Time-resolved fluorometric assay for the detection of endostatin in chromatographically separated extracts of natural peptides

We present a heterogeneous non-competitive immunological detection assay for peptide and protein antigens from crude extracts of biological sources. This time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TR-FIA) has been designed in a solid-phase mode using 96-well microtiter plates. Using the rare-earth metal europium as a fluorescent marker, a highly sensitive, selective and efficient procedure was developed. This technique prevents from interferences of intrinsic protein fluorescence which is highly important for antigen measurement in complex matrices. The TR-FIA has been applied for the detection of circulating forms of the potential anti-tumor agent endostatin, a C-terminal fragment of collagen XVIII, and its close homolog collagen XV (restin) from hemofiltrate. Endostatin was detected with a limit of detection of 3 ng (150 fmol/well) and a broad dynamic range from 10-1000 ng/well.     

Phase I clinical and pharmacokinetic trial of dextran conjugated doxorubicin (AD-70, DOX-OXD)

Coupling of anthracyclines to high-molecular-weight carriers may alter drug disposition and improve antitumor effects. We have performed a clinical phase I trial of doxorubicin coupled to dextran (70000 m.w.). The drug was administered as single dose i.v. every 21–28 days. Thirteen patients have received a total of 24 courses (median 2; range 1–3). At the starting dose of 40 mg/m² doxorubicin equivalent (DOXeq), WHO grade IV thrombocytopenia was noted in 2/2 patients. WHO grade IV hepatotoxicity and WHO grade III cardiotoxicity were noted in a patient with preexisting heart disease. Five patients were treated with 12.5 mg/m² DOXeq. Maximal toxicity at this dose level was WHO grade III thrombocytopenia and local phlebitis (WHO grade II) in 1/5 patients, elevation of alkaline phosphatase (WHO grade III) and WHO grade III vomiting in another patient. Subsequently, five patients received 20 mg/m² DOXeq. Hepatotoxicity was noted in 5/5 patients (1 × WHO grade IV, 1 × WHO grade III). Thrombocytopenia was noted in 3/5 patients (1 × WHO grade IV, 2 × WHO grade III). At 12.5 mg/m² DOXeq, a patient diagnosed with a malignant fibrous histiocytoma had stable disease for 4 months. Pharmacokinetic analyses of total and free doxorubicin were performed in plasma and urine. The maximum peak plasma concentration (ppc) for total DOX was 12.3 g/ml at 40 mg/m² DOXeq. The area under the plasma concentration time curve (AUC) ranged from 28.83–80.21 g/ml^*h with dose-dependent elimination half lives (t_1/2: 0.02–0.87 h;_1/2: 2.69–11.58 h;_1/2: 41.44–136.58 h). We conclude that the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) of AD-70 using this schedule is 40 mg/m² DOXeq. The recommended dose for clinical phase II studies is 12.5 mg/m² DOXeq.Abbreviations ALT Alanine Aminotransferase - AST Aspartate Aminotransferase - DOX Doxorubicin - DOXeq Doxorubicin Equivalent - ECG Electrocardiogram - HPLC High Pressure Liquid Chromatography - LD₁₀ Lethal Dose for 10% of individuals - MTD Maximal Tolerated Dose - ppc Peak Plasma Concentration - WHO World Health Organisation     

Low-dose radiation therapy for age-related macular degeneration

Background: The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of low-dose radiation therapy in patients with age-related macular degeneration. Methods: One hundred eyes of 78 patients (mean age 72 years) with different forms of age-related macular degeneration were treated with external beam radiotherapy between 1971 and 1989. In four fractions a total dose of 2 Gy was administered over 7 days. Radiation therapy was performed by the conventional 200-kV technique. The mean duration of follow-up period was 7 years (range 0.5 to 20 years). A control group was composed of 96 eyes from patients with AMD who received no therapy. The mean visual acuity at first presentation and the duration of follow-up was the same as in the treatment group. Results: No difference in visual acuity between the treatment and control groups could be observed. After 1, 2, 5 and 10 years the mean visual acuity was equal in the radiation group and the control group. Even in subgroup analysis regarding only the eyes with exudative forms of AMD, no effect of this treatment strategy could be demonstrated. Conclusion: Our results suggest that low-dose radiation therapy in patients with age-related macular degeneration has no beneficial effect. However, it must be considered that the dose of 2 Gy is low in comparison to doses used in recently published studies (5–24 Gy).Parts of this work were presented at the XXth Meeting of the Club Jules Gonin, Bern, 1–6 September 1996 and at the 94th Congress of the German Ophthalmological Society, Mannheim, 21–24 September 1996     

Pharmacokinetics of 4′-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin given on a weekly schedule in patients with advanced breast cancer

