No abstract

Our results indicate the association of IL-10 -3575 and TGF-β Leu10Pro gene variations with clinical characteristics. In patients treated with rituximab-CHOP therapy, the TNF-α -308 AG/AA genotypes showed a significantly less favorable survival than the GG genotype.

The aim of this research was to determine the serum dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) activity as well as the percentages of CD26 + lymphocytes and CD26 + overall white blood cells in patients with hematological malignancies: non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), leukemia, plasmacytoma and multiple myeloma, and in healthy individuals. Data from our study showed significantly decreased serum DPPIV activity and a significant decrease in the percentage of: CD26 + lymphocytes, CD26 + overall white blood cells and lymphocytes in patients with NHL in comparison to healthy controls. Patients with leukemia had a statistically significant lower activity of DPPIV in serum and significant decrease in the percentage of CD26 + lymphocytes in relation to healthy controls. Furthermore, significantly decreased DPPIV serum activity associated with a significantly reduced percentage of CD26 + overall white blood cells and percentage of lymphocytes was found in patients with multiple myeloma when compared to the healthy control group. The obtained results indicate that immune disturbances that can occur in hematological malignancies might be related to the decreased expression and activity of CD26/DPPIV that we observed.

Zorubicin is an effective drug in UCNT and its combination with cisplatin has a significant activity and an acceptable toxicity.

Results of amsacrine studies in different solid tumors with a dose of 85 mg/m2/24 h x 1 quo 3 weeks have been, in general, disappointing. Although only a few patients with head and neck cancer have been included in broad phase II studies, several responses have been reported, but detailed data concerning responders are lacking. In the present study, amsacrine (Amsidil, Godecke-Parke Davis) was administered at an increased dose of 85 mg/m2/24 h x 3 (total dose per cycle 255 mg/m2) quo 3-4 weeks. 25 patients with advanced carcinoma of meso and hypopharynx were included in the first step of this phase II study (11/25 with histological grades I/II and 14/25 with histological grades III/IV; 10/25 pretreated with radical radiotherapy and 15/25 previously untreated), and 5 patients with undifferentiated carcinoma of the nasopharyngeal type (UCNT), all previously treated. 5/30 patients achieved a complete response (CR) and 5/30 a partial response (PR), the overall response rate being 10/30. Regarding the histology grade, only 1/11 patients with grade I/II carcinoma of meso and hypopharynx achieved a PR with no CR, but 5/14 with grade III/IV from the same group achieved a CR. Out of 10 pretreated patients only one achieved any response and none of the 5 patients with UCNT. Thus, in the second step of this study, high dose amsacrine was evaluated in the target group of previously untreated patients with advanced grade III/IV carcinoma of meso and hypopharynx. 20 patients were included in the second step and all were evaluable for activity. A CR was achieved for 6/20 patients and a PR for 7/20 patients (response rate 65%, 95% confidence interval 44%-86%). Hematological toxicity from both steps included grade IV granulocytopenia in 25/50 patients (50%, 95% confidence interval 36%-64%) and grade IV thrombocytopenia in 18/50 patients (36%, 95% confidence interval 23%-49%). High dose amsacrine seems to be a toxic, but very effective drug as first-line treatment for poorly differentiated carcinoma of meso and hypopharynx, and further studies seem warranted.