Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0015672 (fatigue)
 51,768 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The purpose of our study was to determine the maximally tolerated dose (MTD) and DLT of combined administration of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), low-dose interleukin 2 (IL-2) and IFN-alpha in patients with progressive metastatic melanoma or renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In addition, the activation and expansion of effector cells were measured. Cohorts of three patients were treated with increasing doses of IL-2 (1, 4, and 8 MIU/m2) and GM-CSF (2.5 and 5 microg/kg) with a constant dose of IFNalpha (5 million units) s.c. for 12 days every 3 weeks. An additional six patients were treated at the MTD. Immune activation was monitored during the first cycle. Response was evaluated after two cycles. The MTD was found to be 2.5 microg/kg GM-CSF, 4 MIU/m2 IL-2, and 5 mega units of IFNalpha. DLT was grade 4 fever, chills with hypotension, grade 3 fatigue/malaise, and fluid retention. Dose reduction of IL-2 to 2 MIU/m2 was necessary in three of nine patients who initially received the MTD. Treatment was initiated in the hospital but could be continued at home after 3-4 days. Significant increases in lymphocytes, (activated) T cells (CD4+ and CD8+), NK cells, monocyte DR expression, neutrophils, and eosinophils were found. CD8+ T-cell activation (sCD8) and NK cell expansion was mainly present in patients receiving 2 or 4 MIU/m2 IL-2. Of eight patients with progressive metastatic RCC after nephrectomy, three achieved a complete remission, and 1 of 7 patients with metastatic melanoma achieved a partial remission. In our study, the MTD of combined immunotherapy with GM-CSF, IL-2, and IFNalpha was established; DLT was: (a) grade 4 fever with hypotension needing i.v. fluid support; and (b) grade 3 fluid retention and/or fatigue/malaise. The scheme resulted in considerable expansion and/or activation of various effector cells. The complete responses in RCC patients are promising but need to be confirmed in Phase II studies.
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PMID:Phase I trial of combined immunotherapy with subcutaneous granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, low-dose interleukin 2, and interferon alpha in progressive metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. 1105 Dec 73

The use of salvage chemotherapy in advanced non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is controversial. However, many patients need to be treated in order to achieve relief of their symptoms. Docetaxel (taxotere) is one of the most active drugs for the treatment of advanced NSCLC and several studies have also shown its effectiveness in pretreated patients. In the present study, 23 patients were treated in order to evaluate both the effectiveness and toxicity of the single agent docetaxel. Furthermore, granulocyte-colony stimulating (G-CSF) factor was administered in order to reduce neutropenia related to docetaxel. Docetaxel was administered intravenously at a dose of 100 mg/m2, on day 1, and it was repeated every 3 weeks. G-CSF was administered for primary prophylaxis of neutropenia at the standard dose of 30 mg/day from day 4 to day 10 of each cycle. The treatment was tolerated well and 5 (21.7%) partial responses were obtained. The median time to progression and the median survival time were 3 and 5 months, respectively. The main side effect noted was fatigue, the intensity of which was grade 2 in 43.4% of cases and grade 3 in 8.7% of patients, respectively. One patient (4.3%) had grade 4 cutaneous toxicity. No cases of grade 4 neutropenia were reported. In conclusion, docetaxel is active when used for salvage chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC whilst concurrent primary prophylactic administration of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor seems to decrease severe neutropenia.
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PMID:Single agent docetaxel plus granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in previously treated patients with advanced non small cell lung cancer. A phase II study and review of the literature. 1081 Apr

