Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and E-selectin levels in gastric cancer.

A diversity of adhesive interactions occur between the cancer cell and host extracellular matrix which potentiate neoplastic expansion and metastatic dissemination. In miscellaneous malignant diseases, tumour progression has been observed to be associated with alterations in adhesion molecule expression. Recently, circulating soluble intercellular adhesion molecules have been identified. In this study, serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) were determined in patients with gastric cancer. The study group consisted of 27 patients with previously untreated gastric adenocarcinoma. Four patients had stage II, two patients stage III and 21 patients stage IV disease according to the TNM classification. Nineteen patients had distant metastasis. The sera obtained from 18 healthy volunteers served as controls. Serum sICAM-1 and sE-selectin concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, we also studied other tumour-associated antigens, i.e. CEA and CA 19-9. Serum sICAM-1 levels were significantly increased in patients with gastric cancer (P < 0.0001). However, sE-selectin levels did not differ from the controls. sICAM-1 concentrations were also significantly higher in patients with distant metastasis and peritoneal spread (P = 0.0045 and P = 0.0157 respectively), whereas sE-Selectin levels were elevated only in patients with peritoneal metastasis (P = 0.033). Serum concentrations of sICAM-1 and sE-selectin correlated with CEA levels (P = 0.0013 and P = 0.003 respectively). Elevated levels of sE-selectin were associated with poorer prognosis (P = 0.0099), whereas sICAM-1 had no significant impact on survival. Our results suggest that increased sICAM-1 serum levels may reflect widespread disease and contribute directly to the progression of gastric cancer. Further investigation of the molecular mechanisms of adhesive tumour-host interactions may lead to a better understanding of the natural history of gastric cancer

Weekly Paclitaxel In Pretreated Metastatic Breast Cancer: Retrospective Analysis Of 52 Patients

Single-agent paclitaxel has been shown to be effective as both first- and second-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer, and the efficacy and tolerability of weekly administration of paclitaxel has generated much interest. Fifty-two patients with pretreated metastatic breast cancer who were admitted to Hacettepe University between January 2001 and June 2002 were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Paclitaxel was administered weekly in a dose of 80 mg/m(2) over 1 hour. The median number of cycles delivered was 20 weeks (range, 8 to 24). The median delivered dose was 2400 mg (range, 960 to 3840 mg). At a median follow-up of 12.3 months (range, 6 to 17), all patients were assessable for response and toxicity. A complete response and partial response were observed in 7 (13.5%), and 19 (36.5%) patients, respectively. Overall response rate was 50%. Median duration of response was 10 months (range, 3 to 16). Therapy was generally well tolerated, and toxicities were manageable. Severe leukopenia was seen in two (4%) patients. Based on these results, we conclude that weekly paclitaxel is a well-tolerated and highly effective regimen in pre-treated metastatic breast cancer. (C) 2004 Tohoku University Medical Press.WoSScopu

Metastatic Germ Cell Tumor Presenting With Renovascular Hypertension

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Quality of life and anxiety-depression relationship in female patients with metastatic malignancy

WOS: 00024756480149

Expression of PTEN, cyclin D1, P27/KIP1 in invasive ductal carcinomas of the breast and correlation with clinicopathological parameters.

In this study, tumour tissue samples of 85 primary breast cancer patients were evaluated for phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN), cyclin D1 and P27/Kip1 expression patterns. The results were correlated with clinicopathological parameters. Loss of PTEN protein expression was present in 32.5% of the cases. Cyclin D1 was overexpressed in 54.2% and P27/Kip1 in 89.3% of the cases. Statistically significant associations were found between PTEN and cyclin D1 expression patterns, and cyclin D1 expression and tumour size

Ifosfamide, Idarubicin, And Etoposide In Relapsed/Refractory Hodgkin Disease Or Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Salvage Regimen With High Response Rates Before Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation

To achieve long-term disease-free survival, high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is the current standard approach in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin disease (HD) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Because chemosensitivity is a significant factor in determining transplantation eligibility, it is critical to select a salvage chemotherapy regimen that has the potential to induce a high response rate with low nonhematologic toxicity. In this phase II study, 49 patients with relapsed or refractory HD (n = 22) and NHL (n = 27) with a median age of 42 years were treated with an IIVP salvage regimen consisting of ifosfamide, idarubicin, and etoposide. Twenty-seven percent of the patients had primary refractory disease, whereas 22% and 51% had early and late relapses, respectively. As analyzed by intention to treat, 16 patients (33%) achieved complete remission and 21 patients (43%) achieved a partial response, leading to an overall response rate of 76% (63% in NHL and 91% in HD). In the univariate analysis, diagnosis (HD versus NHL), remission duration before the initiation of IIVP, disease bulk, increased lactate dehydrogenase, and the presence of "B" symptoms were significant factors affecting the response achieved by the IIVP regimen. Of 37 responders, 31 (84%) underwent high-dose therapy and transplantation. The probability of 4-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) in this group of patients who underwent ASCT was 67.7% and 49.1%, respectively. When compared with the patients who achieved a partial response, patients who achieved complete remission with the IIVP regimen had a significantly higher probability of 4-year EFS (67.3% versus 30%; P =.016) and 4-year OS (92.3% versus 39.2%; P =.003). In patients with HD, 4-year EFS and 4-year OS were 54.9% and 70.6%, respectively, without a significant difference with respect to the survival rates obtained in patients with NHL (43.6% and 63.6%, respectively). Common side effects observed during 102 cycles of therapy were grade 3 to 4 neutropenia (62%) and thrombocytopenia (58%). The IIVP regimen is a highly effective salvage regimen for patients with relapsed or refractory HD or NHL who are candidates for ASCT. Furthermore, the degree of response to IIVP predicts the posttransplantation outcome. However, close follow-up is necessary because of a high incidence of grade 3 to 4 hematologic toxicity. (c) 2005 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation.WoSScopu