In vitro stability of low-concentration ziconotide alone or in admixtures in intrathecal pumps.

Objectives: Ziconotide is often administered in combination with other analgesics via an intrathecal pump. Studies have established that ziconotide is stable when delivered alone in high concentrations. No stability data are available, however, for ziconotide given in low concentrations and/or with other analgesics as usually occurs in clinical oncology practice.

A new, validated wipe-sampling procedure coupled to LC-MS analysis for the simultaneous determination of 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide in surface contamination.

A wipe-sampling procedure followed by a simple liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of three cytotoxic drugs [5-fluorouracil (5FU), doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (CP)] for the determination of surface contamination. After a solid-phase extraction procedure with wiping filter paper, the separation was performed within 30 min using a gradient mobile phase. The method was validated according to the recommendations of the US Food and Drug Administration.

Autologous tumor cell vaccination plus infusion of GM-CSF by a programmable pump in the treatment of recurrent malignant gliomas.

We report on the safety and feasibility of autologous tumor cell vaccination combined with infusion of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor by a programmable pump in the treatment of recurrent malignant gliomas. The programmable pump is a promising tool used to infuse cytokines subcutaneously for vaccination. Our trial enrolled nine patients who had undergone surgery, radiation and had been successfully weaned off steroids.