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Biomedical subjects

I Quirt

Publications and source records attributed to I Quirt.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Is bone marrow examination in small-cell lung cancer really necessary?

Of 403 patients with small-cell lung cancer, we identified by aspiration, biopsy, or both 67 with bone marrow involvement and found the two procedures to be complementary in detecting marrow involvement. The mean surface area of the positive biopsy specimens was significantly greater than that of a randomly selected group of negative biopsy specimens, suggesting that the larger the specimen, the greater the chance of detecting tumour. Patients with marrow involvement had only a slightly worse prognosis compared with other patients who had extensive disease. Only 7 of the 403 patients (1.7%) had extensive disease based on marrow involvement alone. Because bone marrow examination rarely changes the stage of cancer in noninvasively assessed patients, and has no impact on the tolerance of chemotherapy and only a small effect on length of survival, we do not recommend this procedure in the routine staging of small-cell lung cancer.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1986

Toxicity of oral N-methylformamide in three phase II trials: a report from the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group.

Three National Cancer Institute of Canada phase II studies of N-methylformamide (NMF), given in a three times/week oral schedule, closed early because of frequent and occasionally severe toxicity. Eighteen of 41 (44%) cycles of treatment were not completed because of problems with NMF-induced hepatic and gastrointestinal toxicity. Several other reactions occurred, including skin rashes, abdominal pain, and gastritis, which were drug induced. One death occurred on study and was thought to be due in part to NMF toxicity. Further work exploring alternative schedules is needed before phase II studies of oral NMF can be done.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1985

A phase II study of spirogermanium in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma. An NCI Canada Clinical Trials Group Study.

The National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group conducted a phase II study of spirogermanium given daily for 5 days every 3 weeks to previously untreated patients with malignant melanoma. In 21 evaluable patients one complete response was seen (response rate 5%). Disease progression occurred in the other 20 patients. Toxicity was primarily neurologic and mild or moderate in most patients, though there was one treatment related death. In this schedule spirogermanium has extremely limited activity against malignant melanoma and will not contribute significantly to the systemic therapy of this disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

A phase II study of spirogermanium as second line therapy in patients with poor prognosis lymphoma. An NCI Canada Clinical Trials Group Study.

The National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group conducted a phase II study of spirogermanium given daily for 5 days every 3 weeks to patients with poor prognosis non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. All patients had had a maximum of one prior treatment regimen. No responses were seen in 13 evaluable patients. Toxicity was primarily neurologic and mild or moderate in most patients. There is no evidence of activity of spirogermanium given in this schedule in this subset of lymphoma patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Lomustine, vincristine, and procarbazine in the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma.

Sixty-five previously untreated patients with metastatic malignant melanoma were treated with lomustine, vincristine, and procarbazine. Sixty-four patients were evaluable for response, with a response rate of 13%. Only one complete response was observed, in a patient with nodal disease only. Three partial responses were observed in patients with disease confined to soft tissue, and four partial responses were observed in patients with pulmonary metastases. Median survival for all patients was 22 weeks. We conclude that this regimen offers no improvement compared to other drug combinations.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Survey of surgical management of malignant melanoma in Canada: optimal margins of excision and lymph-node dissection.

The feasibility of clinical trials involving the surgical management of primary melanoma was assessed through a survey of Canadian surgeons who treat this disease. Surgeons were polled as to their current practice regarding node dissection and margins of resection of the primary lesion. Their interest in randomized trials addressing these practices was also assessed. Two hundred and forty questionnaires were distributed to 20 centres across Canada. The total number of patients with melanoma seen annually by the 131 surgeons who responded was 790 - of the approximately 1000 new cases of melanoma diagnosed in Canada each year. Of responding surgeons, 63% currently perform wide excision (taking 3 to 5 cm of normal tissue) for lesions less than 1.5 mm in depth and 37% perform limited excision (including 1 to 2 cm of normal tissue). Of all surgeons responding, 76% were interested in a randomized trial comparing wide and limited excision in these superficial lesions. Currently, 90% of surgeons perform wide excision of lesions 1.5 mm or more in depth and 10% perform limited excision. Fifty-nine percent were interested in a randomized trial comparing wide and limited excision in these deeper lesions. Twenty-four percent of surgeons routinely perform prophylactic node dissection on all patients with lesions 1.5 mm or more in depth; 66% wait until there is clinical suspicion of nodal metastases and 9% follow some other policy. The results of this survey indicate that (a) surgical management is varied, (b) radical surgery remains common practice and (c) surgeons are interested in randomized trials that will determine optimal treatment.

