Hypofractionated irradiation of infra-supraclavicular lymph nodes after axillary dissection in patients with breast cancer post-conservative surgery: impact on late toxicity.

Background: The aim of the present work was to analyse the impact of mild hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) of infra-supraclavicular lymph nodes after axillary dissection on late toxicity.

Methods: From 2007 to 2012, 100 females affected by breast cancer (pT1- T4, pN1-3, pMx) were treated with conservative surgery, Axillary Node Dissection (AND) and loco-regional radiotherapy (whole breast plus infra-supraclavicular fossa). Axillary lymph nodes metastases were confirmed in all women.

The ChQoL questionnaire: an Italian translation with preliminary psychometric results for female oncological patients.

Background: in Occidental languages, no widely accepted questionnaire is available which deals with health related quality of life from the specific point of view of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Some psychometric tools of this kind are available in Chinese. One of them is the Chinese Quality of Life questionnaire (ChQoL).

Topical dimethylsulfoxide for the prevention of soft tissue injury after extravasation of vesicant cytotoxic drugs: a prospective clinical study.

Purpose: To evaluate the activity and tolerability of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in the prevention of soft tissue toxicity after extravasation of cytotoxic drugs.

Patients And Methods: From June 1991 to December 1994, all patients who had an extravasation during intravenous (IV) infusion of cytotoxic drugs in our institution were considered for an open, prospective study of preventive treatment with 99% DMSO, applied topically on the extravasation site every 8 hours for 7 days. Intermittent local cooling (for 1 hour three times daily) on the first 3 days was also used.

Randomised comparison of weekly bolus 5-fluorouracil with or without leucovorin in metastatic colorectal carcinoma.

148 patients with advanced untreated colorectal cancer were randomised to receive a weekly bolus of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 600 mg/m2 alone, with or without leucovorin (LV) 500 mg/m2. 5-FU plus LV produced a higher response rate than 5-FU alone: 23% (5 complete response, 11 partial response) vs. 8% (2 complete response, 4 partial response) (P = 0.

Intrahepatic epidoxorubicin in metastatic and primary liver tumours: a phase II study.

Primary and metastatic gastrointestinal tumours in the liver have been treated by intrahepatic artery infusion of chemotherapeutic drugs in an attempt to increase the efficacy of the administered agents. Among the several active agents, 4' epidoxorubicin, an anthracycline analogue, was selected for this study because of the therapeutic level reached in the liver by this drug. Seven patients with primary hepatic carcinoma and twenty with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the colon to the liver received intraarterial hepatic infusion of epidoxorubicin at the dosage of 30 mg weekly.

Continuous venous infusion of vinblastine in metastatic breast cancer.

In 19 patients with advanced pretreated breast cancer, vinblastine was administered by continuous venous infusion (2 mg/m2/24 h for 120 h every 3 weeks), using a totally implanted venous access and a portable pump. A total of 55 courses were given. Five objective responses were observed.

Disodium clodronate in the treatment of pain due to bone metastases.

Disodium clodronate (dichloromethylene bisphosphonate) a drug belonging to the class of bisphosphonates, inhibits osteoclastic bone resorption and therefore it may be used in the palliative treatment of patients affected by osteolytic bone metastases. The authors have evaluated the activity and tolerability of disodium clodronate in providing pain relief and improving the quality of life in patients with bone metastases, who were not improved by radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Out of 37 patients, 32 could be evaluated for pain relief.

A preliminary clinical study of cyclophosphamide with reduced glutathione as uroprotector.

Reduced glutathione (GSH) has been reported to be an effective protector against cyclophosphamide-induced urotoxicity in experimental models, providing protection comparable to that of mesna. This paper describes our preliminary results of the clinical use of GSH in combination with cyclophosphamide. GSH was administered i.

Phase II trial of recombinant alpha-2b interferon in the treatment of metastatic skin melanoma.

A pilot study was undertaken to evaluate toxicity and activity of recombinant alpha-2b interferon in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma. Interferon was administered at the dosage of 10 x 10(6) IU/m2, 3 times a week i.m.

Continuous venous infusion of vindesine in metastatic breast cancer: experience with a subcutaneously implanted system and portable pump.

Fourteen patients with advanced pretreated breast cancer were treated with vindesine in continuous venous infusion (1.5 mg/sm/24 hours for 72 hours every 3 weeks). A totally implanted venous access and a portable pump were used.

[Primary prevention in the young. Methodology and initial results of a smoking prevention program for adolescents].

An antismoking campaign aimed at the 9-18 year old Genoese school population in 1981-1985 is described. The high percentage of smokers in Italy and the worryingly early age at which the habit is acquired suggested the need for a carefully prepared ongoing programme of primary prevention that would not be limited to occasional speeches. Part of the programme was also directed towards school health officers, teachers and families for whom seminars and refresher courses and topics appropriate for each group were organised.