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Biomedical subjects

R Feld

Publications and source records attributed to R Feld.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Cost-effectiveness of cancer chemotherapy: an economic evaluation of a randomized trial in small-cell lung cancer.

An economic evaluation of a randomized trial of cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin (doxorubicin; Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH), and vincristine alone or alternating with etoposide (VP-16) and cisplatin in extensive small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) was undertaken. A survival benefit of 1.6 months in favor of alternating chemotherapy was associated with an additional cost of $450 (1984 Canadian dollars) per patient. This translated to a cost of $3,370 per year of life gained. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the cost-effectiveness (CEA) of alternating chemotherapy was greatest when treatment was given on an outpatient basis. The results of the evaluation were sensitive to hospitalization rates, but even the most unfavorable analyses revealed the CEA of alternating chemotherapy to be comparable to that of treatments of common nonmalignant diseases. It is concluded that the CEA of alternating chemotherapy for SCLC was favorable when compared with accepted treatments for nonmalignant diseases. The survival benefit seen with alternating chemotherapy was felt to be clinically significant and alternating chemotherapy is recommended as routine therapy for extensive SCLC.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1988

Chemotherapy can prolong survival in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer--report of a Canadian multicenter randomized trial.

The survival benefit of combination chemotherapy to patients with advanced non-small-cell carcinoma of the lung (NSCLC) is controversial. To study this question, the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) Clinical Trials Group conducted a prospective randomized trial comparing best supportive care (BSC) to two chemotherapy regimens, vindesine and cisplatin (VP), and cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (CAP). Between February 1983 and January 1986, 23 centers across Canada entered 251 patients on study. Eighteen centers participated in the three-arm schema (150 patients); centers choosing not to participate in a study with a no-chemotherapy arm followed a two-arm schema comparing VP with CAP (101 additional patients). Altogether, 233 patients were eligible. Patients had measurable or evaluable disease, with either distant metastases (82.5%) or bulky limited disease considered inoperable or unsuitable for radical radiotherapy. The treatment groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, performance status, histology, disease extent, and weight loss. The overall response rates (complete response [CR] plus partial response [PR]) on the chemotherapy arms were CAP, 15.3%, and VP, 25.3% (P = .06). Patients on the three-arm portion of the trial had a median survival of 32.6 weeks when treated with VP, 24.7 weeks with CAP, and 17 weeks with BSC. The significance of the differences in survival, adjusted for prognostic factors, is as follows: chemotherapy v BSC, P = .02; VP v BSC, P = .01; and CAP v BSC, P = .05. Toxicity on the chemotherapy arms was significant, with leukopenia of severe or greater degree occurring in 37.8% (CAP) and 40.0% (VP), severe vomiting in 12.2% (CAP) and 23.3% (VP), and severe neurotoxicity in 15.6% (VP).

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1988

Adjuvant chemotherapy following surgical resection for small-cell carcinoma of the lung.

Surgery alone is inadequate therapy for limited small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), resulting in less than 5% long-term survival. Since 1976, we treated patients undergoing surgery for SCLC with adjuvant chemotherapy in an attempt to prolong survival and increase cure. Seventy-seven patients who underwent surgery as their primary treatment were identified, and of these 63 (46 male and 17 female) received chemotherapy. Fifteen patients had a pneumonectomy, 46 a lobectomy, and two had wedge resections. Six patients had positive microscopic resection margins. Pathologic staging showed tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) involvement as follows: T1N0, eight; T2N0, ten; T1N1, six; T2N1, 18; T1N2, five; T2N2, nine; T3N0, three; T3N1, one; and T3N2, three. All patients received cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin (doxorubicion; Adria Laboratories, Mississauga, Ontario), and vincristine; four also received etoposide (VP-16) and cisplatin, one VP-16, and four methotrexate, procarbazine, and lomustine (CCNU). Forty-nine patients received prophylactic cranial irradiation, and 35 received radiotherapy to the mediastinum and primary site. The overall median survival of the 63 patients is 83 weeks, and the projected 5-year survival is 31%. Patients with T1 or T2 tumors without nodal involvement had a median survival of 191 weeks, and projected 5-year survival of 48%. Stage II (T1N1, T2N1) and stage III (any T3 or T1-2N2) patients had median survivals of 72 weeks and 65 weeks, and projected 5-year survivals of 24.5% and 24%, respectively. Thirty-three patients have relapsed and died of disease. Only two patients had an isolated relapse at the primary site. Seven other patients have died without recurrent disease. Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery results in prolonged survival and cure for a significant number of patients with stage I SCLC, although nodal involvement at any level is associated with shorter survival.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Varicella-zoster infection in adult cancer patients. A population study.