Canada↗
PubMed1983

0-7-21 radiotherapy in nodular melanoma.

Fifty-four patients from August 1975 to March 1980 were treated with high dose per fraction (0-7-21) radiotherapy for malignant melanoma. The patients were subdivided into three clinical subtypes of disease: microscopic residual melanoma following surgery (22 patients), gross residual melanoma following surgery (nine patients), and recurrent melanoma (23 patients). Eighteen of 22 (82%) of patients treated for microscopic residual disease have been free of local recurrence to date. Ten of the 18 are alive and free of disease for up to 44 months following irradiation. Seven of nine (78%) patients treated for gross residual tumor have had no recurrence or progression of tumor in the irradiated volume, five of the nine achieved a complete remission and three are alive and free of disease at ten, 13, and 42 months, respectively. Twenty-three patients with recurrent melanoma were irradiated. Nine achieved a complete remission (39%) of tumor in the irradiated volume and three are alive and free of disease at up to 56 months following irradiation treatment. Three major complications of irradiation have been seen in the 54 patients treated. It is concluded that nodular melanoma is not a radioresistant tumor, large dose per fraction radiotherapy produces a high response rate of patients with measurable disease which is prolonged in some patients. The indications for radiotherapy in nodular melanoma are discussed and prospective studies of irradiation in melanoma are proposed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Radical radiotherapy as primary treatment for Ewing's sarcoma distal to the elbow and knee.

This article is a review of 22 cases of Ewing's sarcoma peripheral to the elbow and knee treated with moderate dose radiotherapy, with special reference to local control, functional result and risk of irradiation induced sarcoma. Eleven patients (50%) are alive two to 16 years following radiotherapy. Two of these had local recurrences, one being salvaged by reirradiation and the other by amputation. The functional results of treatment were assessed in the nine survivors who did not have a recurrence . Eight had normal limb function and one had a 3 cm leg-length discrepancy. Nine patients in the total experience of the hospital who survived more than ten years after radiotherapy were assessed for evidence of postirradiation sarcoma and none were found. The excellent results of radiotherapy in terms of local control, function and lack of irradiation induced sarcomas is attributed to the use of moderate doses of irradiation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Stimulation of human NK cell activity by cultured cells. II Ingestion of aspirin by blood donors suppresses induced NK activity.

Incubation of mononuclear cells with a melanoma tumour cell. M4, induces a rapid increase in NK cell activity in both normal and tumour patient cells. A marked individual variation among the patient population can be attributed to the prior ingestion of aspirin. Single therapeutic doses of aspirin (two tablets, 660 mg) taken 12 hr prior to donation of the blood sample cause an 80-100% reduction in the NK cell activity induced by M4. Since many patients coming to cancer clinics take aspirin regularly, it is essential that they be questioned about their recent usage of this drug if their cells are to be used in assays for NK activity.

Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity↗
PubMed1978

Stimulation of human NK-cell activity by cultured cells. I. Response of normals.

Natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity, observed on co-cultivation of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) with malignant melanoma tumor cells (M4), is described. The activity was inhibited when PBL were cultured in autologous serum. Studies using competitive inhibition with cold targets and stimulation of PBL with other tumor cell lines failed to detect specificity.

Cell Line↗