BACKGROUND The objective of this Phase II study was to assess the clinical activity and toxicity of docetaxel (D) and cisplatin (P) in patients with locally advanced unresectable, metastatic, or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). PATIENTS Of 34 patients, 30 were eligible for treatment with D 80 mg/m2 on Day 1 and P 70 mg/m2 on Day 2. Therapy was repeated every 3 weeks. At the start of chemotherapy, the tumors had the following extensions: locoregional, n = 15; distant metastatic, n = 2; and relapse, n = 13. RESULTS Overall, the rate of objective responses in the population of all eligible patients based on an intention‐to‐treat analysis was 53%, with a 95% confidence interval (CI; 34.33–71.66%). Two patients had complete disease remission (pathologic), 4 patients had complete disease remission (clinical), 10 patients had partial disease remission, 3 patients had no change in disease status, and 7 patients had disease progression. The duration of objective response was median 5+ months (range 3–8+ months). Eleven patients (37%) had Grade 4 granulocytopenia and three patients (10%) had Grade 3 granulocytopenia (grades were based on the classification of the National Cancer Institute of Canada‐Common Toxicity Criteria). Six patients died of septicemia. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the combination of D and P represents a highly active chemotherapeutic regimen for the treatment of patients with SCCHN. However, because of the high toxicity of this regimen, prophylactic administration of antibiotics and hematopoietic growth factors is essential as is a three‐day corticosteroid premedication regimen. Above all, this combination of drugs is not recommended for treatment of patients with a World Health Organization performance status of >1. Cancer 2002;94:2953–8. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10574

Based on an extensive literature search, which produced 21 observations, the etiology, symptoms, imaging features, clinical significance, treatment strategy, and outcome of HPVG because of colonic diverticulitis are evaluated: While observations with an underlying intramesocolic abscess carry a favorable prognosis, the prognosis of observations because of septic thrombophlebitis with gas forming germs is poor.

Background: Up to now the cytostatic oxaliplatin was classified as nonvesicant. This is the first report on tissue necrosis induced by oxaliplatin extravasation in literature. A clinical course following oxaliplatin extravasation is reported. Case Report: A 52-year-old white female with adenocarcinoma of the colon and hepatic and pulmonary metastases received palliative chemotherapy consisting of oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and 5-fluorouracil. By mistake oxaliplatin infusion extravasated subcutaneously in the left forearm; consequently, a painless red swelling occurred without any sign of further damage of the tissue. The infusion cannula was removed and oxaliplatin was infused into the right median cubital vein at the elbow. Again oxaliplatin extravasated subcutaneously. A severe painful necrotic reaction of the underlying flexor muscles of the right elbow developed, disabling the patient for 2 months, showing red-brown painful swelling, sclerosis of the skin, induration, fixation, and immobilization of the right elbow. Nonsteroidal analgesics and antibiotics were given, and lymphatic drainage and physiotherapy performed as generally accepted polypragmatic unspecific therapeutic procedure. After 2 months, the patient was able to bow and extend the right elbow except for an extension deficit of 20°, pro- and supination became possible again, pain had completely resolved and strength recovered without limitation. Sclerosis of the skin and stiffness of the underlying tissue were slowly subsiding. Conclusion: Oxaliplatin can induce severe necrosis of underlying muscles by extravasation and therefore must be considered as a vesicant. Therefore oxaliplatin should be applied via a central venous access.

We report on an accidental extravasation of docetaxel given intravenously as chemotherapy in a cancer patient. The extravasate was immediately diluted subcutaneously with saline, in addition to which hypothermia (ice-packs) was implemented and topical dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was applied three times every 45 min. Corticosteroids and diclofenac were also administered. Dermatitis developed immediately but had disappeared within 24 h. Notably, dermatopathological changes were absent on days 2-4, minimal on day 5, and increased thereafter. Dermatitis developed as a late symptom, resulting in brown discoloration and skin hyperplasia. No plastic surgical intervention was necessary. We propose that isotonic saline, topical DMSO and local hypothermia may have restricted the inflammation and tissue necrosis induced by the extravasation of docetaxel. Repetitive topical application of DMSO beyond the day of extravasation had no additional benefit.

