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V De Angelis

Publications and source records attributed to V De Angelis.

61 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

IFN-beta induced biochemical and immunological modifications in hairy cell leukemia patients.

BACKGROUND: Although IFN-beta is 30-40% homologous with IFN-alpha, its intrinsic biological properties are not identical. Compared with IFN-alpha, IFN-beta exerts greater in vitro antiproliferative activity on many cell lines, stimulates peripheral blood stem cells of hairy-cell leukemia (HCL) patients to differentiate to erythroid burst forming cells, has higher specific type I IFN receptor affinity and modulates the expression of class II histocompatibility antigens. IFN-beta would, therefore, be expected to have a greater, or at least similar, antitumor activity as that of the various types of IFN-alpha. METHODS: We have treated 12 patients affected by HCL with IFN-beta and have investigated the biological and immunological changes induced by such treatment. RESULTS: A rise in beta 2-microglobulin and neopterin values throughout IFN-beta therapy was documented in most patients. An increase in NK activity was observed only in clinical responders whose CD57+/CD16+ cell ratio dropped below baseline. There was also a modulation in IFN-gamma synthesis that was dependent on baseline levels and in line with the clinical response. IFN-beta provoked a reduction in CD3+ and CD4+ cell subsets in patients with WBC greater than or equal to 10.0 x 10(9)/1 and greater than or equal to 50% circulating HCs, an expansion in absolute number of CD3+ and CD8+ cell fractions and a slight rise in the absolute values of CD2+ and CD4+ cell subpopulations in patients with WBC less than or equal to 5.0 x 10(9)/1 and less than or equal to 50% circulating HCs. There was no correlation between either the IFN-beta induced increase in beta 2-M or Np levels and clinical response. Most immunological parameters improved or normalized later during the course of IFN-beta treatment, when pathological-hematological signs of disease remission were already evident. CONCLUSIONS: The relevance of the IFN-beta induced changes as well as that of the IFN-alpha induced biological effects in the clinical control of HCL remain unclear.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Phase I-II trial on natural beta interferon in chemoresistant and relapsing multiple myeloma.

One Waldenström's disease and 16 multiple myeloma patients were administered IFN-beta I.V. at the dose of 6 x 10(6) IU/m2 over 6 hours for 7 days on alternate weeks for a total of 3 cycles, and then continued at the same dose, twice a week, for an additional 24 weeks. Four patients had initially proved to be, and 6 became, resistant to chemotherapy. Disease progressed after chemotherapy was discontinued in another 7 patients: 3 SD and 4 PR. One of the 16 evaluable patients achieved an MR, and 11 experienced brief stabilization of disease (median 14 weeks, range 6-34). In addition, cellular response to IFN-beta was documented by increased B2-microglobulin and neopterin levels, even as early as 24 hours after the 1st IFN injection of the 1st and 2nd cycles. Hemtological and extrahematological toxicity was low despite the fact that 8/16 patients had severely or moderately reduced bone marrow reserve at the beginning of treatment. Since vincristine-adriamycin-dexamethasone and etoposide-dexamethasone-cytarabine-cisplatin combinations achieve high response rates in resistant and relapsing multiple myeloma patients, IFNs alone should be reserved as third-line therapy for those subjects who are resistant to, or not candidates for, these chemotherapeutic regimens. The low toxicity and the modulation of B2-microglobulin and neopterin should encourage studies aimed at defining the optimal antitumor dose of IFN-beta that could be used in combination with conventional chemotherapeutic regimens to improve the response rate in multiple myeloma patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Combined factor VIII and factor XI congenital deficiency: a case report.

Combined congenital defect involving both Factor VIII and XI is a very rare disorder. We describe a case of combined Factor VIII and XI deficiency in which the propositus has a mild hemophilia A and inherited a Factor XI deficiency from the father. Moreover, we report on the benefit of DDAVP administration to the patient during a bleeding episode.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Blood transfusions in maxillofacial surgery].

In the last few years a codification of maxillo-facial surgical techniques has been reached. This has been possible because of a close interaction among different specialists. The use of blood transfusion must be carefully evaluated because of the different risks involved. The transmission of infectious agents like HIV and HCV viruses is still a matter of major concern. Furthermore, Gant in a '81 issue of Lancet suggested that blood transfusion in oncological patients may lead to neoplastic relapse by depressing the immune system. Other studies seem to confirm these data, although statistical evaluation of the results was not free of oriticism. Nevertheless, it appears that there is a correlation between the amount of transfused blood and the worsening of the prognosis. We take into consideration the risk of depressing the immune system by transfusing homologous blood. We then define the forensic medical problems related to blood transfusion also in view of recent sentences of the Court on the subject.

Blood Transfusion↗