We attempted to induce therapeutic immunity against prostate-derived tissues in patients suffering from progressive hormone-refractory metastatic prostate carcinoma. Thirteen patients were treated with two infusions, 1 month apart, of autologous dendritic cells (APC8015) preexposed ex vivo to PA2024, a fusion protein consisting of human granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and human prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP). The infusions were followed by three s.c. monthly doses of PA2024 without cells. Three groups of patients each received PA2024 at 0.3, 0.6, or 1.0 mg/injection. All Ps were two-sided. Treatment was well tolerated. After infusions of APC8015, patients experienced only mild (grade 1-2) short-lived fever and/or chills, myalgia, pain, and fatigue. One patient developed grade 3 fatigue. Four patients developed mild local reactions to s.c. PA2024. Twelve patients were evaluable for response to treatment. Circulating prostate-specific antigen levels dropped in three patients. T cells, drawn from patients after infusions of APC8015, but not before, could be stimulated in vitro by GM-CSF (P = 0.0004) and PAP (P = 0.0001), demonstrating broken immune tolerance against these two normal proteins. Injections of PA2024 did not influence the reactivity of T cells against PAP and GM-CSF. However, antibodies to GM-CSF and, to a much lesser extent, to PAP reached maximum titers only after two or even three injections of PA2024, showing that directly injected PA2024 was involved in stimulation of humoral immunity. Dendritic cells exposed to antigen ex vivo can induce antigen-specific cellular immunity in prostate cancer patients, warranting further studies of this mode of immunotherapy.
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PMID:Priming tissue-specific cellular immunity in a phase I trial of autologous dendritic cells for prostate cancer. 1087 66

In breast cancer there is often overexpression of the breast cancer antigen CA15-3, the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and the ovarian cancer antigen CA125, which makes them potential target antigens for immunotherapy. In this study, we used a multi-antigen vaccine, which included the following antigens: autologous breast cancer cells (AUTOC), allogeneic breast cancer MCF-7 cells (ALLOC), and the tumor associated antigens CA15-3, CEA and CA125, plus low doses of granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin 2 (IL-2). Forty-two breast cancer patients received weekly subcutaneous vaccination at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 11th and 15th weeks. Their lymphocyte proliferative responses to AUTOC, ALLOC, CA15-3, CEA and CA125 were tested in lymphocyte blastogenesis assays (LBA) before and after vaccination. The disease stage and serum CA15-3, CEA and CA125 concentrations were also determined pre- and post-vaccination. We found that the vaccine was safe, and the only major side effects were swelling at the site of injection, muscle pain, and weakness or fatigue. The vaccine induced a significant increase in post-vaccination lymphocyte proliferative responses to AUTOC, CA15-3, CEA and CA125 but not ALLOC, compared to pre-vaccination (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.01 and p > 0.05, respectively, a paired t Test). Computed tomography (CT), ultrasound or bone scan showed evidence of disease improvement in 2 (12%) patients after vaccination. Hepatic metastases were reduced in size and number and some actually disappeared one patient. Metastatic disease in the L5 vertebra and the skull decreased in size and some osteolytic sites completely healed in a second patient. In addition, 7 patients (44%) had stable disease and 7 patients (44%) had disease progression. We did not find vaccination significantly reduced serum tumor markers CA15-3, CEA and CA125 of these breast cancer patients. These results suggest that the vaccine mixture of autologous and allogeneic breast cancer cells and tumor associated antigens plus GM-CSF and IL-2 can be administered safely to breast cancer patients and there is evidence for improved immunity and clinical efficacy.
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PMID:Vaccination with a mixed vaccine of autogenous and allogeneic breast cancer cells and tumor associated antigens CA15-3, CEA and CA125--results in immune and clinical responses in breast cancer patients. 1115 21

