Showing papers by "Flavia Longo published in 2002"

Phase I trial of technetium [Leu13] bombesin as cancer seeking agent: possible scintigraphic guide for surgery?

Abstract: AIMS AND BACKGROUND Bombesin-like neuropeptides work as neurotransmitters and growth factors at the same time. Several human cancers show overexpression of three receptors for mammalian counterparts of amphibia bombesins (ABNs), ie gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), neuromedin B (NMB) and possibly another peptide. ABNs in turn are able to bind to mammalian and human receptors in vitro, and it is therefore interesting to study radioisotope-labeled bombesin (BN) and BN-like peptides as cancer seeking agents. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN Starting from the amino acid sequence of [Leu13] ABN, the Demokritos Institute has synthesized and labeled with technetium a new BN-like peptide that has the same biological characteristics as the amphibian peptide; changes were made only in the N-terminal part of the tetradecapeptide. After having obtained satisfactory results with 99mTc BN in a preclinical study, we started a phase I trial involving cancer patients as well as normal volunteers in Tomsk. Three normal volunteers, one patient with small cell lung cancer and one patient with primary prostate cancer were studied after iv injection of 185 MBq, corresponding to 0.7 micrograms of 99mTc BN. Dynamic images of the tumors were acquired for 20 mins, followed by SPET. Total body images were acquired in patients and normal volunteers 1 and 3 h after 99mTc BN acquisition. In addition, 99mTc sestamibi scintigraphy was performed in the patient with small cell lung carcinoma. RESULTS No relevant side effects were observed. Both tumors were well visualized on early 1-2 mins images with planar as well as tomographic imaging. Total body images showed radioactivity in the liver, kidneys and thyroid gland. The stomach and spleen were ever imaged. Radioactivity was found in the urinary bladder 4 mins after injection in the patient with prostate cancer. Three-hour total body scans showed radioactivity in the duodenum. In the patient in whom also 99mTc sestamibi scintigraphy was performed, thyroid uptake was much higher with sestamibi than with 99mTc BN, whereas the uptake of small cell lung carcinoma was higher with 99mTc BN than with sestamibi. CONCLUSIONS 99mTc BN is able to clearly image tumors with BN receptor overexpression. Our first impression is that in the future this radiopharmaceutical may serve as a cancer seeking agent and, due to its high tumoral uptake, also as a radiotracer for radioisotope-guided surgery.

Breast Cancer Conference

Abstract: Aron Goldhirsch (Milano), moderatore del simposio su \"HER-2 targeting: advancing cancer treatment\", ha introdotto i due relatori, Giuseppe Viale dell'lstituto Europeo di Oncologia di Milano e Pierfranco Conte dell'Ospedale Santa Chiara di Pisa, e ha presentato I'argomento, sottolineando I'importanza dell'HER-2 come fattore predittivo, prognostico e come target terapeutico nel carcinoma mammario.

Phase I trial of technetium [Leu13] bombesin as cancer seeking agent: Possible scintigraphic guide for surgery?

