Innovative Clinical Perspectives for CIK Cells in Cancer Patients.

Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells are T lymphocytes that have acquired, in vitro, following extensive manipulation by Interferon gamma (IFN-γ), OKT3 and Interleukin 2 (IL-2) addition, the expression of several Natural Killer (NK) cell-surface markers. CIK cells have a dual "nature", due to the presence of functional TCR as well as NK molecules, even if the antitumoral activity can be traced back only to the NK-like structures (DNAM-1, NKG2D, NKp30 and CD56). In addition to antineoplastic activity in vitro and in several in-vivo models, CIK cells show very limited, if any, GvHD toxicity as well as a strong intratumoral homing.

[Endoscopic percutaneous gastrostomy with gastropexy: a safe technical choice].

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is an interesting method of providing enteral nutrition or gastric decompression in patients who are candidates for operative gastrostomy or nasoenteric tube feeding. We report our experience with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy with gastropexy (Introducer T-Fastener) in 41 patients. This method uses a technique in which the anterior gastric wall is non-surgically sutured to the anterior abdominal wall before catheter insertion.

Combined medical and surgical therapy: a new approach to abdominal hydatidosis.

The experience with 28 patients affected by hepatic and abdominal hydatidosis and treated by combined medical and surgical therapy is reported. All the patients were subject to preoperative and postoperative medical therapy with mebendazole (50 mg/kg/daily). The percentage of living scolices in hydatid fluid obtained during surgery, evaluated microscopically and by mice inoculation, was lower in patients treated medically than in patients operated on without pre and postoperative medical therapy.

Manometric evaluation of the feline esophagus.

Fifteen healthy mongrel cats were manometrically evaluated to quantitate esophageal function and to establish the feline esophagus as an appropriate model for investigations relevant to human physiology and pathology. Detailed findings are presented in the paper. Characteristics of the upper and lower esophageal high-pressure zones and of esophageal body motility were found to be similar to human values.