Polichemotherapy of advanced head and neck malignancies.

The favorable results obtained by other authors with polichemotherapy encouraged us to employ therapeutic scheme using a combination of 4 drugs. Treatment envolved the administration of 300 mg/mz cyclophosphamide, 350 mg/m2 5-fluorouracil, 10 mg/mw2 methotrexate i.v. on alternate days 6-8 times, and 15 mg bleomycin on alternate days until a total dose of 150-200 mg is reached. Thirty-five out of 37 patients treated with this protocol (30 previously treated and 5 not) qualified for analysis; the site of the neoplasm, mostly squamous cell carcinoma, was different; for the most part it was in the larynx (18/35) and the oral cavity (10/35). Complete remission was achieved in 9/35 patients (25.7%), varying from 5 to 33 months (median 22); partial remission was achieved in 15/35 cases (42.8%), varying from 1 to 14 months (median 3); and there was no success in 11/35 cases (31.5%). Overall, a total remission greater than 50% was observed in 24/35 patients (68.5%). The most serious side effects both ascribed to BLM were observed in the central nervous system (increasing drowsiness and coma) and the lung. This study has shown that in the ultra head and neck malignancies medical treatment can achieve satisfactory results.

[Diseases associated with tuberculosis]. / Le associazioni morbose con la malattia tubercolare.

The characteristics of the immunological picture give some concepts and judgement elements about the combined diseases. On this subject, the significant index of higher tuberculosis incidence in patients with silicosis is paradigmatic. Furthermore chronic dismetabolisms and gamma-globulins immunodeficiencies support tuberculosis developing. However this matter is still object of several studies, as in the case of the relationships between tuberculosis and sarcoidosis, but at any rate immunological research results essential.

[Benign metastasizing leiomyoma of the uterus. Case report]. / Leiomioma benigno metastatizzante dell'utero. Segnalazione di un caso.

We have reported a "benign metastasizing uterine leiomyoma" case in a 55-year-old woman still living with "benign" metastases (lung, skin, lymph nodes, bone and perhaps the brain) 14 years after the first uterine myomectomy.

[Sea-blue histiocytosis. Clinical and immunological study of a familial case]. / Istiocitosi blu-mare. Studio clinico e immunologico di un caso familiare.

This case (a young man) presented a clinical picture of a hard periorbital edema, hepatosplenomegaly and a mild bilateral pulmonary fibrosis. The histopatological pattern of our case (as well as his sister affected with the same syndrome) was characterized by the presence of macrophages full of blue staining granules and bone marrow macrophagic infiltrations. In the pulmonary function tests the volumes and compliance test and diffusing capacity were normal. The enzymatic deficit of the macrophage leads to the increase storage of phosphoglicerides and phosphosphingolipids responsibles for the blue staining with Wright-Giemsa stain. Our case fit into the specific pathology of the macrophage cell in accordance with the more recent views of the autonomy of the MPS (Mononuclear Phagocytic System). The known relationship between macrophages and T and B lymphocites have prompted us to study the cellular and humoral immunological behaviour of our case. We have observed an increased IgM immunoglobulins and an increase of IgM surface membrane receptors. Our results will be illustrated and compared with the until known 70 publicated cases.

Normalization of electrophoretic mobility of lymphocytes in patients with primary immunoglobulin deficiency treated with intravenous immunoglobulins.

The behaviour of lymphocyte sub-populations and lymphocyte electrophoretic mobility has been studied in seven patients with agamma/hypogammaglobulinaemia before and after gammaglobulin therapy.