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Liposomal-Encapsulated Chemotherapy: Preliminary Results of a Phase I Study of a Novel Liposomal PaclitaxelLiposome encapsulation of antineoplastic drugs entered clinical testing in the late 1980s. As carriers for a variety of agents, liposomes can allow successful delivery of agents that may be subject to rapid degradation in
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Language, the Literature, and the PatientThe articles and accompanyingcommentaries in ONCOLOGYprovide important clinical informationbut also an opportunity tocall attention to language projectingattitudes and judgments that are unintended,probably unconscious, andgenerally unchallenged. We note thatrecent articles and reviews refer tothe “patient having failed” treatment;patients are identified with their canceras if they are one, and the descriptionof therapy as “salvage” indirectlycompares the human experience oftreating patients to saving, rescuing,or restoring goods.
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Role of Temozolomide in the Treatment of Cancers Involving the Central Nervous SystemIn this article, we review the role of temozolomide in the management of patients with primary brain tumors, brain metastases, leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, and other selected CNS cancers.
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Concomitant Cisplatin, Vinorelbine, and Radiation in Advanced Chest MalignanciesNewer chemotherapy drugs have shown encouraging activity in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Based on these improved outcomes, as well as the high rate of distant relapse in patients with locally advanced disease, several recent studies have evaluated the use of systemic therapy in patients with earlier-stage disease.
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A 38-Year-Old Man With Pancreatic CancerMichael H. Levy, MD: This 38-year-old white male first came to his physician in January of 1993 complaining of epigastric and low back pain. In March of 1993, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that was metastatic to his
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Liver Transplantation for the Treatment of Hepatocellular CarcinomaIn the majority of cases, hepatocellular carcinoma develops in the setting of cirrhosis. Treatment with curative intent is possible in only 20% to 25% of cases and consists of resection or liver transplantation.
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Stuart L. Goldberg, MD, Discusses How Physicians Can Better Communicate Cancer DiagnosesThe expert from Hackensack University Medical Center explained how the complexity of cancer makes it important for physicians to spend time communicating with their patients what their diagnosis entails.
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Optimizing Treatment Benefit in Older Breast Cancer PatientsBreast cancer is predominantly a disease of older women. Many of these older patients with breast cancer have low-risk disease owing to low proliferation indices, positive hormone receptors, node-negativity, or p53-negative and HER-2 (human epidermal growth factor 2)-negative tumors.[1,2] They do well without chemotherapy and will receive adjuvant hormonal therapy with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor. Yet there are older women who do not have these favorable tumor characteristics and so are potential candidates for chemotherapy. The review by Muss points out this issue, highlighting benefits of chemotherapy and describing appropriate treatment regimens for these patients.
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Pediatric Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Presenting as Generalized LymphadenopathyHere we present the case of a 3-year-old girl with generalized lymphadenopathy and fever, in whom the cause of the symptoms was initially thought to be infectious. Ultimately, however, anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) was diagnosed. Using this case as a backdrop, we discuss the wide range of systemic illnesses that the differential diagnosis of generalized lymphadenopathy encompasses.
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Commentary (Lim et al): Revisiting Induction Chemotherapy for Head and Neck CancerArgiris and colleagues report asystematic review evaluatingthe activity and potential roleof induction chemotherapy in patientswith previously untreated, locoregionallyadvanced squamous cell head andneck cancer.[1] They consider bothphase II and III published trials. Thedata reviewed in their paper, and theirthoughtful synthesis and interpretationof these data, highlight certain themes:
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Routine 3D Treatment Planning: Opportunities, Challenges, and HazardsThree-dimensional (3D) treatment planning refers to the use of software and hardware tools to design and implement more accurate and conformal radiation therapy. This is a major advance in oncology that should lead to
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Emergence of the EpothilonesEpothilones, representing a newer class of naturally occurring antimicrotubule macrolides, have emerged as cytotoxic agents with significant antitumor activity against tumors that are resistant to taxanes.
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Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Anal CancerHistorically, the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal has been an abdominoperineal resection (APR), resulting in loss of the anus and rectum with need for a permanent colostomy.
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Commentary (Lenzi/Yalcin): Management of Patients With Cancer of Unknown Primary SiteThe article by Drs. Hainsworth and Greco is a timely review of the management of patients presenting with metastatic cancer in the absence of a documented site of origin (cancer of unknown primary site). These patients constitute a significant proportion (approximately 5%) of all patients with cancer.
