Altruism--a coping mechanism for patients on clinical trials: a nursing perspective.

Altruism often is expressed by patients with advanced cancer as a coping mechanism and a motivational factor for participation in clinical trials. Those who participate develop a sense of hope that their life is a contribution, which may continue to live beyond their deaths.

The changing hope trajectory in patients with advanced-stage cancer: a nursing perspective.

As patients with advanced-stage cancer move from the initial diagnosis through treatment, remission, recurrence, and advanced-stage disease, the hope trajectory undergoes a dynamic transformation. By identifying the hope trajectory, nurses can help patients focus on obtainable hope objects while balancing the need to present a realistic prognosis. This, in turn, may help patients find meaning and purpose in advanced-stage cancer and facilitate realistic hope when faced with a life-threatening illness.

Iron deficiency anemia related to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: response to treatment with bevacizumab.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare autosomal dominant condition associated with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) or telangiectasias of the pulmonary, gastrointestinal or hepatic circulations. The authors present a case of a 52-year-old woman with a known diagnosis of HHT who presented for evaluation of anemia. She had an extensive history of iron sucrose infusions, frequent blood transfusions and hospitalizations for anemia related to gastrointestinal bleeding and epistaxis.

Gemcitabine/epirubicin/paclitaxel as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancer: a phase II trial of the NSABP Foundation Research Group.

Background: This phase II protocol of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine/epirubicin/paclitaxel (GET) was designed to determine the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in the breast, clinical response rate, disease-free survival, and overall survival at 2 years as well as toxicity in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. This trial also evaluated the feasibility of tissue collection for gene-expression profiling.

Patients And Methods: Seventy-six women with stage IIB, IIIA, and IIIB breast cancer were entered into this trial.

A phase 2 study of gemcitabine and epirubicin for the treatment of pleural mesothelioma: a North Central Cancer Treatment Study, N0021.

Background: The North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) conducted a phase 2 study to evaluate the antitumor activity of the combination of gemcitabine and epirubicin in patients with pleural mesothelioma who received no more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen.

Methods: A total of 23 patients were accrued between August 2001 and April 2002 and received gemcitabine at a dose of 1000 mg/m(2) intravenously over 30 minutes weekly every 2 weeks and epirubicin at a dose of 90 mg/m(2) intravenously on Day 1 on an every-21-days cycle (high-dose patient group). Between August 2002 and April 2004, an additional 45 patients were treated at a reduced dose of gemcitabine of 750 mg/m(2) and epirubicin at a dose of 70 mg/m(2) with the same schedule (low-dose patient group).

A Phase I/II study of GTI-2040 and capecitabine in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Fluoropyrimidine based therapy has modest activity in patients with metastatic renal carcinoma and inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase is synergistic in model systems. GTI-2040 is a 20-mer phosphorothioate oligonucleotide complimentary to the R2 component of ribonucleotide reductase that has activity in renal cancer models.

Methods: Metastatic renal carcinoma patients without prior fluoropyrimidine therapy and normal organ function were treated with oral capecitabine 880 mg/m(2) twice daily along with continuous infusion GTI-2040 starting at 148 mg/m(2)/day for 21 days, for each 28-day cycle.

Two concurrent phase II trials of paclitaxel/carboplatin/trastuzumab (weekly or every-3-week schedule) as first-line therapy in women with HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer: NCCTG study 983252.

Purpose: The efficacy and tolerability of 2 different schedules of paclitaxel/carboplatin/trastuzumab for HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer (MBC) were evaluated in this parallel multicenter phase II trial.

Patients And Methods: Patients received every-3-week therapy (n = 43) consisting of a 200 mg/m(2) dose of paclitaxel/carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) of 6 mg/mL per minute and trastuzumab (an initial 8 mg/kg dose and subsequent 6 mg/kg doses) administered every 21 days for 8 cycles or weekly therapy (n = 48) consisting of an 80-mg/m(2) dose of paclitaxel/carboplatin AUC of 2 mg/mL per minute for 3 of 4 weeks, with weekly trastuzumab (an initial 4-mg/kg dose and subsequent 2-mg/kg doses) administered every 4 weeks for 6 cycles. Trastuzumab was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Phase III comparison of methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (MVAC) vs. doxorubicin and cisplatin (AC) in women with advanced primary or recurrent metastatic carcinoma of the uterine endometrium.

