Predictive Value of Early Skin Rash in Cetuximab-Based Therapy of Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer.

Randomized trials in advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) did not show benefit of cetuximab addition over chemotherapy. This is probably due to the lack of predictive biomarkers. The aim of this study was to explore possible predictive factors.

Cetuximab, gemcitabine and capecitabine in patients with inoperable biliary tract cancer: a phase 2 study.

Purpose: Biliary tract cancer is rare and has dismal prognosis. Chemotherapy has its role in inoperable disease but the role of targeted agents like cetuximab remains to be defined. On the basis of high epidermal growth factor receptor expression of biliary tract cancers this study aims to investigate the efficacy of cetuximab, gemcitabine and capecitabine in an exploratory phase 2 trial.

Adjuvant docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide in node-positive breast cancer: 10-year follow-up of the phase 3 randomised BCIRG 001 trial.

Background: We compared standard adjuvant anthracycline chemotherapy with anthracycline-taxane combination chemotherapy in women with operable node-positive breast cancer. Here we report the final, 10-year follow-up analysis of disease-free survival, overall survival, and long-term safety.

Methods: BCIRG 001 was an open label, phase 3, multicentre trial in which 1491 patients aged 18-70 years with node-positive, early breast cancer and a Karnofsky score of 80% or more were randomly assigned to adjuvant treatment with docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (TAC) or fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC) every 3 weeks for six cycles.

Inflammatory breast cancer-comparing the effectivity of preoperative docetaxel-epirubicine protocol to conventional antracycline-containing chemotherapy to achieve clinical benefit and complete pathological response.

Our retrospective analysis compared the effectiveness of conventional antracycline-containing protocols (A+) and docetaxel/epirubicine (TE) as primary systemic chemotherapies (PSCT) for inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Seventy IBC patients received either A + (n = 48) or TE (n = 22) as PSCT. The objective clinical response and clinical benefit rate of treated patients were 54.

[Changes in renal function during bisphosphonate treatment of breast cancer patients].

Renal function aberrations during bisphosphonate treatment is a well-known phenomenon. In our retrospective study we examined renal functions of 97 breast cancer patients with bone metastasis during their first year of bisphosphonate treatment i.e.

Adjuvant docetaxel for node-positive breast cancer.

Background: We compared docetaxel plus doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (TAC) with fluorouracil plus doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (FAC) as adjuvant chemotherapy for operable node-positive breast cancer.

Methods: We randomly assigned 1491 women with axillary node-positive breast cancer to six cycles of treatment with either TAC or FAC as adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. The primary end point was disease-free survival.

Adjuvant therapy of breast cancer with docetaxel-containing combination (TAC).

The adjuvant chemotherapy of breast cancer changed in the past two decades. Docetaxel containing regimens are highly active in metastatic breast cancer. A logical approach was their incorporation into trials of early breast cancer adjuvant therapy.

[Hungarian experience with docetaxel combination (TAC) in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer. Results of BCIRG 001 randomized, multicentric, phase III trial].

Aim: The authors present the Hungarian interim analysis and experience with the BCIRG 001 randomized, multicentric, phase III clinical trial comparing TAC (docetaxel, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide) and FAC (5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide) in the adjuvant treatment of node positive breast cancer patients. The results are presented according to international data.

Patients And Methods: Three Hungarian centers - St.

Effect of toremifene in breast cancer patients. Preliminary communication.

Toremifene, an antiestrogenic drug administered at three dose levels (60, 120, and 300 mg/day) was investigated in 17 postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer previously treated with hormonal and/or cytostatic therapy. The drug proved to be well tolerated at all dose levels without any serious side effects even on prolonged administration. Neither response nor side effects have shown any dose dependency in this small group of patients.

Activity of epirubicin and dibromodulcitol in advanced breast cancer. Results of the South-East European Oncology Group Study.

The therapeutic efficacy of the combination of epirubicin + dibromodulcitol was evaluated in 108 previously treated or untreated patients with advanced breast cancer. The overall response rate was 39.8%, complete remission 3.

Activity of epirubicin in combination chemotherapy of advanced ovarian cancer. Results of the South-East European Oncology Group (SEEOG) Study.

The therapeutic efficacy of the combination of cyclophosphamide + epirubicin + cisplatin was evaluated in 107 previously treated or untreated patients with advanced ovarian cancer. The overall response rate was 58.8%, complete remission 36.

Gamma-chain heavy-chain disease with primary thyroid plasmacytoma.

A case of gamma-chain heavy-chain disease was associated with primary thyroid plasmacytoma. The patient has been free of complaints for two years since the removal of the tumorous thyroid. The heavy-chain fragment (molecular weight, 32,000 daltons) has disappeared from the serum and urine, while the previously low levels of normal immunoglobulins have increased.

Pain killing with calcitonin in patients with malignant tumours.

The most essential role of Miacalcic (Calcitonin Sandoz), a 32-amino-acids peptide, is the preservation of osseal integrity. Based on this physiological fact it is assumed that this hormone may have a bone-regenerating effect in bone metastasis formation and sometimes in other malignancies. Though no considerable calcium incorporation could be revealed in our 58 patient treated with Miacalcic, a marked relief of pain was observed in 65.

Renal response to graded intravenous hypertonic NaCl infusion in healthy and hypertensive subjects:dose-related impairment in distal NaCl reabsorption.

The effects of graded acute intravenous hypertonic NaCl loads on the baseline relationship between osmolal clearance and free water reabsorption established during high NaCl dietary intake and on the fractional excretion of various ions were investigated in 15 healthy subjects and in 12 "normal renin" essential hypertensive patients. No significant influence on the baseline relationship could be demonstrated after a moderate NaCl load in the healthy subjects, while free water reabsorption was depressed by the same intervention in the hypertensive patients. High NaCl loads induced depression of free water reabsorption in a dose-related fashion in both groups.

Reversal of the suppressed potassium excretion during treatment with combinations of antikaliuretic drugs (spironolactone, canrenone, triamterene, amiloride) in patients with liver cirrhosis.

"Refractory" ascites was drained off by combinations of antialdosterone (spironolactone, canrenone) and pseudoantialdosterone (triamterene, amiloride) drugs inducing as high sodium excretion as 100 mEq per day in two patients with liver cirrhosis kept on a 9 mEq Na diet. Potentiation of the natriuretic effects of the two types of antikaliuretic drugs occurred by real synergism rather than addition. Although natriuretic acitivity showed a typical dose-related pattern, potassium excretion was unpredictable.

Effect of 1-deamino-5-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) on plasma cortisol (hydrocortisone).

The influence of 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP), the new antidiutetic polypeptide without any side effects on plasma cortisol, was investigated in 30 healthy persons. A dose of 4 mug DDAVP administered intravenously induced a rise in plasma cortisol (hydrocortisone) levels greater than 3.5 mug/100 ml in 12 out of 20 persons studied.

Opposite effects of spironolactone and amiloride on potassium excretion in a patient with ascites due to liver cirrhosis.

Potassium excretion was enhanced by spironolactone and it was inhibited by amiloride in a patient with ascites. One drug's effect was counteracted by the other when they were used in combination. Individual variation in the sites of action of antikaluretic drugs might be a possible explanation for the unpredictable changes in potassium excretion induced by these agents.

Dose-response relations in drug-induced inappropriate secretion of ADH: effects of clofibrate and carbamazepine.

The effect of different doses of clofibrate and carbamazepine on water metabolism was compared in a patient with psychogenic polydipsia. A definite relationship was found between the doses of both drugs and the antidiuretic effect. Daily 2--4 g clofibrate was ineffective, but 6--8 g induced the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of ADH.