PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M G Kris

Publications and source records attributed to M G Kris.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

The effects of preoperative chemotherapy on the resectability of non-small cell lung carcinoma with mediastinal lymph node metastases (N2 M0).

We have defined "clinical N2" disease in non-small cell lung cancer to mean the presence of enlarged metastatic mediastinal nodes evident on plain chest roentgenograms or widening of the carina at bronchoscopy. Forty-one patients with non-small cell carcinoma of the lung and clinical N2 M0 disease presumed operable received 2 to 3 cycles of high-dose cisplatin with vindesine (or vinblastine sulfate) with or without mitomycin-C. Following chemotherapy, 30 patients (73%) had a major radiographic response. Of these patients, 28 had thoracotomy, and 21 (75%) of them had complete resection of the disease, 8 of whom had total sterilization of the tumor proven histologically. An additional 4 patients had limited microscopic foci of residual tumor either in lung or lymph nodes. Survival at 3 years from diagnosis was 34% for all patients, 40% for those who completed the combined treatment (chemotherapy and surgery), and 54% for those who had complete resection with a median follow-up of 44 months and a median survival not yet attained.

Adult↗

Phase II study of 10-ethyl-10-deaza-aminopterin in patients with stage III and IV non-small-cell lung cancer.

10-ethyl-10-deaza-aminopterin (10-EDAM) is an analog of methotrexate that differs from its compound by modification of the N10 position and demonstrates greater preclinical antitumor activity and less toxicity. In this phase II trial, 20 patients with stage III or IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were administered 10-EDAM at a dose of 80 mg/m2 once weekly for 5 weeks. No patient had previously received chemotherapy. Nineteen of the 20 patients were adequately treated for response assessment. Six of 19 patients (32%) experienced a major objective response (exact 95% confidence limits, 15% to 55%). The median duration of response has not been reached and will exceed 13 months. Mucositis was the most common toxicity observed. Leukopenia was seen in only 10%, and 15% had platelet nadirs less than 100,000/microL. At the dosage and schedule used, 10-EDAM is an active agent in patients with NSCLC who are previously untreated with chemotherapy with a predicted response rate greater than or equal to 15% (P = .05). Because of its level of antitumor activity and the fact that 10-EDAM causes minimal myelosuppression, it is a suitable agent for further study in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents in this disease.

Aged↗

Dose-ranging evaluation of the serotonin antagonist GR-C507/75 (GR38032F) when used as an antiemetic in patients receiving anticancer chemotherapy.

GR-C507/75 (GR38032F) antagonizes the 5-HT3 (serotonin) receptor and prevents cisplatin-induced emesis in animals. In this dose-ranging trial, 44 patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy known to produce nausea and vomiting (including cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin) received three intravenous (IV) infusions of GR-C507/75 every two hours beginning 30 minutes before chemotherapy. Ten dosage levels were explored, ranging from 0.04 mg/kg to 0.35 mg/kg in each of the three infusions. Toxicities were mild and included sedation, dizziness, headache, transient elevations of SGOT or alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and dry mouth. No akathisia or acute dystonic reactions were observed. Antiemetic effects were seen in patients receiving cisplatin at 120 mg/m2. GR-C507/75 can be safely administered on this schedule at IV dosages up to 0.35 mg/kg in patients receiving chemotherapy. Further studies of this agent at higher dosages and by different schedules are appropriate.

Adult↗

Control of chemotherapy-induced diarrhea with the synthetic enkephalin BW942C: a randomized trial with placebo in patients receiving cisplatin.

Diarrhea commonly occurs following the administration of cisplatin. BW942C, a pentapeptide, is a synthetic enkephalin shown to control castor oil-induced and traveler's diarrhea. To assess the safety and efficacy of BW942C in controlling diarrhea caused by cisplatin, 30 adults with lung cancer who had already experienced diarrhea (three or more loose bowel movements) during the 24-hour period following a prior cisplatin administration were randomized to receive either BW942C or placebo during the next cisplatin course. All patients received a concomitant antiemetic regimen including metoclopramide, dexamethasone, and lorazepam during all courses. Patients administered BW942C experienced less diarrhea (27% v 67%, P = .02). Twenty-seven percent of patients given the pentapeptide had loose bowel movements as opposed to 93% who received placebo (P = .0002). There were no significant differences in the incidence and degree of vomiting and other treatment-related side effects observed between the placebo and treatment groups. We conclude that oral BW942C is more effective than placebo in controlling diarrhea following cisplatin chemotherapy.

