Randomised clinical trial: preventive treatment with topical rectal beclomethasone dipropionate reduces post-radiation risk of bleeding in patients irradiated for prostate cancer.

Background: Radiotherapy is an established treatment modality for prostate cancer; however, up to a third of patients develops a radiation-induced proctopathy.

Aim: To assess the effect of topical beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) in the prevention of radiation-induced proctopathy in patients undergoing radiotherapy for prostate cancer through a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial.

Methods: Patients were randomised either to BDP or to placebo (PL).

Clinical and histological characteristics of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: results of a retrospective study in 243 patients.

Context: The recognition of thyroid microcarcinoma has increased due to the widespread use of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsies.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe histological and clinical characteristics of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) less than or equal to 1 cm.

Design: This study was a retrospective cohort.

Italian survey in postoperative radiation therapy for prostate carcinoma by the AIRO National Working Group on Prostate Radiotherapy: definitive results.

Aims And Background: The National Working Group on Prostate Radiotherapy of AIRO (Associazione Italiana Radioterapia Oncologica, Italian Association of Radiotherapeutic Oncology) was established in March 2001. A retrospective multi-center survey was performed to analyze the patterns of care for prostate cancer patients treated with postoperative radiotherapy following radical prostatectomy in Italy with regard to the year 2000.

Materials And Methods: A structured questionnaire was mailed to 47 Italian radiotherapy centers to assess patient accrual in the postoperative setting in the interval comprised between period January-December 2000.

Clinical value of different responses of serum thyroglobulin to recombinant human thyrotropin in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

In the present study we examined the clinical value of a differential response of thyroglobulin (Tg) concentration after recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH) stimulation (rhTSH Tg testing) and its correlation with (131)I uptake and whole-body scanning (rhTSH-WBS) in 104 patients who had previously undergone near-total thyroidectomy and (131)I ablation for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). rhTSH Tg testing was considered negative for rhTSH-Tg less than 0.9 ng/mL, low positive for rhTSH-Tg of 1-5 ng/mL and high positive for rhTSHTg greater than 5 ng/mL.

Clinical value of different responses of serum thyroglobulin to recombinant human thyrotropin in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

In the present study, we examined the clinical value of a differential response of thyroglobulin (Tg) concentration after recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH) stimulation (rhTSH Tg testing) and its correlation with (131)I uptake and whole body scanning (rhTSH-WBS) in 104 patients who had previously undergone near total thyroidectomy and (131)I ablation for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). RhTSH Tg testing was considered negative for rhTSH-Tg < 0.9 ng/mL, low positive for rhTSH-Tg of 1-5 ng/mL and high positive for rhTSHTg > 5 ng/mL.

Allogeneic gene-modified tumour cells in metastatic kidney cancer. Report II.

In a limited study, comprising only ten patients, we have previously reported that allogeneic irradiated RCC-cell-line cells, engineered to produce IL-2 (ACHN-IL-2), admixed with autologous metastatic formalin-treated tumour cells were used to vaccinate MRCC patients in progression of disease and also receiving IL-2 immunotherapy. The cells, admixed to autologous TC, were administered subcutaneously. We now report an extended study on thirty patients and one hundred thirty-one controls.

Allogeneic gene-modified tumour cells in metastatic kidney cancer. Preliminary report.

An allogeneic irradiated RCC cell line, engineered to produce IL-2 (ACHN-IL-2), admixed with autologous metastatic formalin-treated tumour cells, was used to vaccinate ten MRCC patients in progression of disease in spite of IL-2 immunotherapy. The cells were administered subcutaneously and/or intra-tumourally. Sixty-four MRCC patients in progressive disease, not treated by vaccination but receiving similar IL-2 immunotherapy, were considered as the control group.

[Current role of radiotherapy in the treatment of SCLC].

Microcytoma (SCLC) is generally regarded as a disease requiring chemotherapy and is only treated with radiotherapy using combined protocols. A number of different approaches have been proposed, changing timing, dose and fractionation. A different role is played by irradiation of the brain in the treatment of metastases.

Immunotherapy of metastatic kidney cancer.

From April 1986 to September 2000, 122 MRCC patients were treated by monthly intralymphatic injections (containing a mean of 573 IL-2 U and 26 x 10(6) LAK cells) and i.m. administration of IFN and TF; 71 patients also received a 3-day cycle of monthly IL-2 inhalations with a mean of 998 daily U.

Serum thyroglobulin concentrations and (131)I whole-body scan results in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma after administration of recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone.

Unlabelled: The use of recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (rhTSH) has recently become available as an alternative diagnostic tool to assess the persistence and recurrence of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) in patients on thyroid hormone-suppressive therapy (THST) after near-total or total thyroidectomy and ablative doses of (131)I. We report the results of rhTSH administration in patients who were monitored for DTC.

