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Biomedical subjects

R B Weiss

Publications and source records attributed to R B Weiss.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Clinical trial of VP 16--213 (NSC 141540) I.V. twice weekly in advanced neoplastic disease: a study by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B.

The epipodophyllotoxin derivative VP 16--213 (NSC 141540) was studied by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B in a broad phase II trial at three dose levels: 60 mg/m2, 90 mg/m2, and 135 mg/m2 I.V. twice weekly. No correlation between dose of VP 16--213 and response frequency in a particular disease category could be demonstrated. Of the 382 patients, 8% obtained a complete (CR) or partial remission (PR), 8% showed improvement, and 14% had stable disease. By tumor type the best responses were obtained in lymphomas (8/31 CR + PR), uterus (2/9), prostate (1/5), rhabdomyosarcoma (2/6), neuroblastoma (2/4), colon/rectum (5/81), other gastrointestinal (4/32). In lung tumors, 4/80 patients obtained CR or PR. VP 16--213 has definite antineoplastic activity but the response frequency with the twice weekly schedule may be lower than that reported with other schedules.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

A randomized combined modality trial in small cell carcinoma of the lung: comparison of combination chemotherapy-radiation therapy versus cyclophosphamide-radiation therapy effects of maintenance chemotherapy and prophylactiv whole brain irradiation.

A randomized trial of combined modality therapy employing combination chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide (CTX) and methotrexate (MTX), CTX, MTX and Vincristine (VCR) and CTX, VCR and high-dose MTX with citrovorum rescue) and radiation therapy was compared to cyclophosphamide and radiation therapy in 258 patients with pulmonary small cell carcinoma. Patients were also rendomized: 1) to determine the effects of prophylactic whole brain irradiation; and 2) to establish the effects of maintenance chemotherapy. Survival, frequency of response and site of relapse were different in patients with limited disease (LD) (disease confined to lung, mediastinum and supraclavicular lymph nodes) when compared with disease spread beyond these sites (extensive disease) (ED). No survival advantage was seen in LD when combination chemotherapy was employed, although the frequency of complete remission was greater with three drugs than with one or two drugs (40% vs. 32%). In ED frequency of response was greater for three drugs than for one and two drugs (60% vs. 40%), but there was no survival advantage. The median survival time for complete responders was similar for limited or extensive disease (12.1 months), but 23.8% were alive at 24 months with LD compared to none with ED. Maintenance chemotherapy significantly prolonged survival by 16.8 months with 33% alive at 24 months compared to 9% who were unmaintained. Prophylactic while brain irradiation prevented brain metastases with only 4% developing this complication as compared to 18% of control subjects, but did not influence survival.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1980

Cytotoxic drug-induced pulmonary disease: update 1980.

Administration of a number of cytotoxic agents has been associated with interstitial pneumonitis, alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis. Some (bleomycin, busulfan, methotrexate) are well known to cause this problem, and others (carmustine, semustine, zinostatin, mitomycin, and chlorambucil) have only recently been recognized to do so. We review and update the available information about this form of drug toxicity. Interaction between these drugs and thoracic radiation or high oxygen fractions in inspired air has produced pneumonitis at doses lower than when the drug is used alone. Synergism between the drugs themselves when given concurrently also produces pulmonary toxicity at lower doses. With some drugs and in some patients steroids will diminish the pulmonary abnormalities, but death from hypoxia is a frequent outcome. Since early recognition of the problem and withdrawal of the injurious agent is the best treatment, physician awareness of and alertness to this toxicity and its relative risk is most important. The discovery of analogs of bleomycin with a better therapeutic index, specifically reducing pulmonary damage, is one of the goals of current cancer drug development.

