Showing papers by "Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center published in 1983"
TL;DR: Two hundred fifteen randomly accessed cancer patients who were new admissions to three collaborating cancer centers were examined for the presence of formal psychiatric disorder, and the large majority of conditions were judged to represent highly treatable disorders.
Abstract: Two hundred fifteen randomly accessed cancer patients who were new admissions to three collaborating cancer centers were examined for the presence of formal psychiatric disorder. Each patient was assessed in a common protocol via a psychiatric interview and standardized psychological tests. The American Psychiatric Association'sDSM-IIIdiagnostic system was used in making the diagnoses. Results indicated that 47% of the patients received aDSM-IIIdiagnosis, with 44% being diagnosed as manifesting a clinical syndrome and 3% with personality disorders. Approximately 68% of the psychiatric diagnoses consisted of adjustment disorders, with 13% representing major affective disorders (depression). The remaining diagnoses were split among organic mental disorders (8%), personality disorders (7%), and anxiety disorders (4%). Approximately 85% of those patients with a positive psychiatric condition were experiencing a disorder with depression or anxiety as the central symptom. The large majority of conditions were judged to represent highly treatable disorders. (JAMA1983;249:751-757)
1,704 citations
TL;DR: Fifty patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome had complications affecting the central or peripheral nervous systems or both, and the patients were either male homosexuals, intravenous drug abusers, or recently arrived Haitian refugees.
Abstract: Fifty patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome had complications affecting the central or peripheral nervous systems or both. The patients were either male homosexuals, intravenous drug abusers, or recently arrived Haitian refugees. They ranged in age from 25 to 56. Central nervous system complications were of four kinds: (1) Infections included Toxoplasma gondii abscesses in 5 patients, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in 2, cryptococcal meningitis in 2, Candida albicans in 1, and possible Mycobacterium avium intracellulare in 3. Eighteen patients suffered a subacute encephalitis possibly attributable to cytomegalovirus infection. (2) Tumors consisted of primary lymphoma of the brain in 3 patients and meningeal invasion by systemic lymphoma in 4. (3) Vascular complications included nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis in 2 patients and cerebral hemorrhages in the setting of thrombocytopenia in 3. (4) Undiagnosed central nervous system problems were evidenced as focal brain lesions in 3 patients and self-limiting aseptic meningitis in 4. Peripheral neuropathy occurred in 8 patients.
1,318 citations
TL;DR: The proposed method (median-effect plot) suffers from fewer restrictions and is more widely applicable than the isobologram or the fractional product method and provides insight into the nature of the dose-effect relationship with relatively few measurements.
568 citations
TL;DR: Techniques for producing human monoclonal antibody now appear to be sufficiently advanced to initiate a serological dissection of the humoral immune response to cancer.
Abstract: Human lymphocytes from lymph node, peripheral blood, spleen, and tumor specimens have been fused with the LICR-LON-HMy2 (LICR-2) or SKO-007 human cell lines or the NS-1 mouse myeloma line. Over 75 fusions with the three myeloma-lymphoblastoid lines have been performed. Several factors appeared to improve the fusion outcome, including maintenance of the myeloma-lymphoblastoid lines in logarithmic phase growth at greater than or equal to 95% viability, a delay of 24 hr in the introduction of aminopterin to the fused cells, and preselection of the fetal calf serum used in the medium. For a given number of lymphocytes, fusions with NS-1 produced 5-20 times more clones than fusions with LICR-2 or SKO-007, and LICR-2 produced 4 times as many clones as SKO-007. The percentage of clones secreting human immunoglobulin, the range of immunoglobulin production, and the proportion of IgM, IgA, and IgG secretors were comparable for clones derived from the three myeloma-lymphoblastoid lines. Stable Ig-secreting clones were isolated with approximately equal frequency from LICR-2 and NS-1 fusions. A number of stable clones producing human monoclonal antibodies reacting with cell-surface, cytoplasmic, or nuclear antigens have been isolated from tumor-bearing patients and normal individuals. A surface antigenic system present on normal and malignant cells has been defined with a human monoclonal antibody derived from a patient with breast cancer. Techniques for producing human monoclonal antibody now appear to be sufficiently advanced to initiate a serological dissection of the humoral immune response to cancer.
