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P Speiser

Publications and source records attributed to P Speiser.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Phase I/II study of oral etoposide plus GM-CSF as second-line chemotherapy in platinum-pretreated patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

The aim of this phase I/II study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the dose-limiting toxicities of chronic oral etoposide given on days 1-10 followed by rescue with subcutaneous (s.c.) granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on days 12-19 as second-line chemotherapy in platinum-pretreated patients (pts) with advanced ovarian carcinoma. Cohorts of three to six pts were treated with doses of oral etoposide from 750 mg m(-2) cycle(-1) escalated to 1250 mg m(-2) cycle(-1) over 10 days, every 3 weeks. Subcutaneous GM-CSF, 400 mug once daily, days 12-19, was added if dose-limiting granulocytopenia was encountered. In total, 18 pts with a median Karnofsky index of 80% (range, 70-100%) and a median time elapsed since the last platinum dose of 10 months (range, 1-24 months), 30% of whom showed visceral metastases, were treated at four dose levels (DLs) of oral etoposide on days 1-10 of each cycle as follows: DL 1, 750 mg m(-2) cycle(-1), without GM-CSF, three pts; DL 2, 1000 mg m(-2) cycle(-1), without GM-CSF, three pts; DL 3, 1000 mg m(-2) cycle(-1), with GM-CSF, six pts; and DL 4, 1250 mg m(-2) cycle(-1), with GM-CSF, six pts. All pts were assessable for toxicity and 16 pts for response. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was reached at DL 4 by three of six pts, showing World Health Organization (WHO) toxicity grade 4. One patient died from gram-negative sepsis associated with granulocytopenia grade 4. Two more pts developed uncomplicated granulocytopenia grade 4. Thus, we recommend that DL 3 can be used for further phase II evaluation (i.e. oral etoposide 1000 mg m(-2) cycle(-1), days 1-10, followed by s.c. GM-CSF 400 mug, days 12-19). The clinical complete or partial responses in each patient cohort were: DL 1, one of three pts; DL 2, one of three pts; DL 3, three of five pts; and DL 4, two of five pts. In conclusion, in this phase I/II study, we defined the MTD and the dose recommended for the therapy with oral etoposide given over 10 days followed by s.c. GM-CSF in platinum-pretreated patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Our data demonstrate encouraging activity of this regimen and strongly support its further investigation in a phase II study.

Administration, Oral↗

Lack of impact of platinum dose intensity on the outcome of ovarian cancer patients. 10-year results of a prospective randomised phase III study comparing carboplatin-cisplatin with cyclophosphamide-cisplatin.

This prospective multicentre phase III trial was conducted to assess whether increased platinum dose intensity (DI) by combining carboplatin with cisplatin has an impact on overall survival (OS) and progression-free interval (PFI) compared with the standard combination of cyclophosphamide and cisplatin in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. A total of 253 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer of stages International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) IC-IV were randomised to receive either cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m(2), intravenously (i.v.), day 1) and cisplatin (100 mg/m(2), i.v., day 2) (n=125) as the standard regimen or carboplatin (300 mg/m(2), i.v., day 1) and cisplatin (100 mg/m(2), i.v., day 2) (n=128), every 28 days for six courses. The median follow-up was 6.0 years. 124 patients randomised to the platinum dose-intensified arm and 123 patients randomised to the standard arm met all of the eligibility criteria. Patient characteristics were well balanced between the two treatment groups. All eligible patients randomised were included in the analysis of OS and PFI. The median OS of the standard and platinum dose-intensified arms were 41.2 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 29.2-50.7) and 43.0 months (95% CI: 34.3-63.2), respectively (P=Non-significant (N.S.). The median PFI in the standard arm was 29.7 (95% CI: 17.4-41.7) versus 23.1 months (95% CI: 17.8-35.4) in the platinum dose-intensified arm, respectively (P=N.S.). Toxicity, comprising leucopenia, granulocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, anaemia, emesis and nausea, was statistically significantly higher in the platinum dose-intensified arm than in the standard arm. Unexpectedly, no statistically significant differences were found between the 2 arms' overall neuro- and ototoxicity. When converting carboplatin-platinum into cisplatin-platinum on the basis of an equivalence ratio of 4:1, patients in the platinum dose-intensified arm received a total platinum dose 1.58 times the platinum dose of the standard arm. With 35.0 mg/m(2)/week being administered, the total platinum DI of the dose-intensified arm was statistically significantly (P<0.0001) higher than that of the standard regimen (with 22.0 mg/m(2) being administered). Calculating the average administered relative dose intensities of the regimens yielded almost identical results with 0.56 and 0.58 for the standard and experimental arms, respectively. Thus, by conventional means, a 1.6-fold increase in the platinum DI could be reached by combining carboplatin and cisplatin without unacceptable morbidity. Nevertheless, this did not translate into any therapeutic benefit for the patient, even in the optimally debulked group of patients for whom dose-intensification would have been expected to be of benefit.

