BJ Kennedy | PubMed Health

PubMed2000

A physician's point of view

What follows are the perceptions of two individuals-a patient and a highly respected medical oncologist who did not participate in the care of this patient but read the patient's essay. We encourage readers to share their thoughts about these essays in correspondence. Barrie E. Cassileth, Ph.D. Department of Integrative Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York A. Bernard Ackerman, M.D. Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York, New York Copyright 2000 American Cancer Society.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Author reply.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1995

Age-Related Clinical Trials of CALGB.

Women over 65 years are underrepresented in Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) breast cancer trials of adjuvant chemotherapy. There is greater participation in older patients with metastatic breast cancer except when toxic regimens are involved. Studies of stage III and IV Hodgkin's disease have shown that patients over 60 years achieved lower response rates, more leucopenia and thrombocytopenia, the shortest median time to recurrence, and the shortest median survival time. In acute myeloid leukemia a series of trials confirmed the disparity between young patients and those over 60 years whose complete response rate seldom exceeds 50%. In an effort to reduce toxicity rather than enhance the cure rate, CALGB showed that administration of GM-CSF after intensive induction chemotherapy was of no benefit in patients over 60 years. The use of G-CSF in acute lymphoblastic leukemia reduced hematologic toxicity and improved clinical outcome.

Journal Article↗