Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0025202 (melanoma)
 69,561 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Diaziquone (AZQ), a synthetic quinone with demonstrated activity against acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL), primary CNS tumors, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), is virtually devoid of nonhematopoietic toxicity at conventional doses. As a prelude to its inclusion into bone marrow transplant (BMT) preparative regimens, a phase I study of high-dose AZQ with autologous BMT (ABMT) was performed. Patients with refractory solid tumors and lymphomas were treated with a single 24-hour infusion of AZQ at 50 to 355 mg/m2 in dose escalations of 20%. Fifty-six patients received 69 courses. Those receiving greater than 60 mg/m2 had nadir granulocyte and platelet counts less than 500/microL and 20,000/microL, respectively. Nausea, vomiting, stomatitis, and diarrhea were mild, transient, and not dose-related. Transient minimal elevations of liver function tests were seen in five patients and were also not dose-related. The maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of high-dose AZQ was found to be 245 mg/m2, with nephrotoxicity being dose-limiting. Significant azotemia was seen in four of 12 patients treated at 295 and 355 mg/m2, including fatal anuric renal failure in three of these patients. Reversible proteinuria also occurred in 24 of 26 courses above 150 mg/m2, including nephrotic range proteinuria in eight courses, all at doses of 205 to 355 mg/m2. The proteinuria was also associated with multiple proximal tubular defects including generalized aminoaciduria and proximal renal tubular acidosis. There were six early deaths including two of early renal failure (295 and 355 mg/m2), two of sepsis (205 and 245 mg/m2), one of a pulmonary embolus (85 mg/m2), and one of progressive disease (60 mg/m2). Of 50 patients who were assessable for response, there were seven responses including two of 10 with primary CNS tumors, one of 12 with malignant melanoma, one of five with non-small-cell lung carcinoma, two of two with breast carcinoma, and one of one with ovarian carcinoma. Because of its activity in ANLL and NHL and its unique toxicity spectrum, high-dose AZQ may improve the efficacy of current BMT preparative regimens without significantly increasing their nonhematopoietic toxicity.
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PMID:A phase I trial of high-dose diaziquone and autologous bone marrow transplantation: an Illinois Cancer Council study. 207 48

Molecular characterization of neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma of the skin. Review of the literature and report of three cases. Although neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin (NECS) is comparatively a rare clinical-histological entity, numerous morphological and ultrastructural studies have been carried out since the tumor was identificated by Toker (1972). Recently immunocytochemistry has allowed a better molecular characterization (immunophenotype) of this tumor and a more exact diagnosis. The main problem for the pathologist is the differential diagnosis between NECS and skin neoplasms--both primitive and metastatic--which require a more aggressive treatment. Often the classical morphological criteria do not distinguish NECS from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, amelanotic melanomas, cutaneous metastases of lung small cell carcinoma or of neuroblastoma. The co-expression of cytokeratins and neurofilaments constantly found in NECS, is surely the best differential criterion from non-neuroendocrine carcinomas. Furthermore, the typical paranuclear location of both the intermediate filaments in NECS is a distinctive peculiarity as opposed to lung microcytoma, where cytokeratins and neurofilaments, when present, show widespread perinuclear positivity. Chromogranin A is found only in a small percentage of tumor cells, whilst synthesis of calcitonin, somatostatin, gastrin, ACTH, is very rare. Finally, the lack of common leukocyte antigen (CLA), S-100 protein and vimentin in NECS rules out the diagnoses of lymphoma, melanoma and sarcoma respectively.
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PMID:[Molecular characterization of cutaneous neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma. Review of the literature and presentation of a caseload]. 209 Oct 10

The aim of this study is to briefly review proliferation markers that can be applied in immunohistochemistry, with special emphasis on the monoclonal antibody Ki-67. This antibody reacts with a nuclear antigen present in all proliferating cells which are in the active parts of the cell cycle, i.e. G1, S, G2, and mitosis, but which is absent in G0 cells. Thus, with the help of this antibody a determination of the growth fraction of a given human cell population is possible. The use of this method in human tumor diagnostics is illustrated by three examples: malignant melanoma, breast carcinoma, and malignant Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The results show that evaluation of the growth fractions by Ki-67 is not only a diagnostic importance, but also has independent prognostic value. In addition, preliminary data on the immunobiochemical characterization of native and recombinant Ki-67 antigen are presented. In immunoblot analysis, Ki-67 detects a doublet with apparent molecular weights of greater than 300 kDa. Furthermore, our data show that cDNA clones isolated from Lambda gT11 cDNA libraries encode for parts of the Ki-67 antigen and must contain the sequence that encodes for the epitope recognized by the Ki-67 antibody.
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PMID:Ki-67 and other proliferation markers useful for immunohistological diagnostic and prognostic evaluations in human malignancies. 210 95

