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J C Buckner

Publications and source records attributed to J C Buckner.

71 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Does histologic grade in soft tissue sarcoma influence response rate to systemic chemotherapy?

To assess whether chemosensitivity in metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is influenced by the histologic grade of the tumor, the authors retrospectively analyzed tumor responses to doxorubicin-based chemotherapy in four prospective studies conducted at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, between 1976 and 1984. A total of 131 patients with metastatic STS were included in these trials. All pathologic material was reviewed by one pathologist (H.M.R.) and graded according to the four-tier grading system of Broders. One hundred and sixteen patients were accepted for analysis. Objective regression rates according to grade were as follows: Grade 4, 55% (22 of 40 patients); Grade 3, 23% (7 of 31 patients); Grade 2, 19% (5 of 27 patients); and Grade 1, 0% (0 of 3 patients). Fifteen nongradable sarcomas were analyzed separately (27% [4 of 15]). In contrast to several reports suggesting that grade does not effect response, the authors found differences in response rates to be statistically significant for Grade 2 versus Grade 4 (P = 0.003) and Grade 3 versus Grade 4 (P = 0.006), but not for Grade 2 versus Grade 3 (P = 0.7). Additional comparisons adjusted for the histologic type of STS, chemotherapeutic regimen, performance status, age, and prior treatment confirmed these results. These results suggested that, in addition to being an important prognostic factor for survival in newly diagnosed STS, histologic grade may correlate with the probability of response and should be considered a stratification factor in future studies.

Adolescent↗

Phase II study of ifosfamide with mesna in adult patients with recurrent diffuse astrocytoma.

Sixteen patients who developed CT or MRI scan evidence of recurrent diffuse astrocytoma after radiation therapy and nitrosourea-containing chemotherapy received ifosfamide (2500 mg/m2/day for 3 consecutive days) and mesna (500 mg/m2/dose, 5 doses/day for 3 consecutive days). Toxicity consisted primarily of leukopenia in that 60 percent of patients developed leukocyte nadirs less than 1500/mcL. Excessive somnolence occurred in three patients and may have contributed to a case of fatal pneumonia in one patient but was reversible in the other two. No patient had CT or MRI scan evidence of tumor regression. One patient remains stable at 11.3 + months, but all other patients developed evidence of progressive disease less than 6 months from initiation of therapy. The median times to tumor progression and death were 2.0 and 4.8 months, respectively. In conclusion, while ifosfamide and mesna can be given safely at this dose and schedule, there is no evidence of antitumor effect. The degree of leukopenia observed likely would prevent further dose escalation of ifosfamide or addition of other myelosuppressive agents without additional means of bone marrow support in this population of patients.

Adolescent↗

Phase II evaluation of menogaril in patients with advanced hypernephroma.

Fifteen patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma were treated with Menogaril, 200 mg/m2 by one-hour, intravenous infusion at four-week intervals. No objective regressions were observed. Median time to progression was two months, and median survival was seven months. All patients experienced neutropenia. Platelet toxicity was negligible. Venous irritation and phlebitis at the infusion site was seen in 47% of patients. Menogaril as administered in this protocol is ineffective in advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Adult↗

The role of chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with brain metastases from solid tumors.

Chemotherapy for brain metastases has been considered ineffective because the drugs do not penetrate the intact blood brain barrier. Alternate explanations for past failures of chemotherapy include observations that 1) many solid tumors which metastasize to brain are drug-resistant regardless of location, 2) brain metastases often occur following failure of primary chemotherapeutic regimens to control systemic metastases, and 3) previous trials of chemotherapy employed agents other than those known to be most effective against the primary malignancy. Furthermore, laboratory studies have demonstrated that cytotoxic levels of many drugs can be measured in tumor tissue from primary and metastatic brain tumors. These clinical and pharmacologic observations suggest that chemotherapy would be expected to have limited value unless known effective combination regimens are employed as first-line therapy in chemosensitive malignancies. Recent reports of chemotherapy for patients with brain metastases from small cell lung carcinoma, gestational choriocarcinoma, germ cell malignancies, and breast carcinoma do describe response rates in the brain similar to those in other organ sites. In conclusion, chemotherapy for cerebral metastases can be expected to be effective only when effective drugs for systemic metastases are available. While the blood-brain barrier may be an additional detriment to successful treatment, other factors may be more important.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

A decade of research and services for homeless mentally ill persons. Where do we stand?

