IL-4, IL-10 and high sensitivity-CRP as potential serum biomarkers of persistent/recurrent disease in papillary thyroid carcinoma with/without Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Objective: To investigate the potential role of interleukin 4 (IL-4), interleukin 10 (IL-10) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as serum biomarkers of persistent/recurrent disease in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with/without Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT).

Methods: Eighty consecutive patients (64 F/16 M, 43.2 ± 12.

Necitumumab plus pemetrexed and cisplatin as first-line therapy in patients with stage IV non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (INSPIRE): an open-label, randomised, controlled phase 3 study.

Background: Necitumumab is a second-generation recombinant human immunoglobulin G1 EGFR monoclonal antibody that competitively inhibits ligand binding. We aimed to compare necitumumab plus pemetrexed and cisplatin with pemetrexed and cisplatin alone in patients with previously untreated, stage IV, non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: We did this randomised, open-label, controlled phase 3 study at 103 sites in 20 countries.

Chemotherapy for elderly patients with advanced cancer: A pilot study in Institute of Oncology Bucharest.

Objectives: First objective was better understanding of the indications of chemotherapy in elderly with advanced cancer, tolerability and toxicity of chemotherapy in this age group. The second objective was to define current practice in chemotherapy for elderly people with advanced cancer for a selected group of patients treated in Institute of Oncology Bucharest (IOB).

Materials And Methods: The study makes a clinical analysis of medical records of 27 patients from the archive of Institute of Oncology Bucharest treated by the same doctor.

Long-term and low-grade safety results of a phase III study (PARAMOUNT): maintenance pemetrexed plus best supportive care versus placebo plus best supportive care immediately after induction treatment with pemetrexed plus cisplatin for advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer.

Introduction: In the PARAMOUNT ("A Phase 3, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Maintenance Pemetrexed plus Best Supportive Care vs. Best Supportive Care Immediately Following Induction Treatment with Pemetrexed Plus Cisplatin for Advanced Non-Squamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer") trial, patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NS-NSCLC) benefited from pemetrexed maintenance therapy after induction therapy with pemetrexed and cisplatin by extending survival, delaying disease progression, and maintaining quality of life (QoL). However, low-grade 1 or 2 toxicities during long-term maintenance treatment may become burdensome and impact QoL.

Efficacy and safety of maintenance pemetrexed in patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer following pemetrexed plus cisplatin induction treatment: A cross-trial comparison of two phase III trials.

Objectives: Two phase III trials of advanced NSCLC patients were compared to examine relative efficacy and safety of differing treatment regimens. The JMDB trial investigated first-line pemetrexed-cisplatin (pemetrexed 500mg/m(2) plus cisplatin 75mg/m(2) every 21 days; maximum: 6 cycles). The PARAMOUNT phase III trial compared maintenance pemetrexed versus placebo after patients with nonsquamous NSCLC completed 4 cycles of first-line pemetrexed-cisplatin without disease progression.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with chronic heart failure is associated with anti-inflammatory and anti-remodeling effects.

Objectives: Proinflammatory cytokines, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) play a role in left ventricular (LV) structural remodeling. We aimed to investigate the effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on serum levels of amino-terminal prohormone B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), some interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8), MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Design And Methods: We studied 27 patients (15 M/12 F) with CHF, III-IV NYHA class, implanted with a biventricular pacemaker/defibrillator and 40 healthy subjects (23 M/17 F).

Controversies in the management of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: maintenance therapy.

The majority of patients with non-small cell lung (NSCLC) present with advanced, metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. The current state of the art for the management of this condition is first- and second-line chemotherapy (CT), along with appropriate supporting care measures, which are supposed to alleviate symptoms and to improve survival. During the last years, maintenance therapy (MT) was included in the therapeutic algorithm for these patients.

Juxtapapillary duodenal diverticula early and late clinical and therapeutical implications.

The aim of this paper is to identify the early and late implications of JPDD for biliary pathology, as well as for endoscopic therapy and classical surgery dealing mainly with lithiasis. This paper is based on a retrospective study comprising a number of 675 ERCP performed on 601 patients between 1997-2007, out of which 399 cases were followed by therapeutic measures. A total of 79 procedures were performed on 65 cases with JPDD.

The favorable prognostic significance of atelectasis in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: results of a prospective observational study.

Purpose: For lung cancer, the TNM staging system included atelectasis (At) as a negative prognostic factor, within the T category. However, according to our clinical experience, we observed the opposite. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of At on patient outcome for unresectable stage III and IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The antioxidant response induced by Lonicera caerulaea berry extracts in animals bearing experimental solid tumors.

Lonicera caerulea is a species of bush native to the Kamchatka Peninsula (Russian Far East) whose berries have been extensively studied due to their potential high antioxidant activity. The aim of our work was to investigate the in vivo effects of the antioxidant action of Lonicera caerulea berry extracts on the dynamics of experimentally-induced tumors. Our data showed that aqueous Lonicera caerulaea extracts reduced the tumor volume when administered continuously during the tumor growth and development stages, but augmented the tumor growth when the administration of extracts started three weeks before tumor grafting.

Split course radiation with concurrent vinorelbine and cisplatin in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. A phase II study.

Purpose: Recent results coming from large randomized trials suggest that for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), integration of chemotherapy (CT) with irradiation (RT) should be concurrent rather than sequential. This study aimed at evaluating the actually delivered RT and CT dose intensities (DI), along with the toxicity and efficacy of a split course RT program with concurrent CT.

Patients And Methods: From October 2000 to September 2002, 24 patients with histologically or cytologically documented NSCLC were included.

Anthracycline pretreated patients: who is who in the chemotherapy choice of relapsed breast cancer?

During the last years, a strong trend towards excluding anthracyclines from the first-line chemotherapy (CT) of relapsed breast cancer (RBC) has been noticed. This trend is based on the concept of previous exposure of the tumor on the same drugs in the adjuvant setting. Consequently, some guidelines and experts recommend the avoidance of using these compounds for RBC under those circumstances, while the taxanes became the first treatment option.

Compliance with adjuvant chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer. The experience of a single institution evaluating a cohort of 356 patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the patient compliance with adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) following radical surgery for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to identify the potential confounding factors affecting this particular aspect.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated a series of 356 consecutively treated NSCLC patients at a single institution during 1994-2003. All patients had macroscopic and microscopic radical resection of the primary tumor, with or without mediastinal node dissection or sampling, had received at least one adjuvant CT cycle, with or without postoperative irradiation (RT).

Adjuvant chemotherapy for radically resected non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective analysis of 311 consecutively treated patients.

Background: The impact of adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) in the management of resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is highly debated. The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcome of this category of patients, treated at the Military Hospital Bucharest (surgery) and Institute of Oncology Bucharest (CT).

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the survival data according to various patients' characteristics, the corresponding pattern of relapses, along with the data concerning the CT program.

Gemcitabine (GEM) and carboplatin (CBDCA) versus cisplatin (CDDP) and vinblastine (VLB) in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stages III and IV: a phase III randomised trial.

Purpose: The combination of Gemcitabine (GEM)/carboplatin (CBDCA) has demonstrated activity in the treatment of stage III and IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This phase III randomized trial compared the response rate, survival rate, and toxicity of the combination of GEM plus CBDCA with the combination of VLB plus CDDP.

Methods: Chemonaïve patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC were enrolled in the study.