Managing Menopausal Symptoms in Young Women With Breast Cancer: When Medicine Is Not All. The Take Care Project.

In the last decade, endocrine therapy strategies in perimenopausal women with hormone-responsive early breast cancer (BC) have changed and now ovarian function suppression (OFS) is recommended for the majority of patients. Side effects of OFS mimic menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, sweats, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction, which may negatively impact quality of life (QoL). Aims of the Take Care Project are the education of physicians and patients to have all the information (medical and nonmedical) they need to manage menopausal symptoms by distributing educational materials useful to face menopause.

Factors Influencing the Clinical Presentation of Breakthrough Pain in Cancer Patients.

The aim of this study was to identify potential variables influencing the clinical presentation of breakthrough cancer pain (BTP). Cancer patients with a diagnosis of BTP were enrolled. Demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as background pain and BTP characteristics were collected.

Breakthrough Cancer Pain: Preliminary Data of The Italian Oncologic Pain Multisetting Multicentric Survey (IOPS-MS).

Introduction: An ongoing national multicenter survey [Italian Oncologic Pain multiSetting Multicentric Survey (IOPS-MS)] is evaluating the characteristics of breakthrough cancer pain (BTP) in different clinical settings. Preliminary data from the first 1500 cancer patients with BTP enrolled in this study are presented here.

Methods: Thirty-two clinical centers are involved in the survey.

Five-year survival of stage IIIA-IIIB (non-N3) non-small cell lung cancer patients after platinum/gemcitabine induction chemotherapy and surgery.

The 5-year survival rate of marginally resectable nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated by platinum/gemcitabine induction chemotherapy and surgery is not well documented. We studied 47 consecutive patients with NSCLC stage IIIA-IIIb (non-N3) treated with platinum/gemcitabine induction chemotherapy (median: 3 cycles) and evaluated the objective response, resectability, surgical morbidity/mortality and long-term survival rate. The induction chemotherapy was completed by 45/47 patients.

Increased hydrophobic interactions of iclaprim with Staphylococcus aureus dihydrofolate reductase are responsible for the increase in affinity and antibacterial activity.

Objectives: Iclaprim is a novel 2,4-diaminopyrimidine that exhibits potent, rapid bactericidal activity against major Gram-positive pathogens, including methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus, and is currently in clinical development for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections. An understanding of the known mechanism of resistance to trimethoprim led to the design of this new inhibitor, with improved affinity towards dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) from S.

Is irinotecan plus docetaxel useful as second-line therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer?

Introduction: The ability of doublet therapy in the second-line setting in patients with platinum-refractory non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not yet been proven. In this setting, docetaxel (D) has shown efficacy and irinotecan (I) has only recently been introduced. This study was initiated to explore the activity and tolerability of three D + I regimens in platinum pretreated NSCLC patients.

Effect of vitamin E TPGS on immune response to nasally delivered diphtheria toxoid loaded poly(caprolactone) microparticles.

The nasal mucosa has many advantages as a potential site for drug and vaccine delivery. The present study has sought to exploit this route of delivery using microparticles composed of D-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) as a matrix material blended with poly(caprolactone) for nasal immunisation with diphtheria toxoid. Particles were prepared by a double emulsion method, followed by spray drying and the effect of TPGS on size, zeta potential, loading and release of antigen was assessed.

Immunoradiometric assay of chromogranin A in the diagnosis of small cell lung cancer: comparative evaluation with neuron-specific enolase.

The aims of our work were 1) to determine the diagnostic performance of an immunoradiometric assay of chromogranin A (CgA) in small cell lung cancer and 2) to compare its discriminatory power with that of neuron-specific enolase (NSE), the marker currently used for SCLC. We selected 166 cases of small cell (64) and non-small cell (102) lung cancer and 106 cases of non-malignant lung diseases as controls. Both CgA and NSE were assayed by immunoradiometric methods and cutoff values were established on the basis of a pre-fixed specificity of 95% in non-malignant lung diseases.

Merits and limitations of recombinant models for the study of human P450-mediated drug metabolism and toxicity: an intralaboratory comparison.

A wide variety of pharmacological and toxicological properties of drugs are determined by cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism. Characterization of these pathways and of the P450 isoenzymes involved constitutes an essential part of drug development. Similarly, because P450s are catalyzing the toxication and detoxication of environmental pollutants, an understanding of these reactions facilitates risk assessment in environmental toxicology.

Cisplatin-vindesine-mitomycin (MVP) vs cisplatin-ifosfamide-vinorelbine (PIN) vs carboplatin-vinorelbine (CaN) in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): a FONICAP randomized phase II study. Italian Lung Cancer Task Force (FONICAP).