The two hormone analogues octreotide and goserelin have been shown to decelerate growth of human pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo. The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the efficacy and toxicity of the combination of these two agents in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Octreotide was injected subcutaneously in dosages increasing weekly, starting with 50 micrograms twice daily, until the level of maintenance therapy of 500 micrograms three times a day was reached. In addition, 3.8 mg goserelin acetate was administered subcutaneously at monthly intervals. A median of 7 cycles (range 1-27 cycles) were applied; 13 out of 14 patients entered into the study were evaluable for response and all 14 were evaluated for toxicity. In one patient with initially non-resectable pancreatic cancer, systemic therapy yielded a partial remission lasting 9 months. The degree of tumour regression then allowed a consecutive macroscopic radical tumour resection followed by an additional 6 months of no evidence of disease while the same drug combination was continued. In an additional 9 patients, no change of disease was observed, in some cases for a remarkably long time (up to 27 months). Nevertheless, the objective response rate of 7% (95% confidence interval 0 +/- 21%) was low. In 5 patients a clear improvement in their performance status was seen soon after the start of therapy; 3 patients showed progression of the disease at first evaluation or earlier and 1 patient was not evaluable at the time of study assessment. According to the product-limit method of Kaplan and Meier, the time to progression was 3.0 +/- 1.8 months [median +/- asymptotic standard error (ASE)] and overall survival was 6.0 +/- 1.5 months (median +/- ASE). Toxicity was rare and only of mild to moderate degree. Overall, the regimen under investigation did not meet the criteria for sufficient antitumoural effectiveness. Nevertheless, this study reinforces the concept that pancreatic cancer is principally responsive to endocrine therapy and therefore the further investigation of hormonal manipulation seems worth while in the future.

BackgroundThe aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the MGMT (06-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase) promoter methylation status in long-term surviving (≥ 3 years) patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).MethodsThe methylation status of the MGMT promoter was determined by bisulfite modification of the DNA and subsequent methylation-specific polymerase-chain-reaction (MSP). DNA was extracted from routinely formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tumour tissue samples.ResultsMSP yielded interpretable results in only 14 of 33 (42%) long-term surviving patients with GBM. A methylated band was seen in 3 of 14, methylated as well as unmethylated bands in 8 of 14 and an only unmethylated band in 3 of 14 patients, thus, yielding MGMT promoter methylation in 11 of 14 patients. The two groups of patients with methylated and unmethylated MGMT promoter status were too small to draw any firm statistical conclusions.ConclusionsLong-term surviving patients with GBM have very frequently intratumoural MGMT promoter methylation. This phenomenon discriminates long-term survivors from a non-selected group of patients with GBM. The standardization of the MSP for the determination of the MGMT promoter methylation status seems to be necessary in order to make this methodology a more reliable one.

The clinical course of 50 breast cancer patients whose first metastases were found in the lungs was investigated. 18 months after the start of primary treatment 50% of the patients had developed pulmonary metastases (range: 0-81 months). In 23% of patients a solitary, and in 68% more than one, lung metastases were detected. After a median time of 4 months, in 56% of patients the disease had spread to further organs with bone (25%) and liver (17%) being the most frequent sites. First line management of lung metastases employed surgery, endocrine treatment, chemotherapy or a combination of these modalities. In 24% of patients a complete response was achieved, and in 11% a partial response, with an overall response rate of 35%. Median survival from detection of lung metastases was 13 months (range 4-123+). Patients with only a solitary lung metastasis survived for a median of 11.5 months as compared to 10.5 months for patients with more than one pulmonary metastases. Patients with a disease-free interval of more than 18 months survived significantly longer than patients with a disease-free survival of 18 months or less.

We present the case of a 51-year-old male patient who received adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of oxaliplatin, bolus and continuous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin after anterior resection because of locally advanced rectal cancer. Preoperative chemotherapy with capecitabine (an oral 5-FU prodrug) had been well tolerated. Two days after initiation of the first course of chemotherapy, the patient reported typical chest pain. The ECG showed ST elevations and prominent T waves in almost all leads. Due to suspicion of a high-risk acute coronary syndrome, an urgent cardiac catheterization was performed. It showed a generally reduced coronary flow with multiple significant stenoses (including the ostia of the left and right coronary artery), as well as a highly reduced left ventricular function with diffuse hypokinesia. Due to the meanwhile completely stable situation of the patient after medical acute coronary syndrome treatment, no ad hoc intervention was performed to allow further discussion of the optimal management. Thereafter, the patient remained clinically asymptomatic, without any rise in cardiac necrosis parameters; only NT-pro-BNP was significantly elevated. A control cardiac catheterization 2 days later revealed a restored normal coronary artery flow with only coronary calcifications without significant stenoses, as well as a normal left ventricular ejection fraction. Cardiovascular symptoms occurred on the second day of continuous 5-FU treatment. As cardiotoxic effects seem to appear more frequently under continuous application of 5-FU, compared to the earlier established 5-FU bolus regimens, treating medical oncologists should pay special attention to occurring cardiac symptoms and immediately interrupt 5-FU chemotherapy and start a cardiologic work-up.