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Biomedical subjects

R Knerich

Publications and source records attributed to R Knerich.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Multidisciplinary treatment for central nervous system tumours with nitrosourea compounds.

The authors report the results of a controlled clinical trial in patients with primitive and metastatic CNS tumours treated with combined therapy: surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy (BCNU or CCNU). A total of 102 patients were treated, 50 with BCNU, and 52 with CCNU. The overall response (R. + P.R.) was 68% for the BCNU group, and 65% for the CCNU group. No significant differences were found between the two types of treatment, either in terms of response or in terms of quality and length of survival.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Combined treatment for malignant primitive brain tumors in infants using CCNU, neurosurgery and radiotherapy (author's transl)].

The preliminary data (13 cases) is used to make a comparison between the survival length from the beginning of chemotherapy of these pediatric neuro-oncotypes with that of adults bearing sovra-tentorial astrocytomas or glioblastomas given the same treatment. Approximating, by means of normal distributions, the experimental results the Authors also note that the clinical efficacy of CCNU is more or less the same for infants and adults.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Complications following anterior cervical spine surgery for disc diseases: an analysis of ten years experience.

The purpose of this study is to define, analyse and discuss the incidence and severity of the complications associated with anterior cervical spine surgery for degenerative disc diseases. The results and the management of complications of anterior spine surgery are discussed in relation to numerous previous published reports: precise knowledge of all potential accidents and pitfalls related to the surgical approaches and of their aetiology may contribute to preventing failures. The most common complication was a recurrent laryngeal nerve injury that developed in 7.9% of the cases. Dysphagia occurred in 5.6%, hoarseness in 5.2%, transient sore throat in 4.8%, worsening of pre-existing myelopathy in 3%, graft extrusion in 1.7%; root injury, haematoma, and wound infection developed in 0.87%. There was one case of oesophageal injury (0.43%) and there were no deaths related to the surgical approach. The rate of complications in our series has been reduced in the past years by 1) better patients selection: all of the patients in fact had previously received conservative treatment for at least four weeks; 2) more care in correct positioning of the patient during the operation; 3) meticolous removal of all harmful structures.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Single versus multiple drug therapy in the combined treatment of malignant gliomas. A multicenter study.

The best treatment of malignant gliomas has been considered to be surgery followed by irradiation and chemotherapy with nitrosourea compounds. Our controlled and randomized trial was designed in 1982 to analyze the effectiveness of multiple-drug versus single-drug therapy in patients bearing malignant gliomas. After 3 weeks from surgery and histopathological diagnosis 173 patients were randomly assigned to receive one of the three chemotherapy regimens: CCNU alone, CCNU plus VM-26 or CCNU plus VM-26 plus 5-FU. Radiotherapy was administered whole-brain (40-45 Gy) and coned-down focal (15-20 Gy) irradiation for a total of 60 Gy (1700 rets) in conjunction with the first course of chemotherapy. 150/173 patients are evaluable. Statistical analysis of results shows a better quality of life and survival for patients treated with polychemotherapy using a three drug combination than two drug or single drug therapy (13.8 vs 14.7 vs 18.2 months MST; P less than 0.01) but with a higher incidence of toxicity problems. An analysis of prognostic factors and their distribution in each arm of the protocol will be made in the near future.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Enzymes related to energy metabolism in human gliomas.

The evaluation of the specific activity of some enzymes related to energy transduction was performed in 7 fresh samples of malignant gliomas and in 4 samples of normal brain tissue. Compared with normal brain tissue, the hexokinase, phosphofructokinase and citrate synthase activities are lower; the lactate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase are unchanged, while glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and NADP+-isocitrate dehydrogenase activities are higher in gliomas.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chemotherapy plus immunotherapy for patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors.

The authors report two clinical trials concerning chemotherapy and immunotherapy combined in the treatment of primary and metastatic brain tumors. In the first study bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and in the second Levamisole (LMS) were utilized as immunostimulating agents. Chemotherapy was performed with BCNU or CCNU in association with surgery and/or radiotherapy. The immunological response was obtained but immunotherapy failed to demonstrate any significant effect on survival.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Post-traumatic hydrocephalus].

Post-traumatic hydrocephalus is a complication of cranio-cerebral injuries and can manifest itself through different clinical syndromes. These include obtunding, a tetrad composed of psychomotory delay, memory loss, motility disturbances and sphincter incompetence, and unusual symptoms which comprehend emotional disturbances. Intracranial pressure monitoring, lombo-ventricular infusion test, in addition to neuroradiologic exams, are necessary in order to decide wether or not to derivate a post-traumatic hydrocephalus; neuropsychologic tests complete these investigational methods. The post-traumatic hydrocephalus bearer patient's recovery is always problematic when an important parenchimal damage exists. When a NPH (normal pressure hydrocephalus) is found the shunting operation is always indicated. However it is difficult to take a decision when the patient has a normal liquoral pressure but is too wounded to show a NPH or when he has an atypical clinical feature.

Brain Injuries↗