Diagnostic and Therapeutic Cancer Care Equipment

摘要

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a complex condition associated with diffuse injury to the alveolar epithelial gas exchange surface, resulting in marked impairment in the ability to oxygenate blood. The goal of our application is to develop strategies to treat the ALI syndromes that complicate cancer care. To reiterate, accumulated data show that ALI is associated with severe infections, exposure to toxins, trauma, and multiple blood transfusions. Cancer patients are vulnerable to development of ALI as a result of the immunosuppressive effects of chemotherapy and the debilitating effects of cancer on overall well-being. Of note, military personnel are also at risk for development of ALI because of battle induced trauma and the consequent need for blood transfusions. In Project 1, we propose to perform a clinical study that will test the whether so-called variable ventilation is superior to conventional mechanical ventilation in patients with ALI. In the preclinical Project 2 study in mice, we proposed to identify a progenitor cell population that could be delivered to augment epithelial reconstitution of an injured alveolar gas exchange surface. In the past year we have: 1) successfully obtained IRB approval and are in the process of submitting an IND application to begin a Phase I study of variable ventilation, 2) developed appropriate software for the clinical study, and 3) begun to develop sources of cell progenitor populations that can be utilized for epithelial reconstitution.