How Far Is Too Far? Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Regionalized Rectal Cancer Surgery.

Background: Regionalized rectal cancer surgery may decrease postoperative and long-term cancer-related mortality. However, the regionalization of care may be an undue burden on patients.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of regionalized rectal cancer surgery.

Reduction in oral mucositis severity using a topical vasoconstrictor: A case report of three bone marrow transplant patients.

Background: Grade 3 oral mucositis (OM) is historically observed in >90% of bone marrow transplant patients who received the cyclophosphamide + total body irradiation (CY+TBI) conditioning regimen. It was previously shown that orotopically applied adrenergic vasoconstrictor prevented up to 100% of radiation-induced oral mucositis in two preclinical animal models.

Methods: drenergic vasoconstrictor (i.

VcR-CVAD Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Maintenance Rituximab Produces Durable Remissions in Mantle Cell Lymphoma: A Wisconsin Oncology Network Study.

Introduction: VcR-CVAD was developed as an intermediate-intensity induction regimen with maintenance rituximab (MR) to improve remission durations after first-line therapy for mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in older and younger patients with MCL.

Patients And Methods: Patients with previously untreated MCL received VcR-CVAD induction chemotherapy for 6 cycles (21-day cycles). Patients achieving at least a partial response received rituximab consolidation (375 mg/m × 4 weekly doses) and MR (375 mg/m every 12 weeks × 20 doses).

Retrospective analysis of fluoroquinolone prophylaxis in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant are at a high risk for infection-related mortality in the immediate post-transplantation phase. Prophylaxis with a fluoroquinolone is now recommended to reduce this risk with the stipulation that surveillance for increased fluoroquinolone resistance Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea be conducted.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 48 patients who underwent an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant and received a fluoroquinolone for prophylaxis and 48 patients who underwent an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant who did not receive a fluoroquinolone for prophylaxis.

VcR-CVAD induction chemotherapy followed by maintenance rituximab in mantle cell lymphoma: a Wisconsin Oncology Network study.

Intensive chemotherapy regimens are not feasible in many adults with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). We sought to build upon our previous experience with a non-intensive regimen, modified R-hyperCVAD chemotherapy (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, dexamethasone) with maintenance rituximab (MR), by the incorporation of bortezomib (VcR-CVAD) and the extension of MR beyond 2 years. Patients with previously untreated MCL received VcR-CVAD chemotherapy every 21 d for six cycles.

Rituximab and CHOP chemotherapy plus GM-CSF for previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the elderly: a Wisconsin oncology network study.

Purpose: Human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) may potentiate rituximab activity by upregulating CD20 expression and activating effector cells necessary for antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. GM-CSF was combined with standard rituximab + CHOP (cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine/prednisone) chemotherapy (R-CHOP) in the treatment of elderly patients with de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

Patients And Methods: Thirty-eight patients over the age of 60 years with newly diagnosed DLBCL were treated with R-CHOP every 21 days for 6-8 cycles and GM-CSF 250 µg/m2 per day on days 3-10.

Augmented and standard Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster chemotherapy for treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The augmented Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (aBFM) regimen has demonstrated improved outcomes in children with acute lymphomblastic leukemia (ALL), but efficacy in adults is unknown. In this retrospective study, we evaluated clinical outcomes in 29 adult ALL patients (aged 19-70) treated with standard BFM (sBFM) or dose-intensive aBFM. Patients were stratified into risk groups based on age, cytogenetic abnormalities, peripheral leukocytosis and response to induction chemotherapy.

Thalidomide maintenance following high-dose melphalan with autologous stem cell support in myeloma.

Background: Recent experience with thalidomide maintenance after high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support has demonstrated improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). We further explored the tolerability and efficacy of lower doses of maintenance thalidomide in this single-institution study.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-eight patients with myeloma were enrolled and treated with melphalan 200 mg/m(2) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation.

Correlation between rash and a positive drug response associated with bevacizumab in a patient with advanced colorectal cancer.

Bevacizumab is the fi rst vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted agent shown to increase survival in patients receiving first- and second-line intravenous 5-FU-based chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Bevacizumab is typically well tolerated and its major side effects include hypertension, proteinuria, bleeding, gastrointestinal perforation and arterial thrombotic events. Although exfoliative dermatitis has been described as a side effect in 19% of patients, skin rash (type unspecified) has rarely been described in patients following infusion of bevacizumab.

A 5-drug regimen maximizing the dose of cyclophosphamide is effective therapy for adult Burkitt or Burkitt-like lymphomas.

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and Burkitt-like lymphomas (BLL) are clinically and biologically aggressive B-cell malignancies. Brief-duration, high intensity multidrug regimens with central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis have proven to be effective, with published series of adult patients documenting complete response (CR) rates of 80 to 100 percent and 2-year event-free survival (EFS) rates ranging from 60 to 90 percent. Based upon the known sensitivity of BL to cyclophosphamide and favorable results reported from the Dana Farber Cancer Center using high-dose CHOP in diffuse aggressive lymphomas, we tested a regimen designed to maximize the administered dose of cyclophosphamide while eliminating other agents commonly used in BL protocols.

Excessive toxicity of the high dose thiotepa and etoposide regimen when combined with radiation: Long-term autologous transplantation experience in follicular and mantle cell lymphoma.

We recently described a novel thiotepa plus etoposide high-dose therapy (HDT) conditioning regimen for aggressive histology non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) that had low regimen-related toxicity (RRT) and an efficacy rate comparable to other NHL HDT regimens. In this report, we describe the UW experience with the addition of total body irradiation (TBI) and pre-transplant involved-field radiation (IFRT) to the thiotepa + etoposide HDT regimen. Between 1992 and 1999, 28 patients with indolent or mantle cell lymphoma were treated on this protocol.

Phase II study of weekly low-dose paclitaxel for relapsed and refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a Wisconsin Oncology Network Study.

This study was performed to determine the clinical activity and safety of weekly low-dose paclitaxel (90 mg/m2) given as a 1-hour infusion in patients with relapsed and refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Thirty patients were treated on a phase II protocol conducted at the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center and within the Wisconsin Oncology Network (WON). A cycle of therapy was defined as paclitaxel at 90 mg/m2 weekly for 6 consecutive weeks followed by a 2-week rest period.