Small cell lung cancer: circulating tumor cell lines and expression of mediators of angiogenesis and coagulation.

Aim: Coagulation is frequently activated in cancer patients and has been correlated with an unfavorable prognosis. To evaluate whether a putative release of tissue factor (TF) by circulating tumor cells (CTCs) represents a target to impair the dissemination of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), the expression of relevant proteins in a panel of permanent SCLC and SCLC CTC cell lines that have been established at the Medical University of Vienna.

Methods: Five CTC and SCLC lines were analyzed using a TF enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests, RNA sequencing, and western blot arrays covering 55 angiogenic mediators.

Impact of age on the cumulative risk of transformation in patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia.

In older patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML) and limited life expectancy due to age and or comorbidities, it is particularly important to consider the risk of transformation for individualised treatment decisions. There is limited information on potential differences between younger and older CMML patients regarding the cumulative risk of transformation as well as haematological, molecular and biologic characteristics. We analysed data from the Austrian Biodatabase for CMML (ABCMML) to compare these parameters in 518 CMML patients.

Effects of salinomycin and niclosamide on small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer circulating tumor cell lines.

Tumor dissemination and recurrence is attributed to highly resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs) which may constitute a fraction of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) constitutes a suitable model to investigate the relation of CTCs and CSCs due to rapid tumor spread and a high number of CTCs. Expansion of five SCLC CTC lines (BHGc7, 10, 16, 26 and UHGc5) in vitro at our institution allowed for the analysis of CSC markers and cytotoxicity of the CSC-selective drugs salinomycin and niclosamide against CTC single cell suspensions or CTC spheroids/ tumorospheres (TOS).

The Austrian biodatabase for chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (ABCMML) : A representative and useful real-life data source for further biomedical research.

In the Austrian biodatabase for chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (ABCMML) clinicolaboratory real-life data have been captured from 606 CMML patients from 14 different hospitals over the last 30 years. It is the only large biodatabase worldwide in which functional methods such as semisolid in vitro cultures complement modern molecular methods such as next generation sequencing. This provides the possibility to comprehensively study the biology of CMML.

Expression of Proteolytic Enzymes by Small Cell Lung Cancer Circulating Tumor Cell Lines.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive type of lung cancer which disseminates vigorously and has a dismal prognosis. Metastasis of SCLC is linked to an extremely high number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which form chemoresistant spheroids, termed tumorospheres. Intravasation and extravasation during tumor spread requires the activity of a number of proteases to disintegrate the stroma and vascular tissue.

Small cell lung cancer: model of circulating tumor cell tumorospheres in chemoresistance.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) represents 15% of lung cancers and is characterized by early dissemination, development of chemoresistance and a poor prognosis. A host of diverse drugs failed invariably and its mechanisms of global chemoresistance have not been characterized so far. SCLC represents the prototype of an aggressive and highly metastatic tumor which is ultimately refractory to any treatment.

A review of the role of surgery for small cell lung cancer and the potential prognostic value of enumeration of circulating tumor cells.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is disseminated in the majority of patients at first presentation and, thus, treated with chemoradiotherapy. Despite initial high response rates, chemoresistance appears rapidly and results in a dismal prognosis. However, patients with limited cancer may exhibit better disease control upon surgical treatment.

How to target small cell lung cancer.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly malignant disease with dismal prognosis. Although great progress has been made in investigating genetic aberrations and putative drivers of this tumor entity, the mechanisms of rapid dissemination and acquisition of drug resistance are not clear. The majority of SCLC cases are characterized by inactivation of the tumor suppressors p53 and retinoblastoma (Rb) and, therefore, interchangeable drivers will be difficult to target successfully.

Necitumumab plus pemetrexed and cisplatin as first-line therapy in patients with stage IV non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (INSPIRE): an open-label, randomised, controlled phase 3 study.

Background: Necitumumab is a second-generation recombinant human immunoglobulin G1 EGFR monoclonal antibody that competitively inhibits ligand binding. We aimed to compare necitumumab plus pemetrexed and cisplatin with pemetrexed and cisplatin alone in patients with previously untreated, stage IV, non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: We did this randomised, open-label, controlled phase 3 study at 103 sites in 20 countries.

