High dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for high risk primary breast cancer: a single center experience in Thailand

Twenty patients with high risk primary breast cancer underwent a high dose chemotherapy program at Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok. Eligible patients included 21 women who had a histological diagnosis of breast cancer with more than 10 axillary lymph nodes involved. The patients first underwent modified radical mastectomy, followed by conventional doxorubicin containing adjuvant chemotherapy, before entering the treatment program. Peripheral blood stem cells were mobilized with cyclophosphamide and G-CSF and were harvested by leukapheresis. High dose chemotherapy consisted of cyclophosphamide 5,625 mg/m2, cisplatinum 165 mg/m2 and carmustine (BCNU) 600 mg/m2 were subsequently given, followed by infusion of the harvested peripheral blood stem cells. The median duration of cytopenia after transplantation was 8 days (range 7-12). The median expense for the transplantation, in addition to the cost of mastectomy and conventional chemotherapy, was 224,396 Baht (approximately US $5,350). Three out of the first four patients developed interstitial pneumonitis within three months after transplantation. There was one fatal case which was the only regimen related mortality. BCNU was then reduced to 450 mg/m2 and lung complications were markedly reduced afterwards. The median follow up time was 37 months with a median disease free survival of 38 months and overall survival of four years at 84%.     

Mitoxantrone and cytosine arabinoside in previously untreated adult patients with acute non-lymphocytic leukemia

Twenty-five adult patients with previously untreated acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) were treated with mitoxantrone (Mto) 12 mg/m2 daily by 30 minutes intravenous (IV) infusion for 3 days and cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) 200 mg/m2 daily by continuous infusion for 7 days, as an induction therapy. After complete remission (CR) was observed, they were given two more courses of consolidation therapy which was as Mto 12 mg/m2 daily by 30 minutes IV infusion for one day, and Ara-C 200 mg/m2 daily by 30 minutes IV infusion for 5 days. CR was obtained in 18 of 25 patients (72%). Median remission duration was 294 days and length of survival was 366 days. 11 patients (44%) are still in remission. Myelosupression developed in all patients following induction therapy, but it was not observed after consolidation therapies. Non-hematological side-effects consisted of nausea, vomiting, alopecia, stomatitis, and transient elevation in liver enzymes. Our therapeutic responses are similar to those obtained by others.     

Protective effect of the bispiperazinedione ICRF-187 against doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity in women with advanced breast cancer

Studies in animals suggest that the bispiperazinedione ICRF-187 can prevent the development of dose-related doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity. In a randomized trial in 92 women with advanced breast cancer, we compared treatment with fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FDC), given every 21 days, with the same regimen preceded by administration of ICRF-187 (FDC + ICRF-187). Patients were withdrawn from the study when cardiac toxicity developed or the cancer progressed. The mean cumulative dose of doxorubicin tolerated by patients withdrawn from study was 397.2 mg per square meter of body-surface area in the FDC group and 466.3 mg in the FDC + ICRF-187 group (no significant difference). Eleven patients on the FDC + ICRF-187 arm received cumulative doxorubicin doses above 600 mg per square meter, whereas one receiving FDC was able to remain in the study beyond this dose. Antitumor response rates were similar (FDC vs. FDC + ICRF-187, 3 vs. 4 complete responses; 17 vs. 17 partial responses; and 9.3 vs. 10.3 months to disease progression). Although myelosuppression was slightly greater in the FDC + ICRF-187 group, the incidence of fever, infections, alopecia, nausea and vomiting, or death due to toxicity did not differ between the groups. Cardiac toxicity was evaluated by clinical examination, determination of the left ventricular ejection fraction by multigated nuclear scans, and endomyocardial biopsy. In comparisons of the FDC group with the FDC + ICRF-187 group, clinical congestive heart failure was observed in 11 as compared with 2 patients; the mean decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction was 7 vs. 1 percent when the cumulative dose of doxorubicin was 250 to 399 mg per square meter (P = 0.02), 16 vs. 1 percent at 400 to 499 mg (P = 0.001), and 16 vs. 3 percent at 500 to 599 mg (P = 0.003); and the Billingham biopsy score was 2 or more in 5 of 13 patients undergoing biopsy vs. none of 13 (P = 0.03). We conclude that ICRF-187 offers significant protection against cardiac toxicity caused by doxorubicin, without affecting the antitumor effect of doxorubicin or the incidence of noncardiac toxic reactions.     

Concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy in invasive cervical cancer patients with high risk factors

The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival of 395 previously untreated cervical cancer patients with at least one high risk factor following concurrent chemoradiation and to assess the toxicities. Two different chemotherapy regimens were used for concurrent chemoradiation. In the patients with squamous cell carcinoma, 100 mg/m2 of cisplatin was infused intravenously, followed immediately by five consecutive daily administrations of 5-fluorouracil, 1,000 mg/m2/day, each infused intravenously over 24 hr. As for the patients with adenocarcinoma, 70 mg/m2 of cisplatin, 250 mg/m2 of cytoxan and 45 mg/m2 of adriamycin were administered intravenously on days 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The 5-year survival rate was 54.4% with stage III and IV, 62.6% with lymph node metastasis on computed tomogram or MRI, 77.9% with stage I-II disease with lesion size > or =4 cm, and 50.3% with small cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma. Side effects from concurrent chemoradiation such as nausea, vomiting, and alopecia were present in all 395 cases. Anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, hepatotoxicity, and nephrotoxicity were observed to varying degrees, but there was no toxic death. This study suggests that cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiation in treating cervical cancer patients with high risk factors is effective and relatively well tolerated, with acceptable toxicity.     

The effect of mitoxantrone treatment in beagle dogs previously treated with minimally cardiotoxic doses of doxorubicin.

Low-grade chronic cardiotoxicity as determined by myocardial biopsy specimens was induced in beagle dogs after four courses of doxorubicin hydrochloride (1.64 mg/kg, 34.0 mg/sq m) given intravenously once every 3 weeks. After this initial treatment, these dogs were separated into three groups. Two groups received six courses of mitoxantrone (0.25 mg/kg, 5 mg/sq m) commencing at 7 weeks or 19 weeks after the final doxorubicin treatment. The third group was treated with six additional courses of doxorubicin after an interval of 7 weeks. Up to seven sequential endomyocardial biopsies were performed to monitor the myocardial changes which were observed after the initial doxorubicin treatment. The low-grade cardiotoxic changes progressed for at least 7-11 weeks without any additional doxorubicin treatment, and stabilized or even partially reversed after 19 weeks of a treatment-free period. Dogs that received additional doxorubicin demonstrated progressive cardiotoxicity, associated with clinical signs, that resulted in death after a total of seven to ten courses of treatment (12-16 mg/kg, 238-340 mg/sq m cumulative dose). In dogs treated with doxorubicin followed by mitoxantrone after a 19-week treatment-free period, myocardial changes were shown to have stabilized and/or partially regressed. This study indicated that in beagle dogs four courses of doxorubicin (7 mg/kg, 136 mg/sq m cumulative dose) are the threshold dose at which non-life-threatening cardiotoxicity occurs. Residual toxic effects of doxorubicin may be erroneously interpreted as adverse findings attributable to other agents given subsequently during the susceptible period, ie, prior to stabilization of the myocardium. Mitoxantrone given after stabilization of doxorubicin-induced low-grade myocardial changes did not show additive or synergistic effects.     

Neutropenic enterocolitis in breast cancer patient after taxane-containing chemotherapy

Neutropenic enterocolitis or typhlitis (from the Greek typhlon, meaning caecum) is defined as a necrotizing colitis with inflammation of the cecum and surrounding tissues. Although this condition occurs primarily in severely myelosuppressed and immunosuppressed patients with leukemia, it may also occur in those with other advanced malignancies receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy. It has been described most recently in patients with solid tumors who receive taxane-based therapy. A 60-year old woman with medullary breast cancer stage IIIB underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy with TAC (doxetaxele 100 mg/m2, doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2). Sixth day after TAC chemotherapy, she had abdominal pain and vomiting. Abdomen CT scan showed diffuse circumferential thickening of ileum wall typical for ileitis, narrowing of the lumen, disturbance of peristaltic. This abdomen CT scan was thought as abnormality pictures of neutropenic enterocolitis. Neutropenic enterocolitis should be considered in patients with abdominal symptoms especially during the granulocyte nadir following chemotherapy. Increased awareness of this rapidly progressive and potentially fatal disease leads to accurate diagnosis and the prompt treatment that can decrease morbidity and mortality.     

