Topotecan chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer and brain metastases: results of a pilot study.

Background: Symptomatic brain metastases occur in approximately 10-15% of patients suffering from breast cancer and are linked to a clear deterioration of the patient's condition. Although radiotherapy is recommended as a primary therapy, the optimal management remains controversial. To evaluate the role of topotecan as a primary chemotherapy for brain metastases, we performed a pilot study in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

[Is there a correlation between tubal occlusions in chronic salpingitis and urogenital chlamydia infections?].

A prospective study was performed to analyse the relationship between urogenital infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and occlusions of the fallopian tubes with histologically confirmed chronic salpingitis and salpingitis isthmica nodosa. 110 infertile patients were tested for C. trachomatis infection.

Embryonic losses after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

Early loss of embryos is a major problem after in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET). Because implantation of the embryo is a precondition for an increasing serum beta-hCG level, the embryonic development cannot be evaluated during the pre- and peri-implantation period. Early pregnancy factor (EPF) is a marker of the development of the embryo before and during implantation.

[Doppler ultrasound in monitoring twin pregnancies with early discordant growth].

Early growth retardation in one twin is complicated by a high fetal mortality and morbidity. It is often very difficult to determine the optimum time of delivery in regard to placental insufficiency and prematurity. We report of two cases in which doppler velocimetry was a helpful method in monitoring those pregnancies at high risk.

[Rate of early abortion after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer].

The high rate of implantation failures in infertile patients after in vitro fertilization must be regarded as the major problem of the kind of treatment. Usually, no information on the development of the embryo can be obtained for the time between embryo replacement and rising beta-hCG levels. Own studies on the early pregnancy factor (EPF) showed a positive reaction few hours following the contact of a fertilized oocyte with the endometrial surface.