Continuous venous infusion of doxorubicin in advanced sarcomas

Seventeen patients with advanced sarcoma were treated with continuous venous infusion of doxorubicin for a mean of 118 days, achieving total doses up to 1097 mg/m2. Three partial responses and one minor response were obtained. Major toxic effects were stomatitis and hand-foot syndrome. There was a low incidence of leukopenia (18%) and clinical cardiotoxicity (11%). Continuous venous infusion is a safe means of administering doxorubicin, with a response rate similar to that observed with bolus doxorubicin in metastatic sarcoma.     

Gastroduodenal tolerability of indomethacin and acetaminophen. A comparative endoscopic study in healthy subjects

The effect of a 5- and 10-day treatment with indometacin and acemetacin (Rantudil) on the gastroduodenal mucosa was endoscopically evaluated in 16 healthy volunteers. In a randomised double-blind cross-over fashion the volunteers received 50 mg t.i.d. indometacin as well as 60 mg t.i.d. acemetacin. Acemetacin evoked after 5 and 10 days significantly less gastroduodenal lesions than indometacin. Possible reasons for this apparently better tolerability of acemetacin in man are discussed.     

Malignant histiocytosis. Complete remission in two pediatric patients

The experience with the treatment of malignant histiocytosis has been disappointing. Despite modest treatment success with a combination of cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin (doxorubicin), vincristine and prednisone, the overall prognosis remains poor. There are only a few reports of prolonged complete remissions in pediatric patients. The following report describes two children who have had long-term remission with an aggressive combination chemotherapy program that included intrathecal prophylaxis. The chemotherapeutic regimen described merits further evaluation in a larger number of patients.     

Heat shock protein hsp72 induction in cortical and striatal astrocytes and neurons following infarction

Transient global and transient focal ischemia induced the 72 kDa heat shock protein (hsp72) in neurons in cortex, striatum, and other regions known to be injured during transient ischemia. A novel finding was the induction of hsp72 in islands (cylinders in three dimensions) of cells composed of astrocytes around the perimeter and neurons in the interior. Since histology showed pale staining in these regions, it is proposed that these islands represent areas of focal infarction in the distribution of small cortical and lenticulostriate arteries. Although the factors responsible for hsp72 induction during ischemia and infarction are unknown, these results suggest differences in mechanisms of hsp72 induction in astrocytes compared to neurons.     

Delineating the sites and progression of in vivo atrophy in multiple system atrophy using fluid-registered MRI.

We describe the pattern and progression of atrophy delineated using fluid registration of serial magnetic resonance imaging scans in a case of multiple system atrophy (MSA). The in vivo findings were consistent with those found at postmortem, including significant supratentorial atrophy concurrent with an unusual degree of cognitive impairment for MSA.