Adult↗

High frequency of allelic imbalance at regions of chromosome arm 8p in ovarian carcinoma.

Progressive genetic changes such as the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSG) are thought to play an important role in the initiation and progression of ovarian cancer. Frequent nonrandom allelic imbalance (AI) at 8p11-p21 and 8p22-pter suggests the existence of TSGs that may be involved in the carcinogenesis of several human malignancies. We investigated 70 ovarian tumors with 11 highly polymorphic markers spanning 8p12-p21 and 8p22-pter to produce an AI map of 8p in epithelial ovarian cancer. Allelic imbalance was demonstrated in 54 tumors (77%), most frequently occurring at D8S136 (54%) and at D8S1992 (55%). Poorly differentiated and advanced stage cancers were more often affected by AI (G1+G2 vs. G3; 20% vs. 66%; stage I+II vs. III+IV, 36% vs. 54%, P<.001; Kruskal-Wallis test) than well differentiated and early stage tumors. There was no relationship between histological subtype and AI. Smallest regions of overlap (SRO) were delineated by analyzing 38 tumors with partial AI. This study provides compelling evidence for the involvement of TSGs on the short arm of chromosome 8, at 8p12-p21 and at 8p23 in the development and progression of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Allelic Imbalance↗

[Differential diagnosis of acute and chronic pelvic pain in women].

Acute and chronic forms of pelvic pain are symptoms of various gynaecological entities with a difficult clinical differential diagnosis. Acute pains are generally intensive attacks with a sudden onset, rapid progression, and normally short duration. Chronic pelvic pain is a continuous non-cyclic condition. Transvaginal sonography is an efficient tool to document morphologic abnormalities. Other imaging modalities, especially magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) are valuable to differentiate gynaecological from other abdominal causes of pelvic pain.

Acute Disease↗

Prognostic significance of mutations in the p53 gene, particularly in the zinc-binding domains, in lymph node- and steroid receptor positive breast cancer patients. Austrian Breast Cancer Study Group.

The aim of our study was to evaluate if p53 mutations, especially those in the L2/L3 domains of the p53 gene, add prognostic information for node-positive and steroid receptor positive breast cancer patients. Two hundred and five tumour samples from a randomised clinical trial of 596 lymph node- and steroid receptor positive breast cancer patients were included. All patients had been randomly allocated to receive 20 mg of adjuvant tamoxifen (TAM) daily for 2 years or TAM plus one cycle of low-dose, short-term chemotherapy. For detection of p53 mutations we used in vitro amplification by polymerase chain reaction and consecutively performed temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-TGGE) and direct sequencing. We found p53 mutations in 42/205 (20%) cases: 16/42 (38%) p53 mutations occurred within the L2/L3 domains of the p53 gene, and 26/42 (62%) outside the L2/L3 domains. p53 mutation served as a statistically significant parameter in predicting disease-free survival in univariate (P = 0.02) and multivariate (P = 0.009) analysis. For overall survival, no significant differences were observed. Patients with tumours that had p53 mutations within the L2/L3 domains of the gene showed no significant difference to those with mutations outside the L2/L3 domains for disease-free survival. For overall survival, mutations in the L2/L3 domains showed a marginally significant difference (P = 0.05) in multivariate analysis, but not in univariate analysis (P = 0.13). We conclude that mutation in the L2/L3 domains of the p53 gene is not an independent prognostic indicator of disease outcome for patients suffering from breast cancer with lymph node metastases and positive steroid receptors.

