Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027947 (neutropenia)
 17,527 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

To investigate the influence of the intracellular activity of type II and type IV collagenases [matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2, MMP-8, and MMP-9] in neutrophils from patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), we tried to measure intracellular activity using flow cytometric techniques. We also studied the clinical features of patients showing high activity. The intracellular collagenase activity, expressed as a ratio to the standardized fluorescence intensity, in patients with MDS was significantly higher than normal volunteers (19.5+/-14.8 vs 13.3+/-6.8, p=0.024). The difference among subcategories of MDS according to the French-American-British (FAB) and WHO classifications was not significant. No significant influence of three variables of the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) was seen on activity. Of 8 patients with activity of more than 26.9 (mean+2 standard deviations of normal controls), 5 experienced an episode of delayed healing of infection without neutropenia, while 1 of 43 patients with activity of less than 26.9 experienced such an episode (p=0.0002). The average collagenase activity of six patients with delayed healing of infection without neutropenia (44.7+/-28.9) was significantly higher than that of other MDS patients (16.0+/-7.1, p=0.005) (Fig. 4). It was also significantly higher than the activity of the control group (13.3+/-6.8, p=0.011). Our report suggests that increased collagenase activity in neutrophils may delay healing of infection. In addition, we suggest that increased collagenase activity may be an independent prognostic factor for the susceptibility to severe infection in MDS.
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PMID:Increased intracellular activity of matrix metalloproteinases in neutrophils may be associated with delayed healing of infection without neutropenia in myelodysplastic syndromes. 1571 1

The primary objective of this phase II study was to access the complete response (CR) rate to a new innovative induction regimen in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer (LA-HNC). From October 2000 until October 2003 a total of 38 eligible patients (33 men and 5 women) entered the study. The large majority of them presented with a performance status of 0-1 and with clinical stage IV disease. Treatment consisted of three cycles of induction chemotherapy (IC) with paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 in a 3-h infusion on d 1, leucovorin (LV) 200 mg/m2 over 20 min immediately followed by FU 400 mg/m2 bolus and then 600 mg/m2 as a 24-h continuous infusion on d 1 and 2 and a cisplatin 75 mg/m2 over 1-h infusion on d 2 every 3 wk. This was then followed by radiation (70 Gy) and weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m2. After the completion of IC, 6/38 (16%) patients had CR. The CR rate was increased to 66% post-concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Neutropenia (37.5%), pain (62%), nausea/vomiting (21%), and alopecia (79%) were the most frequent side effects during IC. The most pronounced toxicities during chemoradiotherapy were stomatitis (62.5%) and xerostomia (53%). Median time to progression was 11.0 mo and median survival 16.7 mo. One- and 2-yr survival rates were 73% and 38%, respectively. In conclusion, this novel induction regimen is active, is well tolerated, and can be successfully followed by CCRT with weekly cisplatin. CCRT should remain standard treatment for patients with LA-HNC. Novel induction combinations, such as that reported in the present study, should be evaluated in combination with CCRT only in the context of clinical trials.
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PMID:Paclitaxel, cisplatin, leucovorin, and continuous infusion fluorouracil followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group Phase II Study. 1611 Jan 38