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Biomedical subjects

F Brema

Publications and source records attributed to F Brema.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Adjuvant chemotherapy with high-dose cyclophosphamide, etoposide and cisplatin intensification without progenitor cell support in breast cancer patients with ten or more involved nodes: 5-year results of a pilot trial.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and tolerability of high-dose (HD) chemotherapy with growth factor support in primary breast cancer with extensive nodal involvement. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-three patients with ten or more involved nodes were recruited and were given three cycles of standard-dose fluorouracil, epidoxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by one single course of high-dose CEP (cyclophosphamide, etoposide and cisplatin). No autologous progenitor support was used. RESULTS: Five-year actuarial disease-free and overall survival were 40 and 60%, respectively. High-dose CEP required a median of 22 days of hospitalization and was associated with grade G3--4 nausea and vomiting in two thirds of the cases. Hematological toxicity was comparable to that of high-dose therapies delivered with autologous progenitor support. No therapy-related mortality was observed. CONCLUSIONS The efficacy of treatment was comparable to the best results of conventional therapy, with only a trend for improved survival. High-dose CEP was feasible with acceptable toxicity. Although this regimen does not require stem cell harvesting and storage, it requires clinical support comparable to autotransplantation procedures and side effects are not so manageable to recommend its use outside specialized units.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Clinical efficacy and endocrine activity of vorozole in postmenopausal breast cancer patients. Results of a multicentric phase II study.

BACKGROUND: Aminoglutethimide was the first aromatase inhibitor to be used successfully in breast cancer patients. However, this drug also inhibits mineralcorticoid and glucocorticoid synthesis, making co-medication with corticosteroids necessary, and it is often poorly tolerated. The primary objective of this trial was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and tolerability of vorozole, a new non-steroidal oral aromatase inhibitor, in postmenopausal breast cancer patients. The secondary objective was to evaluate the pharmacodynamic activity of the drug. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty-four postmenopausal patients previously treated with tamoxifen in the adjuvant setting and/ or for advanced disease were treated with vorozole, 2.5 mg once daily. Patients were monitored with respect to treatment efficacy and safety. Hormonal evaluations were performed at baseline and during the course of treatment in order to evaluate the pharmacodynamic efficacy and safety of vorozole. RESULTS: According to UICC criteria, there were seven responders, one complete and six partial, for an overall response rate of 21% (95% confidence interval (CI) 9%-38%). The median duration of response was 9.6 months (95% CI 4.6-0), the median time to progression for the entire group was 4.7 months (95% CI 2.9-6.6) and the median survival time was 29.7 months (95% CI 19.1-0). Tolerability was excellent to good in 97% of the patients. Oestradiol and oestrone levels were suppressed to the limit of detection of the assays used. No effect was observed on the other endocrine parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that vorozole is an effective and safe drug for the treatment of advanced postmenopausal breast cancer following tamoxifen failure.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

High-dose mitoxantrone with peripheral blood progenitor cell rescue: toxicity, pharmacokinetics and implications for dosage and schedule.

The optimal use of mitoxantrone (NOV) in the high-dose range requires elucidation of its maximum tolerated dose with peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) support and the time interval needed between drug administration and PBPC reinfusion in order to avoid graft toxicity. The aims of this study were: (1) to verify the feasibility and haematological toxicity of escalating NOV up to 90 mg m(-2) with PBPC support; and (2) to verify the safeness of a short (96 h) interval between NOV administration and PBPC reinfusion. Three cohorts of ten patients with breast cancer (BC) or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) received escalating doses of NOV, 60, 75 and 90 mg m(-2) plus melphalan (L-PAM), 140-180 mg m(-2), with PBPC rescue 96 h after NOV. Haematological toxicity was evaluated daily (WHO criteria). NOV plasma pharmacokinetics was also evaluated, as well as NOV cytotoxicity against PBPCs. Haematological recovery was rapid and complete at each NOV dose level without statistically significant differences, and there were no major toxicities. NOV plasma concentrations at the time of PBPC reinfusion were below the toxicity threshold against haemopoietic progenitors. It is concluded that, when adequately supported with PBPCs, NOV can be escalated up to 90 mg m(-2) with acceptable haematological toxicity. PBPCs can be safely reinfused as early as 96 h after NOV administration.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1997

Standard-dose recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) allows safe and repeated administration of high-dose cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and cisplatin (CEP).

