Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
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To assess the Aspergillus galactomannan enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in adult and pediatric oncohematologic patients. ⋯ Galactomannan ELISA seems less sensitive than previously described, and sensitivity can be further reduced by the presence of anti-Aspergillus antibodies. A new cutoff value for the ELISA of 0.700 is proposed for non-allo-HSCT adults.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Adjuvant therapy in rectal cancer: analysis of stage, sex, and local control--final report of intergroup 0114.
The gastrointestinal Intergroup studied postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy in patients with T3/4 and N+ rectal cancer after potentially curative surgery to try to improve chemotherapy and to determine the risk of systemic and local failure. ⋯ There is no advantage to leucovorin- or levamisole-containing regimens over bolus 5-FU alone in the adjuvant treatment of rectal cancer when combined with irradiation. Local and distant recurrence rates are still high, especially in T3N+ and T4 patients, even with full adjuvant chemoradiation therapy.
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Clinical Trial
Phase II study of weekly docetaxel and trastuzumab for patients with HER-2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer.
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of weekly docetaxel plus trastuzumab in women with HER-2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer. Efficacy was correlated with serum HER-2 extracellular domain (ECD) levels. ⋯ Weekly docetaxel and trastuzumab is an active combination for treating patients with HER-2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer. Serum HER-2 ECD testing may be a promising method for monitoring patients on trastuzumab-based therapy.
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To determine whether cryopreserved solutions of the thrombolytic agent alteplase could be used as a safe, effective, and economically reasonable alternative to urokinase in patients presenting with occluded central venous access devices (CVADs). ⋯ Cryopreserved 1-mg/mL aliquots of alteplase are safe and effective in the clearance of occluded CVADs when stored at -20 degrees C for 30 days. The ability to cryopreserve alteplase aliquots makes it an economically reasonable alternative to urokinase in the setting of CVAD occlusion.