Ibrutinib in Early-Stage Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: The Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Phase III CLL12 Trial.

Purpose: The CLL12 trial reassesses the watch-and-wait consensus for early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in the context of targeted therapies.

Methods: The German CLL Study Group conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial with 363 patients with asymptomatic, treatment-naïve Binet stage A CLL at increased risk of progression to receive ibrutinib (n = 182) at a daily dose of 420 mg or placebo (n = 181). Additionally, 152 low-risk patients were allocated to the watch-and-wait group.

Pomalidomide plus dexamethasone for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: Final results of the non-interventional study POSEIDON and comparison with the pivotal phase 3 clinical trials.

Background: Prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who have relapsed on or become refractory to immunomodulators and bortezomib is poor, and treatment options are limited. While pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone (POM/DEX) has demonstrated efficacy in clinical trials, real-world evidence is scarce.

Patients And Methods: POSEIDON was a prospective non-interventional study designed to evaluate effectiveness, safety and quality of life (QoL) of POM/DEX in patients with relapsed or refractory MM (R/RMM) pretreated with at least two prior therapy lines including both lenalidomide and bortezomib in real world in Germany.

Diagnostic work-up for the detection of malnutrition in hospitalized cancer patients.

Background: Malnutrition is a common complication in patients suffering from cancer. It is associated with a poor prognosis, reduced quality of life, increased chemotherapy-induced toxicity, and a decreased response to therapy.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the use of various diagnostic tests for the detection of malnutrition in patients hospitalized for cancer treatment.

Safety and Efficacy of Liposomal Cytarabine in the Treatment of Neoplastic Meningitis.

Objectives: Although rare, neoplastic meningitis (NM) has been increasingly observed in patients with cancer due to the prolonged course of the disease. Intrathecal chemotherapy with methotrexate or cytarabine with repeating injection schedules of 2-3 times per week is currently the mainstay of treatment. An efficacious and comfortable treatment alternative might be represented by liposomal cytarabine.

Anthracycline extravasation injuries: management with dexrazoxane.

The application of anthracyclines in anticancer therapy may result in accidental extravasation injury and can be a serious complication of their use. Tissue necrosis with skin ulceration is a possible outcome in the inadvertent extravasation of anthracyclines during intravenous administration. Until recently, there has been no effective treatment against the devastating effect of extravasated anthracycline.

Safety and efficacy of a triple antiemetic combination with the NK-1 antagonist aprepitant in highly and moderately emetogenic multiple-day chemotherapy.

Aim Of The Study: In multiple-day chemotherapy (MDC), the combination of a 5-HT(3)-antagonist plus dexamethasone is still a standard of care. The role of a NK-1-antagonist remains to be defined.

Patients And Methods: Seventy eight cancer patients undergoing multiple-day chemotherapy of high (HEC) or moderate (MEC) emetic risk received granisetron, dexamethasone plus aprepitant during chemotherapy.

2-(4-(Tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy)-undecyl)-propane-1,3-diamminedichloroplatinum(II): a novel platinum compound that overcomes cisplatin resistance and induces apoptosis by mechanisms different from that of cisplatin.

(4-(Tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy)R1)R2-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) complexes (1-12) consisting of CDDP linked to THP via aliphatic CH2-spacers were tested in two TGCT cell lines. The most promising compound, 2-(4-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy)-undecyl)-propane-1,3-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (12), completely overcame CDDP resistance of 1411HP cells, correlating with increased and accelerated cellular platinum uptake and much faster initiation of apoptotic cell kill. At equitoxic IC90 concentrations, 12 induced accelerated DNA fragmentation and caspase -3 and PARP cleavages.

Venous access ports: frequency and management of complications in oncology patients.

Totally implantable venous access ports have been in use now for over 20 years. They are valuable instruments for long-term intravenous treatment of patients with cancer. Apart from perioperative difficulties, the typical complications associated with venous access ports are venous thrombosis, port infection, extravasation, pinch off syndrome, dislocation, occlusion and catheter leakages.