We compared two doses of recombinant human granulocyte-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for stem cell mobilisation in 90 healthy donors for allogeneic stem cell transplantation in a retrospective analysis. Group I (n = 46) received 10 microg/kg G-CSF (filgrastim) given as 5 microg/kg twice daily, and group II (n = 44) received 16 microg/kg, given as 8 microg/kg twice daily with a 12-h interval. The groups were well-balanced for age and body-weight. G-CSF application was performed on an out-patient basis, and leukapheresis was started in all donors on day 5. The most frequent side-effects of G-CSF were grade I/II, bone pain, headache and fatigue in both groups, whereas grade III of bone pain, headache and fatigue occurred in the 2 x 8 microg/kg group only. One serious non-fatal event with non-traumatic spleen rupture occurred in the 2 x 5 microg/kg group. The CD34(+)cell count in the first apheresis of all donors was 5.1 x 10(6)/kg donor weight (range, 1.5-19.3). The CD34(+) cell harvest was higher in the 2 x 8 microg/kg group than in the 2 x 5 microg/kg group (7.1 x 10(6)/kg vs 4.9 x 10(6)/kg; P = 0.09). The target of collecting >5.0 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg donor weight with one apheresis procedure was achieved in 45% of group I and in 61% of group II, respectively. Administering G-CSF at a dosage of 8 microg/kg twice daily leads to a higher CD34(+) cell yield than a dosage of 2 x 5 microg/kg, but is associated with increased toxicity and higher cost.
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PMID:Stem cell mobilisation with 16 microg/kg vs 10 microg/kg of G-CSF for allogeneic transplantation in healthy donors. 1204 Apr 68

Anemia is a common complication in patients with hematologic malignancies, with incidence rates ranging up to 63%. In myelodysplastic syndromes, anemia is an essential feature of the disease. The decrease in hemoglobin may lead to several symptoms such as fatigue, exhaustion, and impaired quality of life, and it may worsen prognosis. Before the introduction of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO, epoetin alfa), red blood cell transfusions were the traditional treatment for improvement of Hb levels. Transfusions, however, are associated with several adverse events and risks, have only transient effects, and have a limited capacity to ameliorate the symptoms of anemia. Epoetin alfa represents a physiologic treatment option, especially in the long-term treatment of cancer- and cancer treatment-associated anemia, and is well tolerated, with response rates as high as 80%. Epoetin alfa is less effective in the treatment of the anemia of myelodysplastic syndrome, but appears to be synergistic with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. However, not every patient responds to epoetin alfa; to avoid unnecessary interventions and costs, predictors of response have been proposed. This article outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the two major treatment forms of anemia: transfusions and epoetin alfa. Representative studies on the efficacy of epoetin alfa in anemic patients with hematologic malignancies as well as models to predict response to epoetin alfa treatment are summarized.
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PMID:Anemia of hematologic malignancies: what are the treatment options? 1208 54

We successfully treated a 33-year-old woman with etoposide who developed systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated refractory hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS). She had been diagnosed as SSc because she had had Raynaud's phenomenon, proximal scleroderma, telangiectasia, microstomia, thickening and shortening of lingual frenulum and positive antinuclear antibody since 1994. In September 1999, she showed high fever, anemia, thrombocytopenia, elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and ferritin levels and hemophagocytosis in her bone marrow, which led to the diagnosis of HPS. Her symptoms were improved by 40 mg of daily oral prednisolone (PSL). While tapering PSL, she complained right coxalgia and magnetic resonance image (MRI) depicted avascular necrosis (AVN) of right femoral head. In May 2000, she again suffered from HPS when she was taking 19 mg of PSL daily. To avoid the development of another AVN of her bone, she was treated with monthly cyclophosphamide (CPA) pulse therapy (300-400 mg/day). Although her HPS transiently ameliorated with CPA, it flared up again with high fever, general fatigue, severe pancytopenia and extremely high serum LDH and ferritin levels after the 4th CPA pulse therapy. She was admitted again to our hospital and PSL was increased to 40 mg daily which did not improve HPS. We, therefore, treated her with intravenous etoposide (100 mg/day, three consecutive days) along with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). She developed transient bone marrow suppression, but her laboratory data gradually normalized within two weeks and she became afebrile after 18 days of etoposide administration. This is the first case in the literature which suggests the efficacy of etoposide against refractory autoimmune-associated hemophagocytic syndrome.
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PMID:[Etoposide ameliorated refractory hemophagocytic syndrome in a patient with systemic sclerosis]. 1246 23