Improved quality of life has gained importance over shortly lasting remissions in yet incurable metastatic breast cancer. Fractionation of drug administration is one of the possible approaches to reduce the concentration-dependent toxicity of anthracyclines. We evaluated the pharmacokinetics of 4-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin (THP-ADM) under weekly administration in patients with advanced breast cancer (dose escalation, from 20 to 27 mg/m₂ THP-ADM). The concentration-time curves of THP-ADM in plasma were best described by an open three-compartment model [half-life of the first disposition phase (t_1/2), 3.15 min; terminal elimination half-life (t _1/2), 13.9 h] with a mean area under the curve (AUC) of 12.2 ng h ml^–1mg^–1m^–2, resulting in a mean plasma clearance of 86.91 h^–1m^–2. Metabolism included the formation of Adriamycin (ADM), Adriamycinol (ADM-OH), 13-dihydro-4-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin (THP-OH), 7-deoxyadriamycinone (7H-ADn), and 7-deoxy-13-dihydroadrimycinone (7H-ADn-OH), with maximal plasma concentrations ranging from 2.8 to 5.5 ng/ml. The mean total amount of cytotoxic anthracyclines excreted into urine, mainly as the parent drug, was 5% of the delivered dose. ADM and ADM-OH, but not the parent drug, were observed in urine at up to 4 weeks after the last therapeutic cycle. There was a significant correlation between the leukocyte nadir under therapy and the AUC of ADM-OH (r=0.800,P<0.05). Since no shift in the plasma kinetics was observed from the first to the sixth cycle, the favorable ratio of the AUCs of THP-ADM and ADM after fractionation of THP-ADM suggests lower toxic side effects attributable to ADM. This hypothesis was confirmed in a clinical study, where no severe cardiotoxicity and only mild alopecia were observed in 19 patients. Thus, pharmacokinetics studies might be helpful in both individualization of therapy with THP-ADM and optimization of the administration schedule.     

MRA versus digital subtraction angiography in acute subarachnoid haemorrhage: a blinded multireader study of prospectively recruited patients

We performed a blinded multireader study comparing MR angiography (MRA) with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in 34 prospectively recruited patients who presented with acute subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Two observers independently reviewed the MRA and DSA studies some months after clinical presentation. Presence of an aneurysm was rated on a 4-point confidence scale. Cases in which the initial interpretation of the observers varied were jointly reviewed to reach a consensus opinion. DSA was deliberately chosen not to represent the reference standard and the clinical course and surgical findings were used to explain significant differences between the consensus readings of MRA and DSA. Diagnostic confidence and interobserver agreement were, overall, higher on DSA than on MRA studies (ϰ _DSA = 0.64 versus ϰ _MRA = 0.52 with 95 % CI for Δ = ϰ _DSA-ϰ _MRA [–0.06, 0.31]). With both methods, discrepancies between observers were due to aneurysms overlooked rather than false-positive readings by one observer. Diagnostic accuracy therefore improved when the readings of the two observers were combined, particularly for MRA. Intermethod agreement was only fair and similar for both readers (ϰ _{reader 1} = 0.37 versus ϰ _{reader 2} = 0.32 with 95 % CI for Δ = ϰ _{reader 1}-ϰ _{reader 2} [–0.02, 0.11]). Both interobserver and intermethod agreements improved when the data were analysed on a per-study (positive or negative study) rather than on a per-aneurysm basis. Differences in the consensus reading were due to five aneurysms (four single and one multiple) detected only with MRA and five (two single and three multiple) detected only with DSA. MRA and DSA should be regarded as complementary in the investigation of patients with acute SAH. DSA can no longer be regarded as the reference standard. Received: 24 June 1999/Accepted: 6 November 1999     

Vaccination of patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma with the anti-idiotype ACA125: immunological response and survival (phase Ib/II).

PURPOSE: A Phase I/IIb multicenter study was conducted to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the anti-idiotypic antibody vaccine ACA125 that functionally imitates the tumor antigen CA125 in 119 patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma. A preliminary report on the initial 42 patients demonstrated safety and immunogenicity. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Using the complete intention-to-treat population (n = 119) who received a mean of 9.7 ACA125 applications, survival was analyzed with respect to immunological responses. RESULTS: In 81 patients (68.1%), a specific anti-anti-idiotypic antibody (Ab3) response could be induced. Additionally, the development of CA125-specific antibodies (Ab1') and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity of CA125-positive tumor cells was observed in 50.4% and 26.9% of patients, respectively. The median survival of all patients was 19.4 months (range, 0.5-56.1 months). Ab3-positive patients showed a significantly longer survival (median, 23.4 months; P < 0.0001) as compared with Ab3-negative patients (median, 4.9 months). A positive Ab3 response remained associated with longer survival when controlling for other prognostic factors including FIGO (International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians) stage, response to and type of first-line chemotherapy, number of previous treatments, or concomitant antitumor therapy. With regard to safety, repeated vaccination was well tolerated. No serious adverse events related to the application of ACA125 occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Although the uncontrolled design of this study prevents definitive conclusions with respect to subgroups, the data support a relationship between Ab3 response and survival time. Thus, the need for further randomized, controlled clinical trials to establish efficacy of the vaccine ACA125 seems to be indicated.     

Antitumor vaccination of patients with glioblastoma multiforme: a pilot study to assess feasibility, safety, and clinical benefit.

