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Biomedical subjects

Z Mechl

Publications and source records attributed to Z Mechl.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum in the treatment of disseminated malignant melanoma.

The efficacy of cis-platinum in the treatment of recurrent advanced malignant melanoma is discussed and also the so far unpublished clinical data have been summed up. On account of the considerable differences among these data the clinical study of Stage II had been started which should contribute to the elucidation of efficacy of cis-platinum in malignant melanoma treatment. Here the first part of the trial is presented in which cis-platinum was administered to 21 patients, and the effects were studied in 17 of them. In 5 patients a partial remission was observed. These results are considered to be satisfactory enough to offer further time on the study of effects of cis-platinum.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

A randomized trial of adjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy in cutaneous melanoma.

In a randomized trial of adjuvant chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or immunochemotherapy, 761 evaluable patients with pathological Stage II cutaneous melanoma anywhere on the body or with pathological Stage I melanoma of the trunk (Clark's level 3 to 5) were studied by the World Health Organization International Melanoma Group. Wide local excision and excisional regional lymphadenectomy alone were performed in 185 patients and the results were compared with those of surgery plus chemotherapy with dacarbazine (in 192 patients), surgery plus immunotherapy with bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine (in 203), and surgery plus chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy (in 181). The rates of disease-free survival and overall survival at 36 months were 30.4 +/- 8.3 per cent (mean +/- S.E.) and 41.6 +/- 10.0 per cent, respectively, after surgical treatment alone; 37.2 +/- 7.9 per cent and 46.5 +/- 8.3 per cent after surgery plus chemotherapy; 34.8 +/- 7.9 per cent and 48.7 +/- 8.7 per cent after surgery plus immunotherapy; and 33.6 +/- 7.9 per cent and 50.0 +/- 8.8 per cent after surgery plus a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. None of the differences between groups was significant, and thus no effect of adjuvant therapy could be demonstrated in this study.

BCG Vaccine↗
PubMed1982

Delayed regional lymph node dissection in stage I melanoma of the skin of the lower extremities.

Results of a prospective randomized clinical trial conducted by the WHO Collaborating Centers for the Evaluation of Methods of Diagnosis and Treatment of Melanoma are reported. Five-hundred-fifty-three Stage I patients whose limbs were affected entered the study; 267 were submitted to wide excision and immediate node dissection and 286 had wide excision and node dissection at the time clinically positive nodes were detected. Survival curves of the two treatment groups could be superimposed. No subsets of patients benefitted from immediate node dissection. The authors conclude that delayed node dissection is as effective as the immediate dissection in Stage I melanoma of the extremities if the patient can be checked every three months. If the quarterly follow-up is not guaranteed, immediate node dissection is advisable, at least for melanomas thicker than 2 mm.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Stage I melanoma of the limbs. Immediate versus delayed node dissection.

553 patients with stage I malignant melanoma of the limbs entered a prospective randomized clinical trial carried out by the W.H.O. Collaborating Centres for Evaluation of Methods of Diagnosis and Treatment of Melanoma from September 1967 to January 1974. 286 patients were submitted to wide excision of primary and node dissection at the time as appearance of regional lymph node metastases and 267 to wide excision and immediate node dissection. Survival was identical in the 2 groups. Different subsets of patients were evaluated to assess whether some groups of patients may benefit from immediate node dissection. As regards sex, females and a significantly higher survival rate than males (p < 0.05), but results were not improved by immediate node dissection. Maximum diameter and elevation of primary melanoma were significantly related to survival but also in these cases immediate node dissection did not achieve better results. 63 patients had an excisional biopsy of their melanoma within 4 weeks before final treatment. This procedure did not worsen survival and also in this case immediate node dissection did not improve survival. 273 cases were classified according to histologic type: survival of superficial spreading and nodular melanoma was not different at a statistically significant level after the 2 treatment modalities. 325 cases were considered classifiable according to Clark's levels, out of these 165 were submitted to immediate node dissection. Neither level III nor level IV cases showed higher survival rate after immediate node dissection. Maximum tumor thickness according to Breslow was evaluated in 338 cases: 188 were submitted to wide excision and immediate node dissection. In no clusters of thickness did the enlarged surgical procedure achieve better results. The authors conclude that there is good evidence that in stage I melanoma of the extremities delayed dissection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Chemo-radiotherapy of lung metastases of testicular tumors.

We studied the chemo-radiotherapy of testicular tumors in clinical stage III. Our study involved 54 patients with lung metastases of seminoma and nonseminoma, treated with a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The results obtained have not satisfied our expectations. While in the 16 seminoma patients only 43% overall response rate was obtained (probably due to the bad general condition of the patients who had mostly received previous treatment), in the 38 nonseminoma patients a 63% overall response rate was obtained, with 31% complete remission. In previously untreated patients a 73% overall response rate was obtained at 34% complete remission.

Dysgerminoma↗
PubMed1979

Comparison of the excretion of different types of melanogens in the melanoma patients.

Urinary melanogens are indolic and phenolic compounds which are excreted in an elevated amount in the urine of melanoma patients. Urinary melanogens can be divided into two principal groups according to their behavior during Thormählen test--Thormählen positive melanogens (TPM) and Thormählen negative melanogens (TNM). When comparing TPM and TNM (represented by homovanillic and vanillactic acids) urinary excretion in stage III of melanoma patients we have found two significantly different relations for melanogens excretion, i. e. predominating TPM urinary excretion in melanotic forms of melanomas and predominating homovanillic acid and vanillactic acid urinary excretion in amelanotic forms of melanomas. We assumed that it could be an indirect evidence of the different catalytic activity of either cresolase or catecholase activities of tyrosinase.

Eye Neoplasms↗
PubMed1979

Histologic changes in the human skin melanoma after intratumorous treatment with BCG.

Twenty six patients with malignant skin melanomas were treated with an intratumorous injection of 0.1 ml BCG applicated in certain time intervals. Histologic changes in tumor tissue starting with dystrophy and necrosis of the cells and ending with the formation of a granular tissue replacing the tumor are described. In one case the untreated satellite localized 2 cm from the injected tumor disappeared. The results indicate that the reaction of the cells on the applicated vaccine varied. In some tumors dystrophic changes and necroses were very large, in others they were of a lesser extent, but in all the process ended with the formation of a granular tissue. The mechanism of the action of BCG is discussed. For the time being, it seems that the intratumorous application of BCG is a useful adjuvant therapy.

BCG Vaccine↗
PubMed1978

Cytology in the diagnosis of malignant melanoma.

Some cytologic criteria useful for routine examinations in the diagnosis of malignant melanoma are reported and the diagnostic value of the pre-operatory cytologic smears is also emphasized.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1977

Inefficacy of immediate node dissection in stage 1 melanoma of the limbs.

From September, 1967, to January, 1974, a clinical trial was carried out by the WHO Melanoma Group to evaluate the efficacy of elective lymph-node dissection in the treatment of malignant melanoma of the extremities with clinically uninvolved regional lymph nodes. Treatment was prospectively randomized: 267 patients to excision of primary melanoma and immediate regional-lymph-node dissection and 286 to excision of primary melanoma and regional-lymph-node dissection at the time of appearance of metastases. The statistical analysis showed no difference in survival between the two groups of patients, regardless of how the data were analyzed (according to sex, site of origin, maximum diameter of primary tumor or Clark's level or Breslow's thickness). Elective lymph-node dissection in malignant malanoma of the limbs does not improve the prognosis and is not recommended when patients can be followed at intervals of three months.

Aged↗