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Biomedical subjects

S J Forman

Publications and source records attributed to S J Forman.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation as therapy for primary induction failure for patients with acute leukemia.

The survival of patients with acute leukemia who do not achieve a remission with primary therapy is very poor. High-dose chemoradiotherapy followed by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has been shown to be effective therapy for patients with acute and chronic leukemia. Therefore, we determined the long-term disease-free survival of patients who did not achieve a remission and were then treated with high-dose therapy and bone marrow allografting from matched sibling donors. Twenty-one patients (median age, 28 years) who did not achieve a remission with induction chemotherapy were subsequently treated with allogeneic BMT. After BMT, 90% achieved a complete remission. Six died of complications of the therapy, and six patients relapsed between 27 and 448 days after BMT. Nine patients (43%; median age, 25 years) are alive between 556 and 4,174 days after BMT. The cumulative probability of disease-free survival at 10 years is 43%. This study suggests that allogeneic BMT can be an effective therapy to achieve long-term control of acute leukemia, even in those patients who do not achieve a remission with primary therapy.

Adolescent↗

Importance of bone marrow cytogenetic evaluation before autologous bone marrow transplantation for Hodgkin's disease.

Alkylating agents used either with or without radiation therapy have been associated with the development of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) after treatment of both malignant and nonmalignant disorders. This report describes seven patients with recurrent Hodgkin's disease (HD) evaluated for bone marrow transplantation (BMT) who developed chromosomal abnormalities, and emphasizes the importance of bone marrow cytogenetic studies before bone marrow harvest. Three patients with histologically normal bone marrow underwent autologous BMT and subsequently developed an MDS or ANLL. Four patients had the clonal abnormality detected before bone marrow harvest and did not proceed to BMT.

Adult↗

Comparative analysis of human cytomegalovirus a-sequence in multiple clinical isolates by using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism assays.

The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) a-sequence (a-seq) is located in the joining region between the long (L) and short (S) unique sequences of the virus (L-S junction), and this hypervariable junction has been used to differentiate HCMV strains. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are differences among strains of human cytomegalovirus which could be characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the a-seq of HCMV DNA and to compare a PCR method of strain differentiation with conventional restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methodology by using HCMV junction probes. Laboratory strains of HCMV and viral isolates from individuals with HCMV infection were characterized by using both RFLPs and PCR. The PCR assay amplified regions in the major immediate-early gene (IE-1), the 64/65-kDa matrix phosphoprotein (pp65), and the a-seq of the L-S junction region. HCMV laboratory strains Towne, AD169, and Davis were distinguishable, in terms of size of the amplified product, when analyzed by PCR with primers specific for the a-seq but were indistinguishable by using PCR targeted to IE-1 and pp65 sequences. When this technique was applied to a characterization of isolates from individuals with HCMV infection, selected isolates could be readily distinguished. In addition, when the a-seq PCR product was analyzed with restriction enzyme digestion for the presence of specific sequences, these DNA differences were confirmed. PCR analysis across the variable a-seq of HCMV demonstrated differences among strains which were confirmed by RFLP in 38 of 40 isolates analyzed. The most informative restriction enzyme sites in the a-seq for distinguishing HCMV isolates were those of MnlI and BssHII. This indicates that the a-seq of HCMV is heterogeneous among wild strains, and PCR of the a-seq of HCMV is a practical way to characterize differences in strains of HCMV.

Base Sequence↗

Autologous bone marrow transplantation for Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Modern high-dose therapy with autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) used for the management of Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) began about a decade ago. As more lymphoma patients are treated and followed for longer periods of time, the value of this procedure is becoming clearer. ABMT for low grade NHL has not been studied extensively and follow-up is too short to demonstrate definite efficacy, but initial reports have suggested advanced low-grade NHL might be eradicated for some patients. More than a third of patients with intermediate- and high-grade lymphomas that are refractory to standard therapy or demonstrate poor prognostic factors, when treated with high-dose therapy and ABMT, experience long-term, disease-free survival. About 30% of patients with Hodgkin's disease that was not eradicated with conventional therapy experience long-term, disease-free survival when treated with high-dose therapy and ABMT. Patients who cannot have ABMT because of some bone marrow abnormality, can be offered high-dose therapy and restoration of marrow function by transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells collected from the peripheral blood rather than the marrow with no increased risk of failure to achieve long-term, disease-free survival. Continued efforts to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with high-dose therapy, to identify the optimal high-dose therapy for each histologic type of lymphoma, and to better identify those patients most likely to benefit will improve the value of high-dose therapy and ABMT.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for acute leukemia.