Randomized,Placebo-Controlled,Phase III Trial of Fosaprepitant,Ondansetron, Dexamethasone (FOND) Versus FOND Plus Olanzapine (FOND-O) for the Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies Receiving Highly Emetogenic Chemotherapy and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Regimens: The FOND-O Trial

Evidence supports olanzapine for prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting (CINV) for highly emetogenic chemotherapy; however, most studies focus on solid malignancies and single-day regimens. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to compare the addition of olanzapine to triplet therapy (fosaprepitant, ondansetron, dexamethasone [FOND-O]) versus triplet therapy alone (FOND) in preventing CINV in hematology patients receiving single-day and multiple-day highly emetogenic chemotherapy and hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) regimens (NCT02635984).The primary objective of this study was to compare complete response (CR; no emesis and minimal nausea, <25 mm on a 100-mm visual analog scale) during the overall assessment period (chemotherapy days plus 5 days after). Secondary objectives were the number of emesis, number of rescue medications, percent achieving minimal nausea, and percent achieving complete protection (CP; no emesis, rescue antiemetic, or significant nausea), all of which are reported as acute (chemotherapy days), delayed (5 days after chemotherapy), and overall phases. Olanzapine 10 mg or matching placebo were given on each chemotherapy day and 3 days after. Adults with hematologic malignancy receiving HCT regimens of melphalan, BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan), busulfan (Bu)/cyclophosphamide (Cy), Bu/fludarabine (Flu), Bu/melphalan, FluCy, FluCy-total body irradiation (TBI), etoposide-TBI, and ICE (ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide) or 7+3 chemotherapy regimens were included. An estimated 98 patients were required using alpha = .05 and 80% power.No significant differences existed in baseline characteristics between FOND-O (n?=?51) and FOND (n?=?50) arms. Mean duration of olanzapine was 7.7 days (range, 4 to 11). Discontinuation for possible adverse events occurred in 3 placebo and 0 olanzapine patients. CR was significantly higher for FOND-O in overall (55% versus 26%, P?=?.003) and delayed (60.8% versus 30%, P?=?.001) but not acute (P?=?.13) phases. Significantly more patients receiving FOND-O achieved no more than minimal nausea in overall (P?=?.001) and delayed phases (P?=?.0002), as well as fewer overall mean emesis counts (P?=?.005). CP rates were not different in any assessment phase (P ≥ .05 each). Within the HCT subgroup (n?=?64), the CR, CP, and no significant nausea rates were significantly better for FONDO-O in overall and delayed phases (all P < .05). Analysis within the HCT subgroup revealed significant improvement in outcomes in delayed and overall phases with FOND-O in the autologous but not allogeneic cohort.Addition of olanzapine to an NK-1–based triplet antiemetic regimen significantly improved clinically relevant outcomes in the HCT population.     

多西紫杉醇联合替吉奥治疗晚期胃癌的临床观察

目的观察多西紫杉醇联合替吉奥治疗晚期胃癌的临床疗效及不良反应。方法将84例晚期胃癌患者随机分为实验组和对照组,每组42例。试验组接受多西紫杉醇75mg／m2静脉滴注,第1天,替吉奥80mg／m2,分2次,餐后口服。第1,14天,21d为1个周期,至少化疗2个周期;对照组化疗方案为顺铂25mg／m2,静脉滴注,第1～3天,醛氢叶酸钙200mg／m2,静脉滴注,第l～5天,5一氟尿嘧啶500mg／m2,第l～5天（在cF之后）,28d为1个周期,至少化疗2个周期。评价两组疗效及不良反应。结果试验组有效率为57．1％,中位疾病进展时间9．3个月,中位生存期14．3个月,1、2年生存率分别为57．1％和21．4％;对照组有效率为42．9％,中位疾病进展时间6．1个月,中位生存期10．2个月,1、2年生存率分别为38．1％和9．5％。两组疗效差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。主要毒副反应为骨髓抑制和胃肠道反应,大部分患者可耐受。结论多西紫杉醇联合替吉奥治疗晚期胃癌的近期疗效好,且不良反应可以耐受,值得进一步研究。     