Adult↗

Indocyanine green versus fluorescein angiography in the differential diagnosis of arteritic and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

PURPOSE: We evaluated in a prospective study the usefulness of indocyanine green (ICG) versus fluorescein angiography in the differential diagnosis between arteritic and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION). METHODS: Simultaneous ICG and fluorescein angiography was performed on 22 eyes with AION. Appearance of both dyes in the choroid and in the retina, laminar flow, venous filling, and complete filling of the choroid were measured independently. Massive delayed choroidal filling corresponding to occluded posterior ciliary arteries was especially assessed, as it is almost always diagnostic of arteritic AION. We considered the choroidal filling as massive delayed if it was still incomplete after the venous filling. RESULTS: We diagnosed 5 arteritic AIONs, confirmed by biopsy, and 17 nonarteritic AIONs. In both types of angiography, 3 of 5 patients with arteritic AION showed massive delayed complete choroidal filling times (44.2, 45.8, and 70 seconds), and patients with nonarteritic AION had normal complete choroidal filling times. Dye appearance at the different angiographic times was similar for fluorescein and ICG angiography (P = 0.95-0.96). CONCLUSION: Fluorescein angiography alone is sufficient to reveal massive delayed choroidal filling time in arteritic AION. For our purpose, ICG angiography provides no additional information.

Aged↗

Messenger RNA determination of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, pS2, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 by competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in human breast cancer.

Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), the estrogen-inducible protein pS2, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) are important prognostic factors in primary breast cancer. The protein concentrations of these factors in breast tumors have been well documented. However, few data about the mRNA expression of ER, PR, pS2, and PAI-1 in breast cancer are available, which is mostly due to the limitations of conventional techniques for mRNA analysis. We have described a competitive reverse transcription-PCR system for the simultaneous quantification of ER, PR, pS2, and PAI-1 mRNA in tumor samples. Here, we evaluated 100 tumor biopsies from breast cancer patients for the mRNA expression of ER, PR, pS2, and PAI-1. The results were analyzed for correlations with protein status and with clinical data. Significant correlations between mRNA expression levels and protein concentrations of all tested markers were found. In only a few cases was there an obvious discordance between the measurable amounts of mRNA and protein, especially for ER and PR. In addition, ER, PR, and pS2 mRNA levels correlated significantly with each other. No correlation between PAI-1 mRNA amount and the expression of the other markers was found. With respect to clinical data, ER and PR mRNA levels were found to be inversely correlated to tumor size and histological grade but not to the lymph node status. pS2 and PAI-1 mRNA expression were not correlated with tumor size, grade, or lymph node involvement. In conclusion, competitive reverse transcription-PCR may be used as an alternative for the study of prognostic factors in human breast cancer and other malignancies. However, before mRNA expression is measured for diagnostics, a presumed concordance of mRNA and protein expression must be evaluated very carefully for every gene.

Adult↗

Influence of intratumoral basic fibroblast growth factor concentration on survival in ovarian cancer patients.

