A phase II trial of weekly i.v. KW-2170 in advanced castrate-resistant prostate cancer.

Aim: KW-2170 is a novel pyrazoloacridone derivative that intercalates nucleic acids. It has promising in vitro properties against prostate and other cancers and is active in vivo against doxorubicin-resistant cell lines. We wished to investigate its activity and toxicity profile in this Phase II trial in androgen independent prostate cancer.

Phase II study of gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with previously untreated extensive stage small cell lung cancer: Southwest Oncology Group Study 9718.

Background: This phase II study (S9718) evaluated the antineoplastic activity and tolerability of the combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin in previously untreated patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC).

Methods: Chemonaive patients with ES-SCLC, received gemcitabine 1250 mg/m intravenously (IV) over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 and cisplatin 75 mg/m IV over 30 to 60 minutes on day 1. Treatments were repeated every 21 days for a maximum of six cycles.

Phase I study of Doxil and vinorelbine in patients with advanced malignancies.

Introduction: This study was designed to define the maximum tolerated dose of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil) and multiday vinorelbine (VNB), without and with prophylactic filgrastim, and to identify antineoplastic effect.

Patients And Methods: Patients with resistant cancers were treated with Doxil 50 mg/m2 every four weeks, and with VNB 15 mg/m2 on the same day. The VNB dose escalations were accomplished in subsequent patient cohorts by adding VNB doses on consecutive days.

Efficacy of gefitinib, an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase, in symptomatic patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a randomized trial.

Context: More persons in the United States die from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) than from breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer combined. In preclinical testing, oral gefitinib inhibited the growth of NSCLC tumors that express the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a mediator of cell signaling, and phase 1 trials have demonstrated that a fraction of patients with NSCLC progressing after chemotherapy experience both a decrease in lung cancer symptoms and radiographic tumor shrinkages with gefitinib.

Objective: To assess differences in symptomatic and radiographic response among patients with NSCLC receiving 250-mg and 500-mg daily doses of gefitinib.

Evaluating the effectiveness of epoetin alfa in community oncology practices.

Purpose: This retrospective case-series review studied the effectiveness of epoetin alfa in community oncology practices, which until now has not been well documented.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 118 cancer patients treated between 1999 and 2001 with cyclic chemotherapy plus epoetin alfa in 27 US community-based oncology practices. Two analysis sets were examined: one including all patients (n=118) and one including only those patients with no concurrent events impacting hemoglobin data interpretation (n=73).

Dose-intense chemotherapy every 2 weeks with dose-intense cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone may improve survival in intermediate- and high-grade lymphoma: a phase II study of the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG 9349).

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that therapy of intermediate- and high-grade (excluding Burkitt lymphoblastic) lymphoma with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) could be safely dose-intensified with routine filgrastim support.

Patients And Methods: Eligible patients were those who were previously untreated and who had either bulky stage II, or stage III or IV lymphoma with working formulation histology D, E, F, G, H, or J; performance status < or = 2; and acceptable end organ function. No upper age limit was specified.

Combination of fludarabine and mitoxantrone in untreated stages III and IV low-grade lymphoma: S9501.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy of combination fludarabine and mitoxantrone (FN) in untreated stages III and IV low-grade lymphoma. The major end point was to estimate progression-free survival (PFS) in all eligible patients.

Patients And Methods: Seventy-eight eligible patients were registered.