Anticancer research
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Anticancer research · Nov 2008
Randomized Controlled TrialProspective study of chemotherapy in combination with cytokine-induced killer cells in patients suffering from advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
The present study evaluated the clinical efficacy of chemotherapy in combination with cytokine-induced killer (CIK) biotherapy compared to the chemotherapy alone. Fifty-nine advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients were randomly divided into two groups, group A (chemotherapy alone, including docetaxel 75 mg/m2, day 1; cisplatin, 25 mg/m2, days 1-4, tri-weekly) and group B (chemotherapy plus CIK cell transfusion). Autologous CIK cells were induced from the patients'peripheral mononuclear cells in vitro and separated by cytometry and then transfused back the patients. ⋯ Compared to patients in group A, the patients in group B had significantly longer progression-free survival (p = 0.042) and overall survival (p = 0.029). No severe side-effects occurred in the CIK cell transfusion patients. It was concluded that chemotherapy plus CIK cells has potential benefits compared to chemotherapy alone in patients suffering from advanced NSCLC and autologous CIK cell transfusion has no obvious side-effects.
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Anticancer research · Nov 2008
Reduction of irradiation volume and toxicities with 3-D radiotherapy planning over conventional radiotherapy for prostate cancer treated with long-term hormonal therapy.
As hormonal therapy has an influence not only on outcome but also on toxicities, we compare the efficacy of three-dimensional radiotherapy planning (3D-RTP) and of conventional radiotherapy (Conv-RT) in association with long-term hormonal therapy in reducing toxicity of treatment. ⋯ Long-term hormonal therapy has the potential to improve outcome but induce late GI toxicity. 3D-RTP simultaneously reduced treatment volume and frequency of acute urinary and late GI toxicities even with long-term hormonal therapy.
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Anticancer research · Sep 2008
Multicenter StudyMulticentre phase II trial of paclitaxel and carboplatin with concurrent radiotherapy in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
To evaluate weekly induction chemotherapy followed by weekly concomitant chemoradiotherapy in a multicentre phase II study of patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; stage wet IIIB excluded). ⋯ Induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly cycles of paclitaxel and carboplatin is feasible and generates moderate toxicity. Efficacy is comparable to other recently published regimens. However, prognosis remains, in general, poor for this group of patients and further work to develop better therapy is required.
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Anticancer research · Sep 2008
Clinical utility of a combination of tumour markers in the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusions.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of the tumour markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigens CA 125, CA 15.3, CA 19.9 and tumor-associated glycoprotein 72 (TAG 72) in the pleural fluid (PF) of patients with pleural effusions of different etiologies. ⋯ The combined measurement of CEA, CA 15.3 and TAG 72 in pleural fluid is a useful complementary test in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusions of malignant origin.
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Anticancer research · Sep 2008
Clinical TrialBladder and rectal toxicity of BeamCath application in radiotherapy of prostate cancer.
Patient-reported toxicity in two radiotherapy regimens for early stage prostate cancer was investigated. In 2003, the Swedish BeamCath technique was adapted for Northern Norway. ⋯ Eighty patients responded, which represents 89% of all patients. The treatment group (23 patients) had received 76 Gy with the BeamCath technique and the control group (57 patients) received 70 Gy employing a conformal technique. The BeamCath technique was associated with a lower median rectal (p=0.004; 50.6 Gy versus 56.2 Gy) and bladder dose (p=0.017; 48.5 Gy versus 61.5 Gy). There were no differences in scores on masculinity and sexual function. In conclusion, the BeamCath technique did not increase rectal or bladder toxicity.