Over the past decade, researchers have documented the range of needs and devised new methods for increasing our understanding of the homeless severely mentally ill population. Clinicians have developed an appreciation of the difficulty and complexity of effectively treating this population, and policymakers have become increasingly aware of the barriers to developing services and housing. In this article, the progress-to-date in research, the evolution of new service approaches, and the development of federal, state, and local policies to meet the needs of homeless mentally ill individuals are assessed. The many challenges that remain are also considered.

Community Mental Health Services↗

5-Fluorouracil plus leucovorin in women with metastatic breast cancer. A phase II study.

Because leucovorin increases the antitumor activity of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in multiple tumor model systems, we performed a clinical trial to evaluate this combination in women who had received one or no prior chemotherapy regimens for metastatic breast cancer. Thirty-six women with measurable metastatic disease were treated with five consecutive days of i.v. leucovorin, 500 mg/m2/day infused over 30 min, followed 1 h later by i.v. bolus 5-FU, 375 mg/m2/day. Repeat cycles were planned at 4-week intervals. Tumor regression occurred in 10 of 36 patients (28%; 95% confidence interval, 14-45%) with a median time to disease progression (TTP) of 8.7 months (range 3.2-16.8 months) in the responding patients. The median TTP and survival for all patients were 3.0 and 12.4 months, respectively. Among 30 patients who had received prior 5-FU, tumor regressions were seen in seven (23%; 95% confidence interval 10-42%). The major dose-limiting toxicity in this study was mucositis, affecting 89% of the patients. Other toxicities were tolerable in the majority of patients. Although the role of leucovorin in breast cancer clinical practice remains undefined, the data from this trial support the hypothesis that leucovorin enhances the cytotoxic activity of 5-FU against human breast cancer.

Adult↗

A randomized trial of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone versus cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, and prednisone in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Ninety-four patients were entered in a clinical trial assessing the clinical activity of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (CAP) versus a combination of cyclophosphamide. 5-Fluorouracil, and prednisone (CFP) in patients with advanced breast cancer. Objective response rates were comparable, 49% for CFP and 46% for CAP. There was no statistical difference between the duration of response of the two regimens or in time to progression. Most importantly, survival differences were not apparent. Both regimens were clinically tolerable and toxicities, for the most part, were comparable. Thus, no therapeutic advantage existed for either of these polychemotherapy regimens in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Adult↗

Risk factors for depressive symptomatology in a drug using population.

This study employs a prospective design to examine possible personality, drug use, stressful life event, and social support-related variables associated with the onset of a depressive episode in a cohort of psychoactive drug using young adults. Two waves of data, collected one year apart, were available on 942 individuals. Cases (n = 62) were free of depressive symptoms at time 1 but reported significant symptomatology at time 2 as measured by the depression subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory. Controls (n = 490) were those free of depressive symptoms at both time points. In multivariate analyses, users of the central nervous system depressant methaqualone had a nearly four-fold elevated risk for depressed mood as compared to nonusers. Additional risk factors significant after multivariate adjustment included lower self-esteem at time 1 and negative life events. These results highlight the multifactorial nature of depressive symptomatology.

Adult↗

Phase II evaluation of infusional etoposide and cisplatin in patients with recurrent astrocytoma.

