[Treatment of cachexia in the course of lung cancer].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Radzikowska.
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The aim of this study was to analyze the predisposing factors for bronchiectasis in 69 patients hospitalized in the 3rd Dept. of the Institute of TB and Lung Diseases in Warsaw in years 1995-1999. Bronchiectasis was diagnosed on the basis of the high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan. Among 69 patients at the age of 15-72 years there were 45 women (65%) and 24 men (35%). Fifty patients were nonsmokers. The most frequent predisposing factors of bronchiectasis in that group of patients were as follows: pneumonia (30.1%, in it recurrent pneumonia--19.3%, a single pneumonia--10.8%), sinobronchial syndrome (19.3%), pulmonary tuberculosis (12.1%), nontuberculous mycobacterial lung infections (7.2%), recurrent pneumonia and bronchitis in childhood (7.2%) and connective-tissue diseases (3.6%). Among other predisposing factors there were allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, foreign body in bronchus, hypogammaglobulinemia and colitis ulcerosa.
The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency of infection as a cause of death in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. Our material consisted of 845 unselected SCLC patients, 246 women and 599 men, aged 29-78 years, treated between 1980-1994 in the Institute of Tuberculosis in Warsaw. 479 patients had limited and 366 extensive disease. 530 were in good (0-2) and 315 in bad (3-4) performance status. 784 patients died. Autopsy was done in 211 patients. Infection was regarded as a main cause of death in 39 patients (4.6%) and as a coexistent cause in 77 (9.1%). At the time of death from and/or with infection in 16 patients complete remission and in 27 partial remission of cancer was confirmed. The risk of death from and/or with infection was not related to the age and sex or to the performance status of patients and to extension of cancer. The risk of death from and/or with infection in the first 3 months of treatment was however greater for patients in bad performance status and with extensive disease and later (after 3rd months) for patients in good performance status and with limited disease.
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The correlation between chemotherapy-induced toxicity and treatment outcome in cancer patients has not been studied thoroughly. Our aim was to evaluate whether there is any relationship between chemotherapy-induced leukopenia and response to treatment in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Data derived from records of 228 patients treated within two prospective multicentre phase II studies were analysed. In the first study (101 patients) chemotherapy included vincristine, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide and, in the second (127 patients), cyclophosphamide, etoposide and epirubicin; both regimens were given every 3 weeks. In the present analysis, the correlation between treatment outcome (response rate and survival) and highest scores of leukopenia within the first two and up to the fourth chemotherapy cycle, respectively, was evaluated. The objective response rate for the entire group was 66%; 53% in patients whose white blood cells remained normal and 85% in those who developed leukopenia within the first two cycles (P = 0.000). In multifactorial analysis, also including other treatment- and patient-related factors, independent correlation with response to chemotherapy was found for leukopenia (P = 0.001), chemotherapy regimen (P = 0.002) and the combined relative dose intensity (P = 0.018), but not for patient sex, age, performance status, pre-study weight loss, extent of disease and initial white blood cell count. Leukopenia within the first two cycles of chemotherapy was not correlated with survival, whereas such correlation for leukopenia occurring up to the fourth cycle was at the borderline level (P = 0.06). These findings suggest a relationship between chemotherapy-induced leukopenia and tumour response in SCLC.
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Connection between histological type of lung cancer and existence of clinical and spirometric symptoms of COPD was analysed in 110 lung cancer patients (64 small cell, 23 adenocarcinoma, and 23 squamous). It was shown that adenocarcinoma was significantly more frequent among subjects with values of FEV1%VC over 70 than among subjects with small cell and squamous lung cancer. Also subjects with values of FEV1% VC over 70 had significantly higher oxygen blood pressure, and clinical and radiological symptoms of COPD were less intensive than in subjects with values of this index below 70. There was no correlation between histological type of lung cancer and bronchoscopic symptoms of bronchitis and radiological symptoms of emphysema.
92 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer were treated with cisplatin 80 mg/m2 day 1 and etoposide 120 mg/m2 on days 1-3. In 58 of them vinblastine 5 mg/m2 was also applied on days 1 and 3. In 25% of all cases partial response and in another 26% minimal regression was found after 2 courses of chemotherapy, independently to treatment modality. Partial regression was observed significantly more often in patients with adenocarcinoma, but survival time was significantly shorter in this group. Median survival time was 8 months for all patients, 10 months for stage IIIB and 6 months for stage IV. This difference was significant.
2115 cases of chest neoplasms were registered during the first six months of 1995 in Pulmonary Outpatient Departments in Poland. In 865 (40.8%) patients squamous cell cancer was diagnosed, in 344 (16.2%)--small cell lung cancer, in 174 (8.2%)--adenocarcinoma, in 107 (5%) other types of lung cancer and in 5.6% of cases--lung cancer with undefined histology. Predominated subjects aged from 60 to 69 years (43.5%). Lung cancer under 50 years of age was observed significantly more often among women (25.8%) than among men (13.5%). Moreover adenocarcinoma was much more frequent among women than men and significantly more cases of lung cancer were recorded in nonsmoking women. Diagnosis was established during the first 4 weeks in 38.9% of patients but 23.6% of patients have waited for it more than 39 weeks. Surgical treatment was advised in 16.9% of subjects, radiotherapy in 14.3% and 26.4% of patients underwent chemotherapy. Treatment analysis was presented according histological type of lung cancer. Occupation, performance status, clinical stage of the disease, prevalence of cancer in patients families were also analysed.
