Search PubMedSearch

Biomedical subjects

L Edler

Publications and source records attributed to L Edler.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Pirarubicin in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. A trial of the Phase I/II Study Group of the Association for Medical Oncology of the German Cancer Society.

Forty-seven patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were treated in a multicentre phase II study with pirarubicin (THP), 4'-O-tetrahydropyranyl-doxorubicin using a dosage of 70 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. The median age of the patients was 59 years (range 45-70) and the performance status grade 0-2 (WHO). Thirty-eight patients had stage IV and 9 stage III (UICC). Twenty-six patients had an adenocarcinoma. 19 a squamous cell carcinoma, and 2 a polymorphocellular carcinoma. Six out of 45 evaluable patients achieved a partial remission leading to an overall response rate of 13%. Eighteen patients showed no change (NC), 12 were progressive (PD), 2 patients had early progression (EP), and 7 patients died during the first course with clinical signs of tumor progression (early death). The median survival time was 4.6 months. Leukocytopenia and thrombocytopenia (WHO grade 4) was experienced in 8.5% and 2.1%, nausea and vomiting (grade 2 and 3) by 32% of the patients. There was no cardiotoxicity or other severe side effects. Pirarubicin has only a moderate antineoplastic activity in patients with advanced NSCLC. Observed response rates are similar to those reported for doxorubicin, but the toxic side effects are milder.

Aged

Chemotherapy with tauromustine in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. A trial of the Phase II Study Group of the Association for Medical Oncology of the German Cancer Society.

Tauromustine (TCNU) is a newly developed nitrosourea compound. As a result of molecular modification, TCNU is more hydrophilic than BCNU and CCNU. In experimental data there was a high therapeutic index, especially in Walker 256 carcinosarcoma in rats, and in phase I trials antitumor activity was observed in NSCLC (10/33 remissions). There was also activity in melanoma, breast cancer, pleuramesotheliomas and ovarian cancer. To determine the effectiveness, duration of response and toxicity of TCNU the following phase II trial was performed. Patients received 130 mg/m2 TCNU every 35 days orally. Twenty-five patients were treated; 22 were evaluable. The female/male ratio was 18/4, 1 patient was stage III, 21 patients stage IV, the mean age was 62.3 years (range 32-70). Between 1 and 4 courses (mean 1.9) were administered. Histology was as follows: 6 squamous cell, 11 adenocarcinoma, 2 large cell and 3 polymorph cell carcinomas. No objective response (CR + PR) was observed; 6/18 patients had stable disease, 7/18 progression and 5/18 early progression. The median survival time is 4.9 months. The most severe side effect was thrombocytopenia (WHO grade 3 + 4, 4/22 patients). TCNU administered at this dose and schedule does not show substantial antitumor activity in patients with NSCLC. The fact that no objective tumor remission was observed suggests that the true response rate is less than 20% (p less than 0.05). It is improbable that TCNU has a relevant impact on the course of inoperable NSCLC.

Antineoplastic Agents

Phase II evaluation of carboplatin in advanced esophageal carcinoma. A trial of the Phase I/II Study Group of the Association for Medical Oncology of the German Cancer Society.

Eighteen patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus without prior chemotherapy were treated with carboplatin. Based on experimental data a split dose of carboplatin of 130 mg/m2 given on days 1, 3 and 5 was administered. In cases showing no WBC and platelet suppression, an escalated dose of 160 mg/m2 was proposed. Out of 18 evaluable patients no complete and partial responses were observed and there were only 5 patients with stable disease (27.8%) lasting 2-7 months. Therefore, carboplatin in the regimen used shows no meaningful antitumor activity in patients with advanced esophageal carcinoma. The escalated dose (mean 107-123% of the starting dose) was well tolerated and was followed by only minor gastrointestinal and hematological toxicity. Therefore, this regimen can be recommended for future trials.

Adult

Etoposide, adriamycin, and cisplatinum (EAP) combination chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer. A phase II trial by the "Chemotherapiegruppe Gastrointestinaler Tumoren (CGT)".

