Evaluation of the efficacy of cisplatin-etoposide and the role of thoracic radiotherapy and prophylactic cranial irradiation in LCNEC.

In small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), the role of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is well established. Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) shares several clinicopathological features with SCLC, but its optimal therapy is not defined. We evaluated clinical response and survival outcomes of advanced LCNEC treated in first-line therapy compared with SCLC.

Merkel cell carcinoma of the retroperitoneum with no identifiable primary site.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an extremely rare primary neuroendocrine neoplasm of the skin that shows aggressive behavior and a poor prognosis. We report a case of a 67-year-old male with a Merkel cell carcinoma which initially presented itself as a large retroperitoneal mass. Pathological and immunohistochemical analysis revealed tissue consistent with neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Capecitabine in elderly patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Aims And Background: Capecitabine is the reference treatment for anthracycline- and/or taxane-pretreated metastatic breast cancer (MBC). This study examined its efficacy, tolerability and impact on the quality of life of elderly patients with MBC.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2002 and December 2009, 75 consecutive elderly patients with MBC received first-line chemotherapy with capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 twice daily for 14 days every 3 weeks.

Efficacy and tolerability of long-acting octreotide in the treatment of thymic tumors: results of a pilot trial.

Objectives: Octreotide is a somatostatin analog, long-acting formulations of which have been used experimentally for the treatment of patients with invasive tumors and/or residual disease after conventional therapies. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of long-acting octreotide (Sandostatin LAR) for the treatment of thymic tumors, with a primary efficacy end point of progression-free survival.

Methods: Between 1994 and 2010, 44 patients with thymic malignancies were evaluated.