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Biomedical subjects

J Ritter

Publications and source records attributed to J Ritter.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

DNA aneuploidy in children with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia as measured by flow cytometry.

An aneuploid DNA stem line has been detected by flow cytometric measurements in 17 (29%) out of 59 children entered in the BFM 83 pilot study for ALL relapse. Of 17 DNA aneuploidies, 15 were hyperdiploid. Euploidy was observed in 28 of 34 patients with an early relapse, whereas 11 of 25 children suffering a late recurrence of disease showed aneuploid DNA stem lines. In contradistinction to ALL relapse, a significantly higher frequency (38%) of pretreatment DNA aneuploidy was measured in 376 newly diagnosed patients of the BFM trials. Our findings may reflect the impact of therapy on leukemic cell clones and their relapse pattern.

Aneuploidy↗
PubMed1987

Acute leukemia with chromosome translocation (4;11): 7 new patients and analysis of 71 cases.

Clinical and laboratory features of seven patients with acute leukemia associated with the (4;11) chromosome translocation are presented. Leukemic blasts of these patients showed lymphoid morphology in 6 (although 1 was treated for monoblastic leukemia 3 years earlier) and monocytoid morphology in 1, were positive for TdT and HD 37 (CD 19) in 6 patients, whereas weak expression of CALLA was seen in only 1 patient and T-lineage-associated antigens in none. Leukemic blasts from four patients showed the simultaneous expression of B-lymphoid and myeloid antigens, suggesting leukemogenesis in a very early multipotent progenitor cell. In 2 patients an isochromosome of the long arm of No. 7 chromosome was found in the leukemic karyotypes in addition to t (4; 11) (q 21; q 23); in one instance present at diagnosis, in the other one occurring at relapse. In one other patient leukemia karyotype also demonstrated trisomy 8. Leukemic cells of three patients were investigated by molecular genetics and demonstrated immunoglobulin gene rearrangements for the Ig heavy chain sequences but not for the light chain constant regions and T cell receptor sequences. All patients were treated by intensive chemotherapy. Four of the 7 patients are in continuous complete remission. The longest event-free survival time (over 2 1/2 years) was seen in one patient who had also DOWN-syndrome. Including these 7 patients a clinical analysis of 71 patients with t (4; 11) acute leukemia was made, emphasizing the following characteristics at diagnosis: female sex (62%), age under 2 years (49%), leukocyte count over 100 X 10(9)/1 (61%), splenomegaly (80%), CNS-disease (11%). Survival of over 2 years was reported in less than 15% of the patients. It remains to be seen if risk-adapted treatment can alter the course of this early B-precursor acute leukemia with hitherto very bad prognosis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

Lack of reactivity of anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) P17/18 antibodies against alpha 1 thymosin and of anti-alpha 1 thymosin monoclonal antibody against P17/18 protein.

The blood rate of alpha 1 thymosin is increased during HIV infection, despite the thymus involution. Anti-alpha 1 thymosin antibodies inhibit HIV replication in vitro. A homology between alpha 1 thymosin and the HIV P17/18 core protein exists and would explain a cross-antigenicity. We have studied the interaction between anti P17/18 antibodies from HIV patients and alpha 1 thymosin and between an anti-alpha 1 thymosin monoclonal antibody and the P17/18 protein. We were unable to confirm any cross-reactivity. During acquired immune deficiency syndrome, a major involution of the thymus appears with a severe depletion of thymocytes and epithelial cells. Certain thymic functions are missing, as corroborated by the reduction of the hormone thymulin in the blood. At the same time, the blood rate of the 2 other hormones (partly of thymic origin), alpha 1 thymosin and beta 4 thymosin is increased. One of the theories explaining this discordance is that patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome produce molecules which have a cross antigenicity with these thymic hormones. Sarin et al. have recorded a 50% homology between the C-terminal part (last 18 aminoacids) of alpha 1 thymosin and the part between the 92nd and the 109th aminoacids of the HIV P17/18 protein. The cross reactivity between this P17/18 protein and alpha 1 thymosin would explain the high rates of alpha 1 thymosin found in the radio-immunoassay of sera from patients infected with HIV. Another result of this cross-reactivity is the ability of alpha 1 thymosin antibodies to inhibit HIV replication in the H9 permissive cell line.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1987

[High dosage ARA-C in combination with mitoxantrone in therapy of acute myeloid leukemia in childhood. Initial results of the AML BFM-85 recurrence study].

19 children with AML were treated using the combination of high dose cytosine-arabinoside and mitoxantrone. All children were initially treated according to protocol AML-BFM-83. 6 children with refractory AML, 9 children with bone-marrow relapse during or after maintenance therapy and 4 children with residual blasts (5-25%) after remission induction and consolidation therapy AML-BFM 83 were treated with the relapse protocol. 6 of 15 children with refractory AML and all 4 children with residual blasts achieved a complete remission. 2 children died in bone-marrow aplasia and 1 child did not respond. One child died after further mitoxantrone treatment due to toxic cardiomyopathy. All children went into severe bone marrow aplasia, which lasted in median 27 days. These data indicate a high antileukemic activity of HD-ARA C/mitoxantrone in childhood AML.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1987

[Ovarian pregnancy. Apropos of 32 cases].

Ovarian pregnancies usually are diagnosed by the trophoblast which has gone into the ovarian tissue being found histologically. These pregnancies usually suggest haemorrhage from the corpus luteum or a rupture of ovarian cysts. The average age at which they appear is 29, just as it is the age for tubal pregnancies, but they do differ because there are few signs of infection and of infertility, and there are more multipara and women who are wearing an IUD. Two-thirds of ovarian pregnancies are on the peritoneal surface or in the hilum, away from the corpus luteum, and one-third are situated on the scar of the follicular ostium and have later infiltrated into the follicle. Most of these cases can be explained by reflux of the oocyte into the peritoneum.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Dysfunctional endometria].