566 citations
TL;DR: This article showed that depletion of T lymphocytes by this technique can abrogate the potential of histoincompatible marrow grafts to induce lethal GVHD without limiting immunologic reconstitution.
475 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The results demonstrate that the effects ofHuIFN gamma and HuIFN alpha are due to the HuIFn themselves and that these actions on the hematopoietic progenitor cells are probably not mediated through monocytes and/or lymphocytes.
Abstract: Preparations of human interferon (HuIFN) immune (gamma) (2 X 10(7) units/mg protein), HuIFN leukocyte (alpha) (1.4 X 10(8) units/mg protein) and HuIFN fibroblasts (beta) (10(6) U/mg protein) were assessed for their influence on colony formation of human hematopoietic progenitor cells: colony forming unit-granulocyte, erythroid, macrophage, megakaryocyte (CFU-GEMM), burst forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E), day 7 colony forming unit granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) and day 14 CFU-GM. Colony formation by CFU-GEMM and BFU-E was suppressed equally by the three preparations of HuIFN, but colony formation by CFU-GM was suppressed differentially. CFU-GM were, on the whole, more responsive to HuIFN gamma than HuIFN alpha, and HuIFN beta was least effective. HuIFN alpha, but not HuIFN gamma or HuIFN beta, suppressed colony formation from CFU-GM without also suppressing the total number of colonies plus clusters. This was due to an increase in the numbers of clusters formed in the presence of HuIFN alpha. The suppressive influence on colonies from CFU-GM by the preparations of HuIFN and the enhancement of clusters by HuIFN alpha was apparently equal for colonies and clusters of neutrophils, eosinophils, macrophages and neutrophils plus macrophages. The suppressive effects of HuIFN gamma were inactivated by a monoclonal antibody to HuIFN gamma and the suppressive and enhancing effects of HuIFN alpha were inactivated with a heteroantiserum to HuIFN alpha. Depletion of monocytes, T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes from the target bone marrow cells had no influence on the effects of the preparations of HuIFN. These results demonstrate that the effects of HuIFN gamma and HuIFN alpha are due to the HuIFN themselves and that these actions on the hematopoietic progenitor cells are probably not mediated through monocytes and/or lymphocytes.
382 citations
TL;DR: In 48 patients, excitatory effects ranging from mild nervousness to tremors, twitches, multifocal myoclonus, and seizures were directly correlated with accumulation of normeperidine in plasma, suggesting that renal dysfunction may contribute to but is not the sole factor in the accumulation ofnormeperidine or its relation to adverse neurological signs.
Abstract: The analgesic meperidine has been reported to produce signs of central nervous system excitation in human beings. To determine the relationship between signs and symptoms of central nervous system excitation and plasma levels of meperidine and normeperidine, we studied 67 patients receiving meperidine for the relief of postoperative or chronic pain. In 48 patients, excitatory effects ranging from mild nervousness to tremors, twitches, multifocal myoclonus, and seizures were directly correlated with accumulation of normeperidine in plasma. Evidence of compromised renal function occurred in only 14 of the 48 symptomatic patients, suggesting that renal dysfunction may contribute to but is not the sole factor in the accumulation of normeperidine or its relation to adverse neurological signs. In a second study we surveyed mood alterations in 47 patients receiving meperidine and 29 receiving other narcotic analgesics for postoperative pain. The repeated administration of meperidine was associated with adverse alterations in various elements of mood (e.g., apprehension, sadness, restlessness).
373 citations
TL;DR: In most patients, delirium was caused by multiple factors, and the authors outline strategies for management of terminal cancer patients withDelirium.
Abstract: Nineteen patients believed to be in the terminal stages of cancer were evaluated for signs of delirium. Six patients improved; 13 who died during hospitalization were studied until their death. Patients were interviewed three times a week using a delirium scale; medical records also were used to gather data. Eleven (85%) of the 13 patients developed delirium. In most patients, delirium was caused by multiple factors. The authors outline strategies for management of terminal cancer patients with delirium.
