American journal of clinical oncology
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Am. J. Clin. Oncol. · Apr 2011
Phase II study of radiation therapy combined with weekly low-dose gemcitabine for locally advanced, unresectable pancreatic cancer.
Through a phase I study with a fixed radiation dose of 54 Gy and escalating doses of weekly gemcitabine, we established a recommended dose of gemcitabine at 250 mg/m in combination with radiation therapy for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. ⋯ Treatment with gemcitabine combined with radiation therapy according to the present schedule is well tolerated and can provide prolonged survival in patients with localized, unresectable pancreatic cancer.
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Am. J. Clin. Oncol. · Apr 2011
Concurrent cetuximab with stereotactic body radiotherapy for recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a single institution matched case-control study.
Locally recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma can be treated with curative intent by surgical salvage or reirradiation with or without chemotherapy. We have previously demonstrated the feasibility and safety of stereotactic body reirradiation at our institution; however, efficacy has been unsatisfactory. Based on the successful combination of cetuximab with radiotherapy in locally-advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, we compared stereotactic body radiotherapy alone with combination therapy, using concomitant cetuximab with stereotactic body radiotherapy, to enhance clinical efficacy while minimizing toxicity. ⋯ Our results suggest an overall survival benefit of concomitant cetuximab with stereotactic body radiotherapy in locally recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and suggest a role in this setting. Concomitant cetuximab with stereotactic body radiotherapy is a reasonable approach for unresectable recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, and should be tested in prospective randomized trials to validate its clinical efficacy.
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Metastatic melanoma is one of the most resistant tumors to standard chemotherapy approaches. The median overall survival of patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma is lower than 9 months. ⋯ New targeted agents have changed the standard of care of other solid tumor types like breast cancer. Here, we discuss the new advances and achievements in the treatment of this highly resistant disease.