Methods: Thirty-three adult DTC patients (13 men, 20 women; mean age +/- SE, 45.

[Transcutaneous radiotherapy after thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma].

Purpose: To compare the results, in terms of 10-year actuarial survival, between I-131-therapy and I-131-therapy + external beam radiotherapy (RT) in patients operated on for differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Patients And Methods: Over a period of 13 years (1982-1995) 408 patients underwent thyroidectomy with or without linphoadenectomy for pT0/T4 Nx or pN0, pN1a, pN1b thyroid carcinoma. In all cases, thyroidectomy was radical.

Multicenter randomized clinical trial on high-dose epirubicin plus cis-platinum versus vinorelbine plus cis-platinum in advanced non small cell lung cancer.

Background: High dose Epirubicin (HD-EPI) (>90 mg/m2) and Vinorelbine (VNR) demonstrated antitumor activity as single agent (about 20%) in the treatment of advanced NSCLC. This trial compares these two agents combined with cisplatin (CP).

Patients And Methods: From August 1992 to February 1996, 228 patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC were randomized to receive either EPI 120 mg/m2 as i.

Results of a European randomized trial of Etanidazole combined with radiotherapy in head and neck carcinomas.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of Etanidazole, a hypoxic cell sensitizer, combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods And Materials: A total of 374 patients from 27 European centers were included in this trial between 1987 and 1990. Treatment was either conventional radiotherapy alone (between 66 Gy in 33 fractions and 74 Gy in 37 fractions, 5 fractions per week), or the same radiotherapy dose plus Etanidazole 2 g/m2, three times weekly for 17 doses.

Transfer factor as an adjuvant to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) therapy.

The rationale for using transfer factor (TF) in lung cancer patients is that the possibility of improving their cell-mediated immunity to tumour associated antigens (TAA) may improve their survival. From Jan 1984 to Jan 1995, 99 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) resected patients were monthly treated with TF, extracted from the lymphocytes of blood bank donors. In the same period, 257 NSCLC resected patients were considered as non-treated controls.

[Effects of immunomodulation on antineoplastic radiotherapy. A controlled clinical study].

It is well known that thymic hormones can counteract immunodepression due to radiation therapy, preventing and reducing the severity and the number of myelotoxic and hematologic reactions. We tried to confirm these findings in a controlled multicenter clinical study involving 1,060 patients undergoing radiation therapy (580 treated with thymopentin 50 mg s.c.

A phase II study of high-dose epirubicin plus cisplatinum in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Thirty-seven patients with unresectable NSCLC received epirubicin (EPI) as i.v. bolus at the dose of 120 mg/sm+cisplatinum (CP) at the dose of 60 mg/sm every 28 days up to the maximum cumulative dose of 840 mg/sm of EPI.

Kinetic uptake of etanidazole in lung carcinoma and normal tissue in vivo.

Thirty-four patients affected by primary pulmonary carcinoma or in a state of recurrence after surgery were analyzed and 2g/m2 of etanidazole was administered intravenously. After 30 min (group A), 60 min (group B), and 120 min (group C), both the bronchus affected by the carcinoma and the contralateral bronchus were biopsied. Of the 34 patients, 24 had histologically proven carcinoma and were enrolled in the study.

Small cell bronchogenic carcinoma: a cyclical alternating combination of epirubicin plus cisplatin and cyclophosphamide plus etoposide.

Forty-seven patients with advanced small-cell bronchogenic carcinoma (SCLC) were treated with a combination of epirubicin (4-EPIDX) (60 mg/m2 i.v.) and cisplatin (CDDP) (50 mg/m2 i.

Intra-lymphatic administration of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in cancer patients: a pilot study.

Seven patients suffering from advanced metastatic tumours, unresponsive to standard therapies, were treated with 3 to 5 intra-lymphatic injections of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-2-activated-peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). A partial (50-70%) regression was obtained in three of the patients, and complete regression in the other four. It thus seems that intra-lymphatic injections of IL-2 and PBL can be used for the treatment of certain solid tumours (e.

Clinical trials with cyclophosphamide and misonidazole combination for maintaining treatment after radiation therapy of lung carcinoma.

Fifteen patients with inoperable non oat cell lung carcinoma, who had already been treated with telecobalt therapy in the mediastinum-hilar region, were treated with continuing therapy with misonidazole (MISO) and cyclophosphamide (Cy). MISO was administered in single doses of 1000 mg/m2 and 500 mg/m2, orally. Cy was administered in single doses of 500 mg/m2 and 250 mg/m2, i.