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J Bouzy

Publications and source records attributed to J Bouzy.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

A randomised trial of high-dose chemotherapy in the salvage treatment of patients failing first-line platinum chemotherapy for advanced germ cell tumours.

BACKGROUND: Incomplete remission or relapse from first-line chemotherapy has poor prognosis in male germ cell tumour patients. This phase III randomised trial compares conventional salvage to high-dose-intensification chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between February 1994 and September 2001, 280 patients from 43 institutions in 11 countries, were randomly assigned to receive either four cycles of cisplatin, ifosfamide and etoposide (or vinblastine) (arm A), or three such cycles followed by high-dose carboplatin, etoposide and cyclophosphamide (CarboPEC) with haematopoietic stem cell support (arm B). RESULTS: Similar complete and partial response rates were observed in both treatment arms (56%; 95% CI 50% to 62%). There were 3% and 7% toxic deaths in arms A and B, respectively. No significant improvements with CarboPEC were observed in either 3-year event-free survival (35% versus 42%, P=0.16) or overall survival (53%; 95% CI 46% to 59%). Complete responders with CarboPEC had a significant improvement in disease-free survival (55% versus 75% at 3 years, P <0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The single cycle of high-dose salvage chemotherapy after three cycles of standard dose chemotherapy had no effect on treatment outcomes. These results suggest that data from uncontrolled studies should not be used to justify routine use of a toxic and expensive treatment without confirmation in a randomised trial.

Adolescent↗

Viable malignant cells after primary chemotherapy for disseminated nonseminomatous germ cell tumors: prognostic factors and role of postsurgery chemotherapy--results from an international study group.

PURPOSE: To assess the value of postsurgery chemotherapy in patients with disseminated nonseminomatous germ-cell tumors (NSGCTs) and viable residual disease after first-line cisplatin-based chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The outcome of 238 patients was reviewed. Tumor markers had normalized in all patients before resection. A multivariate analysis of survival was performed on 146 patients. RESULTS: The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 64% and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 73%. Three factors were independently associated with both PFS and OS: complete resection (P <.001), < 10% of viable malignant cells (P =.001), and a good International Germ Cell Consensus Classification (IGCCC) group (P =.01). Patients were assigned to one of three risk groups: those with no risk factors (favorable group), those with one risk factor (intermediate group), and those with two or three risk factors (poor-risk group). The 5-year OS rate was 100%, 83%, and 51%, respectively (P <.001). The 5-year PFS rate was 69% (95% confidence interval [CI], 62% to 76%) and 52% (95% CI, 40% to 64%) in postoperative chemotherapy recipients and nonrecipients, respectively (P <.001). No significant difference was detected in 5-year OS rates. After adjustment on the three prognostic factors, postoperative chemotherapy was associated with a significantly better PFS (P <.001) but not with better OS. Patients in the favorable risk group had a 100% 5-year OS, with or without postoperative chemotherapy. Postoperative chemotherapy appeared beneficial in both PFS (P <.001) and OS (P =.02) in the intermediate-risk group but was not statistically beneficial in the poor-risk group. CONCLUSION: A complete resection may be more critical than recourse to postoperative chemotherapy in the setting of postchemotherapy viable malignant NSGCT. Immediate postoperative chemotherapy or surveillance alone with chemotherapy at relapse may be reasonable options depending on the completeness of resection, IGCCC group, and percent of viable cells. Validation is necessary.

Adult↗

Tumour size in cancer of the cervix.

In a randomized trial comprising 204 patients with operable cervical carcinomas stages I and II, two low-dose rates in gynaecological brachytherapy were compared. Treatment consisted of Cs-137 uterovaginal application followed by surgery (either immediate or delayed). The results for the two dose rates have been published previously. The present paper concerns the correlation between outcome and tumour size. Tumour size was carefully estimated in two ways: by clinical examination under general anaesthesia and by measurements on the customized vaginal mould used for the brachytherapy. Ninety-one patients (45%) were classified as stage I, and 113 were classified as stage II proximal. The mean tumour size was 39 mm (range 15-64 mm). Cox's multivariate analysis indicated that the factors with a poor prognostic value were for survival: node involvement (N +) (p < 0.001), large tumour size (T +) (p < 0.001) and involvement of the endocervix (E +) (p <0.01); for event-free survival: N + (p <0.001), T + (p < 0.001); for local control; N + (p = 0.0001); for metastasis and regional relapse: N + (p < 0.001) and T + (p < 0.001). Stage was not a prognostic factor over the present range in either univariate or multivariate analysis. In this series tumour size is a powerful independent prognostic factor. It is therefore suggested that for the classification of cervical cancer and the indications for surgical staging and adjuvant treatment, tumour size should be taken into account.

Adult↗

Basal cell carcinoma of the face: surgery or radiotherapy? Results of a randomized study.

Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are very frequent cutaneous cancers, often located on the face. Cure rates with surgery and radiotherapy are high, but these treatments have never been compared prospectively. A randomized trial was initiated in 1982 to compare surgery and radiotherapy in the treatment of primary BCC of the face measuring less than 4 cm. The primary end point was the failure rate (persistent or recurrent disease) after 4 years of follow-up. The secondary end point was the cosmetic results assessed by the patient, the dermatologist and three persons not involved in the trial. In the course of the trial, 347 patients were treated. Of the 174 patients in the surgery group, 71% had local anaesthesia and 91% frozen section examination. Of the 173 patients in the radiotherapy group, 55% were treated with interstitial brachytherapy, 33% with contactherapy and 12% with conventional radiotherapy. The 4-year actuarial failure rate (95% CI) was 0.7% (0.1-3.9%) in the surgery group compared with 7.5% (4.2-13.1%) in the radiotherapy group (log-rank P = 0.003). The cosmetic results assessed by four of the five judges were significantly better after surgery than after radiotherapy. Eighty-seven per cent of the surgery-treated patients and 69% of the radiation-treated patients considered the cosmetic result as good (P < 0.01). Thus, in the treatment of BCC of the face of less than 4 cm in diameter, surgery should be preferred to radiotherapy.

