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Biomedical subjects

M Markman

Publications and source records attributed to M Markman.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Evidence that a "treatment-free interval of less than 6 months" does not equate with clinically defined platinum resistance in ovarian cancer or primary peritoneal carcinoma.

The standard definition of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer or primary peritoneal carcinoma commonly includes patients whose disease initially responded to a platinum-based combination regimen, but recurred less than 6 months after the completion of primary therapy. Recent experience with several patients with these malignancies treated in the Gynecologic Cancer Program of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, whose disease recurred within this period but who subsequently responded to platinum therapy, calls into question the validity and clinical relevance of this commonly employed definition, both for the conduct of phase 2 trials of new agents in ovarian cancer and primary peritoneal carcinoma, and for the standard management of women in this clinical setting.

Aged↗

Two members of the Tcf family implicated in Wnt/beta-catenin signaling during embryogenesis in the mouse.

Tcf transcription factors interact with beta-catenin and Armadillo to mediate Wnt/Wingless signaling. We now report the characterization of genes encoding two murine members of the Tcf family, mTcf-3 and mTcf-4. mTcf-3 mRNA is ubiquitously present in embryonic day 6.5 (E6.5) mouse embryos but gradually disappears over the next 3 to 4 days. mTcf-4 expression occurs first at E10.5 and is restricted to di- and mesencephalon and the intestinal epithelium during embryogenesis. The mTcf-3 and mTcf-4 proteins bind a canonical Tcf DNA motif and can complex with the transcriptional coactivator beta-catenin. Overexpression of Wnt-1 in a mammary epithelial cell line leads to the formation of a nuclear complex between beta-catenin and Tcf proteins and to Tcf reporter gene transcription. These data demonstrate a direct link between Wnt stimulation and beta-catenin/Tcf transcriptional activation and imply a role for mTcf-3 and -4 in early Wnt-driven developmental decisions in the mouse embryo.

3T3 Cells↗

Paclitaxel administration to gynecologic cancer patients with major cardiac risk factors.

PURPOSE: To examine the safety of administering paclitaxel to patients with preexisting significant cardiac risk factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical records of gynecologic cancer patients with major cardiac risk factors who had been treated with paclitaxel (single-agent or combination regimen with cisplatin or carboplatin) at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation from 1993 through February 1998 were examined to determine the acute toxicity of therapy. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients were found who met these criteria, of whom none were found to have suffered a worsening of cardiac function following treatment with paclitaxel. A single patient developed a severe paclitaxel-associated hypersensitivity reaction, but no cardiac sequela. CONCLUSION: This series suggests that paclitaxel can be safely administered as a single agent or in a combination regimen with a platinum agent to some patients with significant cardiac risk factors, such as those associated with ischemic heart disease. However, since few patients had baseline severe conduction defects before paclitaxel treatment, the safety of this drug in this clinical setting remains to be determined.

Aged↗

Comparison of single-dose oral granisetron versus intravenous ondansetron in the prevention of nausea and vomiting induced by moderately emetogenic chemotherapy: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized parallel study.

