Search

Three patients, all with a history of coronary heart disease, underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and implantation of autologous satellite cells. Satellite cells were isolated from muscle biopsies of the right vastus lateralis muscle after enzymatic treatment. While the heart was still under hypothermic cardioplegia, 4 mL of cell suspension divided into approximately 40 doses was injected into the ventricular wall of the ischemic area. Less than 5 minutes were required to complete the cell implantation. All patients survived the procedure, without obvious arrhythmia, had an uneventful recovery, and were discharged from the hospital. At 3 to 4 months follow-up examination, increased left ventricular ejection fraction, decreased left ventricular diastolic diameter, as well as improved ventricular wall thickness and perfusion at the satellite cell implantation sites were observed. Our experience indicated the safety and early benefit of cellular cardiomyoplasty using autologous satellite cells.

Objective: To investigate the possibility and short-term effect of high dose chemotherapy with peripheral blood stem cell support in the preoperative therapy of breast cancer, and-its influence on the following operation and would healing., Methods: Three patients with T(3)N(1)M(0) (III(a)), T(4)N(1)M(0) (III(b)), T(4)N(1)M(1) (IV) of breast cancer were diagnosed histopathologically. After receiving HDC/APBSCT, the 3 patients were operated on. HDC/APBSCT process included 2 cycles of FEC induction chemotherapy; PBSC mobilization, APBSC collection and cryopreservation and PBSC infusion; and high-dose chemotherapy, APBSC infusion and supportive therapy. The therapy consisted of CTX2.5 g/m(2), VP-16 600 mg/m(2), and cerboplatin 600 mg/m(2) delivered on day 1, APBSC infusion 48 h later, rhG-CSF (150 microg, BID) was administered 4 h after infusion of APBSC until WBC was higher than 10 x 10(9)/L. During HDC/APBSCT, the patients were protected in the air laminar flow room with supportive therapy of antibiotics, anti-virus and anti-fungus drugs. They left the air laminar flow room after their WBC was greater than 2 x 10(9)/L. Case 1 was treated by radical mastectomy, Case 2 by improved radical mastectomy, Case 3 by improved radical mastectomy and transplantation of skin for the large area., Results: Rapid recovery of bone marrow function was observed in all 3 patients. Operation was performed 4 weeks after HDC/PBSCT in Cases 1, 2 and 33 days in Case 3. No influence was seen on operative procedure and would healing, especially in Case 3 with a large area of skin transplantation. Two patients with stage III(a) and III(b) have been alive since the treatment for 30 months and the other with stage IV died of brain metastasis 16 months later., Conclusions: HDC/APBSCT as a preoperative therapy for breast cancer has no influence on the coming surgery and would healing, even on skin transplantation for a large area. It has a practical response in stage III(a) and III(b), but it is still controversial in stage IV. This method as a salvage therapy for patients with breast cancer of intemuediate or stage.