Induction paclitaxel, carboplatin, and infusional 5-FU followed by concurrent radiation therapy and weekly paclitaxel/carboplatin in the treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer: a phase II trial of the Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, toxicity, and efficacy of a novel combined-modality treatment for patients with locally advanced squamous carcinoma of the head and neck.

Patients And Methods: In this multicenter, community-based phase 11 study, 123 previously untreated patients with locally advanced squamous carcinoma of the head and neck received 6 weeks of induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent high-dose radiation therapy and weekly chemotherapy. Induction chemotherapy included paclitaxel (200 mg/m2, 1-hour i.

Long-term follow-up of patients treated with paclitaxel/carboplatin-based chemotherapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: sequential phase II trials of the Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network.

Purpose: To provide long-term follow-up on the survival of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with paclitaxel/carboplatin-based regimens in a multicenter, community-based setting.

Patients And Methods: Between March 1995 and April 1998, 321 patients with newly diagnosed stage IIIB or IV non-small-cell lung cancer were treated on sequential phase II trials with the following combination regimens: paclitaxel/carboplatin, paclitaxel/carboplatin/gemcitabine, and paclitaxel/carboplatin/vinorelbine. Details of these three regimens and patient populations have been previously reported.

Paclitaxel, carboplatin, and topotecan in the treatment of patients with small cell lung cancer: a phase II trial of the Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, toxicity, and efficacy of a novel three-drug regimen containing paclitaxel, carboplatin, and topotecan followed by oral etoposide in the first-line treatment of patients with small cell lung carcinoma.

Methods: One hundred five patients with previously untreated, limited stage or extensive stage small cell lung carcinoma were treated in this multicenter, community-based, Phase II trial. All patients received paclitaxel 135 mg/m(2) by 1-hour intravenous (i.

Phase I study of JM-216 (an oral platinum analogue) in combination with paclitaxel in patients with advanced malignancies.

This phase I study was conducted to determine the dose limiting toxicity, maximum tolerated doses, and recommended phase II doses of the combination of JM-216 and paclitaxel. Patients received paclitaxel intravenously over one hour on day 1 of each cycle. Oral JM-216 was administered on days 1-5 starting after the paclitaxel infusion.

Gemcitabine, carboplatin, and paclitaxel for patients with carcinoma of unknown primary site: a Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network study.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the novel chemotherapy combination that includes gemcitabine, carboplatin, and paclitaxel in the treatment of patients with carcinoma of unknown primary site.

Patients And Methods: One hundred twenty patients were treated with the following regimen, administered every 21 days for a planned four courses: gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) intravenously (i.v.

Irinotecan plus gemcitabine induces both radiographic and CA 19-9 tumor marker responses in patients with previously untreated advanced pancreatic cancer.

Purpose: This phase II, multicenter, open-label, single-arm study evaluated the efficacy and safety of irinotecan and gemcitabine as combination chemotherapy for previously untreated patients with unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Patients And Methods: Patients received repeated 21-day cycles at starting doses of gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) over 30 minutes followed immediately by irinotecan 100 mg/m(2) over 90 minutes, both given intravenously on days 1 and 8. Patients were evaluated for objective tumor response, changes in the serum tumor marker CA 19-9, time to tumor progression (TTP), survival, and safety.

Rituximab as first-line and maintenance therapy for patients with indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: interim follow-up of a multicenter phase II trial.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the activity of rituximab (Rituxan; Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, CA, and IDEC Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA) in the first-line treatment of patients with indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and to evaluate the role of scheduled maintenance courses of rituximab in prolonging duration of remission. Sixty-two patients with stages II to IV indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (follicular or small lymphocytic) who had received no previous systemic therapy entered this multicenter, community-based trial. All patients received rituximab 375 mg/m(2) weekly for 4 consecutive weeks, and were evaluated for response at week 6.

