Seminars in oncology
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Seminars in oncology · Oct 2001
ReviewCardiotoxicity in signal transduction therapeutics: erbB2 antibodies and the heart.
Cardiotoxicity is a common and potentially devastating side effect of antineoplastic drug therapy. This empiric observation is seen as paradoxical given that the cardiomyocyte is considered to be a terminally differentiated cell. Despite the fact that these cells do not divide after birth, adult cardiomyocytes may become "innocent bystander" targets of anticancer drugs designed to interfere with cell signaling pathways in rapidly proliferating cells. ⋯ The results obtained in these experiments support a direct action of trastuzumab on human cardiomyocytes. In addition, these data provide insight regarding potential molecular mechanisms. Most importantly, these data draw attention to the inherent risk of cardiotoxicity associated with a newly emerging class of antineoplastic drugs that interfere with signal transduction pathways.
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Seminars in oncology · Aug 2001
ReviewNew cytotoxic agents and schedules for advanced breast cancer.
Cytotoxic chemotherapy is important for treatment of women with hormone-insensitive or hormone-refractory advanced breast cancer. A variety of agents are effective, alone or in combination. ⋯ Finally, the combination of chemotherapy with novel biological agents may improve outcomes for women with certain types of breast cancer. The growing availability of such biological therapies given in combination with chemotherapy may mean better survival in the future for women with advanced breast cancer.
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Seminars in oncology · Aug 2001
ReviewNew approaches for temozolomide therapy: use in newly diagnosed glioma.
Temozolomide is a novel oral alkylating agent that has been approved for the treatment of patients with refractory malignant glioma. Treatment with temozolomide is now being explored in patients with newly diagnosed malignant glioma in several ongoing clinical trials, and alternative treatment schedules are being evaluated. A schedule of continuous daily treatment with temozolomide for 6 or 7 weeks has been developed and determined to be safe, effective, and well tolerated. When temozolomide was continuously given along with a standard course of radiation therapy for 6 or 7 weeks, followed by adjuvant treatment with temozolomide, promising preliminary results were seen in patients with malignant gliomas.
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Seminars in oncology · Aug 2001
ReviewThe current state of paclitaxel and radiation in the combined-modality therapy of non-small cell lung cancer.
The results of randomized trials have prompted an evolution in the treatment approach to inoperable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer, from radiotherapy alone to sequential chemoradiotherapy and now to concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The improvement in outcome seen with a concurrent chemoradiotherapy approach may be because of spatial cooperation, enhanced radiosensitization, and/or enhanced cytotoxicity. ⋯ This review will explore some of the studies with this treatment approach in locally advanced disease. We also will briefly discuss some of the ongoing trials that are attempting to refine the delivery of concurrent thoracic radiation and paclitaxel-based chemotherapy.