Erythromycin reverses the daunomycin resistance of MEL-DRTL cells

68 O - Maintenance low-dose (LD) oral idarubicin (oIDA) in elderly patients (pts) with acute myelogeneous leukemia (AML)

IDA by i.v. route. especially in combination with cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C). proved quite effective for intensive chemotherapy of AML However, persisting controversies on aggressive/intensive versus “ottenvated” regimens for elderly AML pts emphasize the interest of olDA in this latter setting (ct M.R. Howard et al and M.J. Keating. Clin. Drug Invest. 1995; 9. Suppl. 2: 16–38) A 69% complete response (CR) rate was recentty reported (F. Leoni et al Br. J. Hoematol 1995; 90: 169–174) among 25 elderly AML pts (> 60 yrs old) with an “attenuated” dose of IDA, i.e. 8 mg/m2 i.v. d, 1. 3, and 5. plus Ara-C 200 mg/m2 by continuous i.v. infusion (ClV) d, 1–7, and etoposide (VP-16) 60 mg/m2 i.v. d,…

Comparative activity of idarubicin and idarubicinol in combination with cyclosporin A in multidrug-resistant leukemia cells

4-Demethoxydaunorubicin (idarubicin, IDA) is an anthracycline that has shown good cytotoxic activity in vitro against tumor cell lines displaying the multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotype. IDA is converted in the liver into idarubicinol (2HIDA) and, in this form, seems to exert its antitumoral activity in vivo. Recent studies have shown that 2HIDA has tumoricidal activity similar to that of the parent drug when tested in vitro in sensitive neoplastic cells. In this work we compared in vitro the effects of IDA and 2HIDA used alone and in combination with 2 microM cyclosporin A (CyA) in the MDR leukemic cell lines FLCR and K562R and in their sensitive parent cell lines FLC and K562. IDA and 2HI…

Treatment of Coagulopathy in Acute Leukemia

Pefloxacin in the Antibacterial Treatment of Immunodepressed Patients

Pefloxacin 800 to 1200 mg daily was given for 3 to 20 days, orally or intravenously, to 84 immunocompromised patients. Five patients dropped out because of side effects and 2 for other causes. Treatment efficacy was evaluated in 77 patients, 43 men and 34 women, aged 18 to 80 years. Immunodepression resulted from malignancy in 46 patients, LAS/ARC or AIDS in 28, and from unknown causes in 3. Fifty-eight patients had documented infections (respiratory-tract infections 29, urinary-tract infections 13, septicemia 10, other 6) and 19 had a fever of unknown origin (FUO). Cure or significant improvement of symptoms was achieved in 81% of patients with documented infections and in 74% of patients …

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

During the past decade, diffuse intravascular coagulation (DIC) has been one of the most intensively studied subjects in hematology. DIC is a dynamic pathologic process caused by the entrance of foreign material into the circulation, or by exposure to abnormal surfaces. The intravascular coagulation is triggered by activation of the clotting cascade with resultant generation of excess thrombin within the vascular system that leads to further activation of the coagulation system, shortened survival of certain hemostatic elements, deposition of fibrin in the microcirculation, and activation of the fibrinolytic system. Decreased levels of hemostatic factors, secondary fibrinolysis, and exhaust…

Primary gastrointestinal involvement in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

This paper reviews primary gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (GI-NHL). Every aspect of the topic is discussed though special attention is paid to histopathology and instrumental diagnosis as essential factors to stage the lymphoma and to determine an adequate therapy. Data from the most important works on the subject together with the results of our recent study of 40 primary GI-NHL are reported. Diverse findings by various authors are intentionally compared in a manner to present the work to the reader in the most critical way while trying to give an objective explanation of the different results on the basis of our own experience.