ABSTRACT
The authors examined peripheral blood samples from patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) using the monoclonal antibody Ki-67 which detects a nuclear antigen present in actively proliferating cells. In patients with chronic ATL, the percentage of Ki-67-positive cells was significantly lower than in acute ATL patients (median values, 3.3% versus 18.9%, P less than 0.001). Furthermore, there was a significant inverse correlation between the percentage of Ki-67-positive cells and the length of survival (P less than 0.001). Serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels also showed a significant inverse correlation with survival, but this was less strong than that for Ki-67 (0.01 less than P less than 0.02). Thus, Ki-67 positivity appears to indicate the aggressiveness of ATL, and can possibly be used for the clinical classification of ATL patients as well as for the prediction of prognosis.
Subject(s)
Antigens, Neoplasm/analysis , Leukemia, T-Cell/immunology , Nuclear Proteins/analysis , Humans , Ki-67 Antigen , L-Lactate Dehydrogenase/blood , Leukemia, T-Cell/enzymology , Leukemia, T-Cell/mortality , Prognosis , Survival RateABSTRACT
In a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of isoniazid (INH) for the prevention of tuberculosis, we studied 1760 patients with hematological malignancies over a twenty-year period (1970-1989). 759 patients received oral INH, most of all received 400 mg per day. Only one (0.1%) of the patients receiving INH developed tuberculosis, whereas nine (0.9%) of the 1001 patients who did not receive INH developed tuberculosis (p less than 0.05). We found that INH was very effective in the prevention of tuberculosis in patients with hematological malignancies, and was well tolerated.
Subject(s)
Isoniazid/therapeutic use , Leukemia/complications , Lymphoma/complications , Tuberculosis/prevention & control , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Tuberculosis/etiologyABSTRACT
In a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SMX-TMP) for the prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis, we studied 1760 patients wit hematological malignancies over a twenty-year period (1970-1989). 449 patients received oral SMX-TMP, most of all received 400 mg of SMX and 80 mg of TMP twice per day. None of the patients receiving SMX-TMP developed P carinii pneumonitis, whereas twenty-six (2.0%) of the 1311 patients who did not receive SMX-TMP developed P carinii pneumonitis (p less than 0.01). We found that the SMX-TMP was very effective in the prevention of P carinii pneumonitis in patients with hematological malignancies, and was well tolerated.
Subject(s)
Hematologic Diseases/complications , Opportunistic Infections/prevention & control , Pneumonia, Pneumocystis/prevention & control , Premedication , Sulfamethoxazole/administration & dosage , Trimethoprim/administration & dosage , Administration, Oral , Adult , Aged , Child , Drug Combinations , Humans , Middle Aged , Opportunistic Infections/etiology , Pneumonia, Pneumocystis/etiologyABSTRACT
We have treated 20 adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 2 patients with lymphoblastic lymphoma with a protocol modified from L-10M of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Eighteen patients (81.8%) entered complete remission (CR). Eight of them eventually relapsed (only 1 patient had a meningeal relapse) and died. Median CR duration was 19 months (median overall follow-up of 35 months and 50% remission duration was not yet determined. Median overall survival was 19 months. Three patients died of sepsis during remission induction, but all of other deaths were due to resistant or relapsed leukemia. The four patients who completed 3.5 year's modified L-10M protocol were free from relapse for 6-11 months (mean 8.7). Although further follow-up is necessary, we suggest that modified L-10M protocol is effective for adult ALL and long-term survival may be available.
