Efficacy and feasibility of standard procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine chemotherapy in anaplastic oligodendroglioma and oligoastrocytoma recurrent after radiotherapy. A Phase II study.

Background: To the authors' knowledge, there is a scarcity of accurate data regarding the feasibility of standard chemotherapy with procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV) in a homogeneous series of patients with primary anaplastic oligodendroglioma (AO) and oligoastrocytoma (AOA) that was recurrent after surgery and standard radiotherapy. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the overall response rate, toxicity, and time to progression (TTP) with the use of standard PCV in this setting.

Methods: Between November 1994 and September 2000, 37 patients were enrolled in the current study.

First-line chemotherapy with cisplatin plus fractionated temozolomide in recurrent glioblastoma multiforme: a phase II study of the Gruppo Italiano Cooperativo di Neuro-Oncologia.

Purpose: Cisplatin and temozolomide (TMZ) are active in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), with different profiles of toxicity. A bid regimen of TMZ achieves a strong inhibition of O(6)-alkylguanine DNA-alkyl transferase (AGAT), and cisplatin reduces AGAT activity in vitro, suggesting a possible synergic interaction. The primary end point of the present multicenter phase II study was progression-free survival (PFS) at 6 months (PFS-6); secondary end points included response, toxicity, and overall survival.

A multicenter study of the prognosis and treatment of adult brain ependymal tumors.

Background: The current analysis of outcomes in a large series of adult patients with intracranial ependymal tumors contributes to the characterization of the primary prognostic factors and to the therapeutic management of this rare disease, for which limited information is available in the literature.

Methods: The authors analyzed data on patient and tumor characteristics, treatment, and survival in a series of 70 patients age > 17 years with pathologic diagnoses of brain ependymal tumors from 4 institutions.

Results: The 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates (+/- standard errors) were 67% +/- 6% and 50% +/- 8%, respectively.

The treatment of adults with medulloblastoma: a prospective study.

Purpose: To assess in a prospective trial the value of prognostic factors and the outcome of medulloblastoma in adults.

Methods And Materials: Patients (> or =18 years) with a histologic diagnosis of medulloblastoma were staged according to Chang et al.'s classification (low risk: T1, T2, T3a, M0, and no residual disease after surgery; high risk: T3b-T4, any M+ or postoperative presence of residual tumor).

Prevalence of breast cancer in women with breast complaints. Retrospective analysis in a population of symptomatic patients.

Background: The aim of the present study was to analyze whether any correlation exists between breast complaints and the risk of having or developing breast cancer (BC) in a population of self-selected women.

Patients And Methods: A series of 2,561 patients was reviewed. Three age-groups were sorted out: Group A (40 years old or younger, 45.

A prospective study on glioblastoma in the elderly.

Background: Elderly patients (age > 65 years) with glioblastoma multiforme frequently are excluded from clinical studies, and prospective trials for patients with this age group do not exist to date.

Methods: The authors conducted a prospective trial in 79 consecutive elderly patients with glioblastoma who underwent surgery and received radiotherapy (59.44 grays in 33 fractions; Group A; n = 24 patients) or received the same radiotherapy plus adjuvant chemotherapy with procarbizine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV; lomustine 110 mg/m(2) on Day 1, procarbazine 60 mg/m(2) on Days 8-21, and vincristine 1.

Controversies in the therapy of low-grade glioma: when and how to treat.

Treatment of low-grade gliomas is one of the most challenging management dilemmas in neuro-oncology. Young age of onset and low rate of growth theoretically favor minimally invasive treatments. Yet, local recurrence and conversion to malignant glioma are the expected outcome within 4-8 years from diagnosis and impose the use of additional therapies, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Non-cytotoxic therapies for malignant gliomas.

Malignant gliomas cause 2% of cancer deaths in western countries, and even the most intensive combinations of radiotherapy and chemotherapy cannot be curative. New chemotherapeutic drugs and alternative therapeutic modalities are strongly needed. Huge efforts are directed towards the development of innovative strategies for targeting and mending the specific molecular alterations in tumor cells (translational research).