FCR (Fludarabine, Cyclophosphamide, Rituximab) regimen followed by 90yttrium ibritumomab tiuxetan consolidation for the treatment of relapsed grades 1 and 2 follicular lymphoma: a report of 9 cases

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This retrospective analysis is focused on the efficacy and safety of radioimmunotherapy (RIT) with Zevalin^®in nine patients with recurrent follicular lymphoma (FL) who were treated in a consolidation setting after having achieved complete remission or partial remission with FCR.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The median age was 63 yrs (range 46-77), all patients were relapsed with histologically confirmed CD20-positive (grade 1 or 2) FL, at relapse they received FCR every 28 days: F (25 mg/m²x 3 days), C (1 gr/m²day 1) and R (375 mg/m²day 4) for 4 cycles. Who achieved at least a partial remission, with < 25% bone marrow involvement, was treated with ⁹⁰Yttrium Ibritumomab Tiuxetan 11.1 or 14.8 MBq/Kg up to a maximum dose 1184 MBq, at 3 months after the completion of FCR. The patients underwent a further restaging at 12 weeks after ⁹⁰Y-RIT with total body CT scan, FDG-PET/CT and bilateral bone marrow biopsy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Nine patients have completed the treatment: FCR followed by ⁹⁰Y-RIT (6 patients at 14.8 MBq/Kg, 3 patients at 11.1 MBq/Kg). After FCR 7 patients obtained CR and 2 PR; after ⁹⁰Y-RIT two patients in PR converted to CR 12 weeks later. With median follow up of 34 months (range 13-50) the current analysis has shown that overall survival (OS) is 89% at 2 years, 76% at 3 years and 61% at 4 years. The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were hematologic, one patient developed herpes zoster infection after 8 months following valacyclovir discontinuation; another patient developed fungal infection.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our experience indicate feasibility, tolerability and efficacy of FCR regimen followed by ⁹⁰Y-RIT in patients relapsed with grades 1 and 2 FL with no unexpected toxicities. A longer follow up and a larger number of patients with relapsed grades 1 and 2 FL are required to determine the impact of this regimen on long-term duration of response and PFS.</p

Tetrapod footprints and associated biota: new evidences from the Upper Carboniferous of Southwestern Sardinia, Italy

Several tetrapod footprints have been recently found in the U. Carboniferous fluvio-lacustrine deposits of the San Giorgio Basin (Iglesias, SW Sardinia). They represent, together with the ones figured by Fondi (1980), the earliest evidence of vertebrate tracks recorded in Italy. The studied section, about 33 m thick, is located 2.5 km SSW of Iglesias and is entirely assigned to the Westphalian-Stephanian. The specimens originate from the yellow-grey dolomitic siltstone interval of the middle unit (unit B, Del Rio et al., 2002). The collected tetrapod footprints are on eight slabs and are chiefly preserved as casts of three manus-pes couples and by other isolated footprints which, for their different shape and size, are referable to three distinct morphotypes that differ from those assigned to Salichnium (Saurichnites) heringi (Geinitz, 1885) by Fondi (1980). Additional ichnofossils are represented by tiny arthropod tracks and trails. The biota is largely dominated by diversified plant remains and palynomophs, while body fossils are represented by an exquisitely preserved Anthracomartid spider and a blattoid wing. (Del Rio et al., 2002, and cited references). These findings add new data about the U. Carboniferous of Sardinia and suggest an unexpected faunal diversity which may support more accurate age bracketing and correlations

Cretaceous tetrapod tracks from Italy. A treasure trove of exceptional biodiversity

After about thirty years of investigation, the Cretaceous tetrapod track record from Italy has proved to be a 'Rosetta Stone' for improving understanding of the palaeogeographical and palaeoenvironmental evolution of the peri- Adriatic area. In the present contribution, we summarize current knowledge and different interpretations proposed on the basis of twelve ichnosites from northern, central and southern Italy. The tetrapod track record is represented by few ichnosites in the earliest Cretaceous, with the bulk of the record reported from carbonate platform deposits of the Aptian-Cenomanian interval and, in the Late Cretaceous, from an extensive tracksite in Apulia preserving thousands of dinosaur footprints. On the whole, the ichnological diversity documented by the material indicates a high diversity of trackmakers, among which are sauropods, different kinds of theropods, ankylosaurs and hadrosaurs. The persistent occurrence of dinosaur footprints at different stratigraphic levels produced significant questions and constituted a dramatic constraint for the understanding of palaeogeographical and geodynamical evolution of the Mediterranean area during the Mesozoic, suggesting new and different interpretations that challenged previous reconstructions

I vertebrati continentali del Paleozoico e del Mesozoico

Vengono descritti i principali ritrovamenti di resti fossili e icnofaune del mesozoico italiano