A new concept in the treatment of extravasation injury: controlled drug delivery systems

WOS: 000282621800027PubMed ID: 20941833Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of the intralesionally injected controlled granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) releasing system in widening refractory extravasation wounds. Methods: The determination of in vitro GM-CSF release from chitosan gel was the first, and in vivo effect of the molecule was the second step of the study. Thirty-five Wistar-Albino rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: 1) control group (adriamycin group) (n=7); 2) adriamycin + normal saline group (n=7); 3) adriamycin + chitosan group (n=7); 4) adriamycin + 1 mu g/mL GM-CSF-loaded chitosan group (n=7); and 5) adriamycin + 10 mu g/mL GMCSF loaded chitosan group (n=7). The wound area was measured macroscopically and histological examination was carried out for wound healing and tissue response to the polymer Results: The best healing process was observed with the controlled released GM-CSF groups (groups 4 and 5). The 1 mu g/mL GM-CSF loaded group showed superior wound healing than that of 10 mu g/mL GM-CSF loaded gels. This result was correlated with the in vitro study which also showed increased drug release in the 1 mu g/mL GM-CSF loaded group than the 10 mu g/mL GM-CSF loaded gels. Conclusion: This study suggests that GM-CSF, applied with controlled drug delivery system, can supply dynamic treatment options with long-lasting activity in single-dose administration

Ga-67 uptake: A predictor of post-therapy active residual disease and clinical outcome in patients with diffuse large cell lymphoma

Purpose: Diagnosis and treatment of post-therapy active residual disease (PTARD) is essential in patients with lymphoma. After treatment, Ga-67 scan is considered as a useful technique for monitoring response in these patients. Material and Methods: Between December 1998 and January 2004, 63 patients histopathologically diagnosed with Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma (DLCL) were studied. Patients were evaluated before and after treatment with a whole body Ga-67 scan in addition to other imaging techniques. International Prognostic Index (IPI), and clinical variables were determined according to criteria reported by the International non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Prognostic factors Project. Results: Among the patients with positive computed tomography (CT) scan, the 5-year relapse-free and overall survival rates were 70% and 78% for those with negative scans compared with 23% and 35% for gallium-positive patients, respectively (p< 0.004, p<0.008). Furthermore, the 5-year relapse-free and overall survival rates were 92% and %91 for those with negative scans compared with 33% and 40% for gallium-positive patients (p< 0.001, p< 0.004), among the patients with negative CT scan. All patients were divided into two groups according to the IPI index after therapy and the 5-year relapse-free survival rate for negative Ga-67 scan is 75%, as compared with 42% for restaging positive Ga-67 scan (p<0.004) in the patients with low IPI score. Conclusion: Ga-67 scan is capable of detecting PTARD that remains undetected at CT and it appears to be a better predictor of outcome than previously evaluated pretreatment risk factors in patients with DLCL