Response to chemotherapy, reexposure to crizotinib and treatment with a novel ALK inhibitor in a patient with acquired crizotinib resistance.

The treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has dramatically changed over the last decade. It has developed from an unspecific approach based on platinum doublet chemotherapy to a personalized, molecularly targeted therapy. Crizotinib is a new tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of NSCLC with gene rearrangement of EML4 and ALK.

Myeloablative anti-CD20 radioimmunotherapy +/- high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell support for relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma results in excellent long-term survival.

Background: Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) has been used to treat relapsed/refractory CD20+ Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Myeloablative anti-CD20 RIT followed by autologous stem cell infusion (ASCT) enables high radiation doses to lymphoma sites. We performed a phase I/II trial to assess feasibility and survival.

Management of febrile neutropenia--a German prospective hospital cost analysis in lymphoproliferative disorders, non-small cell lung cancer, and primary breast cancer.

Background: Febrile neutropenia/leukopenia (FN/FL) is the most frequent dose-limiting toxicity of myelosuppressive chemotherapy, but German data on economic consequences are limited.

Patients And Methods: A prospective, multicentre, longitudinal, observational study was carried out to evaluate the occurrence of FN/FL and its impact on health resource utilization and costs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), lymphoproliferative disorder (LPD), and primary breast cancer (PBC) patients. Costs are presented from a hospital perspective.

Blood component use and associated costs after standard dose chemotherapy--a prospective analysis of routine hospital care in lymphoproliferative disorders and NSCLC in Germany.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe blood component (BC) use and respective cost after standard dose chemotherapy (CT) in routine hospital care.

Methods: Analysis of data from a prospective, multicenter, longitudinal, observational study on lymphoproliferative disorder (LPD) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients undergoing first or second line standard dose (immuno-)CT. Data were collected from patient interviews and pre-planned chart reviews.

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma with progression to a clonally related, Epstein Barr virus+, cytotoxic aggressive T-cell lymphoma: evidence for secondary EBV infection of an established malignant T-cell clone.

We report a case of primary Epstein Barr virus (EBV) negative peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) NOS in a 56-year-old female who-after an initially indolent course - simultaneously developed an aggressive, EBV+ cytotoxic large T-cell lymphoma, clonally related to the primary PTCL, and an EBV+, clonal large B-cell lymphoproliferation. The initial, EBV-negative PTCL had shown some features of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma and had responded well to steroid therapy. Two years later, rapidly fatal, progressive disease with multivisceral involvement developed.

A novel regimen combining high dose cytarabine and bortezomib has activity in multiply relapsed and refractory mantle cell lymphoma - long-term results of a multicenter observation study.

Salvage therapy for patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) remains a challenge. The clinical course is characterised by increasing resistance to conventional chemotherapy and a dismal long-term outcome. On the basis of studies demonstrating synergy in vitro, eight heavily pretreated patients (median age 65 years) with advanced stage MCL were individually treated with a novel combination protocol consisting of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (1.

Ifosfamide, epirubicin and etoposide rituximab in refractory or relapsed B-cell lymphoma: analysis of remission induction and stem cell mobilization.

Chemotherapy with ifosfamide, epirubicin and etoposide (IEV) is an effective treatment regimen for refractory/relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Rituximab has been shown to improve response rates, progression-free survival and overall survival in B-cell NHL. This study included 85 patients who were treated with IEV or rituximab-IEV (R-IEV) for refractory/relapsed B-cell NHL.

Acupuncture and acupressure for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea--a randomised cross-over pilot study.

Objective: To investigate whether a combination of acupuncture and acupressure is effective for reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Patients And Methods: In a randomised cross-over trial, 28 patients receiving moderately or highly emetogenic chemotherapy and conventional standard antiemesis were treated for one chemotherapy cycle with a combination of acupuncture and acupressure at point P6 and for one cycle at a close sham point. The main outcome measure was a nausea score derived from daily intensity rating.

