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P Macchiarini

Publications and source records attributed to P Macchiarini.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Tracheal allograft replacement. An unsuccessful method.

Replacement of the tracheal conduit remains a difficult and unresolved surgical problem. We present an experimental study of 20 pigs undergoing replacement of the cervical trachea using glutaraldehyde (n = 5), glycerol (n = 5), lyophilized (n = 5) and cryopreserved (n = 5) pretreated allogenic grafts (AGs). In the lyophilized group, a stainless steel spiral endoprosthesis was used as stent. A segment of native trachea measuring 3.2 +/- 0.3 cm (range: 1-5 cm) in length and 1.4 +/- 0.02 cm in diameter was resected and replaced with AGs measuring 3.8 +/- 0.2 cm in length and 1.4 +/- 0.2 cm in diameter. Neither immunosuppressive agents nor steroids were given. Animals were followed up with weekly bronchoscopy, and trachea and chest roentgenography. Those receiving glutaraldehyde AG (21.6 +/- 6.4 days) and lyophilized AG (19.5 +/- 7.8 days) had a longer survival than those receiving glycerol AG (6.8 +/- 0.3 days) and cryopreserved AG (5 +/- 0.5 days). At postmortem, grafts were examined grossly and with light microscopy. The cause of death was always airway obstruction, and the underlying processes were: 1) collapse due to cartilaginous microscopic necrosis in cryopreserved and glycerol AGs; 2) necrosis of allograft which crossed the spiral stent for lyophilized AGs; 3) granulation formation, tissue necrosis and anastomosis leakage in glutaraldehyde AGs. Results demonstrate that passage of necrotic tissue across the grafts represent the common failure denominator, making the different AGs studied unsuitable for long-segment tracheal replacement.

Animals↗

Anterior transcervical-thoracic approach for radical resection of lung tumors invading the thoracic inlet.

We describe an original anterior transcervical-thoracic approach required for a safe exposure and radical resection of non-small-cell lung cancer that has invaded the cervical structures of the thoracic inlet. Through a large L-shaped anterior cervical incision, after the removal of the internal half of the clavicle, the following steps may be performed: (1) dissection or resection of the subclavian vein; (2) section of the anterior scalenus muscle and resection of the cervical portion of the phrenic nerve, if invaded; (3) exposure of the subclavian and vertebral arteries; (4) dissection of the brachial plexus up to the spinal foramen; (5) section of invaded ribs; and (6) en bloc removal of chest wall and lung tumor, either directly or through an extension of the cervical incision into the deltopectoral groove. An additional posterior thoracotomy may be required for resection of the chest wall below the second rib. Between 1980 and 1991, 29 patients underwent radical en bloc resection of the inlet tumor, chest wall (ribs 1 and 2), and underlying lung, either through the anterior transcervical approach alone (n = 9) or with an additional posterior thoracotomy (n = 20). The inferior root of the brachial plexus, either alone (n = 11) or with the phrenic nerve (n = 4), was involved and resected in 15 patients (52%). Twelve patients (41%) had a vascular involvement that included the subclavian artery alone (n = 3); subclavian artery and subclavian vein (n = 3); subclavian artery, subclavian vein, and vertebral artery (n = 2); subclavian artery and vertebral artery (n = 1); subclavian vein alone (n = 1); vertebral artery alone (n = 1), or subclavian artery and vertebral artery (n = 1). The subclavian artery was revascularized either with a prosthetic replacement (n = 7) or an end-to-end anastomosis (n = 2), and the median graft patency was 18.5 months (range, 6 to more than 73 months); only 1 patient had postradiotherapy graft occlusion in the revascularized artery 6 months after operation. We performed 14 wedge resections, 14 lobectomies, and 1 pneumonectomy. There were no operative or hospital deaths. Postoperative radiotherapy (median, 56 Gy) was given to 25 (86%) patients, either alone (n = 14) or in combination with adjuvant systemic chemotherapy (n = 11). With a median follow-up time of 2.5 years, overall 2- and 5-year survivals were 50% and 31%, respectively. This transcervical-thoracic approach affords a safe exposure and radical resection of non-small-cell lung cancer involving the thoracic inlet and results in encouraging long-term survival.

Adult↗

Comparative outcome of heart-lung and lung transplantation for pulmonary hypertension.