High-dose chemotherapy often requires hematopoietic progenitor cell reinfusion, but drugs with extramedullary dose-limiting toxicity may be administered in the high-dose range by simple growth factor support. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility and toxicity of a three-drug high-dose regimen supported by recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF). Ten patients with histologically proven malignancy were enrolled. Eight had breast cancer, one non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and one a mediastinal tumor of unknown origin. The regimen included cyclophosphamide (C) 5 g/m2, etoposide (E) 1.5 g/m2, and cisplatin (P) 150 mg/m2 (CEP), administered in a 3-day schedule followed by rhG-CSF, 300 micrograms once a day, beginning from day +5 (36 h after the end of chemotherapy). The cycle was repeated as clinically needed up to three times. After the first course, hematologic recovery was rapid and complete without documented infections, and no relevant extramyeloid toxicities were observed. Eight of 10 patients received a second course with comparably low toxicity, and three of them received a third course. We concluded that CEP therapy can be administered safely and even repeatedly, by simple growth factor support, in good performance status cancer patients.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1996

Oral tramadol and buprenorphine in tumour pain. An Italian multicentre trial.

In this multicentre trial tramadol and buprenorphine were compared for the treatment of neoplastic pain no longer responsive to non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs. A total of 131 adults (86 M, 45F) were treated with tramadol (one 100-mg slow-release tablet every 8-12 h), or buprenorphine (one sublingual 0.2-mg tablet every 6-8 h). The trial was to continue for up to six months. Most patients started treatment with 2-3 tablets/day in both groups, and the mean treatment period was 58 days for tramadol and 51 for buprenorphine. Almost all dose changes needed were made in the first fortnight in both treatment groups, and the largest number of patients dropped out because of inadequate pain relief or progression of the underlying disease. The results achieved in the first two weeks persisted throughout the rest of the trial, and the investigator's assessments on each patient's clinical chart corresponded closely with those that patients made in their own daily diaries. In the four hours after the first dose both drugs virtually halved the severity of pain (measured using a visual analogue scale), and this relief lasted throughout treatment. By the end of the first week the proportion of patients with strong/unbearable pain in the tramadol group had fallen significantly (from 98.4% to 48.1%, p < 0.05), as compared to a drop from 92% to 66.7% for buprenorphine. The quality of sleep also tended to improve in the tramadol group, with the proportion of patients enjoying good or deep sleep rising from 37% to 50%, as compared to 33% to 40-44% with buprenorphine. Karnofsky's and Spitzer's indices reflecting the quality of life did not change in the tramadol group; in the buprenorphine group the Karnofsky index dropped slightly after a fortnight (p < 0.05 between treatments). In the first two months of the trial the number of patients with no/moderate pain rose continuously in the tramadol group (71% and 80% after one and two months); the rise was less marked in the buprenorphine group (number of patients with mild/moderate pain, 45% and 65%). In both the short term and in the longer term, it was found that the levels of efficacy and acceptability were always significantly better in the tramadol group than in the buprenorphine group. General and biological safety in both drugs was good. The most typical side-effects were those characteristic of opioids (nausea and/or vomiting, drowsiness). Adverse reactions were reported in 17 patients taking tramadol (25%) and in 16 taking buprenorphine (26%). There were six drop-outs in the first group (9%) and seven in the second (11%). Serious symptoms arose more frequently in the buprenorphine group (19% cf. 10%). No signs of dependence or tolerance were noted.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Megestrol acetate plus alpha 2a interferon as second line therapy for postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer: results of a multicentric phase II trial.

