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Photodynamic therapy is a new concept for in vitro evaluation of bone marrow clearance in leukemia. This treatment eliminates 99.9999% of leukemic cells, but under the same conditions over 50% of normal bone marrow cells are damaged. WR-2721, a thiol compound, is reported to except a protective effect for bone marrow against radiation therapy. This study analyzed the protective effect of WR-2721 during photodynamic therapy with hematoporphyrin derivative. Mice hemopoietic cells were exposed to laser light after sensitization by hematoporphyrin, with or without WR-2721 at 3 dose levels (250, 500, 750 mg/kg). The efficacy of protection was evaluated by GM-CFU assay in collagen gel medium. Results showed significant protection at 25 and 50 j/cm2 (p less than 0.05), but at 75 j/cm2 irradiation only the 750 mg/kg dosage remained protective. The protective factor of WR-2721 is 1.65 (95% confidence interval: 1.38-1.99) WR-2721 is protective against photodynamic lesions but this protection is diminished by increased irradiation energy. The best results are obtained with a dose of 750 mg/kg though this appears to be toxic. Further studies are needed to evaluate the action of WR-2721 on leukemic cells before the use of WR-2721 in bone marrow clearance.

One hundred and six patients with stage Ic to IV ovarian carcinoma were treated by a protocol consisting of optimal debulking surgery followed by 9 cycles of CHAP chemotherapy. Clinical response was confirmed by a second-look procedure. Sixty-nine patients (65%) responded with 54 histological complete remissions (50.8%). Nineteen patients did not receive any complementary treatment due to a negative reaction, or prolonged neutropenia. Seven patients received maintenance chemotherapy, 10 an abdominal radiotherapy, 22 intraperitoneal chemotherapy and 11 autologous bone marrow transplantation. The 5-year survival rate was 32.5% and disease-free survival rate was 39.7%. Prognostic-factor analysis showed that age, initial staging, residual disease and cytological grading were significant. The authors propose a classification based on the risk of relapse, and different therapeutic indications for improving response rate and patient survival.

The authors reported a new family case of Steinert with twelve years follow-up. The study of potentials in the bundle of his was performed in all patients, showed an intra- and infra-hisian blocks. This study showed a discrepancy between muscular and myocardial evolutive injury, a very important knowledge for follow-up. Conduction disturbances were found in two cases and pacemaker insertion was performed in one patient. The authors specified the indication of electrophysiological studies during the onset and pacemaker implantation in all patient with a typical or suggestive history of syncope.