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of 24-hour concomitant infusions of etoposide (100 mg/m2/day, days 1-3) and cisplatin (45 mg/m2/day, days 2-3) in the treatment of patients with recurrent astrocytoma. All 36 patients entered on this trial had histologic proof of astrocytoma with CT scan evidence of tumor progression despite prior radiotherapy and nitrosourea chemotherapy. At initial diagnosis, three patients had low-grade astrocytoma, but 33 (92%) had high-grade astrocytomas. ECOG performance score was 0-1 in 20 patients and 2-3 in 16 patients. The median age of all patients was 45.5 years. Dose-limiting toxicity was myelosuppression with median leukocyte and platelet nadirs of 2,150/mcL and 56,500/mcL respectively. One life-threatening infection occurred, but there were no treatment-related deaths. Vomiting occurred in 78% of patients, but was severe in only 6%. Peripheral neuropathy occurred in 28% but was severe in only 6%. Six patients (17%; 1 CR, 5 REGR) responded to therapy with median time to progression of 6.0 months (range 1.5-17.7 months). Five additional patients (14%) remained stable greater than 6 months and 1 has not progressed at 17.0+ months. Median time to progression and survival in all patients were 2.7 and 5.8 months, respectively. In conclusion, etoposide and cisplatin at this dose and schedule have limited activity in the treatment of recurrent high grade astrocytomas, although durable responses or periods of stability occurred in some patients. Considering the extent of myelosuppression, near maximal doses of the drugs were given.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Phase II study of ifosfamide-etoposide-mesna in adults with advanced nonosseous sarcomas.

Between April 1987 and July 1988, 44 adults with histologically proven, objectively assessable advanced nonosseous sarcomas were treated with 2.5 g of ifosfamide/m2, 100 mg of etoposide/m2, and 2.5 g of mesna/m2 (500 mg/m2 X 5) daily for 3 consecutive days every 4 weeks. This regimen was generally well tolerated as outpatient treatment. Because of the potential CNS effects of ifosfamide, we recommended that elderly patients, persons receiving high doses of opiates, and patients susceptible to the syndrome of vertigo, perspiration, and hypotension (without tachycardia) be hospitalized for treatment. At initial treatment, leukocyte count nadirs were less than 1,000/microL and platelet count nadirs were less than 100,000/microL in 38% and 15%, respectively, of the 39 patients for whom such data were available. Objective tumor regression occurred in approximately 16% (95% confidence interval, 7%-30%) of the 44 patients (six, partial responses; one, complete response). For the 44 patients, median time to disease progression was 2.3 months; median time to death was 9.4 months. While this regimen was effective in three of 20 patients who had been previously treated with a doxorubicin-based regimen, only one of the 12 patients whose tumors had been primarily refractory to the doxorubicin-based regimen experienced objective tumor regression on our ifosfamide-based regimen.

Adolescent↗

Results of salvage hormonal therapy and salvage chemotherapy in women failing adjuvant chemotherapy after mastectomy for breast cancer.

We have evaluated the results of salvage systemic therapy in 257 patients with breast cancer recurrent after surgical adjuvant treatment with cyclophosphamide, fluorouracil, and prednisone (CFP) with or without tamoxifen. The overall objective response rate to salvage hormonal therapy was 29% (47 responses in 161 patients) and to salvage chemotherapy was 28% (43 responses in 156 patients). Response rates to salvage chemotherapy were similar whether or not prior salvage hormonal therapy or local modalities had been administered. Retreatment with CFP as a salvage chemotherapy yielded responses in 11 of 44 patients (25%). Response rates were similar for patients who began salvage CFP less than or equal to 12 months or greater than 12 months after completion of adjuvant CFP. We conclude that when this unselected population of patients failing adjuvant CFP is considered, 1) response rates to salvage chemotherapy were low regardless of whether or not prior salvage hormonal or local therapies were given, 2) repeating adjuvant chemotherapy (CFP) following relapse produced a low response rate, and 3) response rates to salvage hormonal therapy were low, but on the order of those observed in patients with advanced disease unselected by estrogen receptor status who are treated with first line hormonal maneuvers.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Evaluation of menogaril in patients with metastatic sarcomas and no prior chemotherapy exposure.

