M. Lo Curto

PHA Short-Term Culture of Lymphocytes in Acute Leukemia during Remission

The PHA-induced blastogenesis in lymphocyte cultures of acute leukemia patients in remission was investtigated. Lymphocytes of patients untreated for more than 2 weeks showed normal blast transformati

Failure of Treatment in Childhood Extracranial and Extratesticular Malignant Germ Cell Tumours (MGCT)

Platinum based chemotherapy improves the cure rate of patients with MGCT [1,2] to over 80 per cent, but tumour recurrence is associated with an unfavourable prognosis. We sought to identify factors predictive of poor outcome following relapse.

GERM CELL TUMOURS IN CHILDREN- A Report of 84 Cases

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the results of a study examining germ cell tumors (GCTs) in children. In January 1991, a protocol for the diagnosis and treatment of GCTs in children was activated in 15 Italian pediatric centers. The diagnosis was made by the histological examination of a specimen obtained by surgical resection or biopsy and serum tumor marker positivity. Treatment was based on tumor site, histology, and stage. In the study, eighty-four patients were entered (40 males, 44 females), age range 0 to 14 years (median 5.1 years). The histological features were the following: (1) mature teratoma, 45 patients, (2) immature teratoma, 12 patients (eight grade II, four grade III), (3) MNSGCT 24 patients, including 2 cases of malignant relapse of one mature and one immature teratoma, and (4) seminomatous tumor, 5 patients. One patient with a SC tumor had a local malignant recurrence six months after surgical resection: the patient was disease-free 14 months after a second resection and 2 courses of chemotherapy (JE/IVA).

The outcome of Wilms' tumor in infants. Italy 1970-79.

Thirty-four infants under 1 year of age with Wilms’ tumor were diagnosed and treated in 14 Italian pediatric oncology units during 1970-79. The 3-year survival rates decreased with higher group unilateral tumors: 95% in group I Wilms’ tumor, 75% in group II and 20% in group III. The survival rates for children with group I and II Wilms’ tumor were similar for those who were treated with surgery and chemotherapy and those who also received postoperative radiotherapy. During 1975-79 fewer patients with group I Wilms’ tumor received radiotherapy (1 of 11) than during 1970-74 (4 of 6, p < 0.05). All these children are alive at this writing.