Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Santagati

Publications and source records attributed to G Santagati.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Weekly administration of vincristine, cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone and bleomycin (VEMB) in the treatment of elderly aggressive non Hodgkin's lymphoma. Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio dei Linfomi.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of VEMB, a short-lasting therapeutic regimen (50 days) which alternates two myelotoxic drugs (cyclophosphamide and mitoxantrone) every week with two less hematologically toxic drugs (vincristine and bleomycin) in the treatment of aggressive NHL in the elderly (over 70). DESIGN AND METHODS: Between November 1994 and March 1996, 37 patients aged more than 70 years, with highly or moderately malignant NHL (according to the Working Formulation) have been enrolled into the study. The stage of the disease ranged between II and IV according to Ann Arbor. Mean age was 77 years; 14 patients (38%) had stage IV; 19 patients (51%) had LDH higher than normal; 26 patients (70%) had extranodal and 9 patients (24%) had bulky disease at time of diagnosis. RESULTS: Sixty-two percent of patients achieved a complete and 22% a partial remission. Non-responders amounted to 5%. Four patients (11%) died during the therapy. Nine patients (24%) experienced grade III-IV neutropenia. The most frequently observed event was mild neurotoxicity (43% of cases). The overall survival rate at 30 months was 55%. DFS at 24 months was 66%. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: VEMB is a therapeutic regimen whose efficacy is comparable to that of the other derived MACOP-B therapeutic regimens used in the elderly NHL. It has proved to have a good feasibility, though the number of toxic deaths should not be neglected.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

[In vitro effects of IL-2 on human hypophyseal adenoma].

The effects of two different concentrations of IL-2 on human pituitary adenomas (one secreting ACTH and one secreting GH) were evaluated in vitro. A specimen of the tumor was dissagregated and the cells were incubated for three days with RPMI 1640 medium. The medium was then decanted and the cells were incubated with 1 mlo of fresh medium for three hours and then with new fresh medium containing two different concentrations of IL-2, 100U/ml, for three hours too. The pituitary hormones, ACTH and GH, released into the medium were assayed by RIA. Dose of 100 U IL-2 induced a profound increase of ACTH release. The other dose decreased ACTH release. The release of GH was suppressed by IL-2 at the two concentrations tested. IL-2 may be an immunologic messenger exerting direct action at pituitary level. It appears probable that IL-2 plays an important role in determining the response of the pituitary to stress and infections.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1994

Low doses of alpha 2B interferon in the treatment of hairy cell leukemia: results of treatment and mean follow-up at 18 months in 13 patients.

We treated 13 Hairy Cell Leukemia patients with rIFN a 2b. In case of complete/partial response, the patients were submitted to maintenance treatment, while, in case of minimal/no response, a second induction cycle was administered, followed by a maintenance one. The patients were followed, on an outpatients basis, for 18 months at least, obtaining a 100% overall response rate; one patient had complete response, 7 had partial response, and 5 only minimal response. Six patients (46%) relapsed an average of 13 months after the end of the treatment. The utility of a maintenance therapy is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Hashimoto's thyroiditis and HLA in Caucasian Italians].

Sixty cases of goitrous Hashimoto's thyroiditis were observed at the first diagnosis. For 18 of the cases, the diagnosis was made only on the basis of cytological examination since antithyroid antibodies were always negative. To determine if seronegative or seropositive forms constituted a particular genetically determined subgroup, we evaluated whether such peculiarities were related to specific HLA haplotype. Analysis of HLA antigens showed in the seropositive a significant increase in the frequency of HLA-B51 and HLA-A2, a significant decrease in the frequency of HLA-A1 and HLA-DR1. In seronegative cases no increase was found in the frequency of HLA-A-B-DR antigens, but they showed a strong positive association with HLA-DQ3. Our results show that association of Hashimoto's thyroiditis with HLA antigens was different in seronegative and seropositive subgroup. This finding would seem to support the hypothesis that in a few subjects the entire immune process develops exclusively within the involved organ and this process would be genetically determined.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Chemoprevention of indirect and direct chemical carcinogenesis by carotenoids as oxygen radical quenchers.