Despite the development of several lung transplantation procedures, the most advantageous for pulmonary hypertension remains controversial. Between 1986 and February 1992, 30 patients with end-stage primary pulmonary hypertension (n = 24), chronic pulmonary embolism (n = 4), and hystiocytosis X (n = 2) underwent heart-lung (n = 21), double lung (n = 8), or single lung (n = 1) transplantation. Indications for double lung transplantation were similar to those for heart-lung transplantation, and the preoperative clinical and hemodynamic parameters were not significantly different between the two groups. There were no intraoperative deaths, but two reoperations were needed for pleural hematoma. Five early deaths were related to graft failure (two heart-lung transplantations), mediastinitis (one heart-lung transplantation), multiorgan failure (one double lung transplantation), and aspergillosis (one double lung transplantation). There was a similar improvement in early (days 0 and 2) and late (6 months postoperatively) right-sided hemodynamic function in patients undergoing heart-lung and double lung transplantation. Three double lung transplant recipients had early and reversible left ventricular-failure. The early postoperative course of the one patient who had single lung transplantation was characterized by severe pulmonary edema, left ventricular failure, and persistent desaturation and later on by moderate pulmonary hypertension and an important ventilation/perfusion mismatch. The pulmonary function results were also similar in the heart-lung and double lung transplantation groups. The overall projected 2- and 4-year survivals were 49% and 41%, respectively, and were not significantly different between the heart-lung and double lung recipients. Results demonstrate that heart-lung and double lung transplantation are equally effective in obtaining early and durable right-sided hemodynamic and respiratory improvement and similar respiratory function. In patients with pulmonary hypertension, double lung transplantation should be preferred to single lung transplantation because of the critical postoperative course and the uncertain long-term results of single lung transplantation.

Adolescent↗

Blood vessel invasion by tumor cells predicts recurrence in completely resected T1 N0 M0 non-small-cell lung cancer.

The prognostic significance of traditional and newer tumor cell-related biologic parameters, like deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy (flow cytometry), proliferative activity (expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen by immunohistochemistry), mitotic count, and intratumoral or peritumoral (or both) blood or lymphatic vessel invasion by tumor cells was investigated in 95 consecutive patients who had T1 N0 M0 non-small-cell lung cancer and who had operation alone between 1975 and 1985. The median follow-up for the entire group is now 8.3 years, and overall 5-, 10-, and 15-year-survivals were 75%, 69%, and 61%, respectively. Twenty-two patients died of either local (n = 3) or systemic (n = 19) recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer, 5 of non-cancer-related causes, 2 of new primary lung cancer, and 1 of an extrathoracic cancer. By multivariate analysis, blood vessel invasion by tumor cells (p = 0.0001) and mitotic count (p = 0.016) were independent predictors of survival; by contrast, the disease-free survival was influenced only by blood vessel invasion (p = 0.0004). The relative risk of death of recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer for low-risk patients (n = 79) was 13.3 (95% confidence interval, 6.1 to 28.7) times lower than that of high-risk patients (n = 16) (p < 0.0001). The relative risk of manifesting recurrent disease as distant metastasis for high-risk patients was 25.64 (95% confidence intervals, 8.4 to 77.6) times higher than that of their low-risk counterparts (p < 0.0001). These results provide a rationale for effective systemic adjuvant treatment in completely resected T1 N0 M0 non-small-cell lung cancer tailored to the individual patients' risk of development of recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung↗

The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in paraffin sections of peripheral, node-negative non-small cell lung cancer.