Spontaneous tumors in dogs and cats are appropriate and valid model tumor systems available for testing cancer therapeutic agents or studying cancer biology. The pet population is a vastly underutilized resource of animals available for study. Dogs and cats develop spontaneous tumors with histopathologic and biologic behavior similar to tumors that occur in humans. The tumors with potential relevance for human cancer biology include osteosarcoma, mammary carcinoma, oral melanoma, oral squamous cell carcinoma, nasal tumors, lung carcinoma, soft tissue sarcomas, and malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Canine osteosarcoma is a malignant aggressive bone tumor with a 90% metastasis rate after surgical amputation. Its predictable metastatic rate and pattern and its relative resistance to chemotherapy make this tumor particularly attractive for studying anti-metastasis approaches. Canine and feline malignant mammary tumors are fairly common in middle-aged animals and have a metastatic pattern similar to that in women; that is, primarily to regional lymph nodes and lungs. Chemotherapy has been minimally effective, and these tumors may be better models for testing biological response modifiers. Oral tumors, especially melanomas, are the most common canine malignant tumor in the oral cavity. Metastasis is frequent, and the response to chemotherapy and radiation has been disappointing. This tumor can be treated with anti-metastatic approaches or biological response modifiers. Squamous cell carcinomas, especially in the gum, are excellent models for radiation therapy studies. Nasal carcinomas are commonly treated with radiation therapy. They tend to metastasize slowly, but have a high local recurrence rate. This tumor is suitable for studying radiation therapy approaches. Primary lung tumors and soft tissue sarcomas are excellent models for studying combined modality therapy such as surgery with chemotherapy or biological response modifiers. Finally, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a common neoplastic process seen in the dog. These tumors respond to combination chemotherapy and have great potential as a model for newer chemotherapeutic agents and biological response modifiers. This paper will further elaborate on the relative merits of each tumor type as a model for human cancer therapy and biology.
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PMID:Spontaneous tumors in dogs and cats: models for the study of cancer biology and treatment. 225 12

Since May 1979, 47 patients with pediatric malignancy aged 1 to 18 years (median: 7) were treated with cryopreserved autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) in the department of pediatrics, National Cancer Center Hospital. The malignancies were acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (n = 8), acute lymphocytic leukemia (n = 5), osteosarcoma (n = 7), neuroblastoma (n = 6), brain tumor (n = 5), rhabdomyosarcoma (n = 4), retinoblastoma (n = 3), Ewing's sarcoma (n = 3), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 2), malignant histiocytosis (n = 1), hepatoblastoma (n = 1), malignant melanoma (n = 1) and malignant neuroepithelioma (n = 1). Conditioning regimens for solid tumors were multi-agent high-dose chemotherapy, mainly consisted of cyclophosphamide (CY) 120 mg/kg or melphalan 180mg/m2 and that for hematological malignancies were CY with fractionated total body irradiation (12 Gy). In vitro purging by 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide was performed in 12 leukemia patients and 5 solid tumor patients. Of the 13 patients with acute leukemia, 1 died from relapse 1 year after the unpurged marrow transplantation and 1 relapsed in the testis. Remaining 11 patients are alive in continuous complete remission with a median follow up of 30 months (range, 2 to 65 months) after transplantation. The disease-free survival rate of them was 78%. Of the 34 patients with solid tumor, 21 patients died, their cause of death were relapse in 18 and each one of infection, graft failure and brain hemorrhage. Thirteen patients are alive without disease with a median follow up of 28 months (range, 2 to 107 months) posttransplant. The longest survivor is a brain tumor girl, and there are 5 other long survivors; 2 of them are osteosarcoma and each one of rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma and malignant histiocytosis. The disease-free survival rate of total 34 solid tumor patients is 29%, but that of 17 patients who received ABMT in responsive and minimum tumor residue (MTR) period was 69%. These results suggest that autologous bone marrow transplantation is an effective and tolerable treatment for poor prognostic pediatric malignancies, especially for acute leukemia and such solid tumor as that in MTR state.
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PMID:[Autologous bone marrow transplantation in pediatric cancer]. 226 Aug 67

Previous investigations of cancer among firefighters have been limited to mortality data and have yielded inconsistent results. Case-control analyses were conducted in the present surveillance study in order to examine associations between firefighting and cancer incidence in Massachusetts. Subjects were identified through the Massachusetts Cancer Registry files for 1982-1986. Exposure status (firefighting) was determined from the usual occupation reported to the Registry. Nine different cancer types were examined among the 315 reported white male firefighters. Two "unexposed" reference populations were used: policemen and statewide males. Standardized morbidity odds ratios (SMORs) were statistically significantly elevated for melanoma (SMOR = 292; 95% C.I. = 170-503) and bladder cancer (SMOR = 159; 95% C.I. = 102-250) among firefighters compared with the state as a whole. When policemen were used as the reference group, the bladder cancer excess persisted (SMOR = 211; 95% C.I. = 107-414) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was elevated (SMOR = 327; 95% C.I. = 119-898); the melanoma excess was largely reduced (SMOR = 138; 95% C.I. = 60-319) but remained elevated among those aged 55-74 years (SMOR = 513; 95% C.I. = 150-1,750). Small number excesses (not significant) were also observed for pancreatic cancer and leukemia compared with police.
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PMID:Cancer incidence among Massachusetts firefighters, 1982-1986. 237 69