Since basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is considered as a potent mitogen that stimulates the growth of ovarian cancer cells, we evaluated the role of bFGF as a prognostic marker in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. bFGF was quantified from the tumor cytoplasm of 76 patients with FIGO stage I-III ovarian cancer by a human FGF basic immunoassay (R&D Systems). After a mean follow-up period of 42 months, 50 patients were found to be free of tumor while 26 patients had died of the disease. The median bFGF concentration was 352.9 pg/mg (range 27.4-26600 pg/mg). After dichotomization cytoplasmic expression of bFGF was found to be low in 44 tumors (< or =500 pg/mg) and high in 32 tumors (>500 pg/mg). The probability of overall survival was 38.8 and 58.5% in the low bFGF and high bFGF groups, respectively (log-rank P = 0.0066). In multivariate analysis, residual tumor after initial surgery and bFGF, but not histologic grade or stage of the disease, independently influenced the overall survival probability. Furthermore, tumors with high cytoplasmic expression of bFGF revealed a much greater stromal content. Therefore, we hypothesize that bFGF may induce a fibroblastic response which causes tumors with a high bFGF to be less aggressive than those with less stromal tissue.

Adult↗

The influence of vascular space involvement on the prognosis of patients with stage IB cervical carcinoma: correlation of results from hematoxylin and eosin staining with results from immunostaining for factor VIII-related antigen.

BACKGROUND: There is controversy over the question of whether the involvement of vascular spaces influences the prognosis of patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix. The aim of the current study was to compare patterns of vascular space involvement determined by hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining with those patterns determined by immunostaining for factor VIII-related antigen (F8-RA) with regard to their prognostic impact on the disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with clinical Stage IB cervical carcinoma. Staining for F8-RA is known to highlight blood vessels predominantly, whereas the presence of tumor cell emboli in vascular spaces of H & E-stained sections mainly indicates lymphatic vessel invasion. METHODS: The authors analyzed data on 163 patients for whom vascular space involvement (VSI) was determined by H & E (VSI/H & E) and F8-RA (VSI/F8) staining from the same block in two separate runs. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 85 months (range, 5-170 months). The 25% quantile for OS was 109 months (median not reached; range, 5-170 months). The overall rates of VSI/H & E and VSI/F8 were 29.4% and 24.5%, respectively. The findings obtained by H & E and F8-RA staining were concurrent in 60.7% of cases. Lymph node involvement and VSI/F8 remained independent prognostic factors for DFS and OS. Due to a highly significant correlation of pelvic lymph node status with both VSI/H & E and tumor size, the last two parameters failed to retain a significant value. For lymph node negative patients, the estimated OS probability was 92% for those without VSI/F8 and 62% for those with VSI/F8. CONCLUSIONS: VSI/F8 may provide additional information on the outcome of clinical Stage IB cervical carcinoma. Lymph node negative patients with VSI/F8 positive tumors may benefit from more intense postsurgical treatment. Further trials involving larger series of patients are necessary to confirm these findings.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Tumor angiogenesis in stage IB cervical cancer: correlation of microvessel density with survival.

OBJECTIVE: Because angiogenesis is considered essential for tumor growth and the development of metastasis, we assessed the correlation of microvessel density with overall survival in patients with clinical stage IB carcinoma of the uterine cervix. STUDY DESIGN: Histologic slides were immunostained for factor VIII-related antigen. Microvessel density was determined within each tumor by enumeration under a light microscope at 200x magnification and an examination area of 0.25 mm2. The Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: In 166 patients with stage IB cervical cancer the 5-year survival was as follows: 89.7% in 102 patients whose tumors had a microvessel density < or =20/field, and 63.0% in 64 patients whose tumors had a microvessel density >20/field (log rank p < 0.0001). In the multivariate Cox model microvessel density, lymph node involvement, tumor size, and the application of radiation therapy remained independent prognostic factors for survival, whereas lymphatic vascular space involvement failed to retain a significant value. CONCLUSION: High microvessel density adversely influences patients' survival in clinical stage IB cervical cancer and identifies patients with negative nodes at risk for relapse.

Adult↗

CD44v3 and v6 variant isoform expression correlates with poor prognosis in early-stage vulvar cancer.

