Long-term add-on therapy (compassionate use) with oral artesunate in patients with metastatic breast cancer after participating in a phase I study (ARTIC M33/2).

Background: The antimalarial artesunate (ART), a semisynthetic derivative of artemisinin from the Chinese herb artemisia annua has remarkable anticancer properties in vitro and in vivo. Its excellent safety profile known from short-term therapy in malaria was confirmed in an open phase I trial (ARTIC M33/2) for dose-finding as add-on therapy for four weeks.

Purpose: Patients with metastatic breast cancer, who had not experienced any clinically relevant adverse events (AE) during participation in ARTIC M33/2, were offered to continue ART as compassionate use (CU).

Prospective open uncontrolled phase I study to define a well-tolerated dose of oral artesunate as add-on therapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer (ARTIC M33/2).

Purpose: The antimalarial drug artesunate (ART) is a promising candidate for cancer treatment as it displays anticancer effects in various models. While in short-term treatment of malaria, an excellent safety profile has been found for ART, the potential long-term treatment of cancer patients demands a phase I dose-finding clinical trial determining the daily ART dose which would be well tolerated as add-on therapy.

Methods: Patients with metastatic breast cancer were to receive either 100 or 150 or 200 mg oral ART daily as add-on to their guideline-based oncological therapy for a study period of four weeks with frequent clinical and laboratory monitoring until 4-8 weeks thereafter.

Interferon versus methotrexate in intermediate uveitis with macular edema: results of a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Purpose: To compare interferon (IFN) beta with methotrexate (MTX) in the treatment of intermediate uveitis with macular edema.

Design: Monocentric, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Setting: Specialized uveitis center at the University of Heidelberg.

Inflammatory autoimmune neuropathy, presumably induced by bortezomib, in a patient suffering from multiple myeloma.

Bortezomib is a proteasome inhibitor demonstrating substantial activity in multiple myeloma. One of its key toxicities is peripheral neuropathy, which is reversible in most patients. The possibility that bortezomib might in rare cases induce severe neuropathies by auto-inflammatory mechanisms remains controversial.

An unusual case of optic neuritis.

Optic neuritis is a frequent disease with well established tests and therapeutic strategies. However, possible differential diagnoses cover a broad spectrum. Therefore, clinical work-up can be challenging and routine testing and therapies may not be sufficient.