Is irinotecan plus docetaxel useful as second-line therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer?

Introduction: The ability of doublet therapy in the second-line setting in patients with platinum-refractory non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not yet been proven. In this setting, docetaxel (D) has shown efficacy and irinotecan (I) has only recently been introduced. This study was initiated to explore the activity and tolerability of three D + I regimens in platinum pretreated NSCLC patients.

Calcium blockers in ischemic stroke.

The study investigated the evolution of 72-nifedipine treated cases with ischemic stroke. Dipyridamole was administered to 72 controls. Subjects showed clinical improvement, thus calcium blockers can constitute a therapy alternative.

Haemodilution therapy in acute ischaemic stroke.

The effect of hemodilution was studied in 106 acute ischaemic stroke patients (55 hemodiluted and 51 control subjects). The investigation did not show statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding the mortality rate and the degree of rehabilitation (modified Rankin Scale) but revealed a significant neurologic score (proposed by the Scandinavian Stroke Study Group) in the hemodiluted group. A correlation between the favourable score modification and the degree of hematocrit modification was also observed.