סרטן מוח

מעורבות מוחית בסרטן

2. Oncology. 2000 Apr;58(3):210-4.

Primary sarcomas of the central nervous system.

Merimsky O(1), Lepechoux C, Terrier P, Vanel D, Delord JP, LeCesne A.

Author information:

(1)Unit of Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas, Department of Medicine, Institut Gustav

Roussy, Villejuif, France. merimsky@zahav.net.il

The medical files of 14 patients with primary brain and spine sarcomas were

retrospectively reviewed. Ten patients had primary brain sarcomas and 4 primary

spinal sarcomas. The tumors probably originated in the brain substance or blood

vessels, in the meninges or in the inner aspect of the skull. The spinal tumors

originated in the nerve roots of the cauda equina and in the spinal substance or

blood vessels. The most common type was angiosarcoma. Removal of the brain tumors

was performed in 95% of the patients. Radiotherapy was delivered to 6 patients

with brain sarcomas and to all patients with primary spinal sarcomas. Metastatic

disease to the lung or pleural effusion was evident in 2 patients who underwent

total removal of their tumors followed by radiation therapy.

PMID: 10765122 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

4. Am J Clin Oncol. 1996 Aug;19(4):363-7.

Malignant melanoma of the head and neck. Clinical and immunological

considerations.

Merimsky O(1), Fishman P, Feldman I, Shafir R, Rapaport Y, Sheonfeld Y, Chaitchik

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel.

Prolonged exposure to sun for long periods during most of the year has led to an

increase in the frequency of malignant melanoma in Israel, especially for head

and neck (H&N) melanoma. H & N melanoma is found in males more than in females

and diagnosed when already locally advanced. The disease-free interval between

treatment of the primary lesion and recurrence of the disease correlated with the

patient's age and the depth of invasion according to Breslow. A higher recurrence

rate correlated with male gender, location in the scalp, and the stage of the

disease. Metastatic disease involved the lungs, liver, and brain and responded

poorly to systemic therapy. Improved survival was related to female gender, early

stage of the disease, low Breslow thickness, and location of the primary lesion

elsewhere than the scalp. Immunologically, we found that the titers of

antimelanoma antibodies in patients with metastatic disease originating in the

area of the head and neck were higher than the titer in disease-free H & N

melanoma patients (p = 0.05). Moreover, patients with metastatic H & N melanoma

had a higher titer of antityrosinase antibodies compared with healthy subjects.

These two types of antibodies might be used as markers for disease progression in

H & N melanoma. The more aggressive character of H & N melanoma was not reflected

by different titers of antimelanoma antibodies nor by antityrosinase antibodies

in patients with H & N versus non-H & N melanoma.

PMID: 8677905 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

5. Am J Clin Oncol. 1996 Feb;19(1):49-53.

Computed tomography features of cerebral spread of malignant melanoma.

Reider-Groswasser I(1), Merimsky O, Karminsky N, Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Radiology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Ichilov Hospital,

Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.

The CT features of cerebral involvement by metastatic malignant melanoma are

described in 28 patients. The most common locations of the primary lesion were

the trunk and lower limbs. There was a high incidence of extracerebral metastasis

at the time of diagnosis of cerebral involvement. Headache and behavioral changes

were the most frequent presenting symptoms; 7% of patients with asymptomatic. The

cerebral metastases were classified by size (< 1 cm, 1-4 cm, > 4 cm), with more

than half measuring 1-4 cm. The larger lesions usually occurred singly.

Peritumoral edema was detected in 89% of patients, hemorrhage in 19%, pressure

signs on the ventricles in 37%, midline deviation in 15%, and leptomeningeal

spread in 11%. No correlation was noted between size of tumor and other

radiological features. Unilateral involvement was documented in 44% of cases. In

the majority of patients the metastases were located at the periphery of the

brain, mostly in the temporal and parietal lobes. Neuroimaging studies of the

brain in asymptomatic patients with malignant melanoma may reveal occult

metastases and influence the choice of treatment.

PMID: 8554036 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

6. Melanoma Res. 1992 Dec;2(5-6):401-6.

Fotemustine--an advance in the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma.

Merimsky O(1), Inbar M, Gerard B, Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Ichilov Hospital, Tel-Aviv, Israel.

Although chemotherapy has been generally of limited clinical benefit in the

treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma (MMM), fotemustine (FM) is a newly

developed drug which is active against this disease. Twenty-four patients with

histologically proven MMM were treated with fotemustine, with or without

dacarbazine (DITC) according to different phase II trials. In the first schedule,

three patients received FM alone on days 1, 8, 15 followed by a 5-week rest

period. The second schedule consisted of FM administered on days 1 and 8

alternating with DTIC on days 15 and 16, followed by a 5-week rest period (19

patients). The third schedule, given to two patients, consisted of DTIC followed

4 h later by FM. The overall response rate was 8.3%. Response in those who were

treated with alternating drugs, included one partial response (PR) in the brain

which lasted 4 months, and one PR in brain metastases with complete response (CR)

in lymph nodes for 4 months. Clinical and radiological evidence of regression was

observed mainly in brain metastases (22.2%), reflecting the intracerebral

activity of the drug. It seems that fotemustine is superior to any other drug

currently available in the treatment of these metastases.