PURPOSE: The antiemetic effectiveness and safety of single-dose oral granisetron were compared with intravenous (I.V.) ondansetron in chemotherapy-naive patients who received moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this double-blind, parallel-group study, patients naive to emetogenic chemotherapy (N = 1,085) who were scheduled to receive cyclophosphamide- (500 to 1,200 mg/m2) or carboplatin (> or = 300 mg/m2) based chemotherapy, were randomized to receive either oral granisetron (n = 542) or I.V. ondansetron (n = 543). Efficacy assessments included the proportion of patients in each treatment group with total control over the 24 and 48 hours following chemotherapy initiation, as well as incidence and severity of nausea and emesis and use of antiemetic rescue medication. Prophylactic corticosteroids were allowed. Safety assessment was based on patients' reports of adverse experiences. RESULTS: Approximately 80% of patients received prophylactic corticosteroids. Single-dose oral granisetron (2 mg) and I.V. ondansetron (32 mg) resulted in equivalent levels of total emetic control during the first 48 hours after chemotherapy. The proportion of nausea- and emesis-free patients at 24 and 48 hours were also approximately equivalent. The most commonly reported adverse experiences were headache, asthenia, and constipation. More patients who received ondonsetron than granisetron reported dizziness (9.6% v 5.4%, respectively; P = .011) and abnormal vision (4.2% v 0.6%, respectively; P < .001). CONCLUSION: A single oral dose of granisetron (2 mg) resulted in equivalent levels of antiemetic protection as I.V. ondansetron (32 mg). Both agents were well tolerated, although more dizziness and abnormal vision were reported with ondansetron. Because the two antiemetic regimens exhibited equivalent efficacies, additional factors such as convenience and cost of therapy should be considered.

Administration, Oral↗

Ninety-six-hour infusional paclitaxel as salvage therapy of ovarian cancer patients previously failing treatment with 3-hour or 24-hour paclitaxel infusion regimens.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that prolonged infusion of paclitaxel (96 hours) might overcome resistance to shorter infusion schedules (3 or 24 hours) in ovarian cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 30 patients with advanced ovarian cancer (24 patients), primary carcinoma of the peritoneum (four patients), or fallopian tube cancer (two patients) who previously had received paclitaxel administered on either a 3-hour or 24-hour schedule were treated with the agent delivered as a 96-hour infusion (30 to 35 mg/m2/d x 4 days) on an every 3-week program. RESULTS: Although the regimen generally was well tolerated, no objective responses were observed. CONCLUSION: In patients with ovarian cancer who have shown resistance to shorter paclitaxel infusion schedules, ninety-six hour infusional paclitaxel is an inactive treatment strategy. This makes it less likely that protracted infusion of paclitaxel will improve outcome when used as part of primary therapy of ovarian cancer. An ongoing randomized study will answer that question.

Adult↗

Phase II trial of intraperitoneal paclitaxel in carcinoma of the ovary, tube, and peritoneum: a Gynecologic Oncology Group Study.

PURPOSE: To determine the response rate of intraperitoneal (i.p.) paclitaxel in patients with small-volume residual carcinomas of the ovary, fallopian tube, or peritoneum. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eligibility criteria included patients with one of the cancers noted above, with the largest residual disease 0.5 cm or less in maximum diameter at the end of second-look surgery, and prior treatment with systemic paclitaxel was permitted. The treatment plan was paclitaxel 60 mg/m2 i.p. weekly for 16 weeks, followed by surgical evaluation in patients without evidence of disease progression. RESULTS: Of 80 patients entered onto the study, 76 were eligible, of whom 86% were considered to be potentially cisplatin-sensitive. Although five patients (7%) did not complete the first course of therapy because of catheter leakage or blockade, 53 patients (70%) received all 16 planned courses. Only 14 patients (18%) received fewer than 11 courses. Treatment was well tolerated, which included only moderate abdominal pain (grade 2, 12 patients; grade 3, one patient) and minimal neutropenia (grade 2, three patients; grade 3, one patient). Of 28 assessable patients with microscopic disease at the start of i.p. therapy, 17 patients (61%) achieved a surgically defined complete response (CR). Only one of 31 patients (3%) with any macroscopic disease achieved a CR. Of the eligible patients, 18 of 76 (24%) achieved a CR. CONCLUSION: Salvage i.p. paclitaxel is tolerable and active in patients with microscopic residual disease. The impact of this treatment strategy on survival remains to be assessed in a phase III trial.

Aged↗

Why should cancer patients participate in clinical trials?

Primary care physicians can help their cancer patients decide whether to enter a clinical trial of an experimental treatment by frankly discussing the pros and cons. Phase 1 trials pose difficult emotional issues for patients and ethical issues for physicians.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

Intraperitoneal therapy of ovarian cancer.

