First-Line Afatinib plus Cetuximab for -Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Results from the Randomized Phase II IFCT-1503 ACE-Lung Study.

Purpose: Double inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) using a tyrosine kinase inhibitor plus a monoclonal antibody may be a novel treatment strategy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We assessed the efficacy and toxicity of afatinib + cetuximab versus afatinib alone in the first-line treatment of advanced -mutant NSCLC.

Patients And Methods: In this phase II, randomized, open-label study, patients with stage III/IV -positive NSCLC were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive afatinib (group A) or afatinib + cetuximab (group A + C).

Calcified cartilage revealed in whole joint by X-ray phase contrast imaging.

Objective: X-ray Phase Contrast Imaging (PCI) is an emerging modality that will be in the next few years available in a wider range of preclinical set-ups. In this study, we compare this imaging technique with conventional preclinical modalities in an osteoarthritis mouse model.

Method: Phase contrast technique was performed on 6 post-mortem, monoiodoacetate-induced osteoarthritis knees and 6 control knees.

Randomized Phase II Trial Evaluating Treatment with EGFR-TKI Associated with Antiestrogen in Women with Nonsquamous Advanced-Stage NSCLC: IFCT-1003 LADIE Trial.

Purpose: The incidence of lung cancer has dramatically increased in women. Preclinical data have suggested that combining EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) with an antiestrogen may overcome resistance to EGFR-TKI.

Patients And Methods: The IFCT-1003 LADIE trial was a 2 × 2 arms parallel open-label randomized phase II trial.

Impact of antithymocyte globulin doses in reduced intensity conditioning before allogeneic transplantation from matched sibling donor for patients with acute myeloid leukemia: a report from the acute leukemia working party of European group of Bone Marrow Transplantation.

Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) is commonly used for graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis in unrelated donor allogeneic transplantation (Allo-HSCT). However, its use is still controversial in matched sibling donor (MSD) Allo-HSCT, notably after reduced intensity conditioning (RIC).

Outcomes in patients with aggressive or refractory disease from REVEL: A randomized phase III study of docetaxel with ramucirumab or placebo for second-line treatment of stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer.

Objectives: The REVEL study demonstrated improved efficacy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with ramucirumab plus docetaxel, independent of histology. This exploratory analysis characterized the treatment effect in REVEL patients who were refractory to prior first-line treatment.

Materials And Methods: Refractory patients had a best response of progressive disease to first-line treatment.

[Hyponatremic-hypertensive syndrome successfully treated by endovascular therapy: A case report].

Introduction: Hyponatremic-hypertensive syndrome (HHS) is characterized by hypertension and hyponatremia.

Case Presentation: We report a case of HHS in a 73-year-old woman, revealed by a hyponatremia leading to status epilepticus, without initial hypertension due to hypovolemia. She was successfully treated by endovascular therapy without any long-term supplementation or anti-hypertensive medication.

Comparison of Intensive Chemotherapy and Hypomethylating Agents before Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Advanced Myelodysplastic Syndromes: A Study of the Myelodysplastic Syndrome Subcommittee of the Chronic Malignancies Working Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplant Research.

The European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplant Research data set was used to retrospectively analyze the outcomes of hypomethylating therapy (HMA) compared with those of conventional chemotherapy (CC) before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in 209 patients with advanced myelodysplastic syndromes. Median follow-up was 22.1 months and the median age of the group was 57.

Circulating free DNA concentration is an independent prognostic biomarker in lung cancer.

Plasma circulating cell-free (cf)DNA is of interest in oncology because it has been shown to contain tumour DNA and may thus be used as liquid biopsy. In nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), cfDNA quantification has been proposed for the monitoring and follow-up of patients. However, available studies are limited and need to be confirmed by studies with larger sample sizes and including patients who receive more homogenous treatments.

Radioiodine therapy in benign thyroid disorders. Evaluation of French nuclear medicine practices.

Objectives: Radioiodine is currently used routinely in the treatment of hyperthyroidism including Graves' disease (GD), toxic multinodular goitre (TMNG) and toxic solitary nodule (TSN) but no consensus exists on the most appropriate way to prescribe iodine--fixed dose or calculated doses based on the gland size or turnover of (131)I. We carried out the first nationwide French survey assessing the current practices in radioiodine treatment of hyperthyroidism.

Material And Methods: A questionnaire was sent to French nuclear medicine hospital units and cancer treatment centres (n=69) about their practices in 2012.

Immunohistochemistry evaluation of biomarker expression in non-small cell lung cancer (Pharmacogenoscan study).

Objectives: Platinum-based chemotherapy regimens are the standard treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, our objective was to identify tumor tissue protein biomarkers that might predict a benefit from these treatments.

Materials And Methods: The Pharmacogenoscan study prospectively included consecutive chemotherapy-naive NSCLC patients at any stage between 2005 and 2010 at six hospitals in the Rhône-Alpes-Auvergne region of France.

