Clinical development of new drug-radiotherapy combinations.

In countries with the best cancer outcomes, approximately 60% of patients receive radiotherapy as part of their treatment, which is one of the most cost-effective cancer treatments. Notably, around 40% of cancer cures include the use of radiotherapy, either as a single modality or combined with other treatments. Radiotherapy can provide enormous benefit to patients with cancer.

Drug-Based Lead Discovery: The Novel Ablative Antiretroviral Profile of Deferiprone in HIV-1-Infected Cells and in HIV-Infected Treatment-Naive Subjects of a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Exploratory Trial.

Unlabelled: Antiretrovirals suppress HIV-1 production yet spare the sites of HIV-1 production, the HIV-1 DNA-harboring cells that evade immune detection and enable viral resistance on-drug and viral rebound off-drug. Therapeutic ablation of pathogenic cells markedly improves the outcome of many diseases. We extend this strategy to HIV-1 infection.

Drug-induced reactivation of apoptosis abrogates HIV-1 infection.

HIV-1 blocks apoptosis, programmed cell death, an innate defense of cells against viral invasion. However, apoptosis can be selectively reactivated in HIV-infected cells by chemical agents that interfere with HIV-1 gene expression. We studied two globally used medicines, the topical antifungal ciclopirox and the iron chelator deferiprone, for their effect on apoptosis in HIV-infected H9 cells and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells infected with clinical HIV-1 isolates.

DNA copy number profiles correlate with outcome in colorectal cancer patients treated with fluoropyrimidine/antifolate-based regimens.

For decades 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has remained the treatment of choice in the adjuvant and palliative setting of colorectal cancer (CRC). The combinations of 5-FU or its oral prodrug capecitabine with irinotecan/oxaliplatin and the novel agents bevacizumab/cetuximab increased responses. However, the overall prognosis is poor, and predictive biomarkers of cytotoxic drugs activity are missing.

Results of a phase II trial of S-1 as first-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer (CESAR-study group).

Purpose: S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine derivative, has previously demonstrated anticancer efficacy in pancreatic cancer (PC), predominantly in Asian populations. This study evaluated the antitumor effect and safety of S-1 in Caucasian patients with metastatic PC.

Methods: Chemotherapy-naïve patients received S-1 orally at 30 mg/m(2) twice daily (BID) for 2 weeks, repeated every 3 weeks.