Expert review of anticancer therapy
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Expert Rev Anticancer Ther · Feb 2012
ReviewFosaprepitant for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
For patients receiving cancer chemotherapy, the ongoing development of antiemetic treatment is of significant importance. Patients consider nausea and vomiting among the most distressing symptoms of chemotherapy, and as new antiemetics have been very successful in prevention of vomiting, agents effective against nausea have become one of the major unmet needs. ⋯ Fosaprepitant (intravenous prodrug of aprepitant) given as a single intravenous dose of 150 mg can replace the aprepitant 3-day oral regimen. This article focuses on the development and clinical application of fosaprepitant.
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Expert Rev Anticancer Ther · Jan 2012
ReviewTreatment of elderly patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer.
Every thoracic oncologist could be considered a geriatric oncologist as the median age of presentation with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer is 71 years. Subgroup analyses and population-based studies suggest similar benefits to treatment of the fit elderly compared with younger patients. ⋯ Comprehensive geriatric assessment can augment the standard examination in defining the strengths and weakness of the elderly patient who is considering chemotherapy. In the future, biochemical assessment of physiologic age may further aid this assessment.
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Expert Rev Anticancer Ther · Dec 2011
ReviewSunitinib for advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
Recent recognition of the high prevalence of neuroendocrine tumors in combination with a sustained failure to improve outcomes for patients with advanced disease has elevated their priority for research and drug development. Sunitinib (SU11248, Sutent; Pfizer Inc. ⋯ Sunitinib has recently gained regulatory approval as a single agent in this setting, and future studies will investigate most appropriate patient selection, and sequencing and combination with other targeted and cytotoxic agents. Here, we discuss in detail the molecular properties, clinical efficacy and safety of sunitinib in the context of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
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Expert Rev Anticancer Ther · Jun 2011
ReviewQuality of reporting in randomized controlled trials conducted in China on the treatment of cancer pain.
Research in China has been rapidly gaining momentum, but as yet there is no systematic evaluation of quality of reporting in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the treatment of cancer pain conducted in China. Therefore, an assessment in this field is an imperative issue. ⋯ The quality of reporting in RCTs on the treatment of cancer pain conducted in China needs to be improved. Three critical steps should be strictly conducted including randomization, blinding and follow-up. Reporting of RCTs in this field conducted in China should meet and keep up with the standards of CONSORT statement.
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Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common malignant neoplasm of the kidney, and sarcomatoid RCC is an aggressive and lethal variant. Sarcomatoid features can be seen in all types of RCC and do not constitute a separate histologic type. ⋯ Most systemic therapies developed for metastatic RCC are less effective in sarcomatoid RCC, although some of the cytotoxic drugs may actually be more effective for sarcomatoid RCC because of its rapid rate of proliferation. Several ongoing prospective clinical trials are investigating new drug combinations for this disease.