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Biomedical subjects

U Abel

Publications and source records attributed to U Abel.

72 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Combination chemotherapy (VAC/FMC) with immunostimulation in metastatic breast cancer: a randomized study comparing different times and routes of administration of Corynebacterium parvum.

From January 1978 to December 1980, 222 patients with metastatic breast cancer were included into a prospective multicenter trial. All patients were treated once a month with six cycles of VAC- (vincristine, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide) chemotherapy, followed by FMC (5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide) until progression was documented. By random assignment, the patients received immunostimulation with Corynebacterium parvum (CP) by one of four methods: subcutaneous (SC) on either day 1 or day 14, intravenous (IV) on either day 1 or day 14. The 214 evaluable patients were equally distributed to the four arms. The rates of complete or partial response to VAC/FMC plus CP did not differ significantly between the treatment groups. Of our patients, 22-33% were definite treatment failures. The Kaplan-Meier curves of duration of remission (medians 14 vs. 9 vs. 13 vs. 11 months) did not differ significantly. Only small differences in survival were noted among the four study groups (medians 15.4 vs. 17.5 vs. 17.2 vs. 13.0 months). However, complete and partial responders lived significantly longer (Log rank test P = 0.008), when CP was given on day 14 by the SC rather than IV route (29+ vs. 14.3 months). Patients in the four study groups were treated with virtually identical doses of VAC/FMC chemotherapy. Patients receiving CP intravenously on day 14 experienced significantly lower mean leukocyte counts than patients in the other groups. Many patients suffered from high temperature (requiring treatment with antipyretics) and severe gastrointestinal toxicity, particularly when CP was given IV on day 1 together with the chemotherapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1984

The contribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to the carcinogenic impact of emission condensate from coal-fired residential furnaces evaluated by topical application to the skin of mice.

The objective of this investigation was to identify the substances chiefly responsible for the carcinogenicity of the emission condensate from coal-fired residential furnaces. To realize this, the carcinogenic effect of various fractions was compared with that of an unseparated sample of emission condensate, tested in different doses. The probit and Weibull analysis of the results showed: (1) The condensate emitted from a coal fired residential furnace as well as the reconstituted condensate combining all fractions, provoked local tumors after repeated application to the dorsal skin of mice. The tumor incidence exhibited a clear cut dose-response relationship. (2) The fraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and thiaarenes with more than three rings accounted for almost the total carcinogenicity (109-118% compared with the total condensate) of the emission condensate from the coal-fired residential furnace. (3) The fraction containing azaarenes and nitroarenes (NO2-PAH) accounted only for 4-7% of the total carcinoma incidence of the emission condensate. (4) The content of benzo[a]pyrene (0.702 mg/g condensate) contributes 10-11% to the total carcinogenicity of the emission condensate. (5) The PAH-free fraction and the fraction containing PAH with 2 and 3 rings (together about 77% by wt) were almost ineffective. No cocarcinogenic activity of this fraction was obtained, since the total condensate, as well as the PAH-fraction consisting of more than three rings applied proportionally provoked about the same carcinoma incidence.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1984

Sequential methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil: improved response rate in metastatic colorectal cancer.

The efficacy of chemotherapy with sequential methotrexate (MTX) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in metastatic colorectal cancer was studied in a multicenter phase II trial using a seven-hour time interval. Forty-two patients were evaluable for response and 16 achieved objective tumor regression (greater than 50%). Median survival of all patients was 12.5 months. The result of this study indicates that MTX and 5-FU are synergistic in human colorectal cancer if given sequentially with a seven-hour time interval. This is supported by a review of the literature that reveals a significantly higher response rate in patients treated with a four-hour or more MTX/5-FU interval as compared to a one-hour interval.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Serum ferritin in relation to the course of Hodgkin's disease.

Serum levels of patients with Hodgkin's disease were evaluated during the course of the disease. Significant correlations were seen in relation to the stage of the disease, to sex and to various hematological data. An increase of Fer levels during progression and a decrease during remission was observed. Possible pathogenetic mechanisms are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

[Comparison of clinical methods for the demonstration of radiation-induced lung changes. Experimental study on animals].

The purpose of this study was to compare the value of different imaging methods (radiography, computer tomography and scintigraphy) for demonstrating pulmonary fibrosis or radiation pneumonitis. The right lungs of 50 rabbits were irradiated with 3200 to 6200 rd. The lung changes were observed by the above methods over a period of 13 weeks. Histological examination served as the basis for evaluating the imaging methods. The comparison demonstrated the superiority of computer tomography when density measurements were included in the diagnostic criteria. The accuracy was about 95%. Scintigraphy was inferior to computer tomography as a quantitative method, using differences in the counts per unit area. Radiology as a subjective method achieved an accuracy of about 84%, approximately the same as scintigraphy.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

[Comparison of neutron and photon irradiation of bronchial carcinoma].

Fast neutrons are only superior to photons if their relative biologic effectiveness (RBE) is higher within the tumor than in sound organs. It was therefore the object of this study to test the effects and side effects of rapid neutrons in an especially appropriate tumor model. The bronchial carcinoma was chosen because, according to radiobiologic experiences, the relative biologic effectiveness of neutrons is significantly higher in the Lewis bronchial carcinoma than in the normal lung. These experiences showed furthermore that, compared to other organs, the lung is relatively unsensitive to neutrons, so that the conditions for a treatment with this new type of radiation are favorable. Despite these favorable conditions, no local superiority of neutrons with respect to photons could be established by a clinical study including 115 cases. It shall be examined in a further study if a therapeutic advantage can be realized by a combination of neutrons and photons.

