American journal of clinical oncology
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Am. J. Clin. Oncol. · Oct 2009
Venous thromboembolism in lymphoma: how effectively are we treating patients?
Patients with solid tumors and venous thromboembolic episodes (VTE) have a high risk of recurrence and bleeding during oral anticoagulant treatment. However, we are unaware of studies expressly evaluating such risks in patients with lymphoma. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective study to determine the frequency of such complications during treatment of lymphoma patients who develop VTE. ⋯ Lymphoma patients treated with warfarin experienced a 30.4% rate of recurrent thrombosis and 13% major bleeding. During this treatment most (65%), but not all, bleeding and thrombotic complications occurred with an international normalized ratio within the therapeutic range. The percentage of serious complications (recurrent VTE and major bleeding) during warfarin use was 44.5%, and the death rate was 6.5%, compared with 9% and 0%, respectively, during use of LMWH.
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Am. J. Clin. Oncol. · Oct 2009
Clinical features and short-term outcome of critically ill patients with head and neck cancer in the medical intensive care unit.
To investigate the clinical features, especially cancer-related complications, and short-term outcome of critically ill patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) in the medical intensive care unit. ⋯ Although critically ill patients with HNC usually had advanced cancers and carried a high rate of cancer-related life-threatening airway complications, their 30-day mortality was favorable and only independently associated with cancer status and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score.
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Am. J. Clin. Oncol. · Oct 2009
Cost-effectiveness analysis of trastuzumab (herceptin) in HER2-overexpressed metastatic breast cancer.
In women with Human Epidermal growth Receptor 2 (HER2)-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC), Trastuzumab has become the standard of care but previous studies have raised doubts about its economic acceptability. We carried out the first cost-effectiveness study for Trastuzumab in MBC patients, in France, that is based on observed resource use and outcomes in clinical practice. ⋯ Our data suggest that despite its high unit price, Trastuzumab should be considered cost-effective in MBC patients to the extent that its incremental cost per life-year saved remains lower than gross domestic product per capita in countries like France.
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Am. J. Clin. Oncol. · Oct 2009
Phase I/II study of a cisplatin-taxol-dacarbazine regimen in metastatic melanoma.
This phase I/II study was done to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a cisplatin-paclitaxel-dacarbazine regimen in patients with metastatic melanoma. ⋯ Cisplatin-paclitaxel-dacarbazine regimen is effective in patients with advanced melanoma.
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Am. J. Clin. Oncol. · Oct 2009
Definitive altered fractionation radiotherapy and concomitant weekly cisplatin for locally advanced head and neck cancer.
The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and toxicities of single-agent weekly cisplatin for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated definitively with radiation therapy (RT). ⋯ Concomitant weekly CDDP with definitive RT is feasible, tolerable, highly active, and comparable with more complex, costly, and toxic regimens. Intercurrent disease was a significant contributor to mortality in our population. Our regimen is an attractive alternative to sequential chemoradiotherapy programs.