337 citations
TL;DR: Risk was lower among post menopausal women than among premenopausal women of the same age and increased with increasing age at menopause; bilateral oophorectomy reduced the risk more than hysterectomy alone.
Abstract: Since 1976, data were collected to evaluate risk factors for breast cancer in a hospital-based case-control study of 1185 women with breast cancer and 3227 controls. The risk of breast cancer increased with increasing age at first birth; this effect was not accounted for by parity. An early age at first birth appeared to reduce the risk relative to no pregnancy, whereas a late age at first birth was associated with a higher risk than not having a full-term pregnancy. High parity was associated with a reduction in the risk that was independent of that of age at first birth: for parity ≧5, compared with parity 1-2, the relative risk estimate was 0.7 (95% confidence Interval, 0.5-1.0). Late age at menarche was associated with a lower risk among premenopausal women but not among postmenopausal women. The relative risk decreased with increasing obesity among premenopausal women. Among postmenopausal women, the risk was higher among those who were obese, but there was no evidence of a trend with increasing body mass index. Risk did not vary materially according to history of abortion when gravidity was controlled. Risk was lower among postmenopausal women than among premenopausal women of the same age and increased with increasing age at menopause; bilateral oophorectomy reduced the risk more than hysterectomy alone. A positive history of benign breast disease, a positive family history of breast cancer, Jewish religion, and 12 or more years of education were each independently associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
301 citations
TL;DR: Using ultraviolet-light-induced crosslinking, it is shown that the P proteins as a complex move from the 3' ends of the vRNA templates down the elongating mRNAs.
255 citations
TL;DR: The clinical records and histologic material of 48 patients with extraosseous osteogenic sarcoma were reviewed, and the course of most patients was that of multiple local recurrences followed by pulmonary metastases and death, with median survivals greater than 60 months for patients receiving these treatments.
Abstract: The clinical records and histologic material of 48 patients with extraosseous osteogenic sarcoma were reviewed. Most patients developed their tumors in the fifth or sixth decades of life. Five patients (10%) developed neoplasms in an area of prior radiation therapy, a median of 15 years after their exposure. Six patients (13%) related a history of trauma to the area where their extraosseous osteogenic sarcoma developed. The course of most patients was that of multiple local recurrences (69%) followed by pulmonary metastases (80%) and death (76%). Amputation or wide resection followed by irradiation appeared to be the most effective types of therapy, with median survivals greater than 60 months for patients receiving these treatments, compared to 28 months for patients initially treated with resection alone. Chemotherapy was not effective for patients with advanced disease; however, adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery may have been of value. Four of five patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery are alive and disease-free; the only two survivors after development of pulmonary metastases received adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical resection of visible pulmonary metastases.
TL;DR: The most important complications of intravascular administration of contrast agents include idiosyncratic (anaphylactoid) reactions, shock, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, acute renal failure, and neurotoxic effects.
Abstract: The most important complications of intravascular administration of contrast agents include idiosyncratic (anaphylactoid) reactions, shock, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, acute renal failure, and neurotoxic effects. The incidence of serious neurotoxic effects is low. Entry of contrast agents into the central nervous system normally is limited but may be increased by osmotic opening of the blood-brain barrier with cerebral arteriography or arch aortography. Most neurotoxic effects are thought to represent direct effects of the contrast agent on brain or spinal cord. Adverse effects with arteriography include seizures, transient cortical blindness, brain edema, and spinal cord injury. Most cases of focal brain deficit (other than cortical blindness) are attributed to embolism secondary to the catheter. Seizures may occur with intravenous administration, especially in patients with brain tumors or other processes disrupting the blood-brain barrier. The most important adverse effects observed with myelographic agents include acute and chronic meningeal reactions with iophendylate, and seizures and transient encephalopathy with metrizamide.
TL;DR: The value of chemotherapy in increasing the cure rate in osteogenic sarcoma is demonstrated and that the response to preoperative chemotherapy can help select postoperative chemotherapy to produce an even higher potential cure rate for osteogenic Sarcoma.
