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Biomedical subjects

D Frye

Publications and source records attributed to D Frye.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The myeloprotective effect of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor given sequentially with continuous infusion vinblastine in metastatic breast cancer patients.

Colony-stimulating factors have been shown to have a myeloprotective effect when administered following chemotherapy. Chemotherapy of short duration with predominantly cell-cycle nonspecific agents has been most used. The myeloprotective effects of colony-stimulating factors given after cell-cycle specific or continuous infusion chemotherapy have not previously been assessed. Twenty-one evaluable patients with metastatic breast cancer progressing after one prior chemotherapy regimen were treated with continuous infusion vinblastine 2.0 mg/m2/day for 5 days. After the second chemotherapy cycle, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was given for 10 days. Serial complete blood counts, differential, and platelet counts were obtained to document myelotoxicity. GM-CSF administration resulted in a significantly shorter duration of granulocytopenia, < 500/microliters, at the maximum GM-CSF dose. Significantly more rapid recovery of granulocytes to > 500/microliters, > 1000/microliters, and > 1500/microliters was seen with all doses and schedules of GM-CSF administered. The nadir absolute granulocyte counts were unaffected. GM-CSF given after continuous infusion cell-cycle specific chemotherapy is therefore myeloprotective.

Adult↗

The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center experience with Taxol in metastatic breast cancer.

Taxol was evaluated in metastatic breast cancer in three trials. In the first, a phase II study, 25 patients who had received only one prior regimen of chemotherapy received Taxol (starting dose of 250 mg/m2). The response rates were 12% complete, 44% partial, and 32% minor. The median duration of response was 9 months (range, 3 to 19 months). The median survival was 20 months (range, 5 to 29+ months). Toxic effects were granulocytopenia less than 500/mm3 in 85% of all courses but serious infection in only 6% of courses, myalgias, and cumulative neuropathy. The second trial was a phase I study of Taxol by 24-hour infusion sequenced with doxorubicin by 48-hour infusion as initial chemotherapy for metastatic disease. In arm 1, Taxol preceded doxorubicin. The starting doses were 125 mg/m2 Taxol, 60 mg/m2 doxorubicin. Neupogen (5 micrograms/kg) was given subcutaneously on days 5 through 19. Ten patients received 96 courses. The maximum tolerated dose was defined by mucositis and infection at the starting dose. Cumulative thrombocytopenia occurred in subsequent courses. The unexpectedly severe toxic effects at doses that were low by comparison to other studies suggested schedule-related toxicity. Therefore, in arm 2 the sequence has been reversed: doxorubicin precedes Taxol. Doses have been escalated to 180 mg/m2 Taxol with 60 mg/m2 doxorubicin without dose-limiting toxic effects occurring. The third trial, a phase II study in patients who have received three or more prior chemotherapy regimens, is ongoing. Twenty-one of a planned 35 patients have been entered. Taxol has shown significant antitumor activity in minimally pretreated patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

A randomized trial of two dosage schedules of mitomycin C in advanced breast carcinoma.

For mitomycin C (MMC), an effective agent in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, the optimal dosing strategy in responding patients must be defined because of the dose-limiting, long-term hematologic toxic effects. Sixty-seven patients received treatment for metastatic breast cancer (MMC 20 mg/m2, intravenously) and then were selected randomly to receive either "standard doses" (SD) (20 mg/m2, intravenously) or "low doses" (LD) (5 mg/m2, intravenously) of MMC every 6 weeks. The primary objective was to show that the LD regimen would result in fewer toxic effects and at least equal disease control. Response rates in the two arms were similar: there were no complete responses and five partial responses (15%) in the SD group and two complete responses and six partial responses (24%) in the LD group (P = 0.332). In the SD and LD groups, median times to progression (11 versus 12 weeks, respectively), response duration (10 versus 6 1/2 weeks, respectively), and survival (26 versus 26 weeks, respectively) were similar. The hematologic toxicity was significantly less in the LD group. Nine patients in the LD group were treated with SD at disease progression, and one complete response was observed. It is concluded that, in this group of patients, administration of MMC in LD, compared with SD, resulted in fewer hematologic toxic effects and similar disease control.

Adult↗

Lack of correlation between histologic findings and response to chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer.

