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Biomedical subjects

A Falcone

Publications and source records attributed to A Falcone.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Phase II trial of recombinant alpha-2b interferon in the treatment of metastatic skin melanoma.

A pilot study was undertaken to evaluate toxicity and activity of recombinant alpha-2b interferon in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma. Interferon was administered at the dosage of 10 x 10(6) IU/m2, 3 times a week i.m. 21 patients entered the study, 17 pretreated with chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy and 6 untreated. We obtained 3 partial responses (14.3%; 95% CL, 3.0-36.3%); 9 patients had stable disease. All patients experienced flue-like symptoms and fever; most fatigue and worsening of performance status. Recombinant interferon alpha-2b at the dosage and schedule used has limited but definite activity in metastatic malignant melanoma; the substantial subjective toxicity must be taken into consideration. Further trials testing recombinant alpha interferon in combination with chemotherapeutic agents, like DTIC, are warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Evaluation of the ovarian cancer antigen, Ca-125, as a tumor marker.

The presence of the Ca-125 antigen was tested in the serum of 46 patients with ovarian cancer in order to determine the prognostic value of preoperative levels and its usefulness for monitoring the clinical response in longitudinal studies; survival (S) and progression-free survival (PFS) were also evaluated. In our series, the specificity of the assay in normal subjects and in patients with benign gynecological diseases is 99.3 and 73.2% respectively, and the sensitivity is 91.9%. Preoperative Ca-125 levels are not correlated with S and PFS, whereas an advantage in S and PFS is clearly shown for patients in whom the marker level decreases after treatment. Serial determinations of Ca-125 serum levels provide a reliable test to assess response to therapy and to predict disease progression.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗
PubMed1988

Cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in advanced and recurrent cervical cancer.

Nineteen consecutive patients with advanced or recurrent cervical cancer were treated with cisplatin 20 mg/m2 plus 5-fluorouracil 200 mg/m2 on days 1-5 every 3 weeks. Toxicity was acceptable and manageable, with most patients treated on an outpatient basis. The most important side effect was dose-cumulative neurotoxicity. In 18 evaluable patients a 61% objective response rate (1 complete and 10 partial) was achieved. In recurrent disease the regimen was effective both in irradiated lesions and in non-irradiated ones. Two out of five patients not previously treated with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy responded to the treatment but tumor regression was insufficient for the disease to be controlled radically by subsequent surgery or radiotherapy. The median duration of response was 11 months (3-23) and the actuarial survival rate after 36 months follow-up was 43.3%.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Moving-strip abdomino-pelvic radiotherapy after cis-platinum-based chemotherapy and second-look operation. A feasibility study in advanced ovarian cancer.

Sixteen FIGO stage IIB-IV ovarian carcinoma patients who completed six to 12 courses of a cisplatinum-based combination chemotherapy and with minimal (less than 2 cm), microscopic, or no residual disease at second-look laparatomy received moving-strip abdomino-pelvic radiotherapy. Radiation treatment was feasible with acceptable toxicity; two patients had to interrupt therapy--one pretreated with 12 PAC courses because of WHO grade III leukopenia and the other because of grade III diarrhea. A third patient required surgery because of intestinal obstruction 1 month after cessation of radiotherapy. In patients with minimal residual disease at second look, the therapeutic value of sequential radiotherapy was unsatisfactory (five of six progressed), while further investigations were warranted in patients with no or microscopic residuum after second-look operation.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Regional pharmacokinetic selectivity of intraperitoneal cisplatin in ovarian cancer.

Five patients with intraabdominal ovarian cancer, 4 of whom with concomitant ascites, refractory to cisplatin-containing combination chemotherapy were treated with intraperitoneal cisplatin. Cisplatin, 90 mg/m2, was administered intraperitoneally in 2 liters of warm 0.9% NaCl with a 4-hour dwelling time on day 1 q 21 days. Platinum concentrations in plasma, ascites, ultrafiltrates of plasma and ascites, and urine were assayed by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry and determinations were verified by neutron activation analysis. Peak total and ultrafiltrable plasma platinum levels were 1.63 +/- 0.6 and 0.76 +/- 0.3 microgram/ml, respectively. Peritoneal clearance of total platinum (PA) was 21 ml/min whereas body clearance of total platinum was on the average 13.8 times PA, varying from 171 to 429 ml/min; the mean AUC (peritoneum) to AUC (plasma) ratio was 11 +/- 3. In 2 patients control of ascites was obtained, in 1 of these patients prior positive cytology became negative after her first intraperitoneal course. No nephrotoxicity was observed and gastrointestinal toxicity was mild. No catheter-related infections were observed. Intraperitoneal cisplatin therapy is well tolerated, pharmacokinetically rational and may be useful in managing ovarian cancer patients with malignant ascites or minimal residual disease at second-look laparotomy.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Cisplatin and cyclophosphamide in early epithelial ovarian carcinoma.

Toxicity and efficacy of adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy were assessed in 41 patients with FIGO stage I-II ovarian carcinoma. Chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin 50 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 administered on a one-day schedule q 28 d for six courses. Inclusion criteria were based on appropriate staging procedures and absence of macroscopic disease after primary surgery; patients with stage IAi G1-G2 or with borderline tumors were excluded from the study. Second look laparotomy was performed 2 months after termination of chemotherapy. At 60 months the actuarial survival is 77.5%. Recurrences were observed in 8 patients; in 1 case relapse was diagnosed at second look laparotomy. Toxicity was acceptable with only 1 treatment drop-out due to reversible neurotoxicity. Our results demonstrate that short-term chemotherapy including cisplatin is a safe and effective regimen and is suitable for administration on a outpatient basis. In our experience second-look laparotomy has limited value for early detection of relapses.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

4-Demethoxydaunorubicin (IMI-30) in refractory epithelial ovarian cancer: a pilot study.

