Pharmacokinetic Optimization of Docetaxel Dosing

Since clinical evaluations started in the early nineties, the anticancer drug docetaxel has obtained a prominent place in the treatment of various human malignancies. Marketing approval currently includes the treatment of patients with breast cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer, androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) and patients with advanced gastric cancer. Following initial introduction much research has focused on docetaxel’s clinical pharmacological properties in an attempt to improve the risk-benefit ratio for docetaxel treatment. In particular, reducing the substantial degree of interindividual variability in docetaxel pharmacokinetics, which is associated with the observed variability in toxicity, is an aspect, which has received much attention

Collapse and revival of oscillations in a parametrically excited Bose-Einstein condensate in combined harmonic and optical lattice trap

In this work, we study parametric resonances in an elongated cigar-shaped BEC in a combined harmonic trap and a time dependent optical lattice by using numerical and analytical techniques. We show that there exists a relative competition between the harmonic trap which tries to spatially localize the BEC and the time varying optical lattice which tries to delocalize the BEC. This competition gives rise to parametric resonances (collapse and revival of the oscillations of the BEC width). Parametric resonances disappear when one of the competing factors i.e strength of harmonic trap or the strength of optical lattice dominates. Parametric instabilities (exponential growth of Bogoliubov modes) arise for large variations in the strength of the optical lattice.Comment: 9 pages, 20 figure

Primary cardioprotection with dexrazoxane in patients with childhood cancer who are expected to receive anthracyclines: recommendations from the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group

Survivors of childhood cancer are at risk of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity, which might be prevented by dexrazoxane. However, concerns exist about the safety of dexrazoxane, and little guidance is available on its use in children. To facilitate global consensus, a working group within the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group reviewed the existing literature and used evidence-based methodology to develop a guideline for dexrazoxane administration in children with cancer who are expected to receive anthracyclines. Recommendations were made in consideration of evidence supporting the balance of potential benefits and harms, and clinical judgement by the expert panel. Given the dose-dependent risk of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity, we concluded that the benefits of dexrazoxane probably outweigh the risk of subsequent neoplasms when the cumulative doxorubicin or equivalent dose is at least 250 mg/m(2) (moderate recommendation). No recommendation could be formulated for cumulative doxorubicin or equivalent doses of lower than 250 mg/m(2), due to insufficient evidence to determine whether the risk of cardiotoxicity outweighs the possible risk of subsequent neoplasms. Further research is encouraged to determine the long-term efficacy and safety of dexrazoxane in children with cancer