Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0033774 (pruritus)
 14,546 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Anamnestic data of 668 patients suffering from malignant melanoma were statistically evaluated. More than half of the patients had noticed a "mole" at the site where the melanoma was subsequently found. More than a third of the patients guessed that this mole had always been there, and an additional 15% were of the opinion that the mole had been present since childhood. About a third of the patients stated that the lesion had existed for more than 20 years. About 45% of them had been aware of it for between one and 20 years. Only 21.5% had not noticed any pigmented spot until less than one year before the diagnosis of melanoma. From the data, we conclude that in about 35% of the cases the pigmented area had first been noticed before puberty; in 49% of the cases, the lesion had not been observed until the patient's 36th year of age. Once the patients became aware of the growing development of the mole, 62% of them sought medical advice within one year. The other patients waited longer, 8.7% of them even more than 5 years, before having it removed. In the majority of the cases, the patients' attention was drawn to the malignant growth by changes in size and thickness. In 40% of the cases, changes in color were noted. The "classic" signs of alarm such as itching and bleeding were reported in 29.2% and 34.9% of the cases, respectively.
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PMID:[Growth dynamics and histogenesis of malignant melanomas based on anamnestic data]. 340 62

Despite efforts to identify and cure early melanoma, mortality from this potentially curable disease continues to increase. In a retrospective analysis of the charts of 568 patients treated for superficial spreading melanomas during a ten-year period, the authors studied the relations between type of symptom, symptom duration, and thickness of the lesion. "Catalyst" symptoms, the particular events that preceded diagnosis, were identified. Patients described 75 different catalyst symptoms or symptom combinations. Bleeding precipitated prompt medical attention but was associated with the deepest lesions (mean thickness 1.77 mm); ulceration, itching and tenderness were associated with delays of several months and lesions of intermediate thickness (1.13 to 1.28 mm); and changes in size, color, or elevation eventuated in diagnosis an average of a year after patients' observations of these changes, with mean lesion thickness of .80 mm to 1.33 mm. Patients react slowly to signs and symptoms of early melanoma.
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PMID:"Catalyst" symptoms in malignant melanoma. 380 66

R24 is an IgG3 mouse monoclonal antibody that identifies GD3, a prominent ganglioside on the surface of melanoma cells and other cells of neuroectodermal origin. Twelve patients with metastatic melanoma were treated with R24 at three dose levels, 8, 80, or 240 mg/m2, over a period of 2 weeks. Peak antibody levels in the serum were dose related and ranged from less than 0.1 to 62 micrograms/ml. Inflammatory reactions (urticaria, pruritus, erythema, subcutaneous ecchymoses) were observed around tumor sites in patients treated at doses greater than or equal to 80 mg/m2. Tumor biopsies during and after treatment showed lymphocyte and mast cell infiltration, mast cell degranulation, and complement deposition. Side effects were mild and were readily controlled by antihistamines. Major tumor regression has been observed in three patients.
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PMID:Mouse monoclonal IgG3 antibody detecting GD3 ganglioside: a phase I trial in patients with malignant melanoma. 388 55

Bacillus Calmette Geurin (BCG) skin immunization is an adjuvant therapy for malignant melanoma patients. Adverse reactions to BCG skin immunization therapy are not uncommon and usually present as fever, influenza-like syndrome, pruritus skin rash, ulcers at the injection site, regional lymphadenopathy, and liver dysfunction. To our knowledge, a bronchospastic BCG immunotherapy-related attack has not yet been reported. We present a case of a patient with malignant melanoma who developed an unusual reaction during BCG immunotherapy. He developed asthma-like attacks after treatment, which could be prevented by inhalation of Cromolyn prior to and after therapy.
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PMID:Cromolyn prevents bronchospastic attacks caused by Bacillus Calmette Geurin immunotherapy for malignant melanoma patient. 392 89

Thirty-five patients with advanced cancers were treated with estramustine phosphate tablets (Estracyt). Doses ranged between 420 mg and 700 mg daily. One partial response was documented in a hormone resistant prostatic cancer patient. Four minor responses (less than 50% responses, or less than one month more than 50% response) were obtained; one in a hormone resistant prostatic cancer, two in metastatic colorectal cancers; and another in a malignant melanoma. Toxicity phenomena included nausea (9/35 - 25%), water retention (4/35 - 11.5%) and mild elevation of alkaline phosphatase (2/35 - 6%). Other toxicity effects were vaginal bleeding in two women, acne in one woman and mild pruritus in another patient. Myelosuppression and immune suppression were not significantly detected.
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PMID:Oral estramustine phosphate (Estracyt): a broad phase II study. 659 4

Thirty patients with unresectable disseminated melanoma (Stage IV) were treated with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) (Moreau strain--Rio de Janeiro) by mouth, with weekly doses ranging between 200 mg and 28,000 mg. Five patients died in the first two months of treatment. Of the remaining 25 patients, two (8%) showed complete regression, and one (4%) partial regression. Seven patients (28%) had stabilization of the disease for a six-month period, and 15 (60%) had progression of the disease. Complete and partial regressions were seen only in patients with extravisceral (subcutaneous) metastases, and were associated with a longer survival time. Regression of the subcutaneous metastatic nodules was always accompanied by the following local phenomena: increased temperature; local inflammation; softening, pain and pruritus at the nodule site; and a gradual decrease in size. At the site of the tumor mass, a hypochromic halo appeared. This halo remained permanently and was pathognomonic of the metastatic nodule rejection. When the halo was fully established, the inflammatory infiltrate was minimal and the malignant cells disappeared. If the area contained hairs, they underwent complete albinization. Serial biopsies of the nodules undergoing inflammatory changes and decreased consistency exhibited an intense cellular infiltration of lymphocytes, macrophages, and plasma cells around the malignant cells. This sometimes simulated lymphoid follicle formation involving the melanoma cells associated with necrosis in a centripetal way. Some patients with visceral metastases (particularly pulmonary) had an unexpectedly long survival, apparently associated with interruption of the growth rate of the masses. Eleven out of 20 deaths were due to cerebral metastases. When cerebral disease was diagnosed, BCG was discontinued and the administration of corticoids was usually associated with a disappearance of the inflammatory signs at the nodule sites, but with progression of the disease. Toxicity was minimal.
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PMID:Treatment of disseminated malignant melanoma with high-dose oral BCG. 702 54