The histologic and immunologic features of an unusual morphologic expression of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease, which ahs been termed the "syncytial variant," are described. In biopsy material from 18 cases, numerous Reed-Sternberg cell variants were observed in sheets and cohesive clusters, and at least focal evidence of nodular sclerosis was present in each case. The granulocyte antibody anti-Leu M1 reacted with antigenic determinants in Reed-Sternberg cells and atypical variants thereof in 13 of the 18 cases; the lack of staining with antibodies reactive with the leukocyte common (T200) antigen (PD7/26), keratin (AE1), and S100 protein (polyclonal anti-S100) was helpful in excluding non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, carcinoma, and melanoma, respectively. This unusual form of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease is important to recognize, since it may simulate metastatic neoplasms, thymoma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
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PMID:The "syncytial variant" of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease. 242 45

In the past decade, interferon, the first of a new class of biologic response modifiers, has undergone extensive Phase I and II clinical evaluation in a broad spectrum of cancers, including hematologic malignancies, lymphomas, and solid tumors. Interferon has been found to have important clinical activity in hairy-cell leukemia, low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, cutaneous T cell lymphoma, chronic myelogenous leukemia, previously untreated multiple myeloma, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related Kaposi's sarcoma, malignant carcinoid tumors, intravesically treated superficial bladder cancer, intraperitoneally treated ovarian carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Recombinant DNA technology has produced molecules such as the interferons, which are antigenic and can induce antibody formation as part of a generalized immune response. The frequency of antibody occurrence, the magnitude of the antibody response, and the type of antibody induced by the interferons is thought to be related to several factors. These include the specific type of neoplasm for which interferon was administered; the specie of interferon administered; the dose, route, schedule, and duration of interferon administered; and the assay method and sampling time used to determine the antibody titer. Opinions and clinical observations about how these antibodies affect the clinical course of a disease vary among investigators. Some studies have demonstrated that antibody formation is associated with an abrogation of the clinical response, while others have not found any effects on the clinical course of a disease due to antibody presence.
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PMID:Biotherapy with interferon--1988. 246 49

The interferons are the first of a new class of biologic response modifiers that include, among others, the interleukins, colony-stimulating factors, erythropoietin, additional growth factors, and monoclonal antibodies. Interferons have exhibited important clinical activity in hematologic malignancies, lymphomas, and solid tumors. Specific diseases responding to interferons include hairy-cell leukemia (HCL), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, multiple myeloma, superficial bladder carcinoma, malignant carcinoid, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related Kaposi's sarcoma, ovarian carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. The potentially antigenic nature of the recombinant interferons can result in the formation of antibodies. These antibodies have been associated with the abrogation of some of the clinical responsiveness of some patients treated with interferons. It is hoped that the controversy existing over the role of antibody formation in treatment efficacy can be resolved by prospective trials using standardized methodology in such areas as assay type, sampling time, route of drug administration, treatment schedule, cumulative dose, and duration of treatment.
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PMID:Biotherapy in clinical practice. 247 4

The effects and toxicities of interferon alfa are described, and the role of the pharmacist in making decisions and providing education about biologic response modifiers (BRMs) is discussed. Interferons have both direct antitumor activity and extensive effects on the immune system. Two recombinant interferon alfa products--interferon alfa-2a and interferon alfa-2b are available commercially. Indications in FDA-approved labeling for interferon alfa include the treatment of hairy-cell leukemia, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related Kaposi's sarcoma, and genital warts; however, it also is being used successfully against early chronic myelogenous leukemia, low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and previously untreated multiple myeloma. Other malignancies that respond to treatment with interferon alfa are malignant melanoma, ovarian carcinoma, and renal cell carcinoma. The toxic pattern of interferon alfa consists of flu-like symptoms, which are seen at all doses, on all schedules, and in virtually all patients. After repeated dosing, the chronic toxicities of anorexia, weight loss, and malaise and fatigue may develop. Myelosuppression, central nervous system toxicity, increased hepatic enzyme concentrations, nausea and vomiting, and cardiovascular toxicity also are possible. Serum neutralizing antibodies may be formed during therapy; this phenomenon may affect the clinical outcome. Numerous BRMs are being investigated for clinical use, and pharmacists must become conversant in the issues that surround these agents. Areas in which pharmacist involvement and knowledge are important include overall cost, product similarities and differences, dosing and scheduling, drug delivery systems, ways to minimize waste, adverse effects and their management, drug interactions, storage requirements, differences in production and purification techniques among manufacturers, and education of patients and staff.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Biologic response modifiers: the interferon alfa experience. 248 96


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