SIRFLOX: Randomized Phase III Trial Comparing First-Line mFOLFOX6 (Plus or Minus Bevacizumab) Versus mFOLFOX6 (Plus or Minus Bevacizumab) Plus Selective Internal Radiation Therapy in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

Purpose: SIRFLOX was a randomized, multicenter trial designed to assess the efficacy and safety of adding selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) using yttrium-90 resin microspheres to standard fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX)-based chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer.

Patients And Methods: Chemotherapy-naïve patients with liver metastases plus or minus limited extrahepatic metastases were randomly assigned to receive either modified FOLFOX (mFOLFOX6; control) or mFOLFOX6 plus SIRT (SIRT) plus or minus bevacizumab. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) at any site as assessed by independent centralized radiology review blinded to study arm.

Sustained virological response with intravenous silibinin: individualized IFN-free therapy via real-time modelling of HCV kinetics.

Background & Aims: Intravenous silibinin (SIL) is a potent antiviral agent against hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype-1. In this proof of concept case-study we tested: (i) whether interferon-alfa (IFN)-free treatment with SIL plus ribavirin (RBV) can achieve sustained virological response (SVR); (ii) whether SIL is safe and feasible for prolonged duration of treatment and (iii) whether mathematical modelling of early on-treatment HCV kinetics can guide duration of therapy to achieve SVR.

Methods: A 44 year-old female HCV-(genotype-1)-infected patient who developed severe psychiatric adverse events to a previous course of pegIFN+RBV, initiated combination treatment with 1200 mg/day of SIL, 1200 mg/day of RBV and 6000 u/day vitamin D.

[Shaare Zedek Medical Center's model of an integrated division of internal medicine].

Background: The specialty and practice of internal medicine have been subject to serious challenges in the last two decades.

Methods: We describe the integrative model of internal medicine as developed in our hospital, providing solutions to some major challenges.

Results: Major components include: (1) Senior physicians and residents are employed by the Division rather than individual Departments of Medicine, allowing for balanced distribution of professional capabilities.

Adjuvant chemotherapy and whole abdominal irradiation for gastric carcinoma.

Aims And Background: To analyze the efficacy and toxicity of adjuvant chemotherapy followed by whole abdominal irradiation in the treatment of resectable gastric cancer with positive lymph nodes.

Methods And Study Design: Between 1996 and 1999, 10 patients with node-positive gastric cancer underwent complete gross resection and were treated by postoperative chemoradiotherapy. The chemotherapy regimen consisted of 5-fluorouracil, 1000 mg/m2/day as a 96-hr continuous infusion on day 1, and cisplatin, 100 mg/m2 on day 2, every 21 days.

Weekly infusional high-dose 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin and biweekly cisplatin: a convenient treatment option in advanced gastric cancer.

Background: To summarize our experience using a regimen of weekly 5-FU and leucovorin (LV) and biweekly cisplatin (CDDP) in advanced gastric cancer (AGC).

Material/methods: Patients had previously untreated histologically confirmed AGC. Treatment consisted of intravenous weekly infusional 5-FU and LV and biweekly CDDP, given for 6 weeks followed by a 2-week rest.

[Body weight, nutritional factors and physical activity--their influence on prognosis after breast cancer diagnosis].

Numerous studies have examined the association between body weight, nutritional factors, physical activity and the risk for primary breast cancer. Relatively few studies, however, have examined the associations between these issues and the recurrence of the disease and cure of the primary tumor. Today, three areas of focus are actively being researched for breast cancer survivors: body weight, diet composition and physical activity with specific emphasis on the risk for recurrence, survival and quality of life.

Involvement of the immune response in the cure of metastatic murine CT-26 colon carcinoma by low electric field-enhanced chemotherapy.

Low electric field cancer treatment-enhanced chemotherapy (LEFCT-EC) is a new treatment modality that combines chemotherapeutic agents and low electric field stimulation. LEFCT-EC was found to destroy malignant mouse tumors and cause massive death of tumor cells. This may enable the immune system cells to efficiently recognize and eliminate tumor cells at the primary tumor site and at metastatic foci.

High-b-value diffusion-weighted MR imaging for pretreatment prediction and early monitoring of tumor response to therapy in mice.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with standard and high b values for pretreatment prediction and early detection of tumor response to various antineoplastic therapies in an animal model.

Materials And Methods: Mice bearing C26 colon carcinoma tumors were treated with doxorubicin (n = 25) and with aminolevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy (n = 23). Fourteen mice served as controls.

Pretreatment prediction of brain tumors' response to radiation therapy using high b-value diffusion-weighted MRI.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWMRI) is sensitive to tissues' biophysical characteristics, including apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) and volume fractions of water in different populations. In this work, we evaluate the clinical efficacy of DWMRI and high diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (HDWMRI), acquired up to b = 4000 sec/mm(2) to amplify sensitivity to water diffusion properties, in pretreatment prediction of brain tumors' response to radiotherapy. Twelve patients with 20 brain lesions were studied.

Analysis of polymorphic patterns in candidate genes in Israeli patients with prostate cancer.

Background: The precise genes involved in conferring prostate cancer risk in sporadic and familial cases are not fully known.

Objectives: To evaluate the genetic profile within several candidate genes of unselected prostate cancer cases and to correlate this profile with disease parameters.

Methods: Jewish Israeli prostate cancer patients (n = 224) were genotyped for polymorphisms within candidate genes: p53, ER, VDR, GSTT1, CYP1A1, GSTP1, GSTM1, EPHX and HPC2/ELAC2, followed by analysis of the genotype with relevant clinical and pathologic parameters.

Early detection of response to radiation therapy in patients with brain malignancies using conventional and high b-value diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: To study the feasibility of using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWMRI), which is sensitive to the diffusion of water molecules in tissues, for detection of early tumor response to radiation therapy; and to evaluate the additional information obtained from high DWMRI, which is more sensitive to low-mobility water molecules (such as intracellular or bound water), in increasing the sensitivity to response.

Patients And Methods: Standard MRI and DWMRI were acquired before and at regular intervals after initiating radiation therapy for 10 malignant brain lesions in eight patients.

Results: One week posttherapy, three of six responding lesions showed an increase in the conventional DWMRI parameters.