Survival effect of systemic therapy on patients developing metastatic breast carcinoma

A multivariate analysis was performed to assess the effect of post-relapse systemic therapy on a series of patients with metastatic breast cancer who at initial presentation had no detectable metastases (M), were 70 years of age, presented with unilateral localized disease and no other associated malignancy, and were treated between 1965 and 1984 with successive protocols for primary disease and subsequently developed distant metastasis. All 760 patients analyzed relapsed with at least one metastasis, and were studied retrospectively with no selection criteria according to any specific protocol. All had recorded clinical data on menopause, stage, clinical tumor aggressiveness (PEV), initial chemo or hormonal therapy, and time to relapse, and had ongoing follow up at our Center, with salvage chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy having been given to some but not all patients.A brief metastasis-free survival (p < 0.000001), and factors associated with electing pre-relapse chemotherapy (p < 0.000001) were associated with shortened post-relapse survival, while post-relapse therapy (chemo p < 0.0001, and hormonal p < 0.00001, replacing chemotherapy in the model) apparently increased post-relapse survival in the group overall. This result was similar in the inoperable patient group [with inflammatory breast carcinoma an additional risk factor (p < 0.0005)], as well as the operable group. However, in the operable group, when the pathologic criteria of histologic grade and nodal status were introduced into the analysis, post-relapse therapy was not seen to be an important factor for survival in any subgroup. Histograde (p < 0.000001), nodal status (p < 0.0001), metastasis-free survival (p < 0.001), and menopausal status (p = 0.03) were the only significant factors for post-relapse survival.     

A pilot study of recombinant interferon beta (IFN-βser) in patients with recurrent glioma

Recombinant interferon beta (IFN-_ser) has been administered by intravenous bolus injection three times weekly at a dose of 90 × 10⁶ IU to 14, patients with recurrent malignant glioma in an ongoing study. The treatment period has ranged from 1 to 40 weeks. The most common adverse experiences were fever, chills, malaise, and headache. Fever, chills and headache were worse with the first two doses and were usually relieved with acetaminophen. All patients tolerated subsequent treatments without any difficulties. No neurologic or hematologic toxicities were observed. Of ten evaluable patients, five had progressive disease in 4 to 8 weeks; three had stable disease for 12 to 21 weeks; one has had a minor response for 13 weeks; and one has had a complete resolution of tumor for 150 + weeks. IFN-_ser appears to have activity in human glioma and is well tolerated at this dosage and schedule.     

顺铂术中腹腔化疗对妇科恶性肿瘤患者术后的近期影响

目的 探讨顺铂术中腹腔化疗治疗妇科恶性肿瘤的可行性。方法 60例妇科恶性肿瘤患者术中腹腔置入100mg顺铂稀释液,观察其对患者术后胃肠功能、体温、切口愈合、腹水控制及术后并发症的影响。结果 术后24h内呕吐发生率增高,但使用止吐剂及水化效果好,尿量达标;胃肠道功能按期恢复;术后发热发生率低;服务部切口无一例丙级愈合;无并发症发生。14例伴发大量腹水患者11例得到控制。肝肾功能未发现损害。结论 术中腹腔化疗比较安全,切实可行。     

Toxicity of magnetic albumin microspheres bearing adriamycin

Magnetic albumin microspheres entrappingadriamycin ( ADM- MAM) is a novel chemothera-peutic compound with site- specific drug delivery,which was exploited and developed in 1 970 's[1] .However,there wasno detailinformation indexed onits toxicity[2 ] . In recentyears,we studied the toxici-ty of the compounds macroscopically and microscopi-cally and also gotits value of LD50 .1　METHODSAND RESULTSBased on the method previously reported[1] ,thecompound of ADM- MAM was synthesized[14 ]…     

Augmentation of recombinant CH50 polypeptide on the function of macrophages of mice during chemotherapy

CH50 is a Cell I- Hep Ⅱ bifunctional-domain recombinant polypeptide of human fibronectin expressed in E. colilll. This polypeptide can inhibit theinvasion and metastasis of tumor cells 1'n the[2] andactivate the anti--tumor activity of macrophages[']. Ithas been reported that this polypeptide andchemotherapeutic agent have a synergistic inhibitoryeffect on the metastasis of tumors[4J. In this study,we further investigated the effect of CH50 on thefunction of macrophages of mice during chem…     

参麦注射液对非小细胞肺癌化疗减毒作用的观察

进一步探讨参麦注射液对化疗的减毒作用。方法 :对肺癌患者 2 0 3例进行回顾性分析。结果 :化疗后 OKT1值参麦组略上升 ,对照组下降 ( P<0 .0 5) ;OKT4 / OKT8比值治疗后参麦组明显高于对照组 ( P<0 .0 5)。参麦组 s IL - 2受体水平下降 ( P<0 .0 5) ,LAK细胞、NK细胞略上升( P<0 .0 5) ,对照组 s IL - 2受体水平下降不明显 ( P<0 .0 5) ,L AK细胞、NK细胞均下降 ( P <0 .0 5) ;化疗后参麦组外周血白细胞和血小板降低程度明显小于对照组 ( P<0 .0 5) ,全身体力状况也优于对照组。结论 :参麦液对化疗有一定的减毒作用 ,使化疗计划更易于完成。     

