Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F Cervantes

Publications and source records attributed to F Cervantes.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

A study of prognostic factors in blast crisis of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukaemia.

In 80 patients with Ph-positive chronic myelogenous leukaemia the main clinical, haematological and cytogenetical data were recorded at diagnosis of blast crisis and evaluated for prognostic significance. At the time of the analysis 73 patients had died, with a median survival of 4-8 months from diagnosis of blast crisis for the whole series. When analysed as a time-dependent variable, the achievement of a favourable response to chemotherapy resulted in a longer patient's survival. On the other hand, the univariate analysis identified six pretreatment characteristics associated with a poorer prognosis: a longer chronic phase, presence of extramedullary blastic involvement, a platelet count below 200 x 10(9)/l, a less marked leucocytosis, a blood blast cell percentage higher than 10%, and presence of trisomy 8. The latter parameters were included in a multiple regression model together with the blast cell phenotype (lymphoid versus non-lymphoid), and only four of them (trisomy 8, duration of chronic phase, platelet count, and leucocyte count) retained their prognostic influence. When the therapeutical response was also included in the regression model, it proved to be the most important prognostic variable, followed by trisomy 8, length of chronic phase, extramedullary disease, and platelet count, whereas the leukocyte count lost its predictive value. Thus, in spite of the short overall survival of blast crisis patients, the identification of prognostic factors in such a haematological condition may be of interest, especially in the interpretation of new therapeutical approaches.

Adult↗

Bone marrow histopathology in primary myelofibrosis: clinical and haematologic correlations and prognostic evaluation.

In 51 patients with primary myelofibrosis the initial bone marrow biopsy findings were evaluated by morphometric methods, correlated with the patients' main clinical and haematologic data and analysed for prognostic significance. The high variability of the marrow features was the most striking finding of the morphologic study. The only remarkable clinico-pathological correlation was that found between the extent of stromal proliferation in the bone marrow and the number of WBC precursors in peripheral blood. Classical bone marrow histologic patterns did not correlate with the main clinical or haematologic data nor did they influence the patients' survival. Finally, collagen fibrosis and abnormal clusters of immature myeloid precursors were the only histologic features showing an unfavourable prognostic significance at the multivariate study.

Analysis of Variance↗

[Treatment of various lymphoproliferative syndromes with deoxycoformycin: results in 6 patients].

2'-Deoxycoformycin (DCF) is an experimental drug with specific lymphocytotoxic activity which has proved effective in the treatment of some lymphoproliferative syndromes (LPS). This paper deals with the results achieved in 6 patients with LPS, five of them with T-cell and one with B-cell malignancies, who received DCF as initial (2 cases) or salvage (4 cases) therapy. One patient with adult T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma achieved complete remission maintained for 36 months of follow-up; partial remission was attained in three others and the remaining two patients failed to respond to the treatment. Kidney toxicity was seen in three cases, and in two of them it was necessary to stop the treatment. Kidney toxicity was seen in three cases, and in two of them it was necessary to stop the treatment. Other untoward effects included nausea and vomiting (2 patients), myoclonus, dysaesthesia of the limbs and conjunctivitis arida (one case each). No haematologic or infectious complications were present in association with DCF treatment.

Adenosine Deaminase Inhibitors↗

[Thrombosis of the portal vein as a complication of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria].

A patient suffering nocturnal paroxysmal hemoglobinuria (HPN) associated with the recovery phase of a severe medullar aplasia, and who presented a thrombosis of the portal vein is described. The sudden appearance of fast growing splenomegaly with signs of hypersplenism was the sign that made us suspect of a portal thrombosis. The diagnosis was confirmed by an ultrasound and an angiographic study with DIVAS. The problems due to the thromboembolic complications of HPN are reviewed and the therapeutic possibilities are discussed.

Bone Marrow Diseases↗

Gonadotropins and prolactin serum levels during the perimenopausal period: correlation with diverse factors.

