bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chemotherapy-induced tumor necrosis as a prognostic factor in localized Ewing's sarcoma of the extremities.
Authors: Picci P , Böhling T , Bacci G , Ferrari S , Sangiorgi L , Mercuri M , Ruggieri P , Manfrini M , Ferraro A , Casadei R , Benassi M S , Mancini A F , Rosito P , Cazzola A , Barbieri E , Tienghi A , Brach del Prever A , Comandone A , Bacchini P , Bertoni F 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE This study was performed to assess the prognostic value of the proposed histopathologic method to evaluate the response of the primary tumor to preoperative chemotherapy in Ewing's sarcoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS The response to chemotherapy was evaluated from the specimens of 118 Ewing's sarcoma patients, who were preoperatively treated by chemotherapy alone. Responses were graded I to III (macroscopic viable tumor, microscopic viable tumor, and no viable tumor cells, respectively). Follow-up data were available for all patients, with a mean follow-up duration of 86 months (range, 30 to 158). RESULTS A statistically highly significant difference was observed in outcome among the three groups of patients. For patients with total necrosis (grade III response), the estimated 5-year disease-free survival rate was 95%, in contrast to 68% for grade II responders and 34% for grade III responders (P < .0001). This difference was also confirmed when any single group was compared with the other groups. Among the parameters tested, patient age and the size of tumor had some prognostic value. CONCLUSION The proposed histopathologic grading, to evaluate the effect of chemotherapy on the primary tumor, had the strongest correlation to clinical outcome. This method could therefore be used to identify patients with a high risk of recurrent disease. These patients could be randomized to receive alternative postoperative treatments to investigate whether more aggressive therapies will improve outcome.
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor/interleukin-3 fusion protein versus granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor after autologous bone marrow transplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: results of a randomized double-blind trial.
Authors: Vose J M , Pandite A N , Beveridge R A , Geller R B , Schuster M W , Anderson J E , LeMaistre C F , Ahmed T , Granena A , Keating A , Fernandez Ranada J M , Stiff P J , Tabbara I , Longo W , Copelan E A , Nichols C , Smith A , Topolsky D L , Bierman P J , Lebsack M E , Lange M , Garrison L 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE A phase III trial to compare PIXY321 with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) following high-dose therapy and autologous bone marrow transplant (ABMT) was conducted to evaluate the time to hematopoietic recovery. PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred seventy-seven patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) receiving ABMT were randomized to receive either PIXY321 750 micrograms/m2/d divided into two subcutaneous (SC) doses or GM-CSF 250 micrograms/m2/d as a 2-hour intravenous (IV) infusion starting on day 0 post-ABMT for a maximum of 28 days. RESULTS The median time to reach an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) > or = 500/microL in the PIXY321 group was 17 days versus 19 days in the GM-CSF group (P = .07) and the median time to reach platelet transfusion independence in the PIXY321 group was 25 days versus 23 days in the GM-CSF group (P = .30). The toxicity profiles of the two agents appeared to be equivalent with the exception of more patients in the PIXY321 group with a rash (64%) compared with the GM-CSF group (48%) (P = .028). A logistic regression model identified the use of a non-total-body irradiation (TBI) regimen and/or receipt of unpurged marrow and a body-surface area greater than 2.0 m2 as predictive of faster neutrophil engraftment, and those three factors, as well as the receipt of < or = two prior chemotherapy regimens as predictive for rapid platelet engraftment. CONCLUSION There was a trend toward a slight improvement in neutrophil engraftment post-ABMT with the PIXY321 administered by an SC route compared with GM-CSF administered by an IV route. However, no differences could be identified between the two agents with respect to the time to platelet transfusion independence. Patient, regimen, and graft characteristics were most predictive of the engraftment tempo.
Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue gastrointestinal and nongastrointestinal lymphoma behavior: analysis of 108 patients.