Adult↗

Chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer: results of recent trials.

Several recent studies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have helped to clarify the role of chemotherapy in patients with this disease. The objective of this communication is to briefly review some of the more important topics in the treatment of NSCLC. The more effective available combination regimens are based on single agents that have shown efficacy in phase II trials. Of additional importance is the use of the single agents in the same dosage and schedules in which the activity was originally reported. The question of the influence of chemotherapy on survival is discussed in terms of (1) the significant prognostic factors, including performance status, serum LDH level, and the presence of extrathoracic disease, including the influence of bone metastases, and (2) two recent trials comparing chemotherapy with supportive care in patients with unresectable NSCLC. Several recent trials have approached the question of preoperative or neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced intrathoracic tumor. These trials have provided provocative results that indicate that combined modality approaches will continue to be interesting topics of clinical research in the near future.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Antiemetic control and prevention of side effects of anti-cancer therapy with lorazepam or diphenhydramine when used in combination with metoclopramide plus dexamethasone. A double-blind, randomized trial.

Combinations of metoclopramide and dexamethasone given intravenously control vomiting caused by high doses of cisplatin. Lorazepam and diphenhydramine are useful adjuncts to antiemetics. In a double-blind trial, 120 patients receiving high-dose cisplatin (120 mg/m2) for the first time were randomly assigned to receive either lorazepam (1.5 mg/m2) or diphenhydramine (50 mg) intravenously, 45 minutes prior to cisplatin. In addition, all patients received intravenous dexamethasone (20 mg) 40 minutes prior to chemotherapy along with metoclopramide (3 mg/kg) 30 minutes before and 90 minutes after cisplatin. Patients were directly observed in the hospital after cisplatin administration and completed a subjective assessment questionnaire. Overall, 60% of patients experienced no vomiting, and 83% had two or fewer emetic episodes during the study. There were no significant differences in objective antiemetic control between the two regimens. Only 3% of patients receiving lorazepam experienced treatment-related restlessness as opposed to 19% given diphenhydramine (P = 0.007). Less recall of chemotherapy administration (P less than 0.001), more sedation (P = 0.003), and transient enuresis while sedated (P = 0.0002) were characteristic of patients receiving lorazepam. Patient-generated ratings revealed less anxiety (P = 0.0001) for those individuals given the lorazepam-containing combination. Both regimens were well accepted, with 89% of patients receiving the lorazepam combination and 83% of those given the diphenhydramine regimen wishing to receive the same drugs in the future. Some degree of delayed vomiting occurred in 85% of patients during the 4-day period following this study. During the time that patients are at the greatest risk for emesis, the 24 hours immediately following cisplatin, three drug antiemetic combinations of either lorazepam or diphenhydramine with metoclopramide plus dexamethasone stopped cisplatin-induced emesis for the majority of patients and lessen other treatment-related side effects. Less restlessness and anxiety were observed among individuals receiving the lorazepam-containing combination.

Adult↗

Acute chest pain syndrome during bleomycin infusions.

The authors describe 12 episodes of severe chest pain suggesting acute cardiac or pulmonary events which occurred during infusions of bleomycin. The incidence of the syndrome was low, occurring in 2.8% of those receiving the drug. Typically, the chest pain was sudden in onset and described either as substernal pressure or pleuritic in character. Few associated symptoms were noted. Evaluations for the etiology of the pain were unrevealing except for electrocardiographic changes suggestive of pericarditis in two cases and radiographic evidence of a small pleural effusion in one. The syndrome was self-limited or relieved with analgesics. There were no long-term cardiac or pulmonary sequelae. Discontinuation of bleomycin was not necessary although improvement was seen when the infusions were stopped. Further courses of bleomycin did not lead to recurrent episodes in most patients and are not contraindicated. Chest pain during continuous bleomycin infusion should suggest the possibility of a drug effect.

Adult↗

The management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

This paper reviews one of the major side-effects of chemotherapy, emesis. Included are patient and treatment factors that can affect the control of nausea and vomiting as well as a summary of the management of chemotherapy-induced emesis.