It is believed that the tissue or serum expression of neuroendocrine markers in non small cell lung cancer patients can implicate better prognosis in cases undergoing chemotherapy. The aim of the study was to assess the value of NSE serum level for anticipation of the tumor response to chemotherapy. We found elevated serum level of NSE in 34 of 60 patients (56.7%) at the time of diagnosis of inoperable non small cell lung cancer, significantly more often in those presenting stage IV of disease. In 21.7% partial response and in another 21.7% minimal regression was found after chemotherapy. Treatment results revealed no significant differences in respect to NSE serum level, however 77% of patients achieving partial response had elevated serum level of NSE.
The existence of large interindividual differences in oxidation phenotypes and link of them with susceptibility to certain cancers was shown in animal and human studies. In a new approach plasma antipyrine half-lives have been measured in 60 lung cancer patients, 56 their first degree relatives and 75 healthy controls without cancer in their families. The mean antipyrine half-lives were significantly shorter (p < 0.005) in lung cancer patients group and in the group of their relatives when compared with the cancer free matched control group. This difference remained significant after adjusting for smoking gender and age. Six adenocarcinoma patients have shown significantly faster antipyrine metabolism than subjects with other histological types of lung cancer and obviously than healthy control.
The acute pancreatitis is still serious diagnostic and therapeutic problem. In spite of many experiments there are no satisfactory methods of the treatment of this disease. Usually, it is diagnosed clinically by acute abdominal pain and increased pancreatic enzymes in blood and urine. The main disorder of this disease is the necrosis of the pancreatic gland. The aim of our investigations was the evaluation of effect of necrolytic enzymes on the course of acute experimental pancreatitis. Fibrolan was used. Fibrolan (Parke-Davis) is a preparation, which has necrolytic properties. It consists of two bovine enzymes: fibrinolysin and deoxyribonuclease. The examinations were carried out on 380 Wistar rats. The acute pancreatitis was induced by retrograde injection of 0.1 ml/0.1 kg body weight of 3% sodium taurocholate solution into the pancreatic duct as previously described by other authors. The experimental animals were divided into four groups: K0-control group (healthy animals), KP-animals with acute experimental pancreatitis without medication, S-rats with acute experimental pancreatitis, which were treated with 0.9% NaCl solution, and F-animals with acute experimental pancreatitis treated with Fibrolan. Fibrolan and 0.9% NaCl were injected into the peritoneal cavity three times a day with eight hours intervals from the 24th experimental hour. The serum amylase and lipase activities and the amylase activity in the urine were determined in each animal group in the 24th, 48th, 72nd, 96th, 120th, 144th experimental hour. For histopathological analysis pancreatic tissue samples were taken from the pancreatic gland. The intensification of the histological changes of these tissue samples was judged using a point score as described by Spormann et al. The results were statistically analysed. The animals of the KP group showed significant histological changes of the pancreas during the whole examination time. Point score: 75-100. Microscopically, tissue samples taken from the animals treated with Fibrolan showed less changes from the 72nd examination hour. There were observed regenerative processes and the improvement of the histological state was evident (point score: 0-50). Changes were less in rats treated with 0.9% NaCl solution than in KP group but the regenerative processes were slower than in F group (point score: 50-75). Enzymes levels were significant lower in F group than in others from the 48th experimental hour.
Angiogenesis is a process of new blood vessels' formation occurring in many physiological and pathological conditions. Neovascularisation is the principal vascular response in chronic inflammation and concomitant fibrotic process. Microvascular changes in various organ sites in sarcoidosis (BBS) and some of the symptoms of the disease may be related to microangiopathy. Moreover, vascular alterations were also observed in lung specimens from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and avian fanciers lung (AFL) patients. The present study was aimed at testing the effects of serum from 43 patients with ILD (24 BBS, 8 AFL, 8 IPF, 3 DIPF--drug induced pulmonary fibrosis) and 11 healthy controls on angiogenic capability of normal blood peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the murine intradermal angiogenesis assay (according to Sidky and Auerbach). The data demonstrated that sera from ILD patients significantly enhanced angiogenic capacity of normal PBMC as compared to control sera (p < 0.001). The effect was more pronounced for AFL patients than for BBS and IPF ones (p < 0.05). Sera from DIPF did not stimulate angiogenesis compared to control sera. The data showed that sera from ILD patients constitute sources of mediators participating in angiogenesis. This phenomenon may play role in pathogenesis of chronic immunological processes in lung.
The aim of this study was to assess whether the lowest serum NSE obtained during treatment of small cell lung cancer patients can be helpful in the diagnosis of complete remission (CR). The material consisted of 68 patients with small cell lung cancer, treated in the Institute o Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases from 1.III.1993 to 15.II.1995. In the course of treatment CR was obtained in 13 patients, partial remission (PR) in 37 and no remission (NR) in 18. The distribution and median of the lowest NSE serum levels were the same in CR and RP patients. NSE serum levels remained above normal, that is above 12.5 ng/ml, in two CR patients and in 4 PR patients. 3 patients (2 with CR and I with PR) are still living for 26, 27 and 41 months in spite of NSE serum levels 14.3, 15.6 and 13.6 ng/ml respectively. In those patients in whom NR was obtained the lowest NSE level above 20 ng/l was connected with bad prognosis. We conclude that the estimation of the lowest NSE serum level in the course of treatment can not help to differentiate CR from PR.
Our previous studies revealed faster antipyrine metabolism among lung cancer patients and their first degree relatives in comparison with subjects without cancer history in their families. After 8 years 39-70% previously investigated first degree relatives of lung cancer patients and 55-73% previously investigated healthy subjects without cancer in their families were examined. One lung cancer case was noticed in the group of relatives and this subjects had very fast antipyrine metabolism. Also 2 cases of non-smoking related cancer were observed in subjects with intermediate antipyrine metabolism. Only one case of non-smoking related cancer was noticed among controls and this subjects had rather slow antipyrine metabolism.
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