Until now, the possibility of radiotherapeutic treatment after a failure of chemotherapy has not been systematically investigated. Eight cases with primary failure of chemotherapy or recurrence after chemotherapy could be evaluated. The patients were submitted to curative irradiation; six of them achieved a total remission, four had recurrences. Thus two patients remain to give an example that radiotherapy can bring about long-term total remissions after primary failure of chemotherapy or recurrence after chemotherapy. When the data were evaluated, the total remission times of the two patients were 12 and 18 months, respectively. The toxicity of radiotherapy was justifiable. It was increased especially in regions that had already been irradiated or if a ABVD therapy was applied a short time before or after the radiotherapy. There are only few communications in literature about the success of a radiotherapy after failure of chemotherapy. Most of the patients mentioned had "remissions" (total/partial remissions?). In most of the cases, there are no indications about the further development. On the whole, the data show that there may be some special indications for radiotherapy in case of a failure of chemotherapy.

Adult↗

PubMed1980

The role of alloimmunization in platelet survival studies.

The role of platelet alloimmunization in the survival of 51Cr-labeled allogeneic platelets was investigated in 89 patients with severe thrombocytopenias. The serological analysis included HLA typing of patients, screening of their sera in the lymphocytotoxicity test (LCTT), the platelet complement fixation test (PCFT), and the platelet radioactive anti-IgG test (PRAT; N = 38). Platelet donors were selected according to the best available HLA match and crossmatch in LCTT. Alloantibodies against HLA antigens were found in the sera of 17 patients (19.1%). No platelet-specific alloantibodies were detected. The use of compatible, allogeneic platelets permitted the discrimination of diminished platelet production from increased platelet turnover in thrombocytopenic patients with proven alloimmunization. Our results stress the necessity of a serological workup prior to platelet survival studies.

Adult↗

PubMed1980

The clinical significance of platelet-associated IgG: a study on 298 patients with various disorders.

Platelet-associated IgG (PAIgG) was studied by a quantitative platelet radioactive anti-IgG test (PRAT) in 298 patients. At the time of investigation, 171 patients were thrombocytopenic (platelet count < 100 X 10(9)/l), 127 had normal platelet counts. Patients fell into the following disease categories: Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) (N = 81), possible ITP (19), acute ITP (9), systemic lupus erythematosus (22), autoimmune haemolytic anaemia of warm-type (18), systemic blood disease (65), liver diseases (35), other (49). A significant elevation of PAIgG was found in all disease categories. There was a significant correlation between PAIgG and the reciprocal values of platelet counts for most disease groups. No relationship was discernible between PAIgG and hypergammaglobulinaemic states (serum IgG > 1.8 g/l). Platelet survival studies (N = 30) revealed that normal and increased values of PAIgG were associated with normal or shortened platelet mean life span. It is concluded that an elevated PAIgG is only one of several factors involved in the development of immunologically medicated thrombocytopenia.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Preeclamptic women are deficient of interleukin-10 as assessed by cytokine release of trophoblast cells in vitro.

BACKGROUND: It is well known that the acceptance of the fetoplacental unit in human pregnancy requires maternal immune tolerance, which is thought to be regulated locally by the placenta. Therefore an anti-inflammatory cytokine such as IL-10 plays a critical role in different pregnancy disorders including preeclampsia. In the present study, we examined the expression of both proinflammatory (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-2) and immunoregulatory (IL-6, IL-10) cytokines from normal term and preeclamptic patients in human trophoblast cultures. METHODS: Eleven patients with preeclampsia and 11 patients with a normal pregnancy at term were included in the study. Trophoblast cells isolated from placentas were cultured up to 48 h under standard tissue culture conditions and cytokine release was determined by ELISA. IL-10 synthesis was significantly decreased in the third trimester in preeclamptic patients in comparison with the control group. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-6 or TNF-alpha expression but a significant alteration in IL-10 release in trophoblast cultures in vitro in term placentas from preeclamptic patients compared with normal pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Because IL-10 is a potent regulator of anti-inflammatory immune response these abnormalities may be associated with the inadequate placental development in preeclampsia.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Lack of correlation between P53 expression, BCL-2 expression, apoptosis and ex vivo chemosensitivity in advanced human breast cancer.

The relationship between apoptosis and chemosensitivity remains complex. We tested the chemosensitivity of 45 patients with advanced breast cancer (BC) ex vivo against anthracyclines (A: doxorubicin, epirubicin), taxanes (T: paclitaxel, docetaxel), cisplatin (DDP) and CMF and any correlation with the expression of p53, Bcl-2 and apoptosis. Viable cells were processed for ex vivo ATP Tumor Chemosensitivity Assay (ATP-TCA). Immunohistochemistry was performed in corresponding tumor samples. Apoptosis prior to chemotherapy was assayed using a TUNEL Test. Of 45 BC tested, 18 (40%) were p53+ and 37 (82%) showed high Bcl-2 expression. Apoptosis was detected in 29 (64.4%) specimens. The Ex vivo Response Rate (EVRR) for T was 75.6% in all cases. This was the highest rate among the 4 drugs tested followed by CMF (66.7%). For A and DDP the positive rates were lower (27.6% and 10.6%, respectively). A significant correlation (r = 0.589, p < or = 0.01) was found between tumors which were sensitive to A and DDP. There was no association between chemosensitivity and apoptosis. Moreover tests for p53 and Bcl-2 did not show a correlation to ex vivo chemosensitivity. Pretreatment apoptotic parameters are unlikely to predict the individual response of breast cancer to antineoplastic agents.

Antineoplastic Agents↗