Antiemetics↗

Preoperative and adjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

The continued favorable results with surgery in early stage lung cancer have led many investigators to use radiation and chemotherapy to reduce the size of unresectable tumors either before or after definitive surgery. Although earlier results with both radiation and chemotherapy have been poor, the newer cisplatin-containing combination chemotherapy regimens have yielded decreased local recurrence rates when used postoperatively following a complete resection and have produced increased complete resection rates when given preoperatively to patients with locally advanced and unresectable non-small cell lung cancer at diagnosis.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Simultaneous estimation of liquid and solid gastric emptying using radiolabelled egg and water in supine normal subjects.

To develop an additional method for the measurement of gastric emptying in supine subjects, 10 normal subjects were given a test meal containing 99Tc-labelled scrambled egg as the "solid" phase marker and 111In in tapwater as the marker for the "liquid" phase. The mean time for emptying 50% of the "solid" phase (t1/2) was 85 min and 29 min for the "liquid" phase. Three individuals were restudied with a mean difference between the two determinations of 10.8% for the "solid" phase and 6.5% for the "liquid" phase. Twenty-six additional studies attempted have been successfully completed in symptomatic patients with advanced cancer. This method provides a simple and reproducible procedure for the determination of gastric emptying that yields results similar to those reported for other test meals and can be used in debilitated patients.

Adult↗

Frequency and prognostic importance of pretreatment clinical characteristics in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with combination chemotherapy.

To determine the frequency and prognostic importance of pretreatment clinical characteristics in patients currently undergoing treatment for stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), data were collected on 378 patients receiving high-dose (120 mg/m2) cisplatin plus vinca alkaloid combination chemotherapy regimens since 1978. Variables analyzed included age, sex, weight loss, performance status, histologic subtype, presence of extrathoracic metastases, number of metastatic organ sites, presence of liver, bone, or brain involvement, prior radiation or surgery, and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The effect of a major response to chemotherapy on survival was also investigated. Using multivariable analyses, the following were found to be associated with outcome: initial performance status, with patients having a performance status of 80% to 100% having an increased major objective response rate and survival; bone metastases, which were adversely predictive of response rate and survival; elevated serum LDH and male sex, both of which were associated with shortened survival and remission duration; and the presence of two or more extrathoracic metastatic organ sites, which was associated with shorter survival. When major objective response with chemotherapy was included in a conditional multivariable analysis, it was strongly associated with longer median survival. Information from this analysis may be useful when comparing the response data of completed studies in similar patients, in designing future trials, and in the selection of cisplatin plus vinca alkaloid therapy for individual patients with advanced NSCLC.

Adult↗

Phase I trial of taxol given as a 3-hour infusion every 21 days.

Taxol is a unique plant product that promotes in vitro assembly of microtubules. In a phase I trial, adults with advanced solid tumors were given taxol (formulated with cremophor EL and dehydrated alcohol) as a 3-hour iv infusion every 21 days. The total dose administered ranged from 15 to 230 mg/m2 in nine escalation steps. Leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, nausea and vomiting, alopecia, stomatitis, transient rashes, increases in serum triglyceride levels, and hypersensitivity reactions were observed. Hypersensitivity reactions characterized by acute dyspnea, generalized erythema, and hypotension immediately following the initiation of the taxol infusion occurred in three of five patients receiving greater than or equal to 190 mg/m2 (18% of patients overall). No antitumor activity was observed. Hypersensitivity reactions constituted a treatment-limiting toxicity for this preparation of taxol given on this schedule over the dosage range examined. With the severity and unpredictability of the hypersensitivity reactions, further usage of taxol is not indicated with this drug formulation on this administration schedule. Further studies are warranted to uncover ways to permit the safe administration of taxol.

Adult↗

Trial of the combination of mitomycin, vindesine, and cisplatin in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

In prior trials, mitomycin, vindesine, and cisplatin have each been shown to have reproducible antitumor activity as single agents when used in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The two-drug combinations of vindesine plus high-dose cisplatin or mitomycin have shown an improved major response rate and manageable toxicity in prior trials. In this report, 90 patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer were treated with the three-drug combination of mitomycin (8 mg/m2), vindesine (3 mg/m2), and high-dose cisplatin (120 mg/m2). Eighty-seven patients (97%) were adequate for both response and toxicity. Major objective responses occurred in 60% of the patients. The toxicity of this regimen was predictable and manageable when established supportive care measures were employed. Based on the response rate observed, the combination of these three agents merits further study in randomized trials against other chemotherapeutic regimens and consideration of its use in adjuvant and preoperative settings.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Improved control of cisplatin-induced emesis with high-dose metoclopramide and with combinations of metoclopramide, dexamethasone, and diphenhydramine. Results of consecutive trials in 255 patients.

