Maintenance therapy with gefitinib after first-line chemotherapy in patients affected by advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Chemotherapy extends life for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Second-line treatment of NSCLC includes the use of cytotoxic drugs; however, toxicity is of concern. One molecular target for lung cancer is the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

Evaluation of the impact of guidelines on tuberculosis control in Italy. National AIPO "Tuberculosis" Study Group. Associazione Italiana Pneumologi Ospedalieri.

This study was performed in Italy, where a central tuberculosis (TB) unit and national guidelines on TB control are lacking. The objectives of the study were: 1) to design comprehensive guidelines on TB control; 2) to discuss them within the scientific community and to present them to administrators and politicians: and 3) to evaluate their impact from a public health perspective. The ultimate goal was to improve TB control nationwide through a consensus-based initiative.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma. Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors on 113 patients.

We report on clinical features of 113 cases of pathologically confirmed Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma, observed in Genoa (Italy) between 1979 and 1985. Overall median survival was 10 months. Among the pretreatment variables studied (age, sex, asbestos exposure, pathological type, chest pain and dyspnea at the time of diagnosis), the only one of prognostic value in the univariate analysis was the histological subtype: median survivals were 12, 7 and 4 months for the patients in the epithelial, mixed, and fibrosarcomatous groups, respectively (p = 0.

Tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) in pleural effusions.

The usefulness of tumor marker assay in pleural effusions for differential diagnosis is still debated. From the observation of common antigens on tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and keratins 8, 18 and 19 and vimentin, all substances contained in normal and neoplastic mesothelium, we felt it opportune to evaluate the use of TPA assay in 105 pleural effusions (46 benign and 59 malignant). The values were much higher than those found in blood.

Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide and etoposide (ACE) in the treatment of small cell lung cancer.

Thirty-five small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients were treated with combination chemotherapy including adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide (ACE). Out of 32 evaluable patients there were 21.9% complete responses and 53.

Etoposide and high-dose cisplatin in good-risk patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Fifty patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung having good prognostic features (performance status less than or equal to 2; weight loss less than or equal to 10%; age less than or equal to 70 years; absence of brain metastases; and no prior treatment) were treated on an outpatient basis with etoposide (120 mg/m2 on Days 1, 3, and 5) and cisplatin (60 mg/m2 on Days 1 and 2) every 21-28 days. One complete response and 14 partial responses were observed, with a median duration of response of 170 days and an overall median survival of 230 days. Toxicity was generally mild.

The role of concurrent determinations of pleural fluid and tissue carcinoembryonic antigen in the distinction of malignant mesothelioma from metastatic pleural malignancies.

A combined determination of pleural fluid and tissue carcinoembryonic antigen (PF-CEA and T-CEA) by radioimmunoassay and immunoperoxidase staining technique respectively was performed in patients with malignant mesotheliomas (12), metastatic pleural carcinomas (17) and benign pleural diseases (seven). All PF-CEA-positive (greater than 39 ng/ml) cases were T-CEA-positive metastatic carcinomas. In contrast, 4/30 PF-CEA-negative (less than 39 ng/ml) cases were T-CEA-positive metastatic carcinomas (three cases) and idiopathic pleuritis (one case).

Carcinoembryonic antigen in pleural effusions. Diagnostic value in malignant mesothelioma.

The usefulness of the determination of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in pleural effusion was assessed as an aid to the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. The concentration of CEA was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in pleural fluid of 213 adult patients, of which 140 had malignant pleural disease and 73 had nonmalignant pleural disease. Pleural fluid CEA (PF CEA) was lower than 12 ng/ml in all 15 mesotheliomas.