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At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

[Problems of immunological monitoring and lung excision for carcinoma].

Following a number of remarks on the desirability of introducing into the practice of bronchopulmonary cancer surgery certain immunological ideas, a monitoring programme to be adopted in candidates for lung exeresis and for their subsequent monitoring is presented. The data to emerge thus far may be correlated fairly precisely with the prognosis and from this point of view their use in the selection of patients to be operated might be hypothesised.

Antibodies, Neoplasm↗

Immunological monitoring of the inflammatory process: Which variables? When to assess?

Monitoring the immune responses in critically ill patients helps us to understand pathophysiological aspects of inflammation, immune deficiency, and infection, and to assess objective measures of therapeutic success. Monitoring should be adapted to the individual therapeutic approach. We recommend the measurement of substances in plasma that indicate systemic inflammatory processes, such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6, and C-reactive protein (CRP), and invasive infection or endotoxaemia, such as procalcitonin (PCT). Moreover, it is important to evaluate the functional activity of the immune system, which can fail like other organs in the process of multiple organ failure. The resulting immunodeficiency results in failure to eliminate invading pathogens. Plasma concentration of IL-10 and of monocytic function and phenotype (HLA-DR+, CD14+ monocytes, ex vivo TNF secretion capacity) are the most valuable measurements for this purpose.

C-Reactive Protein↗

Immunologic monitoring in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Investigation of minimal residual disease (MRD) by immunophenotyping and molecular techniques has proven to be a powerful approach for disease monitoring in patients with acute leukemia. Multiparameter flow cytometry, through the use of triple or quadruple marker combinations, identifies aberrant or uncommon phenotypic profiles in more than 90% of adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at diagnosis. These profiles allow identification of residual leukemic cells in bone marrow or peripheral blood once morphologic complete remission is achieved. Until now, most immunophenotypic MRD studies in ALL have focused on children. In contrast, information on the value of MRD in adults with ALL is scanty and usually restricted to polymerase chain reaction studies. In this review, we focus on technical aspects of MRD detection by flow cytometry and on the clinical data concerning the value of immunologic MRD studies as a tool for relapse prediction in adult ALL. Although prospective studies are needed, we assert that immunophenotypic MRD studies are clinically useful. Such studies should be incorporated into the routine management of adult ALL patients for identification of those at high risk of relapse, who could benefit from new alternative therapeutic approaches, and to distinguish these patients from others who could be cured with more conventional approaches.

Adult↗

[Comparison of tumor-associated cellular and nonspecific humoral immune parameters in immunologic monitoring of breast cancer].

In 119 patients with breast cancer states pT1-4 N0-3 M0 the following parameters of tumor-associated cellular and unspecific humoral immunity were determined: (1) leukocyte-migration-inhibition test against preparations of the autologous and homologous tumor tissue; (2) determination of the immunosuppressive activity of the serum on the PHA-, Con A- and PWM-induced lymphocyte transformation; and (3) determination of the alpha-2 pregnancy-associated globulin (alpha-2-PAG) serum level. In both groups of lymph node negative and positive breast cancer patients, half of the patients showed a significant reaction in the LMI test in the form of a reduced or enhanced migration of the macrophages (enhancement). In lymph node negative breast cancer patients the immunosuppressive activity of the serum on the PHA- and CON A-induced lymphocyte reactivity was decreased, whereby we found a positive correlation between the immunosuppressive activity of the serum and the LMI reactivity against autologous tumor tissue. We found no differences in the alpha-2-PAG serum level between lymph node negative and positive breast cancer patients, but there were greatly increased alpha-2-PAG levels in LMI-reactive patients compared to those showing an enhancement in the LMI test. A tumor-associated cellular immunity could be shown in the LMI test in breast cancer patients, which can be correlated with other humoral immune parameters. Especially the demonstration of an immunological enhancement in the LMI test could possibly be used for the definition of high-risk groups.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Immunological monitoring during chemotherapy for advanced Hodgkin's disease.

A study of some immunologic in vitro and in vivo changes during the course of chemotherapy in 17 cases of advanced Hodgkin's disease was made. Skin testing with PPD, candida albicans and streptodornase antigens was studied together with studies of B and T cell numbers in the blood and responses to migration inhibition testing for PPD and PHA. An excellent correlation was found between recovery of normal immunologic responses and clinical remission despite the use of immunosuppressive chemotherapy.

Adolescent↗

Hyposensitization in nickel allergic contact dermatitis: clinical and immunologic monitoring.

BACKGROUND: In allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) previously sensitized T cells cause skin damage. If an ubiquitous allergen such as nickel is involved, no effective treatment is available. Down-regulation of this allergic response has been described after antigen presentation in the absence of adequate costimulatory signals. UV exposure can enhance such hyposensitization. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to establish the capability of a hyposensitization procedure to induce antigen-specific tolerance. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with nickel ACD were randomly assigned to either a hyposensitized or control group. A schedule consisting of UVB treatment and subcutaneous nickel sulfate administration (hyposensitization) or UVB only (control) was applied. During the ensuing 2 years, several clinical and immunologic features were monitored. RESULTS: During UVB treatment we observed a significant clinical improvement in both groups that persisted in the hyposensitized group. Except for increased slope variances of specific lymphocyte proliferation in time, no clear changes were seen in the immunologic findings. CONCLUSION: Despite significant clinical improvement induced by UVB, hyposensitization did not induce significant changes in the immunologic findings in patients with nickel ACD.