Expression of alternatively spliced CD44 isoforms has been reported to correlate with poor prognosis in human squamous cell cancers, i.e. squamous cell cancer of the lung and cervix. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether CD44 isoform expression is a prognostic factor in early-stage squamous cell cancer of the vulva. Seventy cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I were examined immunohistochemically for expression of CD44 isoforms. We used four different variant exon sequence-specific murine monoclonal antibodies to epitopes encoded by exons v3, v5, v6 and v7-8 of human variant CD44. The correlation of CD44 expression with histological grade and disease-free and overall survival was investigated. CD44 isoforms CD44v3, CD44v5, CD44v6 and CD44v7-8 were detected in 28% (20/70), 47% (33/70), 33% (23/70) and 17% (12/70) of the tumour samples respectively. Patients suffering from tumours expressing CD44v6 had a poorer relapse-free (log-rank test, P = 0.02) and overall survival (log-rank test, P = 0.03). Likewise, patients suffering from tumours expressing CD44v3 had a poorer relapse-free (log-rank test, P = 0.04) and overall survival (log-rank test, P = 0.01). Expression of CD44v5 and CD44v7-8 did not compromise the patients' outcome. Histological grade did not correlate with CD44 isoform expression. Immunohistochemically detected expression of CD44 isoforms containing variant exon v6 or v3 is correlated with a poor relapse-free and overall survival in FIGO stage I vulvar cancer patients.

Adult↗

Prediction of toxicity but not of clinical course by determining carboplatin exposure in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer treated with a combination of carboplatin and cisplatin.

We present the data from 105 patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer, who received up to 6 cycles of carboplatin (300 mg/m2) and cisplatin (100 mg/m2) as one treatment arm of a prospective randomized trial. Values for first-course carboplatin area-under-the-curve (AUC) were determined retrospectively. WHO grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia was found in 10% of patients with low AUC (AUC <4 mg/ml x min), but in 44.6% of patients with high AUC (AUC 4 mg/ml x min) (chi-square p<0.0001). No single case of ototoxicity was found in the low AUC group but in 12% of patients in the high AUC group (chi-square p=0.003). Determination of carboplatin AUC may prevent ototoxicity and severe thrombocytopenia for the first cycle of combined treatment with carboplatin and cisplatin.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Mapping of DNA amplifications at 15 chromosomal localizations in 1875 breast tumors: definition of phenotypic groups.

DNA amplification is frequent in breast cancer and has been associated with specific clinicopathological parameters and/or worsened course of the disease. In the present work, we were interested in further defining the association linking the occurrence of DNA amplification to the emergence of specific breast tumor phenotype. To this aim, we studied by Southern blotting a total of 1875 breast tumor DNAs with 26 probes mapping at 15 distinct chromosomal localizations. Of the 26 loci tested, 11 loci showed elevated levels of amplification, 9 loci showed occasional and/or low level of DNA copy number increase, and 6 loci showed very rare or no variation. This allowed us to define six amplified domains mapping at 8p12, 8q24, 11q13, 12q13, 17q12, and 20q13.2, respectively. Over 60% of the tumors analyzed presented at least one amplification at one of these localizations. Amplifications often covered large regions of DNA and bore complex patterns involving coamplification of several colocalized markers. Statistical analysis revealed correlations associating DNA amplification with breast tumor phenotype, as well as sets of preferential coamplifications. Based on these correlations, we defined three subsets of breast cancer according to their patterns of DNA amplification. The first subset (group A) was organized around the amplifications at 11q13 and/or 8p12 and was predominantly composed of estrogen receptor-positive tumors and presented a large proportion of lobular cancers. The second subset (group B) was organized around the amplifications of ERBB2 and/or MYC. These tumors were mostly estrogen receptor-negative and of the ductal invasive type. The third subset (group C) corresponded to tumors in which no amplification was detected in the present screen. Tumors in this group were largely diploid and of low histopathological grading.

Adult↗

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human breast cancer: correlation with disease-free survival.