Authors: Thieblemont C , Bastion Y , Berger F , Rieux C , Salles G , Dumontet C , Felman P , Coiffier B 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE Characteristics and outcome of 108 patients with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma were analyzed according to initial location of the lymphoma, within or outside of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred eight patients with MALT lymphoma were studied. Fifty-five patients (51%) had GI involvement and 53 patients (49%) had another involved extranodal site: 13 orbit; 11 lung; 10 skin; seven parotid; six thyroid; three Waldeyer's ring; two breast; and one pancreas involvement. At diagnosis, 47 patients (44%) had stage IE, 26 (24%) had stage IIE, and 35 (32%) had disseminated disease. No significant difference in the clinical or biologic characteristics was observed between GI and non-GI patients. RESULTS Complete response after the first treatment was reached in 76% of the patients, with no difference between the two subgroups. With a median follow-up of 52 months, median survival was not reached and was identical in the two subgroups, but GI MALT patients had a longer time to progression (8.9 years compared with 4.9 years in non-GI patients; P = .01). The different non-GI locations seemed to have a similar outcome. CONCLUSION MALT lymphoma is an indolent disease that usually presents as localized extranodal tumor without accompanying adverse prognostic factor, and these patients have a good outcome. However, non-GI patients seem to progress more often than GI patients.
Methodologic issues in effectiveness research on palliative cancer care: a systematic review.
Authors: Rinck G C , van den Bos G A , Kleijnen J , de Haes H J , Schadé E , Veenhof C H 
Published: February 2017

BACKGROUND The objective of this report is to explore methodologic issues on the basis of a systematic review of the literature of effectiveness research on palliative cancer care with regard to selection and characteristics of a study population, interventions, and outcome assessment. METHODS A systematic review was performed of randomized clinical trials on comprehensive palliative care with quality assessment of the studies by three independent observers, using predefined quality criteria. RESULTS In the literature search, 11 relevant studies were identified. Without exception, methodologic problems were experienced. In two studies, the problems were so severe that no results were reported. Problems were associated with the recruitment of a study population in 10 studies, its homogeneity in six, patient attrition in four, defining and maintaining the contrast between the strategies in six, and selection of the outcome variables in four. CONCLUSION Effectiveness research in palliative care is complex and has many pitfalls. To enhance the quality of future palliative care trials and the validity of their results, we particularly stress the importance of careful case finding, strict eligibility criteria, precise documentation of the process of care, and comprehensive outcome measurement. The relation of structure, process, and outcome variables in comprehensive palliative care should be further explored. It is a challenge for future research to link patient outcomes to the quality of care, independent from the autonomous course of the disease and from personal characteristics.
Late relapse in patients with diffuse large-cell lymphoma treated with MACOP-B.
Authors: Lee A Y , Connors J M , Klimo P , O'Reilly S E , Gascoyne R D 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE To examine the clinical course of patients who experienced a late relapse after initial curative chemotherapy for advanced-stage diffuse large-cell lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between April 1981 and June 1986, 127 patients with de novo advanced-stage diffuse large-cell lymphoma were treated with a 12-week chemotherapy program (methotrexate, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and bleomycin [MACOP-B]). The overall survival rate at 10 years is 52%. One hundred six patients (83%) entered a complete remission (CR) and 43 of them relapsed. With a median follow-up duration of 146 months, 26 patients relapsed early and 17 relapsed late, ie, after a continuous CR (cCR) of greater than 24 months. All late relapses occurred in patients with B-cell lymphoma. RESULTS After 24 months from diagnosis, the rate of late relapse averaged 2.2% per year and reached a projected 22% actuarial risk of late relapse after 10 years. The median time to late relapse was 69 months (range, 38 to 141). Ten patients relapsed with aggressive histologic subtypes and were treated with curative intent using anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Four remain in second CR, one is alive with disease, and five died of disease or while on treatment. The 6-year overall survival rate from the time of relapse (SFR) for these 10 patients is 42%. Six patients relapsed with low-grade follicular lymphoma. These patients received various treatments intended to control, but not necessarily cure disease. One is in second CR, one is alive with disease, and four died of disease or while on treatment. The 6-year overall SFR rate for these six patients is 40%. bcl-2 translocation and Bcl-2 protein expression at diagnosis did not predict for the type of late relapse. One patient did not undergo repeat biopsy at relapse and died 9 months later despite aggressive therapy. CONCLUSION Curative therapy should be attempted in patients who relapse late with aggressive-histology lymphoma and those who relapse with follicular histology may benefit from palliative treatment. The behavior of late-relapse lymphoma is similar to de novo lymphoma, with outcome dictated by the histologic subtype at relapse.