Immunohistochemistry in bone marrow pathology: a useful adjunct for morphologic diagnosis.

Pathomorphological examination of trephine biopsies of the bone marrow (BM) represents a standard method for the diagnosis and staging of hematologic neoplasms and other disorders involving the BM. The increasing knowledge about the genetic basis and biology of hematologic neoplasms, as well as the recently proposed WHO classification system, provide the framework for an accurate diagnosis. Although conventional morphology remains the gold standard for paraffin-embedded BM trephines, immunohistochemical stainings have become an integral part of the diagnostic workup.

Determination of individual S-values for 131I using segmented CT data and the EGS4 Monte Carlo code.

In individual voxel phantoms, which were segmented from whole-body computed tomography (CT) scans, S-values were calculated for (131)I using the EGS4 Monte Carlo code and compared to Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) S-values, which were derived from transport calculations in idealized mathematical phantoms. The individually calculated S-values agree very well with the MIRD values for organs, which are source and target simultaneously, when individual organ-mass corrections are applied to the MIRD values. For different source-target combinations, large deviations up to 184% were found.

Detailed analysis of five mutations in dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase detected in cancer patients with 5-fluorouracil-related side effects.

Complete or partial loss of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD or DYPD) function has been described in cancer patients experiencing severe side effects upon administration of the fluoropyrimidine anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). To investigate a genetic predisposition for 5-FU intolerance due to inherited DPD defects, we established a mutation detection assay based on denaturing HPLC. Analyzing four individuals with symptoms of 5-FU-related toxicity, we detected six distinct sequence variants in the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene (DPYD): one novel mutation, c.

[Interdisciplinary psychoeducational intervention by oncologists proved helpful for cancer patients].

Objectives: We prospectively evaluated the effects of a six-session psychoeducational intervention held by medical doctors or psychologists in a German acute cancer center setting.

Methods: A cluster randomization was used to assign n=108 oncologic patients (55 female, 53 male; mean age=58.5) to the intervention or the control group.

Immunotherapy with anti-CD20 compounds.

The B-cell surface antigen CD20 is currently the prime target for near-selective treatment of mature B-cell malignancies and a range of reactive B-cell associated disorders (including virus-associated lymphoproliferation or autoimmune conditions). CD20 is strongly and homogeneously expressed on the majority of mature B-cell neoplasms except chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells, and on all mature reactive B-cells. This review will summarise the modes of action of various reagents targeting CD20.

The oncogenic fusion protein nucleophosmin-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (NPM-ALK) induces two distinct malignant phenotypes in a murine retroviral transplantation model.

A t(2;5) (p23;q35) chromosomal translocation can be found in a high percentage of anaplastic large-cell lymphomas (ALCL). This genetic abnormality leads to the expression of the NPM-ALK fusion protein, which encodes a constitutively active tyrosine kinase that plays a causative role in lymphomagenesis. Employing a modified infection/transplantation protocol utilizing an MSCV-based vector, we were able to reproducibly induce two phenotypically different lymphoma-like diseases dependent on the retroviral titers used.

Biodistribution and kinetics of (131)I-labelled anti-CD20 MAB IDEC-C2B8 (rituximab) in relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The native chimeric human-mouse anti-CD20 antibody IDEC-C2B8 (rituximab) is therapeutically applied in relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the distribution and pharmacokinetics of iodine-131 labelled rituximab in humans for radioimmunotherapy of relapsed CD20-positive NHL. Thirty-five patients with relapsed NHL were administered 20-40 mg rituximab labelled with 250 MBq (131)I.

[Structured patient education in oncology. A prospective study for implementing and effectiveness of interdisciplinary psycho-educational group intervention at a German university clinic].

Aim: To identify the target group for a structured educational group intervention in an acute cancer care setting, and to prove its effectiveness.

Patients And Methods: Cancer patients were given an opportunity to join an educational group intervention lasting 3 weeks (consisting of six times 1 hour). The intervention consisted of two major components: health education and coping skills.