A retrospective analysis was undertaken to assess the prognostic role of histologic findings in response to chemotherapy and survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Histologic material was available for 395 of 1587 patients treated for metastatic breast cancer at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center between 1973 and 1984. Chemotherapy consisted of 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide or similar drugs, with or without tamoxifen. Maintenance cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil was continued for 2 years after a cumulative doxorubicin dose of 450 mg/m2 was administered. The histologic distribution was as follows: infiltrating ductal carcinoma, 353; invasive lobular, 14; mixed histology, ten; mucinous, seven; signet ring, four; tubular, three; papillary, two; sarcomatoid, one; and apocrine, one. Because individual histologic types occurred infrequently, the patients were divided into infiltrating ductal and nonductal groups. Baseline patient characteristics included age, performance status, estrogen-receptor status, prior hormone response, disease extent, and levels of alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, and lactate dehydrogenase. These were similar in the two groups. Significantly more patients with nonductal histology had greater than three metastatic sites. There were also more patients with hemoglobin less than 10 mg/dl and albumin less than 3.5 mg/dl in the nonductal group of patients. However, statistically these factors did not have an impact on the results. There was a 63% response rate (17% complete and 46% partial) for the ductal group and a 60% response rate (12% complete and 48% partial) for the nonductal group. The time from initiation of chemotherapy to disease progression was identical (12 months) for the two groups. Survival from initiation of chemotherapy was not significantly different (22 months for ductal and 27 months for nonductal). Based on this study, the authors conclude that histologic findings have no bearing on patient response to chemotherapy or survival in metastatic breast cancer.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Inflammatory carcinoma of the breast: results of a combined-modality approach--M.D. Anderson Cancer Center experience.

A total of 106 patients with inflammatory carcinoma of the breast underwent combined-modality treatment consisting of doxorubicin-containing chemotherapy. All patients received three cycles of 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC) before local therapy. From 1974 to 1977 (group A), primary radiotherapy was the local treatment modality and chemotherapy was given for a total of 24 months. From 1978 to 1981 (group B), mastectomy became the primary local treatment modality and FAC was reinstituted within 10-14 days after surgery; after completion of FAC, consolidation radiotherapy was given. From 1982 to 1986 (group C), vincristine and prednisone were added to FAC, and doxorubicin was given by continuous infusion. The median follow-up of the three groups was 56 months. For patients alive at the time of analysis, median follow-ups were 141, 111, and 49 months in groups A, B, and C, respectively. Disease-free survival at 5 years was 35%, 22%, and 41% for groups A, B, and C, respectively, and respective overall survival at 5 years was 37%, 30%, and 48%. Mastectomy in addition to radiotherapy resulted in local control rates similar to those obtained with radiotherapy alone, but this approach would result in fewer late sequelae of high-dose irradiation and provided histologic staging for chemotherapy response. The patients treated on protocol C had slightly better disease-free and overall survival, but the differences were not statistically significant. The 5-year disease-free survival of patients achieving a clinical complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR) was superior to that of patients whose response was less than a PR. There was no episode of doxorubicin-related cardiac toxicity in group C. Combined-modality treatment for inflammatory carcinoma of the breast resulted in improved survival.

Adult↗

Pirarubicin in combination chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.

Pirarubicin is an anthracycline with broad antitumor activity, and without significant cardiotoxicity in preclinical and early clinical trials. We treated 40 evaluable patients with metastatic breast cancer and no prior exposure to chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil, pirarubicin, and cyclophosphamide at 21-day intervals until reaching cumulative doses of 800 mg/m2 of pirarubicin, or the development of progressive disease. The median age was 56 years and the median performance status, 1. Seventeen patients had prior hormone therapy and 12 had prior radiotherapy. The median number of metastatic sites was three, with 11 patients having less than three sites. Twelve patients were premenopausal. The median disease-free interval was 6 months. Four patients achieved a complete remission and 21 a partial remission, for an overall response rate of 63%. The median response duration was 8 months and the median time to progression for all patients was 9 months. The median survival has not been reached, but will exceed 13 months. Gastrointestinal toxicity was minimal to moderate, whereas myelosuppression was severe. Complete hair loss was observed by only 58% of patients. There were two episodes of mild congestive heart failure at high cumulative doses of pirarubicin; both were controlled with medical treatment. This three-drug combination containing pirarubicin is effective in treating metastatic breast cancer, with less severe toxicity than other anthracycline-containing combinations.

