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Biomedical subjects

E Pasquini

Publications and source records attributed to E Pasquini.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Etoposide, doxorubicin and cisplatin (EAP regimen) in advanced gastric cancer.

The treatment of advanced gastric cancer is unsatisfactory. The response rates for single chemotherapy agents: 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin-c, methotrexate, cisplatin, adriamycin, nitrosoureas and etoposide are approximately 10-25% and response duration ranges from 3 to 6 months. Complete responses with single agents are rare. Combination chemotherapy produces higher response rates, but these responses are short. Recently the combination of etoposide, adriamycin and cisplatin (EAP regimen) has been reported to produce results superior to what have been previously reported with other regimens. Twenty-four consecutive patients with locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (stage III-IV) were treated between June 1990 and December 1992 with the EAP regimen at our Department. Twenty-two patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. Objective responses were observed in 8 of 22 patients (response rate 36%; 95% confidence interval 17% to 59%). No clinical complete response was found. The median duration of the response was 7 months (range 2 to 22). Myelosuppression represented the primary toxicity associated with the EAP regimen. Grade 4 leukopenia was observed in 4 patients (18%). Grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia was registered in two patients, and grade 3 anemia was detected in 4 patients (18%). The median survival for all patients was 8 months and 12 months for the 8 responding patients. The EAP regimen seems to be an effective chemotherapeutic regimen, but cannot be considered the standard therapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer, because of the high incidence of moderate to severe myelotoxicity and a response rate and duration of survival similar, but not superior, to those obtained using a less toxic schedule.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Treatment of primary or metastatic pleural effusion with intracavitary cytosine arabinoside and cisplatin. A phase II study.

Thirty-three patients with microscopically verified primary or metastatic malignant pleural effusion were studied: 7 had malignant mesothelioma and 26 metastatic pleural disease. The treatment was based on biochemical and clinical studies which show a synergy between cytosine-arabinoside (Ara-C) and cisplatin. These drugs were instilled in the pleural cavity at the dose of 100 mg for Ara-C and 100 mg/m2 for cisplatin. The cavity was drained after 4 h. If it was possible, the treatment was repeated weekly for 3 times and, after a 6-week rest, it could be started again with the same schedule. The overall response rate (complete plus partial remissions) was 74%. Toxicity was mild or moderate. We conclude that the combination of Ara-C and cisplatin is well tolerated and produces a high response rate in the treatment of malignant pleural effusions.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Prognostic factors and survival in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: the experience of the Istituto Oncologico Romagnolo (IOR).

In an attempt to evaluate natural history, prognostic factors and survival, the data of 340 patients with NHL were collected. 267 patients were evaluable for the analysis of prognostic factors and survival. The tumor samples were reviewed and reclassified according to the Kiel classification. At completion, 180 patients were affected by low-grade (LG)-NHL and 87 patients had high-grade (HG)-NHL. Numerous potential prognostic factors were analysed in univariate and multivariate analyses. Globally 154 patients (57.4%) obtained complete remission (CR) and 65 patients (24.3%) partial remission (PR). The response rate was similar in LG and HG-NHL groups. 5-years survival was 52% for all patients (53% in LG-NHL and 44% in HG-NHL). Median survival was 62 months in LG-NHL and 38 months in HG-NHL (p = n.s.). At the univariate analysis overall survival (OS) in LG-NHL was favourably influenced by age < 65 years (p = 0.004), performance status > 80 (p < 0.02), early clinical stage (p < 0.001), absence of systemic symptoms (p < 0.001), low serum LDH (p < 0.001) and achievement of CR (p < 0.001), while in the HG-NHL only by age (p = 0.005) and achievement of CR (p < 0.001). The multivariate analysis showed early clinical stage, low serum LDH, absence of systemic symptoms and achievement of CR as independent prognostic factors in LG-NHL and only achievement of CR in HG-NHL.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Primary bronchial malignant melanoma. A case report.

A case of primary bronchial malignant melanoma occurred in a 66 years old woman is reported. Because of cough and hemoptysis bronchoscopic examination was performed and and a polypoid mass was found to occlude the right lower bronchus. Histopathologic examination showed the presence of malignant melanoma also confirmed by immuno reactivity with antibodies to S-100 protein and melanoma associated monoclonal antibody HMB45. Clinical history, physical examination and other instrumental investigations failed to find other possible primary sites of the tumour. Primary melanoma of the lung is a very rare condition, but our case seems to satisfy the criteria to be considered in the little group of definite primary melanoma of the lower respiratory tract.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Primary lymphoma of the central nervous system.

Primary lymphoma of the central nervous system (CNS) represents a pathology that is no longer considered rare, also in the light of its high correlation with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) syndrome reported recently. Often the correct diagnosis of the disease is difficult to reach, owing to the wide spectrum of non-lymphoma pathologies from which it should be differentiated and the invasiveness of some diagnostic techniques. The biologic aggressiveness of the neoplasm often makes a combined radio-chemotherapeutic approach necessary. In contrast, surgical resection does not seem to provide any significant benefit. The clinical experience reported here, together with a review of the most recent literature, lead the authors to suggest the opportunity of treating primary lymphoma of the CNS with the most active and modern chemotherapeutic protocols in association with traditional treatments to obtain an improvement in overall survival.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

cblC disease: case report and monitoring of a pregnancy at risk by chorionic villus sampling.

