth factors (HGFs) interleukin-3 (IL-3) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) individually have been shown to increase the percentage of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blasts in S phase and enhance the cytotoxic effects of Ara-C against these blasts in culture. We compared in vitro the effects of a combined treatment with GM-CSF (10 ng/mL) plus IL-3 (10 ng/mL) on the metabolism and cytotoxicity of Ara-C in normal bone marrow mononuclear cells (NBMMC) and AML blasts. NBMMC from six healthy volunteers and AML blasts from 10 patients were incubated for 20 hours with or without IL-3 plus GM-CSF, followed by a concurrent treatment with Ara-C for 4 additional hours. Exposure to the HGFs and Ara-C produced significantly higher intracellular Ara-CTP levels as well as higher Ara-CTP/dCTP pool ratios in AML blasts as compared with NBMMC. Treatment with HGFs resulted in [3H] Ara-C DNA incorporation that was significantly higher in AML blasts versus NBMMC. This selective improvement of Ara-C metabolism in AML blasts was associated with an enhanced Ara-C-mediated leukemia colony-forming unit (CFU) growth inhibition. In contrast, exposure to HGFs resulted in an improved colony growth of normal CFU granulocyte-monocyte and CFU-granulocyte, erythroid, monocyte, megakaryocyte. These in vitro studies indicate that a combined treatment with IL-3 plus GM-CSF may improve the selectivity of Ara-C against AML blasts.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

A phase II trial of interleukin-2 by continuous infusion and interferon by intramuscular injection in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Fifteen patients with advanced, measurable renal cell carcinoma entered a Phase II clinical trial of interleukin-2 (IL-2) (Teceleukin, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Nutley, NJ) and interferon (IFN) (Roferon A, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.). IL-2 was administered by continuous infusion daily for 4 days and IFN was administered by intramuscular injection daily for 4 days; therapy continued for 4 weeks. Eight men and seven women were treated in this trial (median age, 61 years). Toxicity was moderate to severe with fatigue, nausea, vomiting, hypotension, and elevated blood urea nitrogen bunion and creatinine levels seen in all patients. Two patients achieved a complete remission and two patients achieved a partial remission. The median duration of response was 18 months. IL-2 and IFN is an active combination in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma and warrants further investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Life-threatening complications of empiric ceftriaxone therapy for 'seronegative Lyme disease'.

Lyme disease, now the most common tick-borne illness in the United States, has recently received much media attention, due in part to its potentially serious sequelae in untreated patients. Because a rare patient with late illness may lack antibodies to the etiologic agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, physicians may be tempted to give empiric antibiotics for illnesses that may not be Lyme disease. We have described a patient who, despite negative laboratory evidence for late Lyme disease, was treated for 3 weeks with intravenous ceftriaxone and sustained serious complications, including granulocytopenia, fever, hepatitis, and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea. We caution physicians to weight carefully the risks of empiric treatment for ill-defined medical problems, and to recognize the hazards of even "safe" medications.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The spectrum of molecular alterations in the evolution of chronic myelocytic leukemia.

DNA from 135 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) at various clinical stages and Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia was investigated for alterations in a variety of proto-oncogenes which have been implicated in the evolution of CML from its chronic phase to blast crisis. The most common genetic change found in the evolution of typical Ph1 chromosome positive CML to blast crisis was an alteration of the p53 gene involving either a rearrangement, a deletion, or a point mutation in the coding sequence of the gene. Alterations of the p53 gene were found in the myeloid and the rare megakaryocytic variant of blast crisis but were absent in the lymphoid leukemic transformants. Gross structural alterations were seen in 11 of 54 (20%) of myeloid or unknown phenotypes of blast crisis and in only 1 of 44 chronic phase cases. Eight examples of mutations in the open reading frame of the p53 gene at codons 49, 53, 60, 140, 202, 204, 238, and 239 were observed in blast crisis patients. Mutations in the N-RAS gene were rare in typical blast crisis (2 of 27 cases) but were found in megakaryocytic and Ph1 negative myeloid blast crisis. We concluded that heterogeneous alterations in the p53 gene and occasionally in the N-RAS genes accompany the evolution of chronic phase CML to blast crisis.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMed1991

Differential effect of interleukin 3 on the metabolism of high-dose cytosine arabinoside in normal versus leukemic human bone marrow cells.