Cell proliferation of 40 peripheral, node-negative non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) treated with surgery alone was investigated by immunohistochemical analysis with the monoclonal antibody (MoAb) PC10, which recognizes a proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded material. Results were correlated with DNA ploidy and S-phase fraction (SPF) analyzed by DNA flow cytometric study. Mitotic count (MC) was analyzed by light microscopic study and histopathologic features. PCNA immunoreactivity was seen in all samples and confined to the nuclei of cancer, but not to the surrounding, tumor-negative cells; its frequency ranged from 0-70% (median, 15%), and tumors expressed either a low (0-25%, n = 25) or intermediate (26-75%, n = 15) proliferative activity. There was no relationship between PCNA immunoreactivity and tumor stage or among size, histologic type, and mitotic count (MC). Tumors with intratumoral blood vessel invasion (BVI) showed a significantly higher (P less than 0.005) PCNA immunoreactivity than BVI-negative tumors. PCNA scores were significantly higher (P less than 0.005) in DNA aneuploid (n = 22) than in DNA diploid (n = 18) tumors and correlated significantly with the SPF of DNA aneuploid tumors (r = 0.825, P less than 0.0001), but not with diploid tumors (r = 0.002, P = 0.9). Intermediate proliferating tumors had a significantly higher (P less than 0.01) MC than their counterparts. In univariate analysis, significant predictors of survival were tumor classification (T1 versus T2), tumor size (less than or equal to 2.6 cm versus more than 2.6 cm), BVI (BVI-negative versus BVI-positive), MC (less than or equal to 8 versus more than 8), and PCNA immunoreactivity (low versus intermediate). DNA ploidy and SPF did not influence survival significantly. Only PCNA immunoreactivity retained its independent level of significance (P = 0.02) by multivariate analysis. It was concluded that PCNA immunostaining is a simple and clinically useful method for estimating cell proliferation in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue of resected peripheral, node-negative NSCLC.

Adult↗

Relation of neovascularisation to metastasis of non-small-cell lung cancer.

The growth of a tumour beyond a certain size requires angiogenesis. We assessed whether intensity of angiogenesis correlates with metastasis of non-small-cell lung cancer by counting microvessels and grading their density within the initial carcinomas in 87 T1N0M0 patients. After radical surgery, metastases developed in 22. Both microvessel count and density grades correlated significantly with metastatic disease as well as tumour size and proliferative activity. The likelihood of metastasis increased as the vessel count increased. On multivariate analysis, the microvessel density count was the only independent predictor of metastasis.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung↗

Most peripheral, node-negative, non-small-cell lung cancers have low proliferative rates and no intratumoral and peritumoral blood and lymphatic vessel invasion. Rationale for treatment with wedge resection alone.

We investigated the tumor aggressiveness (intratumoral and peritumoral lymphatic and blood vessel invasion by tumor emboli) and proliferative activity (mitotic count) of 45 patients with peripheral, superficially seated, node-negative (T1-2 N0 M0), non-small-cell lung cancer treated with wedge resection alone between January 1982 and June 1988. Most patients were male (n = 39) with T1 (n = 25), small (mean diameter, 2.6 +/- 0.8 cm), squamous (n = 24), right-sided (n = 29) tumors located in either upper lobe (n = 35). The surgical specimens were studied by immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody targeting the factor VIII-related antigen. None of the tumors had lymphatic peritumoral or intratumoral invasion. Seven neoplasms (15%) harbored blood vessel invasion by tumor cells; all but one of these invasions were within the substance of the tumor. The median mitotic count was 8 mitoses per 10 high-power fields (range, 1 to 42 mitoses), significantly (p = 0.003) higher in patients with blood vessel invasion than in those without. With a 24-month minimum follow-up, projected 3- and 5-year survivals are 79% and 68%, respectively. Eleven patients had relapses and died of their tumors because of either local (n = 5) or extrathoracic (n = 6) recurrence; three patients died without tumors of comorbidity. Among the six tumors recurring in extrathoracic sites, five (83%) harbored intratumoral (n = 4) or peritumoral (n = 1) blood vessel invasion. Both recurrence of disease and death from non-small-cell lung cancer were significantly (p = 0.0009) higher for tumors with blood vessel invasion. By univariate analysis, significant predictors of survival were tumor stage (T1 vs T2, p = 0.008), size (< or = 2.6 cm vs > 2.6 cm, p = 0.039), mitotic count (< or = 8 vs > 8 mitoses, p = 0.0007), and blood vessel invasion (absence vs presence, p = 0.0001). By multivariate analysis, however, only blood vessel invasion retained its level of prognostic significance (p = 0.006). Data demonstrate that peripheral, node-negative non-small-cell lung cancers have a low metastatic potential. Whenever anatomically feasible, wedge resection seems to be an appropriate method of primary treatment.

Blood Vessels↗

Growth fraction in non-small cell lung cancer estimated by proliferating cell nuclear antigen and comparison with Ki-67 labeling and DNA flow cytometry data.

