White blood cell subsets in HER2-positive breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab in relation to clinical outcome.

To examine whether HER2+ breast cancer patients who have decreased immune effector cells could respond well to trastuzumab, we evaluated the alterations in circulating immune system cell subsets: CD16+ and/or CD56+ lymphocytes, lymphocytes and granulocytes in these patients before and after treatment with trastuzumab-based regimens in relation to clinical response to therapy. The study involved 55 patients with HER2+ breast cancer before and 2 months after the initiation of the therapy. Progressive disease was confirmed in nine out of 55 patients (non-responders), while other patients achieved complete or partial response, or stable disease (responders).

Additional Therapy with a Mistletoe Product during Adjuvant Chemotherapy of Breast Cancer Patients Improves Quality of Life: An Open Randomized Clinical Pilot Trial.

Background. Breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy often experience a loss of quality of life. Moreover chemotherapy may induce neutropenia.

Five-year follow-up of patients with early stage breast cancer after a randomized study comparing additional treatment with viscum album (L.) extract to chemotherapy alone.

Additional therapy with extracts of Viscum album [L.] (VaL) increases the quality of life of patients suffering from early stage breast cancer during chemotherapy. In the current study patients received chemotherapy, consisting of six cycles of cyclophosphamide, anthracycline, and 5-Fluoro-Uracil (CAF).

Quality of life and neutropenia in patients with early stage breast cancer: a randomized pilot study comparing additional treatment with mistletoe extract to chemotherapy alone.

Background: Chemotherapy for breast cancer often deteriorates quality of life, augments fatigue, and induces neutropenia. Mistletoe preparations are frequently used by cancer patients in Central Europe. Physicians have reported better quality of life in breast cancer patients additionally treated with mistletoe preparations during chemotherapy.

What is the best sequence of chemotherapy in advanced colorectal cancer? Final results of a five-arm study.

One hundred and ninety-three patients were assigned to receive 5-FU/LV, irinotecan and oxaliplatin in five different sequential treatment groups: Mayo Clinic Regimen (MCR) + LV5FU2 (group A); MCR + irinotecan (350 mg/m(2)) (group B); MCR + FOLFIRI (group C); MCR + FOLFOX4 (group D); FOLFIRI + FOLFOX4 (group E). The results were as follows: group A (32 patients), median overall survival (OS) 14 months, median time to progression (TTP1) 6 months, median TTP2 5 months, response rate (RR1) 22%, RR2 25%; group B (27 patients), OS 11 months, TTP1 6 months, TTP2 3 months, RR1 22%, RR2 19%; group C (43 patients), OS 14 months, TTP1 5 months, TTP2 5 months, RR1 12%, RR2 19%; group D (45 patients), OS 15 months, TTP1 5 months, TTP2 4 months, RR1 18%, RR2 20%; group E (46 patients), OS 19 months, TTP1 9 months, TTP2 5 months, RR1 39%, RR2 25%. There was a significant difference in OS (p < 0.