Docetaxel in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) -- an observational study focusing on symptom improvement.

Background: Results of an observational study on docetaxel-based therapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with focus on symptom control and therapy response, are reported.

Patients And Methods: A total of 233 patients with NSCLC treated with docetaxel-containing therapy were analyzed.

Results: The pre-existing symptoms of cough, dyspnea and pain markedly improved after three cycles of docetaxel-based therapy.

Randomized phase II study of three doses of the integrin inhibitor cilengitide versus docetaxel as second-line treatment for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Introduction: This multicenter, open-label, phase II study was carried out to compare the efficacy and safety of cilengitide (EMD 121974), a selective inhibitor of the cell-surface integrins αVβ3 and αVβ5, with that of docetaxel in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Patients (n = 140) with advanced NSCLC who had failed first-line chemotherapy were randomized to cilengitide 240, 400, or 600 mg/m(2) twice weekly, or docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) once every 3 weeks for eight cycles. Non-progressing patients could continue cilengitide for up to 1 year.

Basic clinical parameters predict gefitinib efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: In epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the tyrosine-kinase inhibitor gefitinib is in broad use. We retrospectively analysed data for 82 patients with advanced NSCLC treated with gefitinib and correlated benefits with clinical baseline and therapy-related parameters.

Patients: Of all patients 48/82 were male; the median age at start of gefitinib was 67.

In vitro cytotoxicity of novel platinum-based drugs and dichloroacetate against lung carcinoid cell lines.

Introduction: Chemotherapy for advanced well-differentiated carcinoids is characterised by low response rates and short duration of responses. The present study aimed to assess the in vitro activity of novel platinum-based chemotherapeutic drugs in combination with dichloroacetate (DCA), a sensitiser to apoptosis, against lung carcinoid cell lines.

Methods: Three permanent cell lines (UMC-11, H727 and H835) were exposed to 14 different established cytotoxic drugs and the novel platinum-based compounds as satraplatin, JM118 and picoplatin in combination with DCA, and viability of the cells was measured using a tetrazoliumbased dye assay.

Comparison of the effects of the oral anticancer platinum(IV) complexes oxoplatin and metabolite cis-diammine-tetrachlorido-platinum(IV) on global gene expression of NCI-H526 cells.

Platinum(IV) coordination complexes like oxoplatin (cis,cis,trans-diammine-dichlorido-dihydroxido-platinum[IV]) show high stability and therefore can be utilized orally for outpatient care. Although oxoplatin is capable of binding directly to DNA after prolonged incubation, platinum(IV) agents are considered to be largely inert prodrugs that are converted to highly cytotoxic platinum(II) compounds by reducing substances, enzymes, or microenviron-mental conditions. Reaction of oxoplatin with 0.

In vitro cytotoxicity of combinations of dichloroacetate with anticancer platinum compounds.

Purpose: Dichloroacetate (DCA) inhibits pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK), and thus promotes glucose oxidation over glycolysis and induces apoptotic death of tumor cells. The present study investigated the potential of DCA to increase the antitumor effects of platinum- based compounds against a panel of permanent cell lines, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC), ovarian cancer, and Ewing's sarcoma in vitro.

Methods: DCA at a concentration of 10 mM was combined with cisplatin, carboplatin, satraplatin, the satraplatin metabolite JM118, oxaliplatin, oxoplatin, and picoplatin, and the cytotoxic activity was evaluated in proliferation tests employing a panel of different cell lines.

Dose-dense therapy improves survival in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

This study aimed to determine whether dose-dense therapy improves 3-year survival over the standard therapy for untreated aggressive lymphoma. One hundred and fifteen patients with untreated aggressive lymphoma were stratified by center, age, and international prognostic index and randomized to one of two treatment arms. One hundred and three were eligible.

In Vitro Evaluation of Oxoplatin: An Oral Platinum(IV) Anticancer Agent.

