The effect of a fermented soy beverage among patients with localized prostate cancer prior to radical prostatectomy.

Background: Fermented soy products have shown to possess inhibitory effects on prostate cancer (PCa). We evaluated the effect of a fermented soy beverage (Q-Can®), containing medium-chain triglycerides, ketones and soy isoflavones, among men with localized PCa prior to radical prostatectomy.

Methods: We conducted a placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial of Q-Can®.

The mental representation of occupational stereotypes is driven as much by their affective as by their semantic content.

Background: Studies on person perception showed that stereotypes can be activated by presenting either characteristic traits of group members, or labels associated to these groups. However, it is not clear whether these pieces of semantic information activate negative and positive stereotypes directly, or via an indirect cognitive pathway leading through brain regions responsible for affective responses. Our main objective with this study was to disentangle the effects of semantic and affective contents.

Tandem high-dose influenza vaccination is associated with more durable serologic immunity in patients with plasma cell dyscrasias.

Patients with plasma cell dyscrasias (PCDs) experience an increased burden of influenza, and current practice of single-dose annual influenza vaccination yields suboptimal protective immunity in these patients. Strategies to improve immunity to influenza in these patients are clearly needed. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial comparing tandem Fluzone High-Dose influenza vaccination with standard-of-care influenza vaccination.

Sibling Relations in Patchwork Families: Co-residence Is More Influential Than Genetic Relatedness.

In "patchwork" families, full siblings, maternal and paternal half-siblings, and non-related children are raised together, and sometimes, genetically related children are separated. As their number is steadily growing, the investigation of the factors that influence within-family relations is becoming more important. Our aim was to explore whether people differentiate between half- and full-siblings in their social relations as implied by the theory of inclusive fitness, and to test whether co-residence or genetic relatedness improves sibling relations to a larger extent.

Clinical and Serologic Responses After a Two-dose Series of High-dose Influenza Vaccine in Plasma Cell Disorders: A Prospective, Single-arm Trial.

Background: Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and other plasma cell disorders are highly susceptible to influenza infections, which are major causes of morbidity in this population, despite the routine administration of a seasonal influenza vaccination. Existing data are limited by small and retrospective studies, which suggest poor seroprotection rates of < 20% after standard influenza vaccination in patients with MM.

Patients And Methods: Patients with plasma cell dyscrasia (n = 51) were treated with a 2-dose series of high-dose inactivated trivalent influenza vaccine during the 2014 to 2015 influenza season.

Clinical evaluation of compounds targeting PD-1/PD-L1 pathway for cancer immunotherapy.

Significant enthusiasm currently exists for new immunotherapeutic strategies: blocking the interaction between programmed death-1 receptor on T-cells and programmed death-ligand 1 on tumor cells to boost immune system stimulation to fight cancer. Immunomodulation with the antiprogrammed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1 monoclonal antibodies has shown to mediate tumor shrinkage and extend overall survival from several pivotal phase I/II studies in melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer. This has prompted multiple large ongoing phase III trials with the expectation for fast-track FDA approvals to satisfy unmet medical needs.

Successful desensitization with cetuximab after an infusion reaction to panitumumab in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Background: Cetuximab and panitumumab are chimeric and fully human monoclonal antibodies, respectively, against epidermal growth factor receptor used in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Incidence of documented infusion reaction (IR) is more common with cetuximab (all grades [g]: 15-21%, g 3/4: 2-5%) than panitumumab (all g: 4%, g 3/4: 1%). Anecdotal reports suggest successful challenge with panitumumab following IR with cetuximab (Saif et al.

Rechallenge with cisplatin in a patient with pancreatic cancer who developed a hypersensitivity reaction to oxaliplatin. Is skin test useful in this setting?

Context: A recent meta-analysis suggests that the addition of oxaliplatin or cisplatin to gemcitabine can lead to improved survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, especially those with a good performance status. In an event of a platinum hypersensitivity reaction, the particular platinum salt is likely discontinued. Desensitization has shown benefit anecdotically but it is an intensive process.

Successful desensitization to oxaliplatin with incorporation of calcium gluconate and magnesium sulfate.

Since the results of the MOSAIC trial demonstrated an improved disease-free survival in stage III colorectal patients treated with oxaliplatin combined with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid when they were compared with those treated with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid alone, the addition of this organoplatin to 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid has become first-line adjuvant treatment for stage III colorectal cancer. Unfortunately, there is a small population of patients who develop grade III/IV hypersensitivity reactions to oxaliplatin which, until recently, have interfered with further treatment with oxaliplatin-containing regimens. Successful oxaliplatin desensitization protocols for patients having severe oxaliplatin hypersensitivity reactions have been reported.

Readministration of high-dose methotrexate in a patient with suspected immediate hypersensitivity and T-cell acute lymphoblastic lymphoma.

There is a paucity of literature addressing the management of methotrexate (MTX) hypersensitivity. We developed a high-dose MTX readministration protocol based on a modified, prolonged carboplatin desensitization protocol. Over 1.

Effect of etoposide on the pharmacokinetics of methotrexate in vivo.

The effect of etoposide on the pharmakokinetics of methotrexate (MTX) was examined in vivo. High-dose (5g/m2/24 h) MTX therapy was combined with two etoposide (100mg/m2/ 1 h) infusions as a part of the medulloblastoma protocol developed in our department. Vepesid therapy was administered in two different schedules.

