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Biomedical subjects

G Altavilla

Publications and source records attributed to G Altavilla.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Giant cell arteritis of fallopian tube.

One case of giant cells arteritis involving tubaric arteries in a postmenopausal woman is described. The patient was 59 years old and presented with asthenia, anemia, fever, weight loss, an abdominal palpable mass and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a large ovarian cyst of 14 cm in diameter. Extensive giant cell arteritis, Horton's type, of the small-sizes arteries was found unexpectedly in the fallopian tube of the patient who had had a prior ovariectomy. Giant cell arteritis of the female genital tract is a rare finding in elderly women and may occur as an isolated finding or as part of generalised arteritis.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Systemic expression of HIV-1 tat gene in transgenic mice induces endothelial proliferation and tumors of different histotypes.

The human immunodeficiency virus tat protein, a transactivator of viral and cellular genes, is suspected to be involved in the pathogenesis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated tumors. We report that transgenic mice carrying a recombinant DNA containing BK virus early region and the human immunodeficiency virus tat gene develop skin leiomyosarcomas, squamous cell papillomas and carcinomas, adenocarcinomas of skin adnexa, glands, and B-cell lymphomas. Although the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is low, most animals show a liver cell dysplasia of variable degree. These mice are also affected by skin lesions resembling the early stages of Kaposi's sarcoma. The transgene was detected intact in all the organs of transgenic mice, generally as multiple tandemly integrated copies. BK virus early region and tat were expressed in essentially all tissues and organs of BK virus/tat transgenic mice. This transgenic mouse model is representative of the systemic involvement of tat in human immunodeficiency virus natural infection and may be applied to investigate the role of tat in malignancies associated to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, to study Kaposi's sarcoma pathogenesis and cell of origin, to characterize preneoplastic conditions established by tat in the skin and liver, and to assess in vivo the efficacy of antiangiogenic and anti-tat-specific drugs.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1993

Ondansetron plus dexamethasone in the control of high dose cisplatin-induced emesis.

Twenty-two patients who underwent chemotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP) at doses > 100 mg/m2 also received antiemetic treatment comprised of the combination of ondansetron plus dexamethasone. The results obtained have shown a good activity from this combination with these high doses of CDDP, with a response of 81.8% (complete+major protection). There were also three therapeutic failures in patients with a few negative prognostic characteristics. It is our intention to use a benzodiazepine and adequate psychological support in an attempt to increase the response percentages in these kinds of patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Combined granular cell tumour of the oesophagus and stomach: a case report and review of the literature.

The case of a 56-year-old man with contemporary benign granular cell tumour of the oesophagus and stomach is reported. Surgical resection of the oesophagus and stomach was performed after the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma on a superficial oesophageal biopsy which showed a pseudo-epitheliomatous hyperplasia of the stratified squamous epithelium covering the oesophageal Granular Cell Tumour (GCT). Hyperplasia was also found in the overlying gastric mucosa. Eight GCTs of the oesophagus, observed between 1980 and 1985, were reevaluated to compare the neoplastic characteristics and the occurrence of overlying epithelial hyperplasia. Only one patient was female; three had multiple oesophageal tumours and four showed pseudo-epitheliomatous hyperplasia. A review of the literature is included with emphasis on the rare cases of multiple GCTs. The association of chronic alcoholism with GCT of the gastro-intestinal tract is also stressed.

Esophageal Neoplasms↗
PubMed1993

Chemotherapy and operation for invasive thymoma.

Sixteen patients with invasive thymoma (stage III and stage IVA) were treated with chemotherapy and then operation. All tumors were considered nonresectable after first staging, and patients were treated with the following chemotherapy in 4-day courses, administered intravenously: cisplatin (50 mg/m2) and doxorubicin (40 mg/m2) on day 1, vincristine (0.6 mg/m2) on day 3, and cyclophosphamide (700 mg/m2) on day 4. The courses were repeated every 3 weeks, and toxic effects were well tolerated. Seven patients (43%) had a complete remission, and nine patients (57%) had a partial remission, with an overall complete remission plus partial remission rate of 100%. After chemotherapy all patients underwent operation. We performed 12 sternotomies and four posterolateral thoracotomies. At operation 11 patients had radical resection and five had partial resection. We administered radiotherapy in 11 patients who had histologically demonstrated tumor after operation. In five patients, the specimen showed only fibrosis; these patients received three cycles of chemotherapy but not radiotherapy. Median survival was 66 months with a 3-year survival of 70%. We believe that neoadjuvant chemotherapy with surgical intervention is justified for advanced invasive thymoma; a longer follow-up and a larger number of patients will determine the impact of this treatment on long-term survival.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Unusual relapse of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The authors report a patient with iatrogenic dissemination of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A 65-year-old Caucasian man was found to have a moderately well-differentiated HCC diagnosed by laparoscopy and biopsy; the patient had atypical left liver lobe resection. Thirty-three months after definitive surgery a double relapse was found at the site of the previous laparoscopy and at the surgical scar; no other metastases were found. Surgical procedure for removal of these lesions was performed, and the patient received complementary radiation therapy. At 30 months of follow-up, the patient is alive and disease free. The risk of neoplastic seeding through biopsy and improved safety in surgical techniques justify the omission of diagnostic biopsy in patients who have surgical procedures.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Giant intrapericardial solitary fibrous tumor.

