Anticancer research
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Anticancer research · May 2000
An intensive follow-up does not change survival of patients with clinical stage I endometrial cancer.
The clinical benefit of an intensive follow-up protocol in endometrial cancer patients is still uncertain. ⋯ An intensive surveillance protocol seems to have no significant impact on the outcome of patients with clinical stage I endometrial cancer. Simplified follow-up programs tailored for patient subsets with different recurrence risk are required.
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Anticancer research · May 2000
Colonoscopy in symptomatic patients with positive family history of colorectal cancer.
Most patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) develop clinical signs and symptoms which are not specific for CRC, and usually at a late stage of the disease, resulting in a considerable delay of the diagnosis. In our study we examined patients with bowel symptoms which were at increased risk for developing CRC, because of their family history. ⋯ Total colonoscopy (TC) is an excellent diagnostic procedure for the examination of symptomatic patients with positive family history of colorectal cancer. TC has a diagnostic role detecting the cause of symptoms or excluding the presence of malignancy. Simultaneous resection of the neoplastic and metaplastic polyps, provides an additional, secondary prevention of CRC.
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Anticancer research · May 2000
Clinical TrialOutpatient sequential high dose alkylation with stem cell support for patients with advanced breast cancer: a phase I-II study.
We evaluated the feasibility of administering, in an out-patient setting, a sequential high dose alkylating regimen with hematopoietic growth factor (HGF) and stem cell support to patients with advanced breast cancer. Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) were previously collected after chemotherapy and HGF. Two consecutive cycles of alkylating agents were planned: Thiotepa (T) then, 15 days later, BCNU (B). ⋯ In all cases, B was administered after T with a median delay of 25 days because of grade 3/4 hematological toxicity. 4 patients did not receive B because of previous lung radiotherapy, persistent tricytopenia or insufficient PBSC collection. 19 patients with measurable lesions were considered for response. The objective response rate was 48% (11% CR, 37% PR). We recommended T and B at a dose of 600 mg/m2 to conduct a phase II study in metastatic breast cancer and even to administer B before T.
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Anticancer research · May 2000
Comparative StudyComparison and discrepancy of 18F-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography and Tc-99m MDP bone scan to detect bone metastases.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of positron emission tomography with 18F-2-deoxyglucose (FDG-PET) for the detection of malignant bone metastases, and to compare FDG-PET results with conventional technetium-99m methylene diophosphate (Tc-99m MDP) bone scan findings. Twenty-four patients (10 females, 14 males, ages: 39-71 years) with biopsy-proven malignancy and suspected bone metastases, underwent whole body FDG-PET and bone scan to detect bone metastases. ⋯ Eleven metastatic and 20 benign bone lesions with positive bone scan findings were not detected on FDG-PET. FDG-PET has a better specificity, but a lower sensitivity for detecting malignant bone metastases when compared with bone scan.
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Anticancer research · May 2000
Surgical cytoreduction during second-look laparotomy in patients with advanced ovarian cancer.
The impact of surgical cytoreduction performed during second-look on the survival of patients with advanced ovarian cancer is still under debate. ⋯ The complete resection of macroscopic persistent tumor seems to give ovarian cancer patients the highest likelihood of long-term survival and should represent the goal of surgical cytoreduction during second-look laparotomy.