In a retrospective review of varicella-zoster (V-Z) Infections in adult cancer patients, 766 episodes of V-Z Infection were studied among 740 patients seen at a large comprehensive cancer center from 1972 to 1980. The highest risk of infection was present among patients with lymphoma and leukemia. The risk of dissemination of V-Z Infection was significantly associated with the presence of active tumor at the time of Infection. The site of the primary tumor correlated with the site of subsequent zoster Infection among patients with breast cancer, cancer of the respiratory tract, and gynecologic cancer. Pain attributable to V-Z Infection was present in a large majority of episodes. The median time from the completion of therapy to the onset of Infection was seven months for patients receiving radiotherapy and less than one month for those receiving chemotherapy. Various attributes of this study group were compared with those of previously studied cancer and noncancer populations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Neurologic disorders in patients with small cell lung cancer.

In a series of 641 patients with small cell lung cancer, 189 (29.5%) had at least one neurologic disorder either at the time of presentation or during the subsequent clinical course of the cancer. The total number of neurologic disorders was 210, which included brain metastases (75.7%), meningeal carcinomatosis (6.7%), intramedullary metastases (2.4%), epidural metastases (11.0%), hyponatremia producing CNS symptoms (3.3%), and Eaton-Lambert syndrome (1.0%). The most common signs and symptoms were motor dysfunction and confusion. The overall survival of patients with any neurologic disorder was compared to that of patients without neurologic problems. There was no difference between the survival curves for the first year and a half, but patients without neurologic complications had a greater probability of long-term survival (log-rank P = 0.03). There were no statistically significant differences when this comparison was made according to stage of disease. When a neurologic disorder related to cancer occurred, the survival time from the date of that diagnosis was usually short. The neurologic disorder was the immediate cause of death in the majority of cases. In patients who achieved a complete remission, the administration of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) significantly reduced the risk of developing brain metastases as the initial site of the relapse (log-rank P = 0.0034). After adjustment for performance status and extent of disease, the survival of complete responders treated with and without PCI was not significantly different. We conclude that neurologic complications are a frequent and serious problem in patients with SCLC.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Hepatic candidiasis: an increasing problem in immunocompromised patients.

Hepatic candidiasis has been increasingly recognized as a variant of disseminated candidiasis in immunocompromised patients. Five leukemic patients with antemortem diagnosis of hepatic candidiasis are described, and 32 additional cases reported in the literature are reviewed. Cultures of the liver and/or spleen and blood cultures usually give negative results; histopathologic demonstration of Candida organisms in tissue specimens is necessary for a definitive diagnosis. Response to conventional therapy with amphotericin B is poor, and 34.4 percent of the patients died with evidence of active fungal disease. Liposome-encapsulated amphotericin B, which has been successfully used in a limited number of patients with invasive fungal disease, may be an effective and relatively nontoxic drug.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

A prospective randomized trial of ceftazidime versus cefazolin/tobramycin in the treatment of hospitalized patients with pneumonia.

Ceftazidime and cefazolin/tobramycin were compared in the treatment of hospitalized patients with pneumonia. Iv doses 8-hourly were: ceftazidime--2 g, cefazolin--1.5 g, tobramycin--1.7 mg/kg. For patients with pseudomonas infection randomized to cefazolin/tobramycin, ticarcillin (3 g iv 4-hourly) was used instead of cefazolin. One hundred and ten of 129 patients were evaluable (ceftazidime = 52, cefazolin/tobramycin = 58). Seventy five cases (68%) had documented pathogens of which 81% were aerobic Gram-negative bacilli. Analysis of clinical response showed no difference in overall results (P = 0.77), or separate outcomes: cured (P = 0.85), improved (P = 0.62), failed (P = 0.53), or relapsed (P = 0.50). No differences in bacteriological response were noted either: eradication (P greater than 0.10), elimination with recurrence (P greater than 0.10), persistence (P greater than 0.10). The incidence of enterococcal and fungal colonization and superinfection was the same for both regimens. There was a greater incidence of Coombs' test positivity with ceftazidime (P less than 0.01) but greater nephrotoxicity with cefazolin/tobramycin (P less than 0.02). Ceftazidime appears to be as efficacious as cefazolin/tobramycin in the treatment of hospitalized patients with pneumonia, and is less nephrotoxic.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Mediastinal lymph node metastases from bronchogenic carcinoma: detection with MR imaging and CT.

