Off-label prescription of antineoplastic drugs: an Italian prospective, observational, multicenter survey.

Aims And Background: An appropriate use of drugs should follow the registered indications. Different reasons can induce oncologists to prescribe drugs off-label. The aim of this study was to describe incidence and characteristics of these prescriptions in Italy.

Biological and clinical features in predicting efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), developed for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), give modest results similar to those with chemotherapy. There is evidence of a greater survival benefit from TKIs in patients with certain molecular and clinical features, but results are conflicting. To assess the role of these factors in predicting TKI efficacy, a pooled analysis was performed on data from randomized trials in NSCLC.

Randomised multicenter phase II study of two schedules of docetaxel and gemcitabine or cisplatin/gemcitabine followed by docetaxel as first line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: In the attempt to optimize the efficacy of chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) several strategies need to be investigated including the use of non-platinum combinations and the sequential use of different agents.

Patients And Methods: In a phase II randomised study 165 patients with stage IIIB or IV NSCLC were assigned to receive docetaxel 40 mg/m(2) days 1 and 8 plus gemcitabine 1200 mg/m(2) days 1 and 8 every 21 days (arm A, N=54) or docetaxel 50 mg/m(2) days 1 and 15 plus gemcitabine 1600 mg/m(2) days 1 and 15 every 28 days (arm B, N=57) or gemcitabine 1200 mg/m(2) days 1 and 8 plus cisplatin 100mg/m(2) day 2 every 21 days for 3 cycles followed by docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) day 1 every 21 days for 3 cycles (arm C, N=54). The primary endpoint of the trial was overall response rate.

Neoadjuvant oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for liver metastases from colorectal cancer. An Italian survey.

Background: Only 10% to 25% of patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer are suitable for resection. Methods for increasing the resectability of liver metastases are based on specific surgical techniques and neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods: We collected retrospective data on patients from various Italian hospitals from 1996 to 2002.