This phase II study was aimed to evaluate the activity of a combination of megestrol acetate (MA) and alpha 2a interferon (IFN) in a group of tamoxifen-responsive breast cancer patients. Thirty patients with metastatic breast cancer either previously treated with adjuvant tamoxifen for at least 24 months or treated with tamoxifen for metastatic disease and showing an objective response or stability of disease, were given MA (single daily dose of 160 mg per os) and alpha 2a IFN (3 million units-MU-three times per week intramuscularly-i.m.-). Of the 29 evaluable patients, 2 (6.8%) achieved a complete response and 4 (13.8%) a partial response for an overall response rate of 20.6% (95% confidence limits = 5.9%-35.4%). Treatment toxicity was mild and no patient had to discontinue or delay the treatment due to IFN side effects. Our results seem to rule out that alpha 2a IFN is able to improve the activity of MA as second-line therapy in tamoxifen-responsive patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Four-step high-dose sequential chemotherapy with double hematopoietic progenitor-cell rescue for metastatic breast cancer.

PURPOSE: High-dose chemotherapy produces high complete remission (CR) rates and some survival advantage in patients with metastatic breast cancer (BC). A current issue is the possibility that these patients may have an even better prognosis with multiple high-dose treatments. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of a four-step, high-dose sequential chemotherapy (HDSC) with double autologous hematopoietic progenitor-cell rescue. We also tested the hypothesis that peripheral-blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) harvested following a single recruitment with cyclophosphamide (CY) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) allow the safe administration of the whole HDSC with closely timed repeated courses of several non-cross-resistant agents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The treatment plan included CY 7 g/m2, followed by GM-CSF 5 to 7 micrograms/kg/d administered by continuous intravenous (i.v.) infusion on days 2 to 14; PBPCs with or without bone marrow (BM) harvest; mitoxantrone (NOV) 60, 75, or 90 mg/m2 plus melphalan (L-PAM) 140 to 180 mg/m2 with hematopoietic rescue; methotrexate (MTX) 8 g/m2 plus vincristine (VCR) 1.4 mg/m2; and etoposide (VP-16) 1.5 g/m2 plus carboplatin (PP) 1.5 g/m2 with hematopoietic rescue. RESULTS: All 15 patients enrolled completed the entire treatment and there were no toxic deaths. Hematologic reconstitution was good at each step. The median number of days with an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) less than 100/microL and platelet count less than 20,000/microL were 8 and 3, respectively, after NOV plus L-PAM, and 7 and 4, respectively, after VP-16 plus PP. The main non-hematologic toxicity was mucositis, while organ toxicity was mild and reversible. CONCLUSION: This regimen is feasible, with acceptable toxicity. GM-CSF and PBPCs have a pivotal role, as they hasten hematologic reconstitution, abate toxicity, and allow rapid recycling.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) allows acceleration and dose intensity increase of CEF chemotherapy: a randomised study in patients with advanced breast cancer.

