Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Zamora.
Concentrated viral suspensions were purified by isopycnic gradients: discontinuous sucrose, continuous Percoll. With Percoll, homogenous buoyant density virus were obtained; hemagglutinating titer, concentration factor, specific activity, and reproducible yield were higher than with sucrose.
Results of a randomized trial on antiemesis for cisplatin (CDDP) and non-CDDP chemotherapy-induced vomiting are reported. One hundred and sixty-three outpatients received 282 chemotherapy courses (141 with CDDP and 141 without CDDP). Patients were randomly assigned to receive either high-dose metoclopramide plus methylprednisolone (arm A) or the same drugs plus lorazepam (arm B). In both arms a high protection rate for vomiting was obtained, on the whole without statistically significant differences. Patients who received lorazepam had, however, significantly fewer nausea episodes during first day post-chemotherapy (p less than 0.05). Arm B was also superior in anxiety control during the first day of chemotherapy (p less than 0.01). Both regimens were significantly more effective in patients who had not been given chemotherapy previously (p less than 0.01). No differences in antiemetic protection were found between CDDP and non-CDDP courses. No significant differences were found in premonitory vomiting control between the two arms of the trial. Toxicity was very mild with both regimens, although sedation was significantly higher in arm B (p less than 0.001). We conclude that high-dose metoclopramide plus methylprednisolone is a highly effective combination for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and that it is quite suitable for outpatient use. Lorazepam did not significantly increase the antiemetic potency of the combination, nor did it improve premonitory vomiting control, although it gave a better control of acute nausea and anxiety.
The association of gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and the subsequent development of gastric adenocarcinoma is an exceptional finding. In our series of 24 cases of primitive NHL of the stomach diagnosed between 1966 and 1985 only one developed gastric adenocarcinoma. It was a 38-year-old male with a gastric NHL of immunocytoma type and in the stage IE of the Ann Arbor classification. The patient was treated with subtotal gastrectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy. Twenty-seven months later an adenocarcinoma of the gastrojejunal anastomosis mucosa was found. In the review of the literature we have found 17 cases of this association. Gastric adenocarcinoma developed 3.5-34 years after the treatment of gastric NHL. The implicated factors in the development of this association are: gastric resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and NHL itself.
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Cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil by continuous infusion combination produces a high response rate in squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Carboplatin (CBDCA) is a cisplatin analogue with lower emetic potential and nephrotoxicity, although the myelosuppression potential is higher. Tegafur (ftorafur, FT) is an analogue of 5-fluorouracil. It is absorbed well in its oral form and has moderate gastrointestinal and hematologic toxicity. This clinical trial tested the association of CBDCA i.v. plus FT p.o. in patients with SCCHN who had not been previously treated. Twenty-one patients were evaluable for response; the overall response was 62% (33% complete response, 29% partial response). Toxicity was moderate in most of the patients, although there was a treatment-related death.
Cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil infusion combination produces a high response rate in squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Tegafur (Ftorafur) is an analog of 5-fluorouracil, and its oral form is well absorbed. This agent has a moderate toxicity. We report a study to determine the efficacy of the cisplatin (100 mg/m2, day 1) and tegafur (1,000 mg/m2 daily for 21 days) combination. Thirty-nine patients entered the study; 36 were evaluable for response. Overall response was 94%, with a 22% complete response. Toxicity was moderate. We conclude that the cisplatin and tegafur combination is active in untreated patients with head and neck cancer.
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We evaluated pharmacokinetic parameters and bioavailability of 4 sustained release theophylline preparations. A crossover design was used in 12 healthy males aged 22 to 27 years old. Each individual received 250 mg iv followed by 250 mg orally of each preparation, and then 400 mg rapid acting aminophylline. A 7 day period was allowed between drug courses. HPLC was used to determine plasma levels of theophylline at regular intervals up to 48 hr following drug administration. Significant (p < 0.05) differences in pharmacokinetic parameters were found among preparations, 2 of them having larger integrals of plasma levels and one of them different times to peak plasma level and peak plasma concentration, compared to both remaining preparations.
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Ewing's sarcoma in two brothers is described. This has not been previously reported in the literature. Hypotheses which might explain this association are discussed. Genetic factors predisposing to the development of neoplasia are a very attractive possibility, although viral factors and chance association cannot be excluded.
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BACKGROUND: Carcinocythemia, the presence of circulating cancer cells in peripheral blood, is a rare complication of solid neoplasms. When the number of such cells is very high, they can be detected during routine laboratory tests. They are associated with a dismal prognosis. CASE REPORT: Carcinocythemia occurred in a patient with disseminated breast cancer. Eighteen cases were identified from a review of the literature. The most common neoplasms associated with circulating cancer cells in peripheral blood were breast adenocarcinoma, small cell lung carcinoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. All the patients had stage IV disease at the time of diagnosis, and all had involvement of the reticuloendothelial system. Patients survived for an average of a few days or weeks. CONCLUSION: Circulating cancer cells in peripheral blood are an unusual manifestation of disseminated neoplasms that occurs as a terminal event.
In order to learn the prevalence of Chagas' infection among students from Santa Cruz de la Sierra's universities, a random sample of 372 new students was drawn. All participants have had electrocardiograms (EKG) and serologic analysis (IHAT). 64/372 (17.2%) had serologic evidence of Chagas' infection, and from those, 10/64 (15.6%) had some EKG alterations. Among students presenting negative serologic test, 31/308 (10.1%) had EKG alterations. There was no statistical association between Chagas' infection and EKG alterations (X2 = 1.67, p = 0.2). There was a positive association between Chagas' infection and intraventricular conduction defects and this association was higher among the students of 19 years of age or less (O.R. 10.4, p < 0.05).
As malnutrition is a common complication among patients with cancer, it seems necessary identifying it with simple tools. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) is useful to evaluate nutritional status on a basis of clinical parameters and can be used by any clinician with a basic training. Our intention is to determine usefulness of SGA applied by staff not working at Clinical Nutrition to guess if they identify properly malnourished patients. We included in our study thirty male and female patients with several types of active neoplasm who were being treated with chemo or radiotherapy. Oncology and Clinical Nutrition staff used SGA separately after the patients answered the form; there were also taken biochemical and anthropometrical determinations. Sixty-three percent of patient were diagnosed as malnourished or suspected being so by Oncologists, 30% by Clinical Nutrition staff and 26% by anthropometrical means. Incidence of malnutrition was low because the most common neoplasm among patients in the study was colorectal cancer. Oncologists tended to diagnose more cases of malnutrition due to a deficient training; nevertheless, SGA was useful because none of the malnourished patients was misdiagnosed and half of the well nourished patients were correctly identified as ones with no need for nutritional support.
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