Rituximab as first-line and maintenance therapy for patients with indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: Interim follow-up of a multicenter phase II trial.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the activity of rituximab (Rituxan; Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, CA, and IDEC Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA) in the first-line treatment of patients with indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and to evaluate the role of scheduled maintenance courses of rituximab in prolonging duration of remission. Sixty-two patients with stages II to IV indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (follicular or small lymphocytic) who had received no previous systemic therapy entered this multicenter, community-based trial. All patients received rituximab 375 mg/m weekly for 4 consecutive weeks, and were evaluated for response at week 6.

Weekly docetaxel with either gemcitabine or vinorelbine as second-line treatment in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung carcinoma: Phase II trials of the Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network.

Background: The current study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility, toxicity, and efficacy of weekly docetaxel when paired with either gemcitabine or vinorelbine as the second-line treatment of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung carcinoma.

Methods: Patients with progressive nonsmall cell lung carcinoma after one previous chemotherapeutic regimen, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2, and measurable lesions were eligible for treatment in these Phase II trials. Patients who had not received gemcitabine previously were treated with docetaxel, 30 mg/m(2), and gemcitabine, 800 mg/m(2), both of which were administered intravenously (i.

Paclitaxel and carboplatin adjuvant therapy alone or with radiotherapy for resected nonsmall cell lung carcinoma: a feasibility study of the Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility and toxicity of paclitaxel and carboplatin given in the adjuvant setting alone for patients with resected Stage IB disease and combined with radiotherapy for patients with resected Stages II and IIIA disease and selected patients with Stage IIIB and IV disease (Revised International System for Staging of Lung Cancer).

Methods: One hundred two patients with resected nonsmall cell lung carcinoma were treated in the postoperative period with 3 courses of paclitaxel 200 mg/m(2) intravenously (i.v.

Paclitaxel, carboplatin, and long-term continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil in the treatment of advanced squamous and other selected carcinomas: results of a Phase II trial.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, toxicity, and efficacy of the combination of paclitaxel, carboplatin, and long-term continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the treatment of advanced squamous carcinomas of various primary sites.

Methods: Patients were eligible for this trial if they had metastatic squamous carcinoma at any site except the lung. In addition, patients with locally advanced squamous carcinoma of the head and neck were eligible, if they were considered unlikely to be cured with combined modality therapy.

Volunteers' experiences of becoming arthritis self-management lay leaders: "It's almost as if I've stopped aging and started to get younger!".

Objective: To determine whether undergoing training to become a lay leader and conducting an arthritis self-management course is associated with improvements in physical and psychological health status, arthritis self-efficacy, use of self-management techniques, and visits to the general practitioner. In addition, we aimed to describe the experiences of training and course delivery from the older volunteers' perspective.

Methods: 21 participants completed all assessments and had a median age of 58, median disease duration of 10 years, and either osteoarthritis (n = 13) or rheumatoid arthritis (n = 8).

Weekly docetaxel in the treatment of elderly patients with advanced breast cancer: a Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network phase II trial.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel administered weekly to elderly or poor-performance status patients with advanced breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: Forty-one patients with advanced breast cancer who were either over the age of 65 or considered to be poor candidates for combination chemotherapy received docetaxel 36 mg/m2 weekly for 6 consecutive weeks, followed by 2 weeks without treatment. The median age of patients in this trial was 74 years, and 73% of patients had one or more visceral sites of metastases.

Paclitaxel-based three-drug combinations for the treatment of small cell lung cancer: a review of the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center experience.

Between June 1993 and September 1999, 217 patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) entered three sequential phase II trials evaluating novel paclitaxel-containing three-drug combination chemotherapy regimens. Patients with limited- or extensive-stage SCLC, no previous treatment, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 to 2 were eligible. Trials 1 and 2 evaluated the combination of paclitaxel, carboplatin, and etoposide; in the second trial, doses of paclitaxel and carboplatin were higher than in the first trial.

Weekly docetaxel as a single agent and in combination with gemcitabine in elderly and poor performance status patients with advanced non--small cell lung cancer.