Recombinant human erythropoietin in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced anaemia in children with malignant solid tumours.

This prospective, randomised pilot study was designed to evaluate safety, feasibility and efficacy of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) in the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced anaemia in children with solid tumours. 20 children (age 4-18 years) undergoing cyclic combination chemotherapy were randomised either to a control group or to receive rhEPO at a dose of 150 U/kg/dose subcutaneously three times/week for a minimum of 12 weeks or three chemotherapy cycles. Of 15 evaluable patients, 8 were randomised to the rhEPO group and 7 to the control group.

[In vivo effect of etoposide on the pharmacokinetics of methotrexate].

High dose (5 g/m2/24 h) methotrexate therapy was combined two times with etoposide (100 mg/m2/1h) infusions as a part of the Medulloblastoma protocol developed in our Department Vepesid therapy was administered in two different schedules. The first group of the patients have received etoposide immediately before and at the end (24th h) of methotrexate treatment. The second group was treated with etoposide at 24 h and at 48 hour after starting methotrexate infusion.

Diffuse plasmacytosis in a child with brainstem glioma following multiagent chemotherapy and intensive growth factor support.

The use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in order to abrogate chemotherapy-induced neutropenia has become a routine part of many cancer treatment regimes. However, there are still very few data available about possible complications related to repeated or prolonged use of these agents in patients with malignant solid tumors. The authors report a child with brainstem glioma who received repeated cycles of multiagent chemotherapy with G- or GM-CSF support.

Administration of Ethyol (amifostine) to a child with medulloblastoma to ameliorate hematological toxicity of high dose carboplatin.

The first report on the administration of the chemoprotective agent Ethyol (amifostine) in conjunction with high dose carboplatin to a patient in the pediatric/adolescent age group is presented. A 17 year old teenager with recurrent cerebellar medulloblastoma received a total of five courses of high dose carboplatin 2 x 600 mg/m2 (1200 mg/m2 total) in each cycle. A complete response has been observed following the third treatment cycle.

Tumoral Calcinosis in Infancy. A light and electron microscopic study with X-ray microanalysis.

The most frequent form of idiopathic calcinosis is tumoral calcinosis (TC) which rarely occurs at young ages. We describe here a TC case of a young boy with its light microscopy completed with electron microscopic examinations. X-ray microanalysis revealed in the intracellular crystals CaCl2 besides the previously described hydroxyapatite.

[Pharmacokinetic study of dibromodulcitol in children with brain tumors].

Systemic pharmacokinetics of high-dose (500 mg/m2), orally administered dibromodulcitol (Elobromol) were studied in 16 chemotherapeutic courses administered to 5 patients. Cerebrospinal fluid dibromodulcitol levels were also analysed in two patients. Bromoepoxydulcitol, dianhydrodulcitol are cytotoxic, whereas bromoanhydrodulcitol, andhydroepoxydulcitol are inactive metabolites detectable during the biotransformation of dibromodulcitol.

Pharmacokinetic studies on Elobromol in children with brain tumors.

Systemic pharmacokinetics of high dose (500 mg/m2), orally administered Elobromol (dibromodulcitol, DBD) were studied in 16 chemotherapeutic courses administered to five patients. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) DBD levels were also analyzed in two patients. Bromoepoxydulcitol (BED), dianhydrodulcitol (DAD) are cytotoxic, whereas bromoanhydrodulcitol (BAD) and anhydroepoxydulcitol (AED) are inactive metabolites detectable during the biotransformation of DBD.

Human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in pediatric oncology practice.

This paper reports preliminary experiences with human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in children with malignant diseases administered for three indications: (1) chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and sepsis, (2) prolonged neutropenia decreasing dose intensity, and (3) prevention of neutropenia after sublethal doses of chemotherapy. It was concluded that in the daily dose of 5 micrograms/kg subcutaneously, GM-CSF is capable of reducing the duration of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and may be an effective tool in maintaining dose intensity and achieving dose escalation.

[Poly-electrolyte fractionated porcine factor VIII in the treatment of hemophilia A].

In approximately 10 to 15 percent of congenital hemophilia A patients circulating antibodies to factor VIII appear in the blood that poses a serious problem in their treatment. A number of methods and preparations are used in the clinical practice to overcome this problem. Authors report their favourable clinical experience with the administration of polyelectrolyte-fractionated porcine factor VIII.

[First experience with the use of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor in pediatric oncology].

Authors report their first experiences with the application of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor in 12 pediatric cancer patients (14 cases). The drug was given in a 5 micrograms/kg single daily dose subcutaneously. Patients were divided into three main indication groups: 1.

[Use of ondansetron, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, as a new type of antiemetic in pediatric oncology].

The effectiveness of the new antiemetic drug, the 5-hydroxytryptamin (5-HT) receptor antagonist ondansetron was evaluated in paediatric cancer patients. 5-HT3 antagonists represent a new class of drugs effective in the control of chemo- and radiotherapy-induced emesis. Based on their selectivity 5-HT3 antagonist are free from extrapyramidal side effects, a major problem in children in the case of currently used dopamine receptor antagonists (e.