We have examined the effect of recombinant interleukin 3 (rIL-3) on the metabolism of high-dose cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C), an S-phase-specific agent, in normal human bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC) and leukemic blasts from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Exposure to rIL-3 for 24 h significantly increased the percentage of cycling S-phase cells in normal BMMC as well as leukemic cells. A concomitant expansion of intracellular deoxycytidine triphosphate (dCTP) levels occurred to a significantly greater extent in normal BMMC. Compared to treatment with Ara-C (10 mumol/liter) alone, prior and coadministration of rIL-3 with Ara-C increased Ara-CTP levels in leukemic blasts. However, an identical treatment produced significantly higher dCTP levels in normal BMMC, resulting in a significantly lower mean Ara-CTP to dCTP pool ratio in normal BMMC compared to that observed in each of the samples of AML blasts. Following treatment with Ara-C plus rIL-3 versus Ara-C alone, the alteration in Ara-C DNA incorporation corresponded with the change in Ara-CTP to dCTP ratio observed in normal BMMC and AML blasts. The differential effect of rIL-3 on the metabolism of high-dose Ara-C in normal versus leukemic cells may indicate a role for rIL-3 in enhancing the selectivity of Ara-C toward leukemic myeloblasts.

Bone Marrow↗
PubMed1991

Effect of pharmacologically relevant concentrations of mitoxantrone on the in vitro growth of leukemic blast progenitors.

The inhibitory effects of a 1 h exposure to pharmacologically relevant concentrations of the anthracenedione mitoxantrone were assessed with respect to the in vitro clonogenic growth of leukemic myeloblasts obtained from patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). A steep mitoxantrone dose-response curve was observed, and increases in drug concentrations at both low and high dose ranges were associated with a significant potentiation of anti-leukemic effects. In particular, mitoxantrone concentrations of 1 microM or greater were highly inhibitory to leukemic blast progenitor cell growth, and were also effective in reducing or eliminating leukemic cell self-renewal capacity in those samples assayed. These findings suggest that mitoxantrone mediated lethal effects towards leukemic cells are dose-related within a pharmacologically achievable range, and raise the possibility that an increase in plasma levels through dose escalation might lead to enhanced leukemic cell killing in vivo.

Cell Division↗
PubMed1990

Phase II trial of fludarabine phosphate (F-Ara-AMP) in patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

Thirteen patients with advanced head and neck cancer were entered into a phase II study of fludarabine phosphate. Fludarabine phosphate was given by continuous infusion for 5 days, at a starting dose of 20 mg/m2 per day for patients previously treated with one regimen and 25 mg/m2 per day for previously untreated patients; therapy was repeated every 3-4 weeks. Of the 13 patients, 3 had undergone one prior regimen and 10 patients were previously untreated by chemotherapy. No responses were observed. Myelosuppression was the most common toxicity observed. Four patients developed mild nausea, vomiting and seven developed bleeding stomatitis that resolved in one week. In addition, four patients developed headaches which resolved spontaneously. No renal, hepatic, or neurotoxicity was observed. Our study demonstrates that in previously treated and untreated patients, fludarabine phosphate given on this schedule has little activity in patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Active specific immunotherapy in patients with melanoma. A clinical trial with mouse antiidiotypic monoclonal antibodies elicited with syngeneic anti-high-molecular-weight-melanoma-associated antigen monoclonal antibodies.

In two clinical trials the mouse antiidiotypic monoclonal antibody (MAb) MF11-30, which bears the internal image of human high-molecular-weight-melanoma-associated antigen (HMW-MAA) was administered by subcutaneous route without adjuvants to patients with stage IV malignant melanoma on day 0, 7, and 28. Additional injections were administered if anti-antiidiotypic antibodies were not found or their titer decreased. In the first phase I trial with 16 patients the initial dose was 0.5 mg per injection and escalated to 4 mg per injection. Neither toxicity nor allergic reactions were observed despite the development of anti-mouse Ig antibodies. Minor responses were observed in three patients. In a second clinical trial MAb MF11-30 was administered to 21 patients at a dose of 2 mg per injection, since this dose had been shown in the initial study to be effective in inducing anti-antiidiotypic antibodies. Two patients were inevaluable; in the remaining 19 patients, the average duration of treatment was 34 wk. In this trial as well, neither toxicity nor allergic reactions were observed. 17 of the 19 immunized patients increased the levels of anti-mouse Ig antibodies and 16 developed antibodies that inhibit the binding of antiidiotypic MAb MF11-30 to the immunizing anti-HMW-MAA MAb 225.28. One patient increased the level of anti-HMW-MAA antibodies. One patient achieved a complete remission with disappearance of multiple abdominal lymph nodes for a duration of 95 wk. Minor responses were observed in three patients. These results suggest that mouse antiidiotypic MAb that bear the internal image of HMW-MAA may be useful reagents to implement active specific immunotherapy in patients with melanoma.

Adult↗