Randomised trial of gemcitabine versus flec regimen given intra-arterially for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Gemcitabine is considered the golden standard treatment for unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Intra-arte-rial drug administration had shown a deep rationale with some interesting results. In a multicenter phase III trial, we compared gemcitabine given weekly with a combination of 5-fluoruracil, leucovorin, epirubicin, carboplatin (FLEC) administered intra-arteriously as first-line therapy in unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Usefulness of gadolinium in MRI evaluation of non surgically treated herniated disk.

Purpose: The rationale for the use of Gadolinium (Gd) in the MRI evaluation of non surgically treated herniated disk is based on the known presence of inflammatory granulation tissue and neoangiogenesis which plays an important role in both pain and the spontaneous resorption of the hernia.

The Aim: of this study was to determine the usefulness of Gd in MRI examination for detecting the inflammatory reaction around the discal hernia.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-eight patients (mean age 45 years; range 20-70 years) with non surgically treated herniated disk were evaluated with MRI between January 2000 and July 2004.

Gemcitabine versus FLEC regimen given intra-arterially to patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer: a prospective, randomized phase III trial of the Italian Society for Integrated Locoregional Therapy in Oncology.

Gemcitabine is considered the gold standard treatment for unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Intra-arterial drug administration had shown some interesting results in small phase II studies. In this study, patients were randomly assigned to receive gemcitabine at a dose of 1,000 mg/m2 over 30 minutes intravenously weekly for 7 weeks, followed by 1 week of rest, then weekly for 3 weeks every 4 weeks or FLEC: 5-fluoruracil 1,000 mg/m2, leucovorin 100 mg/m2, epirubicin 60 mg/m2, carboplatin 300 mg/m2 infused bolus intra-arterially into celiac axis at a 3-week interval 3 times or 5-fluorouracil 400 mg/m2 plus folinic acid 20 mg/m2 for 5 days every 4 weeks for 6 cycles.

Intra-arterial chemotherapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Background: A phase II trial of a new intra-arterial chemotherapy regimen for unresectable pancreatic cancer (UPC).

Patients And Methods: Ninety-six patients with UPC were treated with intra-arterial chemotherapy at three-weekly intervals. The schedule used was FLEC: 5-fluorouracil 1000 mg/m2, folinic acid 100 mg/m2, carboplatin 300 mg/m2; epirubicin 60 mg/m2.

Percutaneous excimer laser angioplasty of lower limb vessels: results of a prospective 24-month follow-up.

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the effectiveness and the long-term patency effect of excimer laser angioplasty in peripheral arterial obstructive disease. Seventy-eight patients referred for excimer laser angioplasty of lower limbs have been followed up for up to 24 months. Ankle/brachial systolic pressure index, color Doppler mapping, and arterial digital subtraction angiography were performed.