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Biomedical subjects

R Lopez

Publications and source records attributed to R Lopez.

239 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Chemoimmunotherapy (DTIC and Corynebacterium parvum) as adjuvant treatment in malignant melanoma.

Sixty-one patients with stage I or II (lymph node involvement) malignant melanoma were prospectively randomized into a control group receiving surgical treatment only (consisting of wide excision of primary and regional node dissection) and a group receiving the same surgical treatment plus adjuvant therapy with DTIC and Corynebacterium parvum. Followup times ranged from 1 1/2 to 4 years. Among the 29 patients in the surgical control group, there were five hematogenous recurrences and one regional recurrence and four patients have died. Among the 32 patients in the treatment group, there were 13 hematogenous recurrences and two regional recurrences and ten patients have died. However, the control group had six patients with involved lymph nodes while the treatment group had 15 patients in this category. It appears that although the combination of DTIC and C. parvum was well-tolerated, it did not reduce the recurrence and mortality rates.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Induction of Fc receptors on murine macrophages and leukemic cells by interleukin-1 beta.

Recombinant human interleukin-1 beta (rhIL-1 beta) is shown to be a strong inducer of Fc receptors (FcR) on murine macrophages and not on granulocytes. Data is provided indicating that rhIL-1 beta does induce specific but not nonspecific phagocytosis. Macrophages are shown to autoinduce their FcR expression as a function of time in culture. This induction is increased by the use of exogenous rhIL-1 beta and inhibited by anti-rhIL-1 beta antibody, pointing to an autocrine regulation of FcR expression on macrophages. On the other hand the myelomonocytic cell line WEH13BD- and the macrophage like cell line WR19M.1 are also shown to be inducible for the expression of FcR by this molecule. Data is also provided showing that recombinant murine Interferon gamma (rmIFN gamma) induces FcR on both macrophages and granulocytes. Whereas polyclonal antibodies inhibit FcR induction by IL-1 on macrophages, it does not inhibit FcR induction by IFN gamma on these cells. This points to a different mechanism of induction of FcR by IFN and IL-1. Finally, the possible application of rhIL-1 beta in vivo to help the organism fight infections is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Risk of reactivation of a recent invasive fungal infection in patients with hematological malignancies undergoing further intensive chemo-radiotherapy. A single-center experience and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hematologic malignancies and a history of an invasive fungal infection are considered to be at high risk of suffering reactivation of the infection during subsequent intensive chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 1993 to September 1996, nine patients with a hematologic malignancy and previous invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) or Pseudallescheria boydii pneumonia and five with invasive candidiasis received further intensive chemotherapy (n = 3) or a bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplant (n = 11) four days to 13 months (median three months) from the start of therapy for the fungal infection. Five patients with IPA and all five with invasive candidiasis showed complete or good partial radiologic resolution of the infection with the primary antifungal therapy given, which was continued before, during and after the period(s) of subsequent neutropenia. RESULTS: Twelve of the 14 patients showed no signs of progression or reactivation of the fungal infection during therapy, while two patients with active IPA died with progressive aspergillosis shortly after an allogeneic transplant. A review of the literature revealed that in both types of infections the risk of reactivation and dissemination appears low after achieving clinical and radiologic signs of response, which takes several weeks or months before proceeding to further antileukemic therapy. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Despite lack of definite evidence, administration of an active antifungal drug before, during and after the period of neutropenia appears to be useful. In IPA, residual masses, nodules or cavities in the lung usually contain viable invasive fungal elements and should be resected whenever possible. On the other hand, the risk of reactivation and progression of an active fungal infection during intensive chemoradiotherapy is very high, and novel therapeutic strategies appear warranted in this setting.

Adolescent↗