Trastuzumab

black triangle Trastuzumab is a recombinant humanised monoclonal antibody specific for the growth factor receptor p185(HER2) (HER2) which is overexpressed in 25 to 30% of breast cancer tumours. black triangle The drug inhibits the growth of human breast cancer cells overexpressing HER2 in vitro and in vivo. It shows additive antitumour activity in vitro and in vivo when administered with paclitaxel, doxorubicin, various cytokines or tamoxifen. black triangle In patients with metastatic breast cancer whose tumours overexpressed HER2, trastuzumab (4 mg/kg loading dose then 2 mg/kg/week by intravenous infusion) produced objective responses in 21% of 213 patients. A further 7% of patients had minor responses and 30% had stable disease. black triangle Combination therapy with trastuzumab and either paclitaxel or doxorubicin (or epirubicin) plus cyclophosphamide produced a higher response rate (49%), longer median time to disease progression (7.6 months), a higher one-year survival rate (78%) and significantly increased median overall survival (25.4 months) than antineoplastic agents alone (response rate 32%, time to disease progression 4.6 months, one-year survival rate 67% and overall survival 20.3 months) in a phase III study in 469 patients. black triangle Trastuzumab is generally well tolerated. Chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, weakness and headache were among the most common adverse events in clinical trials and occurred in 40 to 50% of patients during the first infusion of the drug. Cardiac dysfunction was the most serious adverse event reported and was more common in patients receiving trastuzumab plus antineoplastic therapy than in those receiving trastuzumab alone.     

Breast cancer surgery: comparing surgical groups and determining individual differences in postoperative sexuality and body change stress

Women diagnosed and surgically treated for regional breast cancer (N = 190) were studied to determine the sexual and body change sequelae for women receiving modified radical mastectomy (MRM) with breast reconstruction in comparison with the sequelae for women receiving breast-conserving therapy (BCT) or MRM without breast reconstruction. The sexuality pattern for women receiving reconstructive surgery was one that was significantly different--with lower rates of activity and fewer signs of sexual responsiveness--than that for women in either of the other groups. Significantly higher levels of traumatic stress and situational distress regarding the breast changes were reported by the women receiving an MRM in contrast to the women treated with BCT. Using a model to predict sexual morbidity, regression analyses revealed that individual differences in sexual self-schema were related to both sexual and body change stress outcomes.     

Combination of oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin in the treatment of fluoropyrimidine-pretreated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

There has been no standard therapy for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have failed to first-line fluorouracil-based treatment. The present study was designed to assess the efficacy and toxicities of a combination of oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin in fluoropyrimidine-pretreated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Chemotherapy consisted of oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2 on day 1, followed by leucovorin 20 mg/m2 and 5-FU 1,200 mg/m2 on days 1 and 2. Treatment courses were repeated every two weeks. Thirty-nine patients were enrolled in this study. All patients previously received fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy. Thirty-one patients were assessable for response and 33 for treatment toxicity. Six patients required dose reduction of 5-FU due to grade III/IV cytopenia. Nausea/vomiting and peripheral neuropathy were common non-hematologic toxicities. Overall response rate was 42.0% including 3 complete response and 10 partial response. The median response duration was 91 days (range, 28-224+). The median duration of progression-free survival was 132 days (range, 40-308). A combination of oxaliplatin, 5-FU, and leucovorin showed high response rate in fluoropyrimidine-pretreated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, but the duration of response was relatively short. It may be worthwhile to explore its therapeutic potential in the first-line treatment setting.     