Results of allogeneic bone marrow transplants for leukemia using donors other than HLA-identical siblings.
Authors: Szydlo R , Goldman J M , Klein J P , Gale R P , Ash R C , Bach F H , Bradley B A , Casper J T , Flomenberg N , Gajewski J L , Gluckman E , Henslee-Downey P J , Hows J M , Jacobsen N , Kolb H J , Lowenberg B , Masaoka T , Rowlings P A , Sondel P M , van Bekkum D W , van Rood J J , Vowels M R , Zhang M J , Horowitz M M 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE To compare outcomes of bone marrow transplants for leukemia from HLA-identical siblings, haploidentical HLA-mismatched relatives, and HLA-matched and mismatched unrelated donors. PATIENTS A total of 2,055 recipients of allogeneic bone marrow transplants for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were entered onto the study. Transplants were performed between 1985 and 1991 and reported to the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry (IBMTR). Donors were HLA-identical siblings (n = 1,224); haploidentical relatives mismatched for one (n = 238) or two (n = 102) HLA-A, -B, or -DR antigens; or unrelated persons who were HLA-matched (n = 383) or mismatched for one HLA-A, -B, or -DR antigen (n = 108). HLA typing was performed using serologic techniques. RESULTS Transplant-related mortality was significantly higher after alternative donor transplants than after HLA-identical sibling transplants. Among patients with early leukemia (CML in chronic phase or acute leukemia in first remission), 3-year transplant-related mortality (+/-SE) was 21% +/- 2% after HLA-identical sibling transplants and greater than 50% after all types of alternative donor transplants studied. Among patients with early leukemia, relative risks of treatment failure (inverse of leukemia-free survival), using HLA-identical sibling transplants as the reference group, were 2.43 (P < .0001) with 1-HLA-antigen-mismatched related donors, 3.79 (P < .0001) with 2-HLA-antigen-mismatched related donors, 2.11 (P < .0001) with HLA-matched unrelated donors, and 3.33 (P < .0001) with 1-HLA-antigen-mismatched unrelated donors. For patients with more advanced leukemia, differences in treatment failure were less striking: 1-HLA-antigen-mismatched relatives, 1.22 (P = not significant [NS]); 2-HLA-antigen-mismatched relatives, 1.81 (P < .0001); HLA-matched unrelated donors, 1.39 (P = .002); and 1-HLA-antigen-mismatched unrelated donors, 1.63 (P = .002). CONCLUSION Although transplants from alternative donors are effective in some patients with leukemia, treatment failure is higher than after HLA-identical sibling transplants. Outcome depends on leukemia state, donor-recipient relationship, and degree of HLA matching. In early leukemia, alternative donor transplants have a more than twofold increased risk of treatment failure compared with HLA-identical sibling transplants. This difference is less in advanced leukemia.
Randomized trial of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin compared with bleomycin, etoposide, and carboplatin in good-prognosis metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell cancer: a Multiinstitutional Medical Research Council/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Trial.