Studies have shown that microvessel density influences breast-cancer prognosis. Since tumor angiogenesis is considered to be substantially affected by the excretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from tumor cells, we examined whether VEGF concentration is different in malignant and in non-malignant breast tissue. It was also of interest to discover whether intratumoral VEGF concentration influences disease-free survival (DFS) of breast-cancer patients. Analysis is based on 120 tissue specimens taken from breast fibromas (n = 23), normal epithelial breast tissue adjacent to fibromas (n = 8) and invasive breast cancer (n = 89). VEGF concentration was quantified by using an immunoassay. Microvessel density was determined by immunostaining for factor-VIII-related antigen. Median VEGF concentration is given in pg/mg protein (25%-quantile-75%-quantile) and it was 0 (0-1.8) in normal breast tissue, 9.8 (0.52-43.0) in fibromas and 130.4 (50.8-362.2) in invasive carcinomas. A univariate Cox model revealed that node status, tumor size, estrogen-receptor concentration, histological grading and microvessel density were prognostic factors for disease-free survival in breast cancer. We found a significant correlation between VEGF concentration and microvessel count, but VEGF concentration did not significantly influence disease-free survival. Although VEGF protein was found at a significantly higher concentration in malignant than in non-malignant tissue, determination of intratumoral VEGF protein by an enzyme immunoassay was not prognostically relevant in our patient population.

Analysis of Variance↗

Genomic deletions in the BRCA1, BRCA2 and TP53 regions associate with low expression of the estrogen receptor in sporadic breast carcinoma.

Sporadic breast carcinoma is associated with multiple genetic alterations. The clinical relevance of these alterations, however, needs further clarification. In the present study we analyzed 266 spontaneously arising breast carcinomas for allelic losses in the BRCA1 and TP53 regions on chromosome 17, the BRCA2 region on chromosome 13, the ATM (mutated in ataxia-telangiectasia) region on chromosome 11 and on the chromosomal arms 7q and 16q. In addition the following clinical and pathological parameters were evaluated: age at diagnosis, tumor size, presence or absence of regional and distant metastases, hormone-receptor status, histopathological classification and tumor grading. The analysis of genetic and clinical observations revealed significant associations: absence of expression of the estrogen receptor was linked to a high rate of allelic losses of markers in the BRCA1, TP53 and BRCA2 regions. Expression of the progesterone receptor coincided with allelic loss on the long arm of chromosome 16. High-grade malignant lesions and ductal differentiation were frequently associated with allelic losses in the proximal portion of chromosome 17q. The accumulation of multiple allelic deletions was linked to high-grade malignant tumors, to tumor size, and to loss of expression of the estrogen receptor. Our data point to a relationship between clinically relevant prognostic factors and specific genomic deletions in the BRCA1, BRCA2 and TP53 region.

Breast Neoplasms↗

CD44 is an independent prognostic factor in early-stage cervical cancer.

The expression of specific cell-adhesion molecule CD44 isoforms (splice variants) is associated with metastatic spread and poor prognosis in human malignancies. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether CD44 isoform expression is a prognostic factor in early-stage cervical cancer. We used 4 different variant exon sequence-specific murine monoclonal antibodies to the CD44 isoforms CD44v3, CD44v5, CD44v6 and CD44v7-8 to study the prognostic value of CD44 splice variants in 200 cases of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage-IB cervical cancer by immunohistochemistry. In the univariate analysis, the expression of CD44v3 (log-rank test, p = 0.03) and CD44v6 (log-rank test, p = 0.03) was correlated with poor overall survival. In the subgroup of patients without metastatic disease in the pelvic lymph nodes, expression of CD44v6 was correlated with poor disease-free and overall survival (log-rank test, p = 0.04 and p = 0.01, respectively). Multivariate analysis, correcting for the confounding variables pelvic lymph-node involvement, depth of invasion and histologic grading, revealed CD44v6 to be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival of patients with early-stage cervical cancer. The results of this study indicate that CD44v6 is an additional prognostic marker in surgically treated cervical cancer. The assessment of CD44 isoform expression could be of clinical value in deciding upon adjuvant therapy, resulting in a more individualized management of therapy.

Adult↗