Predictors for contralateral prophylactic mastectomy in breast cancer patients

Background: In recent years, radical breast cancer surgery has been largely replaced by breast conservation treatment, due to early diagnosis and more effective adjuvant treatment. While breast conservation is mostly preferred, the trend of bilateral mastectomy has risen in the United States. The aim of this study is to determine factors influencing patients’ choice for having contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM). Methods: This is a retrospective study of 373 patients diagnosed with primary invasive breast cancer who were treated by bilateral or unilateral mastectomy (BM or UM) at the Revlon/UCLA Breast Center between Jan. 2002 and Dec. 2010. In the BM group, only those with unilateral breast cancer who chose CPM were included in the analysis. Results: When compared with the UM group, the following factors were found to be associated with BM: younger age, pre-menopausal, a family history of breast/ovarian cancer, BRCA mutation, more breast biopsies, history of breast augmentation, having MRI study within 6 months before the surgery, more likely to have reconstruction and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and fewer had neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy/radiation. When patients with bilateral breast cancer were excluded, multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated younger patients with negative nodes, SLNB as the only nodal surgery and positive family history were significant factors predicting CPM and immediate reconstruction using tissue expanders or implants. Conclusion: Younger age, lower TN stage, requiring only SLNB and high risk family history predict contralateral prophylactic mastectomy. Tissue expander/implant-based reconstructions were more frequently chosen by patients with BM.     

Efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in high-risk node-negative breast cancer. An intergroup study

We randomly assigned 536 women who had undergone either a modified radical mastectomy or a total mastectomy with low axillary-node dissection for potentially curable breast carcinoma to receive adjuvant chemotherapy or no-treatment observation. The patients were considered at high risk for recurrence because they had either an estrogen-receptor-negative tumor of any size or an estrogen-receptor-positive tumor at least 3 cm in diameter with no histopathological evidence of axillary-node involvement. The chemotherapy consisted of six four-week cycles of cyclophosphamide (100 mg per square meter of body-surface area orally on days 1 through 14), methotrexate (40 mg per square meter intravenously on days 1 and 8), fluorouracil (600 mg per square meter intravenously on days 1 and 8), and prednisone (40 mg per square meter orally on days 1 through 14). Treatments were balanced with respect to patients' characteristics. The analysis included 406 eligible patients who were entered in the study before October 1, 1987. The overall disease-free survival among patients treated with the four-drug regimen was 84 percent, as compared with 69 percent for the control group, at a median follow-up of three years (P = 0.0001). A treatment benefit was also observed in premenopausal and postmenopausal patients as well as in patients with estrogen-receptor-positive or with estrogen-receptor-negative tumors. Severe or life-threatening hematologic toxicity was encountered in 33 percent of the treated patients, with one death. Our results indicate that adjuvant chemotherapy with six cycles of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil, and prednisone is effective in improving three-year disease-free survival among high-risk patients with axillary-node-negative, operable breast cancer. An analysis of the effect of treatment on survival awaits a longer follow-up.     

Premedication with H1 and H2 blocking agents reduces the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting

Objective:Patients undergoing anaesthesia and surgery frequently complain about postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Whether pretreatment with H₁ and H₂ blocking agents reduces the incidence of PONV remains controversial. To answer this question, we performed a randomised, prospective, placebo-controlled clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of a premedication with H₁ and H₂ receptor antagonists. Material and Subjects:1149 patients (both sexes) undergoing surgery were randomly assigned to three treatment groups and one control group. Patients in the treatment groups were premedicated with the following H₁ + H₂ receptor antagonists:Group 1 (n = 335): 5 mg/kg cimetidine i.v. + 0.1 mg/kg dimetindene i.v. 20 min before induction of anaesthesiaGroup 2 (n = 337): 1.25 mg/kg ranitidine i.v. + 0.1 mg/kg dimetindene i.v. 20 min before induction of anaesthesiaGroup 3 (n = 316): 300 mg ranitidine p.o. + 0.1 mg/kg dimetindene i.v. 1 to 2 h before induction of anaesthesiaGroup 4 (n = 161): 20 ml saline solution i.v. 20 min before induction of anaesthesiaPatients from the treatment groups 1, 2 and 3 received regional or general anaesthesia depending on the clinical decision. All control patients received general anaesthesia consisting of fentanyl, a thiobarbiturate, enflurane, nitrous oxide, oxygen, and vecuronium. Results:The incidence of nausea and vomiting was 8.5%, 6.8% and 5.4% in patients from the treatment groups (1, 2 and 3) who underwent general anaesthesia (n = 545), with no statistically significant differences between groups. The incidence of nausea and vomiting in the control group (n = 161) was 28.3% (nausea) and 27.5% (vomiting), respectively. In patients who underwent regional anaesthesia (n = 443), the incidence of nausea and vomiting was 2.5% and 1.1%, respectively. Conclusions:Premedication with H₁ and H₂ blocking agents significantly reduces the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting.     