Authors: Horwich A , Sleijfer D T , Fosså S D , Kaye S B , Oliver R T , Cullen M H , Mead G M , de Wit R , de Mulder P H , Dearnaley D P , Cook P A , Sylvester R J , Stenning S P 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE This prospective randomized multicenter trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of carboplatin plus etoposide and bleomycin (CEB) versus cisplatin plus etoposide and bleomycin (BEP) in first-line chemotherapy of patients with good-risk nonseminomatous germ cell tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between September 1989 and May 1993, a total of 598 patients with good-risk nonseminomatous germ cell tumors were randomized to receive four cycles of either BEP or CEB. In each cycle, the etoposide dose was 120 mg/m2 on days 1, 2, and 3, and the bleomycin dose was 30 U on day 2. BEP patients received cisplatin at 20 mg/m2/d on days 1 to 5 or 50 mg/m2 on days 1 and 2. For CEB patients, the carboplatin dose was calculated from the glomerular filtration rate to achieve a serum concentration x time of 5 mg/mL x minutes. Chemotherapy was recycled at 21-day intervals to a total of four cycles. RESULTS Of patients assessable for response, 253 of 268 (94.4%) of those allocated to receive BEP achieved a complete response, compared with 227 of 260 (87.3%) allocated to receive CEB (P = .009). There were 30 treatment failures in the 300 patients allocated to BEP and 79 in the 298 allocated to CEB (log-rank chi 2 = 26.9; P < .001), which led to failure-free rates at 1 year of 91% (95% confidence interval [CI], 88% to 94%) and 77% (95% CI, 72% to 82%), respectively. There were 10 deaths in patients allocated to BEP and 27 in patients allocated to CEB (log-rank chi 2 = 8.77; P = .003), which led to 3-year survival rates of 97% (95% CI, 95% to 99%) and 90% (95% CI, 86% to 94%), respectively. CONCLUSION With these drug doses and schedules, combination chemotherapy based on carboplatin was inferior to that based on cisplatin. This BEP regimen that contains moderate doses of etoposide and bleomycin is effective in the treatment of patients with good-prognosis metastatic nonseminoma.
Increased intensification and total dose of cyclophosphamide in a doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide regimen for the treatment of primary breast cancer: findings from National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-22.
Authors: Fisher B , Anderson S , Wickerham D L , DeCillis A , Dimitrov N , Mamounas E , Wolmark N , Pugh R , Atkins J N , Meyers F J , Abramson N , Wolter J , Bornstein R S , Levy L , Romond E H , Caggiano V , Grimaldi M , Jochimsen P , Deckers P 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE The National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) initiated a randomized trial (B-22) to determine if intensifying but maintaining the total dose of cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Bristol-Myers Squibb Oncology, Princeton, NJ) in a doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Pharmacia, Kalamazoo, MI)-cyclophosphamide combination (AC), or if intensifying and increasing the total dose of cyclophosphamide improves the outcome of women with primary breast cancer and positive axillary nodes. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients (N = 2,305) were randomized to receive either four courses of standard AC therapy (group 1); intensified therapy, in which the same total dose of cyclophosphamide was administered in two courses (group 2); or intensified and increased therapy, in which the total dose of cyclophosphamide was doubled (group 3). The dose and intensity of doxorubicin were similar in all groups. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival were determined using life-table estimates. RESULTS There was no significant difference in DFS (P = .30) or overall survival (P = .95) among the groups through 5 years. At 5 years, the DFS of women in group 1 was similar to that of women in group 2 (62% v 60%, respectively; P = .43) and to that of women in group 3 (62% v 64%, respectively; P = .59). The 5-year survival of women in group 1 was similar to that of women in group 2 (78% v 77%, respectively; P = .86) and to that of women in group 3 (78% v 77%, respectively; P = .82). Grade 4 toxicity increased in groups 2 and 3. Failure to note a difference in outcome among the groups was unrelated to either differences in amount and intensity of cyclophosphamide or to dose delays and intervals between courses of therapy. CONCLUSION Intensifying or intensifying and increasing the total dose of cyclophosphamide failed to significantly improve either DFS or overall survival in any group. It was concluded that, outside of a clinical trial, dose-intensification of cyclophosphamide in an AC combination represents inappropriate therapy for women with primary breast cancer.
Phase II trial of biweekly paclitaxel and cisplatin in advanced breast carcinoma: an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group study.
