[Patient information booklet SOR SAVOIR PATIENT: understanding ovarian cancer, a guide for cancer patients and family members].
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Kerbrat.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine optimal adjuvant therapy between complete hormonal blockade in premenopausal patients with hormone receptor positive breast cancer and one to three positive nodes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We randomised 333 patients to receive either LHRH agonist (triptorelin 3.75 mg i.m., monthly) plus tamoxifen 30 mg/day for 3 years (TAM-LHRHa, n=164), or fluorouracil 500 mg/m2, epirubicin 50 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 every 21 days for six cycles, without any hormonal treatment (FEC50, n=169). RESULTS: The 7-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 76% with TAM-LHRHa, and 72% with FEC50 (P=0.13). The 7-year overall survival (OS) was 91% and 88%, respectively (P=0.20). The multivariate analysis confirmed that both treatments were not different for DFS and OS (P=0.83 and P=0.41, respectively). Amenorrhoea occurred in 64% of patients treated with FEC50; it was temporary in 58% of cases after hormonotherapy and in 31% after chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: In intermediate-risk breast cancer, complete hormonal blockade and chemotherapy provided similar outcomes. Hormonal treatment is an alternative to chemotherapy in hormone-sensitive patients, considering the preference of patients in terms of quality of life.
BACKGROUND: The purpose was to compare disease-free survival (DFS) between epirubicin-based chemoendocrine therapy and tamoxifen alone in one to three node-positive (N1-3), estrogen-receptor-positive (ER+), postmenopausal early breast cancer (EBC) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed, retrospectively, 457 patients randomized in FASG 02 and 07 trials who received: tamoxifen alone (30 mg/day, 3 years); or FEC50 (fluorouracil 500 mg/m2, epirubicin 50 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2, six cycles every 21 days) plus tamoxifen started concurrently. Radiotherapy was delivered after the third cycle in FASG 02 trial, and after the sixth in FASG 07 trial. RESULTS: The 9-year DFS rates were 72% with tamoxifen and 84% with FEC50-tamoxifen (P = 0.008). The multivariate analysis showed that pathological tumor size >2 cm was an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.002), and treatment effects remained significantly in favor of chemoendocrine therapy (P = 0.0008). The 9-year overall survival rates were 78% and 86%, respectively (P = 0.11). In the multivariate model, there was a trend in favor of chemoendocrine therapy (P = 0.07). CONCLUSION: The addition of FEC50 adjuvant chemotherapy to tamoxifen significantly improves long-term DFS in N1-3, ER+ and postmenopausal women. Chemoendocrine therapy seems to be more effective than tamoxifen in terms of long-term survival.
BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare incidence and risk factors of left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) in early breast cancer patients receiving (E+) or not (E-) epirubicin-based adjuvant chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among eight FASG trials, 3577 assessable patients were analyzed retrospectively: 2553 received epirubicin, 662 received hormonotherapy alone and 362 had no systemic treatment. Chemotherapy was FEC regimen in 86% of cases (fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide). Epirubicin cumulative dose was < 300 mg/m2 in 1040 patients, 300-600 in 1155, > or = 600 in 279, followed by radiotherapy in 96% of cases. RESULTS: Twenty delayed LVD occurred: two in E- patients and 18 in E+ patients. In E+ patients, 14 patients normalized their cardiac function or did not require further investigations, one patient was stabilized with specific treatment, two patients worsened their functions and one died of congestive heart failure. The 7-year risk of LVD was 1.36% (95% CI 0.85-1.87) in E+ patients and 0.21% (95%CI: 0.00-0.52) in E- patients (P = 0.004). Two significant risk factors were identified: age > or = 65 years and body mass index > 27 kg/m2. CONCLUSION: After a long-term follow-up, epirubicin-related LVD risk was acceptable (1.36%) with one toxic death (0.04%). In 78% of cases, LVD were transient or well controlled.