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computed tomography (CT) were compared in a prospective study of 48 patients for the detection of metastatic mediastinal lymphadenopathy from bronchogenic carcinoma. The images were interpreted by three experienced radiologists using a five-point rating scale, enabling receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Imaging results were evaluated against "truth" data based on analysis of surgical specimens from mediastinoscopy and thoracotomy. All MR images were cardiac gated to reduce cardiac motion artifacts in the mediastinum. MR and CT both performed well, as indicated by similar areas under the ROC curves of 0.779 +/- 0.039 for MR imaging and 0.781 +/- 0.038 for CT scanning. No strong correlation between nodal size and metastatic involvement could be found for either MR or CT results. As long as nodal size remains the sole criterion in the detection of metastatic mediastinal lymphadenopathy, MR imaging is unlikely to enable better interpretations than CT scanning.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

A randomized study of oral nutritional support versus ad lib nutritional intake during chemotherapy for advanced colorectal and non-small-cell lung cancer.

One hundred ninety-two patients with previously untreated metastatic cancer (102 non-small-cell lung cancer [NSCLC]; 90 colorectal cancer) were randomized to receive either ad lib nutritional intake (control group) or specific nutritional intervention during a 12-week study period when chemotherapy was administered. Those patients randomized to nutritional interventions were counselled to take oral nutrients with caloric intake equal to 1.7 to 1.95 times their basal energy expenditure, depending on their pretreatment nutritional status ("standard" group). An augmented group was counselled to have a caloric intake equivalent to that of the standard group but with 25% of calories provided as protein and additional supplements of zinc and magnesium. Counselling increased caloric intake in both tumor types but reduced weight loss in the short term only for lung cancer patients. Ninety-three NSCLC patients were evaluable for tumor response to vindesine and cisplatin. Overall, only 20.4% of the patients responded, and there were no significant differences in response rates, median time to progression, or overall duration of survival between the nutrition intervention groups and the control group. The tumor response rate to time-sequenced 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and methotrexate in the 81 evaluable patients with colorectal cancer was only 14.8%, and no significant differences in tumor response rates were noted between the three groups. Furthermore, the median time to progression and overall duration of survival were not different for the control, standard, and augmented groups. Nutritional interventions using dietary counselling had no impact on the percent of planned chemotherapy dose administered, the degree of toxicity experienced by patients, or the frequency of treatment delays. A multivariate prognostic factor analysis demonstrated that for lung cancer, the percent of weight loss, serum albumin concentration, and presence of liver metastases were significant (P less than .05) and independent prognostic variables for survival duration. For colorectal cancer, serum albumin, alkaline phosphatase, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and percent targeted caloric intake (TCI) were significant independent predictors of survival duration.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Canadian multicenter randomized trial comparing sequential and alternating administration of two non-cross-resistant chemotherapy combinations in patients with limited small-cell carcinoma of the lung.

In order to assess the effect of scheduling of chemotherapy on the outcome of patients with limited small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), the Clinical Trials Group of the National Cancer Institute of Canada carried out a randomized trial comparing the alternation of cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin (Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH; doxorubicin) and vincristine (CAV) with etoposide (VP-16) and cisplatin for six cycles to the administration of these two combinations in a sequential fashion (three cycles of CAV followed by three of VP-16/cisplatin). Three hundred eligible patients were enrolled on the trial from September 1981 to October 1984. All responding patients were also treated after completion of chemotherapy with thoracic irradiation in randomly allocated doses of 2,000 and 3,750 cGy. The complete response (CR) rate to chemotherapy was slightly, but not significantly, higher on the alternating arm (52% v 44%, P = .20). However, there was no difference in disease-free or overall survival on the alternating and sequential arms, respectively (47.3 weeks v 45.1 weeks, P = .26; 61.7 weeks v 59.5 weeks, P = .56). Data on the effect of radiotherapy dose on survival are not yet mature, but it does not appear the results of this portion of the trial will alter the interpretation of the chemotherapy comparison. Patient characteristics favorably influencing survival were female sex, good performance status, younger age, and absence of supraclavicular node involvement. Two interpretations of these and other results in SCLC are suggested: (1) the difference between the schedules used is too small for the predictions of the Goldie-Coldman model to be realized in a trial of this size, or (2) VP-16/cisplatin is actually a superior regimen and any schedule that exposes patients to these drugs early in treatment will produce improved results.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Superiority of alternating non-cross-resistant chemotherapy in extensive small cell lung cancer. A multicenter, randomized clinical trial by the National Cancer Institute of Canada.

