Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

V G Savchenko

Publications and source records attributed to V G Savchenko.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Preliminary results of a multicenter randomized study on the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemias].

AIM: To study efficacy of maintenance therapy of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in the APL treatment Russian multicenter trial. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The trial was made with participation of 18 hematological departments of clinics in Russia. A total of 68 APL patients entered the trial. The maintenance therapy consisted of 5-day courses of cytostatic drugs which alternated or did not alternate with 5-day courses of ATRA. Cytogenetic tests were made in 31 patients, t(15;17) was detected in 26 of them. Molecular examination conducted in 28 patients discovered chimeric transcript PML/RARa in 26 of them. Of 20 patients examined in Hematological Research Center, 7 (35%) had a bcr 1/2 variant of the transcript PML/RARa, 13 (65%)--bcr 3 variant. RESULTS: 65 patients were eligible for assessment. A complete remission was achieved in 90% cases. No resistance was observed. In follow-up within 30 months the recurrence rate was similar on both treatments. The results of the induction therapy and survival in patients with different variants of the transcripts were also similar. Overall 2.5 year survival for all the patients was 77%, recurrence-free--80%. The survival analysis in patients with leukocytosis higher and lower 10 x 10(9)/l found no statistical differences by the survival. Patients with hyperleukocytosis had higher early lethality than patients with leukocytes under 10 x 10(9)/l (25% vs 5.3%, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The APL 06.01 protocol showed high efficacy of the relevant maintenance which provides a complete molecular remission in the majority of patients with probable recurrence-free 2.5 year survival 80%.

Adolescent↗

[Allogenic bone marrow transplantation in chronic myeloid leukemias].

AIM: To assess the role of allogenic bone marrow (ABM) transplantation in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 44 ABM transplantations were performed in 37 CML patients in the chronic phase and 7 patients in acceleration or blast crisis. RESULTS: A complete molecular remission was achieved in 26 (59%) patients: 67.6% after ABM transplantation in the chronic phase and only 14.3% after myelotransplantation in non-chronic phase. Follow-up was 8-150 months (median--59 months). Early lethality after ABM transplantation in the chronic phase was under 14%. A phase of the disease plays a key role in ABM transplantation. If it is made in a chronic phase, CML recurrence rate is low (in our series it was 14%), efficacy of donor's bone marrow lymphocyte transfusions is high. The second complete molecular remission was achieved in 3 of 4 cases of posttransplantation recurrences. Probability of maintenance of a complete remission after ABM transplantation in a chronic phase was 75%, recurrence-free survival--64%, uneventful survival 55% for 90 months. CONCLUSION: The experience of many years demonstrates high efficacy of ABM transplantation in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. It promotes long-term molecular remission the maintenance of which did not require therapy in 65% patients.

Adolescent↗

[Somatic masks of depressions in leukemia].

AIM: To specify types of depressive conditions in a sample of leukemia patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 71 leukemia patients with depressions in the structure of which somatized disorders are an obligatory component of the depressive syndrome and determine clinical picture of the condition. This is the form of masking affective disorders. RESULTS: The patients had the following types of depression: somatized, hypochondriac, asthenic, depressive-delirium, hysteric depression. How to manage depression in leukemia patients is described.

Antidepressive Agents↗

[Is leukemic transformation of donor cells possible?].

AIM: To genotype tumor cells in the recurrence of leukemia after allogenic transplantation of bone marrow (TBM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Standard cytogenetics and fluorescent hybridization in situ (FISH) with a probe to the centrometic sites of X/Y chromosomes were used in examination of 2 patients with acute promyelocytic and acute non-differentiated leukemia after allogenic TBM from donors of the opposite gender. Bone marrow was studied 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 17, 18 months after the transplantation. RESULTS: One of the patient in leukemia recurrence there were 72% cells with one X chromosome with unknown origin. 28% donor cells were with genotype XX. The primary archival cytological sample of the recipient's bone marrow 68% cells did not contain Y chromosome. Thus, the clone with Y loss is the recipient's clone and leukemia after transplantation developed from the recipient's cells. The other patient had only 8% dividing cells with her karyotype XX with translocation t(10;11) while 92% metaphases were donor's ones; the interphase cells ratio was 75% of host cells and 25% donor cells. This confirms leukemia origin from the recipient's cells. CONCLUSION: High sensitive quantitative method FISH indicates a true correlation between the host and donor cells and is a method of choice for genotyping leukemic cells in recurrence after transplantation of bone marrow. While standard caryotyping depends on mytotic activity of donor and host cell populations, use of only one cytogenetic test for determination of leukemia origin after TBM may provoke diagnostic errors.