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate incidence and risk factors of secondary leukemia after adjuvant epirubicin-based chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among eight French Adjuvant Study Group trials, 3653 patients were assessable: 2603 received epirubicin; 682 received hormonotherapy; and 368 had no systemic treatment. Chemotherapy was FEC regimen in 85% of cases (fluorouracil 500 mg/m2, epirubicin 50, 75 or 100 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2, three or six cycles). Epirubicin cumulative dose was <300 mg/m2 in 1045 patients; 300-600 mg/m2 in 1187; and > or =600 mg/m2 in 286, followed by radiotherapy in 96% of cases. The median follow-up was 104 months. RESULTS: Eight cases of leukemia occurred in epirubicin-exposed patients and one in non-exposed patients. After 9 years, the risk of developing a leukemia was 0.34% (95% confidence interval 0.11-0.57) in epirubicin-exposed patients. In patients receiving chemotherapy, leukemia subtypes were: AML2 (two), AML3 (one), AML4 (three) and ALL (two). None of the classically recognized risk factors was significantly correlated with the occurrence of a leukemia. CONCLUSION: Irrespective of the dose, the incidence of secondary leukemia after adjuvant epirubicin-based chemotherapy was low. After a long follow-up, the benefit/risk ratio for early breast cancer patients remained in favor of epirubicin-based adjuvant chemotherapy: eight cases (0.31%) occurred, and in some of them, treatment causality could be debatable.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
PURPOSE: To develop a population pharmacokinetic model of vinorelbine administered by short intravenous infusion in metastatic breast cancer patients. METHODS: Vinorelbine was administered as infusions of 5-10 min at 15, 20 or 25 mg/m(2) to 30 patients. Blood samples were collected over 18 h. Plasma concentrations of vinorelbine were determined by HPLC. Population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using a nonlinear mixed effects modeling method. RESULTS: Vinorelbine concentration-time profiles were best described by a three-compartment open model. Plasma clearance (CL) was high and positively related to lean body weight (LBW) and body surface area (BSA) or to a combination of height and body weight (BW). Elevated serum alkaline phosphatases had a negative effect on CL. Typical population estimates of CL and central distribution volume (V(1)) were 74.2 l/h and 7.8 l, respectively. The interindividual population coefficients of variation for CL and V(1) were 17.0% and 32.0%, respectively. The stability and predictive performance of the final population pharmacokinetic model were assessed using 200 bootstrap samples of the original data. CONCLUSION: This study identified combined effects of BSA and serum alkaline phosphatases on clearance. These results partly support the conventional dose adjustment of vinorelbine based on BSA, but suggest dose modification in cases of extreme values of serum alkaline phosphatases.
PURPOSE: The pharmacokinetics of ftorafur, 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and uracil were investigated in order to built a population pharmacokinetic model for the anticancer drug UFT, administered with leucovorin and vinorelbine. METHODS: A total of 31 patients with metastatic breast cancer were treated with escalating oral doses of UFT (300 to 500 mg per day) plus leucovorin (90 mg per day) in combination with intravenous vinorelbine (15 to 25 mg/m(2)). Concentration-time data were obtained on days 1, 8, 15 and 21 of cycle 1. RESULTS: Of the 31 patients treated, 30 were available for the pharmacokinetic analysis. Ftorafur, 5FU and uracil appeared rapidly in plasma and showed large interpatient variations. Ftorafur concentrations were higher than those of 5FU and uracil. AUC significantly increased between day 1, and days 8, 15 and 21. Ftorafur C(max) and AUC values were proportional to UFT dose, whereas C(max) and AUC values of 5FU and uracil were not linearly related to UFT dose. The pharmacokinetics of ftorafur were ascribed to a two-compartment open model in which 5FU was produced from the central compartment. The absorption and exponential distribution rate constants were assumed equal. The effect of uracil on 5FU elimination was straightforward, since no reasonable curve-fitting could be obtained for 5FU data when this covariate was not taken into account. The uracil concentration inducing a 50% reduction in 5FU elimination was 2.67 micro mol.l(-1). This result confirms the important role played by uracil as a competitive inhibitor of 5FU catabolism. CONCLUSION: A pharmacokinetic model for ftorafur and 5FU was developed and should be useful to further study drug interactions and establish dosing guidelines.
LU 103793 is a synthetic analogue of Dolastatin 15 that inhibits tubulin polymerisation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of LU 103793 in patients with metastatic breast cancer who had been previously treated with two lines of chemotherapy for advanced disease. Patients received LU 103793 at a dose of 2.5 mg/m(2)/day over 5 min for 5 consecutive days every 3 weeks. Thirty-four patients were enrolled and 23 patients were eligible for the evaluation of efficacy. Eleven patients experienced grade 4 neutropenia. Other related grade 3/4 adverse events included asthenia (three patients), stomatitis (1), myalgia (1) and increase of serum bilirubin (2). The main toxicity was hypertension occurring in seven out of 34 patients. There were no objective responses, 7 patients had stable disease. These results do not support the further evaluation of LU 103793 in metastatic breast cancer patients using this dose and schedule.