In a multicenter trial, 49 patients with histologically proven advanced gastric cancer were treated with a combination chemotherapy consisting of etoposide 120 mg/m2 d 4, 5, 6 adriamycin 20 mg/m2 d 1, 7 and cisplatinum 40 mg/m2 d 2, 8. Therapy was repeated every 4 weeks, 45 patients were evaluable for response after 8 weeks of treatment. Eight patients achieved a partial remission (PR: 18%), 17 patients had no change (NC: 38%), and 20 patients showed tumor progression (P: 44%). Four patients with primarily inoperable tumor and without distant metastases who achieved a partial remission, underwent second look operation with curative intention. All 4 patients died within 12 months after second look operation due to tumor recurrence. Median survival time of all patients was 9 months. Toxicity was considerable. WHO grade 3/4 toxicity appeared in 20-30% of patients (nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, leucopenia). After 3 cycles complete alopecia was present in 70% of patients. Severe infection, requiring treatment, occurred in 10 patients. Five patients discontinued therapy because of intolerable subjective toxicity. The observed response rate of 18% objective partial remissions is disappointing and does not give support to the communications reporting response rates over 50% with EAP and other regimens including cisplatinum. In conclusion, and considering the high subjective and objective toxicity of this regimen, it can not be recommended for standard use in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols

Tumor necrosis factor in advanced colorectal cancer: a phase II study. A trial of the phase I/II study group of the Association for Medical Oncology of the German Cancer Society.

In a phase II study, the efficacy and toxicity of human recombinant tumor necrosis factor (rh TNF-alpha) were evaluated in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma. Rh TNF-alpha was given as short term infusion at a dose of 3 x 10(5) U/m2 on three successive days. Treatment was repeated after a two week interval. The response was evaluated after four treatment cycles. In 15 patients entering the study, we found one partial response, one stable disease, 9 progressive diseases, and four patients who were not evaluable for tumor remission. There were numerous side effects of the treatment, mainly fever, chills, loss of appetite, leukopenia, and hepatotoxicity. In this regimen, rh TNF-alpha does not suggest a therapeutic advantage for treatment of advanced colorectal carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma

Dose escalation and split course of 4-epidoxorubicin in combination chemotherapy (FEM II) of advanced gastric carcinoma. A phase-II trail of the 'Chemotherapiegruppe Gastrointestinaler Tumoren (CGT)'.

In a phase II trial 46 patients with advanced gastric carcinoma were treated with FEM combination chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil, 4-epidoxorubicin and mitomycin C) in which 4-epidoxorubicin was administered by escalated dose and split course (FEM II). Twenty-nine patients with measurable disease were evaluable for response. One complete remission and 7 partial remissions were achieved, suggesting an overall response rate of 28%; 2 minimal responses (7%) and 9 patients with no change were observed (31%); 10 patients had tumor progression (34%). Median survival time for all patients was 6.2 months, for patients with CR + PR + MR 16.2 months, for patients with no change 8.4 months, and with tumor progression 3.5 months. WHO grade 2 and 3 leukopenia appeared in 6%, thrombocytopenia in 0% and alopecia in 27% of the patients after the first cycle. Nausea and vomiting grade 2 and 3 were seen in 21%. Comparing these results with our earlier data achieved with FEM I, FEM II showed a tendency towards better response and survival, and subjective toxicity (nausea/vomiting) was significantly reduced. Therefore, in our opinion FEM II is preferable for practical use.

Adult

6-Methylguanine and 6-methylguanosine inhibit colony-forming ability in a malignant xeroderma pigmentosum cell line but not in other xeroderma pigmentosum and normal human fibroblast strains after treatment with 1-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitroso-3-(2-hydroxyethyl)-urea.

The XP cell strain XP29MA, its malignant counterpart XP29MAmal and a normal human fibroblast strain were tested for colony-forming ability after treatment with HECNU in the presence of m6G, m6Gua, and he7G. In XP29MAmal, inhibition of post-HECNU colony-forming ability was 35% when 0.25 mM of either m6G or m6Gua were present, whereas in XP29MA and the normal fibroblast strain no inhibition was detected. The he7G caused a similar but smaller inhibitory effect in XP29MAmal, but failed to do so in XP29MA. HECNU predominantly exerts its killing effect by alkylating O-6 of DNA-bound guanine and causing DNA interstrand crosslinks. Alkylation of O-6 of guanine can be repaired by 6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase. From our experiments we conclude that in XP29MAmal this methyltransferase was inhibited in the presence of the 6-alkylguanines, thus leaving more 2-chloroethylated sites in DNA unrepaired. This results in sensitization in terms of decreased colony-forming ability observed only in the malignant cell line.

Cell Division

DNA repair synthesis in fibroblast strains from patients with actinic keratosis, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, or malignant melanoma after treatment with ultraviolet light, N-acetoxy-2-acetyl-aminofluorene, methyl methanesulfonate, and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea.

