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F Carbonell

Publications and source records attributed to F Carbonell.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Blast crisis of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML). Treatment results of 69 patients.

We have studied the clinical courses of 69 patients with blastic crises of Philadelphia chromosome positive CML to identify parameters that were associated with an increased response rate or survival. Cytogenetic analysis at the time of blastic transformation revealed additional chromosome changes in 70% of the patients tested. Bone marrow fibrosis was detected in 58% of evaluable patients. Lymphoblastic transformation was seen in 28% of the patients tested with cell surface marker analysis. The value of 5'-nucleotidase as a marker for distinguishing lymphoid from non-lymphoid blast crisis was confirmed. Of 57 evaluable patients, 23 (40%) responded to therapy (CR/PR longer than 14 days). Median survival was 75 days. Longer survival was related to the following factors: Ph1-chromosome as the only detectable cytogenetic abnormality; lymphoblastic transformation; no bone marrow fibrosis; high percentage of blasts and promyelocytes in the bone marrow, and response to therapy. No prognostic significance was associated with age, sex, Tdt, LDH, spleen size, duration of the chronic phase of the disease, white blood cell count, Hb, platelet count and percentages of basophils, eosinophils, erythroblasts and blasts and promyelocytes in the peripheral blood. These data confirm the poor prognosis of patients with blastic crisis of CML treated by conventional chemotherapy.

Adult

Translocation (15;17) in acute promyelocytic leukemia in Germany.

We report on the cytogenetic findings in six cases of acute promyelocytic leukemia, studied in two different cytogenetic laboratories in Germany. A t(15;17) was detected in three cases. This finding reveals that the t(15;17) in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia type FAB M3 also exists in Germany as a nonrandom anomaly and indicates that it occurs with high frequency in this country.

Adult

Prognostic significance of additional cytogenetic abnormalities at diagnosis of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic granulocytic leukemia.

Of 661 patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive, nonblastic chronic granulocytic leukemia, 58 had cytogenetic abnormalities in addition to the Ph at the time of diagnosis. Twenty patients had reduplication of the Ph in one or more metaphases. Twenty-one patients with a single Ph exhibited hyperdiploidy in one or more metaphases. Eleven patients had two or more hypodiploid metaphases as their only numerical abnormality. The remaining six patients had a variety of abnormalities. Many patients had more than one type of abnormality. Survival of patients in the different subgroups was similar, but these 58 patients had a shorter course than the 603 patients without additional cytogenetic abnormalities (P less than .02). Survival curves for the two populations did not diverge until the 2-year point, after which the annual death rate among patients with additional cytogenetic abnormalities was approximately 40% higher than that of patients without such abnormalities. The two populations had similar relative risk values according to a hazard ratio formula previously described by the International CGL Prognosis Study Group. Thus, they would have been expected to have essentially identical survival curves. We conclude that the presence of additional cytogenetic abnormalities at the time of diagnosis constitutes an independently significant prognostic feature with an unusually delayed influence on survival.

Adolescent

Acute myelofibrosis in megakaryoblastic leukemia with translocation between chromosomes 8 and 14.

In a 45-year-old woman with severe normochromic anemia (Hb 2.8 g%) an extensive myelofibrosis and infiltration of the bone marrow with small blasts was observed histologically. Cytochemical examination of the blasts showed a negative peroxidase and a strongly positive alpha-NE reaction. PAS reaction was slightly granular positive in the cytoplasmic protuberances of the blasts and in the platelets. Marker analysis yielded no evidence of lymphatic origin of the blasts. In flow-cytometric studies of 230,000 cells a homogeneous 2c blast population could be identified. Cytogenetic analysis revealed an abnormal pseudo-diploid karyotype characterized by 2 acrocentric marker chromosomes caused by a translocation of chromosomes 8 and 14, as usually seen in Burkitt type lymphoma. Finally the reaction product of platelet-specific peroxidase could be demonstrated in the perinuclear cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum by electron microscopy. Highly elevated beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 plasma levels were also measured. Following an ineffective treatment with daunoblastine and ARA-C, the patient died of pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia after having received high-dose ARA-C treatment.

Biopsy, Needle

Trisomy 15 as a regular finding in chemically induced murine T-cell leukemogenesis.

Trisomy 15 is described as a common finding in all T-cell leukemias induced by a single dose of methylnitrosourea (MNU) in BDF1 mice and in the leukemias induced by 7 doses of benzo(a)pyrene. Additional trisomies were found in about half of the leukemias. The organ distribution suggests that the leukemic cells with trisomy 15 originate in the thymus. Trisomy 15 was detected in the thymus as early as 6 weeks after the application of MNU, i.e. during the latency period.

Animals

Chromosome studies in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia submitted to bone marrow transplantation--results of a European Cooperative Study.