Results generated by the immunohistochemical staining with PC10, a new monoclonal antibody recognizing PCNA (a nuclear protein associated with cell proliferation) in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue were compared with those of Ki-67 labeling and DNA flow cytometry in 47 consecutive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PCNA reactivity was observed in all samples and confined to the nuclei of cancer cells. Its frequency ranged from 0 to 80% (37.7 +/- 23.6) and larger sized, early-staged and DNA aneuploid tumors expressed a significant higher number of PCNA-reactive cells. The PCNA and Ki-67 labeling rates were closely correlated (r = 0.383, P = 0.009). By flow cytometry, we observed a good correlation among PCNA labeling and S-phase fraction (r = 0.422, P = .0093) and G1 phase (r = 0.303, P = .051) of the cell cycle. Results indicate that PCNA labeling with PC10 is a simple method for assessing the proliferative activity in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue of NSCLC and correlates well with Ki-67 labeling and S-phase fraction of the cell cycle.

Aged↗

Subcutaneous implantation of liver metastasis after fine needle biopsy.

A 50-year-old woman underwent percutaneous ultrasonographic fine needle biopsy of a suspicious liver metastasis of colon cancer. A subcutaneous metastasis developed at the site of the puncture 20 days after biopsy. Tumor recurrence in the needle biopsy track is rarely reported in the literature. The possible causes of this complication are discussed.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and postoperative radiation therapy for invasive thymoma.

Between January 1988 and June 1990, seven previously untreated patients with histologically confirmed and clinically staged IIIa invasive thymoma (IT) were enrolled in a prospective, single treatment arm study of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) followed by surgery and postoperative radiation therapy (4600 to 6000 cGy). The NC included three cycles of cisplatin (75 mg/m2 on day 1), epirubicin (100 mg/m2 on day 1), and etoposide (120 mg/m2 on days 1, 3, and 5), every 3 weeks. All patients showed a partial response (greater than 50%) and underwent complete (n = 4) or incomplete (gross [n = 1] or microscopic [n = 2] residual tumor) surgical resection. Histologic examination was negative for two completely resected patients. Projected 2-year survival was 80%; all patients but one currently are alive and disease-free. This approach appeared to be feasible and may be a new therapeutic choice in the management of IT, but its use on a regular basis should be reserved until a larger number of patients and longer follow-up are available.

Adult↗

Results and prognostic factors of surgery in the management of non-small cell lung cancer with solitary brain metastasis.

Between 1975 and 1988, 37 patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and synchronous (within 1 month, n = 10) or metachronous (n = 27) solitary brain metastasis (SBM) underwent combined excision of their lesions. Overall 5-year and median survival were 30% and 27 months (range, 3 to 125+ months), respectively. Twenty-seven patients had a relapse, and their median disease-free interval (DFI) was 17.5 months (range, 1 to 108 months). The most frequent (78%, n = 20) site of first recurrence locally was either the ipsilateral thorax (n = 14) or brain (n = 6). In univariate analysis, age, primary tumor and lymph node status; tumor histology, size, and side; type of pulmonary resection; side and location of SBM; and onset of presentation did not affect survival and DFI. By contrast, the interval (less than or equal to versus greater than 12 months) between the two operations significantly affected survival (P = 0.0096) and DFI (P = 0.046). The DFI was also affected by the administration of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for the primary tumor (P = 0.02). Using the Cox model, AC was the most independent predictor of DFI. These data support the inclusion of surgery in the therapeutic armamentarium for patients with NSCLC and SBM.

Adult↗

Results of treatment and lessons learned from pathologically staged T4 non-small cell lung cancer.

Depending on the local extension of primary non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and invaded T4 structure(s), 49 patients underwent complete (CR, n = 14) or palliative (PR, n = 13) resection of exploratory thoracotomy (ET, n = 22) between January 1982 and June 1988. Thoracic radiotherapy (TR) was given to all patients receiving PR (median dose, 43 Gy) and ET (median dose, 53 Gy). With a median follow-up of 44 months, overall 2- and 5-year survival was 25 and 5%, respectively. Patients undergoing ET plus TR had a significantly worse survival than those treated by CR (P = 0.041) and PR plus TR (P = 0.046). Only completely resected patients became long-term survivors (5-year survival, 29%) and significant predictors of their survival were previous weight loss, hemoglobin, and creatinine level, in univariate analysis, and previous weight loss in multivariate analysis. The site of initial treatment failure was mainly local for PR plus TR (85%) and systemic for CR (71%) and ET plus TR (86%). Presented results suggest that surgery might play a role for selected patients with T4 NSCLC, but advances in systemic and local therapy are necessary.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Cardiotoxicity and cytotoxicity of the anthracycline analog 4'-deoxy-4'-iodo-doxorubicin.