Adult↗

[Damage of vascular endothelium in the treatment of acute leukemia: in vitro study].

AIM: Cytostatic drugs used in the treatment of hemopoietic malignancies affect cells of other organs and systems, vascular endothelium, in particular. This leads to cardiovascular complications. We studied effects of some drugs and their combinations on cultured human endothelial cells (EC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Primary culture of umbilical human vein EC was used in the study. Cytosinearabinoside (cytozar, alexan, cytarabin) and daunorubicin were added in concentration from 1 ng/ml to 1 mg/ml; the action of the drugs was assessed by morphology of the cells, their viability, inclusion of bromodesoxyuridine by means of cloning, immunohistochemistry and flow cytofluorimetry. RESULTS: It is shown that in a wide range of concentrations cytosinearabinoside and daunorubicine cause specific structural-functional changes in the cells related to cytostatic and cytotoxic effects. CONCLUSION: The data of the study confirm that cardiovascular complications in the course of acute leukemia treatment are resultant from systemic damage to vascular endothelium.

Acute Disease↗

[Mobilization of bone marrow stem cells in the management of patients with heart failure. Protocol and first results of ROT FRONT trial].

Mobilization of bone marrow stem cells by granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is considered to be an alternative to invasive transplantation of autologous myoblasts or stem cells directly into injured cardiac tissue. We have started a 24 week randomized open study in order to elucidate effects of G-CSF (filgrastim) on clinical, hemodynamic and neurohumoral status of patients with NYHA class II-IV chronic heart failure due to ischemic heart disease with zones of nonviable myocardium and left ventricular ejection fraction <40% as well as to assess safety of addition of G-CSF to standard therapy with ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers. It is planned to include 20 patients into each filgrastim (5 mg/kg/day) and control (0.9% NaCl) groups. Methods to be used: dobutamine stress echocardiography for detection of myocardial viability, magnetic resonance tomography, 6-minute walk test, quality of life questionnaire. By the present time 5 patients were included (4 in filgrastim and 1 in control group) and passed 3-6 months points. A control patient died suddenly on 11th week. All patients in filgrastim group are alive (1 experienced obvious improvement, 2 remained stable, and 1 deteriorated and required urgent hospitalization). None of the patients had signs of appearance of 'regenerated' myocardial zones. The patient with positive clinical dynamics was characterized by young age (48 years), moderately severe heart failure (NYHA class II) and pronounced leukocyte reaction to filgrastim (12 fold increase in white blood cell count with appearance of myelocytes and myeloblasts ). In contrast patients without improvement were older than 60 years, had NYHA class III heart failure and experienced just 6-8 fold increases in leukocyte count. These factors are suggested to be predictors of clinical efficacy of G-CSF in patients with heart failure.

Adolescent↗

[Detection of minimal residual disease in patients with acute myeloid leukemia].

AIM: Detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the study of its correlations with duration of recurrence-free interval. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Bone marrow samples obtained from 37 AML patients before treatment were studied at two-color flow cytometry. The panel of monoclonal antibodies to T- and B-cell, myeloid antigens was used. The residual cells were estimated in 20 patients in remission. RESULTS: 78% cases were diagnosed to have an anomalous immunophenotype including coexpression of lymphoid and myeloid antigens, asynchronous expression of myeloid antigens. In the first remission the residual cells were detected in 20 patients due to aberrant antigen expression. The presence of MRD was stated if bone marrow contained more than 0.12% leukemic cells. The duration of the first remission and MRD correlated. 8 patients with MRD had remission for 3 to 6 months (median 4.7 months). 12 patients free of MRD were in remission for more than 6 months (for 8 to 26 months, median 19.7 months). The threshold level of the residual cells (0.12%) was confirmed statistically using the three-parameter probability model. CONCLUSION: This study confirms feasibility of using flow cytometry for detection of residual cells. MRD and duration of the first remission correlate. Long-term observation of large groups of AML patients will try the validity of the above statistical model.

Acute Disease↗

[Allogenic bone marrow transplantation after reduced intensity conditioning regimens in therapy of patients with hemoblastoses].

