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Biomedical subjects

L S Harris

Publications and source records attributed to L S Harris.

243 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Paclitaxel, carboplatin, and hexamethyl-melamine (taxchex) as first-line therapy for ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: The addition of hexamethylmelamine to therapy with cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin significantly enhanced outcomes of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Hexamethylmelamine, also known as altretamine, has potent antineoplastic activity when used as a single agent in patients who have failed to respond to both platinum-based and paclitaxel therapy. We have conducted a pilot study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding this drug to the popular ovarian cancer regimen of paclitaxel plus carboplatin. METHODS: Patients with advanced ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages IIA, IIIC, and IV) were prospectively enrolled to receive six cycles, repeated every 4 weeks, of paclitaxel (150 mg/m2 i.v., day 1), carboplatin (AUC 5.0 i.v., day 1), and hexamethylmelamine (150 mg/m2 p.o., days 2-15). Colony stimulating factors were prohibited. Response and toxicity were monitored by use of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group criteria. RESULTS: Twenty patients were enrolled, 18 with ovarian cancer, one with fallopian tube cancer, and one with peritoneal cancer; 17 of these patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. At a median follow-up of 6.5 months, 13 of the patients had a complete response (76%), and four had progressive disease. Three of those with a complete response had a recurrence within 1 year of completing treatment. Toxicity was acceptable, with myelosuppression the most severe adverse effect; one patient had grade 3 anemia, one patient had grade 4 thrombocytopenia, and 12 patients had grade 4 neutropenia. Quality of life showed improvement over the course of therapy, particularly in the physical well-being subscale. CONCLUSION: The addition of hexamethylmelamine to paclitaxel and carboplatin is a well-tolerated multidrug combination for women with advanced ovarian cancer that deserves further testing in a phase III study.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Outpatient taxol and carboplatin chemotherapy for suboptimally debulked epithelial carcinoma of the ovary results in improved quality of life: an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Phase II Study (E2E93).

PURPOSE: The combination of a platinum compound and paclitaxel is a standard treatment for ovarian cancer. In this cooperative group trial, paclitaxel and carboplatin were combined in an outpatient schedule to determine the clinical benefit, toxicities, and effect on quality of life. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage II to IV epithelial ovarian cancer with suboptimal residual disease (> 1 cm) were eligible. Paclitaxel, 150 mg/m2, was given over 3 hours, followed by carboplatin (area under the curve, 5). This was repeated every 4 weeks for six cycles. Quality of life was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Ovarian Cancer scale. Fifty-nine patients were enrolled, 38 with measurable disease and 21 with evaluable disease. RESULTS: The response rate (complete response + partial response) was 72%. The progression-free interval for patients with measurable disease was 17.5 months and for patients with evaluable disease was 11.1 months. Median survivals were 30.1 months (measurable) and 25.7 months (evaluable). Toxicities were modest. Quality-of-life scores improved significantly during therapy. DISCUSSION: This regimen is ideal for most women with advanced ovarian cancer because it is convenient and well tolerated, with response and survival comparable to those of more aggressive regimens. Overall quality-of-life scores and physical well-being scores improved throughout this outpatient treatment regimen for most patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alterations in the pharmacokinetics of 3H-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol in mice by bacterial endotoxin.

Mice were pretreated with either bacterial endotoxin (3 mg/kg, ip) or saline 3 hr prior to an ip injection of 100 mg of 3H-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (3H-delta9-THC) per kg, a combination that results in synergistic lethality. Five hours after the injection of 3H-delta9-THC, the endotoxin-pretreated mice contained a significantly greater amount of radioactivity in kidney, liver, heart, plasma, urine, and brain than those without pretreatment. However, the plasma and brain levels of the animals tested with both endotoxin and 3H-delta9-THC (100 mg/kg) were significantly less than those in mice treated only with 200 mg of 3H-delta9-THC per kg, a sublethal dose. The percentage of radioactivity corresponding to unchanged 3H-delta9-THC in extracts of livers and brains was significantly greater in the endotoxin-pretreatment group than in controls. The brain level of 3H-delta9-THC in the endotoxin-pretreated mice was 50% higher than that in the saline-pretreated mice 5 hr after 3H-delta9-THC (100 mg/kg) administration. However, the brain levels of 3H-delta9-THC in the mice treated with endotoxin and 3H-delta9-THC (100 mg/kg) was one-third of that in brains of mice receiving the LD50 of 3H-delta9-THC (300 mg/kg).

Animals↗
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Fine needle aspiration cytology of hemangioblastoma of the spinal cord. Report of a case with immunocytochemical and ultrastructural studies.

The cytologic features of a hemangioblastoma of the spinal cord diagnosed by an intraoperative fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy are reported in a 66-year-old man with a long-standing history of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. A dual population of delicate branching vascular channels associated with nearby coarsely vacuolated stromal cells was appreciated in the smears. Histologic, immunocytochemical and ultrastructural studies demonstrated three cell types comprising the tumor: endothelial cells, pericytes and stromal cells. Factor VIII-related antigen positivity, vimentin positivity and glial fibrillary acid protein negativity support the contention that all three types of tumor cells may arise from a common angiogenic mesenchymal ancestry. A discussion of the expected aspiration cytologic findings of other tumors of the spinal cord is also presented. FNA biopsy of suspected hemangioblastoma should be performed with utmost caution due to the possibility of extensive intraoperative bleeding, such as we experienced following sampling of this tumor.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fine needle aspiration cytology of primary epidermoid cyst of the brain.

The cytologic features of a primary epidermoid cyst of the brain diagnosed by intraoperative fine needle aspiration cytology are reported. The cytomorphologic findings included numerous anucleated squames, polarizable cholesterol crystals and a few squamous cells with keratohyaline granules. This case demonstrated the efficacy of using both the Diff-Quik and Papanicolaou stains in evaluation of cystic lesions of the brain. A discussion of the expected aspiration cytologic findings of other cystic cerebral lesions is also presented.

Adult↗