The karyotypes of 74 patients with Ph-positive chronic myeloid leukemia submitted to bone marrow transplantation collected from nine institutions were studied serially before and after transplantation. In 13 cases sporadic Ph-positive metaphases were detected without signs of relapsing disease at various intervals after transplantation. These data indicate that the leukemic clone may not be completely suppressed by the conditioning treatment and that other biological mechanisms may be involved in destroying this clone or controlling its expansion.

Adolescent

Chromosome studies in patients with acute nonlymphocytic or acute lymphocytic leukemia submitted to bone marrow transplantation--results of a European cooperative study.

The chromosomal data of 58 acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) patients and of 32 acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) patients submitted to bone marrow transplantation and collected from nine institutions are reported. Chromosomal studies were available at diagnosis in 19 cases with ANLL: seven had a partially or completely abnormal pattern. Forty-one patients had a chromosome study before bone marrow transplantation and all had a normal pattern. Thirteen patients with ALL were studied at diagnosis: five had a partially or completely abnormal karyotype. Of 20 cases analyzed before bone marrow transplantation, only one has maintained the abnormal pattern of diagnosis in part of the cells. Karyotypes were available in nine ANLL patients relapsed after bone marrow transplantations. Two showed the same clonal abnormalities seen at diagnosis; in three other cases the leukemic clone of relapse carried an additional chromosome abnormality with respect to the pattern at diagnosis and four more cases presented at relapse complex abnormalities; two of them had a cytogenetically normal pattern at diagnosis. In four of ten relapsed ALL cases chromosomes analyses were available. A relapse in donor cells and a hyperdiploid pattern were observed in two cases, respectively, while a normal, recipient pattern was documented in the other two cases. Serial chromosome studies performed in acute leukemia patients after bone marrow transplantation may allow the detection of different chromosomal patterns of relapse. In those cases who relapsed with a cell clone cytogenetically different from the pattern at diagnosis, a direct role played by the conditioning treatment in the pathogenesis of the relapsing disease may be hypothesized.

Acute Disease

Cytogenetic analyses in 89 patients with secondary hematologic disorders--results of a cooperative study.

Eighty-nine patients who developed a secondary hematologic disorder and were studied with chromosome analysis were collected from nine institutions. The results of the study confirmed previous findings, in particular, -5/5q-, -7/7q-, -17, and +21 were the most frequently encountered aberrations. Moreover, a t(1;7)(p11;p11) was reported in four cases and consistent chromosome abnormalities were observed in a small group of patients who had been treated only with surgery, but not with chemo- or radiotherapy for a previous tumor.

Acute Disease

Evidence for the involvement of host-derived OKT8-positive T cells in the rejection of T-depleted, HLA-identical bone marrow grafts.

The recent introduction of a variety of techniques for removing T cells from bone marrow grafts has reduced the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)-associated morbidity and mortality. Whether this advance will be translated into improved patient survival is unclear at present, mainly because these procedures increase the risk of graft failure. Since 1983 we have transplanted 25 consecutive leukemia patients with HLA-identical sibling grafts purged of T cells by a single incubation with the monoclonal antibody Campath-1 and donor complement. This approach was successful in reducing T cell contamination of the graft and preventing acute and chronic GVHD. In this group of patients two suffered irreversible graft failure and one developed reversible graft failure. In a similarly sized group of patients previously transplanted with unpurged marrow according to the Seattle protocol, no episodes of graft failure occurred. Since other causes of graft failure, such as drug toxicity or viral infections, could be largely excluded, this suggested that the graft failures were specifically related to the purging process. In haploidentical bone marrow transplantation (BMT) O'Reilly has identified residual host-versus-graft activity (HVG) as a cause of graft failure. The causes and mechanisms of graft failure in T-depleted HLA-identical sibling transplants have not been extensively investigated to date. In the three graft failures observed by us, the loss of the graft was preceded by the appearance of a population of activated lymphocytes. We have determined the phenotype and origin of this population and investigated its interactions with donor hemopoietic tissue in vitro.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte

Mimicking anti-S simulating a delayed transfusion reaction.

An autoantibody mimicking anti-S specificity is described in an S-s+ patient. The antibody was detected 2 weeks after transfusion. The direct antiglobulin test (DAT) was positive and the antibody was thought to be an alloantibody formed after the transfusion. Eighteen months later, the DAT was still positive and anti-S could be eluted from the patient's red blood cells in spite of the fact that these were S-s+. The autoantibody was characterized as mimicking anti-S specificity by in vitro absorption studies. It was present during the 3 years in which the patient was observed without causing hemolitic anemia.

Aged

Human acute unclassified leukemia with a unique t(4;17) chromosomal translocation expresses T lymphoid and myeloid surface antigens after in vitro culture.