Adult↗

Analysis of complications in a prospective randomized trial comparing two brachytherapy low dose rates in cervical carcinoma.

PURPOSE: The analysis of complications in a prospective randomized trial comparing two preoperative brachytherapy low-dose rates in early stage cervical cancer is presented. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1985 and 1988, 204 patients with Stage I and limited Stage II cervical cancer were randomized to receive one of two preoperative brachytherapy low-dose rates (0.4 and 0.8 Gy/hr). The objective of this trial was to determine the benefits, if any, of the higher-dose rate within the therapeutic arsenal for this patient population, in terms of survival, local control, and complications. The type and severity of all complications were evaluated according to a common glossary and a strict follow-up schedule was established given that the treatment of cervical cancer is multidisciplinary, involving gynecologists, surgeons, and radiotherapists. RESULTS: Overall survival: 85% at 2 years and local control: 93% at 2 years, were similarly distributed between the two groups. Regardless of their nature and severity, 139 and 175 complications were observed among 63% and 75% of patients, in the 0.4 and 0.8 Gy/h dose rate groups respectively. Gynecologic and urinary complications were the most frequent (38% and 28% of all complications), followed by vascular (15%), digestive (10%), nervous (5%) and cutaneous (5%). A total of 14 and 17 severe complications (Grade 3) were observed in 7% and 13% of patients, respectively in the 0.4 and 0.8 Gy/h dose rate groups (p = 0.12). Nonparametric survival methods used to compare the time to the first complication did not show a significant difference between the two groups: 62% and 72% at 2 years (p = 0.27). When the first complication and its evolution were considered (early complications), the prevalence of complications was not significantly different between the two groups: 28% vs. 34% at 2 years (p = 0.31). In this prospective trial, patients were regularly followed-up and complications of varying nature and severity were observed in succession during follow-up. When successive complications and their evolution were taken into account, the prevalence of complications was significantly greater in the higher-dose rate group: 30% vs. 45% at 2 years (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The results of this trial showed that long-term effects of treatment, when represented by prevalence of complications over time, were more frequent in the higher dose rate group. This underlines the importance of the regular follow-up of patients and of coding, not only the occurrence of all complications, but also their evolution over time.

Brachytherapy↗

A comparison of early effects with two dose rates in brachytherapy of cervix carcinoma in a prospective randomised trial.

This phase III randomised trial examined the early effects of two low dose rates (0.38 and 0.73 Gy/h) in brachytherapy of stage I and IIp cervical cancer patients. A total of 204 patients were included between January 1985 and September 1988. Since the main analysis of this paper concerned surgical difficulties, only the 155 patients (76%) on whom surgery was performed at the Institut Gustave-Roussy were retained in this analysis. Treatment consisted of uterovaginal 137Cs irradiation followed by immediate or deferred surgery. The two groups were similar for pretreatment characteristics except for endocervix involvement. Their brachytherapy parameters were also similar (60 Gy pear dimensions, doses to critical organs, total kerma, etc.). The factors with a poor prognosis were, for surgical difficulties, older age, stage II and a small irradiated pear volume; for difficulties with haemostasis, immediate surgery, stage II and previous surgery; and for difficulties in dissection, lymph node involvement. The dose rate significantly influenced surgical difficulties for the stage IIp patients operated on by deferred surgery. Those treated with the higher dose rate showed a 2-fold increase in surgical difficulties compared to those irradiated at the lower dose rate (P = 0.03). The independent prognostic factors for sterilisation of the surgical specimen were small tumour size and absence of lymph node involvement. An inverse dose rate effect was observed for medium size tumours, with significantly more sterilisations observed in stage IIp patients in the lower dose rate group (P < 0.01).

Adult↗

[Method for evaluating long term complications. A study from a phase III trial comparing two low dose rates in gynecologic brachytherapy].

When treatment complications are the main criteria of a study, the simplest way for estimating the complication rate over time is to use the Kaplan-Meier method. The failure is the onset of the first complication. A new way is proposed here which takes into account the time to an eventual second, and third complication, and their duration as well. Results from a phase III randomized trial comparing two preoperative brachytherapy low dose rates in localized stage cervix carcinoma patients are used to illustrate both methods. The new method showed a greater long term complication rate in the higher dose rate group.

Brachytherapy↗

Prognostic factors in non-seminomatous germ cell tumours of the testis. Experience at the Institut Gustave-Roussy.

The original prognostic model in non-seminomatous germ cell tumours of the testis at the Institut Gustave-Roussy was updated in a larger patient population. As in the former model human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and alpha-feto-protein (AFP) serum concentrations attained prognostic significance in the multivariate analysis. We studied two important issues in this patient population: the impact of expressing hCG values in mass units and of the introduction of etoposide-containing chemotherapy. Etoposide has a major impact on the determination of the prognostic group limits which are considerably increased. It is, thus, suggested to reevaluate prognostic models in patient populations treated by modern chemotherapy regimens.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