British journal of cancer
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British journal of cancer · May 1999
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialPhase II study of docetaxel in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer: a Japanese cooperative study. Cooperative Group of Docetaxel for Pancreatic Cancer in Japan.
Docetaxel has been reported to show promising anti-tumour activity in pancreatic ductal cancer (PC). This study was conducted to evaluate the activity and toxicity of moderate-dose (60 mg m(-2)) docetaxel in Japanese chemo-naive patients with measurable metastatic PC. The patients had a performance status of 0-2. ⋯ The main grade 3-4 toxicities by patient were leucocytopenia (67%) and neutropenia (86%). Other grade 3-4 toxicities included anaemia (10%), thrombocytopenia (5%), nausea/vomiting (29%), anorexia (29%), GOT/GPT increase (10%), alkaline phosphatase increase (14%), malaise/fatigue (33%) and alopecia (24%). In conclusion, docetaxel, administered on this schedule, did not show significant anti-tumour activity in patients with metastatic PC.
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British journal of cancer · May 1999
Comparative StudyImproving the letters we write: an exploration of doctor-doctor communication in cancer care.
Referral and reply letters are common means by which doctors exchange information pertinent to patient care. Twenty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted exploring the views of oncologists, referring surgeons and general practitioners. Twenty-seven categories of information in referral letters and 32 in reply letters after a consultation were defined. ⋯ Reply letters include more information regarding patient history/background than the recipients would like. Referring surgeons and family doctors want information regarding the proposed treatment, expected outcomes, and any psychosocial concerns, yet these items are often omitted. Consultants and referring doctors need to review, and modify their letter writing practices.
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Tamoxifen is a nonsteroidal anti-oestrogen with gynaecological side-effects. Only recently, ovarian cyst formation during tamoxifen treatment has been reported. The present study aimed to evaluate patient-related parameters that determine ovarian cyst formation in women using tamoxifen for breast cancer. ⋯ All patients after high-dose chemotherapy or older than 50 years had E2 < 0.10 nmol l(-1) and/or amenorrhoea > 1 year and did not develop ovarian cysts. Patients still having a menstrual cycle during tamoxifen had a high chance (81%) of developing ovarian cysts. Breast cancer patients receiving tamoxifen only develop ovarian cysts if their ovaries are able to respond to FSH stimulation as shown by E2 production.
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British journal of cancer · Mar 1999
Markov model and markers of small cell lung cancer: assessing the influence of reversible serum NSE, CYFRA 21-1 and TPS levels on prognosis.
High serum NSE and advanced tumour stage are well-known negative prognostic determinants of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) when observed at presentation. However, such variables are reversible disease indicators as they can change during the course of therapy. The relationship between risk of death and marker level and disease state during treatment of SCLC chemotherapy is not known. ⋯ Almost similar conclusions can be drawn regarding the three-state model constructed using the tumour response status. For the two cytokeratin markers, the Markov model suggests the lack of a true reversible property of these variables as there was only a very weak probability of a patient returning to state 'low marker level' once having entered state 'high marker level'. In conclusion, The Markov model suggests that the observation of an increase in serum NSE level or a lack of response of the disease at any time during follow-up (according to the homogeneous assumption) was strongly associated with a worse prognosis but that the reversion to a low mortality risk state remains possible.