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Intravenous Chemotherapy (intravenous + chemotherapy)
Selected AbstractsConsiderations when choosing oral chemotherapy: identifying and responding to patient needEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 2010S. IRSHAD mrcp, specialist registrar in medical oncology IRSHAD S. & MAISEY N. (2010) European Journal of Cancer Care19, 5,11 Considerations when choosing oral chemotherapy: identifying and responding to patient need Oral chemotherapeutics are becoming increasingly accepted for the treatment of cancers and their future has never been brighter. They offer a more convenient and less invasive therapeutic option, moving cancer treatment from a predominantly hospital-based day unit into the ambulatory setting. Oral chemotherapy has the potential to maintain patient's quality of life and avoid the complications and costs of intravenous chemotherapy. It offers sustained drug exposure by providing prolonged therapy compared with intermittent IV exposure and lends itself more easily to the delivery of combination therapy. In this article we highlight the expansion of oral chemotherapeutic drug development in cancer treatment and the challenges posed by this change in treatment delivery. [source] Altered fractionation and adjuvant chemotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinomaHEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 7 2010William M. Mendenhall MD Abstract Background The aim of this review was to discuss the role of altered fractionation and adjuvant chemotherapy for patients treated with definitive radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods This review explores the pertinent literature and discusses the optimal management of previously untreated patients with stage III,stage IVA and/or -B HNSCCs. Results Depending on the schedule, altered fractionation improves locoregional control and survival. Both hyperfractionation and concomitant boost RT improve locoregional control and are associated with improved overall survival (OS). Adjuvant chemotherapy improves OS; the greatest impact is observed after concomitant versus induction or maintenance chemotherapy. Monochemotherapy appears to be equivalent to polychemotherapy. Drugs associated with the greatest survival benefit include fluorouracil and cisplatin. Intraarterial chemotherapy offers no advantage over intravenous chemotherapy. Concomitant cetuximab and RT results in improved outcomes similar to those observed after concomitant cisplatin-based chemotherapy and RT. Conclusions Altered fractionation and/or concomitant chemotherapy result in improved outcomes compared with conventionally fractionated definitive RT alone for stage III,stage IV HNSCC. The optimal combination of RT fractionation and chemotherapy remains unclear. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2009 [source] Concomitant radiochemotherapy in primary inoperable advanced head and neck cancer with 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-CHEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 10 2004Hans Christiansen MD Abstract Background. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of radiotherapy and concomitant 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin-C infusion in inoperable head and neck cancer. Methods. Seventy-six patients (86% men, 14% women), mean age 57 years, with primary inoperable head and neck cancer were treated with 70 Gy plus simultaneous intravenous chemotherapy with 5-FU (600 mg/m2/d, days 1 to 5) and mitomycin-C (10 mg/m2, day 5 plus 36). Results. After a mean follow-up of 13 months, 31 patients were alive. Complete response (CR) was seen in 63%. The 1- and 2-year overall survival rates were 67.7% and 39.5%, and locoregional control rates were 51.7% and 35.6%. Pretreatment hemoglobin <13.9 g/dL was associated with lower locoregional control rates (p = .03). Therapy was well tolerated (grade 3 mucositis in 21%, grade 4 in 1%, grade 3 leukopenia in 11%). Conclusions. Our radiochemotherapy regimen offers a curative option for this group of patients with a poor prognosis. Hemoglobin levels before therapy have an influence on prognosis. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck26: 845,853, 2004 [source] 3465: Medical cancer therapy of lacrimal gland tumoursACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2010C LE TOURNEAU Purpose The most common malignant epithelial cancer of the lacrimal gland is the adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). Despite a slow growth, ACCs are ultimately associated with a poor outcome. Methods Given the rarity of this disease, there are actually no conclusive recommendations for optimal therapy of this tumor. Results Surgery and postoperative radiation therapy is commonly used in the initial local treatment of ACC of the lacrimal gland. In high-risk recurrence patients, concomitant platinum-based chemoradiation should be discussed in an attempt to enhance radiosensitivity. While encouraging responses were reported with intraarterial neoadjuvant chemotherapy, this strategy was associated with substantial toxicity and should not be recommended outside of clinical trials. In the metastatic setting, systemic therapy is the only available option if no surgery and/or radiation is feasible. Although some tumour shrinkage has been reported with intravenous chemotherapy, only dismal objective response rates were achieved. Most active drugs remain anthracyclines and platinum compounds. Drug combinations do not seem to add much efficacy. More recently, non-cytotoxic molecularly targeted agents have emerged and demonstrated significant efficacy in several tumour types. These agents modulate specific targets thought to be essential for tumour proliferation and/or angiogenesis. c-KIT, PDGFR,, EGFR, and VEGFR are transmembrane receptors with oncogenic tyrosine kinase activity that are commonly overexpressed in ACC. The use of drugs triggering these targets has been disappointing so far. Conclusion The recent identification of a hallmark gene fusion transcript thought to activate critical targets involved in apoptosis, cell cycle control, cell growth and angiogenesis, heralds new treatment promise. [source] | ||||||||||