A randomised study was conducted in 62 patients with advanced breast cancer to assess whether granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) would yield an increase in the dose intensity of a standard-dose CEF regimen through an acceleration of chemotherapy administration. Patients received CEF (cyclophosphamide 600 mg m-2, epidoxorubicin 60 mg m-2 and fluorouracil 600 mg m-2) i.v. on day 1 or the same chemotherapy, plus GM-CSF 10 micrograms kg-1 s.c. starting from day 4, repeated as soon as haematopoietic recovery from nadir occurred. Patients in the CEF + GM-CSF group received chemotherapy at a median interval of 16 days compared with 20 days in the control group. This led to a significant increase (P = 0.02) in the dose intensity actually administered in the third, fourth and sixth cycles: +28%, +25%, +20% respectively. Non-haematological toxicity was mild. GM-CSF had to be reduced or suspended in 50% of patients because of toxicity. Haematological toxicity, mainly cumulative anaemia and thrombocytopenia, was manageable. An increase in response rate for patients with measurable disease, of borderline statistical significance (P = 0.088, P for trend = 0.018), from 42% in the CEF group to 69% in the CEF + GM-CSF group, was observed. This randomised trial indicates that GM-CSF is useful for chemotherapy acceleration. Accelerated CEF + GM-CSF is a moderately dose-intensive regimen that can be administered in an outpatient clinic and is associated with a high objective response.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Phase II study of tamoxifen and high-dose retinyl acetate in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Retinoids have shown a tumor growth inhibition and a synergistic activity with hormonal manipulations in human breast cancer cell lines and rat mammary carcinoma. To investigate the potential usefulness of this synergistic activity in human breast cancer, 33 postmenopausal patients with advanced disease were treated with the combination of tamoxifen (10 mg p.o. three times a day) and retinyl acetate (300,000 IU p.o. daily). Out of 31 evaluable patients, 3 achieved complete response, 9 partial response (overall response rate: 38.5%, 95% confidence interval = 21%-56%) and 16 (52%) showed no change. The median duration of response was 11.5 months (range: 3-19+ months), while the 2-year overall survival rate for the entire group of patients was 63%. Toxicity was generally mild, hot flushes, nausea (and/or vomiting), headache and cutaneous itching being the most frequent side-effects. Only 1 patient discontinued treatment for severe toxicity. These preliminary results suggest that the combination of tamoxifen and high-dose retinyl acetate is a safe and effective regimen for breast cancer patients. However, the study design does not allow us to establish whether the very low rate of early disease progression we observed might be related to a possible synergistic effect between retinoids and antiestrogens or rather to the quite indolent disease of the patients who have been selected for entry into this trial.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Megestrol acetate: phase II study of a single daily administration in advanced breast cancer.

A new formulation of megestrol acetate, a semisynthetic oral progestin used in the hormonal treatment of breast cancer, allows the administration of 160 mg of the drug in a single daily dose. Sixty-nine postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer have been treated with this regimen: five patients received megestrol acetate as first-line treatment of their metastatic disease, while all the others had been previously treated with one or more regimens of chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy. The median duration of the treatment for evaluable patients was 3 months (range 1-13+). Among 65 evaluable patients 2 complete responses and 12 partial responses (objective response rate 21.5%; 95% confidence limits 12.31%-33.49%) were observed. Median duration of response was 7 months (range 2-12+). Responses were observed both in visceral and in non-visceral sites of disease. Twenty-nine patients obtained a stabilization of disease (44.7%), and twenty-two progressed (33.8%). Median duration of stabilization was 4 months (range 3-13+). Median survival for all patients from the start of megestrol acetate was 9 months (range 1-22+). The most common side effect of therapy was weight gain, occurring in 36% of patients. Megestrol acetate on a single-daily-dose schedule can be considered as an interesting hormonal treatment for advanced breast cancer, especially in the clinical instance of patients who, after having obtained a remission or stabilization of disease with tamoxifen, need further palliative treatment.

Body Weight↗
PubMed1987

Sequential combination of tamoxifen and high dose medroxyprogesterone acetate: therapeutic and endocrine effects in postmenopausal advanced breast cancer patients.

A sequential combination of tamoxifen and medroxyprogesterone acetate has been evaluated in 42 postmenopausal untreated patients with metastatic breast cancer. Patients received tamoxifen 10 mg b.i.d., days 1-14, followed by medroxyprogesterone acetate 500 mg b.i.d., days 15-28, orally in an alternating sequence until progression. Twenty-two out of 40 evaluable patients showed an objective response to treatment (55%, 95% confidence limits 38-75%). A significantly higher response rate was observed in patients with age greater than or equal to 70 years, with soft tissue dominant lesions and with only one metastatic site. Median time to progression was 41 weeks and the median survival time 88 weeks. In 4 cases treatment was discontinued because of severe toxicity while in the remaining patients no toxicity (20 patients) or mild side effects (17 patients) have been observed. After 2 months of therapy, this combination showed a progestogenic effect on the endocrine parameters inducing a significant decrease of SHBG, gonadotropins, testosterone and cortisol. These preliminary clinical results and the moderate toxicity of the sequential combination support the need to further investigate this approach.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Cardiac arrhythmia: possible complication from treatment with cisplatin.

