2011 Focused Update of 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Update on Chemotherapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Purpose: An American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) focused update updates a single recommendation (or subset of recommendations) in advance of a regularly scheduled guideline update. This document updates one recommendation of the ASCO Guideline Update on Chemotherapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) regarding switch maintenance chemotherapy.

Clinical Context: Recent results from phase III clinical trials have demonstrated that in patients with stage IV NSCLC who have received four cycles of first-line chemotherapy and whose disease has not progressed, an immediate switch to alternative, single-agent chemotherapy can extend progression-free survival and, in some cases, overall survival.

American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline update on chemotherapy for stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer.

The purpose of this article is to provide updated recommendations for the treatment of patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer. A literature search identified relevant randomized trials published since 2002. The scope of the guideline was narrowed to chemotherapy and biologic therapy.

A Phase II study of SU5416 in patients with advanced or recurrent head and neck cancers.

Background: SU5416 (semaxanib) is a synthetic small molecule inhibitor of the tyrosine kinase domain of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). This Phase II study was conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of SU5416 in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancers.

Patients And Methods: This was an open label, single arm, Phase 2 study for patients who had received no more than 2 cytotoxic regimens.

Concurrent cetuximab, cisplatin, and concomitant boost radiotherapy for locoregionally advanced, squamous cell head and neck cancer: a pilot phase II study of a new combined-modality paradigm.

Purpose: Cetuximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that targets the epidermal growth factor receptor. Cetuximab has activity in squamous cell carcinoma and enhances both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We conducted a pilot phase II study of a new combined-modality paradigm of targeted therapy (cetuximab) with chemoradiotherapy.

Pentostatin and cyclophosphamide: an effective new regimen in previously treated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Purpose: Purine analogs and alkylators are important agents in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Previously, combinations of fludarabine and chlorambucil were abandoned because of increased toxicity from overlapping myelosuppression and immunosuppression. Of the purine analogs active in CLL, pentostatin may be least myelosuppressive.

Refractory Aspergillus pneumonia in patients with acute leukemia: successful therapy with combination caspofungin and liposomal amphotericin.

Background: Pulmonary aspergillosis and other invasive fungal infections (IFIs) commonly complicate the management of patients with acute leukemia. Standard amphotericin-based therapies may be ineffective for many patients and the available salvage agents (itraconazole and caspofungin) are reported to possess only moderate activity against resistant infections. Laboratory evidence suggests a synergistic interaction between amphotericin and caspofungin.

A single, high dose of idarubicin combined with cytarabine as induction therapy for adult patients with recurrent or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background: The majority of adult patients who are treated for lymphoblastic disease will either develop recurrent disease or will be refractory to their initial therapy. One option for patients with recurrent/refractory disease is to administer a reinduction regimen that employs a dose-intense combination of anthracycline and cytarabine. These salvage regimens are relatively distinct from the traditional vincristine/prednisone-based programs that are used typically as primary induction therapy.