Phase III study of ranimustine, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, melphalan, and prednisolone (MCNU-COP/MP) versus modified COP/MP in multiple myeloma: a Japan clinical oncology group study, JCOG 9301.

To investigate whether combination chemotherapy with vincristine, cyclophosphamide, prednisolone, and melphalan (COP/ MP) with the addition of ranimustine (MCNU) (MCNU-COP/MP) is superior to the slightly modified COP/MP (mCOP/MP) regimen in multiple myeloma (MM), a multicenter randomized study was performed. Two hundred ten patients with newly diagnosed, overt MM not treated with chemotherapy were enrolled from 32 institutions of the Lymphoma Study Group of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group and were randomized to receive either MCNU-COP/MP or mCOP/MP. The response rate (RR) to mCOP/MP was 43.

Randomized phase II study of biweekly CHOP and dose-escalated CHOP with prophylactic use of lenograstim (glycosylated G-CSF) in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: Japan Clinical Oncology Group Study 9505.

Background: CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone) is accepted as the best available standard treatment for first-line chemotherapy in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). However, the therapeutic efficacy of CHOP remains unsatisfactory, particularly in high-intermediate risk and high risk patients, and a new strategy is warranted in this patient population. The aim of the present study was to explore a suitable therapeutic-intensified regimen for the treatment of aggressive NHL.

[Splenectomy in 5 patients with idiopathic myelofibrosis].

Between 1992 and 1999, 5 patients with chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis (MF) underwent splenectomy at our hospital. The median age at the time of splenectomy was 63 years (range, 58-69 years), while the median interval from diagnosis of MF to splenectomy was 38.2 months (range, 3.

Pharmacokinetics and adverse events following 5-day repeated administration of lenograstim, a recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, in healthy subjects.

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) (lenograstim) was administered to healthy subjects at doses of 2, 5 and 10 micrograms/kg/day for 5 days (twice a day subcutaneously) to examine the optimal dose and schedule of lenograstim in mobilizing peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBSC) for allogeneic transplantation. Lenograstim administration significantly increased CD34+ cells in a dose-related manner. A significant correlation was observed between the maximal post-dosing counts and the pre-dosing baseline counts of CD34+ cells.

Randomized comparison of mobilization kinetics of circulating CD34+ cells between biweekly CHOP and dose-escalated CHOP with the prophylactic use of lenograstim (glycosylated rHuG-CSF) in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The lenograstim/Lymphoma Study Group.

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been expected to result in a promising outcome in high risk aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). However, it remains unknown what type of initial chemotherapy is optimal, especially regarding progenitor cell mobilization. Sixty-three untreated patients with aggressive NHL in a high risk group were randomized to either a biweekly arm with 8 cycles of standard CHOP or 6 cycles of the dose-escalated CHOP arm with cyclophosphamide 1.

Hepatitis C virus infection in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Objective: As a causative role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD) has been suggested by several reports, we investigated the prevalence of HCV infection among patients with LPD at our hospital with the aim of clarifying the clinical features and the outcome for HCV antibody-positive patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Methods: Retrospective chart review.

Patients: A total of 123 patients with B-cell LPD (4 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 17 with multiple myeloma, and 100 with B-cell NHL), 38 patients with non-B-cell LPD (5 with adult T-cell lymphoma, 8 with Hodgkin's disease, and 25 with non-B-cell NHL) and 516 patients with miscellaneous diseases other than liver diseases or LPD (control) were studied.

The production of colony-stimulating factors by thyroid carcinoma is associated with marked neutrophilia and eosinophilia.

Cancers producing colony-stimulating factors and associated with marked leukocytosis are relatively rare. We report here a case of a thyroid cancer producing both granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). A 72-year-old woman had a thyroid carcinoma with significant neutrophilia and eosinophilia without any evidence of infection.

[Refractory anemia with excess myeloblast in transformation induced remission by combined oral administration of cytarabine ocfosfate and 6-mercaptopurine].

A 55-year-old female presented with sore throat and slight fever. The patient was admitted to our hospital on December 13, 1993. Full blood count showed hemoglobin 10.

[Idiopathic plasmacytic lymphadenopathy with polyclonal hyperimmunoglobulinemia with elevated level of serum interleukin-6].

A 38-year-old male was admitted in January 1984 due to lymphadenopathies with hyperimmunoglobulinemia with a serum IgG level of 2,872 mg/dl. Following this, he was observed as an outpatient in regard to lymphadenopathies of unknown origin. In 1989, after the fourth lymph node biopsy he was diagnosed as having idiopathic plasmacytic lymphadenopathy with polyclonal hyperimmunoglobulinemia.

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy--acetaldehyde poisoning rat: myocardial and serum enzyme changes in acute exposure.

In order to clarify the pathogenesis of alcoholic cardiomyopathy, acetaldehyde (Ach) was administered to rats using the inhalation method. Serum enzyme changes and structural alterations of the heart were observed at various time intervals after 2 ml of Ach exposure for 2 hours. Possible myocardium-related enzymes, such as glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, lactic dehydrogenase and creatine phosphokinase, were elevated within 24 hours and then returned almost to the previous levels.