A 60-year-old man with a large pericardial effusion was found to have a giant intrapericardial solitary fibrous mesothelioma firmly attached to the ascending aorta and pulmonary trunk. Nine months after excision of the mass the patient is free from symptoms and signs of tumor recurrence. Solitary fibrous mesothelioma is a rare benign tumor and its excision is curative; however, because of the lack of information on its long-term behavior, close noninvasive follow-up of this patient is necessary.

Echocardiography↗
PubMed1992

Serous tumors of the ovary: ultrastructural observations.

One borderline primary serous ovarian tumor and six carcinomas were studied by means of electron microscopy. Borderline malignant tumor evidenced concomitant presence of both benign and malign serous epithelium. Ultrastructural observations revealed differentiation characteristics which involved complex architecture of cell arrangement and polarity in the distribution of the organelle and intercellular junctions. The cilia believed to be more frequent in benign tumors were also reported in poorly differentiated carcinomas and so may not be considered as reliable prognostic markers.

Cystadenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1991

Cyclosporin A, effect on cytoskeleton and glycosaminoglycans in human gingival fibroblasts. Immunohistochemical and biochemical evaluation.

The effect of Cyclosporin A (CyA) in culture of human gingival fibroblasts was assessed. Extracellular and intracellular glycosaminoglycans decrease in treated cells. The ratio of non sulphated over sulphated GAGs (glycosaminoglycans) increased only in the medium. Cytoskeleton organization of treated fibroblasts was also studied by immunohistochemical means and by ultrastructural observations. Minor alterations were documented in the structure and distribution of cytoplasmic organelles. The organization of tubulin and vimentin filaments did not change in Cy A treated cells either. This study confirms the capability of Cyclosporin A to induce alterations of GAG production and synthesis with no interference in cytoplasm organization. Normal pathway GAG secretion is suggested.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

VP16, epirubicin and procarbazine in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

We report the results obtained in the treatment of 52 advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients with the combination chemotherapy VP16 (120 mg/m2 i.v., days 1-2-3), epirubicin (50 mg/m2 i.v., day 1) and procarbazine (100 mg/m2 p.o., days 1 through 8). The courses were repeated every 21 days. No patient had been pretreated. A median of 5 courses was administered. Partial response was obtained in 33% and no change in 21% of patients. Median remission time was 6.5 months, and median survival of responders was 10 months. The best response rate and median survival were obtained in the lowest grade performance status patients and in locally advanced disease patients. Major chemotherapy related toxicities were grade 1-2 leukopenia and grade 2-3 alopecia.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Treatment of advanced and/or metastatic epidermoid carcinoma of the head and neck: an effective combination chemotherapy with bleomycin, methotrexate and ftorafur.

29 evaluable patients with advanced and/or metastatic epidermoid carcinomas of the head and neck were treated with a combination of bleomycin, methotrexate and ftorafur. 3 complete remission, 12 partial remission (objective response 51.7%), 10 stable disease and 4 progressed disease were obtained, with the best responses in the oral cavity and skin carcinomas. The grade of performance status and the pretreatments affected the response, with a very high response rate in nonpretreated patients, where objective results were obtained in all cases. The toxicity was very mild. We believe that this combination can be recommended for epidermoid carcinomas of the skin and oral cavity, considering its high response rate, feasibility and low toxicity.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Antiblastic treatment of advanced cervical carcinoma and its recurrences: assessment of four different polychemotherapies used for a decade.

Eighty-seven women with advanced cervical carcinoma were treated, in 10 years, with systemic antiblastic chemotherapy using 4 different regimens in 4 successive periods: first VBM, then MAB, CDDP and finally BMFt. Selection of a regimen different than the initial one aimed to obtain a better response and less toxicity. As a whole, 25% positive responses (CR and PR) and an SD which varied from 31.4% to 58.3% were obtained. Among the regimens used, the one with bleomycin, methotrexate and ftorafur had a response rate (OR + SD) of 75% which is higher than what was obtained with regimens VBM and MAB and is similar to CDDP. Less toxicity with greater compliance were shown.

Adult↗