Assessing Clinical Outcomes in Colorectal Cancer with Assays for Invasive Circulating Tumor Cells.

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The goals of this study are to evaluate the association between levels of invasive circulating tumor cells (iCTCs) with CRC outcomes and to explore the molecular characteristics of iCTCs. Peripheral blood from 93 patients with Stage I⁻IV CRC was obtained and assessed for the detection and characterization of iCTCs using a functional collagen-based adhesion matrix (CAM) invasion assay.

Multicenter, randomized phase II trial of bevacizumab plus folinic acid, fluorouracil, gemcitabine (FFG) versus bevacizumab plus folinic acid, fluorouracil, oxaliplatin (FOLFOX4) as first-line therapy for patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

Purpose: To assess safety and efficacy of folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, gemcitabine (FFG) and folinic acid, fluorouracil, oxaliplatin (FOLFOX4) regimens with added bevacizumab as first-line treatment in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC).

Patients And Methods: Patients with Stage III unresectable or Stage IV adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum were randomly assigned to either FFG weekly for 6 weeks of an 8-week cycle or FOLFOX4 every 2 weeks. After FDA approval, bevacizumab 5 mg/kg was added every 2 weeks.

Abdominal aortitis after use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a recombinant human glycoprotein that promotes proliferation and differentiation of granulocytic-committed progenitors. It is commonly used to treat neutropenia and is generally well tolerated. Occurrences of rare but serious adverse events in association with the use of G-CSF have been described.

Isolation of circulating epithelial and tumor progenitor cells with an invasive phenotype from breast cancer patients.

Recent research advances show that tumor cell intravasation (entry into the circulation) and metastasis occur very early in breast cancer progression. Clinical studies also illustrate the potential importance of detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in outcomes of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Whether these cells exhibit the invasiveness and express tumor stem or progenitor markers, hallmark of the metastatic phenotype, is less well characterized.

A phase II trial of carboplatin and gemcitabine with exisulind (IND #65,056) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group study (E1501).

Background: Carboplatin and gemcitabine are one standard regimen for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The oral proapoptotic agent exisulind is a cyclic guanosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase that increases apoptosis in vitro. We performed a phase II trial of carboplatin and gemcitabine with exisulind in patients with advanced NSCLC.

A phase I/randomized phase II, non-comparative, multicenter, open label trial of CP-547,632 in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin or paclitaxel and carboplatin alone as first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Purpose: To evaluate the toxicity profile and pharmacological properties of oral CP-547,632 alone and in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin administered every 3 weeks, and to assess efficacy as measured by the objective response and progressive disease rates of oral CP-547,632 administered in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin.

Patients And Methods: Patients with stage IIIB/IV or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer receiving first-line chemotherapy were treated with oral daily CP-547,632 in combination with paclitaxel 225 mg/m(2) and carboplatin AUC = 6 every 3 weeks. Pharmacokinetics parameters for CP-547,632 and paclitaxel were determined independently and during co-administration.

Implication of delayed TNF-alpha exposure on dendritic cell maturation and expansion from cryopreserved cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors.

Most currently used systems for dendritic cell (DC) production from progenitors entail tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) at the onset of cell culture, based on the notion that TNF-alpha might be required in the early stages of DC development. To optimize conditions for DC expansion from cryopreserved cord blood (CB) CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors, we took a dynamic approach to define the timing of TNF-alpha exposure to the culture. We cultured cord blood CD34+ cells in RPMI-1640 with 10% human AB plasma, stem cell factor (days 1-6), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (days 1-18), interleukin-4 (days 6-18) and varying schedules of TNF-alpha (0-144 h after thawing).