Fibroblast strains derived from skin biopsies of patients with actinic keratosis (6), malignant melanoma (18), squamous cell carcinoma (11), and basal cell carcinoma (12) were investigated for DNA repair synthesis, with 16 fibroblast strains for normal donors as controls. Cells were exposed to UV light, the "UV-like" carcinogen (Ac)2ONFln, and the methylating carcinogens MeSO2OMe and MeNOUr. Dose-response experiments, which included 10 dose levels, were performed, the data analyzed by linear regression, and the slope of the regression line (term: G0) used as a measure of DNA repair synthesis. The mean experimental variability of G0 of individual fibroblast strains was 9.5%-15.4%, depending upon exposure. For comparison of all cell strains belonging to the same skin malignancy group with those of the control group, G0 values of the individual strains were combined to yield group-specific weighted mean G0 values. In addition, the capacity to incise UV-damaged DNA was measured in 24 cell strains from patients with skin tumors using the alkaline elution technique. For quantitating DNA-incising capacity, the initial velocities of the elution curves were plotted versus the UV dose, and the slope of the resulting regression line was used to obtain the characteristic value E0. The mean experimental variability of E0 of individual strains was +/- 22%. These E0 values were combined to yield weighted mean values of groups. The fibroblast strains in the groups of patients with actinic keratosis and malignant melanoma were found to have normal mean G0 values when DNA repair synthesis was challenged with UV light or one of the three carcinogens. However, the squamous cell carcinoma group exhibited significantly lower mean G0 values after treatment with UV light (82% that of normal donors), (Ac)2ONFln (70%), MeSO2OMe (70%), and MeNOUr (69%). The basal cell carcinoma group showed significantly diminished repair synthesis upon treatment with UV light (81% that of normal donors) and MeSO2OMe (67%). In contrast to these findings, in no skin malignancy group was post UV DNA-incising capacity (E0) significantly diminished, although it should be noted that group sizes were only half as large as for G0 determinations. These data may be interpreted as indicating that DNA excision repair is impaired in fibroblast strains from patients with squamous cell carcinoma and-to a lesser extent-basal cell carcinoma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Acetoxyacetylaminofluorene

A sample size program for "proving the null hypothesis".

A flexible APL computer program is presented for assistance in planning clinical trials designed to test the equivalence of two therapies. It is a substitute for the sample size graphs of Blackwelder and Chang and provides the option to calculate any of the six characteristics--sample size, significance level, power, success probability of standard therapy, success probability of experimental therapy, and minimum difference of interest--if five of them are prespecified.

Clinical Trials as Topic

Simple elementary method for the quantification of focal liver lesions induced by carcinogens.

Quantification of focally arranged preneoplastic cell populations in the liver is relevant for numerous experiments. An easy-to-process elementary method is presented for the estimation of the number of foci per cm3 and the size distribution of the foci on the basis of classifying areas of the profiles on the histological section. Using geometrically decreasing size classes, we have obtained the formula: (Formula: see text) where Nn is the number of foci per unit of volume of the size class Kn, Fn is the number of profiles of the class Kn per surface unit and An and Bn are constants dependent on the selection of the boundaries of the size classes. The method presented provides results that are at least as accurate as the values for the numbers of foci per cm3 arrived at by other methods used so far, whereas the distribution of the focus volumes describes the real situation better. It is relatively easy to process the data collected from the section and this can also be done without specific programs developed for this purpose. The method is especially recommended for investigators who only occasionally deal with morphometric questions and are therefore not interested in more complicated methods.

Animals

Benzoyl peroxide promotes the formation of melanotic tumors in the skin of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-initiated Syrian golden hamsters.

A two-stage carcinogenesis experiment was performed in Syrian golden hamsters using a single intragastric initiation with 10 mg/kg body weight of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and repetitive topical promotion on the back skin with two different doses (80 and 160 mg, respectively) of benzoyl peroxide in 1 ml acetone. Benzoyl peroxide was administered three times per week over a period of 16 months. The treatment with benzoyl peroxide alone leads to both a generalized hyperpigmentation and skin scaling without formation of any tumors. DMBA initiation alone induces a moderate number of melanotic foci and a small number of palpable melanotic tumors. Both lesions are located in the dermis. Papillomas develop in the epithelia of the tongue, esophagus and especially of the forestomach but not, however, on the back skin. The combined treatment with DMBA and both doses of benzoyl peroxide drastically increases the incidence of dermal melanotic foci and at late stages also that of melanotic tumors. Therefore, in addition to its known ability to promote papilloma and carcinoma formation in the back skin of mice, benzoyl peroxide is also able to promote the formation of melanotic tumors in the dermis of hamsters.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene

[Remission in phase II and phase III studies: criteria and prerequisites].

