Archivum immunologiae et therapiae experimentalis
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Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. (Warsz.) · Apr 2010
Plasma TNF-alpha and IL-10 level-based prognostic model predicts outcome of patients with diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma in different risk groups defined by the International Prognostic Index.
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-10 are key cytokines involved in lymphoma development. Their pretreatment plasma levels were reported to influence the clinical course of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In this study the impact of combined elevation of TNF-alpha and IL-10 on disease features and outcome of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) were investigated. ⋯ In multivariate analysis, the cytokine intermediate- and high-risk groups also correlated with shorter PFS (relative risk [RR] = 4.5, 95% CI 1.9-10.9, p = 0.001 and RR = 5.8, 95% CI 2.2-15.3, p < 0.0001, respectively) and OS (RR = 4.6, 95% CI 1.8-12.0, p = 0.001 and RR = 7.5, 95% CI 2.7-20.9, p < 0.0001, respectively) regardless of the International Prognostic Index (IPI) scoring system. The TNF-alpha and IL-10 level-based index may work as an additional model to the IPI for predicting the survival of DLBCL patients. This model may help to identify patients in a given IPI risk group for whom more accurate and risk-adapted treatment could be advised.
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This article takes issue with those who defend a brand of clinical research ethics that tends to substitute the ethics of clinical care of patients being recruited as trial subjects. The distinction between therapeutic and non-therapeutic studies is being disregarded by arguing that research is concerned with the pursuit of knowledge rather than with the medical benefits for patients. Non-competent patients may therefore be recruited for studies that will offer them no medical benefits in spite of involving them in the inherent risks of any biomedical trial. ⋯ Whereas respecting equipoise is an important measure to curb redundant research, new trials become mandatory if equivalence is reliably questioned. In the best interests of patients being recruited for clinical trials, they should continue to be the full beneficiaries of clinical ethics, in addition to receiving the protection of research ethics. Placebos and sub-medication for control groups are to be used sparingly, and best existing therapy should be employed as control when new and promising agents are developed.
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Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. (Warsz.) · Mar 2009
TNF-alpha and sICAM-1 in intracranial aneurismal rupture.
Subarachnoidal hemorrhage (SAH) occurring after aneurysmal rupture produces an inflammatory response in the cerebral circulation. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is a major cytokine in this process. Adhesion molecules provide information on inflammatory reactions taking place in the walls of blood vessels. Clinical evidence suggests a role of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM)-1 in early hemorrhagic events. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of early TNF-alpha and sICAM-1 serum measurement for the prognosis of patient outcome after intracranial aneurysmal rupture. ⋯ This study demonstrated the absence of a systemic TNF-alpha-mediated inflammatory response at the onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Early measurement of serum sICAM-1 levels offers a potential prognostic value in the assessment of patients' outcome after brain aneurysmal rupture.
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Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. (Warsz.) · Dec 2008
ReviewNatural and genetically engineered viral agents for oncolysis and gene therapy of human cancers.
Based on personal acquaintances and experience dating back to the early 1950s, the senior author reviews the history of viral therapy of cancer. He points out the difficulties encountered in the treatment of human cancers, as opposed by the highly successful viral therapy of experimentally maintained tumors in laboratory animals, especially that of ascites carcinomas in mice. A detailed account of viral therapy of human tumors with naturally oncolytic viruses follows, emphasizing the first clinical trials with viral oncolysates. ⋯ The facts strongly support the conclusion that viral therapy of human cancers will remain in the front lines of modern cancer therapeutics. It may be a combination of naturally oncolytic viruses and wild-type viruses rendered oncolytic and harmless by genetic engineering, that will induce complete remissions of human tumors. It may be necessary to co-administer certain chemotherapeutic agents, advanced cancer vaccines, or even immune lymphocytes, and targeted therapeuticals, to ascertain, that remissions induced by the viral agents will remain complete and durable; will co-operate with anti-tumor host immune reactions, and eventually will result in cures of advanced metastatic human cancers.
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Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. (Warsz.) · Nov 2008
The proper use of citation data in journal management.
Journal impact factors (IF) are often maligned in editorials found in scientific publications, yet citation data can be used appropriately in journal management. The editors of Laboratory Investigation have found that weekly tracking of citation data for this and other highly ranked pathology journals provides valuable feedback on editorial performance and enables us to predict accurate IFs at least six months in advance. Once the IFs are released, it is useful to quantify the contributions of specific article categories, such as reviews and research articles, to the official IFs. ⋯ Invest.) but subsequently published elsewhere. Thus the editors of Lab. Invest. use citation data in several ways to measure our progress in elevating the quality of the journal and understand the citation dynamics of papers we publish, while remaining true to the journal's fundamental operating premise: publish high-quality original work relating to the mechanisms of disease.