Three aromatic diamine‐based, phosphinated benzoxazines (7–9) were prepared from three typical aromatic diamines—4,4′‐diamino diphenyl methane (1), 4,4′‐diamino diphenyl sulfone (2), and 4,4′‐diamino diphenyl ether (3) by a one‐pot procedure. To clarify the reaction mechanism, a two‐pot procedure was applied, in which the reaction intermediates (4–6) were isolated for characterization. The structures of intermediates and benzoxazines were confirmed by high resolution mass, IR, and 1D and 2D‐NMR spectra. In addition to self‐polymerization, (7–9) were copolymerized with cresol novolac epoxy (CNE). After curing, the homopolymers of P(7–9) are brittle while the copolymers of (7–9)/CNE are tough. Dynamic mechanical analysis shows the Tgs of (7–9)/CNE copolymers are 187, 190, and 171 °C, respectively. Thermal mechanical analysis shows the CTEs of (7–9)/CNE copolymers are 46, 38, and 46 ppm, respectively. All the (7–9)/CNE copolymers belong to an UL‐94 V‐0 grade, demonstrating good flame retardancy. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010

Purpose: CA125 is currently the only tumor marker to have a validated role in the postoperative monitoring of ovarian cancer. Osteopontin (OPN) is a putative plasma biomarker that was recently identified using high-throughput cDNA microarray technology. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that OPN is a clinically useful adjunct to CA125 in detecting recurrent ovarian cancer.Experimental Design: Thirty-eight ovarian cancer patients had a single pretreatment blood sample and 200 postoperative specimens were prospectively collected during chemotherapy and follow-up. OPN measurements were performed using an enzyme-linked immunoassay, and CA125 levels were concurrently obtained. Wilcoxon's signed ranksum test was used to perform paired comparisons between pretreatment and postoperative OPN and CA125 measurements. Longitudinal mixed effects polynomial models were used to determine whether OPN and CA125 levels correlated with the development of recurrent ovarian cancer. Results:The median pretreatment OPN level was 178 ng/ml (range, 12-3468) and the median CA125 measurement was 812 units/ml (range, 12-81,500). There was a trend for OPN levels to decline after treatment was initiated (P ‫؍‬ 0.07), but decreasing CA125 measurements were more consistently observed (P ‫؍‬ 0.0009). The quadratic functional trends of OPN and CA125 were each highly significant (P < 0.0001). Although inferior to CA125 in predicting clinical response to therapy, OPN rose earlier in 90% (95% confidence interval, 56 -100%) of the patients developing recurrent disease (median lead time, 3 months).Conclusions: OPN may be a clinically useful adjunct to CA125 in detecting recurrent ovarian cancer.

Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy did not appear to affect time to recurrence or overall survival. Retention of ovarian function may be an option for premenopausal women with low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas.

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Background Patients with recurrent ovarian cancer have limited options, especially in the context of relapse less than six months from primary platinum-based therapy. This Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the histone deacetylase inhibitor, belinostat, in combination with carboplatin in women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Methods Eligible patients had measurable, recurrent disease within six months of their last dose of a platinum-based combination. Belinostat was dosed at 1,000 mg/m2 daily for five days with carboplatin AUC 5 on day three of 21-day cycles. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR), using a two-stage design. Results Twenty-nine women enrolled on study and 27 were evaluable. The median number of cycles given was two (range 1–10). One patient had a complete response and one had a partial response, for an ORR of 7.4% (95% CI, .9% - 24.3%). Twelve patients had stable disease while eight had increasing disease. Response could not be assessed in five (18.5%). Grade 3 and 4 events occurring in more than 10% of treated patients were uncommon and limited to neutropenia (22.2%), thrombocytopenia (14.8%), and vomiting (11.1%). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.3 months and overall survival was 13.7 months. PFS of at least six months was noted in 29.6% of patients. Due to the lack of drug activity, the study was closed after the first-stage. Conclusions The addition of belinostat to carboplatin had little activity in a population with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.