Plasma VEGF levels in breast cancer patients with and without metastases.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key mediator of angiogenesis since it stimulates the formation of new blood vessels. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is related to the promotion of endothelial cells into tube-like structures, and it is therefore expected to promote angiogenesis with a greater potency than VEGF. VEGF and bFGF are considered to be biomarkers that predict treatment effectiveness.

Liposomal cisplatin dose escalation for determining the maximum tolerated dose and dose-limiting toxicity: a phase I study.

Background: The aim of the present trial was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of liposomal cisplatin (lipoplatin) using nephrotoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity and myelotoxicity as the main adverse reactions.

Patients And Methods: Lipoplatin, a liposomal formulation of cisplatin was first tested as monotherapy starting at a dose of 125 mg/m(2) and escalating up to 350 mg/m(2). Lipoplatin was then escalated in combination with paclitacel starting at a dose of 100 mg/m(2) escalating up to 250 mg/m(2) for the former and 100 mg/m(2) escalating up to 175 mg/m(2) for the latter.

Liposomal cisplatin combined with paclitaxel versus cisplatin and paclitaxel in non-small-cell lung cancer: a randomized phase III multicenter trial.

Background: Liposomal cisplatin is a new formulation developed to reduce the systemic toxicity of cisplatin while simultaneously improving the targeting of the drug to the primary tumor and to metastases by increasing circulation time in the body fluids and tissues. The primary objectives were to determine nephrotoxicity, gastrointestinal side-effects, peripheral neuropathy and hematological toxicity and secondary objectives were to determine the response rate, time to tumor progression (TTP) and survival.

Patients And Methods: Two hundred and thirty-six chemotherapy-naive patients with inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer were randomly allocated to receive either 200 mg/m² of liposomal cisplatin and 135 mg/m² paclitaxel (arm A) or 75 mg/m² cisplatin and 135 mg/m² paclitaxel (arm B), once every 2 weeks on an outpatient basis.

Erlotinib treatment in pretreated patients with non-small cell lung cancer: A Phase II study.

Erlotinib is an oral, small-molecule targeting therapy that inhibits epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase receptors. Erlotinib has been administered for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. In the present trial, erlotinib was administered as second-line monotherapy in pretreated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Long-term survival of patients with carcinoid tumor and liver metastases.

Purpose: To determine long-term survival and long-term stable disease in patients with atypical carcinoid tumor with liver metastases.

Methods: From 1993 till 2008, the records of 56 patients with atypical carcinoid were reviewed. Nine of them who had liver metastases were analysed.

Change in preoperative strategy based on intraoperative ultrasound findings.

Forty patients with primary liver carcinoma and 52 with liver secondaries underwent careful preoperative evaluation using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, as well as intraoperative studies using intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS). The results were compared to histological findings. In the 40 patients with primary tumors who underwent hepatic resection, 4 (9.

Myelotoxicity of oral topotecan in relation to treatment duration and dosage: a phase I study.

Oral topotecan has been recently brought into clinical practice at a dose of 2.3 mg/m(2) for 5 days, every 3 weeks. Published data show quite high myelotoxicity.

Decreased plasma ghrelin levels in patients with advanced cancer and weight loss in comparison to healthy individuals.

Background: Ghrelin is a growth hormone-releasing acylated peptide found to be an appetite stimulant and low levels of it are detected in cachexia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the plasma ghrelin levels in cancer patients with a low performance status and weight loss and compare them with those of healthy individuals without weight loss.

Patients And Methods: Thirty patients (median age 65 years) with different malignancies, mainly pancreatic and gastric, and 27 healthy individuals (median age 62 years) were examined.

Governmental strategies for cancer control, prevention, care and management in Greece.

The Greek government through the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) are concerned about the increase in cancer cases and are implementing actions related to its control. The WHO produced a guide which is a response to the World Health Assembly Resolution on Cancer Prevention and Control, adopted in May 2005. This WHO guide calls on member states to intensify action against cancer by developing and reinforcing cancer control programs.

Differences in gene expression between individuals with multiple primary and single primary malignancies.

Cytogenetic and molecular studies have identified imbalanced chromosomal regions leading to the characterization of several candidate genes. Differences in gene expression were examined in the blood by whole genome microarray analysis among individuals with double or single primary malignancies and healthy individuals. Twenty-four individuals with at least two primary malignancies of the breast and/or colon and/or ovary were compared with 32 individuals with single breast, colon or ovarian cancer.

Survival after cytotoxic chemotherapy in patients with advanced hormone-resistant prostate cancer: a phase II study.

In the past, it was believed that when advanced-stage prostate cancer became resistant to hormonal management, no chemotherapy should be administered, as survival was not prolonged. Mitoxanthrone and prednisone were mostly administered, while recently, other agents such as docetaxel or paclitaxel have been tested both with and without hormonal treatment. The objective of the present phase II study was to determine the survival and the response rate of patients after the chemotherapy was administered.

Present treatment and future expectations in advanced pancreatic cancer.

Advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer is an incurable disease. The main treatment is chemotherapy with cytotoxic agents. On the basis of our experience in clinical trials, the objectives have been to determine response rate, life prolongation and clinical benefit.

Metastatic renal cancer and patient survival as a criterion of treatment response.