The cardiotoxicity and cytotoxicity of the novel doxorubicin (DXR) derivative 4'-deoxy-4'-iodo-DXR were evaluated and compared to DXR. A single dose of DXR 10 mg/kg i.v. in anesthetized rats induced a significant widening of S alpha T segment of the electrocardiogram, an increase in both mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate and a fall in systemic arterial dP/dtmax, while 4'-deoxy-4'-iodo-DXR 4 mg/kg i.v. induced a significant widening of S alpha T segment and an increase in mean arterial blood pressure. A chronic cardiomyopathy was induced over a 6-week period by three injections of DXR 3 mg/kg per week i.v. and was characterized by a progressive enlargement of S alpha T segment, a flattening of T wave, the occurrence of arrhythmias and histological alterations of myocardium. The contractile responses to adrenaline of isolated hearts from DXR-treated animals were significantly reduced compared to controls. 4'-Deoxy-4'-iodo-DXR (1.2 mg/kg per week three times) induced minor ECG alterations and sporadic episodes of arrhythmias. The contractile responses of isolated hearts were not significantly different from those of controls and microscopic examination of hearts revealed only minor changes. Cytotoxicity in vitro was evaluated by the colony formation assay; based on IC50, 4'-deoxy-4'-iodo-DXR was up to six times more cytotoxic than DXR on four human cancer cell lines. These results suggest that 4'-deoxy-4'-iodo-DXR is significantly less cardiotoxic and more cytotoxic than DXR.

Animals↗

Functional results of bronchial sleeve lobectomy.

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate whether preservation of lung function parallels preservation of anatomy following elective bronchial sleeve-lobectomy (BSL). Between January 1984 and July 1988, 21 male patients (median age 51 years) with non-small cell lung cancer (n = 18), atypical carcinoid (n = 2) and inflammatory stenosis (n = 1) entered the study. Pulmonary function tests were performed pre- and postoperatively (at 3 and 12 months) and included spirometry, a quantitative perfusion lung scan and arterial blood gas analysis. The majority of operations were performed on the right lung (n = 15, 71%), with no operative deaths or major complications. Three months after surgery, the values of PaO2, PaCO2 and overall perfusion improved significantly (P less than 0.05), while there was a non significant improvement of the forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1). The only parameter correlating (r = 0.46) and significantly (p = 0.032) predicting outcome after resection was overall perfusion. The preserved, reimplanted lobe rather than contralateral lobe(s) significantly (p = 0.014) contributed to remaining overall function. In 16 patients examined 12 months post-operatively a further improvement in pulmonary function occurred. The data presented demonstrate that preservation of pulmonary function parallels preservation of anatomy following BSL and that the functional contribution of reimplanted, ipsilateral lobe(s) is of paramount importance.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung↗

Comparison of pulmonary DNA adduct levels, measured by 32P-postlabelling and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity in lung parenchyma of smokers and ex-smokers.

In order to compare pulmonary DNA adducts and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity, we have measured these two parameters in non-neoplastic surgical lung parenchymal samples from four ex-smokers and 19 smokers, out of 20 patients operated for lung cancer, and three for nonmalignant lung diseases. DNA adducts were determined by scintillation counting after 32P-postlabelling analysis. The microsomal fractions of the same lung specimen were assayed for AHH activity by a fluorometric method. Autoradiograms of DNA adducts found in lungs of smokers revealed two distinct diagonal radioactive zones that were absent in ex-smokers. The smokers had significantly higher levels (1.68-13.4 DNA adducts/10(8) nucleotides; mean +/- SD 5.38 +/- 3.19) than ex-smokers (0.23-2.21; 1.09 +/- 0.84). AHH activity in smokers ranged from 0.01 to 0.69 pmol/min/mg. This activity was significantly (P less than 0.05) higher in smokers (0.26 +/- 0.26) who had smoked until 1 week before surgery than in those who had stopped smoking for greater than 7 days (0.11 +/- 0.11). A positive linear correlation between DNA adduct levels and AHH activity (r = 0.69; P less than 0.001; n = 19) was found in smokers. This relationship could explain why AHH inducibility appears to be a crude marker for lung cancer risk in smokers.

Adult↗