Different response to the long-acting somatostatin analogues lanreotide and octreotide in a patient with a malignant carcinoid.

Introduction: Somatostatin (SST) analogues are cornerstones in the symptomatic management of patients suffering from carcinoid tumors, and antiproliferative activity has also been reported for these agents. The most commonly applied SST analogues are octreotide (OCT) and lanreotide (LAN), which are both available in a slow release formulation. To the current knowledge, both OCT and LAN are thought to be equally effective for the management of various disorders.

Treatment of advanced gastric cancer with oral etoposide, leucovorin and tegafur: experience with an oral modification of the etoposide, leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil (ELF) regimen.

Recent data have suggested enhanced therapeutic activity with prolonged administration of both etoposide as well as fluoropyrimidines in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies. Based on this rationale, we investigated the clinical effectiveness and tolerance of an oral modification of the widely applied etoposide, leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil (ELF) regimen in patients with advanced gastric cancer. 32 patients with advanced gastric cancer were treated with oral etoposide (100 mg), leucovorin (3 x 100 mg), and tegafur (3 x 200 mg) over 14-21 days for a maximum of six cycles.

Association between Helicobacter pylori infection and pancreatic cancer.

Purpose: In order to determine whether infection with Helicobacter pylori might be associated with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, we performed a study to compare the H. pylori seroprevalence rate between patients with pancreatic carcinoma and matched control subjects.

Patients And Methods: Blood samples from 92 patients with histologically confirmed diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma admitted to our hospital between January 1994 and July 1995 were analyzed for the presence of IgG antibodies against H.

Treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer with epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil and 1-leucovorin: a phase II study.

Background: Preclinical data suggest that the levorotatory isomer of leucovorin (1-LV) can augment the cytotoxic effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) more effectively than racemic LV. A phase II study was initiated to evaluate the effect of a combination of the pure L-isomer of LV and 5-FU along with epirubicin in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-eight consecutive, previously untreated patients with measurable metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were enrolled in this study.

Comparison of iodine-123-vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor scintigraphy and indium-111-CYT-103 immunoscintigraphy.

Unlabelled: Recently, we have shown that the expression of receptors for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on intestinal adenocarcinomas can be used for in vivo targeting of primary or metastatic tumor sites using 123I-labeled VIP. Several other receptors and antigens including the TAG-72 protein have also been implemented for in vivo localization purposes. In this study, we have compared the in vitro and in vivo binding of 123I-VIP and of the 111In-labeled monoclonal antibody (MAb) directed against TAG-72 (OncoScint; 111In-CR-103) in patients with intestinal adenocarcinomas in a single-blinded, prospectively randomized trial.