Adult↗

Diagnostic and intellectual implications of the fragmented Rorschach W:D ratio.

A "fragmented" Rorschach W:D ratio, where D exceeds W by 3:1 or more, occurred in about one-tenth of an outpatient clinical population (n = 938). Subjects showing this imbalance tended to be diagnosed as organic or schizophrenic and to have a differentially higher WAIS Similarities score. Implications of these findings were discussed.

Defense Mechanisms↗

c-erbB-2 amplification in node-negative human breast cancer.

c-erbB-2 gene analysis by Southern and DNA dot blot methods was done in 66 tumor samples from patients with histologically node-negative breast cancer. The c-erbB-2 gene was amplified 2- to greater than 8-fold in 13 tumors (20%). None of 59 tumors that were examined by the Southern method showed c-erbB-2 gene rearrangement. c-erbB-2 amplification was analyzed in relation to other prognostic factors. The c-erbB-2 gene was amplified in five of 36 (14%) diploid and eight of 30 (27%) aneuploid tumors. Thirteen of 54 (24%) tumors with nuclear Grade 1 or 2 displayed c-erbB-2 amplification, whereas none of 12 tumors with nuclear Grade 3 did. No correlation was observed with estrogen receptor content, tumor size, histological type, or age of patients. The median follow-up date for these patients was 85+ mo. Of 13 patients whose tumors showed c-erbB-2 amplification, six patients (46%) developed recurrence, and five patients (38%) died of metastatic disease. In contrast, of 53 patients whose tumors did not show c-erbB-2 amplification, 15 patients (28%) developed recurrence, and seven patients (13%) died of disease. In conclusion, our results show that c-erbB-2 gene amplification was more frequent in aneuploid tumors and tumors with poor nuclear grade. c-erbB-2 amplification may be considered a possible prognostic factor in node-negative breast cancer.

Adult↗

The role of serum CEA as a prognostic indicator in stage II and III breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) values in 529 patients treated in two consecutive adjuvant chemotherapy protocols were analyzed to determine if CEA values correlated with disease-free status or prognostic utility. CEA values were evaluated preoperatively, before chemotherapy, at the conclusion of chemotherapy, and during postchemotherapy followup. The sensitivity of CEA for predicting disease recurrence was low; however, any abnormal CEA at the conclusion of chemotherapy and during followup significantly correlated with reduced disease-free and overall survival. A CEA value greater than or equal to 20 ng/ml at the end of chemotherapy or during followup was highly specific and a strongly positive predictor for the presence of metastases. Abnormal CEA values before chemotherapy that became normal at the conclusion of chemotherapy were associated with a significantly reduced recurrence rate. An abnormal CEA value obtained before or after adjuvant chemotherapy is clinically useful and can provide prognostic information.

Adult↗

Decreased cardiac toxicity of doxorubicin administered by continuous intravenous infusion in combination chemotherapy for metastatic breast carcinoma.

Two hundred and seventy-four consecutive patients with measurable metastatic breast cancer, without prior exposure to cytotoxic agents were treated with tamoxifen, 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC). The initial 133 patients received doxorubicin by bolus IV administration and for the next group of 141 patients doxorubicin was administered via a central venous catheter over a 48-hour (79 patients) or 96-hour (62 patients) continuous infusion schedule. Patients treated with bolus doxorubicin had this agent discontinued usually when 450 mg/m2 were reached; for patients in the infusion group treatment was continued until evidence of progressive disease or clinical or subclinical cardiac dysfunction developed. The complete remission rate was 21% the partial remission rate, 59%. There were no differences in response rate, response duration, or survival duration between groups of patients treated with doxorubicin by bolus, 48-hour or 96-hour infusion FAC. The incidence of moderate and severe nausea and vomiting was lower in the group of patients treated with infusion FAC as compared to bolus FAC (P less than 0.001); however, the incidence of mucositis was higher in the infusion group than in the bolus group (P less than 0.001). Doxorubicin administered by continuous infusion schedules was less cardiotoxic than when administered by bolus, as shown by a greater than 75% decrease in the frequency of clinical congestive heart failure at cumulative dosages greater than or equal to 450 mg/m2 (P = 0.004). Doxorubicin administered as a 48-hour or 96-hour continuous IV infusion is safer, and better tolerated than doxorubicin administered by bolus.

