Antioxidant liposoluble vitamins and carotenoids in chronic hepatitis.

Background: It is known that antioxidant liposoluble vitamins and carotenoids are reduced in liver cirrhosis, but little is known about chronic viral hepatitis, where oxidative damage has to be taken into account. Methods: Fifty-five patients with chronic hepatitis, mainly C virus-related, were matched with 16 patients with biliary stones and 20 healthy controls. Plasma and liver analyses were carried out using a well-tried HPLC technique that affords an accurate quantification of retinol, tocopherol, alpha- and beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, and lycopene.

Ifosfamide bolus followed by five days continuous infusion in extensively pretreated patients with advanced breast cancer: a phase II study.

Purpose: A phase II study with ifosfamide in pretreated patients with advanced breast cancer was performed to determine the objective response rate, the toxicity and the feasibility of the regimen.

Methods & Study Design: Patients enrolled had advanced breast cancer pretreated with at least one previous regimen of chemotherapy for advanced disease. Treatment consisted of ifosfamide infused at a dose of 2 g/m2 iv in 4 hrs followed by ifosfamide, 8 g/m2 iv in 120 hrs in ambulatory treatment, using a portable external pump system.

Bolus versus 5-day continuous infusion of cisplatin with mitomycin and vindesine in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): a phase III prospective randomised trial of the Italian Oncology Group for Clinical Research (GOIRC).

The aim of this randomised trial was to compare the efficacy of bolus versus continuous infusion cisplatin combined with mitomycin C and vindesine (MVP) for chemotherapy-naive patients with stage IIIB-IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). 97 patients (49 given bolus cisplatin-arm A and 48 given continuous infusion cisplatin--arm B) were evaluable for response. In arm A, 2 patients achieved a complete response (CR), 21 achieved a partial response (PR), whilst in arm B, 14 patients achieved a PR (29%) (P = 0.

[Current role of dynamic computerized tomography in preoperative staging of gastric carcinoma].

In the preoperative staging of gastric cancer, dynamic CT appears essential for tumors of the cardia and fundus, and, for the other cases, useful in detecting a possible involvement of adjacent organs or lymph nodes.

Aberrant crypt foci in patients with colorectal cancer.

Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) are clusters of abnormally large colonic crypts identified on the mucosal surface of the human colon. They are thought to be preneoplastic lesions. The aim of the present study was to compare density (number of ACF per square cm of mucosal surface), crypt multiplicity (number of crypts per ACF) and histology of ACF in colonic resections of colorectal cancer patients resident in two Italian provinces with a twofold difference in colorectal cancer incidence rates.

Experimental ischemic liver injury and regeneration over 3 months: histological observations in the rat.

Liver histopathology of segmental portal ischemia occurring over a long-term period has not been previously described. For these reasons histological changes in the rat liver were studied from 1 h to up to 90 days after a left lateral and middle segmental portal obstruction. Within 3 h, the hepatocytes showed glycogen depletion in Rappaport zones 1 and 2 and pericentral and central lobular congestion of sinusoids and veins, whereas within 3 days, vein thrombosis appeared in the center of the lobule and liver necrosis was observed in Rappaport zones 2 or 3 or both, followed by restitutio ad integrum of the liver lobule morphology after 20-40 days.

[Preoperative radiotherapy in cancer of the rectum. Our 5-year experience].

Since 1990, 41 patients with rectal carcinoma have been submitted to preoperative radiotherapy, which induced a shrinkage of the tumor, favouring its surgical resection. Besides, in 3 cases the operative specimens were tumor free, and a higher incidence of A and B 1 categories was found. Surgical results have been compared with an analogous group of 20 patients, where surgery was performed as a first procedure, then followed by radiotherapy in 9.

[Toxic megacolon. Apropos 3 cases].

The authors describe their experience with three cases of toxic megacolon: two cases were complications of an ulcerative colitis and died after surgery; one case was a complication of Crohn's disease and recovered after medical resuscitation treatment. Diagnosis was based on clinical features and direct abdominal X-ray showing an evident dilatation of the colon. The authors think that intense medical treatment has to be carried out in all cases without urgent surgical indication: even if not always successful, a medical therapy will be an appropriate preparation for operation.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with continuous infusion of cisplatin and fluorouracil in stage II-IV, M0 squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Aims And Background: The aim of the study was to assess the activity and the toxicity of cisplatin (DDP) and fluorouracil (FU) administered by continuous infusion as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with stage II-IV, M0 squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Methods: Thirty previously untreated patients were submitted to chemotherapy with DDP (20 mg/m2) and FU (1000 mg/m2), both in continuous infusion for 5 days, repeated every 21 days, for a maximum of 5 cycles. Following completion of chemotherapy, the patients underwent radiotherapy; in some patients surgery was performed immediately after chemotherapy.

[Gallbladder carcinoma today: light and shadow].

On the basis of 30 clinical observations, the authors discuss the clinical and diagnostic features of carcinoma of the gallbladder, which is observed just in an advanced stage in the most part of cases. They also confirm its often poor prognosis. To-day echography and computed tomography play an important role in the preoperative diagnosis.

Experimental acute infectious pancreatitis in rats: histological observations.

Microbic contamination has been shown to be a secondary pathogenetic factor in different models of acute pancreatitis. In this paper, we developed an experimental bacterial model of necrotizing acute pancreatitis (NAP). Forty rats were treated by direct inoculation of a suspension of a clinically isolated strain of Escherichia coli, with three different single 0.

Experimental acute hepatic vein occlusion: histological observations in the rat.

The histological consequences of hepatic venous outflow obstruction were studied in the rat. Circulatory changes as venous congestion and interstitial fluid accumulation are followed by signs of cellular damage progressing till hemorrhagic infiltration and focal necrosis. These are quite completely reversible in a period of 15 days.

Acute pancreatitis in course of experimental portal hypertension: histological observations in the rat.

Acute necrotizing pancreatitis has been obtained in rats after experimental portal hypertension. On the onset has been observed lobular necrosis of the pancreas, then cytosteatonecrosis followed by fibrosis and, at the end, by glandular regeneration.

Experimental congestive splenomegaly: histological observations in the rat.

In course of experimental pre-hepatic portal hypertension in the rat, the most important histological alterations in the spleen, are represented by pooling of blood in the red pulp, activation of the macrophagic system, with hyperplasia of the histiocytes, increase of reticular fibers and of subcapsular myo-fibroblasts, and finally by evolution towards a diffuse fibrosis all over the parenchyma.

[Imaging diagnosis, echography and CAT in mechanical jaundice].

In a review of 70 cases of extra-hepatic cholestasis of different origin, the great diagnostic value of imaging techniques, echography and computed tomography, was demonstrated in distinguishing the type of jaundice, and in defining the cause and site of obstruction.

[Postoperative extrapleural pneumothorax. Presentation of a case].

The authors discuss a case of pneumomediastinum observed in the course of acute bronchitis and after an operation performed with general anesthesia and orotracheal intubation.

Acute pulmonary edema after over-infusion of crystalloids versus plasma: histological observations in the rat.

An experimental model of acute pulmonary edema was obtained in the rat, with over-infusion of normal saline and of plasma: histology demonstrated essential differences between edema from crystalloids, developed in the interstitial space, and that from colloids, affecting the alveoli.

The experimental systemic perfused lung: histological observations in the dog.

An experimental model of pulmonary hypertension was obtained in the dog implanting the left main pulmonary artery in the descending thoracic aorta. The main histological lesions consisted in an increased muscularity of the pulmonary artery itself and of its lobar branches.