Randomised comparison of weekly bolus 5-fluorouracil with or without leucovorin in metastatic colorectal carcinoma.

148 patients with advanced untreated colorectal cancer were randomised to receive a weekly bolus of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 600 mg/m2 alone, with or without leucovorin (LV) 500 mg/m2. 5-FU plus LV produced a higher response rate than 5-FU alone: 23% (5 complete response, 11 partial response) vs. 8% (2 complete response, 4 partial response) (P = 0.

Role of blood groups as prognostic factors in primary breast cancer.

The role of blood groups as risk factors for breast cancer and their predictive value after radical surgery have been retrospectively evaluated in 315 breast cancer patients. The AB0 group distribution in these breast cancer patients was not significantly different from that of control women. Patients with blood group 0 showed a significantly lower risk of death than those with groups A, B and AB.

Epidermal growth factor in breast cyst fluid: relationship with intracystic cation and androgen conjugate content.

In recent years, several studies focused on the biochemical analysis of breast cyst fluid composition. It has been shown that breast cysts lined by apocrine epithelium contain higher levels of potassium and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate as compared to cysts lined by flattened cells, and that women with apocrine cysts are more likely to develop breast cancer. In the present study, we measured the intracystic levels of sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEA-S), and epidermal growth factor (EGF), a factor which could play a role in the autocrine or paracrine control of breast cancer cell growth as recently proposed by some investigators.

Alternating tamoxifen and medroxyprogesterone acetate in postmenopausal advanced breast cancer patients--short and long term endocrine effects.

The endocrine effects of alternating tamoxifen and medroxyprogesterone acetate have been evaluated in 26 post-menopausal patients with metastatic breast cancer. Endocrine evaluations included the RIA determination of plasma levels of sex-hormone binding globulin, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, prolactin, cortisol, and testosterone. The evaluation of the study parameters at different intervals during therapy indicates that with this schedule an alternate sequential effect on the endocrine system is achievable because each drug exerts its own endocrine activity that is completely reversed when the other drug is administered.