Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Madon.
In this paper are briefly reasumed clinical features and diagnostic procedures for bone tumors. More closely are examinated osteogenic sarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma in childhood and evaluated therapeutical means comparing the achieved results. Particularly are detailed therapeutic protocols proposed by the Italian National Research Council for the project "Control of neoplastic growth".
Age is an important prognostic factor in acute childhood lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL): intermediate age children (1-9 years) show a better outcome than infants (0-1 year) and adolescents (10-15 years). However recent literature data do not agree about adolescents worse prognosis. We tried to contribute to this issue with a retrospective analysis about presenting features and survival of 302 pediatric patients (65 adolescents and 237 children) with non B ALL enrolled on AIEOP protocols at the Departments of Pediatric Haematology-Oncology (University of Turin) from 1976 to 1992. The last follow up was 30.11.94. We found in adolescents, in spite of higher frequency of unfavourable prognostic factors (Hb > 8 g/dl, mediastinal mass, T cell immunophenotype, L2 morphology), an event free survival similar to children (EFS 52% vs 51%). In conclusion in our population we found that age at diagnosis greater than 10 years does not represent an unfavorable prognostic factor.
The term radiological hyperthermia is used to describe the exposure of biological tissues to temperatures just above physiological ones, namely between 42 and 45 degrees C. A machine for hyperthermia (SAPIC SV03 produced by Aeritalia, Caselle, Turin) is been experimentally used at the authors' institute. The present study aims to analyse the technical and qualitative aspects of temperature control using invasive and previsional thermometry. The term invasive thermometry is used to describe the insertion of small teflon catheters into the biological body through which thermometric probes are introduced to control deep temperature. Previsional thermometry is the phrase used to describe the computer simulation of hyperthermic treatment, starting from knowledge of the tissue to be heated and the type of applicator used. The simulated treatment and the real temperature measured are then compared in order to optimize the treatment used.
BACKGROUND: As previous studies demonstrated, free polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) are increased in neoplastic tissue and in body fluid (blood, urine and spinal fluid) of patients with tumours in various localization. In pediatric oncology, there aren't many specific markers useful to screen subjects at risk of developing cancer or to follow-up after treatment. For these reasons, polyamines' levels in plasma and erythrocytes have been evaluated in three groups of patients: healthy, with acute leukemia and with solid tumour. METHODS: Polyamines' content has been determined on samples of blood, previously dansylated, by HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography). RESULTS: The results of this study show that putrescine is decreased in plasma of patients with acute leukemia and with solid tumours. The difference, even if more important in subjects with leukemia, is significant in both groups. Spermidine instead, shows an increase, but only in patients with solid tumour. Erythrocyte assays reveal a significant decrease of spermidine in subjects with acute leukemia with consequent inversion of spermidine/spermine ratio. In erythrocytes there aren't any other significant changes in relation to the levels observed in healthy patients. Polyamine assay, especially that of putrescine and spermidine in plasma, could be propounded as a marker for pediatric neoplasms. CONCLUSIONS: Moreover, as it is well-known, pediatric neoplasms lead to alterations of polyamine metabolism, because the synthesis and catabolism of these molecules is closely involved in tumoral growth. Consequently, inhibitors of polyamine synthesis could be used with success in antineoplastic chemotherapy.