Adult↗

Immunological monitoring and immunotherapy in carcinoma of the lung.

One hundred and seven patients with carcinoma of the lung underwent immunologic testing, and 62 of these patients were randomized to an immunotherapy protocol comparing the effects of Pasteur strain BCG, either alone or combined with allogeneic tumor cells, to the effects of no immunotherapy. Patients with residual disease left at the time of surgery or with metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis showed no increase in survival as a result of this form of immunotherapy. An insufficient number of patients with less advanced disease, in whom we would expect the most beneficial effect, have been entered in this study. In general, we were unable to document substantial effects of immunotherapy on the immunologic parameters tested. Only in recall antigen skin testing was there a statistically significant increase in reactivity in the immunotherapy groups. Tests of general immune status appeared to have a predictive value in monitoring lung cancer patients. Anergic patients had a poorer prognosis than did patients who demonstrated skin test reactivity. Patients with normal percentages of lymphocytes (T cells) forming rosettes with sheep erythrocytes at 29 degrees C were generally normal in other tests of immune competence. In serial studies of rosette formation, all patients who developed recurrent disease had a pattern of depressed or falling rosette values, and these abnormalities occurred an average of 3.1 months prior to clinical detection of recurrence. Patients with large-cell anaplastic carcinoma were found to have a significantly higher incidence of depressed rosette levels than the other histologic types. Both large and small-cell anaplastic patients had significantly depressed lymphocyte proliferation by mitogens and allogeneic cells. Although lung cancer patients have been described as immunologically depressed, they are capable of recognizing tumor-associated antigens. When tested in leukocyte migration inhibition assays with tumor-associated antigens, the majority of the patients in our study were found to be reactive. The use of a 3 M KCl extract of pleural effusion cells from a patient with pulmonary adenocarcinoma has given good reactivity and specificity in lung cancer patients of all histologic types. In addition, these patients have been shown to respond in a mixed lymphocyte/tumor interaction to tumor-associated antigens (Dean, 1976b).

Adenocarcinoma↗

Immunological monitoring of Fenton fragmentation of fibrinogen.

Fibrinogen is transformed into insoluble "neofibe" by reaction with up to 100 microM Cu(II) and 1.5 mM ascorbate. The soluble peptides which are released during the reaction can be monitored by amino acid analysis and by measuring released keto-carbonyl (with DNPH). Immunologic characterization of the soluble peptides, with antibodies directed against fibrino-peptide A (FPA) clearly show the release of this epitope, optimally at 50 microM Cu(II). Anti-FPB gives no evidence of that epitope. However, N-terminal amino acid analyses reveals the presence of 3 peptides terminating in ALA (alpha chain FPA), GLU (beta chain FPB) and SER/ASP (unknown). The release of fibrinopeptides is interpreted within the context of a general mechanism for OH'-induced peptide chain cleavage via intermediate Schiff-base hydrolysis.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay↗

Immunologic monitoring of infection risk in trauma patients: research questions and an approach to the problem.

Sepsis due to injury-related immunosuppression is generally accepted to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality following trauma. A clear relationship between the amount of burn injury and immunosuppression can be demonstrated, but quantitative relationships between the actual amount of blunt or penetrating injury, a "state" of immunosuppression, and the subsequent development of sepsis has not been clearly established. We have studied and attempted to characterize multiply traumatized patients to identify which components or immune parameters suggest the opportunity to predict sepsis. This report briefly reviews the literature in this area and summarizes current work from our laboratory attempting to identify potential markers.

Burns↗

Immunologic monitoring of clinical trials in patients with cancer: technology versus common sense.

Monitoring of CTL or helper T -cell responses to tumor antigens in the course of clinical trials is an essential and necessary component of specific immunotherapy of cancer. While a variety of new immunologic or molecular technologies are now available for measuring these responses at a single-cell level, none has been standardized or validated to meet this need. The clinical investigator is thus faced with a selection of a method that is most likely to meet the desirable objective of establishing a correlation between clinical and immunologic responses to biotherapy. Selection of a relevant assay for this purpose is not a trivial task. Furthermore, few immunologic techniques can be easily adapted to reliable serial monitoring of patients on clinical protocols. The ELISPOT assay performs well in this setting, allowing for tracking of antigen specific T cells in the peripheral blood of cancer patients who receive tumor vaccines. In our hands, this assay is sensitive, accurate and cost effective. Its reliable performance in the context of clinical vaccination trials is highly likely to provide information necessary for optimizing vaccine administration to cancer patients, including timing, route of delivery, antigen concentration and use of DC or other adjuvants.

Cancer Vaccines↗