Time spent for activation of non-profit studies in oncology in Italy.

Aim: The aim of this paper is to describe the time spent to activate oncological non-profit clinical trials promoted in Italy by the National Cancer Institute of Naples, following the implementation of recent European laws.

Methodology: Data about the process of activation of 5 non-profit multicentre clinical trials were prospectively collected through a web-based system. The impact of European guidelines was assessed by comparing the efficiency of the process between applications started before and after the decree introducing in Italy the Clinical Trial Application form (MD-CTA).

Vandetanib (ZD6474), a dual inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinases: current status and future directions.

Vandetanib is a novel, orally available inhibitor of different intracellular signaling pathways involved in tumor growth, progression, and angiogenesis: vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, epidermal growth factor receptor, and REarranged during Transfection tyrosine kinase activity. Phase I clinical trials have shown that vandetanib is well tolerated as a single agent at daily doses < or =300 mg. In the phase II setting, negative results were observed with vandetanib in small cell lung cancer, metastatic breast cancer, and multiple myeloma.

Synthesis and cytotoxic evaluation of novel spirohydantoin derivatives of the dihydrothieno[2,3-b]naphtho-4,9-dione system.

The synthesis and cytotoxic evaluation of 3-(alkyl)(alkyl-substituted)spiro[(dihydroimidazo-2,4-dione)-5,3'-(2',3'-dihydrothieno[2,3-b]naphtho-4',9'-dione)]derivatives are described. Evaluation of these analogues against the MCF-7 human breast carcinoma and SW 620 human colon carcinoma cell lines uncovered for most of the compounds a cytotoxic potency comparable to or greater than that of doxorubicin. Compound 15 exhibited remarkable cytotoxic activity against several other human solid tumor cell lines.