Abstract: Since October 1973, 185 patients 21 years of age or younger with primary osteogenic sarcoma of an extremity were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Twenty-five of the first fifty-two patients (48%) have remained free of disease for a median of 7 years. In the next chemotherapy protocol most patients had chemotherapy prior to amputation or resection, during which time the dose of high-dose methotrexate was escalated in many patients to that needed to shrink the primary tumor. For a median of 4 years 43 of 54 patients (80%) have remained free of disease. In the current protocol, the response of the primary tumor to chemotherapy with high-dose methotrexate was used to select postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for the patient. With the latter approach 73 of 79 patients (92%) have remained continuously free of disease for a median of 2 years. This experience demonstrates the value of chemotherapy in increasing the cure rate in osteogenic sarcoma and that the response to preoperative chemotherapy can help select postoperative chemotherapy to produce an even higher potential cure rate for osteogenic sarcoma.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The (φ p ,φ h ) distribution appears to be a more precise measure of risk than previously used in discriminating populations with genetic susceptibility to colon cancer from those at lower risk and may be useful as a marker to identify individuals with the at-risk phenotype.
Abstract: New analytical methods have been developed for measurement of the height distribution patterns of [3H]dThd-labeled epithelial cells in colonic crypts of high- and low-risk population groups. Labeled cells were segregated with respect to crypt-height into 10 compartments of equal size, plus a lumenal surface compartment for each subject. Members of families prone to polyposis coli and to non-polyposis colon cancer were compared to subjects at lower risk. The latter included persons from polyp-free and cancer-free branches of the same families, normal controls, and patients with colon cancer from the general population. Significant differences were found between groups of patients with familial polyposis or familial colon cancer and subjects at low risk, when labeled cell distributions were compared over all the crypt height compartments ( p < 0.001). Distributions of the occupancy fractions of labeled cells in the upper region ( i.e. , 40%) of the crypt (φ h ), measured for the fraction of each population (φ p ), revealed a discriminant level that separated over 90% of low-risk subjects from a major fraction of those affected with familial colon cancer or polyposis and from close to one-half of the at-risk progeny as expected for an autosomal dominant trait. However, subjects with colon cancer in the general population had (φ p ,φ h ) distributions closer to the low-risk groups, although a subgroup of patients had abnormal φ h values characteristic of hereditary disease. Thus, the (φ p ,φ h ) distribution appears to be a more precise measure of risk than previously used in discriminating populations with genetic susceptibility to colon cancer from those at lower risk and may be useful as a marker to identify individuals with the at-risk phenotype.
TL;DR: This investigation proves that HFJV is a safe and reliable method to provide mechanical support which does not, at this time, offer obvious benefits over VCV.
TL;DR: It is concluded that patients with malignant gliomas have a high risk of developing peripheral venous thrombosis; that antithrombotic therapy reduces the incidence of thromBosis following craniotomy; and that, in patients who develop phlebitis, anticoagulation reduces the risk of pulmonary emboli without increasing therisk of intracranial hemorrhage.
Abstract: The incidence, prevention, and treatment of peripheral venous thrombosis were studied retrospectively in 381 patients with malignant glioma. Of 264 patients who did not receive antithrombotic prophylaxis, 97 (36.7%) developed clinical phlebitis confirmed by venography. Sixty-six cases occurred within 6 weeks of craniotomy. By contrast, only 12 (10%) of 117 patients who received intermittent pneumatic pressure to the calves during craniotomy developed phlebitis (4 patients with 6 weeks of the surgery). Of the 109 patients with venous thrombosis, 103 were treated with anticoagulants. Of the 6 patients treated conservatively, 3 died of pulmonary emboli. Intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 1.9% of the patients taking anticoagulants and in 2.2% of those who did not develop phlebitis. We conclude that patients with malignant gliomas have a high risk of developing peripheral venous thrombosis; that antithrombotic therapy reduces the incidence of thrombosis following craniotomy; and that, in patients who develop phlebitis, anticoagulation reduces the risk of pulmonary emboli without increasing the risk of intracranial hemorrhage.