Platinum(IV) compounds like oxoplatin (cis, cis, trans-diammine-dichlorido-dihydroxido-platinum(IV)) show increased stability and therefore can be applied orally. In a panel of 38 human cancer cell lines this drug induced S-phase arrest and cell death with IC(50) values 2.5-fold higher than cisplatin.

Achieving full-dose, on-schedule administration of ACE chemotherapy every 14 days for the treatment of patients with extensive small-cell lung cancer.

Extensive small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is commonly treated with multiple cycles of chemotherapy. Reducing the time interval between cycles of chemotherapy (dose-dense chemotherapy) may improve outcomes in the treatment of extensive SCLC, as it has in other chemosensitive malignancies. To evaluate the feasibility of dose-dense chemotherapy in patients with extensive SCLC, this study evaluates a dose-dense doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide/etoposide (ACE) regimen, supported by the once-per-cycle administration of the hematopoietic growth factor pegfilgrastim.

Testing for anti-p53 antibodies increases the diagnostic sensitivity of conventional tumor markers.

The aim of this study was to determine whether anti-p53 antibodies are of clinical significance as a serological marker in the diagnosis and monitoring of malignancies. A total of 1874 serum samples from 591 patients with various types of cancer, esophageal, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic, hepatocellular, breast, and urogenital cancer, and 436 control individuals were analyzed by immunoblot for antibodies against p53. The anti-p53 antibody test was correlated with expression of conventional tumor markers, survival and the clinicopathological features of malignant disease.

Cisplatin and gemcitabine first-line chemotherapy followed by maintenance gemcitabine or best supportive care in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a phase III trial.

Purpose: The primary objective of this randomized phase III study was to show significant difference in median time to progression (TTP) in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with single-agent gemcitabine maintenance therapy versus best supportive care following gemcitabine plus cisplatin initial first-line therapy.

Patients And Methods: Chemonaive patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC received gemcitabine 1,250 mg/m(2) (days 1 and 8) plus cisplatin 80 mg/m(2) (day 1) every 21 days. Patients achieving objective response or disease stabilization following initial gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy were randomized (2:1 fashion) to receive maintenance gemcitabine (1,250 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 every 21 days) plus best supportive care (GEM arm), or best supportive care only (BSC arm).

Long-term results of autologous stem cell transplantation for Hodgkin's disease (HD) and low-/intermediate-grade B non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL): a report from the Austrian Stem Cell Transplantation Registry (ASCTR).

Between 1990 and 2001, 68 patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease (HD) and 86 patients classified as low-/intermediate-grade B non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were reported to the Austrian Stem Cell Transplantation Registry (ASCTR). Following autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) for HD, overall survival was 56% [95% confidence interval (CI): 40-72%] with a disease-/progression-free survival of 49%, reaching a plateau at 5 years. Using multivariate Cox regression analysis BEAM conditioning (carmustine, cytarabine, etoposide and melphalan) was predictive for favourable outcome, better disease-/progression-free survival and a significantly lower risk for relapse.

Effects of 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 pretreatment and MAP kinase inhibitor PD 98059 on response of osteoblasts to prostate-derived osteoblastic factors.

Prostate carcinoma-derived factors induce a proliferative response in osteoblasts. The present study investigated the involvement of MAP kinase in the osteoblastic reaction of osteocytes and the response of 1alpha,25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 (1,25-vitD3)-pretreated osteoblasts. Conditioned media (CM) from prostate, colon, pancreatic, renal cell and breast cancer cell lines were tested on their proliferative activity using murine osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells, MG63 human osteosarcoma cells and immortalized human osteoblasts (AHTO-7).

Osseous metastases in breast cancer: radiographic monitoring of therapeutic response.

Background: Standard radiographs are primary means of evaluation of therapy-induced changes of the skeletal structure in patients with breast cancer metastatic to the bone, but objective quantitation has been difficult to standardize.

Materials And Methods: Serial radiographs of therapy-induced changes in the structure of bone metastases secondary to breast cancer were analyzed in 274 patients over a period of 10 years and roentgenologic signs of tumor response evaluated with regard to a defined principal metastasis.

Results: Indicators of regression were recalcification/reossification of primary osteolysis (11.