PURPOSE: Prognosis of patients with glioblastoma is poor. Therefore, in glioblastoma patients, we analyzed whether antitumor vaccination with a virus-modified autologous tumor cell vaccine is feasible and safe. Also, we determined the influence on progression-free survival and overall survival and on vaccination-induced antitumor reactivity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a nonrandomized study, 23 patients were vaccinated and compared with nonvaccinated controls (n = 87). Vaccine was prepared from patient's tumor cell cultures by infection of the cells with Newcastle Disease Virus, followed by gamma-irradiation, and applied up to eight times. Antitumor immune reactivity was determined in skin, blood, and relapsed tumor by delayed-type hypersensitivity skin reaction, ELISPOT assay, and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS: Establishment of tumor cell cultures was successful in approximately 90% of patients. After vaccination, we observed no severe side effects. The median progression-free survival of vaccinated patients was 40 weeks (v 26 weeks in controls; log-rank test, P = .024), and the median overall survival of vaccinated patients was 100 weeks (v 49 weeks in controls; log-rank test, P < .001). Forty-five percent of the controls survived 1 year, 11% survived 2 years, and there were no long-term survivors (> or = 3 years). Ninety-one percent of vaccinated patients survived 1 year, 39% survived 2 years, and 4% were long-term survivors. In the vaccinated group, immune monitoring revealed significant increases of delayed-type hypersensitivity reactivity, numbers of tumor-reactive memory T cells, and numbers of CD8(+) tumor-infiltrating T-lymphocytes in secondary tumors. CONCLUSION: Postoperative vaccination with virus-modified autologous tumor cells seems to be feasible and safe and to improve the prognosis of patients with glioblastomas. This could be substantiated by the observed antitumor immune response.     

Intestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a multicenter prospective clinical study from the German Study Group on Intestinal non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Intestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are not well characterized. We therefore studied prospectively their clinical features and response to standardized therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-six patients with primary intestinal lymphoma were included in a prospective, nonrandomized multicenter study. Lymphoma resection was recommended and staging was performed according to the Ann Arbor classification. Patients were scheduled to receive six cycles of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (CHOP) chemotherapy, and at stages EIII to EIV, they received additional involved-field radiotherapy. Corticosteroids were used in patients who could not receive chemotherapy. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients had intestinal T-cell lymphoma (ITCL), 21 patients had intestinal B-cell lymphoma (IBCL; 18 diffuse large-cell lymphomas, two marginal-cell lymphomas, and one follicle-center lymphoma). Thirty-four patients at stages EI to EII (14 ITCL and 20 IBCL) and nine patients at stages EIII to EIV (all ITCL) received chemotherapy. No patient in stages EIII to EIV received radiotherapy, because death occurred in 12 of 14 patients. Two-year cumulative survival in patients with IBCL was 94% (95% CI, 82% to 100%) and higher than in patients with ITCL (28% [95% CI, 13% to 43%]; P <.0001), even when only stages EI to EII were considered (ITCL, 37.5% [95% CI, 16.5% to 58.5%]; P <.0001). IBCL patients compared with ITCL patients were at lower lymphoma stages (P <.01), had higher Karnofsky status (P <.005), had intestinal perforation less often (P <.05), required emergency operation less often (P <.05), received CHOP (P <.05) more often, and reached complete remission (P <.0005) more frequently. CONCLUSION: IBCL patients at stages EI and EII respond well to chemotherapy, but the prognosis and treatment of ITCL patients is unsatisfactory.     

Risk factors for relapse in clinical stage I nonseminomatous testicular germ cell tumors: results of the German Testicular Cancer Study Group Trial.

PURPOSE: To prospectively assess potential risk factors for relapse in clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis (CS I NSGCT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From September 1996 to May 2002, 200 patients with CS I NSGCT were prospectively assigned to retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND), and risk factor assessment was performed within a multicenter protocol. One hundred sixty-five patients had an adequate minimum follow-up of 12 months (mean, 34.5 months) or had pathologic stage II. RESULTS: Pathologic stage II disease was found in 27.9% of patients. Only 0.6% of patients relapsed in the retroperitoneum after confirmation of pathologic stage I disease. With reference pathology, vascular invasion (VI) was most predictive of stage in multifactorial analysis (accuracy, 65.1%). However, the positive predictive value (PPV) of VI to predict patients who have metastatic disease or relapse during follow-up was only 52.7%. With absent VI, low-risk patients had a negative predictive value (NPV) of 76.9%. With a combination of several risk factors, the PPV increased to 63.6% and the negative predictive value increased to 86.5%. CONCLUSION: Even with an optimal combination of prognostic factors and reference pathology, more than one third of patients predicted to have pathologic stage II or relapse during follow-up will not harbor metastatic disease and, therefore, would be overtreated with adjuvant therapy. However, patients at low risk may be predicted at an 86.5% level, and thus, surveillance in highly compliant patients would be a valuable option. For high-risk patients, further reduction of adjuvant treatment is necessary.