Objectives: The North Central Cancer Treatment Group Phase III trial compared efficacy of methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (MVAC) with doxorubicin plus cisplatin (AC) for patients with advanced endometrial cancer.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients were randomly assigned to treatment with doxorubicin 30 mg/m2 + cisplatin 70 mg/m2 IV q 4 weeks vs. methotrexate 30 mg/m2 IV days 1, 15, and 22, vinblastine 3 mg/m2 IV days 2, 15, and 22, doxorubicin 30 mg/m2 IV day 2, and cisplatin 70 mg/m2 day 2 of a 4-week cycle.

Randomized phase II study of two irinotecan schedules for patients with metastatic breast cancer refractory to an anthracycline, a taxane, or both.

Purpose: A pressing need exists for agents active against anthracycline- or taxane-refractory metastatic breast cancer (MBC), or both. Previous clinical trials suggested that irinotecan might have such activity. We conducted this multicenter phase II study to assess efficacy and tolerability of two irinotecan schedules.

Safety and toxicity analysis of oxaliplatin combined with fluorouracil or as a single agent in patients with previously treated advanced colorectal cancer.

Purpose: Two consecutive compassionate use studies of oxaliplatin were conducted in the United States and Canada in more than 5000 patients with locally advanced or metastatic colorectal carcinoma who had experienced treatment failure after at least one prior chemotherapy regimen.

Patients And Methods: The main focus was safety. Patients were assigned to treatment with either single-agent oxaliplatin or oxaliplatin in combination with fluorouracil (FU) and with or without leucovorin (LV) in various regimens.

A phase II trial of docetaxel and CPT-11 in patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, gastroesophageal junction, and gastric cardia.

Purpose: The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the lower third of the esophagus, esophagogastric junction, and gastric cardia has been rising in the face of limited treatment options for patients with metastatic disease. With the emergence of data to suggest that single agent docetaxel and irinotecan carry antineoplastic effects in this setting, we determined the response rate of these agents when given in combination.

Patients And Methods: Forty-six patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lower third of the esophagus, esophagogastric junction, and gastric cardia were evaluated.

Nicotine patch therapy based on smoking rate followed by bupropion for prevention of relapse to smoking.

Purpose: To determine whether (1) tailored nicotine patch therapy that is based on smoking rate can be carried out in a multisite oncology investigative group practice setting, (2) long-term use of bupropion reduces the rate of relapse to smoking in smokers who stop smoking with nicotine patch therapy, and (3) bupropion can initiate smoking abstinence among smokers who have failed to stop smoking after nicotine patch therapy.

Participants And Methods: Fourteen North Central Cancer Treatment Group sites recruited generally healthy adult smokers from the general population for nicotine patch therapy and based the patch dosage on smoking rates. At completion of nicotine patch therapy, nonsmoking participants were eligible to be assigned to bupropion or placebo for 6 months (for relapse prevention).

Phase II trial of doxorubicin/docetaxel/cyclophosphamide for locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer: results from NSABP trial BP-58.

Based on the recommended phase II doses for doxorubicin (60 mg/m2) and docetaxel (60 mg/m2) and the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project's (NSABP) experience with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2), we conducted a phase II trial at 18 institutions using doxorubicin/docetaxel/cyclophosphamide (ATC) given every 21 days, in preparation for a major adjuvant breast cancer study (NSABP B-30), in which ATC would be used. Eligibility requirements included measurable stage IIIB/IV breast cancer, performance status 0-2, normal left ventricular ejection fraction, and no prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease (nontaxane adjuvant chemotherapy was allowed if completed > 12 months before entry and if the cumulative dose of doxorubicin was =240 mg/m2). Eighty-nine patients were entered who ranged in age from 30-78 years (38.

Dronabinol versus megestrol acetate versus combination therapy for cancer-associated anorexia: a North Central Cancer Treatment Group study.

Purpose: To determine whether dronabinol administered alone or with megestrol acetate was more, less, or equal in efficacy to single-agent megestrol acetate for palliating cancer-associated anorexia.

Patients And Methods: Four hundred sixty-nine assessable advanced cancer patients were randomized to (1) oral megestrol acetate 800 mg/d liquid suspension plus placebo, (2) oral dronabinol 2.5 mg twice a day plus placebo, or (3) both agents.