Adult↗

Phase II evaluation of gallium nitrate by continuous infusion in breast cancer.

We evaluated the role of gallium nitrate infusion in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Gallium nitrate was administered at 300 mg/m2/day for 7 days every 3 weeks by continuous infusion concomitantly with oral calcium supplement of 500 mg twice daily and oral hydration. Fifteen patients with refractory metastatic breast cancer received such treatment for a total of 30 courses. Median age was 51, and median performance status (Zubrod scale) was 1. These patients had minimal prior chemotherapy (median 1 regimen). All patients were evaluable for toxicity and 14 for response. Nine patients had one to two metastatic sites, five patients had three to four sites. No major objective response was seen, but one patient had a minor response (10 weeks), and another showed no change in disease (16 weeks). Diverse low-grade toxicities were observed, including nausea and vomiting in 11 patients, anorexia in 11, diarrhea in eight, stomatitis in five, dysgeusia in six, musculoskeletal pain in five, skin rash in seven, partially reversible tinnitus and/or mild hearing loss in four and sensory neuropathy in two. A consistent drop in hemoglobin (median of 3.2 g/dL per patient) necessitated blood transfusion in seven patients. There was no granulocytopenia or thrombocytopenia; however, significant lymphopenia was noted. Reversible, moderate nephrotoxicity occurred in two patients. The hypocalcemic effect was consistent, with a median drop in serum calcium of 1.25 mg/dL per course. There was no hepatic toxicity. While no single toxicity was severe, overall toxicity adversely influenced treatment tolerance. Gallium nitrate by continuous infusion, as given in this study, has no activity in metastatic breast cancer.

Adult↗

Young children's understanding of counting and cardinality.

4-year-old's knowledge of counting and cardinality--the last count word reached represents the numerosity of the set--was tested in 2 experiments. Experiment 1 investigated the nature of early cardinality responses by presenting different forms of the cardinality question before, after, and before and after the child counted. Both type and time of question has large effects. Experiment 2 examined whether children of this age could recognize errors in 4 counting procedures and whether they would reject a cardinality response arrived at through a mistaken counting procedure. The children were very good at recognizing a standard counting procedure as correct. They had only limited success at treating procedures that violated the stable order of count words or violated the one-one correspondence between count word and object as incorrect. They lacked an understanding of the order irrelevance in that they judged valid, nonstandard counting orders as incorrect. The children did not seem to link their evaluation of a cardinality response with their evaluation of the counting procedure used to reach that response. The results do not indicate that counting principles initially govern the child's acquisition of counting knowledge. They are consistent with the suggestion that early cardinality responses are last-word responses.

Child, Preschool↗

Combined antiestrogen and cytotoxic therapy with pseudomonas vaccine immunotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. A prospective, randomized trial.

One hundred thirty-three consecutive, previously untreated patients who had metastatic breast cancer were treated with a combination of 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin (Adriamycin), and cyclophosphamide (FAC). They were randomly assigned to receive nonspecific immunotherapy with a heptavalent pseudomonas vaccine. Sixty-five patients were treated with pseudomonas vaccine, whereas 68 did not receive immunotherapy. In addition, all patients with estrogen receptor-positive tumors or tumors with an estrogen receptor status were also treated with tamoxifen. To allow clinical assessment of hormone sensitivity in vivo, tamoxifen was started 6 weeks before chemotherapy except in patients who had life-threatening disease. After the initial 6 weeks of tamoxifen, 3% of patients had achieved a complete remission, 9% a partial remission, while 16% achieved a minor response. The maximum response after tamoxifen and chemotherapy included complete remissions in 20% of patients and partial remissions in 61% of patients for an overall remission rate of 81%. The median response duration was 15 months, and the median survival time, 27 months. There were no differences in remission rate, remission duration, or survival time between the groups treated with or without pseudomonas vaccine. Eleven patients with limited metastatic disease received radiotherapy consolidation to initially involved sites. In these patients the median time from radiotherapy to progression of disease was 33 months, and the median survival time was 46 months. We conclude that nonspecific immunotherapy with pseudomonas vaccine failed to increase remission rate or survival time. Furthermore, the addition of tamoxifen to FAC chemotherapy did not improve the remission rate or duration compared to a recent, historical control group of patients treated with only FAC chemotherapy.