We identify factors of influence for the observed variability of published rates of remission and we derive from these findings prerequisites and criteria for the assessment of remission in cancer therapy. As a consequence we postulate a separate assessment of patients with measurable and with non-measurable disease and a complete documentation of those patient characteristics in order to compare rates of remission of different studies. Several methods for the determination of sample sizes in phase II and phase III clinical trials are presented and discussed.

Antineoplastic Agents

Xeroderma pigmentosum patients from Germany: repair capacity of 45 XP fibroblast strains of the Mannheim XP Collection as measured by colony-forming ability and unscheduled DNA synthesis following treatment with methyl methanesulfonate and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea.

A total of 45 XP fibroblast strains from the Mannheim XP Collection (representatives of XP complementation groups A, C, D, E, F or G, I, and XP variants) were investigated for colony-forming ability (term: D0) after treatment with up to ten doses of the methylating carcinogen MeSO2OMe. As controls 16 fibroblast strains from normal donors were used. Except for 4 XP strains (1 from group C and 3 from group D) which, however, were borderline cases, none of the remaining 41 XP strains was found to be more sensitive than normal controls. This held true within the limits of an experimental accuracy (experimental variability of D0 values) of +/- 7%. When weighted means were calculated for XP complementation groups and compared with that of normal donors at a significance level of 5%, no significant difference was detected. In contrast, after exposure of 6 XP group D strains to MeNOUr, a weighted mean D0 value was obtained which was significantly decreased by 27%. Unscheduled DNA synthesis (term: G0 which serves as a measure of excision repair) after exposure to MeNOUr was quantitatively the same (experimental variability: +/- 8%) both in the group of normal strains and in most of the XP complementation groups. Exceptions were group E and group F (or G) which had higher, and group I which had lower repair. Analogous G0 values measured after exposure to MeSO2OMe (experimental variability: +/- 13%), however, differed from that of the control strains: they were lower in XP complementation groups A, D, E, F (or G), and I. However, groups A, E, F (or G), and I including only 3 individual strains or less may be considered to be possibly ill-represented. Yet, group D including 11 XP strains did show reduction of the mean G0 value by 35%. From this it is concluded that there are repair defects in XP group D strains with regard to MeSO2OMe-induced adducts. These defects seem to be small.

Alkylation

Prognostic factors of advanced colorectal cancer patients.

The cooperative oncology group for Chemotherapy of Gastrointestinal Tumors (CGT) retrospectively examined 139 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer for prognostic factors. Clinical characteristics, tumor parameters, and blood parameters were investigated for prognostic explanation of survival from the start of chemotherapy for the advanced disease. A combination of a univariate regression and a multivariate step down procedure with Cox's regression model led to the identification of performance status, sex, white blood count and, to a lesser degree, blood sedimentation rate and albumin as important prognostic factors. Based on these variables an individual risk score was calculated for each patient.

Colombia

Establishment and growth kinetics of the mutant Ehrlich-Lettré ascites cell strain HD33 in permanent suspension culture.

Cells of a mutant in vivo subline of the Ehrlich-Lettré mouse ascites tumour (ELAT) were converted to growth in suspension culture. Kinetic analysis revealed the selective character of the conversion process; without a detectable adaptation period, a fraction of about 2 X 10(-5) of the explanted cells continued to grow in vitro. The resulting, mutant Ehrlich-Lettré ascites cell strain was designated HD33 and propagated uninterruptedly from 1974 on. The corresponding in vivo ELAT subline HD33 was derived from the HD33 ascites cell strain by intraperitoneal retransplantation. In HD33 cell suspension cultures, the population doubling time, the average intermitotic interval, as determined by videomonitoring, and the average duration of the cell cycle, as determined from percentage of labelled mitoses (PLM) data, were all measured at 15 hr. Cell loss and quiescent compartments were insignificant. The duration of the G1 phase was effectively zero. Both PLM data and [3H]/[14C] thymidine double-labelling measurements revealed an S-phase duration of between 11 and 12 hr. The G2 phase lasted 3-5 hr. The HD33 strain differs from comparable suspension strains of wild-type Ehrlich ascites cells in the insignificant role of density-dependent inhibition in growth, and the striking prolongation of the S phase which is associated with an excessive, cytoplasmic storage of glycogen by the mutant cells.

Animals