Fifteen patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer were treated with 4-demethoxydaunorubicin (IMI-30) after platinum failure. A total of 33 courses of IMI-30 15 mg/m2, per os, daily for 3 consecutive days every 3 weeks were performed. Three patients experienced severe hematologic toxicity (WHO grade greater than or equal to 3), while gastroenteric toxicity was acceptable and no cardiotoxicity was observed. One minor response, 4 stabilization of disease and 7 progression were observed in 12 evaluable patients. In conclusion, IMI-30, at this scheduling, is inactive in our small series of heavily pretreated epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Metastatic breast cancer: an analysis of prognostic factors in patients treated with aminoglutethimide.

An analysis of 127 women with metastatic breast cancer was carried out. All patients were treated with aminoglutethimide: of 117 evaluable patients, 29 responded, 46 remained stable and 42 progressed. A series of patients' characteristics were analyzed for their prognostic importance for response to this drug. The most important features able to predict response were found to be a previous response to tamoxifen and a long disease-free survival after mastectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Acute effect of indenolol on systemic arterial pressure and heart rate in the rat.

The acute effects of single intravenous or oral doses of indenolol, as compared to that of propranolol and pindolol, on systemic blood pressure and heart rate were investigated in the rat. In reserpinized anaesthetized rats propranolol neither affected diastolic blood pressure nor heart rate and pindolol produced a dose-related tachycardia with moderate hypotensive effect. After indenolol the fall in diastolic blood pressure was concomitant with a very low increase in heart rate. Both effects were prevented by propranolol. In conscious SHRs the acute hypotensive effect of oral indenolol and pindolol was associated with marked bradycardia and moderate tachycardia respectively, while the decrease in heart rate following propranolol was concomitant to a slight increase in blood pressure. The possibility that the acute haemodynamic changes observed in rats after indenolol may be due to intrinsic sympathomimetic activity predominant at beta 2-vascular adrenergic receptor level is discussed.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1983

[False chorda tendinea of the left ventricle: possibility of diagnosis with echocardiography].

False tendons are fibrous strings that originate from the ventricular endocardium, but do not insert into the atrioventricular valve leaflets. Until recently these structures were recognized only at autopsy: recent reports have described some echocardiographic features of false tendons. In this paper we report our experience about false tendons in the left ventricle and some considerations on the echocardiographic differential diagnosis of these structures. In 4 of 1500 consecutive patients evaluated by M-mode and bidimensional echocardiography we have observed, throughout the cardiac cycle, an anomalous string-like linear echo stretched from the upper part of the interventricular septum to the apex (two cases) or to the lateral wall of the left ventricle (two cases). Associated cardiovascular diseases included mitral valve prolapse in two cases, systemic arterial hypertension in two cases and disturbances of cardiac rhythm in one case. Abnormal echoes in the left ventricular outflow tract are a common finding in several disorders such as discrete subaortic stenosis and aortic valve prolapse or vegetations. Furthermore a false tendon running parallel to the interventricular septum can mimick septal hypertrophy. Bidimensional echocardiographic examination, can identify these different conditions. Further studies will be necessary to firmly establish the diagnostic criteria of these structures at echocardiography.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

[Pathogenetic interpretation of left ventricle obstruction in hypertrophic obstructive myocardiopathy].

Nine patients affected from IHSS have been studied by 2D-echocardiography examination. Following detected pictures the Authors try to explain the pathogenesis of the dynamic obstruction of the L.V. The Authors conclude ascribing it to the postero-medial papillary muscle that move abnormally towards the IVS. Instead the SAM could be ascribed to the chordee of the mitral value, but these are considered unable to obstruct L.V. The differences between SAM and L.V. obstruction are underlined and discussed.

Cardiomegaly↗
PubMed1975

Effects of phentolamine, dihydroergocristine and isoxsuprine on the blood pressure and heart rate in normotensive, hypotensive and hypertensive rats.

Phentolamine, dihydroergocristine and isoxsuprine were compared for their effects on the blood pressure in anaesthetized normotensive rats, in rats made hypotensive by ganglionic blockade or by pithing and in rats with noradrenaline-induced hypertension. Their ability to inhibit pressor responses elicited by electrical stimulation of the posterior hypothalamus and of the sympathetic outflow from the spinal cord was also investigated. All three drugs appeared very potent in inhibiting noradrenaline-induced hypertension and caused a dose-dependent fall in blood pressure in normotensive rats, which however was less pronounced with dihydroergocristine than with phentolamine and isoxsuprine. In hypotensive rats, dihydroergocristine caused a rise in blood pressure. At higher doses than those required to block noradrenaline-induced hypertension, the three drugs inhibited pressor responses elicited by electrical stimulation and were equally active on peripherally- and centrally-evoked responses. Simultaneous recording of heart rate and blood pressure, both in anaesthetized and in pithed rats, indicated a reflex origin for phentolamine-induced tachycardia and a direct cardiac stimulation for isoxsuprine. Reflex changes of heart rate were not observed with dihydroergocristine.

Animals↗