International journal of clinical oncology
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Int. J. Clin. Oncol. · Oct 2006
Comparative StudyResults of radiation therapy combined with neoadjuvant hormonal therapy for stage III prostate cancer: comparison of two different definitions of PSA failure.
We herein report the clinical outcome of radical radiation therapy combined with neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) for stage III (International Union Against Cancer [UICC] 1997: UICC 97) prostate cancer. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure-free survival was assessed according to two different definitions, and the appropriateness of each definition is discussed. ⋯ Seventy Gy of EBRT following 3 months of NHT produced therapeutic results comparable to those reported in other studies which used long-term AHT. The value of long-term AHT for Japanese men should be tested in a clinical trial.
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Int. J. Clin. Oncol. · Jun 2006
ReviewTrastuzumab and breast cancer: developments and current status.
The emergence of trastuzumab has drastically changed therapy for breast cancer. Trastuzumab (Herceptin; Genentech) is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody that targets an epitope in the extracellular domain of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) protein. HER2 is a member of a family of four transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases that regulate cell growth, survival, and differentiation via multiple signal transduction pathways. ⋯ Phase II and III clinical trials performed in women with metastatic breast cancers that overexpress HER2 have shown trastuzumab to have clinical activity when used as monotherapy, while also improving survival when used as a first-line therapy in combination with chemotherapy. At present, clinical investigations are focusing attention on the efficacy of trastuzumab in both the adjuvant and neoadjuvant setting, as well as in the metastatic setting. In this review, we describe the developments and current status of trastuzumab-based treatment for breast cancer.
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Int. J. Clin. Oncol. · Apr 2006
Three-dimensional combination of transrectal and transperineal biopsies for efficient detection of stage T1c prostate cancer.
Although an increasing number of men present with stage T1c prostate cancer, the optimal biopsy strategy for detecting stage T1c disease still remains to be defined. The aim of this study was to explore an efficient first-time biopsy scheme for detecting stage T1c and T2 prostate cancer. ⋯ We propose a three-dimensional 14-core and a three-dimensional 8-core biopsy as efficient first-time biopsy schemes to detect stage T1c and T2 prostate cancer, respectively.
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Int. J. Clin. Oncol. · Feb 2006
Skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction: patient satisfaction and clinical outcome.
Skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) followed by immediate reconstruction has been advocated as an effective treatment option for patients with early-stage breast carcinoma. It minimizes deformity and improves cosmesis through preservation of the natural skin envelope of the breast. The purpose of this study was to evaluate postoperative morbidity, patients' satisfaction, and oncological safety for SSM and immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) with a latissimus dorsi (LD) myocutaneous flap and/or breast prosthesis in patients with operable breast cancer. ⋯ SSM and IBR for operable breast cancer is associated with a high level of patient satisfaction and low morbidity. The procedure seems to be oncologically safe, even in patients with high-risk (T3 or node-positive) carcinoma. The latter needs to be confirmed with greater numbers of patients and longer follow-up.
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Int. J. Clin. Oncol. · Aug 2005
Case ReportsUnknown primary carcinoma, diagnosed as inflammatory breast cancer,and successfully treated with trastuzumab and vinorelbine.
Occult breast cancer presenting with axillary lymph node metastases is uncommon, and inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), as a subtype, is quite rare. Here we describe a case of IBC, which arose as an unknown primary carcinoma; the patient presented with axillary lymph node metastasis, and was successfully treated with trastuzumab and vinorelbine. Specifically, a 55-year-old woman presented with right axillary lymphadenopathy. ⋯ Because overexpression of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) was found in the specimen from her right axillary lymph node, she was treated with trastuzumab and vinorelbine. Two months after the start of chemotherapy, CT revealed a complete response in the lymph nodes, and the skin thickening and parenchymal edema of the right breast had improved. FDG-PET was also performed at this time, and revealed no FDG uptake in either the right breast or the lymph nodes.