替尼油甙为主的联合方案配合氨甲喋呤椎管内化疗治疗肺癌转移

目的：研究以替尼泊甙（Ｖｍ－２６）为主的联合化疗方案配合氨甲喋呤（ＭＴＸ）椎管内注射治疗非上细胞肺癌脑转移的疗效,方法：联合应用替尼泊甙为主的化疗方案配合氨甲喋呤椎管内化疗,每４周为１周期,治疗２～３周期。结果：颅内瘤灶有效率５２％,肺内瘤灶有效率６０％,症状,体征缓解率８４％,结论：替尼泊甙为主的联合方案配合氨甲喋呤椎管内化疗治疗非小细胞肺癌脑转移,疗效显著。     

A combination therapy with mitomycin c, etoposide, doxifluridine and medroxyprogesterone acetate as second line therapy for advanced breast cancer refractory to combination chemotherapy of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and 5 fluorouracil

Thirty-two patients with advanced breast cancer refractory to combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide (CPA), doxorubicin (ADR) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (CAF) were treated with the combination of mitomycin C, etoposide, doxifluridine and medroxyprogesterone acetate as second line therapy. Observed responses included 6 patients (18.7%) with complete response (CR) and 7 (21.9%) with partial response (PR). Two (50%) out of 4 patients who had bone pain due to bone metastasis noted pain relief. CR or PR were obtained in 4 out of 12 patients who had not responded to the previous CAF therapy. While grade III myelosuppression was observed in 3 patients, other adverse effects were minimal. It is suggested that this combination therapy may be recommended for advanced breast cancer patients as a second therapy.     

Glutathione S-transferase activity in epithelial ovarian cancer: Association with response to chemotherapy and disease outcome

Background: Conflicting data have been reported about the associationbetween glutathione S-transferase (GST), a family of proteins implicated indetoxification of cytotoxic drugs in human ovarian in vitro models, andresponse to chemotherapy and prognosis in ovarian cancer patients. The aim ofthis study was to analyze the possible clinical role of GST activity in alarge series of primary ovarian cancer patients.Patients and methods: The study included a large series of primaryuntreated ovarian cancer patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery andchemotherapy and who were followed up in a single institution. GST activitylevels were assessed in tumor extracts by using a biochemical assay. A cut-offof 250 units of enzymatic activity was chosen according to the receiveroperating characteristics (ROC) curve.Results: GST activity levels were distributed in an asymmetrical manner(median: 266 units; range: 4–918 units) and did not seem to beassociated with stage, histopathological grading, ascites, or residual tumorafter surgery. Higher GST activity levels were found in patients who respondedto chemotherapy (median: 298 units, range: 50–691) than in those whoresponded only partially (median: 227 units, range: 19–747) or not atall to chemotherapy (median: 246 units, range: 4–811) (H = 7.02, P =0.029). Moreover, the percentage of cases with >250 units was significantlyhigher among complete responders (66%) than partial responders(37%) or non-responders (48%) (² = 7.32;P = 0.025). When multivariate analysis, including clinico-pathologicalparameters and GST activity status as predictors of response to chemotherapy,was carried out, residual tumor, stage and GST status retained independentpredictive value. Patients with high GST activity had more favourableprognosis than those with low GST activity. The median PFS was 42 months forpatients with high GST activity compared to 17 months for those with low GSTactivity (P = 0.037). The median overall survival was 72 months forhigh-GST-activity and42 months for low-GST-activity patients (P = 0.043). Substantially similarresults were obtained in the subgroup of stage II–III–IV ovariancancer patients. Multivariate analysis including the clinico-pathologicalparameters and GST activity status was performed in stage III–IV ovariancancer patients: Stage IV disease, residual tumor >2 cm, the presence ofascites and low GST activity status retained independent negative prognosticroles.Conclusion: A direct association between high GST activity and a betterclinical outcome in terms of response to chemotherapy and survival has beenobserved in a large series of primary untreated ovarian cancer patients. Theseresults, which are contrary to the expectations raised by in vitro studies,emphasize the need for caution when translating in vitro-generated hypothesesto the clinical setting.     

Pre-irradiation chemotherapy in children with high-grade astrocytoma: Tumor response to two cycles of the ‘8-drugs-in-1-day’ regimen

SummaryPurpose This study was undertaken to evaluate the radiographie response to two cycles of chemotherapy prior to irradiation in newly diagnosed children with high-grade astrocytomas.Patients and methods. One hundred and thirty children less than 21 years of age with newly-diagnosed highgrade astrocytoma were treated with the eight-drugs-in-one-day chemotherapy regimen as part of a phase III multi-institutional Childrens Cancer Group (CCG) trial. Computerized Tomographic (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) scans, obtained after two cycles of chemotherapy had been administered, were compared with post-operative scans to determine treatment response. Scans were evaluated by institutional radiologists, and were reviewed centrally by a single neuroradiologist.Results Of 79 patients with evaluable post-operative residual tumor on CT or MRI scans, 26 (33%) were determined on institutional evaluation to have had an objective response. However, central review of scans documented responses on only 14/79 (18%). A significantly higher response rate on central review was observed for those children 36 months of age or less at study entry than for older children (33% v 11%; p < 0.001). However, a higher disease progression rate was also observed for those children 36 months of age or less than for older children (21% v 2.6%; p < 0.001).Conclusion In this study, the largest yet reported in newly-diagnosed children with high-grade astrocytomas, the chemotherapy regimen has activity in younger children. The differences in response rates reported by institutional and central review highlight the difficulties inherent in assessing response to brain tumor therapy. However, the study does demonstrate the consistent ability of radiologists to identify disease progression within the institutional and central reviews.