Adult↗

A randomized study of two schedules of copovithane in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma.

Copovithane (BAY i 7433), a copolymer of 1,3-bis(methylaminocarboxyl)-2-methylenepropanecarbamate and N-vinyl pyrrolidone, has antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism of this polymer is unknown. Thirty patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma with measurable tumors were treated in an open randomized study with two schedules of copovithane (schedule A: 6 g/m2 i.v. over 30 min daily for 5 consecutive days and repeated every 3 weeks; schedule B: 10 g/m2 i.v. over 30 min once a week until progression, unacceptable toxicity, or up to 18 months). Fifteen patients received copovithane on a weekly schedule, and 15 patients received it on an intermittent schedule. None of the patients on either schedule achieved a complete or partial remission. Copovithane was ineffective against colorectal carcinoma by both schedules selected in this study.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Evaluation of high-dose versus standard FAC chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer in protected environment units: a prospective randomized study.

Fifty-nine evaluable patients under 65 years of age with measurable metastatic breast cancer and without prior chemotherapy were randomly assigned to treatment with fluorouracil, Adriamycin (Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH), and cyclophosphamide (FAC) at standard or high doses (100% to 260% higher than standard FAC) following a dose escalation schedule. Patients randomized to the high-dose FAC received the first three cycles of therapy within a protected environment. Subsequent cycles for this group were administered at standard doses of FAC in an ambulatory setting, the same as for the control group. After reaching 450 mg/m2 of Adriamycin, patients in both groups continued treatment with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil until there was disease progression. Analysis of pretreatment patient characteristics showed an even distribution for most known pretreatment factors, although the control group had slightly (but nonsignificantly) more favorable prognostic characteristics. Fourteen patients (24%) achieved a complete remission (CR) and 32 (54%) achieved a partial remission (PR), for an overall major response rate of 78%. There were no differences in overall, CR, or PR rates between the high-dose FAC and control groups. The median response durations were 11 and 10 months for the protected environment and control groups, respectively, and the median survival was 20 months for both groups. Hematologic, gastrointestinal (GI), and infection-related complications were significantly more frequent and severe in the group treated with high-dose chemotherapy. Stomatitis, diarrhea, and skin toxicity were dose-limiting. However, there were no treatment-related deaths. High-dose induction combination chemotherapy with the agents used in this study failed to increase the response rate or survival duration, and resulted in a substantial increase in toxicity.

Adult↗

Phase II study of iproplatin in metastatic breast carcinoma.

Thirty patients with progressive metastatic breast cancer and one prior chemotherapy regimen were treated with iproplatin at a starting dose of 300 mg/m2 iv every 3 weeks. After the first 11 patients, the starting dose was decreased to 270 mg/m2. There were one complete remission, three partial remissions, and two minor responses. Responses were observed in soft tissue and osseous and visceral areas. Grade 3 nausea and vomiting were observed in 38% of patients, and grade 3 diarrhea occurred in 31%. The dose-limiting toxicity was thrombocytopenia, which required dose de-escalation in 15 patients. No nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, or ototoxicity was observed. Iproplatin has modest antitumor activity in this group of previously treated patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Adult↗

Phase I clinical study of nafazatrom.

Nafazatrom, a synthetic pyrazolinone derivative, has been shown to have substantial antitumor activity in vitro and antitumor and antimetastatic activity in experimental animal systems. The drug has produced no substantial toxicity in preclinical studies and during limited human trials. A phase I clinical trial with this substance was performed at this institution. Nafazatrom was administered orally in a single daily dose. The initial starting dose was 30 mg/m2 and, in the absence of toxicity, subsequent dose levels were reached after 100% escalation. Six patients were treated at each dose level. Forty-eight patients with various metastatic malignant tumors (mostly with melanoma, breast carcinoma, soft tissue sarcoma, renal cell carcinoma and colorectal carcinoma) were entered on this program. No objective remissions were observed. Twelve patients remained stable for periods in excess of 8 weeks. No consistent, substantial or dose-limiting toxicity was detected. The maximum tolerated dose was not reached, and dose escalation was stopped at 4,000 mg/m2/day as initially planned. With the oral preparation, within this dose range and at this schedule, nafazatrom has no antitumor or other biologic activity.

Adult↗