A phase II study of weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin in previously untreated patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: Both paclitaxel (P) and carboplatin (C) have a significant activity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Weekly administration of P is active, is dose intense, and has a favorable toxicity profile. To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of weekly P and C in advanced-stage NSCLC, we initiated this phase II study in patients with advanced NSCLC (III B with pleural effusion and stage IV).

Mifepristone induces growth arrest, caspase activation, and apoptosis of estrogen receptor-expressing, antiestrogen-resistant breast cancer cells.

Purpose: A major clinical problem in the treatment of breast cancer is the inherent and acquired resistance to antiestrogen therapy. In this study, we sought to determine whether antiprogestin treatment, used as a monotherapy or in combination with antiestrogen therapy, induced growth arrest and active cell death in antiestrogen-resistant breast cancer cells.

Experimental Design: MCF-7 sublines were established from independent clonal isolations performed in the absence of drug selection and tested for their response to the antiestrogens 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) and ICI 182,780 (fulvestrant), and the antiprogestin mifepristone (MIF).

Induction of antiproliferation and apoptosis in estrogen receptor negative MDA-231 human breast cancer cells by mifepristone and 4-hydroxytamoxifen combination therapy: a role for TGFbeta1.

Mifepristone (MIF) is an antiprogestin with potent anti-glucocorticoid and anti-androgen activity. MIF also appears to have anti-tumor activity independent of its ability to bind to nuclear receptors. In this study, we tested the ability of MIF to inhibit the growth of ER and PR negative breast cancer cells.

Infectious complications in patients receiving mobilization chemotherapy for autologous peripheral blood stem cell collection.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate infectious complications in patients receiving mobilization chemotherapy for stem cell collection prior to autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. An additional goal was to evaluate risk factors associated with the development of infectious complications. At the Medical College of Georgia BMT center, 54 patients were administered mobilization chemotherapy for the purpose of collecting stem cells between June, 1997, and May, 2002.

Treatment of a patient with end-stage renal disease with Rituximab: pharmacokinetic evaluation suggests Rituximab is not eliminated by hemodialysis.

The purpose of this study was to determine if therapeutic levels of Rituximab could be achieved in a patient with renal failure being dialyzed and if Rituximab is removed by hemodialysis. A 54-year-old man with low-grade lymphoma and renal failure on hemodialysis received 8 weekly treatments of Rituximab at 375 mg/M(2). Serum Rituximab levels were obtained before and after each treatment, before and after dialysis following each treatment, as well as in the dialysate fluid.