53 patients with advanced and measurable cancerr were treated with vindesine in doses of 3 mg/m2 (pretreated) and 4 mg/m2 (non pretreated) i.v. once weekly. 48 patients are evaluable for response: of 14 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, 1 partial remission (PR), 1 minor response (MR) and 1 no change (NC) were observed. In 5 patients with large cell carcinoma of the lung: 1 NC. In 3 with adenocarcinoma of the lung: 1 MR. One patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma had progressive disease. Stable disease was observed in a patient with carcinoma of the tongue and in a patient with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Four patients with colorectal carcinoma had progressive disease. One MR was observed in a patient with breast cancer, while all of the other 3 patients had progressive disease. One carcinoma of the penis was stable. One MR was observed in a patient with Hodgkin's disease. One PR was observed in a case with no-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A patient with acute leukemia had progressive disease. Among 9 patients with malignant melanoma, 3 had an MR and 1 patient had stable disease. A patient with fibrosarcoma had progressive disease. Observed toxicity included leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, paresthesias, constipation, jaw pain, nausea, stomatitis, alopecia, loss of taste, pruritus and skin rash, weakness and fatigue.
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PMID:[Phase-II-study with vindesine (desacetyl-vinblastine-amide-sulfate) in advanced malignant diseases]. 742 51

Malignant Melanoma (MM) incidence rate is increasing faster than many other cancer at present time. Its epidemiological and clinical behavior varies within countries. We have studied 113 cases of cutaneous melanoma from 1982-1993, that represents until now the largest series of MM studied in Chile. Superficial Spreading Melanoma was the most common type of MM with 37.5% of total cases followed by Nodular Melanoma 31.2%. Acral Melanoma 22.1%, and Lentigo Malignant Melanoma with 7.8%. MM favored females with 60.2% (n = 68) and males constituted 39.8% (n = 45) of all cases. Median age at diagnosis was 54 years. Primary more frequent location for man was thorax (36.4%) and lower extremities for women (28.6%). Hemorrhage, ulceration and rapid growth of a previously pigmented lesion as the primary cause for first medical visit were associated with high level of invasion, generally over 2 mm. thick. Color change and pruritus were associated with lower level of invasion. Patients in stage I (78.3%) had 1.35 mm of median invasive thickness in the primary lesion and patients in stage II (15.7%) had 3.03 mm.
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PMID:[Clinical study of 113 cases of malignant melanoma]. 776 20

Murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) R-24 reacts with the ganglioside GD3 that is highly expressed on malignant melanoma. 2 patients with melanosis of the meninges received MAb R-24 intrathecally. Regressive changes in tumour cells were observed in both patients after intrathecal application of MAb R-24 (1-10 mg, 8-10 h, over 5-6 weeks). The first patient suffered from brain metastases and died a few weeks later, whereas the second achieved a complete remission with no evidence of disease 6 years after intrathecal R-24 treatment. No R-24-related neurotoxicity has occurred to date. The administration of MAb R-24 caused an increase of inflammatory cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of both patients. Cytotoxic lymphocytes, cultured from the CSF, showed high cytolytic activity against allogeneic melanoma cells in vitro. In addition, 15 patients with advanced melanoma, in which the brain was not affected, were treated with R-24 intravenously using high dose R-24 (5 or 10 mg/m2) or low dose R-24 (1 mg/m2). No remissions were registered in the high dose group, with only 1/6 patients experiencing a mixed response. In contrast, 2/9 patients treated with low dose R-24 achieved a partial remission, one achieving a minor response and the other a mixed response. Toxicity was related to the dose of R-24 administered. Urticaria, burning and pruritus were the prominent side-effects, mostly occurring at the high dose level. Immunological monitoring during and after intravenous treatment showed no significant changes in peripheral blood lymphocytes, natural killer cell activity or antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, although transient changes were observed. There was no correlation between immunological parameters and clinical response.
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PMID:Immunological response to intrathecal and systemic treatment with ganglioside antibody R-24 in patients with malignant melanoma. 815 84

Due to the recent increase of incidence of malignant melanoma and due to the significance of early detection for a definite cure from the disease, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of malignant melanoma are very important. At first glance the malignant potential of a pigmented mole can be evaluated by the macroscopical ABCD rule (Asymmetry, irregular Border, different Colors, and Diameter larger than 6 mm). In addition, also the history of the patient might be helpful. Thus a malignant melanoma should be considered when a patient reports a new rapidly growing pigmented lesion or a change in an existing mole in color, size, shape, and surface. Itching or burning should also arouse the suspicion of malignant change. Risk factors for the development of a malignant melanmoma are a high number of benign melanocytic nevi, large congenital melanocytic nevi, fair skin types with a tendency to sunburns and a malignant melanoma in the family of the patient. With dermatoscopy, which is skin surface microscopy at 10x magnification, the difficult macroscopical differential diagnosis is facilitated, because this technique opens a new dimension between macroscopy and microscopy.
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PMID:[Classification, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of malignant melanoma]. 819 99


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