Pilot study of the prospective identification of changes in cognitive function during chemotherapy treatment for advanced ovarian cancer.

Change in cognitive function is increasingly being recognized as an adverse outcome related to chemotherapy treatment. These changes need not be severe to impact patient functional ability and quality of life. The primary goal of this study was to determine if there is evidence of changes in the cognitive function domains of attention, processing speed, and response time among women with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer who receive chemotherapy.

Learning and teaching advanced laparoscopic procedures: do alternating trainees impair a laparoscopic surgeon's learning curve?

Study Objective: In this study we investigated whether teaching advanced laparoscopic procedures like laparoscopic-assisted surgical staging (LASS) for endometrial cancer negatively affects the learning curve of the attending surgeon.

Design: Retrospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3.)

Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arizona, Tucson.

Paclitaxel and carboplatin with amifostine in advanced, recurrent, or refractory endometrial adenocarcinoma: a phase II study of the Southwest Oncology Group.

Objectives: To evaluate the response rate and progression free and overall survival of patients with advanced endometrial cancer treated with paclitaxel, carboplatin and amifostine. To evaluate the toxicity of amifostine when used in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel.

Methods: Forty-seven eligible patients (median age: 66; range 45-82) with bidimensionally measurable advanced, recurrent, or refractory endometrial cancer were treated with carboplatin (AUC = 6), paclitaxel (175 mg/M2) and amifostine (740 mg/M2) every 4 weeks for 6 cycles or until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Amifostine pretreatment for protection against topotecan-induced hematologic toxicity: results of a multicenter phase III trial in patients with advanced gynecologic malignancies.

Objective: To determine if amifostine could reduce the hematologic toxicity associated with topotecan.

Methods: Thirty patients with recurrent/refractory gynecologic malignancies were randomized to receive topotecan (TOPO) (1.5 mg/m(2)/day days 1-5) with or without amifostine (AMI/TOPO) (500 mg/m(2)/day days 1-5) every 3 weeks for six cycles.