5-Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in elderly patients: a north central cancer treatment group study.

Although 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy is commonly used in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC), little data exist on the tolerability and benefit of therapy in elderly patients. To compare toxicity, dose intensity, response rate, time to tumor progression, and overall survival for older and younger patients, we conducted a pooled analysis of 1748 patients, divided into 4 quartile-based age groups, from 4 North Central Cancer Treatment Group trials testing 5-FU with or without leucovorin for advanced CRC. Patients aged > 65 years had modestly higher rates of severe toxicity (grade >/= 3) overall (53% vs.

Sexual difficulties, concerns, and satisfaction in homosexual men: an empirical study with implications for HIV prevention.

Minimal research has investigated the prevalence of sexual disorders in homosexual men. We examined sexual performance concerns, problems, and satisfaction in a convenience sample of 197 homosexual men who attended a health seminar. Sexual dysfunction and sexual concerns were found to be common problems.

Gene therapy for the treatment of malignant brain tumors with in vivo tumor transduction with the herpes simplex thymidine kinase gene/ganciclovir system.

Murine retroviral vectors can infect a wide variety of proliferating mammalian cell types (e.g. lymphocytes).

Randomized comparison of two schedules of fluorouracil and leucovorin in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer.

Purpose: To compare two commonly used schedules of fluorouracil (5FU) and leucovorin in the treatment of patients with advanced metastatic colorectal cancer. Each of these dosage administration schedules has been demonstrated to be superior to single-agent bolus 5FU in previous controlled trials.

Patients And Methods: Three hundred seventy-two ambulatory patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were stratified according to performance status, and presence and location of any measurable indicator lesion(s).

A randomized prospective assessment of recombinant leukocyte A human interferon with or without aspirin in advanced renal adenocarcinoma.

We performed a prospective, controlled trial of recombinant leukocyte A interferon (IFN-alpha 2A) with or without aspirin (ASA) in 176 patients with assessable advanced renal cell cancer in light of a 34% response rate (10 of 29 patients) from the two-agent regimen in an earlier nonrandomized trial. This encouraging result was substantially higher than the 15% response rate typically achieved with IFN therapy alone. Eighty-seven patients received IFN-alpha 2A 20 x 10(6) U/m2 intramuscularly three times a week, and 89 received the same IFN therapy with ASA 600 mg orally four times each day.