Health behaviors of minority childhood cancer survivors.

Background: Available data have suggested that childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) are comparable to the general population with regard to many lifestyle parameters. However, to the authors' knowledge, little is known regarding minority CCSs. This cross-sectional study describes and compares the body mass index and health behaviors of African American, Hispanic, and white survivors with each other and with noncancer controls.

Subclavian vein thrombosis after application of body cast.

Mehta-Cotrel body casting is a well-recognized and effective technique for the treatment of progressive infantile scoliosis. The treatment can be challenging to execute given the commitment required by the patient's family and treatment team, and is not without complications. In this report, we detail the occurrence of a subclavian vein thrombosis after the placement of a Mehta-Cotrel cast for the treatment of progressive infantile kyphoscoliosis.

Tandem peripheral blood progenitor cell transplants as initial therapy for metastatic breast cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the use of two sequential courses of high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) transplant as initial therapy for patients with untreated metastatic breast cancer. The goal of the study was to maximize treatment intensity through the use of two non-cross-resistant regimens, each equal in intensity to that used in single transplants.

Methods: PBPC were collected after a course of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) only or of cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and G-CSF.

Busulfan-containing pre-transplant regimens for the treatment of solid tumors.

This study investigated the toxicity and efficacy of busulfan-containing pre-transplant regimens in patients with solid tumors. The majority of these patients were also treated on protocols involving two transplant courses aiming at further reducing tumor burden. Between October 1984 and November 1993, we treated 44 patients with recurrent breast cancer (n = 28), sarcoma (n = 10) or ovarian cancer (n = 6) with one of two busulfan-containing regimens.

Activation of the alternative complement pathway by red blood cells from patients with sickle cell disease.

Increased activation of the alternative pathway of complement in serum from sickle cell disease (SCD) patients has been reported. We now show that this selective activation is not an artifact of clotting by measuring increased plasma concentrations of Bb in sickle cell patients compared to controls. Furthermore, we show that red blood cells (RBC) from SCD patients activate the alternative complement pathway more than control RBC in an in vitro system.