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Biomedical subjects

M F Avril

Publications and source records attributed to M F Avril.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

A phase I trial with recombinant interferon gamma (Roussel UCLAF) in advanced cancer patients.

A total of 29 patients with advanced malignancy were treated with recombinant interferon gamma (rIFN gamma, specific activity = 2.10(7) units/mg, purity greater than 95%) given by intravenous bolus at doses escalating from 0.01 mg/m2 to 5 mg/m2 (2 x 10(5) - 10(8) IU/m2) in nine successive steps (at least 3 patients/step). Injections of rIFN gamma were repeated every 72 h for 15 days. Toxicity was evaluated according to the WHO scale. Fever and chills occurred in all patients treated without clear dose effect. Nausea and vomiting appeared at the fifth dose level and their frequency seemed to be dose-related. Cardiovascular side-effects (first-degree atrioventricular reversible block) were observed at the 2 mg/m2 and 5 mg/m2 levels (3 patients). Hematological toxicities were mild (2 grade 1 and 1 grade II cases of granulocytopenia). Minor biological modifications included a transitory rise in hepatic enzymes (12 patients), which correlated with the presence of liver metastasis. Hypocholesterolemia was observed in 18 patients. The appearance of antibodies against rIFN gamma was not detected. One partial clinical response was observed in a patient receiving 2 mg/m2. During rIFN gamma therapy this patient had the highest scores in this series for peripheral T lymphocytes with an activated phenotype (HLA DR+, TAC+) = 15% and for natural killer (NK) cells (NKH1, Leu19+) = 17%. rIFN gamma appears as a well-tolerated and promising therapeutic agent with toxicities and mode of action probably distinct from IFN alpha and beta.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Treatment of metastatic melanoma with dacarbazine recombinant interferon alfa 2A combination: results of multicentric study].

Fifty patients suffering from histologically proven metastatic melanoma were treated with a combination of DTIC (400 mg/m2 i.v. every 28 days) and recombinant alpha 2A interferon (Roferon-A) 10 x 10(6) U/m2 daily, administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously for 2 months followed by 7 x 10(6) U/m2 3 times a week. Treatment was carried out for a period of 12 months unless progressive disease was noted after 3 months. Among the 49 evaluable patients, 6 achieved a complete response (CR) and 4 a partial response (PR) (response rate, 20%) at 2 months, 8 CR and 3 PR (25%) and 8 CR and 2 PR (23%; 95% confidence limits, 13-40%) occurred at month 6 and 12 respectively These responses occurred notably in patients with cutaneous (3 cases) or lymph node metastases (4 cases), but 3 responses included visceral sites: lung (1 CR), liver (1CR and 1PR). Average response duration was 16.5 months (range 4-29 + months). The time required for objective response can be up to 6 months, which suggest that treatment should receive a reasonable trial period (at least 3 months). Clinical toxicity consisted mainly of a flu-like syndrome, anorexia and fever, and occurred in more than 50% of patients; hematologic and hepatic toxicities required a dose reduction in 54% of patients but in only one case did treatment have to be terminated because of this. Seventeen (35%) of the patients are still alive, 4 with metastases (follow-up period: 18-34 + months) and 13 without metastases (follow-up period: 13-32 + months). A combined regimen of r-IFN alpha 2A and dacarbazine is effective in treating patients with metastatic melanoma, with acceptable toxicities and a reasonable quality of life (out-patient treatment or district nurse care). The objective response rate (23% at 12 months) compares favourably with those of earlier trials using the same combination of drugs, and occurred not only in cutaneous and lymph node metastases but also in visceral metastases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Jumping end-to-end dicentrics in a case of squamous cell carcinoma from a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum.

Cytogenetic studies of a skin squamous cell carcinoma from a xeroderma pigmentosum patient were performed at several passages. They show the existence of recurrent rearrangements: 53% were dicentrics, of which 67% were of the telomere-telomere type. The telomeric region of the long arm of chromosome 12 was the most involved (in 38% of dicentrics), followed by 22p. The origin of this type of jumping rearrangement and its possible role on cell proliferation are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Increase of sister chromatid exchanges in excision repair deficient xeroderma pigmentosum.

The distribution of spontaneous sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) was studied in PHA-stimulated lymphocytes from 15 patients affected by xeroderma pigmentosum (XP). The study of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in twelve of these patients showed that seven were deficient and five proficient. The number of SCEs in XP patient cells was higher than in those of 19 controls, and the distributions of SCEs per cell were significantly different. However, the results varied when XP patients were considered in relation to their UDS: the group of XP patients with proficient UDS did not differ, whereas the group of XP patients with deficient UDS was very significantly different from controls. The group not tested for UDS was similar to the deficient UDS group. The possible relationship between the increase of SCEs and the type of DNA repair defect is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

[Basal-cell nevomatosis associated with multifocal fetal rhabdomyoma. A case].

Nevoid basal-cell carcinoma is a hereditary syndrome. Its major features are a multiple basal-cell carcinoma which appears early in childhood, skeletal and genital abnormalities and ectopic calcifications. It may be associated with malignant schwannoma, medulloblastoma and lymphoma. We report one case of nevoid basal-cell carcinoma syndrome associated with foetal rhabdomyoma, thyroid gland polyadenoma and benign schwannoma. The first case of foetal rhabdomyoma associated with this syndrome was described in 1976.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Sarcoma of the aorta: report of a case and review of the literature.

Tumors of the aorta are extremely rare and usually malignant. We report the case of a sarcoma of the infrarenal aorta in a 67-year-old man. Initial symptoms were metastatic cutaneous nodules and lower extremity claudication. Aortography and computerized tomography of the abdomen revealed a fungating mass obstructing the aortic bifurcation. Treatment consisted of resection of the aorta, aortobiiliac bypass, and combined radiation and chemotherapy. Death occurred six months after treatment. Twenty-seven cases of angiosarcoma reported in the literature are reviewed.

Aged↗