Phase I clinical trial of idiotypic DNA vaccine administered as a complex with polyethylenimine to patients with B-cell lymphoma.

We report on the design of a phase I, non-randomized, open-label study of idiotypic DNA vaccination in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (ISRCTN31090206). The study uses DNA fusion gene vaccination encoding patient-specific single chain variable fragment, or idiotype, linked to an immunostimulatory sequence. Two types of immunostimulatory sequence are being explored: potato virus X coat protein and human chemokine MIP3α. Linear polyethylenimine with low molecular weight (8 kDa) is used as a synthetic vehicle for vaccine delivery. Humoral and T-cellular immune responses to vaccination will be measured by ELISA and ELISPOT, respectively. The primary study endpoints are safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of DNA-PEI vaccination.

[Interleukin-2 (Ronkoleykin) in the first-line chemotherapy for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma].

In this paper we present the results of a randomized prospective study, in which we examined the influence of rIL-2 ("Ronkoleykin ") on the effectiveness of the R-CHOP combination in the first-line treatment of patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. From March 2006 to December 2009, the study included 109 newly diagnosed patients. Standard R-CHOP was used in 59 patients, in 50 patients rIL-2 was added, injected subcutaneously in a dose of 1 million IU per day during each course in 1-5th days. It was found that the inclusion of rIL-2 in the R-CHOP regimen increased the effectiveness of the treatment of B-cell NHL with a high-risk of poor disease's course.

The effect of cytostatics and hyperthermia on RAJI human lymphoma cells.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of hyperthermia on cytostatic activity of chemotherapeutic drugs carboplatin, cisplatin, oxaliplatin, carmustine, gemcitabine and etoposide in human lymphoma cell culture. METHODS: RAJI human lymphoma cells were incubated with cytostatics at 37 °C or 42 °C and evaluated for cell culture growth. RESULTS: The number of viable cells after incubation with the drugs (except for gemcitabine) at 42 °C for 30 min was significantly lower than at 37 °C. There were synergism of cytostatic effects of platinum drugs (carboplatin, cisplatin and oxaliplatin) with cytostatic effect of 42 °C and the summation of cytostatic effect of carmustine or etoposide with the action of hyperthermia. The thermal enhancement ratio was 3.0 for oxaliplatin, 2.0 for cisplatin, 1.8-2.4 for carboplatin. The combination of platinum drugs with gemcitabine resulted in a significant enhancement of cytostatic activity. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a gain in sensitivity of RAJI human lymphoma cells to platinum drugs occurs at 42 °C.

[Role of adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of medulloblastoma in children]. / Rol' ad"iuvantnoi khimioterapii v lechenii medulloblastomy u detei.

A retrospective review was carried out to evaluate the results of treatment (1989-1998) of 81 children, aged under 15, with primary medulloblastoma. Thirty-three patients received surgery and postoperative craniospinal radiotherapy; 48--adjuvant chemotherapy (VCR 1.5 mg/m2, i.v., 1 day; CCNU 75 mg/m2, per os, 1 day; cisplatin 80 mg/m2 or carboplatin 400 mg/m2, i.v., 1 day). Overall 9-year survival was 37 +/- 0.8%. This index in the adjuvant chemotherapy group was 59 +/- 0.8%, without chemotherapy--22 +/- 0.8%.

[Salvage thermochemotherapy in advanced refractory malignant tumors in children]. / Termokhimioterapiia pri refrakternykh i daleko zashedshikh zlokachestvennykh opukholiakh u detei.

The data are presented on polychemotherapy given to 17 children with advanced refractory malignant tumors using whole body hyperthermia and hyperglycemia. All patients suffered tumor progression throughout treatment and afterwards. Adjuvant Roncoleukin (interleukin-2) was administered in 5. Such salvage therapy was followed by overall tumor regression in 29.3%. Overall 4-year survival in such cases was 19%. Immunological monitoring of adjuvant whole body hyperthermia and interleukin-2 was carried out.

[Nephroblastoma in children. Results of treatment (1989-1994)]. / Nefroblastoma u detei. Rezul'taty lecheniia (1989-1994 gg.)

The experience of combined treatment of 75 children with nephroblastoma (1989-1994) has been evaluated. A relationship between the treatment results, on the one hand, and stage and histological pattern of tumor, on the other, has been established. The analysis confirmed the following progress made during 1973-1988 and 1989-1994: 2-year recurrence-free survival increased from 38.9 to 79.4% while 5-year survival--from 35.2 to 72.6%.

[Combined therapy of intracranial germ cell tumors in children]. / Kombinirovannoe lechenie intrkranial'nykh germinogennykh opukholei u detei.

A retrospective analysis of treatment of 8 children aged 5 to 13 years with intracranial germ cell tumors (3 germinomas, 5 nongerminomatous cell tumors) is reported. All patients were initially operated. Five of them underwent total or incomplete removal of the tumor. After surgery 2 children received radiotherapy alone (1 germinome, 1 nongerminomatous germ cell tumors) and 5 (2 germinomas, 3 nongerminomatous germ cell tumors) combined radio- and chemotherapy. One patient (choriocarcinoma) didn't receive any adjuvant treatment after total tumor removal. All 3 children with germinomas show complete remission for 29, 40 and 93 months. Of 5 patients with nongerminomatous germ cell tumors in 2 the duration of remission was 22 and 53 months and 3 relapsed 4, 12 and 24 months after treatment. The data presented demonstrate that the treatment results of intracranial germ cell tumors in children depend on histologic type of the tumor. Thus, precise tumor type determination is most important for choosing optimally adequate treatment approach.

[General hyperthermia in the chemoradiotherapy of small-cell lung cancer]. / Obshchaia gipertermiia pri khimioluchevoi terapii melkokletochnogo raka legkogo.

Treatment results were compared in 2 groups of patients with advanced small-cell lung cancer. Group 1 (52 cases) received chemoradiation treatment alone whereas in group 2 (41 patients) it was combined with general hyperthermia (temperature 40-41.8 degrees C during 3-4 hours). Response was observed in 63.5% of patients of group 1 and 79.5% of those in group 2. Complete response rates did not differ significantly (23.1 and 28.2%, respectively). 40.6 +/- 8.2% of patients receiving chemoradiation treatment plus general hyperthermia survived over 1 year, 20.5 +/- 7.1%--over 1.5 years and 15.9 +/- 6.7%--over 2 years. In the control group, the respective rates were 22.2 +/- 5.8%, 5.1 +/- 3.4% and 5.1 +/- 3.4%.