Menogaril, an anthracycline analog of nogalamycin, is reported to have greater cytotoxicity against certain malignant cell lines and less cardiotoxicity in rabbits than doxorubicin. To evaluate the possible therapeutic benefit of this drug, we studied menogaril in 21 patients with metastatic sarcomas who had received no prior chemotherapy. Menogaril was administered intravenously over 1 h every 3-4 weeks at a dose of 200 mg/m2 in 500 ml of 5% dextrose in water. One patient experienced a partial regression of pulmonary metastases from malignant fibrous histiocytoma of bone (response rate of 5% with 95% confidence interval of 0.1-23.8%). Two additional patients experienced minor reductions in tumor size. The remaining 18 patients had no improvement from menogaril. The median time to disease progression was 7 weeks in all patients treated. Toxicity was acceptable, consisting primarily of leukopenia with 12 patients (57%) and 19 patients (90%) developing nadir leukocyte counts less than 2000 and 3000/microL, respectively. Cardiac toxicity was not encountered; however, only seven patients received greater than or equal to 3 cycles of menogaril. We conclude that menogaril does not appear to be useful at this dose and schedule in the treatment of metastatic sarcomas despite the use of near maximal doses in patients with no prior chemotherapy exposure.

Adult↗

Phase I study of difluoromethylornithine in combination with recombinant alpha 2a-interferon.

24 patients with advanced, histologically proven cancer were treated with difluoromethylornithine 2.25 g/m2 orally every 6 h for the first 7 days of each 4-week treatment cycle. These patients also received daily i.m. doses of recombinant human alpha 2a-interferon (IFN) on Days 3 through 7 of each cycle. IFN doses of 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 X 10(6) units/m2 have been studied utilizing three patients at each daily dose level. Three additional patients have been observed at each of the two highest doses for better toxicity definition. This combination produced slight transient declines in leukocyte and platelet counts and transient rises in serum aspartate aminotransferase; however, these changes were no more pronounced at the higher IFN doses than at daily doses of 6 X 10(6) units/m2. Mild nausea and vomiting occurred in most patients and mild diarrhea also was common at all IFN dose levels. Chills, fever, myalgia, lethargy and fatigue, and anorexia were also observed at all IFN doses; however, lethargy and fatigue (lassitude) seemed to be the major factor which limited patient tolerance of IFN to 48 X 10(6) units/m2 daily. No ototoxicity was identified clinically or audiometrically and no life-threatening toxicity has occurred. Initial Phase II studies in melanoma are currently in progress.

Adult↗

An evaluation of recombinant leukocyte A interferon with aspirin in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer.

The authors designed a clinical trial to assess the impact of aspirin (ASA) (600 mg four times daily) on the constitutional sequelae of recombinant leukocyte A interferon (IFN-alpha 2A), 20 X 10(6) U/m2 thrice weekly, in 29 patients with advanced renal cell cancer (RCC). Aspirin provided no meaningful amelioration of side effects compared to our prior experience of IFN-alpha 2A alone. Interestingly, the objective response rate of 34% (10/29) was considerably higher than the 15% recently reported from an aggregate of 344 patients participating in 14 prospective clinical trials. In light of small numbers, subtle selection biases, and the well-recognized hazards of retrospective analyses, currently it is unclear if the apparent therapeutic advantage from ASA plus IFN-alpha 2A reflects chance occurrence or therapeutic potentiation from ASA. A randomized trial is planned to determine if ASA may have enhanced the efficacy of IFN-alpha 2A in patients with advanced RCC.

Anorexia↗

Phase II evaluation of carboplatin in advanced endometrial carcinoma.

Carboplatin was administered by iv bolus every 28 days to 26 patients who had extensive metastatic or recurrent endometrial adenocarcinoma and no prior chemotherapy exposure. The dose level was 400 mg/m2 in 5 patients with and 4 patients without prior irradiation and 300 mg/m2 in 16 patients with prior pelvic irradiation. Partial disease regressions were seen in 28% of patients (95% confidence interval, 12%-50%), with a median response duration of 129 days. Median survival of all patients was 215 days; median time to disease progression for all patients was 117 days. We conclude that carboplatin is an active agent in advanced endometrial carcinoma and is worthy of further investigation in single-agent and combination chemotherapy.

Adenocarcinoma↗