Coagulation disorders in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer - should they really be disregarded?

The aim of the study was to analyse coagulation disorders in patients with locally advanced cancer of the head and neck (CHN)and with no other clinical cause for coagulation disorders treated with radiation therapy alone or concurrent chemoradiotherapy. We also assessed the duration of disorders in the course of therapy. The analysed group consisted of 33 patients with locally advanced CHN documented as stage T3 or T4 acc.

Cutaneous melanoma with nodal metastases in elderly people.

Background: The impact of age on melanoma patient outcomes is uncertain.

Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze the characteristics and treatment outcomes in cutaneous melanoma patients ≥ 65 years of age with lymph node metastases.

Methods: We analyzed data from 849 consecutive patients with stage III cutaneous melanoma who were treated between 1994 and 2007 at one institution.

Treatment of advanced dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans with imatinib mesylate with or without surgical resection.

Background: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare soft tissue sarcoma of the skin characterized by the presence of specific COL1A1-PDGFB fusion protein, which appears as a consequence of the t(17;22) (q22;q13) translocation.

Objective: The aim of the study was to perform an analysis of patients with advanced DFSP treated with imatinib, with or without surgery, in clinical practice outside trials.

Patients And Methods: We analysed the data of 15 patients (6 male, 9 female; median age 56 years) with locally advanced/initially inoperable and/or metastatic DFSP treated with imatinib 400-800 mg daily between 12/2004 and 06/2009.

Developments in targeted therapy of advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) comprise a recently defined entity of the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. Advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of GIST pathogenesis have resulted in the development of a treatment approach which has become a model of targeted therapy in oncology. The introduction of imatinib mesylate (inhibiting KIT/PDGFRA (platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha) and their downstream signaling cascade) has revolutionized the therapy of advanced (inoperable and/or metastatic) GISTs.