Anti-cancer drugs
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Rituximab is a human/mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody that binds to the CD20 antigen and is expressed at all stages of B-cell development. Rituximab has demonstrated efficacy as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy in the treatment of both indolent and aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Rituximab treatment results in rapid depletion of B-cells and this has led to the consideration of other B-cell disorders as candidates for rituximab therapy. ⋯ Clinical trials have also demonstrated evidence of efficacy for rituximab in PTLD, WM and relapsed or refractory ITP. Efficacy of rituximab in CAD and relapsed or refractory HCL has also been demonstrated in small studies and case reports. Available data thus indicate that rituximab can be an effective therapy in a wide range of CD20+ lymphoid disorders.
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Indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) are essentially incurable with current treatments. Rituximab is a specific anti-CD20 chimeric monoclonal antibody against the CD20 antigen, which is stably expressed on most B-cells (from the pre-B-cell stage). Compared with chemotherapy, rituximab has an excellent tolerability profile, making it a good therapeutic option for patients with indolent NHL. ⋯ A further option is to combine rituximab with chemotherapy. Interim analyses from the East German Study Group have shown that rituximab plus mitoxantrone, chlorambucil and prednisolone (MCP) resulted in overall response rates of 89% in patients with untreated indolent lymphoma. Rituximab is therefore an excellent treatment option both as first-line and as salvage therapy for patients with indolent NHL.
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Comparative Study
Aggressive lymphoma: improving treatment outcome with rituximab.
The standard therapy for patients with aggressive lymphoma is cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy, which achieves a complete response in more than 60% of patients but is curative in only about 40-50%. More aggressive and/or dose-intensified chemotherapy regimens have failed to provide significant survival advantages compared with CHOP, and may have higher toxicity. Rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody to the CD20 antigen, is effective as monotherapy in aggressive lymphoma and in combination with chemotherapy has demonstrated high response rates in phase II trials. ⋯ Ongoing studies are underway to establish whether the survival benefit of rituximab plus CHOP is seen in younger patient populations. Rituximab in combination with chemotherapy is also being evaluated as salvage treatment for patients who relapse after initial chemotherapy. In a preliminary analysis of a study in 50 patients with refractory or relapsed aggressive lymphoma, rituximab plus etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin (EPOCH) chemotherapy has demonstrated promising results when used as sole salvage therapy and as an induction therapy prior to autologous stem-cell transplantation, again without significant additional toxicity.
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Irinotecan (CPT-11) has been shown to prolong survival and improve quality of life in comparison to best supportive care in colorectal cancer patients with pretreatment of bolus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). After first-line 24-h high-dose (HD) 5-FU/folinic acid (FA) an objective response rate of 11% with 3-weekly CPT-11 350 mg/m was reported. In the present study we investigated weekly CPT-11 in combination with 24-h HD-5-FU/FA as second-line treatment after prior exposure to 24-h HD-5-FU. Synergy between 5-FU and CPT-11 is the rationale to combine both substances for second-line therapy in order to overcome resistance to 5-FU. Thirty-five patients were recruited in a single institution to receive 6 x weekly CPT-11 80 mg/m(2), FA 200 mg/m(2) and 24-h HD-5-FU 2000 mg/m(2). Treatment was repeated on day 57. ⋯ M/F=20/15, median WHO performance status 1, range (0-2). Thirty-four patients were evaluable for response: partial response 17% and no change 40%. Median time to progression and overall survival were 3.3 and 8.4 months, respectively. All patients were evaluable for toxicity analysis (National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria grade 3): leukocytopenia 3%, diarrhea 12% and vomiting/nausea 6%. Of the assigned doses, a median 100% of 5-FU and 92% of CPT-11 were administered during the first cycle of chemotherapy. We conclude that weekly CPT-11 and HD-5-FU/FA is an active and safe combination chemotherapy resulting in response rates in the upper range of other CPT-11-based second-line regimen. The toxicity profile in our series compared to 3-weekly CPT-11 seems favorable.
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We characterized the toxicity and determined the maximum tolerated dose of non-break weekly paclitaxel (Taxol) in chemotherapy-naive cancer patients, and studied pharmacokinetics of the formulation vehicle Cremophor-EL with this schedule. Twenty-three patients with primary refractory solid tumors received weekly paclitaxel at the dose range of 70-200 mg/m2. As dose-limiting toxicity we defined granulocytopenia grade > or =2 causing a treatment delay for more than 2 weeks, or febrile neutropenia or grade >2 organ-specific toxicity. ⋯ Clinically relevant peripheral neurotoxicity tended to occur at around 1500 mg/m2 cumulative dosage at weekly doses > or =110 mg/m2. Detectable Cremophor-EL levels were found in all pre-dose samples, but there was no evidence of accumulation up to the sixth course. Our results, discussed in the light of an overview of published data, suggest that chronic weekly administration of paclitaxel is feasible and with a lack of significant accumulation of Cremophor-EL levels at doses up to 90 mg/m2.