British journal of cancer
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British journal of cancer · Aug 2000
Importance of extensive staging in patients with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-type lymphoma.
Lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type usually arises in MALT acquired through chronic antigenic stimulation triggered by persistent infection and/or autoimmune processes. Due to specific ligand-receptor interactions between lymphoid cells and high-endothelial venules of MALT, both normal and neoplastic lymphoid cells display a pronounced homing tendency to MALT throughout the body. In the case of neoplastic disease these homing properties may be responsible for lymphoma dissemination among various MALT-sites. ⋯ Staging work-up was negative for lymph-node involvement in all of these eight patients. The importance of extensive staging in MALT-type lymphoma is emphasized by the demonstration of multiorgan involvement in almost a quarter of patients. In addition, our data suggest that extra-gastrointestinal MALT-type lymphoma more frequently occurs simultaneously at different anatomic sites than MALT-type lymphoma involving the GI-tract.
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British journal of cancer · Jul 2000
Clinical TrialA phase I and pharmacokinetic study of the combination of capecitabine and docetaxel in patients with advanced solid tumours.
Capecitabine and docetaxel are both active against a variety of solid tumours, while their toxicity profiles only partly overlap. This phase I study was performed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and side-effects of the combination, and to establish whether there is any pharmacokinetic interaction between the two compounds. Thirty-three patients were treated with capecitabine administered orally twice daily on days 1-14, and docetaxel given as a 1 h intravenous infusion on day 1. ⋯ There was no pharmacokinetic interaction between the two drugs. Tumour responses included two complete responses and three partial responses. Capecitabine 825 mg m(-2) twice a day plus docetaxel 100 mg m(-2) was tolerable, as was capecitabine 1250 mg m(-2) twice a day plus docetaxel 75 mg m(-2).
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British journal of cancer · Jul 2000
Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe effect of tamoxifen and cisplatin on the disease-free and overall survival of patients with high risk malignant melanoma.
The adjuvant treatment of high-risk malignant melanoma remains problematic. Previously we reported moderate success in the treatment of metastatic disease using tamoxifen, cisplatin, dacarbazine and carmustine. Based upon data that suggested tamoxifen and cisplatin were the active agents in this regimen, we initiated a phase II trial of this combination in the adjuvant setting. ⋯ Minimal renal, haematologic and neurologic toxicity occurred. These preliminary results suggest that there is a positive impact of tamoxifen and cisplatin on both the DFS and OS of high-risk malignant melanoma patients. The 5-year projected DFS and OS compare favourably with those reported for the ECOG 1684 trial and warrant confirmation in a prospective randomized trial.
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British journal of cancer · Jul 2000
Editorial Comment Comparative StudyWhat can we learn from phase II adjuvant trials in melanoma?
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British journal of cancer · Jul 2000
Comparative StudyEpithelial cells in bone marrow of oesophageal cancer patients: a significant prognostic factor in multivariate analysis.
The detection of epithelial cells in bone marrow, blood or lymph nodes indicates a disseminatory potential of solid tumours. 225 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus were prospectively studied. Prior to any therapy, cytokeratin-positive (CK) cells in bone marrow were immunocytochemically detected in 75 patients with the monoclonal anti-epithelial-cell antibody A45-B/B3 and correlated with established histopathologic and patient-specific prognosis factors. The prognosis factors were assessed by multivariate analysis. ⋯ The analyses of the mean and median overall survival time showed a significant difference between patients with and without epithelial cells in bone marrow (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis in the total patient population and in patients with curative resection of the primary tumour confirmed the curative resection rate and the bone marrow status as the strongest independent prognostic factors, besides the T-category. The detection of epithelial cells in bone marrow of oesophageal cancer patients is a substantial prognostic factor proved by multivariate analysis and is helpful for exact preoperative staging, as well as monitoring of neoadjuvant therapy.