Anticancer research
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Anticancer research · Nov 1999
ReviewThe role of molecular discreteness in normal and cancerous growth.
The physicochemical events that underlie biological processes are inevitably either/or events. Either a growth factor molecule binds to a cell, or it doesn't. Either a site on a cyclin molecule is phosphorylated, or it isn't. ⋯ In fact, as will be outlined here, such discrete modeling may allow us to see how the normal cellular populations of the body can grow to predictable sizes, at predictable times, and to predictable shapes. Such modeling can also allow us to gain insight into how normal cellular populations may become cancerous cellular populations. Indeed, such an approach allows us do a sufficiently good job of imitating the growth and spread of tumors as to be able to make estimates the most effective ways to both detect and treat cancer.
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Anticancer research · Jul 1999
ReviewRadiotherapy in the symptomatic treatment of the oncological patients.
This paper presents an overview on the palliative use of radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer patients. The aim of symptomatic treatment is to improve the patient's quality of life through the control of local symptoms, without serious disturbance of the life style. Radiotherapy can control many symptoms like metastasis bone pain hematological disorders and other.
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Anticancer research · Nov 1998
ReviewAdvanced head and neck cancer and clinical experience of an effective new agent: docetaxel.
Docetaxel is a taxoid cytotoxic agent known to have considerable clinical activity in a broad range of malignancies. A series of phase I/II studies have been performed to elucidate its toxicity and antitumor activity in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. DOCETAXEL AS FIRST-LINE MONOTHERAPY: Docetaxel administered at 100 mg/m2 as a 1-hour infusion every 3-4 weeks initiated an overall response of 27-42% for a duration of 5-6.5 months in patients with recurrent locoregional or metastatic disease. These results compare favourably with other single-agents in this setting. ⋯ Docetaxel appears to have substantial antitumour activity in advanced head and neck cancer and further studies are justified to determine its full role in the management of this disease.
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Anticancer research · May 1997
ReviewTreatment of metastatic bone pain using the bone seeking radiopharmaceutical Re-186-HEDP.
Recent advances in radionuclide therapy offer a new approach for the management of metastatic bone pain. This paper reports the results of dosage escalation studies with 186Re-HEDP as a bone-seeking radiopharmaceutical in patients with bone metastases originating from breast or prostate cancer with regard to toxicity, pharmacokinetics and bone marrow dosimetry and the palliating effect on bone pain. Thrombocytopenia proved to be the dose limiting factor and 186Re-HEDP showed a considerable efficacy in end-stage patients with metastatic bone pain.
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Anticancer research · Jan 1997
ReviewThe effect of megestrol acetate on anorexia, weight loss and cachexia in cancer and AIDS patients (review).
Weight gain is a well-known side-effect of megestrol acetate (MA) treatment. This effect has been studied systematically in cancer and AIDS patients with involuntary weight loss, anorexia or manifest cachexia, situations in which weight gain is desirable. Significant, positive effects on weight gain and on certain quality of life aspects, such as appetite, nausea, body image and mood have been reported for cancer patients treated with 160 mg to 1.600 mg daily and similar effects have been registered in AIDS patients if doses of about 400-800 mg are used. ⋯ The weight gain is, unfortunately, mainly due to an increase in fat mass and partly due to edema and, therefore, no significant effects are reported as regards the Karnovsky index. If anorexia, nausea and a negative body image are major concerns and if the patient has a life expectancy of more than 3 months, MA is a reasonable treatment option. However, if the central problem is fatigue and a low Karnovsky index, especially in a patient with a short expected survival, MA, which is not inexpensive, is not likely to be of significant help.