We studied 490 women aged 35 to 55 years randomly selected from the urban population of León, México. The mean age for the onset of menopause, calculated with a probit regression was 48.5 years. The median of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) increased with the rate of menopause women, but the 10th percentile for both hormones did not increase above 15 IU/L in older groups. Meanwhile, prolactin did not change. In menopause women FSH correlated positively with cigarette smoking, and negatively with body mass index. Luteinizing hormone had negative correlation with the number of pregnancies. Most symptoms studied were not associated with menopause or gonadotropins levels, except hot flushes, and the empty nest syndrome. It was concluded that during menopause, FSH increases with the smoking habit, and decreases with overweight.

Adult↗

[Treatment with cyclosporin A of the anemia associated with chronic lymphatic leukemia].

The anaemia accompanying chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) may have different causes (bone marrow infiltration, hypersplenism, immune haemolysis, haemorrhages) and is one of the poor-prognosis features of the disease. Treatment of advanced CLL patients with tumoral-infiltrative anaemia is based on chemotherapy. Nevertheless, some proofs seem to stress the important role played by suppressor T cells on the mechanism of the anaemia in such patients. As a result of these observations, cyclosporin A, a drug with proven efficacy in autoimmune diseases and bone marrow insufficiency, is being used in these cases. Three patients with advanced B-CLL and anaemia, refractory to treatment, received cyclosporin A (8-10 mg/kg, p.o. daily for 2-4 months). One of them recovered from anaemia and thrombocytopenia and is still in this situation after 11 months of suppression of therapy. Two other such cases are revised from the literature, as well as the role played by cyclosporin A in the therapy of CLL.

Adult↗

[Idiopathic myelofibrosis: clinical course, survival, and causes of death in a series of 60 patients].

The evolutive patterns, actuarial survival and causes of death of idiopathic myelofibrosis were analysed in a series of 60 patients. The median age of the patients was 64 years; 41 were males and 19 females. In the initial bone-marrow biopsy studies 25 patients were in stage MF/C, 17 in MF/O- and 18 in MF/O+. When performing this analysis, 32 patients were dead, 19 were still alive and 9 had been lost after a median follow-up of 6 months. The median survival of the whole series was 57 months. Four major evolutive patterns were recorded: 1) blastic crisis (7 cases), 2) portal vein hypertension (4 cases), 3) liver insufficiency due to massive myeloid metaplasia of the liver without signs of portal vein hypertension (5 cases); in 2 of them this pattern followed splenectomy), and 4) heart failure ascribable, at least partially, to post-transfusion haemochromatosis (3 cases). The blastic crisis appearing in 7 patients presented after a median follow-up of 19 months, and 6 of these patients have died after a median of 5 months since the diagnosis of the blastic crisis. In the 16 patients who died without any characteristic evolutive pattern, the following causes of death could be registered: septic shock (6 cases), intracranial haemorrhage, haemoperitoneum and acute renal failure (1 case each), whereas the cause of the deceased was unclear in the remaining 7 patients.

Aged↗

[Adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia: preliminary results of the LAL-86 protocol].

The preliminary results of the LAL-86 protocol applied to 43 patients diagnosed of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) or lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL) between May 1986 and April 1989 are reported. Induction treatment consisted of one or two courses of vincristine, daunorubicin, prednisone, cytosine arabinoside and 6-thioguanine combination therapy. This phase was followed by consolidation treatment, in which VM-26, cyclophosphamide, BCNU and L-asparaginase were added to the former agents. Central nervous system prophylaxis was done with intrathecal methotrexate. Patients under 45 years of age with HLA identical sibs were subjected to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in the first complete remission (CR); when no HLA-identical sibs were available patients were randomised into autologous BMT or maintenance therapy. The remaining patients received maintenance chemotherapy. CR was achieved in 34 ALL patients (79%), 5 were refractory to treatment and 4 died during remission induction. Allogeneic BMT was carried out in 6 cases, autologous BMT in 3, and the remainders received chemotherapy. When performing this review, 7 patients had relapsed and the actuarial probability of 2-year duration of CR was 70%. Sixteen patients have died with a two-year disease-free survival probability of 60%. The preliminary results of the LAL-86 protocol are encouraging, but greater number of patients is needed, as well as a longer follow-up, to assess the effect of chemotherapy and compare these findings to the results of autologous or allogeneic BMT in the first RC.

