bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Decision analysis of prophylactic mastectomy and oophorectomy in BRCA1-positive or BRCA2-positive patients.
Authors: Grann V R , Panageas K S , Whang W , Antman K H , Neugut A I 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE Young Ashkenazi Jewish women or those from high-risk families who test positive for BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutant genes have a significant risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer by the age of 70 years. Many question whether they should have prophylactic surgical procedures, ie, bilateral mastectomy and/or oophorectomy. METHODS A Markov model was developed to determine the survival, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness of prophylactic surgical procedures. The probabilities of developing breast and ovarian cancer were based on literature review among women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene and mortality rates were determined from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data for 1973 to 1992. The costs for hospital and ambulatory care were estimated from Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) payments in 1995, supplemented by managed care and fee-for-service data. Utility measures for quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were explicitly determined using the time-trade off method. Estimated risks for breast and ovarian cancer after prophylactic surgeries were obtained from the literature. RESULTS For a 30-year-old woman, according to her cancer risks, prophylactic oophorectomy improved survival by 0.4 to 2.6 years; mastectomy, by 2.8 to 3.4 years; and mastectomy and oophorectomy, by 3.3 to 6.0 years over surveillance. The QALYs saved were 0.5 for oophorectomy and 1.9 for the combined procedures in the high-risk model. Prophylactic surgeries were cost-effective compared with surveillance for years of life saved, but not for QALYs. CONCLUSION Among women who test positive for a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, prophylactic surgery at a young age substantially improves survival, but unless genetic risk of cancer is high, provides no benefit for quality of life. Prophylactic surgery is cost-effective for years of life saved compared with other medical interventions that are deemed cost-effective.
Alternative and complementary therapy use in pediatric oncology patients in British Columbia: prevalence and reasons for use and nonuse.
Authors: Fernandez C V , Stutzer C A , MacWilliam L , Fryer C 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE Alternative and complementary therapies are infrequently studied in pediatric populations. We performed a population-based survey to aid health care workers in identifying and counseling parents who may use these remedies. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively surveyed the parents of 583 pediatric patients diagnosed with cancer in British Columbia between 1989 and 1995. Prevalence and factors that influence the use and nonuse of alternative and complementary therapies were estimated. RESULTS Alternative and complementary therapies were used by 42% of 366 respondents. Herbal teas, plant extracts, and therapeutic vitamins were the most commonly used alternative therapies. Relaxation/imagery strategies, massage, and therapeutic touch were the most commonly used complementary techniques. Factors that influenced the use of alternative/complementary therapies were prior use (chi2 = 60.0, P < .0001), prior positive attitude towards these remedies (chi2 = 41.6, P < .0001), soliciting information from family and friends (chi2 = 70.5, P < .0001) or from alternative care givers (chi2 = 58.7, P < .0001), high risk of death at diagnosis (chi2 = 9.6, P < .002), and advanced education of the father (chi2 = 7.4, P < .006) or mother (chi2 = 8.6, P < .003). Parents who used alternative/complementary therapies did so in conjunction with conventional medicine (98%). Lack of knowledge and fear of interference with conventional therapies were the most common reasons cited for nonuse. No parent believed that the quality of life of their child deteriorated due to the use of alternative/complementary therapies. CONCLUSION Alternative and complementary therapy use in pediatric oncology patients is common. Factors have been identified that may be associated with undertaking their use.
No long-term increase in cardiac-related mortality after breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy using modern techniques.
Authors: Nixon A J , Manola J , Gelman R , Bornstein B , Abner A , Hetelekidis S , Recht A , Harris J R 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE To determine whether left-breast irradiation using modern techniques after breast-conserving surgery leads to an increased risk of cardiac-related mortality. METHODS Between 1968 and 1986, 1,624 patients were treated for unilateral stage I or II breast cancer at the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, with conservative surgery and breast irradiation. Seven hundred forty-five patients with a potential follow-up of at least 12 years were analyzed. Clinical, pathologic, and treatment characteristics were compared between the 365 patients (49%) who received left-sided irradiation and the 380 patients (51%) who received right-sided irradiation. The relationship between left-sided breast irradiation and the risk of nonbreast cancer- and cardiac-related mortality was examined. RESULTS There was no significant difference in the distribution of clinical, pathologic, or treatment characteristics between the two groups, with the exception of a small difference in pathologic tumor size (medians, left, 2.0 cm, right, 1.5 cm; P = .007). At 12 years, a majority of patients still were alive. Slightly more patients with left-sided tumors had died of breast cancer (31% v 27%; P = NS). Equivalent proportions from each group died of nonbreast cancer causes (11%), including nine patients (2%) from each group who died from cardiac causes. The risk of cardiac mortality did not increase as time after treatment increased for patients who received left-sided irradiation compared with right-sided irradiation. A model that controlled for clinical, pathologic, and treatment differences showed no significant increase in any category of cause of death (breast, cardiac, or other) for patients who received left-sided irradiation. CONCLUSION These results suggest that modern breast radiotherapy is not associated with an increased risk of cardiac-related mortality within at least the first 12 years after treatment.
Carboplatin plus vinorelbine, a new well-tolerated and active regimen for the treatment of extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer: a phase II study. Gruppo Oncologico Centro-Sud-Isole.
Authors: Gridelli C , Perrone F , Ianniello G P , Brancaccio L , Iaffaioli R V , Curcio C , D'Aprile M , Cioffi R , Cigolari S , Rossi A , Palazzolo G , Veltri E , Pergola M , De Placido S , Gallo C , Monfardini S , Bianco A R 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE To evaluate the activity and toxicity of the combination carboplatin plus vinorelbine in extensive small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS A two-stage optimal Simon design was applied. To proceed after the first stage, responses from 8 of 11 treated patients were needed. Overall, 31 responses of 43 treated patients were required to comply with the design parameters. Inclusion criteria were cytohistologically proven SCLC; extensive disease; age of 70 years or less; Eastern Cooperative Oncology group performance status (ps ECOG) of 2 or less; normal cardiac, hepatic, renal, and bone marrow functions; and no previous chemotherapy. Patients were staged by physical examination; biochemistry; chest radiograph; brain, thoracic; and abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scans, and bone scan. All patients received carboplatin 300 mg/m2 intravenously (i.v.) day 1 and vinorelbine 25 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 and 8 every 4 weeks up to six cycles. Of 43 enrolled patients, 36 were men and 7 women, with a median age of 63 years (range, 46 to 70 years). RESULTS All patients were assessable for response and toxicity. We observed 32 (74%) objective responses, with 23% complete responses. Median time to progression was 25 weeks, and median survival was 37 weeks. The treatment was well tolerated. The reported main toxicities were leukopenia grade 3 in 21% of patients and grade 4 in 5% of patients, anemia grade 2 in 11% of patients and grade 3 in 2% of patients, and thrombocytopenia grade 3 in 7% of patients. CONCLUSION These data show that carboplatin plus vinorelbine is an active and well-tolerated regimen in extensive SCLC. In view of the activity, low toxicity, and ease of administration, it may be a reasonable alternative to more toxic cisplatin-containing regimens.
Dose-intensive chemotherapy with ifosfamide, epirubicin, and filgrastim for adult patients with metastatic or locally advanced soft tissue sarcoma: a phase II study.
Authors: Reichardt P , Tilgner J , Hohenberger P , Dörken B 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE To evaluate the feasibility and toxicity of the combination of full-dose epirubicin (EPI) and high-dose ifosfamide (IFO) with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support and to determine the clinical efficacy in terms of response and impact on survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty-six consecutive, previously untreated patients with locally advanced or metastatic high-grade soft tissue sarcomas were treated with IFO 2.5 g/m2/d as a continuous infusion on days 1 to 5 and EPI 45 mg/m2/d as a continuous infusion on days 2 and 3 every 3 weeks. G-CSF 5 microg/kg/d subcutaneously (s.c.) was given on days 6 to 15 or until recovery of leukocytes after all cycles. Response evaluation was performed every two cycles and responding patients were treated with up to six cycles. All patients were evaluated for resectability of residual local or metastatic disease and underwent surgery if possible. RESULTS All patients experienced grade 3 or 4 myelosuppression. Other toxicities were mild. The overall response rate was 52%, with a complete remission (CR) rate of 22% after chemotherapy alone. Eight additional patients were rendered free of tumor (no evidence of disease [NED]) by surgical procedures. The median overall survival of all patients is 24 months. The CR/NED patients (39%) have a significantly superior survival time compared with all other patients. Thirteen of these 18 patients (72%) are alive, nine free of tumor, with a median follow-up time of 33 months. CONCLUSION This dose-intensive combination chemotherapy is toxic but feasible and produced a high number of partial remissions (PRs) and especially CRs, which resulted in prolonged survival.
Back-up bone marrow is frequently ineffective in patients with poor peripheral-blood stem-cell mobilization.
Authors: Watts M J , Sullivan A M , Leverett D , Peniket A J , Perry A R , Williams C D , Devereux S , Goldstone A H , Linch D C 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE To assess hematologic recovery and procedure-related mortality in patients who received high-dose therapy with stem-cell support, in whom the peripheral-blood stem-cell (PBSC) collection fails (CD34+ cells < 1 x 10(6)/kg). The predictive value of granulocyte-monocyte colony-forming cell (GM-CFC) measurements and the value of bone marrow obtained after PBSC collection failure was assessed. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study group comprised 324 consecutive patients mobilized with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and cyclophosphamide (273 patients), G-CSF with other chemotherapy (37 patients), and G-CSF alone (14 patients). Between one and four aphereses were performed. RESULTS In 51 of 324 patients, there was failure to obtain 1 x 10(6)/kg CD34+ cells. Twenty-three patients had greater than 1 x 10(5)/kg GM-CFC; 22 patients proceeded to high-dose therapy. Neutrophil recovery occurred within 21 days, but platelet independence was delayed (> 28 days) in eight patients. Of 28 patients with less than 1 x 10(5)/kg GM-CFC, six received high-dose therapy with PBSC alone and five had delayed engraftment. Twelve patients with less than 1 x 10(5)/kg GM-CFC received high-dose therapy supported by bone marrow collected after PBSC collection failure. Eleven patients were assessable for engraftment; four patients had slow (> 21 days) or delayed (> 28 days) neutrophil recovery and eight patients had delayed platelet recovery. In the group of patients who received less than 1 x 10(5)/kg GM-CFC, there were five procedure-related deaths. CONCLUSION This study shows that delayed hematologic recovery is frequent if less than 1 x 10(6)/kg CD34+ cells are infused after high-dose therapy, particularly with GM-CFC less than 1 x 10(5)/kg. The procedure-related mortality in this latter group is high. In most patients whose PBSC collection contains less than 1 x 10(5)/kg GM-CFC, the use of bone marrow cells does not improve engraftment, which suggests that poor PBSC mobilization usually indicates poor marrow function.
Cancer in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children: a case series from the Children's Cancer Group and the National Cancer Institute.
Authors: Granovsky M O , Mueller B U , Nicholson H S , Rosenberg P S , Rabkin C S 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE To describe the spectrum of malignancies in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children and the clinical outcome of patients with these tumors. METHODS We retrospectively surveyed the Children's Cancer Group (CCG) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for cases of cancer that occurred between July 1982 and February 1997 in children who were HIV seropositive before or at the time of cancer diagnosis. We used Kaplan-Meier survivorship curves, hazard function estimates, and Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate survival. RESULTS Sixty-four children (39 boys, 25 girls) with 65 tumors were reported. Thirty-seven children (58%) acquired HIV infection vertically (median age at cancer diagnosis, 4.3 years); 22 children (34%) acquired HIV through transfusion of blood or blood products (median age at cancer diagnosis, 13.4 years). Forty-two children (65%) had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Eleven children (17%) had leiomyosarcomas (or leiomyomas), which are otherwise exceptionally rare in children. Other malignancies included acute leukemia (five children), Kaposi's sarcoma (KS; three children), Hodgkin's disease (two children), vaginal carcinoma in situ (one child), and tracheal neuroendocrine carcinoma (one child). Median survival after NHL diagnosis was 6 months (range, 1 day to 89 months) and after leiomyosarcoma was 12 months (range, 10 days to 19 months). The average monthly death rate after NHL diagnosis was 12% in the first 6 months, which decreased to about 2% thereafter. In contrast, the monthly death rate after leiomyosarcoma diagnosis increased from 5% in the first 6 months to about 20% thereafter. CONCLUSION After NHL, leiomyosarcoma is the second leading cancer in children with HIV infection. Both cancers have high mortality rates; improved outcome for NHL, in particular, may depend on earlier diagnosis and therapy.
Radioimmunoscintigraphy of recurrent, metastatic, or occult colorectal cancer with technetium 99m-labeled totally human monoclonal antibody 88BV59: results of pivotal, phase III multicenter studies.
Authors: Serafini A N , Klein J L , Wolff B G , Baum R , Chetanneau A , Pecking A , Fischman A J , Hoover H C , Wynant G E , Subramanian R , Goroff D K , Hanna M G 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE To assess the performance and potential clinical impact of a totally human monoclonal antibody, 88BV59 (HumaSPECT) (INTRACEL, Corp, Rockville, MD), in 202 assessable presurgical patients with recurrent, metastatic, or occult colorectal cancer. METHODS 88BV59, labeled with technetium Tc 99m (99mTc) (HumaSPECT-Tc), was injected intravenously, and planar and single photon emission tomography (SPECT) images were obtained 14 to 20 hours postinjection. Surgical and pathologic verification of tumor were used as the standard against which the performance of HumaSPECT-Tc imaging and computed tomography (CT) analysis were evaluated. RESULTS All patients entered onto the recurrent disease study had at least one tumor site defined on CT. The sensitivity of HumaSPECT-Tc in those CT-positive patients was 87%. The specificity of HumaSPECT-Tc was 57% compared with 17% for CT and the difference was statistically significant (P < .001). The diagnostic information provided by HumaSPECT-Tc significantly (P < .001) improved the accuracy of the identification of resectable and nonresectable disease over that of CT (80% v 62%). HumaSPECT-Tc scans resulted in a significant (P < .001) reduction versus CT in terms of the proportion of patients understaged (27% v 41%) and overstaged (4% v 26%). In patients with occult disease (increasing carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA] titer, negative diagnostic work-up, negative CT), HumaSPECT-Tc correctly identified disease in 15 of 22 (68%) patients. HumaSPECT-Tc images provided additional clinical data that would have affected patient management decisions in 40 of 202 (19.8%) patients. In 365 patients who received 88BV59, only a single detectable human anti-human antibody (HAHA) response (90 ng/mL) at 9 weeks postinfusion was observed. CONCLUSION HumaSPECT-Tc can provide important and accurate information about the presence and location of disease in patients with a high clinical suspicion of metastatic or recurrent colorectal cancer and either positive (known disease) or negative (occult disease) CT scans.
Rapid hematopoietic recovery after multicycle high-dose chemotherapy: enhancement of filgrastim-induced progenitor-cell mobilization by recombinant human stem-cell factor.
Authors: Basser R L , To L B , Begley C G , Maher D , Juttner C , Cebon J , Mansfield R , Olver I , Duggan G , Szer J , Collins J , Schwartz B , Marty J , Menchaca D , Sheridan W P , Fox R M , Green M D 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE To assess the mobilization potential and safety of recombinant human stem-cell factor (SCF) when coadministered with filgrastim to untreated women with poor-prognosis breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligible women had breast cancer with 10 or more positive axillary nodes, or estrogen receptor-negative tumor with 4 positive nodes, or stage III disease. Patients were randomized to receive SCF plus filgrastim or filgrastim alone. Filgrastim 12 microg/kg daily was administered for 6 days by continuous subcutaneous infusion. SCF was administered by daily subcutaneous injection at 5, 10, or 15 microg/kg concurrent with filgrastim for 7 days, or 10 microg/kg daily starting 3 days before filgrastim for a total of 10 days (SCF pretreatment). Apheresis was performed on days 5, 6, and 7 of filgrastim administration. Patients then had three cycles of epirubicin 200 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 4 g/m2 every 28 days, each supported by one third of the apheresis product. RESULTS Sixty-two women were treated. Greater yields occurred in patients who received SCF 10 microg/kg daily plus filgastim than those who received filgrastim alone (P=.013 for CD34+ cells; P=.07 for granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells [GM-CFCs]). The difference was more marked with SCF-pretreatment than concurrent SCF. Fewer aphereses were required to reach the predetermined target of peripheral-blood progenitor/stem cells (PBPCs) in women who received SCF. SCF was generally well tolerated. Hematologic recovery was rapid after each of the three cycles of chemotherapy. There was no difference in recovery between the different treatment groups. CONCLUSION Mobilization of PBPCs by filgrastim is significantly enhanced by coadministration of SCF, and commencing SCF before filgrastim can optimize this effect. SCF has the potential to reduce the number of aphereses required to collect a target number of PBPCs.