Carcinoma, Bronchogenic↗
PubMed1983

[Fractionated irradiations of the normal rabbit lung with fast neutrons or photons].

115 rabbits were irradiated with our usual fractionation scheme, and the dose effect curves for fast neutrons and photons (60Co) were determined with respect to pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis, respectively. On comparison of the radiogenic alterations three months after therapy, the relative biological effectiveness calculated by means of these dose effect curves was 2,9 for the fast neutrons. Furthermore, the authors tested the conformity of some clinical examination methods such as X-ray, scintigraphy and computed tomography with histological findings of pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis, respectively. In this regard, computed tomography was superior to the other examination methods.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

A randomized study of combination chemotherapy (VAC-FMC) with or without immunostimulation by Corynebacterium parvum in metastatic breast cancer.

A total of 156 patients with metastatic breast cancer were entered into a prospective multi-center trial in September 1975. All patients were treated monthly with vincristine, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (VAC) six times, followed by 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate and cyclophosphamide (FMC) until progression was documented. By random assignment, the patients received 5 mg/m2 Corynebacterium parvum (CP) subcutaneously on day 1, in addition to VAC/FMC. Of the 150 evaluable patients, 33 of 76 (45%) and 36 of 74 (49%) had complete or partial response to VAC/FMC plus CP, respectively. The Kaplan-Maier curves of duration of remission and survival were almost identical (medians 14.5 vs 12.1 months and 22.2 vs 21.1 months, respectively). The hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicity were also similar in the two study groups. However, 19 of 74 (26%) patients developed skin ulcers after repeated injections of CP. These patients showed prolonged survival (P = 0.002, log rank test). These results suggest that adding nonspecific immunostimulation with CP to currently available chemotherapy on day 1 is of no benefit to most patients with metastatic breast cancer, but may select an "immunoreactive subgroup with increased local toxicity and survival.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1981

[Parenchyma-preserving resection techniques for bronchial carcinoma (author's transl)].

Parenchyma-preserving resection techniques are grouped into two categories: (1) Broncho- and angioplastic resections that help avoid pneumonectomy and (2) Wedge or segment resections that help avoid lobectomy. The indications are: (a) Elderly patients (70 years); (b) Impaired respiratory reserve; (c) Palliative surgery; (d) Limited tumour growth. The analysis of 288 relevant cases yielded follow-up data in 232 cases: Survival and mortality of group I operations are comparable to those after (extended) pneumonectomy; higher tumour stages prevailed in the combined plastic surgery subgroup. The data of group II are similar to those with lobectomy; the relatively high local recurrence rates render group II operation techniques unreliable until more data are available.

Carcinoma, Bronchogenic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Geographical clusters and common patterns in cancer mortality of the Federal Republic of Germany.

This paper quantitatively analyzes the maps of the Cancer Atlas of the Federal Republic of Germany with respect to regional clustering in the patterns of rates and relations between the patterns for different localizations. Indices of clustering and association are introduced and compared with those values resulting from computer simulations assuming random distributions. For most localizations, the clusterings could not be considered random, even though they were more or less marked, a finding which, in some cases, is neither evident nor generally known. The clusterings and correlations found offer a wealth of material for generating etiological hypotheses.

Epidemiologic Methods↗
PubMedDate not supplied

S-phase fractions and DNA-ploidy of oropharyngeal squamous epithelium carcinomas compared with histologic grade, stage, response to chemotherapy and survival.

DNA-ploidy and the percentage of S-phase fractions in 55 primary oropharyngeal squamous epithelium carcinomas were measured by DNA-Flow Cytometry (FCM). The data were compared with the histologic grade, the stage and the response of the tumours to cytostatic chemotherapy. A significant correlation was found between the histologic grade and the mean percentage of S-phase fractions (p less than 0.01). No correlation could be found between the FCM measurement data and the tumour stage. Carcinomas with an amount from 4.0 to 10.4% S-phase fractions responded to chemotherapy by complete remission, and those with 10.0 to 13.3% S-phase fractions by partial remission. The group of non-responders could be subdivided into two subgroups: non-responders with low amounts of S-phase fractions (1.1-3.9%), and non-responders with very high amounts of S-phase fractions (11.6-16.6%). FCM data, histologic and clinical prognostic factors were summed up to a prognostic score. The number of score points showed a significant correlation to the length of survival in months after diagnosis of the tumour (p less than 0.00001). FCM may be used as an additional diagnostic tool for a better biological characterization of the neoplastic tissue, especially as an aid for grading, prediction of the response to chemotherapy and the length of survival.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Frequency of common colds and serum levels of sICAM-1 (CD54), sLFA-3 (CD58) and sIL-2R (CD25).

Epidemiologic case-control studies have suggested an inverse relationship between past medical history of frequency of common colds and subsequent cancer risk for various sites. One hypothetical explanation for this finding may be that there are unknown differences in immune responsiveness between patients developing cancer and healthy individuals. The present study examines the relationship between the frequency of common colds and a) plasma levels of sICAM-1/CD54, sLFA-3/CD58 and sIL-2R/CD25 which are believed to modulate activation of immune responses, and b) cell-mediated immunity in vivo as determined by Multitest Mérieux. The investigation was conducted as a correlation study amongst a healthy group of individuals from the general population in Germany. We found a statistically significant inverse relationship between frequency of common colds and levels of sCD58 and, partially, sCD54. No association was found between levels of sCD25 and results of Multitest Mérieux.

Aged↗