We have studied the uptake of both propionate and leucine in a chorionic villus sample from a fetus at risk for cblC disease. The ratio of propionate to leucine incorporation (x 10(-3] was 3.85 +/- 0.27 (n = 8) in the at risk sample, and 2.8 +/- 0.14, and 3.1 +/- 0.15 (n = 4) in two control samples. The finding of an unaffected fetus was confirmed by the absence of methylmalonic acid in amniotic fluid or maternal urine in the second trimester, and after birth by study of cultured fibroblasts from the baby. Because of the reported variability in propionate incorporation in chorionic villus biopsies, however, we recommend that chorionic villus sampling be confirmed by amniocentesis.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Plasma zinc levels in children with chronic diarrhoea.

We measured the plasma zinc concentration in a group of children with chronic diarrhoea. Fifteen patients with untreated coeliac disease had a mean plasma zinc level significantly lower than that of healthy children (69 micrograms/dl vs 96 micrograms/dl). In patients with chronic post-enteritic diarrhoea (n = 70) the mean plasma zinc level was in the normal range (100 micrograms/dl). The latter result suggests that our country a secondary zinc deficiency is not a feature of chronic post-enteritic diarrhoea.

Celiac Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Short-term versus long-term antimicrobial prophylaxis in oncologic head and neck surgery.

BACKGROUND: Although antimicrobial prophylaxis is mandatory in major clean-contaminated oncologic surgery of the head and neck, both the choice of specific antimicrobial compounds and the treatment duration are still discussed. METHODS: A prospective, randomized trial was carried out to compare efficacy and tolerability of clindamycin-cefonicid administered for 1 day versus 3 days in reducing the rate of wound and systemic infections. The following potential risk factors for surgical wound infection were evaluated: type of surgery, stage of disease, preoperative tracheostomy, preoperative radiotherapy, and diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: One-hundred sixty-two patients were evaluable; 81 received 1-day chemoprophylaxis, while the remaining 81 were treated according to the 3-day schedule. During the first 20 days after surgery, wound infections occurred in 2 (2.5%) and 3(3.7%) patients, respectively, in the 1-day and 3-day treatment groups, so that no significant difference was found among the two evaluated chemoprophylaxis schedules. CONCLUSION: A 3-day schedule did not prove useful in preventing wound and systemic infections. All presumed risk factors were not associated with an increased rate of wound infections, although preoperative radiotherapy was associated with a greater severity of infections and a higher risk of late wound complications.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Acute disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome in cancer patients.

Hemostatic abnormalities are rather frequent in cancer patients either in hematological or in solid tumors. Acute disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a rare coagulopathy in cancer patients, but when it develops it becomes rapidly fatal. Between June 1988 and December 1992 we observed 8 cases of acute DIC occurring in gastric cancer (4 patients), breast cancer (3 patients) and high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (1 patient). In 3 patients affected by gastric carcinoma, acute DIC was the first manifestation of the presence of the tumor, while in the other patients DIC occurred during the course of the disease. All the patients were treated with heparin, fresh frozen plasma and platelet support, but only in 1 patient was a short duration improvement of clinical conditions and coagulation tests recorded. Acute DIC can be the first manifestation of gastric tumors and the presence of the hemorrhagic syndrome associated with thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products should initiate a search for gastric carcinoma.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

GM-CSF production in human adenocarcinoma cell lines.

We describe the production of human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF), by cell lines established from patients with different stages of breast, lung and colon adenocarcinoma. GM-CSF expression has been identified by immunocytochemistry determination, quantified on conditioned medium with specific ELISA procedure and evaluated by means of proliferation and differentiation of normal human monocytic and granulocytic progenitors. The growth of cell lines after incubation with exogenous GM-CSF and antibody-antiGM-CSF was not modified. To better understand the patho-physiologic role of hGM-CSF in vivo we also estimated its serum levels at diagnosis in 75 patients with breast lung and colon adenocarcinoma and in 69 healthy person. Only two patients showed detectable GM-CSF levels. The lack of growth modulation observed in vitro with exogenous GM-CSF and antibody anti-GM-CSF suggests a non autocrine secretion by adenocarcinoma cells. The serum investigation evidences that the leukocytosis observed in adenocarcinoma patients is unrelated to a GM-CSF constitutive tumor production in vivo.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hyperglycinemia in clinical-laboratory practice].

Hyperglycinemia is a non rarely observed biochemical finding which can be caused by a primary defect of the glycine cleavage system (nonketotic hyperglycinemia) or by an enzymatic block due to toxic metabolites (ketotic hyperglycinemia in organic acidurias) or to specific drugs (such as sodium valproate). The Authors report their clinical and laboratory experience in the diagnosis of different forms of hyperglycinemia. Three patients with nonketotic hyperglycinemia (1 patient with transient neonatal form, 1 with the classic neonatal form, and 1 with late onset form), 6 patients with ketotic hyperglycinemia (1 propionic acidemia, 5 methylmalonic acidurias), and 8 patients with hyperglycinemia during sodium valproate treatment are described. In this study the diagnostic iter and the importance of a precise diagnosis of the hyperglycinemia for the appropriate treatment are discussed.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Visceral leishmaniasis in children in the province of Florence].

Three cases of visceral leishmaniasis are presented: two children who got the disease in Florence and the imported case of a girl coming from Albania with her disease in act. The diagnosis was made showing Leishmania in bone marrow specimen. Therapy with melglumine antimonate was effective and well borne, leading the three children to a complete healing. In the province of Florence visceral leishmaniasis is very rare, but such protozoa and the sand flies are present as shown by the high number of dog with leishmaniasis.

Adolescent↗