Epirubicin and paclitaxel with G-CSF support in first line metastatic breast cancer: a randomized phase II study of dose-dense and dose-escalated chemotherapy.

An increased dose-intensity can be achieved by either higher dose of chemotherapy per cycle (dose-escalation) or by shortening the interval between cycles (dose-dense). This multicenter randomized phase II study assessed the efficacy and safety of two different approaches: epirubicin 110 mg/m(2) combined with paclitaxel 200 mg/m(2) every 21 days and epirubicin 75 mg/m(2) combined with paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) every 10 days, both supported with G-CSF. Patients with advanced breast cancer and without prior palliative chemotherapy were scheduled for 6 cycles.

Measuring skeletal changes with calcaneal ultrasound imaging in healthy children and adults: the influence of size and location of the region of interest.

We measured the quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and speed of sound (SOS) at the calcaneus using an ultrasound imaging device (UBIS 3000) in 698 healthy Caucasian male and female subjects (110 prepubertal, 356 pubertal/adolescent and 210 adult) between 6 and 77 years of age. The influence of different region of interest (ROI) diameters (6-20 mm) and software techniques (automatic (ROIaut), copied (ROIcop) and fixed coordinate (ROIfix) measurements) on annual rate of change, trend assessment interval (TAI; an estimate of the follow-up time required for measuring a true change), percentage of positioning errors (positioning of the ROI partly at the cortical edge or even partly beyond the calcaneus) and short-term precision error was studied. When using ROI diameters increasing from 8 to 20 mm, the annual rate of change of BUA and SOS did not change in adults, but was higher in prepubertal subjects (when subjects with positioning errors were excluded) as well as in pubertal/adolescent subjects.

Gender differences in rhGH-induced changes in body composition in GH-deficient adults.

In GH-deficient adults, rhGH has pronounced effects on total body water, fat free mass, and fat mass. Recently, we observed a gender difference in IGF-I responsivity to rhGH that was sex steroid dependent. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of rhGH therapy on body composition parameters with due attention to the gender differences in biological responsiveness to rhGH.

[Ultrasound measurement of calcaneus: a promising method for prediction of osteoporotic fractures].

When carrying out quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements of the calcaneus, broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA, in dB/MHz) and speed of sound (SOS, in m/s) are assessed. From in vitro studies it is known that the mechanical properties of trabecular bone (stiffness and strength) can be better predicted with QUS than with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Bone mineral density (BMD) measurements with DEXA are currently used for the diagnosis of osteoporosis according to the WHO criteria.

Bone mineral density and quantitative ultrasound parameters in patients with Klinefelter's syndrome after long-term testosterone substitution.

Klinefelter's syndrome (KS) is a common sex chromosomal disorder associated with androgen deficiency and osteoporosis. Only few bone mineral density (BMD) and no quantitative ultrasound (QUS) data are available in these patients after long-term testosterone replacement therapy. We examined in a cross-sectional study 52 chromatin-positive KS patients aged 39.