A phase II study of weekly docetaxel-cisplatin as first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: The combination of docetaxel and cisplatin is an effective first-line regimen in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. However, the recommended three-weekly schedule is associated with frequent neutropenia and infections. Because of the toxicity of cisplatin, patients may need to be hospitalized to ensure adequate hydration.

[Radiation therapy after mastectomy--interdisciplinary consensus puts and end to a controversy. German Society of Senology].

Background: Recent publications of the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group together with data from the British Columbia Trial have stirred major discussions concerning the role of radiation therapy after mastectomy. Different treatment approaches are to be found even within the same cancer center. The German Society of Senology, a cooperative group of all medical disciplines involved in the treatment of breast cancer, has therefore worked out a consensus statement.

[Economic limits in oncology].

Economic aspects require consideration even in oncology. However, they have to be seen in context with open questions concerning especially the evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness, of methodology, and particularly of ethics. Medical procedures and achievements should primarily be measured against objective results, against effectiveness and benefits.

Clinical and prognostic significance of the Philadelphia chromosome in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Between 1983 and 1991 the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1) was found in bone marrow and/or peripheral blood cells of 25 adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The Ph1 as sole anomaly was seen in 13 patients, while six patients had additional structural and another six structural and numerical aberrations. Most patients (23/25) received combination chemotherapy according to the BMFT protocols 1/81, 2/84, 3/87, and 4/89.

[Breast-conserving therapy in breast carcinoma--the indications and sequelae. The results of a multidisciplinary consensus meeting].

A multidisciplinary consensus development conference on the management of breast-preserving treatment in early breast cancer was organized in November 1989 in Berlin. Following a two-day discussion of data presented, conclusions and recommendations were achieved on the indication and limitation of breast conservation, the optimal technique as well as the diagnostic requirements and therapeutic strategies in context with breast conservation including follow-up.

[Therapy of chronic myeloid leukemia with interferon].

Several modalities are used for treatment of the chronic phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Most patients are treated with single agent chemotherapy. However, patients are cured only by isogenic or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation; otherwise the disease regularly proceeds to fatal blastic crisis.

[Therapy of hairy cell leukemia with interferon].

Hairy cell leukemia is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder which is morphologically characterized by circulating lymphatic cells with prominent 'hairy' cytoplasmatic projections. Patients typically present with pancytopenia and splenomegaly. The bone marrow cannot be aspirated because of reticulin fibrosis.

Chemoprophylaxis of bacterial infections in granulocytopenic patients with ciprofloxacin.

The trial was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial prophylactic efficacy of ciprofloxacin in reducing the frequency of infections in granulocytopenic patients. The frequency of infections was evaluated in 34 patients with acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, blast crisis of chronic myelogenous leukemia and other malignancies. 46 courses of oral prophylactic treatment with 500 mg ciprofloxacin twice daily were administered.

Idarubicin in refractory acute leukemia.

10 patients with resistant or relapsed acute leukemia (9 AML, 1 ALL) were treated with idarubicin (4-demethoxydaunorubicin) in combination with cytosine arabinoside +/- etoposide. All patients had been heavily pretreated. 9 AML-patients had previously received 2-4 cycles of TAD-9 regimen.

Empiric antibiotic treatment of infections in myelosuppressed cancer patients. Preliminary results.

A prospective, randomized study was performed to compare the efficacy and safety of mezlocillin plus sisomicin (Regimen A) and cefamandole plus tobramycin (Regimen B). Sixty-one episodes of documented infections were treated in 49 adult myelosuppressed cancer patients. About two-thirds of the patients treated with either regimen responded to this antibacterial therapy.

Correlation of chromosomal aberrations in a myeloma cell line with tumorigenicity in nude mice.

A human myeloma cell line (L 363) exhibiting several markers of malignancy including a 14q + chromosome marker was not tumorigenic in nude mice. Long-term cultivation in vitro resulted in new subclones with slight, well-defined chromosomal differences to the original line. Certain subclones turned out to have a growth advantage in vitro and became tumorigenic after transplantation in nude mice.

[Chronic lymphoproliferative disorder resembling hairy-cell leukemia (author's transl)].

Seven patients are presented with a chronic lymphoproliferative disorder characterized clinically by splenomegaly, no or discrete lymphnode enlargement, and a varying degree of cytopenia. In blood and bone-marrow smears lymphoid cells of "hairy" appearance are demonstrable which may contain tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase. The finding of a nodular bone-marrow infiltration without fibrosis as well as that of a nodular infiltration of the spleen originating in the white pulp are incompatible with the diagnosis hairy-cell leukemia and place the disease near to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or leukemic immunocytoma respectively.