A series of consecutive trials were undertaken to determine whether higher doses of intravenous metoclopramide and combinations of metoclopramide, dexamethasone, and diphenhydramine would improve antiemetic control or decrease treatment-related side effects in patients receiving cisplatin at 120 mg/m2. Metoclopramide and dexamethasone were studied because of their proven efficacy as single agents and their differing mechanisms of action and side effects. Diphenhydramine was used because of its possible antiemetic properties and its ability to control acute dystonic reactions. Two hundred fifty-five patients who had never received chemotherapy or antiemetics were observed in the hospital for the 24 hours following cisplatin administration. The addition of dexamethasone or dexamethasone plus diphenhydramine to intravenous metoclopramide 2 mg/kg produced both improved antiemetic control and a decrease in treatment-associated diarrhea (P = 0.002). The use of metoclopramide alone at a dose of 3 mg/kg for only two doses appeared as effective as 2 mg/kg for five doses. When dexamethasone and diphenhydramine were given with metoclopramide 3 mg/kg for two intravenous dosages, 81% of patients experienced no emesis and 93% had two or fewer vomiting episodes. The antiemetic results of this 2-hour "short-course" regimen were superior to metoclopramide 2 mg/kg, with (P = 0.002) or without (P = 0.0001) dexamethasone and diphenhydramine. It was concluded that combinations of metoclopramide plus dexamethasone plus diphenhydramine improve antiemetic control, facilitate the usage of higher doses of metoclopramide, and decrease the incidence of treatment-related side effects.

Adult↗

Relationship of Auer rods and chromosome findings to outcome in eighty-nine adults with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia.

We performed cytogenetic analyses using banding techniques on 89 adults with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia prior to receiving protocol chemotherapy. The relationships of cytogenetic findings both to outcome and to other pretreatment variables (particularly the presence or absence of Auer rods) were analyzed. Patients were followed up to 90+ months. When patients were grouped according to cytogenetic findings (NN: all normal metaphases; AA: all abnormal metaphases; AN: both normal and abnormal metaphases; F: no evaluable metaphases; I: insufficient (less than three) metaphases) no significant differences were noted with regard to age, sex, terminal transferase positivity, complete remission rate, remission duration or survival. The marrow aspirates of patients with only normal (69%) metaphases or no evaluable metaphases (64%) were more likely to display Auer rods than specimens from individuals with only abnormal (26%) or a mixture of normal and abnormal (42%) metaphases (p = 0.03). The presence of Auer rods in the pretreatment marrow aspirate was associated with an increased complete remission rate (71% vs 41%, p = 0.004), median remission duration (12 months vs 9 months, p = 0.02), and median survival (13 months vs 4 months, p = 0.01). Using multivariable analyses, the presence or absence of Auer rods was the pretreatment factor that most significantly predicted response and survival in this group of patients. The presence of a normal karyotype in the initial cytogenetic preparation is associated with the presence of Auer rods. The finding of Auer rods in the initial bone marrow predicts greater response and longer survival in acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia.

Acute Disease↗

Phase II trial of oral 4-demethoxydaunorubicin in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

4-Demethoxydaunorubicin (4-DMDR) is an orally active analog of daunorubicin that in preclinical testing has demonstrated greater antitumor activity and less cardiotoxicity than its parent compound. Thirty-two patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer received 4-DMDR at a dose of 40-50 mg/m2 orally every 21 days. Thirteen patients had received no prior chemotherapy. Among the 30 adequately treated patients, one major response lasting 5.2 months was observed. Leukopenia 10-14 days after treatment was the most commonly observed toxicity. With an overall observed major response rate of 3.3% in 30 patients, the predicted true response rate is less than or equal to 16% (p = 0.05). At the dose and schedule studied in this group of patients with non-small cell lung cancer, 4-DMDR had only marginal activity.

Adult↗