PMID: 1292787 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

7. Melanoma Res. 1992 Dec;2(5-6):385-91.

Cerebral metastatic melanoma: correlation between clinical and CT findings.

Merimsky O(1), Reider-Groswasser I, Inbar M, Kovner F, Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Ichilov Hospital, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center,

Israel.

Thirty patients with malignant melanoma and cerebral metastases confirmed by CT

were studied. Metastases were classified according to their size: < or = 1 cm

(group A), 1.1-4 cm (group B), and > 4 cm (group C), in order to assess the

clinical course of the disease and predict the response to treatment with

fotemustine. Group B lesions were the most common, independent of the site of the

primary tumour, except for patients with rectal melanoma. Group C metastases were

least common and were usually solitary. Asymptomatic patients usually had group A

metastases, whereas those with non-specific complaints, hemisyndrome or

neurobehavioural changes usually had group B metastases. The time from diagnosis

of the primary tumour to discovery of disease in the CNS was significantly longer

for those who had group A lesions, compared with those who had groups B or C

lesions (P < 0.0001). Solitary lesions usually belonged to groups B or C, whereas

multiple lesions belonged mainly to groups A or B. All the responders to

fotemustine has mainly cortical, group A or group B lesions. Patients with group

C lesions or leptomeningeal spread did not respond to fotemustine. Our findings

suggest an association between the size of the cerebral metastatic lesion from

malignant melanoma and clinical parameters characteristic of tumour behaviour.

PMID: 1292786 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

8. Acta Neurol Scand. 1992 Nov;86(5):521-5.

Encephalopathy in ifosfamide-treated patients.

Merimsky O(1), Reider-Groswasser I, Wigler N, Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Ichilov Hospital, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv

University, Israel.

Acute encephalopathy following treatment with ifosfamide and mesna was observed

in 5 (4 women and 1 men) of 28 patients (17.8%), with advanced sarcoma, lymphoma

or ovarian carcinoma. This appeared within 2 to 7 days following the first dose

of ifosfamide treatment, and included mental status changes, urinary

incontinence, weakness, seizure activity, altered consciousness and psychiatric

manifestations. Three cases were fatal, while two patients recovered completely.

Brain CT and morphometric studies were normal in all the patients. Associated

findings were myelosuppression, renal failure and electrolyte alterations.

PMID: 1481635 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

9. Mol Biother. 1992 Sep;4(3):135-8.

Our experience with interferon alpha: metastatic malignant melanoma.

Merimsky O(1), Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Ichilov Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center,

Israel.

Interferon-alpha and dacarbazine combination is a milestone in the treatment of

metastatic malignant melanoma. Objective response rate ranged from 3% to 25%. Our

phase II study included 34 patients; the overall response was 29.4%. Median time

of survival of the responders was significantly longer than that of the

nonresponders. Nine of the 34 patients had previously progressed on interleukin-2

(IL-2) and dacarbazine treatment, or had been withdrawn because of unacceptable

toxicity. Two patients (22.2%) achieved partial responses. There seemed to be no

cross-resistance between the two biologic response modifiers. Successful

treatment of melanoma patients by interferon resulted in complete disappearance

of all extracerebral lesions, but left the brain vulnerable to involvement by

metastases, and was frequently a site of relapse. Brain irradiation is suggested

by several investigators to prevent cerebral involvement. Ongoing protocols are

an adjuvant treatment for high-risk patients and combination of interferon-alpha,

IL-2, dacarbazine and cisplatinum for metastatic melanoma after failure of

interferon-dacarbazine regimen.

PMID: 1445667 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

10. Anticancer Drugs. 1992 Aug;3(4):371-3.

Cortical blindness--a catastrophic side effect of vincristine.

Merimsky O(1), Loewenstein A, Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Israel.

The term 'cortical blindness' indicates loss of sight due to bilateral lesions of

the occipital lobes. It is a rare, but severe, side effect of chemotherapeutic

agents. Cortical blindness was diagnosed in a 67 year old woman with

leiomyosarcoma of the large bowel, treated by vincristine-containing

chemotherapy. Cortical blindness without focal neurological signs and with two

repeated normal brain computed tomography scans, in which there was no structural

damage to the occipital lobes, suggests a metabolic or toxic reaction as a cause

in our patients. The temporal relationship between vincristine treatment and

cortical blindness implicates vincristine as the possible causative agent for

this catastrophic phenomenon.

PMID: 1421432 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

11. J Neurooncol. 1992 Feb;12(2):137-40.

Brain metastases of malignant melanoma in interferon complete responders:

clinical and radiological observations.

Merimsky O(1), Inbar M, Reider-Groswasser I, Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Ichilov Hospital, Israel.

