Gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GEMOX) in gemcitabine refractory advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma: a phase II study

Gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GEMOX) are active as first-line therapy against advanced pancreatic cancer. This study aims to evaluate the activity and tolerability of this combination in patients refractory to standard gemcitabine (GEM). A total of 33 patients (median age of 57) were included with locally advanced and metastatic evaluable diseases, who had progressed during or following GEM therapy. The GEMOX regimen consisted of 1000 mg m−2 of GEM at a 100-min infusion on day 1, followed on day 2 by 100 mg m−2 of oxaliplatin at a 2-h infusion; a cycle that was given every 2 weeks. All patients received at least one cycle of GEMOX (median 5; range 1–29). Response by 31 evaluable patients was as follows: PR: 7/31(22.6%), s.d. ⩾8 weeks: 11/31(35.5%), s.d. <8 weeks: 1/31(3.2%), PD: 12/31(38.7%). Median duration of response and TTP were 4.5 and 4.2 months, respectively. Median survival was 6 months (range 0.5–21). Clinical benefit response was observed in 17/31 patients (54.8%). Grade III/IV non-neurologic toxicities occurred in 12/33 patients (36.3%), and grade I, II, and III neuropathy in 17(51%), 3(9%), and 4(12%) patients, respectively. GEMOX is a well-tolerated, active regimen that may provide a benefit to patients with advanced pancreatic cancer after progression following standard gemcitabine treatment

Olefin metathesis mediated by Schiff base Ru-alkylidenes: Ru-alkylidenes bearing unsymmetrical NHC ligands

The classic Grubbs second-generation complex 2 was modified through 1. The introduction of a bidentate Schiff base ligand 2. Changes in the amino side groups of the NHC ligand Representative olefin metathesis test reactions show the effects induced by the ligand modifications and demonstrate some interesting new properties of the described catalysts. catalysts

Retrospective observational study on the incidence of incisional hernias after reversal of a temporary diverting ileostomy following rectal carcinoma resection with follow-up CT scans

Wounds resulting from the closure of temporary stomas have a high risk of developing an incisional hernia (IH) with incidences around 30 % in studies designed to investigate this outcome. A temporary diverting ileostomy (TDI) is often used in patients after low anterior resection (LAR) for rectal cancer. The OSTRICH study is a retrospective cohort study of rectal cancer patients who had a LAR with a reversed TDI and at least one CT scan during follow-up. Two radiologists independently evaluated all abdominal CT scans to diagnose IH at the ileostomy wound and additionally, IH at the laparotomy site. From the oncological database of rectal cancer patients treated from 2003 till 2012 (n = 317) a cohort of 153 patients that fulfilled the inclusion criteria was identified. Rectal cancer resection was performed by laparoscopy in 53 patients (34.6 %) and by laparotomy in 100 patients (65.4 %). A total of 17 IH (11.1 %) was diagnosed at the former stoma site after a mean follow-up of 2.6 years. Of these, 8 IH were in patients who had a laparoscopic LAR (15.1 %) and 9 IH in patients who had an open LAR (9.0 %) (Fisher's exact test; p = 0.28). IH on the other abdominal wall incisions was reported in 69 patients (45.1 %). Of these, 10 patients underwent laparoscopic rectal surgery (18.9 %) and in 59 patients had open rectal surgery (59.0 %) (Fisher's exact test; p < 0.0001). We found a lower number of incisional hernias (11.1 %) after reversal of ileostomies than expected from the literature. In contrast to the findings at the ileostomy site, a very high frequency of IH (59.0 %) after LAR by laparotomy was found, which was significantly higher than after laparoscopic LAR