Anticancer research
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Anticancer research · Mar 2003
Case Reports Comparative StudyPro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP), neuron specific enolase (NSE), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 19-fragments (CYFRA 21-1) in patients with lung cancer in comparison to other lung diseases.
The study presents data comparing the new tumour marker, ProGRP, with the established markers, NSE, CYFRA 21-1 and CEA in the diagnosis of lung cancer. ProGRP as well as NSE have been reported to be useful markers for staging and monitoring treatment in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). In order to determine the differences in the sensitivity and/or specificity particularly with regard to benign lung diseases, the present study investigated ProGRP in comparison to NSE, CEA and CYFRA 21-1 usually used in lung cancer. ⋯ Initial follow-up studies indicated that ProGRP can be used to monitor disease under chemotherapy. In non-small cell lung carcinomas, CYFRA 21-1 was the leading marker with 58.9% sensitivity where ProGRP seldom revealed positive results. ProGRP is a valuable tumour marker for the detection and monitoring of SCLC and a good tool for discriminating NSCLC versus SCLC.
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Anticancer research · Mar 2003
Comparative StudyCold-knife conization versus photodynamic therapy with topical 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) II with associated human papillomavirus infection: a comparison of preliminary results.
The optimal treatment of preinvasive cervical lesions is still not clear as all surgical techniques cause substantial cervical stroma destruction with the risk of a possible incompetent cervix. Photodynamic therapy can preserve fertility due to selective tissue destruction. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of cold-knife conization versus photodynamic therapy with topical 5-aminolevulinic acid in eradicating cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) II and associated HPV infection. ⋯ The results presented in this study indicate that topical PDT with 5-ALA is in most cases a successful treatment of CIN II with comparable results to cold-knife conization. In contrast to cold-knife conization, PDT causes no substantial cervical stroma destruction with the risk of a possible subsequent incompetent cervix. Also the feasibility of topical PDT on an outpatient basis, the lack of significant post-treatment complications and the cost effectiveness make the topical approach with PDT preferable in selected circumstances. Due to the potential risk of invasive cancer with metastatic spread, patient's selection criteria must be strict and a pretreatment histological examination is obligatory.
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Anticancer research · Mar 2003
HER-2/neu determination in blood plasma of patients with HER-2/neu overexpressing metastasized breast cancer: a longitudinal study.
This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the serological HER-2/neu determination as a predictor of the clinical outcome of patients with metastasized breast cancer receiving a trastuzumab therapy. Twenty trastuzumab patients were included into this study. Plasma samples of each patient were collected from the beginning of a trastuzumab therapy until the first imaging diagnostics. ⋯ All ten therapy responders displayed a normal HER-2/neu either from the beginning of the trastuzumab administration or a value normalization paralleled the course. Patients with permanent elevated or increasing HER-2/neu levels displayed a poor clinical outcome in six out of ten cases. Our data suggest that HER-2/neu determination in the plasma of patients with metastasized breast cancer could be a powerful tool for prediction of the patient's outcome after a trastuzumab-based therapy.
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Anticancer research · Mar 2003
Comparative StudyPharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cisplatin after intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC).
HIPEC is a new treatment modality for abdominal cancers that combines cytoreductive surgery with Hyperthermic, Intraoperative Peritoneal Chemotherapy, followed by systemic chemotherapy. A significant survival benefit has been shown for HIPEC compared with systemic therapy alone. However, it is not clear what is the contribution of i.p. drug delivery and what influence the mild hyperthermia has on the uptake of cisplatin in abdominal tumors. ⋯ Mild hyperthermic perfusion with cisplatin (40 degrees C/90 minutes) did not improve drug uptake in small intra-peritoneal tumors, relative to normothermic perfusion or i.p. bolus injection.
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Anticancer research · Jan 2003
Clinical TrialProlonged administration of weekly paclitaxel and trastuzumab in patients with advanced breast cancer.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of weekly paclitaxel and trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, with trastuzumab administered beyond disease progression. ⋯ Prolonged administration of weekly paclitaxel and trastuzumab is effective and well-tolerated in women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.