Impact of KRAS mutations on clinical outcomes in pancreatic cancer patients treated with first-line gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.

Although erlotinib has become an important therapeutic option in addition to gemcitabine, the high frequency of KRAS mutations in pancreatic cancer probably limits the benefits. We retrospectively studied 136 pancreatic cancer patients with available formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor blocks from 2003 to 2009 to understand the clinical significance of KRAS mutations in pancreatic cancer patients treated with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. KRAS mutations were analyzed by sequencing codons 12, 13, and 61.

High-dose ifosfamide as second- or third-line chemotherapy in refractory bone and soft tissue sarcoma patients.

Introduction: For patients with refractory bone and soft tissue sarcoma (STS), treatment options have been limited. Ifosfamide is an alkylating agent with well-demonstrated efficacy against STS, and dose-dependent activity. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), progression-free rate (PFR), and median duration of response to high-dose ifosfamide (HDI) as at least second-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced bone sarcoma and STS.

Prognostic factors in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib: a retrospective comparison with previously known prognostic models.

Background: Sorafenib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is now the treatment of choice for systemic therapy of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we present the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with advanced HCC who were treated with sorafenib.

Methods: Data of 201 sorafenib-treated, metastatic HCC patients were collected from a single institution tumor registry.

Analysis of prognostic factors of pediatric-type sarcomas in adult patients.

Objective: Pediatric-type sarcomas such as Ewing's sarcoma (EWS)/primitive neuroectodermal tumor family and rhabdomyosarcoma are relatively uncommon in adult patients. Optimal treatment strategies for this population and prognosis in adult patients compared with pediatric patients remain controversial.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed pediatric-type sarcoma patients older than 15 years at a single institution.

Phase I trial of capecitabine plus everolimus (RAD001) in patients with previously treated metastatic gastric cancer.

Purpose: Everolimus is a novel inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, which is aberrantly activated in cancer cell. We conducted a phase I study of capecitabine plus everolimus (RAD001) in refractory gastric cancer patients.

Methods: Patients with metastatic gastric cancer and progression after prior chemotherapy were eligible.

Primary CNS lymphoma other than DLBCL: a descriptive analysis of clinical features and treatment outcomes.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) constitutes most primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma (PCNSL), whereas T-cell, low-grade and Burkitt's lymphomas (BL) are rarely encountered. Due to the paucity of cases, little is known about the clinical features and treatment outcomes of PCNSL other than DLBCL. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes for patients with PCNSL other than DLBCL.

Oxaliplatin-induced chronic peripheral neurotoxicity: a prospective analysis in patients with colorectal cancer.

Purpose: Oxaliplatin-induced chronic peripheral neurotoxicity (OXCPN) manifests as a loss of sensation and dysesthesia in the distal extremities, which may impair daily activities and increase in incidence with the amount of oxaliplatin delivered. The variation in the reported incidence and severity of OXCPN may be a consequence of differences in the baseline characteristics of patients.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective study (ClinicalTrials.

Clinical presentation of carcinoma of unknown primary: 14 years of experience.

A carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) is a histologically confirmed metastatic cancer without a definitive primary site after performing a detailed medical examination. The purpose of the study was to classify unfavorable CUPs into more reliable disease entities, which reflect the clinical course. We reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with a CUP between January 1995 and March 2008.

Cardiac dysrhythmias,cardiomyopathy and muscular dystrophy in patients with Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1B.

Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD) and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1B (LGMD1B) are characterized by cardiac dysrhythmias, late-onset cardiomyopathy, slowly progressive skeletal myopathy and contractures of the neck, elbows and ankles. The causative mutation is either in the emerin gene (X-linked recessive EDMD) or lamin A/C gene (autosomal dominant EDMD2 or LGMD1B). We report three cases of EDMD, EDMD2 and LGMD1B.