Efficacy of ondansetron (GR 38032F) and the role of serotonin in cisplatin-induced nausea and vomiting.

We compared the efficacy and safety of ondansetron (GR 38032F), a selective antagonist of serotonin S3 receptors, with that of placebo in controlling the nausea and vomiting induced by cisplatin treatment in 28 patients with cancer. The patients received either three intravenous doses of ondansetron (0.15 mg per kilogram of body weight) or normal saline (placebo) at four-hour intervals, beginning 30 minutes before the administration of cisplatin. Nausea and vomiting were markedly diminished in the group given ondansetron. The median time to the first episode of emesis was 2.8 hours in the placebo group and 11.6 hours in the ondansetron group (P less than 0.001); the median number of episodes in 24 hours was 5.5 in the placebo group and 1.5 in the ondansetron group (P less than 0.001); the mean (+/- SEM) number of regurgitations or dry heaves per episode was 3.2 +/- 0.5 in the placebo group and 1.17 +/- 0.1 in the ondansetron group (P less than 0.001). None of the 14 patients given ondansetron, but 12 of 14 given placebo, required treatment with antiemetic-rescue agents for the control of nausea and vomiting. There were no adverse effects attributable to ondansetron. The urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, the main metabolite of serotonin, was increased in all patients two to six hours after they received cisplatin chemotherapy, and the increases paralleled the episodes of emesis. We conclude that ondansetron is an effective and safe agent for controlling the nausea and vomiting induced by cisplatin treatment. We suggest that cisplatin treatment increases the release of serotonin from enterochromaffin cells, and that ondansetron acts by blocking S3 receptors for serotonin.     

Comparative evaluation of the clinical efficacy and safety of ondansetron and metoclopramide in the prophylaxis of emesis induced by cancer chemotherapy regimens including cisplatin

The efficacy and safety of ondansetron was evaluated and compared with metoclopramide in 93 patients receiving cisplatin containing cancer chemotherapy in a randomized, parallel group study. 8 mg Ondansetron i.v. was administered prior to chemotherapy followed by two further doses of 8 mg i.v. over the first 24 hours. Ondansetron 8 mg b.d. was then administered orally for the next 5 days. The metoclopramide dosage was 20 mg i.v. prior to chemotherapy followed by 2 i.v. doses of 10 mg each, 4 hours apart. For the next 5 days, an oral dose of 20 mg metoclopramide was administered. The anti-emetic efficacy of ondansetron as a prophylactic treatment was found to be significantly more effective than metoclopramide both during the acute and delayed phase of nausea and vomiting. Both treatments were well tolerated with no reported side-effects.     

Fertility and ovarian function are preserved in women treated with an intensified regimen of cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine and prednisone (Mega-CHOP) for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

BACKGROUND: Intensive chemotherapy is widely used to improve the outcome of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Since these regimens may cause premature ovarian failure (POF), the ovarian function was studied in 13 consecutive women aged < or =40 years, treated with four cycles of intensified CHOP (cyclophosphamide 2000-3000 mg/m2 per cycle doxorubicin 50 mg/m2, vincristine 1.4 mg/m2 (maximum 2 mg) and prednisone 100 mg/day were given every 3 weeks). METHODS: Patients aged <60 years with aggressive NHL were eligible for participating in a non-randomized phase II study if they had stage I, II, B, bulky, or stages III, IV disease with the age-adjusted international prognostic index of low-intermediate to high-risk score. Seven patients were concomitantly treated with D-TRP6-GnRH analogue (Decapeptyl; Ferring, Germany) for minimizing gonadal toxicity. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 70 months only one patient had POF, while 12 patients retained fertility and eight conceived spontaneously delivering 12 healthy babies. CONCLUSION: It appears that high-dose cyclophosphamide does not affect the ovarian function or fertility in patients exposed to this medication during four consecutive cycles of intensified CHOP.     