TL;DR: The actions of amitriptyline were not affected by the specific opiate antagonist naloxone but were markedly attenuated in animals whose monoamine levels had been depleted with reserpine, and central mechanisms appear important since amitripyline was potent when administered intracerebroventricularly.
Abstract: Amitriptyline (median effective dose [ED50] 1.2 mg per kilogram of body weight), imipramine (ED50 2.3 mg/kg), and their demethylated derivatives nortriptyline (ED50 1.9 mg/kg) and desimipramine (ED50 3.2 mg/kg) are active analgesics as indicated by the mouse writhing assay. Although not as potent as morphine (ED50 0.2 mg/kg), the antidepressants were up to 70 times more potent than aspirin (ED50 91 mg/kg). The actions of amitriptyline were not affected by the specific opiate antagonist naloxone but were markedly attenuated in animals whose monoamine levels had been depleted with reserpine. Central mechanisms appear important since amitriptyline (ED50 4.6 micrograms) was potent when administered intracerebroventricularly.
TL;DR: Eighty-six percent, 65% and 33% of patients in Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively, were steroid-dependent until death, and surgical extirpation should be considered in highly selected patients with brain metastasis from melanoma.
Abstract: Eighty-one patients with brain metastasis from melanoma were identified at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) between 1978 and 1980. Of 78 evaluable patients, 51 (65%) had multiple brain metastases. Of 64 patients with non-contrast CT scans, 29% had hemorrhagic metastases. Leptomeningeal metastases were found in 15 patients. Patients were grouped into three categories: Group 1, multiple brain metastases treated with radiation therapy (RT) (n = 49); Group 2, single brain metastasis treated with RT (n = 17); Group 3, single brain metastasis treated with surgery with or without RT (n = 9). Median survivals for Groups 1, 2 and 3 were 11, 9 and 41 weeks, respectively. Eighty-six percent, 65% and 33% of patients in Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively, were steroid-dependent until death. Seizures occurred in 38 patients (48%). In 17 (21%), seizures were the first manifestation of metastasis. Of 51 patients not receiving prophylactic anticonvulsants, 37% had seizures. Of 12 patients treated prophylactically, 17% developed seizures. Surgical extirpation should be considered in highly selected patients with brain metastasis from melanoma. Prophylactic anticonvulsants are recommended if there is no contraindication.
TL;DR: Among 1177 osteogenic sarcoma patients diagnosed and treated at Memorial Hospital, 65 (5.5%) were associated with either monostotic or polyostotic Paget's disease; in spite of radical surgical amputations, only three patients survived longer than 5 years.
Abstract: Among 1177 osteogenic sarcoma patients diagnosed and treated at Memorial Hospital, 65 (5.5%) were associated with either monostotic or polyostotic Paget's disease. The overall median age was 64 years (range, 39-82 years). In those patients older than 40 years of age, the frequency of sarcomatous transformation rose to 27%. There were slightly more men (55%) than women. The most common skeletal sites were the pelvic bones (34%), the humerus (22%), the femur (19%), and the craniofacial bones (14%). Unrelenting pain and tender swelling were the most common presenting symptoms (85%), with pathologic fracture in 14 (22%) patients. In two-thirds of the cases, the radiographic presentation was that of a lytic destructive lesion; while in the others it showed a sclerotic, mixed, or permeative character. In almost one-half of the cases, the histologic appearance of the osteogenic sarcomas was either fibrohistocytomatous or osteoblastic. In spite of radical surgical amputations, only three patients survived longer than 5 years. The prognosis of Paget's sarcoma is significantly less favorable than in osteogenic sarcoma arising de novo in patients of comparable age.
TL;DR: Based on this series, rational approach and management of complete block secondary to spinal epidural metastases are discussed.
