Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0034065 (pulmonary embolism)
 14,979 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Six patients with hairy-cell leukemia were treated with gamma-(IFN-gamma) and alpha-(IFN-alpha-2b) interferon; 3-35 months following splenectomy, treatment was started with 4 X 10(6) U/m2 IFN-gamma sc (iv) every second day for 9-35 weeks. Although the white blood cell counts decreased during therapy from 4.1-49 X 10(9)/l to 1.5-43 X 10(9)/l, no hematological or clinical improvement was obtained. Subsequently (interval 0-13 weeks), IFN-alpha-2b was given at an initial dose of 4 X 10(6) U/m2 sc every second day to all patients. After a treatment period corresponding to that of IFN-gamma administration, a significant hematological improvement was observed in five patients (one early death due to pulmonary embolism). At the last follow-up (9-14 months after start of treatment; maintenance therapy, 1 X 10(6) U every second day), these patients exhibited normal peripheral blood cell counts, and in bone marrow biopsy specimens a marked decrease of hairy cells was seen (1 CR, 3 PR, 1 MR). Adverse reactions including fever, headache, nausea, dryness of the mouth, myalgia, and fatigue did not significantly differ between the two interferon preparations. Whereas IFN-gamma is unlikely to have any significant impact on the course of hairy cell leukemia, IFN-alpha-2b does result in improvement of hematological values and well-being in almost all patients.
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PMID:[Effectiveness of gamma interferon and alpha interferon in hairy cell leukemia]. 311 51

Mutations of the ras gene have been reported in 20-40% of NSCLC patients. If present, they are critical for the malignant phenotype of these tumors. Therefore, targeting them by specific vaccination is a promising therapeutic approach. In a clinical trial we screened for ras mutations in patients with NSCLC. Patients with ras-positive tumors were immunized six times intradermally with a mixture of seven peptides representing the most common ras mutations. Objectives of the study were the feasibility, efficacy and safety of the vaccination. In addition, the induction of a specific immune reaction was investigated by DTH tests, and the induction of peptide-specific T cells was tested in ex vivo IFN-gamma-ELISPOT assays. Five of 18 patients had ras mutations at codon 12. Four of these patients, all with adenocarcinomas (stage I: n=3, stage IV: n=1) entered the study. The patient with stage IV disease withdrew prematurely after the third application because of disease progression associated with pulmonary embolism. Ras-specific T cells were not detected ex vivo. However, one patient developed a positive DTH reaction after the fifth vaccination that increased after the sixth vaccination. Our results are in line with earlier trials reporting ras mutations in 20-40% of NSCLC patients. Vaccination with mutated ras peptides is feasible and well tolerated. One patient revealed a positive DTH test. An ex vivo detectable T cell response was not induced in any of the patients.
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PMID:An open-label, prospective phase I/II study evaluating the immunogenicity and safety of a ras peptide vaccine plus GM-CSF in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. 1759 45