Authors: Sparano J A , Neuberg D , Glick J H , Robert N J , Goldstein L J , Sledge G W , Wood W 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE To determine the efficacy of a biweekly paclitaxel and cisplatin regimen in patients with advanced breast carcinoma, which has previously been reported to produce an 85% response rate in such patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS Sixteen patients with metastatic breast carcinoma who had relapsed after prior doxorubicin-containing adjuvant chemotherapy were treated with paclitaxel (90 mg/m2) by intravenous (i.v.) infusion over 3 hours followed by cisplatin (60 mg/m2) given by i.v. infusion over 1 hour on an outpatient basis. Treatment was repeated every 2 weeks if the absolute neutrophil count was > or = 750/microL and platelet count > or = 75,000/microL. After a maximum of eight cycles of paclitaxel/cisplatin, patients received biweekly paclitaxel alone (90 mg/m2 with dose escalation). Thirteen patients were assessable for response and all for toxicity. Nine of 13 patients assessable for response (69%) had at least three sites of metastases and 10 patients (77%) had visceral-dominant disease. RESULTS Partial response occurred in three of 13 assessable patients (23%; 90% confidence interval, 7% to 49%). All responders had two or fewer sites of metastases. The median time to progression was 4.3 months and the median survival duration was 11.4 months. Patients received a median of seven cycles of therapy (range, two to 21). Severe and/or life-threatening toxicity occurred in 50% and 38%, respectively, and consisted primarily of granulocytopenia, anemia, and neuropathy. The trial was terminated after the first interim analysis as per its two-stage design, since it was unlikely that the response rate would exceed 70%. CONCLUSION Biweekly paclitaxel/cisplatin is not likely to produce a response rate greater than 70% in patients with metastatic breast cancer who have relapsed after prior doxorubicin-containing adjuvant chemotherapy and who have multiple sites of metastases and/or visceral-dominant disease.
Cyclophosphamide and fluorouracil combined with mitoxantrone versus doxorubicin for breast cancer: superiority of doxorubicin.
Authors: Stewart D J , Evans W K , Shepherd F A , Wilson K S , Pritchard K I , Trudeau M E , Wilson J J , Martz K 
Published: February 2017

PATIENTS AND METHODS We conducted a randomized, multicenter study of intravenous cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 plus fluorouracil 500 mg/m2 combined with either mitoxantrone (Novantrone, Lederle Cyanamid Canada Ltd, Willowdale, Ontario) 10 mg/m2 (CNF) or doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Adria Laboratories of Canada Ltd, Mississauga, Ontario) 50 mg/m2 (CAF) every 3 weeks in advanced breast cancer. RESULTS The response rate in 249 randomized patients was 36% with CNF (44 of 121) and 48% with CAF (62 of 128) (P = .054), with complete remissions in 10 patients (8.3%) on CNF and in 13 (10.2%) on CAF. If only fully assessable patients are considered, the response rate was 48% (44 of 91) with CNF and 60% (62 of 103) with CAF (P = .098). At time of analysis, all except 10 patients (one CNF and nine CAF) had died. The median survival time with CAF was longer than with CNF (15.2 v 10.9 months; P = .003), and time to progression was also longer with CAF (5.3 v 3.2 months; P < .03). Survival differences remained significant (P = .006) if patients who failed to meet all eligibility criteria were excluded. Favorable prognostic factors for survival in a Cox regression model included good performance status (P < .0001); less than two organ systems involved by tumor (P < .0001); no involvement of lung, liver, or brain (P < .003); involvement of bone or bone marrow (P < .009), prior surgery for breast cancer (P < .006); being premenopausal (P < .03); > or = 3 years from diagnosis until randomization on this study (P < .03); and treatment with CAF (P < .03). Alopecia > or = grade 3 was reported in 55% of patients with CAF and 12% of patients with CNF (P < .001), while other > or = grade 3 toxicities did not differ significantly. Priestman-Baum quality-of-life assessment was comparable on the two study arms. CONCLUSION In patients with advanced breast cancer, CAF was associated with longer survival than was CNF, with an increase in alopecia, but not in other toxicities.