Three patients with metastatic malignant melanoma, 2 of whom were males with

primary lesion on the shoulder, and a female with primary lesion on the ankle,

with Clark's level III-IV, completely responded to interferon-DTIC, but failed in

the brain. Radiologically, all the lesions were peripheral in location, and none

showed any bleeding tendency. Clinically, these lesions seemed to be resistant to

radiotherapy, chemotherapy or steroid treatment, and were the cause of death

after a very short survival period. Interferon apparently is inactive against

melanoma brain metastases, but does cause CNS symptoms. Because CNS metastases

are sometimes the sole site of clinical relapse, and are frequently disabling,

prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) needs to be studied in high risk patients.

PMID: 1560259 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

12. Am J Clin Oncol. 1992 Feb;15(1):84-6.

Fotemustine and DTIC combination in patients with disseminated malignant

melanoma.

Merimsky O(1), Inbar M, Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Ichilov Hospital, Tel-Aviv, Israel.

Seventeen patients with histologically proven melanoma and measurable metastatic

disease received 7-week cycles of fotemustine 100 mg/m2/day on days 1 and 8, and

decarbazine (DTIC) 500 mg/m2/day on days 15 and 16, in a prospective open study,

to assess the efficacy of fotemustine-DTIC combination. Response rate was 11.7%:

one partial response (PR) in brain for 4.5 months, and one PR in brain and lymph

nodes for 4 months. There was also one (5.8%) minimal response (MR) in brain,

stomach, and lymph nodes for 8 months, and three (17.6%) patients with stable

disease. Survival of responders was significantly superior to nonresponders.

There was no response in brain without response in extracerebral sites. Toxicity

was generally mild and well tolerated by all the patients. Fotemustine-DTIC

showed some activity against metastatic melanoma, and should be further

evaluated.

PMID: 1550085 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

13. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 1992;29(4):329-30.

Interferon-related cortical blindness.

Merimsky O(1), Nisipeanu P, Loewenstein A, Reider-Groswasser I, Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Israel.

The term cortical blindness indicates loss of sight due to bilateral lesions in

the occipital lobes. It is a rare but severe side effect produced by

chemotherapeutic agents. Cortical blindness was diagnosed in a 75-year-old man

who had been treated with alpha-interferon for metastatic renal-cell carcinoma.

The absence of focal neurological signs and of abnormal findings as determined by

two repeated computed tomography (CT) scans of the brain, which excluded

structural damage to the occipital lobes, suggest that metabolic or toxic

reactions may have caused the cortical blindness diagnosed in our patient. The

temporal relationship between the treatment with alpha-interferon and the

development of cortical blindness indicates that this substance may have been the

causative agent for this phenomenon.

PMID: 1537083 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

14. Tumori. 1991 Aug 31;77(4):361-2.

Interferon-related leukoencephalopathy in a patient with renal cell carcinoma.

Merimsky O(1), Reider I, Merimsky E, Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv University,

Israel.

A 75-year-old patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma was treated with

recombinant interferon alpha-C and thereafter developed a neurologic syndrome of

dementia, ataxia, confusional state, loss of concentration ability and cortical

blindness. CT scan findings were compatible with leukoencephalopathy, which is

reported as being a toxic effect of interferon.

PMID: 1746062 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

15. Eur J Cancer. 1991;27(9):1188-9.

Ifosfamide-related acute encephalopathy: clinical and radiological aspects.

Merimsky O, Inbar M, Reider-Groswasser I, Scharf M, Chaitchik S.

PMID: 1835639 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

16. Eur J Cancer. 1991;27(8):1066.

Fotemustine with or without dacarbazine for brain metastases of malignant

melanoma.

Merimsky O, Inbar M, Reider-Groswasser I, Chaitchik S.

PMID: 1832900 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

17. Isr J Med Sci. 1990 Sep;26(9):520-4.

Pregnancy and cavernous sinus involvement in a patient with primary non-Hodgkin's

lymphoma of bone.

Merimsky O(1), Reider I, Rahmani R, Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Sourasky Tel Aviv Medical Center, Ichilov, Israel.

PMID: 2228565 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

18. Eur J Cancer. 1990;26(5):596-600.

Interferon-related mental deterioration and behavioral changes in patients with

renal cell carcinoma.

Merimsky O(1), Reider-Groswasser I, Inbar M, Chaitchik S.

Author information:

(1)Department of Oncology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Center, Ichilov Hospital, Israel.

Five out of 38 patients (13%) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma had mental

deterioration 3 weeks to 13 months after the start of treatment with recombinant

interferon alpha-C. Metastatic spread to the brain, paraneoplastic effect of the

tumor on the central nervous system and other causes of dementia were excluded.

Computed tomography of the brain in these patients was normal and the width of

the cerebral sulci and ventricles did not correlate with the severity of

dementia. Specific patterns of atrophy were not seen. General deterioration,

assessed by the change in Karnofsky performance status, was associated with

dementia. The dementia may have been caused by a neurotoxic effect of interferon.

PMID: 2144747 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

פרופסור עפר מרימסקי

מומחה באונקולוגיה קלינית וקרינתית

Русский

English