Advanced metastatic renal cancer is an incurable disease, unless a successful excision of metastatic lesions can be performed. No effective treatment has yet been found. In the last few years, targeting therapies have been developed.

Capecitabine (Xeloda) as monotherapy in advanced breast and colorectal cancer: effectiveness and side-effects.

Background: Capecitabine (Xeloda) is a fluoropyrimidine which is transformed to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) at the tumor site. The aim of the present study was to estimate the efficacy of this agent in pretreated patients with advanced breast and colorectal cancer, and to determine the response rate and adverse reactions.

Patients And Methods: Forty-two patients (median age 65 years, range 27-80 years), 24 with breast cancer, 17 with colorectal cancer and one with a pancreatic islet tumor were included.

Pemetrexed combined with paclitaxel in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase I-II trial.

Pemetrexed, a novel multi-targeted agent established for the treatment of mesothelioma, has been under investigation for other malignancies, and in recent years particularly for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the present trial we investigated pemetrexed in combination with paclitaxel as front-line treatment in advanced or metastatic NSCLC. Our objectives were to determine the response rate, median and overall survival and toxicity.

Primitive neurectodermal tumors: a case of extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma of the small intestine and review of the literature.

This is a review of extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma (ES) which includes a new, extremely rare case. The literature was examined with respect to determining the locations of extraosseous ESs, the incidence per site and in total and the criteria which confirm the similarity between extraosseous and osseous ES. ES sites were detected in several organs and tissues, mainly in the trunk, extremities and the retroperitoneal region.

Angiosarcoma of the heart: case report and review of the literature.

Background: Primary angiosarcoma of the heart is an extremely rare malignant disease.

Patients And Methods: A 32-year-old female with primary angiosarcoma of the heart at an advanced stage with lung and bone metastases is presented. The tumor showed extensive expression of c-erb-B2 and a moderate expression of c-kit.

Weekly administration of topotecan-paclitaxel as second-line treatment in ovarian cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the weekly administration of topotecan combined with paclitaxel in pretreated advanced ovarian cancer patients; our objectives were to determine efficacy, toxicity and survival.

Methods: The chemotherapy agents, topotecan and paclitaxel were administered on a weekly basis for 3 consecutive weeks, every 28 days. The plan was to give three courses (each course included three once-weekly infusions).

Liposomal oxaliplatin in the treatment of advanced cancer: a phase I study.

Background: Lipoxal is a liposomal oxaliplatin, which reduces the cytotoxic agent's adverse reactions without reducing effectiveness. Our objectives were to determine the adverse reactions, dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) and the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of lipoxal.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-seven patients with advanced disease of the gastrointestinal system were included in the study.

Liposomal cisplatin combined with gemcitabine in pretreated advanced pancreatic cancer patients: a phase I-II study.

The present trial is a phase I-II study based on a new liposomal cisplatin (lipoplatin). Previous preclinical and clinical data (phase I pharmacokinetics) led to the investigation of a combined treatment modality involving lipoplatin and gemcitabine. The gemcitabine dose was kept standard at 1000 mg/m2 and the lipoplatin dose was escalated from 25 mg/m2 to 125 mg/m2.

Front-line paclitaxel and topotecan chemotherapy in advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase II trial.

Purpose: Based on previous experience, we combined topotecan with paclitaxel (weekly administration) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our primary objective was to determine the response rate and survival and our secondary objective, the safety of the regimen.

Methods: From October 2003, until March 2005, 45 patients all with histologically or cytologically confirmed NSCLC were enrolled.

Efficacy and tolerability of oxaliplatin plus irinotecan 5-fluouracil and leucovorin regimen in advanced stage colorectal cancer patients pretreated with irinotecan 5-fluouracil and leucovorin.

Objectives: Oxaliplatin has been introduced in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer during the past few years. The pre-existing treatment of leucovorin-5-fluorouracil-irinotecan (IFL), although reasonably effective, has needed novel, active agents to increase the response rate and overall survival. We planned this phase 2 study in patients pretreated with IFL, adding oxaliplatin as second-line treatment: our objectives were to determine response rate and overall survival.

Front-line paclitaxel and irinotecan combination chemotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase I-II trial.

Our purpose was to determine the efficacy of irinotecan plus paclitaxel administered on day 1, repeated every 2 weeks, in untreated patients with advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In total, 56 patients with inoperable or metastatic stage III and IV NSCLC with a histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis were enrolled. None of the patients had undergone prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Second-line chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer in a modified administration of topotecan combined with paclitaxel: a phase II study.

Purpose: Our main objective was to investigate the response rate in pretreated patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) who received a weekly administration of topotecan and paclitaxel; our secondary objectives were to assess toxicity and survival.

Methods: Topotecan 1.75 mg/m2 was combined with paclitaxel 70 mg/m2; these cytotoxic agents were administered once every week (day 1) for 3 consecutive weeks (one cycle), and repeated every 28 days (three infusions per cycle) for a minimum of three cycles.

Mesothelioma: treatment and survival of a patient population and review of the literature.

Background: Our purpose was to evaluate the survival of patients with pleural and intraperitoneal malignant mesothelioma and, particularly, to estimate the efficacy of chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy and surgery. A review of the literature with respect to these parameters is included.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-five patients with malignant mesothelioma (28 with pleural and 7 with intraperitoneal) were enrolled.