BACKGROUND: Combination chemotherapy yields better response rates which do not always lead to a survival advantage. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the reported differences in the efficacy and toxicity of monotherapy with doxorubicin (DOX) versus combination therapy with cisplatin (CDDP) in endometrial adenocarcinoma lead to significant advantage in favour of the combination. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eligible patients had histologically-proven advanced and/or recurrent endometrial adenocarcinoma and were chemo-naïve. Treatment consisted of either DOX 60 mg/m(2) alone or CDDP 50 mg/m2 added to DOX 60 mg/m2, every 4 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 177 patients were entered and median follow-up is 7.1 years. The combination DOX-CDDP was more toxic than DOX alone. Haematological toxicity consisted mainly of white blood cell toxicity grade 3 and 4 (55% versus 30%). Non-haematological toxicity consisted mainly of grade 3 and 4 alopecia (72% versus 65%) and nausea/vomiting (36 % versus 12%). The combination DOX-CDDP provided a significantly higher response rate than single agent DOX (P <0.001). Thirty-nine patients (43%) responded on DOX-CDDP [13 complete responses (CRs) and 26 partial responses (PRs)], versus 15 patients (17%) on DOX alone (8 CR and 7 PR). The median overall survival (OS) was 9 months in the DOX-CDDP arm versus 7 months in the DOX alone arm (Wilcoxon P = 0.0654). Regression analysis showed that WHO performance status was statistically significant as a prognostic factor for survival, and stratifying for this factor, treatment effect reaches significance (hazard ratio = 1.46, 95% confidence interval 1.05-2.03, P = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: In comparison to single agent DOX, the combination of DOX-CDDP results in higher but acceptable toxicity. The response rate produced is significantly higher, and a modest survival benefit is achieved with this combination regimen, especially in patients with a good performance status.
BACKGROUND: This randomized, double-blind, phase II study assessed two doses of the selective estrogen receptor modulator arzoxifene in women with advanced breast cancer. The primary end point was to choose the best of two doses of arzoxifene based on the response rate or the clinical benefit rate (CBR). Pharmacokinetics and toxicities were also assessed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-two patients with advanced breast cancer received arzoxifene 20 or 50 mg/day. Tumor response was assessed using World Health Organization criteria. Toxicities were graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC) system. Pharmacokinetic data were analyzed using the NONMEM software program (GloboMax, Hanover, MD, USA). RESULTS: Response rates in the 20 mg arm were numerically higher than the 50-mg arm according to the investigator (40.5% versus 36.4%) and the independent review panel (42.9% versus 27.3%). CBR was higher in the 20 mg arm according to the investigator (64.3% versus 61.4%) and the independent review panel (59.5% versus 47.7%). Arzoxifene was well tolerated. There were no study drug-related deaths. Mean observed steady-state plasma concentrations of arzoxifene were 3.62 and 7.48 ng/ml for the 20 and 50 mg doses, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in efficacy or safety between 20 and 50 mg of arzoxifene. Accordingly, arzoxifene 20 mg/day was selected for further study in patients with breast cancer.
BACKGROUND: This multicentre phase II open-label study evaluated safety and antitumour activity of oxaliplatin in cisplatin or carboplatin (cis/carboplatin) +/- taxane-pretreated advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-eight patients received oxaliplatin 130 mg/M2 intravenously every 3 weeks, 94% having a performance status (PS) 0-1. All were pretreated with cis/carboplatin and 21 (44%) with paclitaxel. The median number of involved organs was two, 18 (38%) had liver metastasis, 23 (48%) were platinum-resistant and 14 (29%) were taxane-resistant. Forty-two patients were evaluable for a response, 18 (43%) were platinum-resistant and 11 (26%) were taxane-resistant. RESULTS: A total of 253 cycles was administered (median: 5.5/patient). Median cumulative oxaliplatin dose was 666 mg/m2. National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria toxicity analysis showed that seven patients (15%) had grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia, two patients (4%) had grade 3 neutropenia, and one patient had grade 3 anaemia. Eleven patients (23%) experienced grade 3 neurosensory toxicity. Of the 29 patients with peripheral neuropathy at the end of treatment, 55% had recovered or improved 1 month later. Eleven objective responses (two complete) were obtained in the 42 evaluable patients [ORR 26%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 14% to 42%], with 10/24 (42%, 95% CI 22% to 63%) in platinum-sensitive, and 1 of 18 (5.6%, 95% CI 0% to 27%) in platinum-resistant patients. Median response duration was 9.2 months (95% CI 6.6% to 11.8%), and median progression-free and overall survival in all treated patients were 4.3 months (95% CI 3.0% to 5.7%) and 15.0 months (95% CI 11.1% to 18.8%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Oxaliplatin has a good safety profile and is active in cis/carboplatin +/- paclitaxel-pretreated AOC patients.
