Gemcitabine and vinorelbine in recurrent advanced non-small cell lung cancer: sequence does matter

Summary Purpose  Gemcitabine and vinorelbine have demonstrated clinical efficacy both as single agents and in combination in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This phase II trial evaluated biweekly gemcitabine and vinorelbine in NSCLC patients who have had one prior chemotherapeutic regimen and have had disease progression.

Vitamin D and estrogen receptor gene polymorphisms and the risk of colorectal cancer in Bulgaria

Abstract Background and aims  Different epidemiological studies report the protective effect on colorectal cancer (CRC) exerted by vitamin D3 intake, estrogen replacement therapy, and increase of the risk of microsatellite instability (MSI) in CRC by withdrawal of estrogens. The aim of our study was to search for association between CRC and polymorphisms in estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) and Vitamin D receptor (VDR) genes.

Vinorelbine/docetaxel combination treatment of metastatic breast cancer: a phase I study

Abstract Purpose  The aim of this study was to investigate the combination of vinorelbine (VRL) alternating intravenous (i.v.) and oral in combination with docetaxel (DCT) as first-line chemotherapy of patients with metastatic breast cancer.

The epidermal growth factor receptor as a target for gastrointestinal cancer therapy

Opinion statement  The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the family of transmem-brane protein kinase receptors known as the erbB or HER receptor family. When activated, EGFR phosphorylates and activates other intracellular proteins that affect cell signaling pathways, cellular proliferation, control of apoptosis and angiogenesis. EGFR signaling is best thought of as a network of activating and inactivating proteins with EGFR as the entry point into the network. EGFR overexpression occurs in most GI malignancies and while data are not entirely consistent, EGFR overexpression often confers a poor prognosis in those GI malignancies that have been studied. It often correlates with poorly differentiated histology, more advanced stage and other known poor prognostic markers. The EGFR is a tempting target because of its presence and overexpression on so many tumor types. However, downstream of the EGFR are several proteins that may be activated without EGFR thus allowing blockade to be overcome. Therefore, while blocking the activity of the EGFR protein appears to be a promising anticancer strategy, a simplistic strategy of blocking only EGFR is likely to only impact a minority of patients. It is time for the laboratory and clinical researchers to work closely together to develop this treatment strategy, moving back and forth from clini-cal to laboratory to best understand how to block this network effectively enough to produce a broader antitumor effect. While multiple methods of targeting the EGFR pathway are under development, including the inhibition of downstream proteins, only two modalities have entered clinical trials in GI malignancies: small molecule inhibitors of the intracellular kinase domain of EGFR and antibodies designed to block the extracellular ligand-binding domain of EGFR. EGFR inhibitors are still experimental in every GI malignancy with the notable exception of cetuximab that is approved for second or third-line therapy of metastatic colorectal cancer, used either alone or in combination with irinotecan (Camptosar, Kalamazoo, Mich). Data on clinical applications of these agents in GI malignancies will be the focus of this paper.

Phase II study of gemcitabine and carboplatin in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Abstract Purpose  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine in combination with carboplatin at standard rate or fixed dose rate infusion in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Strahlentherapie beim Lokalrezidiv des Prostatakarzinoms

Zusammenfassung  Das Auftreten von Rezidiven nach primär kurativ intendierter Lokaltherapie eines Prostatakarzinoms stellt ein nicht zu vernachlässigendes Problem in der urologischen Onkologie dar. Über alle Stadien hinweg kommt es in geschätzten 25% der Fälle nach chirurgischem Vorgehen zu einem biochemischen Rezidiv. Unbehandelt entwickelt sich aus dem biochemischen Rezidiv im langfristigen Verlauf bei einem Großteil der Patienten ein klinisch manifestes Rezidiv. Aufgrund der Tatsache, dass zumindest ein Teil der biochemischen Rezidive nach radikaler Prostatektomie einem Lokalrezidiv entsprechen, bietet die Strahlentherapie hier einen kurativen Ansatz.Bislang liegen zu dieser Fragestellung keine randomisierten Studien vor. Somit kann nur aus retrospektiven Kohortenstudien oder prospektiven Beobachtungsstudien auf diejenigen Patientengruppen zurückgeschlossen werden, bei denen ein strahlentherapeutisches Vorgehen sinnvoll ist. In diesem Zusammenhang ergibt sich die beste Wirkung bei Patienten, bei denen der PSA-Wert zum Zeitpunkt der Strahlentherapie möglichst <1–2 ng/ml liegt, eine dokumentierte R1-Situation vorliegt und eine PSA-Verdopplungszeit >10 Monaten dokumentiert ist.

French-window thoracotomy: postoperative pain avoidance for short-stay lung cancer surgery

Abstract Objective  Although long years have passed since video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy (VL) appeared as a new approach for resection of lung cancer, its practicality is not clear even today. As the significance of VL has still been under discussion, it has not gained consensus of its superiority to standard lateral thoracotomy. However, we think that returning to the classical posterolateral thoracotomy (PLT) is only a setback, so we developed a new thoracotomy approach that spares the thoracic bony cage by protecting costovertebral and costosternal junctions without spreading the ribs, the same mechanism for avoiding pain as in VL. It was named French-window thoracotomy (FWT). Postoperative pain and length of hospital stay after pulmonary lobectomy were compared between PLT (n = 18) and FWT (n = 13).