The analog, rebeccamycin tartrate salt (NSC 655649, Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, National Cancer Institute) has broad preclinical anti-neoplastic activity. Preliminary data from phase I study demonstrated antitumor activity in colorectal carcinoma. This phase II trial evaluates its efficacy in patients with minimally treated metastatic colorectal cancer. Eligibility included Karnofsky performance status > or = 70%, age > or = 18 years and bidimensionally measurable disease. Thirteen patients were treated with NSC 655649 at 500 mg/m2 by central venous catheter once every 3 weeks by bolus injection. Thirty-four cycles (median [range] 2 [1-6]) of therapy were administered. Twelve patients are eligible for response assessment. No major objective responses were seen using the RECIST criteria; however stable disease was observed in three patients with mean duration of 15 weeks. The median time to progression was 8 weeks. There was no toxic death. Four patients received only one cycle of treatment, and three had disease progression. Toxicities were tolerable and hematologic toxicity was the most common. The median (range) granulocyte and platelet nadir counts were 2043/microl (116-16,374/microl) and 276 x 10(3)/ microl (5-769), respectively. Non-hematologic toxicities were moderate, including generalized weakness/fatigue, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea and anorexia. One patient required dose reduction; three patients required dose delays. NSC 655649 at this dose and schedule is inactive against advanced previously minimally treated metastatic colorectal cancer and further study of this drug as a single agent in this disease using an every three-week schedule is not warranted.
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PMID:A phase II study of rebeccamycin analog NSC 655649 in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. 1279 35

The aim of the study was to characterise the profile and clinical correlates (arthritis, rash, and fatigue) of cytokines, chemokines, and other mediators in symptomatic acute parvovirus B19 infection. Serum was examined from cases of acute B19 infection (as defined by serum anti-B19 IgM positivity) (n = 84), and in normal persons (n = 43) for B19 markers (serum B19 antibodies and DNA), rheumatoid factor (RF), and antinuclear antibody (ANA). A panel of cytokines/chemokines was measured in duplicate using the Bioplex Protein Array system (BioRad Hemel Hempstead, UK). These included interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta 1), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and neopterin. Acute symptomatic infection was characterised by specific IgG positivity (83%), serum B19 DNA positivity (96%), and raised levels of IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, MCP-1, GM-CSF, TGF-beta 1, and ET-1. Patients with acute B19-associated arthritis were found to have lower levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and GM-CSF than patients without arthritis, while those with rash had lower levels of TGF-beta 1. It is concluded that cytokine levels following acute symptomatic infection with parvovirus B19 indicate a state of immune activation. The profile of circulating mediators may provide insights into the possible pathogenesis of particular clinical manifestations of this infection.
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PMID:Circulating cytokines and chemokines in acute symptomatic parvovirus B19 infection: negative association between levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and development of B19-associated arthritis. 1525 81

Stimulation of healthy granulocyte donors allows the collection of therapeutic doses of granulocytes. The stimulation with G-CSF alone was compared with G-CSF plus dexamethasone. Blood samples were drawn at baseline, at leukapheresis, and at follow-up visit. Donors answered a questionnaire to evaluate side effects of the stimulation regimen. The combination of G-CSF and dexamethasone resulted in higher WBC count than G-CSF alone (39.4 +/- 7.8 vs. 34.8 +/- 8.3/nl). Glucose (136 +/- 45 mg/dl) and lactate dehydrogenase (195 +/- 38) increased significantly after stimulation with G-CSF plus dexamethasone but returned to baseline levels at the follow-up visit. Generally, stimulation was well tolerated by the donors. A higher rate of mild bone pain and headache was experienced in donors stimulated with G-CSF plus dexamethasone than in donors receiving G-CSF alone. Fatigue and myalgia were reported at similar rates in both groups. A high proportion of the donors stated that they would accept a further stimulation and granulocyte donation. At the follow-up visit, blood counts and chemistry had returned to normal values.
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PMID:Donor tolerance and results of stimulation with G-CSF alone or in combination with dexamethasone for the collection of granulocytes. 1549 56


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