PURPOSE: To determine whether intensifying the dose of adjuvant chemotherapy improves the outcome of women with primary breast cancer and 10 or more involved axillary nodes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients (n = 150) were randomized to receive either four cycles of standard doxorubicin 60 mg/m(2) plus cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks (arm A) or four courses of intensified mitoxantrone 23 mg/m(2) plus cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m(2), with filgrastim 5 g/kg/d from days 2 to 15, every 3 weeks (arm B). Disease-free survival (DFS), distant disease-free survival (DDFS), and overall survival (OS) were determined using life-table estimates. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in DFS (P =.44), DDFS (P =.67), or OS (P =.99) between the two groups at 5 years; DDFS was 45% (arm A) versus 50% (arm B), and DFS was 41% versus 49%, respectively. Five-year survival was similar in both arms (61% v 60%, respectively). Failure to note an intergroup difference in outcome was unrelated to relative dose-intensity. Analysis of patients with 15 or more positive nodes revealed a significant difference in 5-year DDFS (19% v 49% in arm B; P =.01). Toxicity was generally mild in both groups, with no toxic death. The incidence of febrile neutropenia was low (0.3% v 3%). Alopecia was less frequent in arm B (P <.001). CONCLUSION: This randomized trial confirms the feasibility of administering mitoxantrone 23 mg/m(2) with cyclophosphamide and filgrastim. Although there was no significant difference between conventional and intensified arms at 5 years, according to subgroup analysis, intensified treatment may decrease the risk of relapse in patients with 15 or more positive nodes compared with doxorubicin an cyclophosphamide.
We report the case of a recurrent right pneumothorax, revealing metastasis of an osteosarcoma, 40 months after complete remission. Seven years after surgical excision, the patient is still considered in complete remission. Pneumothorax is rarely the first manifestation of lung metastasis. Osteosarcoma is the most frequent primary tumor. Chest computed tomography detects excavated or subpleural lung metastasis. Differential diagnosis between benign and malignant bullous lesions is important because surgical excision affects survival in some malignancies.
PURPOSE: To assess the clinical and histological characteristics of breast cancer (BC) occurring after Hodgkin's disease (HD) and give possible therapies and prevention methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a retrospective multicentric analysis, 117 women and two men treated for HD subsequently developed 133 BCs. The median age at diagnosis of HD was 24 years. The HD stages were stage I in 25 cases (21%), stage II in 70 cases (59%), stage III in 13 cases (11%), stage IV in six cases (5%) and not specified in five cases (4%). Radiotherapy (RT) was used alone in 74 patients (63%) and combined modalities with chemotherapy (CT) was used in 43 patients (37%). RESULTS: BC occurred after a median interval of 16 years. TNM classification (UICC, 1978) showed 15 T0 (11.3%), 44 T1 (33.1%), 36 T2 (27.1%), nine T3 (6.7%), 15 T4 (11.3%) and 14 Tx (10.5%). Ductal infiltrating carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) represented 81.2 and 11.3% of the cases, respectively. Among the infiltrating carcinoma, the axillary involvement rate was 50%. Seventy-four tumours were treated by mastectomy without (67) or with (ten) RT. Forty-four tumours had lumpectomy without (12) or with (32) RT. Another four received RT alone, and one CT alone. Sixteen patients (12%) developed isolated local recurrence. Thirty-nine patients (31.7%) developed metastases and 34 died; 38 are in complete remission whereas five died of intercurrent disease. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 65.1%. The 5-year disease-specific survival rates for the pN0, pN1-3 and pN>3 groups were 91, 66 and 15%, respectively (P<0.0001), and 100, 88, and 64% for the TIS, T1 and T2. For the T3 and T4, the survival rates decreased sharply to 32 and 23%, respectively. These secondary BC are of two types: a large number of aggressive tumours with a very unfavourable prognosis (especially in the case of pN>3 and/or T3T4), and many tumours with a 'slow spreading' such as DCIS and microinvasive lesions. These lesions developed especially in patients treated exclusively by RT. CONCLUSIONS: The young women and girls treated for HD should be carefully monitored in the long-term by clinical examination, mammography and ultrasonography. We suggest that a baseline mammography is performed 5-8 years after supradiaphragmatic irradiation (complete mantle or involved field) in patients who were treated before 30 years of age. Subsequent mammographies should be performed every 2 years or each year, depending on the characteristics of the breast tissue (e.g. density) and especially in the case of an association with other BC risk factors. This screening seems of importance due to excellent prognosis in our T(1S)T(1) groups, and the possibility of offering these young women a conservative treatment.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.