Alkylating Agents↗
PubMed1980

m-AMSA: an exciting new drug in the National Cancer Institute Drug Development Program.

m-AMSA is a new drug in the National Cancer Institute Drug Development Program. The drug has moderate but tolerable toxicity and has demonstrated tumor activity in acute leukemia and breast cancer. Numerous phase II studies are completed or in progress and phase III trials will soon begin. We review the preclinical and phase I clinical information on this drug. We then enumerate the present ongoing studies and make some suggestions for future studies that will allow a rapid and orderly assessment of its value.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

Pulmonary toxicity from carmustine (BCNU): a case report.

A patient who had a pneumonectomy for lung carcinoma was treated with carmustine when brain metastases developed. His pulmonary function was mildly compromised prior to the pneumonectomy by many years of smoking. After six months of carmustine therapy [total dose: 2,250 mg (1,200 mg/m2)] he developed interstitial pulmonary fibrosis with histologic changes consistent with drug toxicity. With seven previously reported cases of this drug-effect and the addition of our case, carmustine must be added to the list of cancer chemotherapeutic agents that can cause pulmonary toxicity.

Autopsy↗
PubMed1979

Carcinomatous meningitis in gastrointestinal malignancies.

With the development of the Millipore filter, meningeal metastases are being identified more frequently as a complication of many types of carcinoma, including breast, lung, pancreas, stomach, and prostate. Regardless of the primary source, adenocarcinoma cells appear to have a propensity to metastasize to this site. In recent years, carcinomatous meningitis has been reported very infrequently in gastrointestinal malignancies, as compared with other primary sites. We present two cases of carcinomatous meningitis, one in a 29-year-old man with adenocarcinoma of the colon and another in a 51-year-old man with gastric carcinoma. Survival after this complication is presently poor, but treatment may offer amelioration of disabling symptoms. The aggressive nature of these metastases emphasizes the need for early clinical suspicion and examination of spinal fluid in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1979

Plasmacytomas of the breast: an unusual manifestation of multiple myeloma.

One of the presenting findings of the described patient with multiple myeloma was multiple plasmacytomas of the breast. Mammograms obtained before and after chemotherapy demonstrated the response to drugs. The finding of plasmacytomas of the breast is an unusual manifestation of multiple myeloma.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1979

Multimodal primary cancer treatment (adjuvant chemotherapy): current results and future prospects.

In the 1970s chemotherapy has been successfully incorporated into curative primary treatment programs for various adult malignancies so that it is no longer solely palliative treatment for advanced disease. For at least three malignancies and tentatively a fourth (breast and colon carcinoma, osteosarcoma, and melanoma), certain groups of patients have had longer disease-free survival produced by the use of chemotherapy after surgical removal of the primary lesion. The potential impact on cancer mortality from these treatment results is obvious. We review here the fundamental laboratory concepts that have led to human trial of multimodal primary therapy regimens. Data from numerous clinical trials are analyzed, with delineation of the problems encountered in the interpretation of their results.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Streptozotocin: an inactive agent in small cell carcinoma.

Fifteen patients with advanced small cell carcinoma of the lung were treated with streptozotocin. No objective reponses were seen. A review of the literature reveals no objective response in a total of 56 patients, indicating that this agent is inactive as a single agent in small cell carcinoma.

Carcinoma, Small Cell↗
PubMed1979

Phase II study of 5-fluorouracil, methyl-CCNU, and daunorubicin in colorectal cancer: a Cancer and Leukemia Group B study.

The three-drug combination of 5-fluorouracil, methyl-CCNU, and daunorubicin was evaluated in 38 patients with unresectable or metastatic carcinoma of the colon. There were five partial responses and one complete response for an overall response rate of 16%. Although toxicity was tolerable, daunorubicin failed to add to the 5-fluorouracil and methyl-CCNU combination.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1978

When "lymphoma" is not lymphoma: diagnosing immunoblastic lymphadenopathy.

Immunoblastic lymphadenopathy, a newly described disease, is clinically similar to lymphoma but has a specific histologic picture. It usually does not have malignant potential and is best treated initially by corticosteroid in high doses. Chemotherapy is used when corticosteroid fails or when malignant conversion occurs.

Adult↗