European journal of cancer & clinical oncology
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Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol · Dec 1988
Adjuvant effects of prostaglandin D2 to cisplatin on human ovarian cancer cell growth in nude mice.
Adjuvant effects of prostaglandin D2 to cisplatin on tumor growth were studied by using nude mice bearing HR cells derived from human ovarian carcinoma. Combinations of 0.2 or 0.4 microgram/ml cisplatin and 0.05 or 0.1 microgram/ml prostaglandin D2, which did not affect the HR cell proliferation alone, resulted in a significant inhibition of cell proliferation. In addition, tumor take of HR cells by nude mice in groups treated with a combination of cisplatin and prostaglandin D2 was inhibited. ⋯ When cisplatin and 2 or 4 mg/kg prostaglandin D2 were combined, the tumor growth was significantly inhibited after day 21, compared not only to that of untreated mice but also of mice treated with cisplatin alone or prostaglandin D2 alone. Such a combination therapy by cisplatin and prostaglandin D2 seemed to result in prevention by prostaglandin D2 of immunological suppression which may be induced by cisplatin. Thus, such a combination therapy brought about a significant prolongation to the survival time.
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Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol · Nov 1988
Phase I clinical and pharmacokinetic investigation of didemnin B, a cyclic depsipeptide.
Didemnin B (NSC-325319), a cyclic depsipeptide isolated from a marine tunicate, has been evaluated in a Phase I trial. The drug was administered in a single intravenous infusion in 150 cm3 of normal saline every 30 min given every 28 days. Forty-three patients received 80 courses of the drug at doses ranging from 0.14 to 4.51 mg/m2. ⋯ The recommended dose for Phase II studies on a single-dose schedule is 2.67 mg/m2 without prophylactic antiemetics and 3.47 mg/m2 if an antiemetic regimen is used. Preliminary pharmacokinetics suggest that didemnin B is sequestered or rapidly converted to a metabolite not identified by the antibody used in the radioimmunoassay. Further evaluation will be performed during Phase II studies.
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Over a 4-year period, 912 patients were admitted to the ICU of the medical oncology service at the Institut Jules Bordet: 574 (63%) were admitted for medical emergencies and 338 (37%) for intensive treatment and/or monitoring. In the first group, the main causes of admission were hypercalcemia, thromboembolic disease, cardiac arhythmias, encephalopathies and pneumopathies. Overall mortality during the ICU stay was 23% (133/574). In the second group, patients were admitted primarily in order to receive, under optimal surveillance, anticancer treatment, either because they were at high risk of complications or because the approach was mainly investigational; several investigations, in the fields of supportive care and anticancer treatment, were successfully conducted within the ICU environment.