Radiotherapy of non-small-cell lung cancer in the era of EGFR gene mutations and EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) occurs, approximately, in 80-85% of all cases of lung cancer. The majority of patients present locally advanced or metastatic disease when diagnosed, with poor prognosis. The discovery of activating mutations in the EGFR gene has started a new era of personalized treatment for NSCLC patients.

Long-term results of preoperative 5-fluorouracil-oxaliplatin chemoradiation therapy in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Aim: To evaluate the activity, safety and long-term survival of patients after preoperative oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil chemoradiation therapy in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Patients And Methods: Patients with resectable, T3-4 and/or nodal involvement rectal adenocarcinoma were treated with oxaliplatin 60 mg/m(2) weekly and 5-fluorouracil 200 mg/m(2)/d infused continuously for five days, over a period of five weeks, and radiotherapy (45 Gy/25 fractions). The primary end-point was pathological complete response (ypCR).

Biological predictive factors in rectal cancer treated with preoperative radiotherapy or radiochemotherapy.

We analysed the expression of microsatellite instability, p53, p21, vascular endothelial growth factor and thymidylate synthase (TS) in pretreatment biopsy specimens from 57 locally advanced rectal cancers. The aim of the study was to correlate the expression of these markers with pathological response. Nineteen patients were treated with preoperative concomitant radiotherapy (RT) and fluorouracil/oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy (RCT), while 38 had RT alone.

High-dose-intensity combination chemotherapy for advanced sarcomas: a pilot study.

A new polychemotherapy schedule involving high dose intensity and shortened intervals has been developed for patients with advanced sarcomas. Mesna at 2500 mg/m2 for 3 days, epidoxorubicin at 60 mg/m2 on day 1, ifosfamide at 2500 mg/m2 for 3 days, and dacarbazine at 450 mg/m2 for 2 days were given every 2 weeks to a consecutive series of 20 patients. All patients received granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; Filgrastim) subcutaneously at 300 microg from day 5 to day 12 of each cycle.

Tropisetron-dexamethasone combination for carboplatin-induced emesis.

Sixty-six patients being given polychemotherapy schedules including carboplatin entered an antiemetic protocol with tropisetron and dexamethasone at the dose of 5 mg and 8 mg respectively. A complete response (no episodes of vomiting) and a major response (less than or equal to 2 episodes of vomiting) were observed in 55 and and 7 patients respectively. It is concluded that the tropisetron-dexamethasone combination is highly active in the control of emesis induced by conventional doses of carboplatin in combination.