AIM: To investigate effectiveness of allogenic transplantation of the bone marrow (TBM) in the treatment of hemoblastosis patients from a high risk group, the course of donor bone marrow retention, tolerance and antitumor activity of this therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 11 patients received TBM in low-intensity regimen in Hematological Research Center in 1999-2001. All the patients were from a high risk group. Conditioning was based on the combination of fludarabin with busulfan. The transplanted precursor cells were taken from the bone marrow and/or peripheral donor blood. The retention was controlled by differential agglutination of erythrocytes and amplification of hypervariable sites of DNA. Minimal residual disease was controlled by standard cytogenetical tests, fluorescent in situ hybridization or reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: All the patients tolerated pretransplantation conditioning well. By chimerism, signs of retention of donor bone marrow on day +30 after TBM were observed in 9 patients of 11. Acute graft versus host reaction developed in 5 patients. This reaction was treated conventionally with methylprednisone and cyclosporin A, in 4 cases with a good effect. A complete remission persists in 5 patients. Mean follow-up lasted for 241 days. CONCLUSION: Thus, transplantation was successful in 50% patients with an unfavourable prognosis who are still in a complete remission. This suggests efficacy of the above method of treatment.

Adolescent↗

[Superhigh doses of dexamethasone in treatment of refractory forms of acute lymphoblast leukemia of adults].

AIM: Assessment of high-dose dexamethasone efficacy in combination with standard drugs (adriablastin, vincristin, alpha-asparaginase) in patients with refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A pilot multicenter trial with participation of hematological departments of Hematological Research Center (Moscow), municipal hospital N 1 (Krasnoyarsk), municipal hospital N 8 (Yaroslavl), Research Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (Kirov) included 34 patients (10 patients with late recurrences, 24--with primary resistant forms, early and secondary recurrences). RESULTS: In patients with late ALL recurrences a complete remission (CR) was achieved in 70% cases, the median being 10 months. In patients with primary resistant ALL, early and secondary recurrences CR reached 37.5%, the median was 14 months. CONCLUSION: The program HiDexa is highly effective: overall complete remission rate reached 47%, median of complete remission duration was 10 months. Dexamethasone in high doses must be used only intravenously.

Adolescent↗

[Cytomegaloviral infection in patients with hemoblastoses].

AIM: To estimate the incidence of cytomegaloviral (CMV) infection and CMV disease in patients with acute leukemia at different stages of chemotherapy and in patients after transplantation of hemopoietic cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The trial was carried out in 33 patients with acute leukemia at different stages of chemotherapy, 20 patients subjected to transplantation of autologic hemopoietic cells and 21 patients who had received transplantation of allogenic hemopoietic cells. To study the dynamics of the CMV infection markers, enzyme immunoassay of the titer of the specific immunoglobulins M and G was made, detection of the viral antigen in immunofluorescence reaction and cultivation with fibroblast cell culture and determination of the cytomegalovirus DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Before chemotherapy, up to 90% patients with acute leukemia were infected with cytomegalovirus (similar rate of infection was observed in healthy donors of hemopoietic cells). By the time of transplantation all the patients were infected with cytomegalovirus. During chemotherapy of acute leukemia, the primary infection and reactivation of latent infection occurred in 30% patients, whereas CMV disease developed in 18% patients. In case of transplantation of autologic hemopoietic cells the rate of reactivation of CMV infection (15%) was one-half of that value in patients with acute leukemia (30%). Similar trend was observed in case of development of CMV disease (5% and 18%, respectively). In case of transplantation of allogenic hemopoietic cells the incidence of reactivation of CMV infection was three times higher than in case of transplantation of autologic hemopoietic cells (47.6% and 15%, respectively, p = 0.02). The incidence of development of CMV disease in case of transplantation of allogenic hemopoietic cells was also significantly higher than in case of transplantation of autologic hemopoietic cells (28.6% and 5%, respectively, p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Cytomegalovirus is an infection agent responsible for severe complications of chemotherapy of acute leukemia and transplantation of hemopoietic cells in patients with hemoblastoses. Among hematological patients, the group of the highest risk of development of this complication includes recipients of transplantation of allogenic hemopoietic cells, particularly from seronegative donors.

Adolescent↗

The CD68 protein as a potential target for leukaemia-reactive CTL.

CD68, a haematopoietic differentiation marker of the monocyte-macrophage lineage, is expressed in various human malignancies including chronic and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). While the majority of normal CD34(+) cells are negative for CD68 expression, CD34(+) cells from AML patients produce elevated amounts of this protein. The purpose of this study was to identify CTL epitopes in the human CD68 protein. Mouse CD68 was also analysed to search for epitopes that could be used in murine tumor model. Peptides binding to murine H2(b) class I molecules were identified and used to stimulate CTL responses from allogeneic donor mice to avoid immunological tolerance. High avidity CTL clones specific for three different peptide epitopes did not kill CD68-expressing murine target cells, indicating that endogenous antigen processing failed to produce sufficient amounts of these peptides. In contrast, allo-restricted human CTL specific for an HLA-A2-binding peptide of CD68 recognised not only picomolar concentrations of peptide, but also displayed low levels of killing against HLA-A2-positive K562 and THP-1 leukemia cell lines and blast cells from AML patients. These data suggest that human leukaemia cells express limited amounts of CD68-derived peptides, and that high avidity CTL capable of recognising sub-picomolar concentrations of peptides are required for efficient killing of leukaemia cells.