Abstract: Aims and Background Bombesin-like neuropeptides work as neurotransmitters and growth factors at the same time. Several human cancers show overexpression of three receptors for mammalian counterparts of amphibian bombesins (ABNs), ie gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), neuromedin B (NMB) and possibly another peptide. ABNs in turn are able to bind to mammalian and human receptors in vitro, and it is therefore interesting to study radioisotope-labeled bombesin (BN) and BN-like peptides as cancer seeking agents. Methods and Study Design Starting from the amino acid sequence of [Leu13] ABN, the Demokritos Institute has synthesized and labeled with technetium a new BN-like peptide that has the same biological characteristics as the amphibian peptide; changes were made only in the N-terminal part of this tetradecapeptide. After having obtained satisfactory results with 99mTc BN in a preclinical study, we started a phase I trial involving cancer patients as well as normal volunteers in Tomsk. Three normal volunteers, one patient with small cell lung cancer and one patient with primary prostate cancer were studied after iv injection of 185 MBq, corresponding to 0.7 micrograms of 99mTc BN. Dynamic images of the tumors were acquired for 20 mins, followed by SPET. Total body images were acquired in patients and normal volunteers 1 and 3 h after 99mTc BN acquisition. In addition, 99mTc sestamibi scintigraphy was performed in the patient with small cell lung carcinoma. Results No relevant side effects were observed. Both tumors were well visualized on early 1-2 mins images with planar as well as tomographic imaging. Total body images showed radioactivity in the liver, kidneys and thyroid gland. The stomach and spleen were never imaged. Radioactivity was found in the urinary bladder 4 mins after injection in the patient with prostate cancer. Three-hour total body scans showed radioactivity in the duodenum. In the patient in whom also 99mTc sestamibi scintigraphy was performed, thyroid uptake was much higher with sestamibi than with 99mTc BN, whereas the uptake of small cell lung carcinoma was higher with 99mTc BN than with sestamibi. Conclusions 99mTc BN is able to clearly image tumors with BN receptor overexpression. Our first impression is that in the future this radiopharmaceutical may serve as a cancer seeking agent and, due to its high tumoral uptake, also as a radiotracer for radioisotope-guided surgery.

[Peritoneal papillary serous carcinoma: clinical report].

Abstract: Peritoneal papillary serous carcinoma (PPSC) is a rare tumour that involves the surface of the peritoneum, with prevalence in female patients and can originate from a single or multicentric focus is here described. A primary peritoneal serous carcinoma is here described. The patient has been treated with paclitaxel 175 mg/m 2 and carbo-platinum AUC 6.

La terapia orale nel trattamento del carcinoma del colon retto nel paziente anziano

Abstract: La citta di Abano Terme ha accolto recentemente oncologi e geriatri per la V Conferenza Nazionale AIOM (18-20 marzo 2002) interamente dedicata aile neoplasie nel paziente anziano. La necessita di organizzare un incontro su questa argomento nasce dal costante aumento della vita media e dal sempre maggior numero di pazienti anziani di fronte ai quali I'oncologo medico si trova nel corso della pratica c1inica quotidiana. l'oncoloqta geriatrica e qla da tempo argomento di attualita, ma i dati in letteratura sono pochi perche i trial clinici randomizzati hanno criteri di inclusione molto rigidi e l'eta prevista per I'arruolamento raramente supera i 70 anni. In alcuni studi, peraltro, vengono inseriti pazienti anziani con buon performance status e minima cornorbilita, per cui i dati otten uti non possono essere applicati alia realta quotidiana, dove I'anziano ha spesso condizioni generali precarie e piu di una patologia associata. Ne consegue che da questa convegno sono emersi quasi esclusivamente dati monoistituzionali e per specifica neoplasia. Tutti i relatori si sono trovati d'accordo sull'importanza di prendere in esame il \"Geriatric assessment\" del paziente anziano prima di proporgli un trattamento antineoplastico. Si tratta di una valutazione multidimensionale interdisciplinare nel corso della quale vengono esaminate e descritte Ie problematiche che accompagnano la vita del soggetto in eta avanzata:

Dalla Ricerca alla Pratica Clinica: Il Ruolo del Topotecan in Oncologia

Abstract: Tra gli argomenti di maggior interesse trattati nel corso del quarto Congresso Nazionale di Oncologia Medica, svoltosi a Torino dal 28 settembre al 1 ottobre, occorre annoverare indubbiamente la qualita in oncologia, la ricerca e le nuove associazioni di farmaci applicate alla pratica clinica. II Simposio satellite sul topotecan, in particolare, ha messo a confronto ginecologi e oncologi medici sul complesso tema della chemioterapia del carcinoma dell'ovaio. La seconda parte dell'incontro e servita invece a fare ii punto sulle prospettive future di utilizzo del topotecan nel carcinoma polmonare, neoplasia a elevata severita prognostica.