Behavioral treatment for the anticipatory nausea and vomiting induced by cancer chemotherapy

The nausea and vomiting experienced by one in four cancer patients in anticipation of chemotherapy is probably a learned response to treatment. To determine whether behavioral approaches for altering learned responses might be useful treatments for these symptoms, we compared the effects of "systematic desensitization" (a behavioral treatment in which relaxation is learned as a response to situations in which patients have had anticipatory nausea and vomiting) with those of counseling and of no treatment. Sixty ambulatory cancer patients with anticipatory nausea and vomiting before their third and fourth chemotherapy treatments were randomized equally to the three groups. Significantly more patients receiving desensitization reported no anticipatory nausea before their fifth and sixth chemotherapy treatments than patients given counseling (P less than 0.05) or no treatment (P less than 0.01). Desensitized patients also reported significantly less severe anticipatory nausea (P less than 0.01) and vomiting (P less than 0.05) and a shorter duration of anticipatory nausea (P less than 0.01). We conclude that systematic desensitization appears to have an antiemetic effect in cancer patients who receive chemotherapy, and may be useful in the management of these problems.     

Randomized open-label trial of dolasetron for the control of nausea and vomiting associated with high-dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

A prospective open-label trial was performed to compare the efficacy of dolasetron with that of ondansetron or granisetron (standard therapy) for prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with high-dose chemotherapy with or without total body irradiation followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In a university teaching hospital setting, 62 patients were randomized to receive either dolasetron 100 mg daily or standard doses of ondansetron or granisetron. In addition to objective data such as number of episodes of emesis and quantity of rescue antiemetics required, 100 mm visual analogue scales were used to rate nausea, appetite, and changes in taste. A post-hoc subgroup analysis was performed between groups of patients that were matched for conditioning regimens. Sixty-five percent of the dolasetron-treated patients and 87% of patients in the standard therapy group achieved a major or complete response (P < .05) based on emetic episodes and nausea score. Patients in the standard therapy group used fewer rescue antiemetics and also rated more favorably on selected questions of the visual analogue scale. No differences in safety parameters or adverse effects were reported. At doses prescribed in this study, dolasetron was less effective than granisetron or ondansetron in preventing nausea and vomiting associated with high-dose chemotherapy/total body irradiation followed by HSCT.     

穴位贴敷联合经皮穴位电刺激对腹腔镜术后胃肠蠕动功能的

目的:探讨穴位贴敷联合经皮穴位电刺激对腹腔镜术后胃肠蠕动功能的影响。方法:选取拟择期实施腹腔镜手术的116例患者为研究对象,根据简单随机数表法将所有研究对象分为观察组（58例）和对照组（58例）。两组患者均行腹腔镜手术,观察组给予穴位贴敷联合经皮穴位电刺激治疗,对照组仅给予经皮穴位电刺激治疗。比较两组患者的治疗效果、胃肠蠕动功能相关指标、术前术后胃动素水平、术后3 d内恶心呕吐及腹胀发生率。结果:观察组有效率显著高于对照组（96.55% vs 79.31%, P<0.05）。观察组胃肠蠕动恢复时间、首次排气时间及首次排便时间均短于对照组（P<0.05）。两组患者术前胃动素水平比较,差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）;观察组胃动素水平术后第1、2天显著低于术前（P<0.05）,第3天与术前比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）;对照组术后第1、2、3天胃动素水平显著低于术前（P<0.05）;观察组术后第1、2、3天胃动素水平均高于对照组（P<0.05）。观察组术后3 d内恶心呕吐、腹胀发生率均低于对照组（P<0.05）。结论:穴位贴敷联合经皮穴位电刺激能够有效改善腹腔镜术后胃肠蠕动功能,提升胃动力,促使胃肠蠕动功能尽快恢复,减少术后恶心呕吐及腹胀发生,有较好的临床推广应用价值。