Allogeneic marrow transplantation has emerged as a curative therapy for many patients with acute leukemia. The ability to cure patients of their disease is dependent on the remission status of the patient. For patients with acute myelogenous leukemia, up to 60% of patients can become long-term, disease-free survivors, whereas a similar number of patients with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia can also achieve cure of their disease. The improved results with marrow transplantation have allowed the application of this therapy for patients up to the age of 50 years. Even patients with therapy-related leukemias can benefit from this approach. Although relapse is still a problem in all remission stages, current studies suggest that improved preparatory regimens, in combination with better treatment of graft-versus-host disease and prevention of cytomegalovirus pneumonia, will continue to improve the overall results of this therapy for patients with acute leukemia.

Acute Disease↗

Fractionated total body irradiation and high dose cyclophosphamide: a preparative regimen for bone marrow transplantation for patients with hematologic malignancies in first complete remission.

We treated 73 patients with hematologic malignancies in first complete remission (acute lymphoblastic leukemia = 23 patients; acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia = 25 patients; chronic myelogenous leukemia in first chronic phase = 20 patients, and high grade lymphoma = five patients) with a uniform preparative regimen consisting of fractionated total body irradiation (1,320 cGy) and high dose cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg), followed by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. By radiation dosimetry we demonstrated that the calculated doses were delivered accurately and reproducibly. Actuarial survival rates (+/- SEM) in complete remission were as follows: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia = 74 +/- 9%; acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia = 50 +/- 11%; and chronic myelogenous leukemia = 55 +/- 11%. Actuarial relapse rates for these three diagnoses were 19 +/- 9%, 17 +/- 11%, and 0% respectively. Three of the five lymphoma patients are alive in complete remission at 22+, 28+, and 54+ months. Overall probability of survival for the 73 patients was 59 +/- 7%. Interstitial pneumonia, usually associated with cytomegalovirus infection and graft-versus-host disease, and relapse of the underlying malignancy were the major causes of death.

Adolescent↗

Pharmacokinetics of high-dose etoposide.

The pharmacokinetics of etoposide at doses of 1 gm/m2 to 3 gm/m2 were studied in patients with hematologic malignancies. The noncompartmental systemic clearance, mean residence time, steady-state volume of distribution, and elimination half-life were independent of the dose of etoposide, whereas the AUC was proportional to the dose. Comparison of these results with those reported previously indicates that etoposide exhibits linear pharmacokinetics over a thirtyfold range in doses (0.1 to 3 gm/m2).

Alanine Transaminase↗

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for high risk non-Hodgkin's lymphoma during first complete remission.

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from histocompatible sibling donors was performed in six patients with extranodal involvement of high grade lymphoma during first complete remission. Five patients had lymphoblastic lymphoma and one had diffuse undifferentiated lymphoma. The cytoreductive/immunosuppressive regimen consisted of total body irradiation and high dose cyclophosphamide. Four patients are alive in complete remission at 8 months, 14 months, 21 months and 47 months post transplantation. One patient who relapsed 7 months after his initial transplantation underwent a second transplantation but another relapse 17 months later led to his death. One patient died of chronic graft-versus-host disease and at autopsy there was no evidence of lymphoma. These data demonstrate that allogeneic bone marrow transplantation can produce durable remissions in patients with high grade lymphoma who present with bone marrow, central nervous system and/or skin involvement.

Adolescent↗

High dose busulfan/etoposide as a preparatory regimen for second bone marrow transplants in hematologic malignancies.

Five patients with hematologic malignancies who had relapsed between seven months and eight years after their primary bone marrow transplants were prepared with high dose busulfan/etoposide for second marrow transplantations from the same donors who had provided the marrow for the primary transplants. The preparatory regimen was well tolerated. All patients engrafted and entered complete remission. Two patients are alive and in continued remission two and ten months after second transplant. One patient died with acute respiratory failure after two months and two patients relapsed again eight and 17 months after second marrow transplantation. The combination busulfan/etoposide may prove to be a suitable preparatory regimen for second bone marrow transplant attempts in selected patients.