Actuarial Analysis↗

[Neoplasms associated with chronic lymphatic leukemia. Incidence and characteristics in a series of 232 patients].

The frequency and features of associated neoplastic diseases and their impact on survival were evaluated in a series of 232 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who had been diagnosed during an 18 year period. Thirty-two patients (13.8%) had overall 38 neoplasias, 27 of which were diagnosed after CLL. There were no significant differences in the initial clinical and hematological features of the patients depending on whether they had or not a second neoplastic disease or on the time of its development. When compared with the normal population of similar age and sex, the patients with CLL, particularly females, had and increased risk to develop other tumors. The actuarial analysis showed that the risk of developing associated tumors increased through time up to 36% nine years after the diagnosis (27% when skin neoplasias were excluded). Although differences in survival were not found between patients with CLL and associated tumor and the rest of the series, most patients with noncutaneous neoplasia died as a direct consequence of it 18 months after its diagnosis.

Actuarial Analysis↗

[Primary myelofibrosis: description of a series of 53 patients].

The clinical and hematological profile of 53 patients in whom primary myelofibrosis (PMF) had been diagnosed during the last 15 years was evaluated. Median age was 64 years (range 17-86). Thirty-five patients were males and 18 females. The most frequent symptoms were associated with the hypermetabolic state, anemia and splenomegaly. The latter was found in 96% of patients, while 83% had hepatomegaly and 9% had lymphadenopathy. Thirty-three patients had anemia at the time of diagnosis. The leukocyte and platelet counts were normal or moderately high in most cases. Myelemia was found in 83% of patients, with circulating erythroblasts in 72%. The most common biochemical abnormalities were the increased serum LDH (84%) and hypocholesterolemia (62%). Bone marrow aspirate was not analyzable in most cases. Bone marrow biopsy showed myelofibrosis in hypercellular phase in 22 patients, myelofibrosis without osteosclerosis in 17, and myelofibrosis with osteosclerosis in 14. The median survival of the series was 3.8 years; 34 patients had died at the time of the analysis. The major causes of death were infection, cardiovascular complications and hemorrhage. In 4 patients the evolution from PMF to acute leukemia was observed.

Adolescent↗

[Analysis of response to treatment. Considerations on changing prognostic variables (time-dependent)].

In the prognostic evaluations the initial variables, obtained at the time of diagnosis, and the evolutive or time-dependent variables, that appear during the course of the disease, should be clearly differentiated. If this separation is not strictly maintained inaccurate results may be obtained. The errors resulting from the use of an inappropriate methodology are illustrated in the present article on the basis of two series of patients. On the other hand, the advantages and shortcomings of alternative methods, which are valid for prognostic studies with evolutive or time-dependent variables, are discussed. Finally, recommendations are given for the particular instance where the response to therapy in a therapeutic trial is being assessed.

Biometry↗

Iron stores in essential thrombocythaemia. A study of 26 patients.

The iron status of 26 patients with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) was evaluated at diagnosis by means of bone marrow iron and blood studies, including serum ferritin determination. Nine patients were males, 17 females, and the mean age was 53 years (range 7-81). A decreased or absent iron level by semiquantitative estimation on bone marrow smears was observed in 77% of patients, and 81% had a low sideroblast score. Such a marrow pattern of iron depletion was equally distributed between both sexes. Contrasting with this, normal Hb, MCV, serum iron and serum ferritin were registered in the majority of cases. According to these results, absent or decreased marrow iron would be a common feature in ET, generally not reflecting true iron deficiency, as it occurs in the remaining chronic myeloproliferative disorders. Thus, in patients in whom ET is suspected, the diagnostic criterion of ruling out iron deficiency would be better served by serum ferritin measurement than by bone marrow iron estimation.

Adolescent↗