[Biologic therapy and epithelial ovarian cancer]. / La terapia biologica nel tumore epiteliale dell'ovaio.

The identification of new molecular prognostic and predictive factors for ovarian cancer may contribute in deciding individual therapeutic strategies; on the other hand, there has been growing interest in new biologic therapies to correct molecular or genic lesions of neoplastic cells (genic therapy), or to activate the specific immune response (immunological therapy). Chemotherapy collateral toxic effects, as myelotoxicity, should be reduced through transfection of genes that modulate drug resistance in stem cells. The data at present available suggest then the potential role of these new treatments, are more specific and less toxic than current therapies; however, other biological-molecular studies are required to obtain the clinical applications of the results: Aim of this study is to provide a review of the most interesting data in ovarian cancer biologic therapy.

[The role of aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of breast neoplasms. An evaluation of clinical efficacy and the tolerability profile]. / Il ruolo degli inibitori dell'aromatasi nel trattamento del tumore della mammella.

Constant acquisitions regarding endocrine pathogenesis and the biology of breast neoplasms have led to the evolution of hormone manipulation as a therapeutic option in patients suffering from this disease. There has been a shift from ablative surgical procedures to the use of drugs offering greater clinical efficacy and an improved tolerability profile. Since the late 1970s tamoxifen has been regarded as the gold standard for hormone treatment in hormone-responsive breast neoplasm, but promising new endocrine agents are now being compared in random trials. Of these, the latest generation of aromatase inhibitors appears to gather the widest consensus on the basis of the results published to date. This article aims to review this new category of drugs, illustrating their rationale of use, the results obtained in the treatment of breast neoplasm and the main studies in which they are currently being investigated.

Epidoxorubicin and paclitaxel as primary chemotherapy for T > 3 cm and T4 breast cancer patients.

UNLABELLED: The Anthracyclines/Taxanes combination is often used in adjuvant and advanced breast cancer. PURPOSE: To evaluate the toxicity and pathological response of sequential epidoxorubicin/paclitaxel combination as primary chemotherapy for T > 3 cm and T4 breast cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-eight patients with T2 > 3 cm, T3 and T4 breast tumours were treated with Epidoxorubicin (90 mg/m2, i.v.) on day one and paclitaxel (200 mg/m2 over 3 hours) on day 2 every 21 days for four courses. After the fourth cycle the patients underwent modified radical mastectomy or quadrantectomy plus axillary lymph node dissection followed by six courses of intravenous CMF regimen (days 1 and 8, every 4 weeks). Radiotherapy was given to patients undergoing conservative surgery or with T4 cancers. Tamoxifen was administered in ER or PgR positive patients. RESULTS: Out of the 48 patients enrolled into this trial, 43 were evaluable for toxicity and pathological response. Primary chemotherapy with epidoxorubicin and paclitaxel was well tolerated: no heart toxicity was observed during primary chemotherapy and follow-up. Primary toxicity consisted of myalgia, grade 1 neuropathy and grade 3 alopecia. Disappearance of invasive tumours in the breast with node negative was observed in 11.6% of patients: pathological partial response was shown in 56% of patients. On the whole major pathological response was achieved in 67% of our series: in the remaining 33% we found a stable disease or a size reduction less than 50%. No progressive disease was observed. Conservative surgery was performed in 64.5% of T2 and T3 tumours. CONCLUSION: These preliminary data showed that the epidoxorubicin/paclitaxel combination was safe and effective as primary chemotherapy for patients with T > 3 cm and T4 breast cancer patients.

[An epidemiological study on syphilis conducted at the laboratory of the Mauriziano Hospital (USL 37) of Lanzo Torinese in 1988]. / Indagine epidemiologica sulla sifilide condotta presso il laboratorio dell'Ospedale Mauriziano di Lanzo Torinese (USL 37) nell'anno 1988.

The study conducted in 1988 was designed to assess the value of blanket serum tests for syphilis on hospitalised and outpatients. The incidence of syphilis encountered was particularly low and primarily confined to patients over 50. Apart from specific requests, mass scanning for the disease does not therefore seem necessary though it does seem advisable to test hospitalised and pregnant women.

[Prevalence of HBsAG carriers in a population of Northern Italy in 1987]. / Prevalenza dei portatori di HBsAG in una popolazione del Nord Italia relativa all'anno 1987.

In view of the high incidence of hepatitis B in Italy, the prevalence of carriers of HBsAg in one area of Piedmont and comparison with data obtained in other areas of Northern and Southern Italy has been assessed. HBsAg was sought in the serum of 2242 patients of the Lanzo Torinese Hospital. Average prevalence observed (0.66%) was related to recent national statistics and shows a slightly lower percentage than mean values for Northern Italy and much below what is found in the South of Italy.

[Uterine fibroleiomyoma: a case of abdominal mass of extraordinary dimensions]. / Fibroleiomioma uterino: un caso di "massa addominale" di straordinarie dimensioni.

A case of abdominal mass strongly suspected at examination of being a primary ovarian tumour with abnormal echographic features is reported. At laparotomy, it proved to be a uterine fibroleiomyoma of extraordinary dimensions.