Publications by authors named "Cristina De Leon"

Introduction: Two prospective, randomized trials, TARGIT-A and ELIOT, have shown intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) to be a safe alternative to whole breast radiation therapy following breast-conserving surgery for selected low-risk patients. However, minimal data are available about the clinical effectiveness of this modality of treatment using the Xoft Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy (eBx) System.

Methods: A total of 201 patients with 204 early-stage breast cancers were enrolled in a prospective X-ray IORT trial from June 2010 to September 2013.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) delivers radiation therapy directly to the tumor bed at the time of surgery. Minimal data are available regarding IORT complications in patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) using the Xoft Axxent eBx System. 146 patients with pure DCIS received X-ray based IORT therapy using the Xoft Axxent eBx System at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian between June 2010 to April 2016 and were accrued to an IORT data registry study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) permits the delivery of radiation therapy directly to the tumor bed at the time of surgery. Minimal data are available about the complications associated with this modality of treatment using the Xoft(®) Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy (Axxent) System.

Methods: A total of 702 patients who received IORT using the Xoft(®) Axxent System at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian between June 2010-February 2016 were accrued in an IORT data registry study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In patients with metastatic melanoma, sequential single-arm and randomized phase II trials with a therapeutic vaccine consisting of autologous dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with antigens from self-renewing, proliferating, irradiated autologous tumor cells (DC-TC) showed superior survival compared with similar patients immunized with irradiated tumor cells (TC). We wished to determine whether this difference was evident in cohorts who at the time of treatment had (1) no evidence of disease (NED) or (2) had detectable disease. Eligibility criteria and treatment schedules were the same for all three trials.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Only 10% of metastatic melanoma patients survive 5 years, even though many can achieve substantial tumor reduction by surgical resection and/or radiation therapy and/or systemic therapy. An effective, nontoxic, consolidation immunotherapy could benefit such patients. We initiated a randomized trial to compare 2 promising patient-specific immunotherapy cell products.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: Between January 2001 and September 2007, we treated 54 metastatic melanoma patients with patient-specific tumor cell vaccines consisting of dendritic cells (DCS), derived from their peripheral blood cells that were cultured in interleukin (IL)-4 and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which had phagocytosed irradiated autologous tumor cells from a continuously proliferating, self-renewing, autologus tumor cell (TC) culture. The loaded DCs were injected subcutaneously in 500 microg of GM-CSF weekly x three, and then monthly for 5 months, for a total of up to 8 injections. The 34 men and 20 women had a median age of 50.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Seventy-four (74) patients with metastatic melanoma were treated with patient-specific vaccines derived from autologous tumor cell lines. Cryopreserved irradiated tumor cells were injected weekly for 3 weeks, then monthly for 5 months. At a median follow up >6 years, the median event-free survival (EFS) was 4.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The potential for therapeutic use of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), as adoptive cellular therapy has been touted for many years with some encouraging reports in patients with metastatic melanoma.

Materials And Methods: We previously described methodologies for TIL production and phenotypic characterization of TIL generated in our laboratory between 1991 and 1995 in semipermeable bags and between 1996 and 2000 in bioreactors. Patients treated in the earlier era were to have received a hybrid bolus and a 12-hour continuous infusion of interleukin (IL)-2 (total, 48 MIU), while in the latter era 4 days of interferon- alpha preceded the TIL and IL-2; which was given by a hybrid schedule that included bolus and 72- hour continuous IL-2 (total, 96 MIU).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility, safety, and clinical efficacy of patient-specific dendritic cell vaccines in patients with metastatic melanoma. A planned interim analysis was conducted on the first 20 patients.

Methods: Tumor cell lines were established from metastatic tumor, expanded to 200 million cells, and then incubated with interferon-gamma for patients who were candidates for therapy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: We previously reported the laboratory methodology for producing patient-specific irradiated autologous tumor-cell products derived from short-term cultured tumor cells. We attempted to determine the feasibility, safety, and clinical effects of autologous tumor vaccine-derived sarcomas.

Patients And Methods: Efforts were made to establish tumor cell lines in tissue culture with expansion to 100 million cells for patients who were candidates for therapy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: We previously reported the laboratory methodology for producing patient-specific irradiated autologous tumor-cell products derived from short-term cultured tumor cells from resected renal cell carcinoma, and described preliminary clinical results. In this study, we report the final clinical results and efforts to define vaccine potency on the basis of clinical outcome for these 25 patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: Approximately 10(8) cells from successful short-term cell lines were irradiated, frozen in aliquots of 10(7) cells, then thawed and administered subcutaneously (s.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study was performed to obtain safety and survival data for patients with histologically confirmed recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) who received intralesional lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells following surgery. LAK cells were generated by incubating peripheral blood mononuclear cells with interleukin-2 for 3 to 5 days in vitro. Forty patients with pathologic confirmation of GBM at surgery had placement of autologous LAK cells into the tumor cavity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: The Cancer Biotherapy Research Group conducted a clinical trial to verify encouraging reports of antitumor activity of autolymphocyte therapy.

Patients And Methods: Patients with a variety of advanced solid malignancies underwent an initial leukapheresis procedure to collect about 5 x 10(9) autologous lymphocytes that were stimulated in vitro for 3 days with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody in the presence of indomethicin and cis-retinoic acid to obtain media that was frozen in aliquots. This media contained significant amounts of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, interferon-gamma, and IL6, but no IL-2.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The increasing incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), coupled with the lack of optimal treatment options, has prompted the development of novel treatments. Of these, radioimmunotherapy is one of the most promising. Two of the radiolabeled monoclonal antibody therapies being studied in the treatment of NHL are yttrium 90 (90Y) ibritumomab tiuxetan and iodine 131 (131I) tositumomab.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: We established short-term cultures of pure tumor cells for use as autologous tumor cell vaccines in an effort to study the effects of patients-specific immunotherapy.

Patients And Methods: Surgically resected fresh tumor was obtained from patients with metastatic cancer. Successful tumor cell lines (5 x 10(7)) were expanded to 10(8) cells, irradiated, and cryopreserved for clinical use.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: To describe an outpatient treatment model for treating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with radioimmunotherapy.

Data Sources: Experiences of The Hoag Cancer Canter (Newport Beach, CA) in developing an outpatient treatment model.

Conclusions: The Hoag Cancer Center has put an outpatient radioimmunotherapy treatment model into place.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF