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Biomedical subjects

F Cavalli

Publications and source records attributed to F Cavalli.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Phase III trial with and without lonidamine in non-small cell lung cancer.

One hundred eighty four patients with advanced inoperable non-small cell lung cancer were treated with either lonidamine (A), mitomycin-C/vindesine (B), or mitomycin-C/vindesine plus lonidamine (C) in a prospective randomized trial. The response rates for each treatment arm were 3.4% (A), 22.4% (B) and 25.9% (C), respectively. This difference is statistically significant (P less than 0.01). The median survival time for patients treated with mitomycin-C/vindesine and mitomycin-C/vindesine plus lonidamine was 194 days and 221 days, respectively. In comparison with 145 days for lonidamine alone there is a statistically significant difference in survival between the chemotherapy groups (P less than 0.01). When combined with mitomycin-C/vindesine, lonidamine induces an increase in the response rate and there is a higher proportion of patients living after 12 months of treatment (32% v 20%) in comparison to mitomycin-C/vindesine alone. The subjective tolerance of all treatment groups was very good, toxicity was only mild without major differences between the treatment arms. Combination chemotherapy with mitomycin-C/vindesine plus or minus lonidamine could prolong survival in advanced inoperable nonsmall cell lung cancer significantly without severe toxicity.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1990

[Adjuvant systemic therapy in breast carcinoma in the 1990s: status of things and open questions].

Adjuvant systemic therapy of breast cancer has been shown to reduce relapses and prolong survival in the women treated. This is true of all subpopulations studied. Six-month multidrug chemotherapy in premenopausal patients, and tamoxifen or short-term chemotherapy in postmenopausal patients, are the treatments of choice in reducing the risk of relapse. In the near future ongoing research may answer some of the open questions surrounding the definition of populations for which the risk of relapse justifies therapy and the optimum manner of using available therapies. The modest but real improvement in prognosis of operable breast cancer was obtained solely by means of clinical trials. Participation in clinical research programs is becoming medically and socially mandatory.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Combination chemotherapy with mitomycin, vindesine, and cisplatin for non-small cell lung cancer. Association of antitumor activity with initial tumor burden and treatment center.

From 1984 through 1986, 205 patients with non-small cell lung cancer were entered into a group-wide trial of the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK). This trial evaluated the combination of mitomycin (8 mg/m2 intravenously [IV] on day 1), vindesine (3 mg/m2 IV on days 1 and 8), and cisplatin (60 mg/m2 IV on day 1) with forced diuresis, repeated every 4 weeks (MiViP regimen). One hundred eighty-three patients were evaluable. Six complete and 69 partial responses were documented for an overall response rate of 41% (95% confidence interval, 34% to 50%). In the multivariate analysis the strongest predictors for response were the participating institution and the number of initially involved organ sites. The estimated median time to progression for patients with a complete response, partial response, or stable disease was 155 days (estimated inter-quartile range, 99 to 258 days). In the multivariate analysis the time to progression was significantly associated with the number of involved organ sites (P = 0.041). The estimated median survival time for the 183 evaluable patients was 239 days (estimated inter-quartile range, 137 to 436 days). In univariate and multivariate analyses performance status, number of involved organ sites, pretreatment status with radiation therapy, and participating institution were all significantly associated with survival. The principal toxicities were myelosuppression and nausea and vomiting with 16% of the patients refusing further treatment after a median of four cycles of chemotherapy. In conclusion, the MiViP regimen was an active combination chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer in a large trial performed by the SAKK. The prognostic value of the participating institution and the number of organ sites involved by metastatic deposits in non-small cell lung cancer needs further investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

CGS 16949A, a new aromatase inhibitor in the treatment of breast cancer--a phase I study.

Forty-six postmenopausal women with either locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer were treated with the aromatase inhibitor CGS 16949A in three different daily doses (0.3 mg, 0.6 mg and 0.9 mg total daily dose). 41 patients (89%) were pretreated by endocrine treatment for metastatic disease; 30 of these 41 were also pretreated with chemotherapy. Of the remaining 5 patients (11%) 3 were previously treated with chemotherapy alone and 2 were not pretreated. Evaluable sites of disease were: skin and soft tissue (including local recurrence) in 34, bone in 31, lung in 14 and viscera in 13 instances, respectively. 1 PR (3%) and 9 stable diseases (24%) were observed in the 37 patients assessable for response. All but two of these results were observed in the 0.9 mg group. Time to progression was 14 months for the patient showing a PR, and the median time to progression for those with stable disease was 6 months (range 6 to 23 months). Plasma estradiol and estrone levels were measured in patients receiving the daily dose of 0.6 mg (n = 4) and 0.9 mg (n = 15). The estrone levels decreased from a mean of 23.1 pg/mL (SD 17.1) to 10.5 pg/mL (SD 6.6) in the 0.6 mg-group and from 21.2 pg/mL (SD 18.9) to 9.1 pg/mL (SD 5.5) in the 0.9 mg-group within 4 days of drug administration (p less than 0.0001 from baseline in both groups, with no significant difference between doses).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1989

A phase II study of spirogermanium in patients with advanced malignant lymphoma.

Spirogermanium was given as a 90 minute infusion to 47 eligible patients with refractory Hodgkin's (9 patients) or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (38 patients). The schedule was 80 mg/m2 three times a week for the first two weeks and 100 mg/m2, 3 times a week, for the two subsequent weeks. In case of response or stable disease, the treatment was continued with biweekly infusions of 100 mg/m2 until tumor progression. In 64% of cases, three or more combinations had been previously administered; 66% of patients presented an extra-lymphatic spread of disease. Two patients with Hodgkin's disease showed a partial response of 11 and 23 weeks and two patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma achieved a complete response of 12 and 24 weeks. Overall, 14 patients showed a tumor progression within the first month of treatment. The main toxicity was neurological, with dizziness and lethargy during the infusion in 50% of cases. Hematologic toxicity was almost absent. Spirogermanium is ineffective in heavily pretreated patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The confirmed lack of activity in patients with refractory malignant lymphoma and the need of repeated and prolonged infusions definitely discourage the clinical use of the drug.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

TCNU (LS 2667), a new active drug in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. EORTC Early Clinical Trials Group.

Fifty-seven patients with advanced measurable or evaluable colorectal cancer not previously treated with chemotherapy and tumor manifestations from colorectal cancer were treated with tauromustine (TCNU), a new nitrosourea with a therapeutic index against murine tumors better to or equal to that of the established nitrosoureas. The dose was 130 mg/m2 orally q 5 weeks. There were one CR and seven PR, for an overall response rate of 14%. Responding sites included the liver (one CR and two PR), lung (four PR) and lymph nodes (two PR). The median duration of response was 33+ weeks (21+ to 34 weeks). The main dose limiting toxicity was myelosuppression which seemed to be cumulative. Subjectively, the drug was well tolerated although most patients experienced nausea and vomiting for some hours. It is concluded that TCNU is a well tolerated compound with limited, but definite antitumor activity against colorectal cancer and that further studies in this disease could be of interest.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1989

ABLETOP, a well-tolerated, effective regimen for relapsing Hodgkin's disease. Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK).

ABLETOP, a salvage regimen for relapsing Hodgkin's disease consisting of adriamycin, bleomycin and etoposide, has been evaluated in 18 patients, 16 of whom were evaluable for toxicity and 15 for response. Fourteen patients showed maximal grade II nausea and vomiting, whereas 13 patients had grade III/IV alopecia. The median leukocyte nadir was 3.1 x 10(3)/mm3. Twelve of 15 patients evaluable for response reached a complete or partial remission; 10 of 12 pretreated patients reached a remission, 5 a complete remission and 5 a partial remission, for an overall response rate of 83%. We conclude that ABLETOP is a well-tolerated effective regimen for relapsing Hodgkin's disease.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1989

[Comparative analysis of the technics of preoperative localization of the parathyroid glands].

Parathyroid surgery needs an appropriate diagnosis and a preoperative localization. We conducted a prospective study to compare the efficacy of 4 different imaging modalities in 17 patients: thallium-technetium subtraction scintigraphy, ultrasonography, computed tomography and arteriography. The sensitivity was: scintigraphy 58%, echotomography 86%, Tc 92% and arteriography only 33%. Neck exploration confirmed the imaging results. We found 15 cases of adenomas (2 cases of double adenoma) and 1 case of hyperplasia; in 1 patient, no lesions were found. We conclude that the association of such techniques appears to be the optimal strategy in about 100% of the patients.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1988

[Loco-regional recurrence following surgery of breast carcinoma: prognostic factors and therapeutic consequences].

The course following local relapse after mastectomy was studied prospectively in 225 women. Factors significantly influencing the further course were determined. On the whole the prognosis was relatively good, with a projected 5-year relapse-free survival of 47%, a median time interval of 53 months until development of distant metastases, and an estimated death rate of 41% after 5 years. The most important factor influencing the incidence and time interval until appearance of distant metastases is the axillary lymph node status at the time of mastectomy. N0 patients have a much better prognosis than N+ patients in univariate as well as multivariate analysis. Other factors in univariate analysis which play a role in either the incidence of distant metastases or overall survival include estrogen receptor content, site of the local relapse (skin or regional lymph nodes), time interval between mastectomy and the occurrence of the local relapse, and number of tumor nodules in the local relapse. In multivariate analysis virtually the only really independent prognostic factors are primarily the initial axillary lymph node status for survival free of distant metastases and the time interval from mastectomy to local relapse for overall survival.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1988

[Efficacy of recombinant interferon alpha-2 in 34 patients with hairy cell leukemia. Effect of splenectomy and dosage reduction results of therapy].

In a retrospective study of 34 patients with hairy cell leukemia treated with recombinant interferon-alpha 2, we have observed a hematological remission rate of 97%. The true complete remission rate based on bone marrow findings was 17%. Although complete remissions can be obtained only in a few cases, treatment with interferon is justified in cytopenic patients since long-standing clinically meaningful improvement of the peripheral blood values can be attained. If interferon is stopped in the remission phase, the blood values deteriorate in 40% of the patients within 5 months. In contrast, it appears that the remission can be maintained with intermittent administration of interferon weekly or even every other week. As compared to splenectomized patients, granulocyte recovery is delayed in nonsplenectomized patients. However, after several months of treatment there is no difference in peripheral blood values between splenectomized and non-splenectomized patients. In the light of the present results, primary splenectomy remains justified in a selected group of patients for whom the risk of surgery (due to low granulocytes and/or platelets) is low and for whom careful evaluation predicts a high potential for long-standing remission after splenectomy. In the other cases, initial interferon therapy seems justified.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Phase II study of intravenous menogaril in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Menogaril was administered to 40 patients with advanced breast cancer who had not received anthracycline drugs previously. The drug was given iv as a 2-hour infusion, repeated every 4 weeks, at doses of 200 mg/m2 and 160 mg/m2 in good-risk and poor-risk patients. The overall response rate was 22% in patients with no prior chemotherapy and 10% in patients previously exposed to chemotherapy. Leukopenia was generally moderate and predictable. Phlebitis and erythema along the vein injected occurred in 34% and 17% of the cases, respectively. Menogaril is an active drug used in the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer who have not had prior systemic therapy.

Adult↗