Postoperative dose-dense sequential versus concomitant administration of epirubicin and paclitaxel in patients with node-positive breast cancer: 5-year results of the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group HE 10/00 phase III Trial.

To explore the impact of dose intensity (DI) in the adjuvant setting of breast cancer, a randomized phase III trial was conducted comparing postoperative dose-dense sequential chemotherapy with epirubicin, paclitaxel, and cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil (CMF)in high-risk breast cancer patients. From Oct 2000 to June 2005, 1,121 node-positive patients were randomized to dose-dense sequential epirubicin 110 mg/m(2) and paclitaxel (Taxol, Bristol Myers-Squibb, Princeton, NJ) 250 mg/m(2) (group A), or concurrent epirubicin 83 mg/m(2) and paclitaxel 187 mg/m(2) (group B), both followed by three cycles of "intensified" combination chemotherapy with CMF. By protocol design total cumulative dose and duration of treatment were identical in both groups.

A randomized phase III trial of adjuvant chemotherapy with irinotecan, leucovorin and fluorouracil versus leucovorin and fluorouracil for stage II and III colon cancer: a Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group study.

Background: Colon cancer is a public health problem worldwide. Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical resection for stage III colon cancer has been shown to improve both progression-free and overall survival, and is currently recommended as standard therapy. However, its value for patients with stage II disease remains controversial.

Phase I trial of weekly irinotecan and paclitaxel combined with carboplatin in patients with advanced cancer: a Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group Study.

This trial aimed to define a recommended safe dose (RSD) of weekly paclitaxel and irinotecan combined with carboplatin in patients with advanced cancer. Patients with advanced cancer were eligible for this trial. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was considered to be any grade greater than or equal to 3 (G> or =3) nonhematological toxicity except nausea/vomiting, G4 hematological toxicity of more than 4 days without recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support, concurrent diarrhea G> or =2 and neutropenia G> or =3, and a treatment delay for more than 14 days because of toxicity.

Topoisomerase I but not thymidylate synthase is associated with improved outcome in patients with resected colorectal cancer treated with irinotecan containing adjuvant chemotherapy.

Background: Thymidylate synthase (TS) and Topoisomerase I (Topo I) are significant biomarkers in colorectal cancer (CRC). We aimed to study the expression of TS and Topo I in patients with resected CRC who received adjuvant chemotherapy and correlated it with clinical outcome.

Methods: All patients diagnosed with CRC between 1989 and 2007 and treated with adjuvant chemotherapy within Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group's (HeCOG) protocols, were identified.

Docetaxel and carboplatin combination chemotherapy as outpatient palliative therapy in carcinoma of unknown primary: a multicentre Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group phase II study.

Introduction: Taxane/platinum combinations exhibit synergistic cytotoxicity and activity against a broad range of solid tumours. We sought to optimise the regimen as a suitable outpatient palliative treatment for cancer of unknown primary (CUP).

Patients And Methods: Eligible CUP patients with adenocarcinoma or poorly differentiated carcinoma, performance status of 0-2, adequate organ function and assessable disease were treated with docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) and carboplatin at an area under the concentration time-curve (AUC) of 5, both as 30-minute intravenous infusions, every three weeks.

Evaluation of the prognostic role of a panel of biomarkers in stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a highly lethal disease worldwide and research for more effective treatment strategies is ongoing. Identification of molecular prognostic and predictive markers remains under investigation with results that are often conflicting.

Patients And Methods: Seventy-three patients (n= 73) with stage IB-IIIA completely resected NSCLC who were postoperatively treated with 6 cycles of paclitaxel and carboplatin from July 1998 to September 2002 took part in this study.

Expression of a molecular marker panel as a prognostic tool in gastric cancer patients treated postoperatively with docetaxel and irinotecan. A study of the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group.

Introduction: This study evaluated the prognostic role of vascular epidermal growth factor (VEGF), thymidylate synthase (TS), topoisomerase I (Topo-I), topoisomerase IIalpha (Topo-IIalpha) and E-cadherin (E-cadh) tumor expression, in patients with resectable gastric cancer, who were treated postoperatively with the docetaxel/irinotecan combination.

Patients And Methods: Forty-five patients with resectable gastric cancer were treated with 6 cycles of docetaxel 30 mg/m2 and irinotecan 110 m/m2 on day 1 and d8 every 21 days. All specimens were examined by using immunohistochemistry (IHC) for the expression of VEGF, TS, Topo-I, Topo-IIalpha and E-cadh.

Post-operative combined radiation and chemotherapy with temozolomide and irinotecan in patients with high-grade astrocytic tumors. A phase II study with biomarker evaluation.

Background: Clinical studies have shown that temozolomide (TMZ) and irinotecan demonstrate activity in high grade astrocytic tumors (HGAT). However, the optimal schedule of administration is unknown.

Patients And Methods: In the present study, a total of 45 HGAT patients, 38 with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and 7 with anaplastic astrocytoma (AA), were treated with TMZ, 150 mg/m(2) on days 1-5, followed by irinotecan, 150 mg/m(2) on days 6 and 17, every 4 weeks for 6 cycles or until the occurrence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression.

Three case reports of hand-foot syndrome with gefitinib.

Hand-Foot Syndrome (HFS) is commonly reported in treatment with liposomal doxorubicin (LD) and capecitabine. We present 3 cases of HFS recall with gefitinib after previous LD therapy. The first 2 cases, in patients with head and neck cancer previously treated with paclitaxel and LD, developed on subsequent therapy with gefitinib.

Paclitaxel, cisplatin, leucovorin, and continuous infusion fluorouracil followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group Phase II Study.

The primary objective of this phase II study was to access the complete response (CR) rate to a new innovative induction regimen in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer (LA-HNC). From October 2000 until October 2003 a total of 38 eligible patients (33 men and 5 women) entered the study. The large majority of them presented with a performance status of 0-1 and with clinical stage IV disease.

Brain metastases from epithelial ovarian cancer. The Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HeCOG) experience and review of the literature.

Background: Brain metastases from epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are rare. A retrospective study of all patients diagnosed with brain metastases from EOC over the last 20 years, according to the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HeCOG) tumor registry, was conducted.

Patients And Methods: A total of 1450 patients with EOC were treated within various HeCOG protocols from 1983 to 2004.

A novel chromatographic method for Ep-CAM mRNA detection in peripheral blood and bone marrow of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Background: The aim of our study was to detect Ep-CAM mRNA in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) samples of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, using a novel chromatographic method (molecular strip) for the detection of PCR amplified product and to confirm the results by the standard method of agarose gel electrophoresis.

Patients And Methods: Thirty patients participated in the present study providing 27 PB and 26 BM samples. PB samples were also obtained from 20 healthy volunteers.

Paclitaxel and gemcitabine, as first-line chemotherapy, combined with trastuzumab in patients with advanced breast cancer: a phase II study conducted by the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HeCOG).

Purpose: Advanced breast cancer (ABC) is an incurable disease. Standard first-line treatment for patients with HER-2/neu overexpressing tumors includes the combination of the humanized monoclonal antibody trastuzumab with chemotherapy, mainly paclitaxel. This combination is the first to demonstrate a survival advantage in this group of patients.

Continuation of trastuzumab beyond disease progression is feasible and safe in patients with metastatic breast cancer: a retrospective analysis of 80 cases by the hellenic cooperative oncology group.

Despite the widespread use of trastuzumab in the management of patients with HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer, its optimal duration of administration is unknown. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 80 such patients who received trastuzumab monotherapy or combination chemotherapy beyond disease progression in order to register their clinical course. Median age of the patients was 54 years.