Acute Disease↗

[Diagnosis of pulmonary lesions in acute respiratory insufficiency in patients with depressed hemopoiesis].

AIM: To analyse causes of acute respiratory failure (ARF) and methods of diagnosis of pulmonary lesions in patients with depressed hemopoiesis (DH). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 50 patients with DH and ARF were examined according to the protocol including x-ray, computed tomography, fibrobronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage, cytological, bacteriological, virusological studies of the lavage fluid, biopsy of the lung. The algorithm of the protocol is provided. RESULTS: Sensitivity of the lavage fluid in diagnosis of fungal, bacterial, pneumocystic and cytomegaloviral infections was 84, 78, 93 and 93%, respectively. The cytologic examination of the lavage fluid may detect lung infiltration with blood tumors. In complicated diagnostic cases lung biopsy verified pulmonary lesion but its conduction aggravated the patients' condition. ARF patients with DH, bacterial flora, fungi, cytomegalovirus and pneumocystic infection, pulmonary tumor involvement, pulmonary lesions in ATRA-syndrome, non-infectious lesions of the lungs after bone marrow transplantation were found in 38, 18, 40, 18, 8 and 4% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: DH patients with ARF should be examined by the protocol including both non-invasive and invasive diagnostic methods. Accurate diagnosis of ARF causes is the basic reserve in the treatment of such patients.

Acute Disease↗

[Liposomal daunorubicin and interferon-alfa in combination with all-retinoic acid--a new regime for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia].

AIM: To define duration and schemes of maintenance therapy, to evaluate cytarabine demand while treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with an original program 5D + Ifa + AT RA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The above treatment was conducted in 7 patients with APL (1 male, 6 females, 18-45 years, leukocytes 1.2-15.0 x 10(9)/l). RESULTS: Induction by 5D program was performed in 5 patients. A complete remission was achieved in 4 of them, molecular--in 3. One woman died. 5D consolidation was performed in 6 patients. After the first course of consolidation all the patients achieved molecular remission. Maintenance of remission with Ifa + ATRA was made in 5 patients. In one female the remission came to the end. Mean time of the follow-up was 18 months. The remission lasted 5-36 months. Monitoring of molecular remission has not found marker PML/RARa. CONCLUSION: Daunozom monotherapy leads to a complete remission after the first course in most of the patients. In the majority of them it was molecular. Maintenance with If + ATRA for 2 years maintains molecular remission for 5-36 months.

Adolescent↗

[Molecular cytogenetic monitoring of chimerism and minimal residual disease in patient with chronic myeloid leukemia after allogenic and syngenic bone marrow transplantation].

AIM: To study trends in restoration of normal and tumor hemopoiesis after transplantation of allogenic and syngenic hemopoietic cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The examination of bone marrow before transplantation and 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 months, 1, 2 and 3 years after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was made in 25 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) after allogenic transplantation of the bone marrow (TBM) and 4 patients after syngenic TBM. The method of G-differential staining of chromosomes and fluorescent hybridization in situ (FISH) with DNA probe to centromeric sites X/Y of chromosomes and genes BCR/ABL was used. RESULTS: 56% of CML patients after allogenic BMT were in cytogenetic and clinicohematological remission, 16% developed early cytogenetic recurrence. Single metaphase with t(9;22) were identified in 28%; 14.3% developed late cytogenetic and hematological recurrence. In patients in posttransplantation remission there were from 0.1 to 5.8% cells of the host. The number of cells of the host and the number of BCR/ABL-positive cells correlated significantly. CONCLUSION: The results of 8-year monitoring of chimerism and minimal residual disease validate application of molecular-cytogenetic methods for assessing transplant condition.

Adolescent↗

[Combination of interferon-alpha and all-trans-retinoic acid as a treatment for maintaining remission in high-risk group patients with acute myeloid leukemia].

AIM: To evaluate the efficiency of combination of interferon-alpha (INF) and all trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) as a treatment for maintaining remission in high risk group patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three-day INF + ATRA course was administered every 3 months to 22 patients with AML from high risk group (impossibility of drug therapy during the first complete remission, resistant forms of AML, relapses, secondary AML, acute promyelocytic leukemia after attaining molecular remission). RESULTS: INF + ATRA during remission maintained a long first complete remission (median 18 months) in patients with primary AML after small-volume drug therapy, led to long first and second complete remissions (median 12 months) in patients with resistant AML, and induced and maintained molecular remissions in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Acute Disease↗