In the present multicentre randomized phase II trial, the activity and toxicity of three platinum-based combination regimens for the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were evaluated. The three regimens were: MVP (mitomycin-C 6 mg m(-2) on day 1, vindesine 3 mg m(-2) on days 1 and 15, and cisplatin 80 mg m(-2) on day 1 every 28 days), PIN (cisplatin 80 mg m(-2) day 1, ifosfamide 3 g m(-2) day 1 and vinorelbine 25 mg m(-2) day 1 and 8 every 21 days) and CaN (carboplatin 350 mg m(-2) day 1 and vinorelbine 25 mg m(-2) days 1 and 8 every 28 days). A total of 140 chemotherapy-naive patients entered the study; 49 patients were treated with MVP, 48 with PIN and 43 with CaN.

Semi-quantitative assessment of 99Tcm-sestamibi uptake in lung cancer: relationship with clinical response to chemotherapy.

The objectives of this study were to measure semi-quantitatively uptake of 99Tcm-sestamibi (99Tcm-MIBI) by tumour tissue in patients with lung cancer and to investigate its relationship with clinical response to chemotherapy. 99Tcm-MIBI single photon emission tomography was performed at the time of diagnosis in 31 patients with biopsy-proven lung cancer (19 small cell carcinomas, 12 non-small cell carcinomas), all of whom were undergoing chemotherapy. Fifteen patients were also investigated 2 weeks after the first and third cycles of chemotherapy.

Immunoassay of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and serum fragments of cytokeratin 19 (CYFRA 21.1) as tumor markers in small cell lung cancer: clinical evaluation and biological hypothesis.

NSE is a biochemical marker for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) diagnosis and management. CYFRA 21.1 is a newly developed immunoassay to detect the serum fragments of cytokeratin 19 which are also expressed in SCLC with or without neurofilaments.

Tissue polypeptide specific antigen (tps) and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21.1) immunoradiometric assay in non small cell lung cancer evaluation.

The aim of our work was the evaluation of the immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) of two cytokeratinic markers, TPS and CYFRA 21.1, in clinical setting on non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Serum samples were obtained from 148 untreated NSCLC patients, 60 patients with non malignant lung diseases and 100 healthy subjects: TPS and CYFRA 21.

Use of primers selective for vancomycin resistance genes to determine van genotype in enterococci and to study gene organization in VanA isolates.

Vancomycin resistance in enterococci is an emerging therapeutic problem. Resistance is not always detected by standard microbiological methods. Oligonucleotide primers for PCR were designed to target amplification of defined regions of genes of the vanA cluster, as well as vanB and vanC1.

Evaluation of the serum markers CEA, NSE, TPS and CYFRA 21.1 in lung cancer.

We investigated the role of tumor markers CEA, NSE, TPS and CYFRA 21.1 in lung cancer diagnosis and staging in 169 patients with histologically confirmed lung cancer (43 SCLC and 126 NSCLC). In SCLC patients NSE and CYFRA 21.

Differential susceptibilities of enterococcal species to elfamycin antibiotics.

The elfamycins are a class of naturally occurring antibiotics not currently used in the therapy of human disease. Enterococcus faecium and closely related species (Enterococcus durans and Enterococcus hirae) are susceptible to these antibiotics, while isolates of Enterococcus faecalis and other enterococcal species are highly resistant. Among enterococci, susceptibility or resistance to elfamycins appears to be determined by the bacterial protein synthesis elongation factor EF-Tu.

Sensitivity of elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) from different bacterial species to the antibiotics efrotomycin, pulvomycin and MDL 62879.

The sensitivity of elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) from different species of bacteria to the EF-Tu-binding antibiotics efrotomycin, pulvomycin and MDL 62879 was tested by measuring the effect of these antibiotics on cell-free protein synthesis systems. EF-Tu from four different Gram-negative species was sensitive to all three antibiotics. Among Gram-positive bacteria, EF-Tu of Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis was resistant to efrotomycin and less sensitive to pulvomycin than EF-Tu of Gram-negative bacteria.

Inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis by elongation-factor-Tu-binding antibiotics MDL 62,879 and efrotomycin.

MDL 62,879 (formerly GE 2270 A) is a novel antibiotic active against Gram-positive bacteria by inhibiting protein synthesis. MDL 62,879 is not active against Gram-negative bacteria, but inhibits cell-free protein synthesis in extracts from Escherichia coli, and shows a high binding affinity for its elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu). We prepared ribosomes and protein-synthesis elongation factors from three sources: E.

Roxithromycin and controlled release theophylline, an interaction study.

A clinical trial, involving 16 male subjects affected by a relapse of chronic bronchitis, was performed in order to evaluate the possible interference of roxithromycin (RU 28965) with theophylline plasma levels. Theophylline was administered to patients as a controlled release formulation. Results did not show any clinically relevant change in theophylline blood levels, implying the conclusion that the new macrolide roxithromycin can be administered simultaneously with a controlled release theophylline.

Miocamycin and theophylline blood levels.

Two groups of patients were studied in order to evaluate the possible interference of miocamycin with theophylline blood levels. One group was treated with i.v.

Clinical experience with miocamycin in the treatment of respiratory tract infections.

The object of the study was to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness and tolerability of miocamycin, a new macrolide antibiotic, in 86 patients with lower respiratory tract infections. The mean peak concentration of miocamycin was determined in bronchial secretions. High concentrations were recorded, in some cases exceeding serum levels.