Brentuximab vedotin in relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma. The Hellenic experience.

This retrospective study aimed to describe the Hellenic experience on the use of brentuximab vedotin (BV) in relapsed/refractory (R/R) Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) given within its indication. From June 2011 to April 2015, ninety-five patients with R/R HL, who received BV in 20 centers from Greece, were analyzed. Their median age was 33 years, and 62% were males.

Unique localization of circulating tumor cells in patients with hepatic metastases.

Purpose: There are few data on the impact of immediate and differing surgical interventions on circulating tumor cells (CTCs), nor their compartmentalization or localization in different anatomic vascular sites.

Patients And Methods: CTCs from consecutive patients with colorectal liver metastases were quantified before and immediately after open surgery, laparoscopic resection, open radiofrequency ablation (RFA), or percutaneous RFA. For individuals undergoing open surgery, either hepatic resections or open RFA, CTCs were examined in both systemic and portal circulation by measuring CTCs in samples derived from the peripheral vein, an artery, the hepatic portal vein, and the hepatic vein.

Measurements of EGFR expression on circulating tumor cells are reproducible over time in metastatic breast cancer patients.

Aims: Studies of EGFR expression in breast cancer have shown inconsistent results due in part to a large range of methods used. Anti-EGFR therapy trials have often not used patient selection because of this. We describe the use of the CellSearch system (Veridex LLC, NJ, USA) to enumerate and measure EGFR expression on the surface of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), derived from the peripheral blood of individuals with metastatic breast cancer over time.

Bendamustine as a model for the activity of alkylating agents.

Attempts to administer personalized standard cytotoxic chemotherapy based on individual patient characteristics have been disappointing. Alkylating agents are one of the oldest classes of anticancer medicine with a wide variety of molecular actions and thus the potential for broad utility. Bendamustine hydrochloride, a new addition to this class, was previously developed in the 1960s and has now been trialled in hematological malignancies and many solid tumor types as monotherapy or in combination with the known standard of care.