Functional endometrial disturbances may be divided into four main types: 1) deficient proliferative phase: atrophic endometrium resulting from nonfunctioning ovaries; resting endometrium resulting from inadequate ovarian function; endometrium associated with an anovulatory cycle; and endometrium associated with persistent estrogenic stimulation. 2) deficient secretory phase: delayed secretion (after twenty-two days); persistent secretion; irregular endometrial secretion; and gonadotropic endometrial hyperstimulation. 3) deficient involutive phase: premature involution of the secretory endometrium (synchronous corpus luteum but early breakdown); excessive shedding of the secretory endometrium (synchronous corpus luteum but fast breakdown); and prolonged involution of the secretory endometrium (irregular shedding: persistent corpus luteum). 4) deficient regenerative phase: delayed regeneration (ovular implantation or prolonged treatment by gestagens) and regeneration after curettage or after endometrial subinvolution.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1987

Myelodysplastic syndromes in childhood. Report of 21 patients from Italy and West Germany.

Nine Italian and 12 German children fulfilled the criteria of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), according to the French-American-British (FAB) classification. All patients belonged to the more aggressive subtypes of myelodysplastic syndromes. Four presented with refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB), 16 presented with refractory anemia with excess of blasts in transformation (RAEB-T), and 1 had chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Dyserythropoiesis and dysgranulopoiesis were seen in all patients, and dysmegakaryopoiesis was seen in most patients. Cytogenetic studies in 13 of the 21 children showed karyotype abnormalities in 8; 5 had monosomy 7. Eleven patients were treated with intensive chemotherapy soon after diagnosis; 6 achieved complete remission (CR), and 2 of them are alive and still in complete remission after 48 and 69 months. Low-dose cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) was given in six children without improvement. Bone marrow transplantation after progression of the disease has produced complete remission lasting 28 + months now in one of two patients. Four patients received only symptomatic treatment. The rate of 5-year survival for the total group was 20% (SD 9%). We conclude that children with MDS may benefit from more aggressive treatment, but that in general the survival rate is poor and similar to that observed in adults with the same subtypes of this disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

[Postoperative surveillance of cancer of the endometrium].

Adenocarcinoma of the endometrium has often wrongly the reputation of being a good cancer. The study of prognostic factors enables to differentiate between patients with low and high risk of recurrence. The frequency of early recurrences requires in all cases a regular and repeated post-operative monitoring, especially during the first two years.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1987

[Risk factors in cancer of the endometrium].

The authors evaluate the incidence of the main risk factors in endometrial cancer by comparing a continuous series of 101 patients with a matched reference series. Among these factors, obesity and multiparity are significantly more frequent in patients with endometrial cancer. All of these risk factors are related to a hyperestrogen level. Their knowledge may contribute to a policy of prevention of endometrial cancer, but does not permit its screening by limiting to women presenting these risk factors.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Endometrial carcinoma and their precursors].

Endometrial carcinoma is significantly linked to the excess of exogenous and endogenous estrogens, non-tempered by progesterone. It is the second cancer in women after breast cancer. It is still detected with difficulty at the pre-invasive stage. Evaluation of its histological grade during the diagnosis (aspiration, curettage) influences the treatment. Grade I (80 p. cent of the cases) includes common carcinomas and their mucinous variants, with malpighian metaplasia, cytologically benign. Grade II concerns poorly differentiated carcinomas. Grade III concerns adeno squamous, anaplastic, seropapillar and clear cells carcinomas. The invasive stage, established on the operative specimen, represent the main prognostic factor. The risks of recurrence or metastases are practically non-existent when the carcinoma is localized to the endometrium, very low if the carcinoma invades a few mm of the myometrium, moderate if the medial half is involved, much higher if the invasion exceeds half of the thickness of the myometrium and/or involves the cervix.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1987

[Detection of cancer of the endometrium].

The frequency and severity of endometrial cancer justify the effort of a screening. The screening methods most used currently are based on the microscopical study of the cellular material taken from the uterine cavity. More recently a non-invasive method, the progestative test, has been offered. The results of the screening and the problems raised by the various techniques are discussed.

Cervix Uteri↗
PubMed1986

Prediction of splenic involvement in children with Hodgkin's disease. Significance of clinical and intraoperative findings. A retrospective statistical analysis of 154 patients in the German therapy study DAL-HD-78.

In 154 splenectomized children and adolescents with histologically proven Hodgkin's disease in the therapy study DAL-HD-78, the incidence of splenic involvement was 39%. In single-parameter analyses 6 of 16 examined pre- and intraoperative findings showed significant correlation to splenic involvement: B-symptoms, palpable splenic enlargement, mediastinal/lung hilus involvement, nodular changes of splenic surface, enlarged lymph nodes at splenic hilus/pancreatic tail, or enlargement of other upper-abdominal lymph nodes. The results of multivariant analyses (Cox regression model) of these six parameters showed that the two most significant intraoperative parameters--changes of splenic surface and enlargement of lymph nodes at splenic hilus/pancreatic tail-gave almost all of the information which can be obtained about splenic involvement. With these two parameters, an intraoperative decisional strategy for selective splenectomy has been developed which allows the omission of splenectomy in about two thirds of children with Hodgkin's disease while still obtaining detailed information about infradiaphragmatic spread of disease. Since minor splenic involvement remains undetected in about 10% of the nonsplenectomized patients (i.e., 6% of all patients), this method should be used only in combination with chemotherapy.

Adolescent↗