Quantification of the bombesin/gastrin releasing peptide antagonist RC-3095 by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Bombesin (BN) and its mammalian equivalent, gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), stimulate cell proliferation and are involved in the pathogenesis of several types of human cancer. BN/GRP and their receptors were shown to be critical for the growth of various human malignancies, such as small-cell lung, prostate, ovary, stomach and breast cancers in the human tumor xenograft model. In the present study, a fast, sensitive, robust method was developed for the determination and quantification of a BN/GRP receptor antagonist RC-3095 (D-Tpi-Gln-Trp-Ala-Val-Gly-His-Leupsi(CH2NH)Leu-NH2), in human plasma by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

Phase II trial of cisplatin plus decitabine, a new DNA hypomethylating agent, in patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

On the basis of the demonstrated single-agent activity of cisplatin in patients with advanced cervical cancer and the observation of in vitro synergism between this agent and decitabine, a new DNA hypomethylating agent, we designed a phase II trial in which the combined use of the two agents are used as first-line therapy in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic disease. Eligible patients were those with histopathologically proven diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, which was not considered suitable for curative surgery and/or irradiation, having measurable disease, leukocyte counts more than or equal to 4,000/microl, thrombocyte counts more than or equal to 100,000/microl, serum creatinine more than or equal to 1.5 mg/dl, and normal liver function tests.