Philippe Alla

Publications (7)6.55 Total impact

• Article: Links between private habits, psychological stress and brain cancer: a case-control pilot study in France.

  Cécilia Cabaniols, Roch Giorgi, Olivier Chinot, Nabila Ferahta, Valérie Spinelli, Philippe Alla, Maryline Barrie, Marie-Pascale Lehucher-Michel
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  ABSTRACT: Numerous studies have increasingly suggested that medical history and lifestyle factors could be involved in the increase of cancer risk in adults. The issue whether psychological factors can influence the development of cancer has been discussed for many years. In the field of brain cancer, psychological stress has not so far been investigated. We conducted a French case-control pilot study with 122 adult incident cases and 122 controls free of any cancer diagnosis, matched for age and gender, to investigate links between malignant primitive brain tumours (MPBT) and medical history, private habits and psychological stress. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires, and person-to-person interviews. To complete the psychological stress assessment, 100-mm visual analog scales were used. After adjustment for confounders, we found no significant effect of head trauma, aspartame, tobacco or alcohol consumption, place (rural or urban) of residence, sociodemographic data, and experience of psychological stress at work/home. Our results showed a significant association between MPBT risk and major life events over the past 5 years before diagnosis (OR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.13-3.20), family histories of cancer (OR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.12-3.22), fresh vegetable and fruit intake (OR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.09-0.95), and skipped meals several times per week (OR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.16-0.77). The present study suggests the role of genetic factors in glioma risk, and also suggests that an acute and sudden psychological stress might influence MPBT appearance. Additional large clinical studies are needed to confirm these findings.
  Journal of Neuro-Oncology 06/2011; 103(2):307-16. · 3.21 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Anthony Faivre

  Article: [Spontaneous intracranial hypotension].

  Delphine Wybrecht, Anthony Faivre, Marc Aletti, Pierre Bounolleau, Philippe Alla
  La Presse Médicale 01/2011; 40(5):558-60. · 0.67 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Anthony Faivre

  Article: [Wernicke's encephalopathy following prolonged parenteral nutrition].

  Mickaël Cardinale, Anthony Faivre, Trevor La Folie, François Romand, Philippe Alla
  La Presse Médicale 09/2010; 39(9):1001-2. · 0.67 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: brainlife.org

  Article: Occupational and environmental risk factors for brain cancer: a pilot case-control study in France.

  Valérie Spinelli, Olivier Chinot, Cécilia Cabaniols, Roch Giorgi, Philippe Alla, Marie-Pascale Lehucher-Michel
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  ABSTRACT: The increased incidence of malignant primary brain tumors (MPBT) reported in several studies could be due to environmental factors. To estimate the chemical and physical risk factors of these tumors in southeastern France, a pilot case-control study that included all new MPBT cases diagnosed in 2005 in the main brain cancer treatment centers in the western section of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region. Age-, sex-, and hospital-matched controls were selected from the neurosurgery department of the same hospital. An occupational physician, using a standardized questionnaire, collected information on suspected risk factors of MPBT in a face-to-face interview at the hospital of all case and control subjects. Data collected included jobs held, various exposures throughout working life, and leisure time activities. The study included 122 cases and 122 controls. No particular job was identified as a major risk factor for brain cancer. Risk was significantly higher among those who used glue (OR=17.58, 95% CI 1.75 - 176.62) during leisure activities and significantly lower among those residing near cellular telephone towers (OR=0.49, 95% CI 0.26 - 0.92). Several new hypotheses about the effects of cellular telephone towers and chemical exposure merit further analytic studies.
  La Presse Médicale 12/2009; 39(2):e35-44. · 0.67 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Anthony Faivre

  Article: [Sudden blindness following combination chemotherapy with Cisplatin and Gemcitabine].

  Anthony Faivre, Christelle Pasqualini, Julien Legodec, Pierre Bounolleau, Trévor Lafolie, Philippe Alla
  La Presse Médicale 06/2009; 38(11):1706-9. · 0.67 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Anthony Faivre

  Article: [Essential thrombocythemia presenting as spinal cord infarction].

  Anthony Faivre, Samantha Bonnel, Gwenaelle Leyral, Olivier Gisserot, Philippe Alla, Jacques Valance
  La Presse Médicale 05/2009; 38(7-8):1180-3. · 0.67 Impact Factor
• Article: Fulminant adult-onset subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: a case report.

  Anthony Faivre, Jean-Baptiste Souraud, Aileen McGonigal, Philippe Alla, Jacques Grapperon, Jacques Valance
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  ABSTRACT: We present the case of a young adult who developed acute encephalopathy with severe status epilepticus and rapid deterioration to vegetative state and death within 6 weeks. Although the clinical picture, MRI and EEG findings were atypical, the hypothesis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) was suggested by markedly increased intrathecal IgG synthesis in the cerebrospinal fluid, and diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of high antimeasles antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid and brain biopsy findings. Acute SSPE is an exceptionally rare and little-known form of SSPE with protean symptomatology, and this case is to our knowledge the first observation of SSPE presenting with status epilepticus in adults. Our case reinforces the need to include, even in developed countries, SSPE as a diagnostic possibility in unexplained acute encephalopathies.
  Case Reports 01/2009; 2009.