Cardiotoxicity is rarely observed during cisplatin chemotherapy. A possible synergistic toxic effect of cisplatin with etoposide on cardiac electrical activity is discussed. A case of a 60-year-old woman with squamous cell lung carcinoma who developed paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia during cisplatin chemotherapy is reported. The potential cardiotoxicity should be considered when cisplatin is combined with other cardiotoxic agents or used in patients with cardiac disease.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗
PubMed1985

Phase II study of teniposide (VM-26) in multiple myeloma.

From September 1979 to December 1983, a phase II trial with teniposide (VM-26) in multiple myeloma (MM) was conducted at our institution. Of the 30 patients entered, 25 were evaluable for response, 12 previously treated with M-2 protocol and 13 previously untreated elderly (greater than or equal to 70 years) patients. A median of nine cycles (range 1-21) of VM-26 was administered. Seven responses (28%) according to Myeloma Task Force criteria were observed with a median duration of 4 months (range 2-12+). Four responses (33%) were observed in the 12 previously treated patients. Overall toxicity was mild. VM-26 seems an active drug in MM, without significant toxicity even in elderly patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Phase II study of ifosfamide combined with Mesna uroprotection in advanced non-small-cell lung carcinoma and other solid tumors.

Thirty six patients with advanced solid tumors (24 lung: 3 oat-cell, 14 squamous, 7 adenocarcinomas, 3 soft tissue sarcomas, 6 breast carcinomas; 1 seminoma; 2 ovarian adenocarcinomas) entered a phase II study of high-dose ifosfamide (IF) administered in combination with the uroprotective agent sodium 2-mercapto-ethane-sulfonate (Mesna). Fourteen patients had prior treatment; most patients with lung cancer (22/24) were previously untreated; all had measurable disease. The patients median age was 59 (range 31-74). IF was given at 1.8 g/m2 days 1-5 q 4 weeks. Mesna was given after each IF injection at 0, 4 and 8 h randomly, either i.v. (0.36 g/m2) or orally (0.72 g/m2). Twenty-four patients had greater than or equal to 3 courses of therapy, 9 had 2 courses, and 3 had only 1 course; 129 courses were evaluated for toxicity. Mesna was given orally (17 patients, 57 courses) or i.v. (19 patients, 72 courses). The following side-effect were observed: no gross hematuria, microhematuria (14 courses), transitory mild proteinuria (34 courses), leukopenia grade I-II ECOG (26 courses), anemia grade I ECOG (31 courses), 1 case of pancytopenia, alopecia (31 patients), nausea (moderate, 33 courses; severe, 6 courses), vomiting (moderate, 17 courses; severe, 1 course). Five patients showed a partial response (1 oat-cell carcinoma, 2 with squamous lung cancer, 1 with ovarian carcinoma, 1 with breast carcinoma), 14 showed a minor response (2 patients with oat-cell carcinoma, 2 with lung adenocarcinoma, 5 with squamous lung cancer, 1 with seminoma, 1 with sarcoma, 1 with ovarian carcinoma), and 14 showed progression of disease (7 patients with squamous cell lung cancer, 4 with lung adenocarcinoma, 1 with sarcoma, 2 with breast carcinoma). Considering partial plus minor responses, ifosfamide produced some degree of tumor reduction (PR + MR) in 12/23 (52.1%) lung cancer patients. The data reported support the conclusions that Mesna can prevent high-dose IF bladder toxicity, that IF is active in advanced solid tumors, including lung cancer, and that the IF + Mesna combination is a generally safe treatment procedure.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Randomized trial of chemoimmunotherapy in advanced non-oat-cell lung cancer.

Thirty patients without any prior chemotherapy and histologically proved non-oat-cell advanced lung cancer entered a randomized trial comparing a combination chemotherapeutic regimen (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, BCNU) and the same combination plus intradermic BCG. Twenty-nine patients were evaluable for survival. Mean survival was 11 and 3.5 months for chemotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy group, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P less than 0.025). A tumor enhancement can be postulated. Skin tests before treatment (PPD, Candida, Varidase) seem to be prognostic for survival.

Adenocarcinoma↗