Bilineage differentiation along both the T lymphoid and the myeloid lineage while in in vivo diffusion chamber (DC) and in vitro suspension culture was observed in a case of acute unclassified leukemia (null-AL) and t(4;17). Prior to culture, the blast cells were TdT and la positive but did not express any lineage-specific antigenic markers. Furthermore, the immunoglobulin heavy chain and T cell receptor beta-chain genes were in germline configuration. Cytogenetically, all metaphases had the unique translocation t(4;17) (q25;q23) prior to and after culture, supporting the leukemic origin of the cells. During both DC culture and suspension culture with and without tetradecanoyl-phorbol-acetate (TPA), a substantial increase in the absolute and relative number of cells expressing both myeloid and T lymphoid antigenic markers occurred. Double-fluorescence analysis demonstrated the expression of antigenic markers of both lineages on the same population of cells, and electron microscopy revealed the induction of myeloperoxidase after both DC and suspension culture. Immunoglobulin heavy chain and T cell receptor beta-chain genes remained in germline configuration after treatment with TPA, when analyzed with JH and CT beta probes, respectively. These findings indicate that this case represents a null-AL with dual-lineage capabilities, which has probably arisen from the malignant transformation of a bipotential stem cell of lymphoid and myeloid progeny.

Antigens, Neoplasm

Treatment results of nine patients with Burkitt's lymphoma.

From 6/79 until 2/86, 9 patients (median age 39) with Burkitt's lymphoma were treated. Stage D disease was seen in 7 cases, stage C in two and stage A in one. The main symptom was abdominal pain or a rapidly progressing abdominal tumor. Three patients had bone marrow involvement and two had a Burkitt's leukemia. Three had typical chromosomal aberrations. Therapy consisted of a variety of chemotherapy regimens plus additional radiotherapy and/or bulk surgery. Two patients achieved complete remissions (of 6 and 20+ months duration), and 4 partial remissions were obtained. The remaining patients had either progressive, drug resistant disease or died early. One patient is currently alive and in complete remission at 20+ months. A second patient is alive at 20+ months in partial remission with traces of IgM-paraprotein still detectable. The main causes of death were tumor-lysis syndrome (4 patients) and therapy related sepsis with progressive tumor (3 patients). This poor outcome is probably due to a high proportion of high-risk patients and suboptimal therapy for this rapidly proliferating tumor.

Adolescent

Additional c-abl/bcr rearrangements in a CML patient exhibiting two ph1 chromosomes during blast crisis.

Recent data suggest that two human genes, c-abl on chromosome 9 and bcr on chromosome 22, are involved in the generation of Ph1-positive CML. To examine a possible role of these sequences in transition from chronic towards blastic phase, rearrangements within bcr were analysed in 4 patients with Ph1-positive CML during chronic and acute phase. In 3 patients bcr rearrangements were identical in both phases, while in a fourth patient with duplicated Ph1 an amplified additional bcr fragment was detected in acute phase. Northern blot analysis of blast cells of the latter patient showed a novel 10.3 kb RNA species that replaced the altered 8 kb RNA transcript usually found in Ph1-positive CML.

Adolescent

Conversion of acute undifferentiated leukemia phenotypes: analysis of clonal development.

The cellular origin of acute undifferentiated leukemia (AUL) is still a matter of controversy. We report on two cases in which the diagnosis of AUL was established according to restricted criteria. Blast cells of both patients showed phenotypic conversion during the course of disease. In one case, within 24 days from starting treatment, the leukemic phenotype changed from AUL to acute myelomonocytic leukemia (FAB L1, TdT+ to FAB M4, TdT-). The initial phenotype of this acute leukemia was characterized by the co-expression of both B-lymphoid and myeloid markers on the same cell. Moreover, analysis of esterase isoenzyme pattern showed the whole spectrum of isoenzymes typically seen in myelomonocytic leukemias already at diagnosis, yet blast cells additionally contained all three isoenzymes of beta-hexosaminidase typically seen in AUL. However, examination of immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain gene rearrangement initially and after conversion revealed an identical monoclonal configuration of Ig heavy chain sequences in both samples. The second AUL patient relapsed after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation with common ALL-antigen (CALLA) positive acute leukemia. Subsequent Southern blot analysis showed a novel rearranged Ig fragment compared to the analysis before transplantation indicating that the leukemic clones prior to and after transplantation were not identical. No chromosomal abnormalities were observed in both cases. These data support the view that AUL cells originate from a pluripotent stem cell that is capable to differentiate in the myelomonocytic lineage (patient 1), and confirm the value of Ig gene analysis as marker for cellular clonality.

Adult

Cytogenetic studies in 18 patients with secondary blood disorders.

Cytogenetic studies were carried out in 18 patients with secondary blood diseases; 15 patients had a history of prior malignancy, two had been professionally exposed to carcinogenic agents, and one patient had been treated with immunodepressors. The interval between initial therapy and secondary disease ranged from 13 to 123 months, with a mean of 57.8 months; the mean survival time from the diagnosis of secondary disease was 6 months. Cytogenetic abnormalities were present in 83% of cases, with a trend to hypodiploidy in 90%. The most often involved chromosomes were #5, #7, and 3p. A correlation between the cytogenetic abnormalities and etiologic factors has been analyzed; data from the present series and from the literature suggest a correlation between chromosome #7 and chemical agents, and chromosomes #11, #12, and #17 and physical agents.

Acute Disease