RESUMEN
The actual use of hospital beds for patients with multiple myeloma was calculated from a randomised trial of primary treatment with either melphalan and prednisone (MP, 66 patients) or intensive combination chemotherapy with vincristine, cyclophosphamide, lomustine, melphalan and methylprednisolone (MOCCA, 64 patients). The survival of the patients was similar in both arms, and the samples, 20 and 32 patients, respectively, were well representative for the whole arms. The average numbers of hospital days were similar fur both arms. For the first year MP 33.2 (SD 27.6) vs. MOCCA 32.1 (SD 19.0), and during the first to 4th years 78.5 (SD 45.9) vs. 67.8 (SD 34.1). For the year of death it was 50.4 (SD 33.1) vii. 36.3 (SD 27.0), respectivelly. Thus the choice of primary chemotherapy whether conventional or more aggressive had no influence on the actual number of in-patient hospital days concerned. When the combination chemotherapy schedule is well tolerated it can be administered just as well on an ambulatory basis or by using it with very short admissions. It seems that the need for inpatient care for patients with multiple myeloma is mostly related to the complications of the disease itself and to intercurrent disorders including infections.
RESUMEN
The Finnish Leukaemia Group has carried out a randomized, multicenter trial to study the effect of levamisole on the remission maintained with 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate in acute myeloid leukaemia in adults. Levamisole was given on 3 consecutive days every 2 weeks. Twenty-five patients received only chemotherapy, while 26 patients received levamisole as well. The patients receiving levamisole showed significantly better remission duration than those given only chemotherapy (P = 0.033, Mantel's summary chi 2-text). There are four long term survivors in the levamisole group versus none in the chemotherapy group. The remissions have lasted 48-75 months.
Asunto(s)
Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/terapia , Levamisol/uso terapéutico , Adulto , Anciano , Esquema de Medicación , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Inmunoterapia , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/inmunología , Mercaptopurina/uso terapéutico , Metotrexato/uso terapéutico , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
Monoclonal IgG gammopathy of the lambda light-chain type was detected in a 51-year-old woman who had unexplained fever, muscle fatigue, and myalgia. One year later, myasthenia gravis was diagnosed. There was no evidence of myelomatosis or other malignancy. On the assumption that her M-component (gammopathic paraprotein) was related to myasthenia, she was treated with melphalan and cyclophosphamide, but her clinical condition was not improved. Despite therapeutic trials of other agents and a time course of 6 years, the quantity of the M-component remained unchanged. Serum AChR antibody activity was not located in the paraprotein peak. The findings do not support a relationship between the M-component and myasthenia gravis.
Asunto(s)
Inmunoglobulina G/análisis , Miastenia Gravis/inmunología , Acetilcolina/inmunología , Anticuerpos Antiidiotipos/análisis , Electroforesis de las Proteínas Sanguíneas , Ciclofosfamida/uso terapéutico , Quimioterapia Combinada , Femenino , Humanos , Cadenas Ligeras de Inmunoglobulina/análisis , Cadenas lambda de Inmunoglobulina/análisis , Melfalán/uso terapéutico , Persona de Mediana Edad , Miastenia Gravis/diagnóstico , Miastenia Gravis/tratamiento farmacológico , Prednisona/uso terapéutico , Bromuro de Piridostigmina/uso terapéutico , Receptores Colinérgicos/inmunologíaAsunto(s)
Biopsia con Aguja , Hepatopatías/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/diagnóstico , Hígado/patología , Colestasis/diagnóstico , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Hígado Graso/diagnóstico , Hemosiderina/análisis , Hepatitis/diagnóstico , Humanos , Cirrosis Hepática/diagnóstico , Hepatopatías/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Mielofibrosis Primaria/diagnósticoAsunto(s)
Neoplasias Óseas/inmunología , Inmunoglobulinas , Mieloma Múltiple/inmunología , Macroglobulinemia de Waldenström/inmunología , Adulto , Anciano , Femenino , Humanos , Inmunoglobulina A/análisis , Inmunoglobulina G/análisis , Inmunoglobulina M/análisis , Inmunoglobulinas/análisis , Masculino , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
We have labelled the exposed surface glycoproteins of human blood T- and B-lymphocytes and cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia by the galactose oxidase-tritiated sodium borohydride method. The labelled glycoproteins were separated by polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis and visualized by autoradiography. The T- and B-lymphocytes show different and characteristic surface glycoprotein patterns. The surface glycoprotein patterns of the leukemic cells differ from those of normal, non-malignant lymphocytes. A relationship between the altered surface glycoprotein pattern of leukemic cells and the expression of leukemia-associated antigens is discussed.