During the past decade, intraperitoneal chemotherapy has evolved from a theoretical concept into a rational therapeutic strategy for a select group of individuals with ovarian cancer. Patients who may potentially benefit from this approach include those with small volume intraperitoneal disease at the initiation of initial chemotherapy and individuals with microscopic and very small volume macroscopic cancer after the completion of front-line systemic treatment. Further exploration to define an ultimate role for regional antineoplastic drug delivery in the management of ovarian cancer is warranted.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Amifostine in reducing cisplatin toxicity.

Amifostine has been demonstrated in preclinical evaluation and through the conduct of a randomized controlled clinical trial to reduce the incidence and severity of cisplatin-associated toxicity. While the role of amifostine in standard oncologic management remains to be defined, patients who require treatment with cisplatin who have preexisting renal or neurologic dysfunction may have their potential for further damage to these organs reduced if amifostine is delivered along with the cytotoxic drug.

Amifostine↗

Continued chemosensitivity to cisplatin/carboplatin in ovarian carcinoma despite treatment with multiple prior platinum-based regimens.

While it is well recognized that individuals with ovarian cancer who have previously responded to platinum-based therapy can achieve a second response to cisplatin or carboplatin at the time of relapse, limited data exist in the oncologic literature regarding the number of times this process can be repeated. We briefly report here three patients with ovarian cancer currently being cared for in the Gynecologic Oncology program of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation who have achieved four (1 patient) or five (2 patients) separate clinical responses to cisplatin or carboplatin-based chemotherapy and have survived >4 years since the date of first relapse. This experience emphasizes the point that platinum resistance cannot be defined based on total treatment courses or the number of prior platinum-based regimens delivered, but only by objective evidence of failure of the drugs in an individual patient.

Aged↗

High-intensity intravenous cyclophosphamide and cisplatin, interim surgical debulking, and intraperitoneal cisplatin in advanced ovarian carcinoma: a pilot trial with ten-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: This trial was undertaken to study the effect of intensified intravenous cyclophosphamide/cisplatin and interim surgical debulking, followed by intraperitoneal cisplatin on surgically defined complete remission rate and survival in advanced ovarian cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty patients with stage IIB through IV ovarian cancer were entered and 36 were evaluable for response and survival and approximately 10 years. Following a first laparotomy for diagnosis and debulking, the patients received two cycles, spaced 28 days apart, of intravenous cisplatin 30-40 mg/m2/day with hypertonic saline for 4 to 5 days and cyclophosphamide 200 mg/m2/day for 5 days. A second laparotomy was done to further debulk remaining cancer and to place an intraperitoneal catheter. Four cycles of intraperitoneal cisplatin at 50 or 100 mg/m2 were administered 21 days apart and followed by a third laparotomy to define response and plan any further therapy. RESULTS: The surgically confirmed complete response rate was 47% and median survival is 68.3 months for this group. Ten of the 17 patients (58.8%) relapsed following complete response at a median of 19.5 months (range, 5-98). Both aggressive chemotherapy and surgery seemed to play a role in inducing this high complete response rate. Traditional prognostic factors, including stage and diameter of largest residual disease, had little apparent effect on likelihood of complete response or survival, whereas tumor grade had a more significant effect on survival. Nadir fever was experienced by 33% of patients but peripheral neuropathy was dose limiting. CONCLUSION: In the context of recent data failing to support any clinical benefit to modest increases in dose escalations of cisplatin or carboplatin, in this trial the high complete response rate suggests that the multimodality approach (i.e., interval surgical debulking and intraperitoneal cisplatin) is worthy of further study. The high relapse rate among complete responders and the unacceptable neurotoxicity also suggest that modifications could improve the results. The use of newer agents and further intensification (substituting carboplatin for cisplatin and the use of paclitaxel) with stem cell support are two examples.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