Adolescent↗

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation as primary therapy for chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.

This is the first report of a successful bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. A 41-year-old woman with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia received, as primary treatment, a novel preparatory regimen consisting of high dose fractionated total body irradiation and high dose VP-16 chemotherapy followed by allogeneic marrow transplantation from her histocompatible brother. The patient is now more than two years after marrow transplantation with normal blood counts and a normal bone marrow which is of donor type. For younger patients with this disease who have a histocompatible sibling donor, bone marrow transplantation may represent a valid therapeutic option with curative potential.

Adult↗

Quantitation of human cytomegalovirus DNA in lungs from bone marrow transplant recipients with interstitial pneumonia.

DNA-DNA hybridization was compared with culture for virus and histopathology for the detection and quantitation of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in lungs from bone marrow transplant recipients. The hybridization assay detected 100 pg of HCMV DNA or greater than 520 plaque-forming unit equivalents. Compared with culture for virus, the hybridization assay had a sensitivity of 90.6% and a specificity of 77.8%. The quantity of HCMV DNA and the infectivity titer were directly correlated. Quantitation of HCMV DNA by hybridization was more reproducible than were infectivity titers for frozen specimens. Histopathologic examination of lung specimens detected HCMV inclusions in 60% (15 of 25) of patients with HCMV-associated interstitial pneumonia, whereas hybridization results were positive for 96% (24 of 25) of these patients. A significant inverse correlation was demonstrated between quantitative values for HCMV DNA and the duration of pneumonia.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia during first complete remission.

Patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who have poor prognostic features at diagnosis usually have a short disease-free survival in spite of successful remission induction. Those poor risk features are: age over 30 years, a white blood cell count over 25,000/microliter, certain translocations of chromosomes, and requirement for more than six weeks of induction chemotherapy to attain a complete remission. We have used high-dose radiochemotherapy to prepare 39 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in first complete remission (1 infant and 38 adults; median age 23 years) for bone marrow transplantation from histocompatible sibling donors. Thirty-one of the 39 patients in this study had one (n = 23) or more (n = 8) poor risk features: age (n = 7); high white blood cell count (n = 19); translocations (n = 4), or resistance to initial induction therapy (n = 11). Currently, 26 patients are surviving for 4-72 months (median 18 months) following marrow grafting and are in complete remission. One of the surviving patients had two marrow transplant procedures because of recurrent leukemia. Actuarial survival in complete remission is 63% for the entire group of 39 patients and is 60% if the eight patients who had no poor risk features are excluded from analysis. The following causes for failure were observed: leukemic relapse was encountered in four patients between 3 and 17 months after BMT for an actuarial relapse rate of 16%; bacterial sepsis was the cause of death in two patients; graft-versus-host disease and/or interstitial pneumonia led to the demise of seven patients, and one patient died with leukoencephalopathy. It appears that high-dose radiochemotherapy followed by bone marrow transplantation from a histocompatible sibling donor during first complete remission can result in a high disease-free survival rate for younger adults with poor-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This concept needs to be tested in prospective trials comparing bone marrow transplantation with chemotherapy.

Adolescent↗

Bone marrow transplantation for acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia during first complete remission. An analysis of prognostic factors.

Sixty-nine patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia in first remission received total-body irradiation and chemotherapy followed by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from histocompatible sibling donors. Patient age was between 1 and 41 years: 20 patients 1-19 years (group 1); 27 patients 20-29 years (group 2); and 22 patients 30-41 years (group 3). Two pretransplant radiochemotherapy regimens were employed: The first 45 patients received total-body irradiation (in a single dose) with cytosine arabinoside and cyclophosphamide; the next 24 patients received total-body irradiation (in a fractionated schedule) with cyclophosphamide alone. For all patients, actuarial disease-free survival is 51% (37 of 69 patients are alive and in continuous remission between 5 months and 9.3 years, median 3.7 years). For group 1 actuarial survival is 56%, group 2 48%, and group 3 48%. When analyzed for pretransplant factors that might predict disease-free survival after bone marrow transplantation neither patient age, white cell count at the time of diagnosis, FAB leukemic subtype, length of time before achieving remission, nor length of time between remission and bone marrow transplantation were established as prognostic.

Acute Disease↗