Biologic Characteristics (biologic + characteristic)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Neoadjuvant therapy as a paradigm to develop systemic cancer therapy

DRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 7 2008
Guru SonpavdeArticle first published online: 23 DEC 200
Abstract Neoadjuvant systemic therapy preceding definitive surgical resection permits the in vivo assessment of tumor response and induces pathologic downstaging in several malignancies. Since pathologic complete response (pCR) and biologic activity can be determined rapidly, the signal of efficacy of a systemic regimen is evident with a relatively small number of patients before long-term follow-up. Additionally, emerging data suggest that modulation of pharmacodynamic biomarkers after brief neoadjuvant therapy may correlate with long-term clinical outcomes. Early evidence for in vivo resistance and elucidation of mechanisms of resistance may assist with selection of rational combinations of agents as subsequent therapy to improve outcomes. Evidence of biologic anti-tumor activity in target-enriched subsets can be determined with a small number of patients in proof of principal pilot trials. Biologic activity against molecular targets and downstream anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activity may help with the selection of the lowest effective dose, which may lead to efficacious and safe therapy. Therefore, this paradigm has the potential to enable the efficient use of resources and accelerate the pace of systemic therapy development. It may also be possible to determine molecular and biologic characteristics that predict for sensitivity. Drug Dev Res 69:388,397, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Changing trends of research and treatment in infant neuroblastoma

PEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, Issue S7 2007
Gregory K. Friedman MD
Abstract Neuroblastoma is the most common malignancy in infants and 40% of neuroblastomas are diagnosed in the first year of life. While generally neuroblastoma behaves less aggressively in this age group, tumors that have adverse biologic characteristics do not differ in their behavior from counterparts in older children. Clinical and biologic behavior of neuroblastoma in children up to 460 days of age is similar to that in children less than 1 year of age. Thus the categorization of children up to 18 months of age into risk category is critically dependent on biologic characterization and assignment to appropriate treatment intensity categories. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2007;49:1060,1065. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Recent trends and racial/ethnic differences in the incidence and treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast in California women ,

CANCER, Issue 4 2003
Kaire Innos M.D., Ph.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND The rapid increase in the incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast in the U.S. has been associated with the widespread adoption of screening mammography. Little is known regarding the incidence and treatment of DCIS in women of racial/ethnic groups other than white and black. The current investigation examined recent trends and racial/ethnic differences in the incidence and treatment of DCIS in California. METHODS All cases of DCIS diagnosed in women age , 40 years in California between 1988,1999 were included. Age-adjusted incidence rates for white, black, Hispanic, and Asian-Pacific Islander women were calculated using the 2000 U.S. female population as the standard. The estimated annual percent change (EAPC) in the rates was calculated using least squares regression. RESULTS The average annual age-adjusted incidence of DCIS (1988,1999) was 45.3 per 100,000 in white women, 35.0 in black women, 30.9 in Asian-Pacific Islander women, and 21.8 in Hispanic women. Although a steady increase in the incidence of DCIS was noted in all racial/ethnic groups over the study period, Asian-Pacific Islander women were found to have experienced the steepest increase (EAPC = 9.1%), particularly in the age group 50,64 years (EAPC = 12.0%). The DCIS incidence was reported to increase with age in white, black, and Hispanic women, but remained fairly constant after the age of 50 years in Asian-Pacific Islanders. The proportion of women with DCIS treated with mastectomy decreased from 53% in 1988 to 32% in 1999. Younger women and Asian-Pacific Islander women reportedly were more likely to undergo mastectomy. CONCLUSIONS Considerable differences by race/ethnicity and age were observed in DCIS incidence and the change in the incidence in California between 1988 and 1999. Further information is needed to determine whether these differences are because of differential utilization of screening mammography or biologic characteristics of DCIS lesions. Cancer 2003;97:1099,106. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11104 [source]

Intravascular lymphoma: a neoplasm of ,homeless' lymphocytes?

HEMATOLOGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 3 2006
Maurilio Ponzoni
Abstract Intravascular lymphoma (IVL) is an extremely rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by almost exclusive growth of neoplastic lymphocytes within blood vessel lumen. IVL is morphologically characterized in most instances by large cells with B-cell lineage. IVL is an aggressive and usually disseminated disease that predominantly affects elderly patients, resulting in poor PS, B-symptoms, anemia, and high lactate dehydrogenase serum level. The brain and skin are the most commonly involved sites; nodal disease is rare. Survival after conventional chemotherapy is disappointing, with a relevant impact of diagnostic delay and lethal complications. Notwithstanding these results, IVL limited to the skin (cutaneous variant) is a favorable presentation with distinctive clinical characteristics. Moreover, differences in clinical presentation with Eastern Countries IVL cases, mostly associated with hemophagocytic syndrome, do exist. Intensive combinations containing drugs with higher central nervous system bioavailability are needed in cases with brain involvement; the role of high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation should be investigated in younger patients with unfavorable features. The present review will discuss the most recent acquisitions related either to diagnosis and immunophenotypic/biologic characteristics as well as clinical/therapeutic issues of IVL. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]