Administering docetaxel weekly at a relatively low dose minimizes myelosuppression and reduces nonhematologic toxicities. In a community-based phase II trial conducted in 39 elderly or poor performance status patients with advanced non--small cell lung cancer, weekly 36 mg/m(2) docetaxel produced a response rate of 20%. The response rate was 26% in patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1.

Modification of eating attitudes and behavior in adolescent girls: A controlled study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based eating disorder prevention program designed to reduce dietary restraint and concern about shape and weight among adolescent girls.

Method: A total of 474 girls aged 13-14 years received the program as part of their normal school curriculum. An assessment-only control group included 386 pupils.

Taxane-based chemotherapy for patients with carcinoma of unknown primary site.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term follow-up on survival of patients with carcinoma of unknown primary site treated with taxane-based chemotherapy in a multicenter community-based setting.

Patients And Methods: Patients were treated with three sequential phase II trials between 1995 and 1998 as follows: Study I: paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 intravenously (i.v.

Gemcitabine in the second-line therapy of patients with carcinoma of unknown primary site: a phase II trial of the Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity of single-agent gemcitabine in previously treated patients with carcinoma of unknown primary site. Between January 1997 and October 1998, 39 patients were enrolled in this multicenter Phase II trial performed in the Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network. Twenty-seven patients (69%) had adenocarcinoma or poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma; 35 patients (90%) had previously received treatment with chemotherapy regimens containing both a platinum agent and a taxane.

Paclitaxel and gemcitabine chemotherapy for advanced transitional-cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract: a phase II trial of the Minnie pearl cancer research network.

Purpose: To evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel and gemcitabine in patients with advanced transitional-cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-four patients with advanced unresectable urothelial carcinoma entered this multi-centered, community-based, phase II trial between May 1997 and December 1999. All patients were treated with paclitaxel 200 mg/m(2) by 1-hour intravenous (IV) infusion on day 1 and gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) IV on days 1, 8, and 15; courses were repeated every 21 days.

Docetaxel (Taxotere) in combination with radiation therapy and the potential of weekly administration in elderly and/or poor performance status patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

A randomized phase II trial conducted by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B in patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer showed that induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy was feasible when cisplatin was administered together with either gemcitabine, vinorelbine, or paclitaxel. The dominant toxicity was esophagitis. Preliminary survival data are encouraging.

Rituximab as first-line systemic therapy for patients with low-grade lymphoma.

Rituximab (Rituxan; Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, CA and IDEC Pharmaceutical Corporation, San Diego, CA), the first monoclonal antibody available for the systemic treatment of cancer, yields a 48% response rate in patients with refractory low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This preliminary report describes the use of rituximab, instead of standard chemotherapy, in 39 previously untreated patients with stages II-IV low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma All patients received rituximab 375 mg/m2 by intravenous infusion for 4 consecutive weeks and were evaluated for response at week 6. Patients with stable disease or an objective response received repeat 4-week courses at 6-month intervals, for a maximum of four treatment cycles.

Docetaxel (Taxotere) in combination with radiation therapy and the potential of weekly administration in elderly and/or poor performance status patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

A randomized phase II trial conducted by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B in patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer showed that induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy was feasible when cisplatin was administered together with either gemcitabine, vinorelbine, or paclitaxel. The dominant toxicity was esophagitis. Preliminary survival data are encouraging.

Carcinoma of unknown primary site.

Background: The long term survival and toxicity associated with the chemotherapy combination of paclitaxel, carboplatin, and extended-schedule etoposide used for the treatment of patients with metastatic carcinoma of unknown primary site were evaluated.

Methods: Seventy-one patients were treated between March 1995 and November 1996 with paclitaxel, carboplatin, and oral etoposide every 21 days. Stable or responding patients received four to eight courses of therapy.

Monoclonal antibody therapy in lymphoid malignancies.

The concept of targeted therapy for patients with advanced cancer has intrigued researchers for many years. The lymphoid malignancies are particularly good candidates for this therapeutic approach, due to the identification of multiple lymphocyte-specific antigens. The recent introduction of rituximab marks the beginning of a new era in the treatment of lymphoid malignancies.