The National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group conducted a prospective randomized study comparing standard chemotherapy with alternating chemotherapy in patients with extensive small cell lung cancer. "Standard" treatment consisted of cyclophosphamide (1000 mg/m2 body surface area); doxorubicin (50 mg/m2), and vincristine (2 mg) every 3 weeks for six courses. Alternating chemotherapy was cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine alternating with etoposide (100 mg/m2 on days 1 to 3) and cisplatin (25 mg/m2 on days 1 to 3) every 3 weeks for six treatment cycles. Two hundred eighty-nine patients were eligible and evaluable for response to therapy and survival. Best response was higher in patients on alternating chemotherapy (complete plus partial response, 80% compared with 63.2%; p less than 0.002). Progression-free survival for patients on alternating chemotherapy was superior (p less than 0.0001) as was overall survival (p = 0.03). Major toxicities were equally frequent in both treatment groups. These results show a modest superiority of alternating chemotherapy over standard therapy in extensive small cell lung cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine in etoposide- and cisplatin-resistant small cell lung cancer.

For two chemotherapy regimens to be truly non-cross-resistant, each should be active as first-line therapy and also as second-line therapy. The effectiveness of both cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine (CAV) and etoposide and cisplatin (VPP) in previously untreated patients with small cell lung cancer has been well-documented. Also, VPP has caused tumor regression in up to 50% of patients when used as second-line therapy after CAV. The effectiveness of CAV after progression or relapse after VPP has not been documented. We identified 29 patients who received CAV after their tumors failed to respond or relapsed after VPP or etoposide and carboplatin (VPC). There were 21 male and eight female patients (median age, 57 years; range, 30-79). Thirteen patients were treated following failure to respond to VPP or VPC and 16 at the time of relapse. Eight patients had limited disease and 21 had extensive disease. Metastatic sites included liver (11 patients), bone (ten), lymph nodes (seven), bone marrow (three), brain (four), and contralateral lung (one). There were three complete responses (durations of 16, 22, and 26 weeks) and five partial responses (duration, 8+ to 36 weeks). Three patients had stable disease and 18 patients had disease progression while receiving treatment. The median survival of the entire group was 15 weeks. Responding patients had a median survival of 34 weeks (range, 8+ to 72+) and stable and nonresponding patients had a survival of only 9 weeks (range, 2-38). A granulocyte count nadir less than 500 X 10(9)/L was seen after 7.9% of evaluable treatment cycles and a platelet count nadir less than 50,000 X 10(9)/L occurred after only 5.3% of cycles. Five patients required transfusion for anemia, and two patients required dose reduction of vincristine for peripheral neuropathy. This study demonstrates that CAV has limited activity following failure to respond to VPP.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Superior vena caval obstruction syndrome in small cell lung cancer.

In a series of 643 patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), 55 patients (8.6%) had signs or symptoms of superior vena caval obstruction syndrome (SVCO). Relatively long intervals from the onset of the first symptoms of SVCO to the start of therapy were observed, and invasive diagnostic procedures were safely performed in most patients. The pretreatment characteristics of patients with SVCO were not significantly different from those of patients without signs of the syndrome, and survival was similar in both groups. Patients with SVCO were usually treated first with induction chemotherapy, and prompt resolution of signs and symptoms occurred in the majority. Radiation was effective in controlling SVCO at relapse or after failure of initial chemotherapy. It was concluded that SVCO in patients with SCLC should be treated initially with systemic chemotherapy, as for other presentations of this disease. The current data do not support the commonly held view that SVCO in SCLC should be approached as an oncologic emergency.

Adult↗