Beta-carotene (BC) and canthaxanthine (CX), two carotenoids with and without pro-vitamin A activity, respectively, were found to help to prevent benzo[a]pyrene (BP)-induced skin carcinogenesis in the dark and BP photocarcinogenesis (UV 300-400 nm) when given as an oral supplement to female Swiss albino mice. The same experimental procedure was adapted to 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) photoinduction of mammary carcinomas in mice. Here also, the two carotenoids were strongly antitumorigenic. Indeed, 8-MOP photomutagenesis, tested in S. typhimurium TA 102, appeared to depend on a two-step reaction, namely an oxygen-independent DNA-8-MOP photoadduct, followed by an oxygen-dependent second step, sensitive to carotenoids. This result suggests that dietary carotenoids (powerful antioxidant molecules) might prevent the carcinogenic risk caused by substances that are transformed into ultimate carcinogens by oxidative processes which are indirectly carcinogenic. Finally, to verify whether supplemental carotenoids can affect carcinogenesis where neither light excitation nor oxidative metabolic processes are involved, an experimental attempt was made on gastric carcinogenesis induced in rats by the direct carcinogen N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). The results demonstrate that supplemental carotenoids do not affect initiation and progression stages, but do prevent the progression stage of dysplasias to infiltrating gastric carcinomas. Thus, this provides strong presumptive evidence for oxygen radical involvement in the later stages of this neoplastic development, as recently reported in the literature. As far as mutagenicity in S. typhimurium is concerned, carotenoids do not exert, as expected, any protective effect on MNNG mutagenic activity. The above experimental data suggest that supplemental carotenoids, instead of sunscreen preparations, can be adopted by outdoor workers to prevent skin cancer. Accordingly, such natural antioxidants may be useful in human chemoprevention against neoplasias of the lung, breast, urinary bladder, and colon and rectum even after radical surgery.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

[Anti-ammonemic activity of the gamma-ethyl ester of glutamic acid. Controlled clinical study].

A controlled clinical trial was made of the anti-ammoniaemic properties of gamma-ethylester glutamic acid, arginine and placebo in a series of 45 patients with hepatic insufficiency characterized by hyperammonemia (excluding cases of pre-coma and coma) randomly assigned to three groups for treatment with: gamma-ethylester of glutamic acid (25 g), l-arginine (25 g) and physiological solution in identical 500 ml bottles. Various parameters were controlled. The results obtained were assessed with different statistical techniques, depending on the parameter concerned and the aims of the trial. Blood ammoniaemia was significantly decreased by both-ethylester of glutamic acid and arginine though the former was more effective quantitatively and in terms of time. SGOT and BSF values also followed the same pattern.

Ammonia↗
PubMed1978

[Cystic lymphangioma of the spleen associated with hypersplenism].

A rare case of cystic lymphangioma of the spleen accompanying hypersplenism syndrome is described. After stressing the importance of certain examinations such as arteriography and splenic scintigraphy in diagnosis the condition, the many ways in which cystic lymphangioma of the spleen may present clinically are reviewed; these go from asymptomatic to straightforward splenomegaly, with or without clinical signs, up to a clear-cut hypersplenism syndrome. The present case merits consideration for three reasons: 1) The absolutely exceptional nature of cystic lymphangioma of the spleen; 2) Exceptional association with hypersplenism syndrome; 3) Remission of the syndrome following splenectomy. It is concluded that, notwithstanding the condition's rarity, cystic lymphangioma of the spleen should be considered in the differential diagnosis of splenomegalic syndromes when these are also accompanied by hypersplenism.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

[Evaluation of the bone marrow granulocyte reserve in patients with Hodgkin's disease during antiblastic polychemo- and radiation therapy].

The ethiocholanolone test was used to evaluate the granulocyte reserve in 22 patients with Hodgkin's disease before and during polychemical antiblastic and radiation therapy. Under basal conditions, the reserve was normal and its behavior was fairly constantly related to histological type. Stress is laid on the inadequacy of the simple leukocyte count as a guide to the planning of treatment by comparison with the more accurate picture offered by the granulocyte reserve.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

[Glutamic acid gamma-ethyl ester in high doses in the treatment of high blood ammonia levels in severe hepatic failure].

The AA. administered i.v. large doses of gamma-ethylester of glutamic acid to 22 patients affected with severe liver failure associated to mental and neuromuscolar abnormalities as tremors, confusion, restlesness which have been duly recorded for the purpose of this evaluation. The average daily dose was 36.3 gm and the treatment lasted as an average 9.5 days. The peripheral venous blood ammonia was checked, at the beginning and at the end of the treatment, in all the patients and in some, at random, the following parameters were determined: pH, pCO2, pO2, HCO3, TCO2, oxygen saturation on arterial blood. The treatment caused a statistically remarkable decrease of blood ammonia in 21 of 22 patients. The mental and neuromuscolar abnormalities too showed a statistically important downward trend vs. the basal values. The acid-base balance did not record any remarkable variation. The AA. judge as absolutely positive the trial carried out with gamma-ethylester of glutamic acid. The large doses used caused clear-cut and dramatic improvements and were estremely well tolerated.

Acid-Base Imbalance↗