Spinal cord gliomas: A multi-institutional retrospective analysis.

Purpose: To determine the impact of postoperative radiation therapy (POXRT) on outcome in spinal cord gliomas.

Patients And Methods: Data from 242 patients were collected retrospectively from six institutions using a standardized data sheet. Pathology specimens, when available, were centrally reviewed.

Twice-daily prophylactic cranial irradiation for patients with limited disease small-cell lung cancer with complete response to chemotherapy and consolidative radiotherapy: report of a single institutional phase II trial.

Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) has been demonstrated to significantly reduce the incidence of brain relapse from limited disease small-cell lung cancer (LD SCLC), but concerns about neurologic toxicity remain. The purpose of this report was to update a phase II institutional trial that explored the impact of twice-daily PCI on neurologic toxicity as well as outcome for this group of patients. All eligible subjects had documented complete response to induction chemotherapy and consolidative chest irradiation.

Flow cytometric detection of perforin in normal human lymphocyte subpopulations defined by expression of activation/differentiation antigens.

We investigated with three-color flow cytometry the expression of perforin (Pf) in normal human lymphocyte subpopulations identified by means of activation and differentiation-related antigens. Interestingly, Pf could be detected in a substantial subset (13 +/- 2%) of memory CD4+ CD45RO+ cells, on relevant percentages of memory (CD45RO+) and naive (CD45RA+) CD8+ cells and on virtually all CD3- CD16+, CD3- CD56+ and NKB1+ natural killer cells, as expected. The analysis of fluorescence intensity showed higher levels of Pf expression on CD8dim and NK cells compared to CD8bright and CD4+ lymphocytes, Pf and CD69, HLA-DR, CD95 and CD25 activation/differentiation-related antigens were never co-expressed.

Immunophenotypic profile of peripheral blood eosinophils in acute graft-vs.-host disease.

We used a flow cytometry technique, the "FOG" method (formaldehyde and octylglucopyranoside), to investigate the expression of activation antigens, i.e., CD4, CD23, CD25, HLA-DR, and the EG2 epitope of eosinophilic cationic protein, on peripheral blood eosinophils (PBEs) in leukemic patients who had developed acute graft-vs.

RhG-CSF-mobilized CD34+ peripheral blood progenitors are myeloperoxidase-negative and noncycling irrespective of CD33 or CD13 coexpression.

Cycling status, myeloperoxidase expression, informative surface markers, and proliferative potential of peripheral blood hemopoietic progenitors (PBHP) were evaluated by flow cytometry in 10 patients affected by resistant lymphoma, and submitted to stem cell mobilization with combination chemotherapy (MiCMA) followed by recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF, 5 micrograms/kg/day). CD34+ PBHP coexpressed myeloid-associated and activation antigens, i.e.

rhG-CSF in healthy donors: mobilization of peripheral hemopoietic progenitors and effect on peripheral blood leukocytes.

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) 16 micrograms/kg/day was given to 9 healthy donors to recruit hemopoietic progenitors (HP) for allogeneic transplantation or donor leukocyte infusion. rhG-CSF was administered s.c.

Flow cytometric detection of CD44 (H-CAM) in hairy cell leukemia.

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare clonal B-cell disorder characterized by a distinctive pattern of infiltration of hairy cells (HCs) in the bone marrow (BM), hepatic sinusoids and splenic red pulp. HCs express a wide spectrum of matrix-binding integrins, which influence their migratory behaviour and subsequent tissue localization. CD44 distribution and staining intensity on HCs from the BM and peripheral blood (PB) were investigated using dual-color flow cytometry.

Hypereosinophilia during 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine treatment for hairy cell leukaemia.

A 43-year-old male with newly diagnosed hairy cell leukaemia underwent a single course of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA). Skin rash, facial swelling and marked eosinophilia developed 20 d after treatment and were resolved by 7 d of steroid therapy. Eosinophil peak in peripheral of the eosinophil population showed a high expression of the IL-2 receptor alpha-chain (CD25), representing up to 94% of gated cells.

Some factors affecting the size of nylon 6-10 microcapsules prepared by interfacial polymerization in a high-voltage electric field.

The effect of process variables such as nozzle size, flow-rate of dispersed phase, inter-electrode distance, and presence of an acid acceptor and a thickening agent in the dispersed phase, on the production and size distribution of nylon 6-10 microcapsules prepared by interfacial polymerization in a high-voltage electric field was studied. Factors which increased the intensity of the electrostatic forces acting upon the droplets formed, such as increasing nozzle diameter at constant aqueous phase flow-rate and decreasing inter-electrode distance, were found to decrease the capsule size while those which enhanced the availability of the aqueous phase monomer for the polymerization reaction, such as the addition of an acid acceptor and a thickening agent, resulted in an increase in the average size of the capsules obtained. Free flowing capsules and a reduction in the rate of diacid chloride hydrolysis during the process were also obtained with increasing concentration of the thickening agent in the aqueous phase.

Aggressive chemotherapy for acute leukemia relapsed after transplantation.

Bone marrow transplantation procedure has emerged as an effective treatment for hematological malignancies. However, recurrence of leukemia is still the major cause of treatment failure. Subsequent treatment in this category of patients, generally considered incurable, has not been yet standardized.

Sequential peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation after mobilization with salvage chemotherapy and G-CSF in patients with resistant lymphoma.

We enrolled 18 patients affected by refractory or relapsed lymphoma (HD, NHL) in a two-step protocol that included salvage chemotherapy with mitoxantrone, carboplatinum, methylprednisolone, and cytosine arabinoside (MiCMA) plus G-CSF (5 micrograms/kg/day), peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) collection, and subsequent transplantation after BUCY2 regimen. After MiCMA chemotherapy, four patients (22%) achieved complete response, eight patients (44%) obtained a partial response, and six showed progression of disease (PD). Fourteen out of 18 patients (78%) were considered eligible for PBPC transplantation.

Rhinocerebral zygomycosis in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

We describe a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia who developed rhinocerebral zygomycosis during the aplastic phase induced by antineoplastic chemotherapy. The patient was treated with fluconazole intravenously (400 mg daily) for 30 days and underwent surgical debridement. As a result of this treatment a complete remission of the zygomycosis-associated symptoms was observed.

Aggressive chemotherapy for acute leukemia relapsed after bone marrow transplantation: a second chance?

Eight patients, 5 with acute non lymphoid leukemia and 3 with lymphoid leukemia, were treated at relapse after bone marrow transplantation (BMT; 4 autologous BMT and 4 allogeneic BMT). Of these, 2 relapsed within 3 months after BMT (2 allogeneic BMT) and 6 (2 allogeneic and 4 autologous BMT) after more than 9 months after BMT. The 2 patients relapsing early showed no response to treatment and died.