Abstract: Myelography was performed in 535 patients at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital from January 1979 to December 1979. In 110 cases a complete block was demonstrated and of these, 78 had epidural metastases. A uniform treatment was applied using radiation therapy and high dose steroid. The neurologic outcome for each patient was evaluated, correlating pre-treatment neurologic status, pathologic type, nature of block (level, structural versus tumoral), and result of repeat fluoromyelography. Only 2 patients improved, but 11 became completely paraplegic. The survival was influenced by the ambulatory status after treatment (median survival: 52.7 weeks in the ambulatory group and 4.6 weeks in the paraplegic). Based on this series, rational approach and management of complete block secondary to spinal epidural metastases are discussed.
TL;DR: It is concluded that chemosensory recognition of H-2 types affects the reproductive hormonal status of the pregnant female.
Abstract: Inbred BALB/c females were mated and subsequently exposed in a divided cage to "stimulus" males or females whose H-2 type was similar or dissimilar to the stud male's. The incidence of pregnancy blocking was considerably higher when stud and stimulus males differed in H-2 type than when they did not. Similar results were obtained with urine samples of H-2 identical and nonidentical males. Females exposed after mating to other females whose H-2 type differed from the stud male, under the same experimental conditions, also showed an appreciable incidence of pregnancy block. It is therefore concluded that chemosensory recognition of H-2 types affects the reproductive hormonal status of the pregnant female.
TL;DR: Plasma prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane B2 levels were measured in 30 depressed outpatients to suggest new approaches to depression research.
TL;DR: A simple, rapid procedure is described that quantitates RNA content and DNA content/chromatin condensation for each of many possible cell types and differentiation levels of the cells present in human semen.
Abstract: A simple, rapid procedure is described that quantitates RNA content and DNA content/chromatin condensation for each of many possible cell types and differentiation levels of the cells present in human semen. A fresh semen sample (1-6 hr postemission) or frozen sample (allowing samples to be accumulated and sent to a laboratory) is treated with a detergent solution, stained with acridine orange (AO), and measured by flow cytometry (FCM); approximately 10 minutes are required to measure 5,000 cells per sample and analyze the data with computer assistance. The following can be learned from a single measurement: a) the percentage of each cell type in semen including, i) mature sperm, ii) immature sperm precursor cells, representing all stages of development from spermatogonia to mature sperm, iii) somatic cells, e.g., leukocytes; b) normality/abnormality of sperm nuclear chromatin condensation. These measurements can be correlated with cell types in testis biopsies identified by two-parameter FCM measurements (RNA versus DNA) using AO as the fluorescent probe.
TL;DR: The prognosis for patients with brain metastasis in colon cancer is poor, regardless of therapy.
Abstract: Between 1977 and 1980 we evaluated 40 patients who developed brain metastases from colon cancer (4% of total patients with colon cancer). The brain metastasis was discovered in only one patient prior to cancer diagnosis; all others had known colon cancer for 2 to 48 months (median 24.5 months) prior to neurologic presentation. The colon tumor was left-sided in 32; 32 had regional lymph node metastases at neurological presentation; 37 patients had extensive systemic metastasis as well as the brain lesion. Median survival from onset of therapy for brain metastasis was 9 weeks in 32 radiation therapy (RT) treated patients (range, 2–57 weeks), 37 weeks in 7 surgically resected patients (2–84 weeks), and 4 weeks (3.5 weeks) in 2 chemotherapy patients. Follow-up CT scans were improved in 2 of 11 radiated patients. Five of 6 surgically treated patients with CT follow-up demonstrated recurrent tumor (median 4 months). The prognosis for patients with brain metastasis in colon cancer is poor, regardless of therapy.
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that male homosexuals even without clinical manifestations of immunodeficiency frequently exhibit a proliferative T-cell defect when anti-T-cell monoclonal antibodies rather than PHA are used as mitogens, and that this defect is at least in part correctable in vitro by highly purified IL2.
