Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to F Ben Ayed.
The radioimmunological dosage of choriogonadotrophic hormone is the actual basis for the choice of patients to be treated, to recognize the poor prognosis cases, to adjust the treatment in drugs, doses and durations, to detect the relapses. The clinicien must obey the biologist who is always right.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
A salvage chemotherapy was used in advanced malignant lymphomas resistant to previous chemotherapy. The chemotherapy schedule consisted by the monthly administration of vindesine and continuous infusions of bleomycins, associated with cis-diammine-dichloro-platinum in Hodgkin's disease (patients resistant to MOPP and ABVD protocols) and with DTIC in non-Hodgkin lymphomas (patients resistant to CHOP or equivalent protocol). In 10 patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease (stages III and IV), one complete remission and four partial regressions were achieved. Five patients are still alive after 6 and 14 months. In 15 non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients, two complete remissions and seven partial regressions were achieved. Eight patients are still alive after 4 to 12 months. Severe toxicities related to the chemotherapy protocol have never been observed. These results demonstrate the efficiency of the described chemotherapy schedules in advanced malignant lymphomas resistant to visual therapy.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
A retrospective study has been carried out on the poor prognostic features of a group of 57 patients. These are: the existence of extra-pelvic and extra-pulmonary metastases and a level of serum HCG above 200000. The most favourable prognostic signs are absence of these two factors in pregnancy that is not normal and a delay between the onset of the first diagnostic elements and treatment of less than 6 months.
Out of 78 male germ cell tumours treated between 1974 and 1979, 61 were carcinomas of the testis and 17 (20%) did not originate from that gland. Primary germ cell tumours outside the testes are not uncommon. They occupy with equal frequency the mediastinum or the retroperitoneal region. Germ cell tumours account for about 50% of isolated mediastinal tumours in young men. They are usually diagnosed at a late stage, with consequently poor prognosis. Assays of alpha-foetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin should be more frequently performed.
Seventeen cases of stage III and IV cancer of the ovary with widespread, non-removable lesions were treated with 6 courses of combined chemotherapy including cis-diaminedichloroplatinum, and this was followed by a "second look" laparotomy. Complete remission was obtained in 4 cases by chemotherapy alone and in 9 cases by chemotherapy and second surgical operation. The remissions have been maintained under new courses of chemotherapy, suggesting that a number of patients can recover from stage III and IV cancers of the ovary.
The authors report the preliminary results of attempts at treatment using radiotherapy and chemotherapy for inoperable carcinoma of the bladder. Chemotherapy alone (cis diamine dichloropalatinum : CDDP) used twice for metastases gave 1 regression of more than 50 % and 1 failure, used twice for non-irradiated pelvic tumours gave 1 regression of more than 50 % and finally was associated with no improvement in 7 patients already irradiated. Chemotherapy (CDDP) associated with a series of flash doses of radiotherapy was used in 6 cases and gave one regression of more than 50 % and one of less than 50 %. Bleomycin in continuous infusion associated with flash radiotherapy was used in 3 cases and gave a regression of more than 50 % of pelvic tumours in two. These poor though not completely nil results have lead the authors to develop a cooperative treatment programme involving the urologist, radiotherapist and chemotherapist.
Cis-diamminated-dichloroplatinum is an effective drug in the treatment of testicular dysembryomas and choriocarcinomas. It may obtain results in cases resistant to combinations of drugs already known as being effective against such tumours. It is thus worthy of integration into treatment protocols for forms of these tumours with a poor or reserved prognosis (cases with metastases or lymph node involvement or with chorial participation).
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Chemotherapy for carcinoma of the kidney using the sequence VM 26 (or vincristine), CCNU gave 12 per cent of objective results (complete remission or regression of more than 50 per cent in metastatic tumours and did not alter the actuarial survival curve of these patients. The same type of chemotherapy given on a routine basis and early did not alter the actuarial curves of the first remission after nephrectomy for carcinoma of the kidney at Robson stage III or II. Early chemotherapy would thus not appear to be justified before trials in cases of metastatic carcinoma have led to the discovery of a more effective form.
Hodgkin's disease is now curable in more than 50% of cases, due to its chemo- and radio-sensitivity. However, treatment exposes to a risk of secondary cancer varying from 1 to 10% depending on chemoradiotherapy doses and schedules. We report a case of secondary breast cancer associated with a secondary thyroid cancer observed in a 24-year-old man treated when he was 13 years old by vinblastin and radiation for stage IIA, a Hodgkin's disease.
This national survey aims to evaluate opioid availability and prescription by pharmacists in Tunisia and to examine pharmacists' attitude regarding Tunisian law. We surveyed a sample of 300 pharmacists randomly selected from the National Council of Pharmacists list and using the random table. This study started in September 1999 by sending to pharmacists a confidential questionnaire asking about the importance, the rate of sale and the availability of analgesics in their pharmacy. It also tried to determine pharmacists' opinions regarding Tunisian law. A total of 157 pharmacists out of 300 responded to the survey (52 per cent), 95 per cent were working in pharmacies and 15 per cent in hospitals. Analgesics were estimated to be important to very important in their work in 84 per cent and less important in 16 per cent of cases. They were given under advice with great importance in 85 per cent of cases and with less importance in 15 per cent of cases. Analgesic self-medication was frequent in 95 per cent of cases and rare in 4 per cent of cases. Analgesics of levels 1 and 2 were often to always available in 97 per cent of cases and rarely available in 1.5 per cent of cases. Some 84.7 per cent of pharmacists had opioid supplies and 8.9 per cent had no opioids in stock and 6.4 per cent hadn't given a response. 30 per cent of pharmacists think that the 7 days law for opioid prescription should be modified and 66 per cent think it should not, fearing illicit use, fraud and dependance. Pharmacists think that the minimal list of opioids to be stocked in a pharmacy is sufficient because of low demand.
Jerba is an island situated in the South-East of Tunisia were some ethnic groups (Arabs, Berbers, Blacks, Jewishs and others) cohabit for centuries. The religion and cultural differences have represented an obstacle to a mixture between these groups. In order to evaluate the genetic differentiation between the muslim groups (Arabs, Berbers and Blacks), we have analysed the polymorphism of a mitochondrial DNA coding region. The cytochrome oxydase coding region (COII) was amplified by PCR in 57 Arabs, 42 Berbers and 16 Blacks. The amplified products were analysed by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). Genetic distances were calculated by using the AMOVA program. The values of these distances were significantly different between Arabs and Blacks, and between Berbers and Blacks but not between Arabs and Berbers. So That, to refine the evaluation of genetic diversity between Arabs and Berbers, we have analysed the polymorphism of a second mitochondrial coding region which encodes for the fifth unit of NADH deshydrogenase (ND5). Eleven haplotypes were defined from the resulting data of mitochondrial COII and ND5 polymorphism and a significant genetic distance between Arabs and Berbers was computed.
We have studied the configuration of genes encoding for the heavy and light chains in the tumoral cells of 6 patients affected by alpha heavy chain disease (alpha HCD). The results showed the presence of rearrangement of the alpha heavy chain as well as the kappa light chain genes whereas the lambda genes were in germinal configuration. Thus, these results suggest the presence of a monoclonal compound in the tumoral cells in the alpha HCD.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.