Improvement in Parkinson disease by subthalamic nucleus stimulation based on electrode placement: effects of reimplantation.

Background: The misplacement of electrodes is a possible explanation for suboptimal response to bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation in patients with Parkinson disease.

Objective: To evaluate whether reimplantation of electrodes in the STN can produce improvement in patients with poor results from surgery and with suspected electrode misplacement based on imaging findings.

Design: Prospective follow-up study.

Lifetime of Itrel II pulse generators for subthalamic nucleus stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

The efficacy of bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation in Parkinson's disease (PD) is well-established but little is known about the lifetime of implanted pulse generators (IPG). To investigate the lifetime of the bilaterally implanted Itrel II(R) (Medtronic, Minneapolis) pulse generator, the first 49 consecutive patients with PD having been operated on at our center for bilateral STN chronic stimulation were reviewed with noting of the stimulation parameters in use prior to IPG replacement. The mean electrical voltage was 3.

The dense granule protein GRA2, a new marker for the serodiagnosis of acute Toxoplasma infection: comparison of sera collected in both France and Iran from pregnant women.

GRA2 is a highly immunogenic protein secreted from the dense granules of Toxoplasma gondii. Recent success in purifying full-length, soluble GRA2 from bacteria as a thioredoxin (TRX)-(Hisx6) fusion protein led to investigate the antigenicity of the recombinant protein against human sera. On immunoblots, TRX-(Hisx6)-GRA2 was recognized by sera collected in Iran from T.

NAD(P)H oxidase activity of Nox4 in chondrocytes is both inducible and involved in collagenase expression.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are regulators of redox-sensitive cell signaling pathways. In osteoarthritis, human interleukin-1beta is implicated in cartilage destruction through an ROS-dependent matrix metalloproteinase production. To determine the molecular source of ROS production in the human IL-1beta (hIL-1beta)-sensitive chondrocyte immortalized cell line C-20/A4, transfected cells were constructed that overexpress NAD(P)H oxidases.

Improvement in quadriceps strength and dyspnea in daily tasks after 1 month of electrical stimulation in severely deconditioned and malnourished COPD.

Study Objectives: Low body weight in COPD patients is associated with worsening dyspnea, reduced leg strength, and poor prognosis. Classical rehabilitation strategies are then limited by reduced exercise tolerance. Thus, we proposed to evaluate whether electrostimulation (ES) was a beneficial technique in the rehabilitation programs for severely deconditioned COPD patients after an acute exacerbation.

Changes in quadriceps twitch tension in response to resistance training in healthy sedentary subjects.

Magnetic stimulation of the femoral nerve has been shown to evoke maximal quadriceps twitch contraction (TwQ(max)). Its measurement as a nonvolitional index of muscle strength has been proposed as a means to follow the disability of patients with neuromuscular disorders or peripheral muscle weakness. The aim of the present study was to investigate TwQ(max) sensitivity to interventions known to develop peripheral muscle strength.

Intraoperative microrecordings of the subthalamic nucleus in Parkinson's disease.

Microelectrode recordings of single unit neuronal activity were used during stereotactic surgery to define the subthalamic nucleus for chronic deep brain stimulation in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. By using five parallel trajectories, often two to three microelectrodes allow us to recognize subthalamic nucleus (STN) neuronal activity. STN neurons were easily distinguished from cells of the overlying zona incerta and the underlying substantia nigra.

Inter-organ substrate exchanges in the critically ill.

Metabolic inter-organ exchange is a major field of research for improving the treatment of the critically ill. Adapting regional blood flows is the first regulatory step, although the relationships between hypoperfusion and metabolic disorders are matter of controversy. Metabolic steady state results from a vast inter-organ interplay and several nutrients or metabolites are signalling molecules in the regulation of gene transcription.

CEA, CYFRA21-1 and SCC in non-small cell lung cancer.

CEA, SCC and CYFRA 21-1 were measured in samples of serum coming from 105 'Non small cell lung cancer' (NSCLC) patients. The present study has been carried out to compare these markers, to analyse their prognostic significance and to determine the best combination of tumor markers. The median value and interquartile range were: CYFRA 21-1: 2,3 ng/ml, CEA: 3,7 ng/ml, SCC: 1,2 ng/ml.

Selenium bioavailability as selenite (74Se) and as a selenium drug (76Se) by stable isotope methodology.

Many forms of selenium supplement are commercialized. The purpose of this work was to study the bioavailability of one selenium drug, "Granions de Sélénium", as compared with sodium selenite. Each product was labelled with enriched stable isotopes, and by means of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), the metabolism of the two forms was followed simultaneously.

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: report from the European Cooperative Group for bone marrow transplantation (8 cases).

Allogenic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was performed in 8 patients with B chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL): 6 males and 2 females with a median age of 41 years (37 to 46). Seven patients were resistant to previous therapy and were grafted in the evolutive phase. Only 1 patient was grafted without any previous treatment.