Abstract: We studied the ability of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and two anti-T-cell monoclonal antibodies OKT3 and Pan T2, to induce proliferation and interleukin 2 (IL2) production in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from 21 homosexual patients: 12 with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), 4 with reactive lymphadenopathy, and 5 with opportunistic infections. All patients with KS and opportunistic infections had significantly lower mitogen-stimulated DNA synthesis, as compared to the controls, irrespective of the mitogen used (P less than 0.01). The patients with lymphadenopathy exhibited significantly lower responses only in the OKT3 assay as compared to normals (P = 0.009). The production of endogenous IL2 was significantly lower in PBL cultures from patients with KS and with opportunistic infections, irrespective of the mitogen used, as compared to healthy male controls, and also significantly lower in the Pan T2-stimulated cultures from patients with lymphadenopathy. The addition of highly purified IL2 was able to restore partially lymphocyte proliferation in vitro in the presence of these mitogens in all patients. Our studies demonstrate (1) that male homosexuals even without clinical manifestations of immunodeficiency frequently exhibit a proliferative T-cell defect when anti-T-cell monoclonal antibodies rather than PHA are used as mitogens, (2) that this proliferative defect is associated with defective IL2 production, and (3) that this defect is at least in part correctable in vitro by highly purified IL2.
TL;DR: The authors conclude that gallium nitrate administered as a continuous infusion for seven days at 300 mg/m2/day is well‐tolerated and effective treatment for patients with advanced malignant lymphoma.
Abstract: Previous trials of gallium nitrate (NSC-15200) showed that bolus administration produced dose-limiting nephrotoxicity without substantial antitumor activity. As an effort to increase the therapeutic index of this compound and to establish a satisfactory out-patient schedule, the authors evaluated the effects of gallium nitrate administered as a continuous infusion in patients with advanced malignant lymphoma. In an initial Phase I trial, four dose levels which ranged from 200 to 400 mg/m2/day in 27 patients were studied. Nausea which impaired oral hydration was found to be dose-limiting. A dose of 300 mg/m2/day was chosen for extended Phase II evaluation and 37 additional patients were entered into the study at that dose level. Overall, 16 of 47 patients (34%) who had bi-dimensionally measurable parameters of disease achieved major antitumor responses (six of 15 with diffuse "histiocytic" lymphoma, five of ten with diffuse poorly-differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma, two of five with nodular poorly-differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma, and three of 17 with Hodgkin's disease). The median duration of response was 2.5 months. Only 8% of patients who received 300 mg/m2/day developed an increase in serum creatinine concentration greater than 1.1 mg/dl over baseline values. Hypocalcemia occurred in two-thirds of patients. Other toxic effects, including paresthesiae, diarrhea, and hearing loss, were noted in less than 5% of patients. There was minimal myelosuppression. The authors conclude that gallium nitrate administered as a continuous infusion for seven days at 300 mg/m2/day is well-tolerated and effective treatment for patients with advanced malignant lymphoma. Outpatient administration using portable infusion pumps is safe and practical. Further evaluation of the drug administered as a constant infusion is indicated in patients with other neoplastic diseases.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared the effects on hospitalized cancer patients of live music singing and guitar playing to the effects of tape-recorded music of the same material and found that the live music subjects reported significantly less tension anxiety and more vigor than did the taped music subjects.
Abstract: This study compared the effects on hospitalized cancer patients of live music singing and guitar playing to the effects of tape-recorded music of the same material. Subjects were 50 cancer patients ranging in age from 17 to 69. They were randomly selected and placed into the live or taped music categories. Each subject listened to 25 minutes of music. Pre- and post-music mood states were recorded on the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire. Additional post-music responses were recorded on the author’s Summary Questionnaire. The live and taped pre- and post-music scores were compared. The live music subjects reported significantly less (p < .05) TensionAnxiety and more Vigor than did the taped music subjects. In addition live music subjects reported significantly more changes in physical discomfort (p < .05), changes in mood (p < .01), and changes in mood for the better (p < .001); and recommended music sessions for others (p < .01). Results indicate the particular effectiveness of using live music to assist in relieving tension and promoting vigor. The human element inherent in live music is believed to be important.
TL;DR: It is suggested that extended disease-free survival may be achieved by second remission transplantation and that improved therapy is necessary for later remission or relapse transplants due to the high rate of posttransplant relapse.