Clinical outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is dependent on the relationship between different cell-cycle regulator proteins.
Authors: Sanchez E , Chacon I , Plaza M M , Muñoz E , Cruz M A , Martinez B , Lopez L , Martinez-Montero J C , Orradre J L , Saez A I , Garcia J F , Piris M A 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE The goal of this work was to perform a comprehensive exploration of the relationship between the clinical outcome of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and the expression of a panel of tumor suppressor and oncogenic proteins, which includes some cell-cycle regulator proteins involved in the p53 pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS To this end, we collected the clinical data of 141 patients with DLBCL and immunohistochemically analyzed diagnostic tumoral tissue from each patient for the presence of Ki67 (MIB1, Immuno-tech, Marseille, France), bcl2, p53, p21/WAF1, MDM2, and retinoblastoma (Rb) proteins. RESULTS The results show that several proteins are associated with some of the clinical traits analyzed. Multivariate analysis showed that an extended overall survival (OS) time was associated with low growth fraction, high Rb protein, and low MDM2 expression, as well as with known clinical parameters. The probability of inducing a complete remission (CR) was only associated with clinical parameters, although univariate study showed that a low growth fraction was associated with a higher probability of inducing a CR. Univariate study of disease-free survival (DFS) showed that tumors with high bcl2 expression and nodal origin have a shorter DFS time, although multivariate study only confirmed the adverse effect of bcl2 expression. CONCLUSION Taking all these results into consideration, it seems that although the overall outcome for patients with DLBCL is decided by a combination of different clinical and biologic variables, the expression of some of these cell-cycle regulator proteins appears to be specifically associated with the different clinical features of tumors.
Late effects in long-term survivors of high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
Authors: Haddy T B , Adde M A , McCalla J , Domanski M J , Datiles M , Meehan S C , Pikus A , Shad A T , Valdez I , Lopez Vivino L , Magrath I T 
Published: February 2017

PURPOSE To evaluate long-term survivors of high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) for late effects and to attempt to assess the relative contributions of the primary treatment modalities to these late effects. PATIENTS AND METHODS Of 103 young survivors followed up for 1 to 20 years, 74 patients were interviewed and underwent various investigations, and an additional 12 patients were interviewed only. Of the 86 patients, 65 had previously suffered from small non-cleaved-cell lymphoma, 16 from lymphoblastic lymphoma, and five from large-cell lymphoma. RESULTS Left ventricular dysfunction was identified in eight of 57 (14.0%) patients who had received doxorubicin (DOX) in doses greater than 200 mg/m2, of whom four were symptomatic and four were asymptomatic. A ninth patient required a pacemaker. Of the 86 patients, 23 (26.7%) reported pregnancies, 18 of whom had 30 children. Two of the 86 (2.3%) patients developed second cancers. Other major late effects included posttransfusion viral hepatitis, eight patients; CNS toxicity, two patients; endocrine impairment, 14 patients; vitamin B12 deficiency, two patients; esophageal stricture, one patient; urinary tract problems, two patients; and musculoskeletal defects, three patients. Major late effects occurred in 11 of 21 (52.4%) patients who had received radiation as well as chemotherapy, eight of 22 (36.4%) patients who had surgical resections as well as chemotherapy, and 17 of 74 (23.0%) patients who had received chemotherapy alone. CONCLUSION The predominant major late effects observed were late cardiac toxicity related to DOX therapy and hepatitis C virus infection that presumably resulted from blood product transfusions administered before the introduction of screening for the hepatitis C virus. Fertility was not greatly impaired, and second malignancies were uncommon. No patient had clinically significant impairment of growth. Radiation appeared to increase the likelihood of late effects.