Continuous infusion of high-dose 5-fluorouracil in combination with leucovorin and recombinant interferon-alpha-2b in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. A Multicenter Phase II study.

Background: 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), when combined with leucovorin (LV) or interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), may result in improved response rates compared with 5-FU alone in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. The authors investigated the clinical efficacy of combining these three agents for patients in this group.

Methods: Forty-five patients were administered outpatient high-dose 5-FU, 60 mg/kg/48 hours (2400 mg/m2/48 hours) continuous intravenous infusion on days 1 and 2; LV, 90 mg orally every 6 hour, 8 times during 5FU infusion; and recombinant IFN-alpha-2b, 10 x 10(6) IU/dose subcutaneously on days 1, 3, and 5.

Postprandial gallbladder motility and plasma cholecystokinin at regular time intervals after injection of octreotide in acromegalics on long-term treatment.

The increased risk of gallstone formation in acromegalics treated with the somatostatin analog octreotide has been related to an impaired gallbladder emptying. To determine the duration of these inhibitory effects, meal-stimulated gallbladder motility, plasma cholecystokinin (CCK), and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) were measured in five acromegalics treated for 6-32 months with 200-300 micrograms octreotide daily. Meal tests were performed 45 min, 8 hr and two weeks after the last 100-micrograms subcutaneous dose.

Aseptic bone necrosis in patients on glucocorticoid replacement therapy.

The incidence of aseptic bone necrosis in 167 patients on glucocorticoid replacement therapy in our hospital was found to be 2.4% (4 patients). The diagnosis was made 16 months to five years after initiation of the therapy.

The 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron re-establishes control in refractory emesis induced by non-cisplatin chemotherapy.

The efficacy and safety of two dose schedules of the 5-HT3 antagonist ondansetron (Zofran) were studied in 35 patients (group A: 19 patients, group B: 16 patients) previously refractory to standard antiemetics after non-cisplatin-based chemotherapy (greater than 5 emetic episodes). The maintenance of the antiemetic efficacy of ondansetron was further studied in 28 patients (13 A, 15 B) in respectively 36 and 48 retreatment courses. Ondansetron was administered as an 8 mg loading dose (A: 4 mg i.