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Brachytherapy for Carcinoma of the LungAn estimated 157,000 patients died of lung cancer in the United States in the year 2000.[1] Although surgery can be curative, only about 20% of patients are amenable to complete surgical resection. Most of the other patients are treated with radiation
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Curbing Potential Radiation-Induced Cancer Risks in Oncologic Imaging: Perspectives From the ‘Image Gently’ and ‘Image Wisely’ CampaignsThe purpose of this review is to provide the oncology community with knowledge about the doses used in medical imaging, radiation-induced cancer risks from imaging, and considerations to keep in mind when balancing imaging benefits and risks in pediatric and adult oncologic settings.
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Counseling Women at High Risk of Ovarian or Endometrial CancerPatient education and counseling are essential in women at increased risk for ovarian and endometrial cancer. Women must be educated regarding the signs, symptoms, and risks associated with these cancers.
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Radium-223: Optimizing Treatment and Research of Osteoblastic Bone MetastasisElucidation of the underlying mechanisms of action for Ra-223 will soon expand its clinical utility with respect to improved patient selection and integrated bone-targeted therapies.
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Commentary (Neuwelt/Dahlborg): Current Management of Primary Central Nervous System LymphomaDr. DeAngelis has written a succinct and accurate assessment of management of primary central nervous system lymphoma. Non-AIDS-related primary central nervous system lymphoma is a rare, highly malignant primary brain tumor. However, its incidence is increasing, as are AIDS-related tumors of this type. Patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma usually have widespread infiltration throughout the brain, rendering aggressive resection of no benefit. There is a significant incidence of leptomeningeal and ocular involvement (the latter a "sanctuary site," thus posing a particular therapeutic dilemma).
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ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Recurrent Hodgkin LymphomaBy combining the most recent medical literature and expert opinion, this revised guideline can aid clinicians in the complex decision-making associated with the management of recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma.
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Assessment of Colorectal Cancer Screening Awareness, Preferences in JordanIn this video from the 2015 ONS meeting, Dr. Omran discusses the high-risk of colorectal cancer among the Jordanian population and the need to promote more screening awareness.
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Molecular Classification of Diffuse GliomasSignificant progress has been made in defining molecular signatures in diffuse gliomas. The clinically significant genetic alterations identified to date probably represent the tip of the iceberg, since new, potentially significant biomarkers are continuously described.
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Neoadjuvant Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Is There An Optimal Approach?Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive tumor that often occurs in the setting of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is increasing in the United States and worldwide. Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is a viable and potentially curative option for selected patients with HCC. Locoregional therapy has been used to control HCC before transplantation because of the limited number of donor organs, to prevent tumor progression, and to decrease the incidence of dropouts from the transplant waiting list. Traditionally, multiple investigational locoregional modalities such as tumor resection, radiofrequency ablation, transarterial chemoembolization, and systemic chemotherapy have been used as "bridging" therapies. While the investigation of novel neoadjuvant treatments is justified in an effort to prevent tumor progression, the absence of randomized controlled trials leaves uncertainty about the utility of these maneuvers in improving outcome. This review summarizes the current data on the different modalities used worldwide in the neoadjuvant treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, the rationale for these approaches, efficacy, potential complications, and future prospects.
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Deferasirox for the Treatment of Chronic Iron Overload in Transfusional HemosiderosisThis report describes the Food and Drug Administration's review of data and analyses leading to the approval of the oral iron chelator, deferasirox for the treatment of chronic iron overload due to transfusional hemosiderosis.
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Clinical Pearls and Key Takeaways on Kidney Cancer TreatmentSumanta Kumar Pal, MD, FASCO, provides advice for community oncologists, and the Oncology Brothers review key points from the discussion.
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Contemporary Management of Small Renal MassesDespite improved understanding of the molecular features of renal tumors, increasing expertise in surgical management of localized renal cancers, and multiple effective systemic therapies for metastatic cancer, mortality from renal cell carcinoma remains largely unchanged.
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UFT in Bladder CancerUFT, a compound containing uracil and tegafur (a prodrug of 5-fluorouracil) in a 4:1 molar ratio, has been used in Japan for the treatment of and as adjuvant chemotherapy for bladder cancer. In phase II studies, 300 to 600
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Improving the Therapeutic Benefits of IpilimumabCurrently there are only three FDA-approved drugs available for the treatment of metastatic melanoma: dacarbazine, interleukin-2, and the lesser-used hydroxyurea. None of these drugs has been shown to improve overall survival (OS). The review by Thumar and Kluger provides a well-balanced overview of ipilimumab, the first agent to demonstrate a survival benefit in patients with metastatic melanoma.[1] The response to ipilimumab is most notable for its durability, a feature rarely observed in patients with high tumor burden or in response to other systemic therapies. However, a minority of patients (10% to 15%) treated with ipilimumab meet standard criteria for radiographic response. In this commentary, we focus on the question of how we can build on the success of ipilimumab. We briefly review one area of active investigation: the combination of ipilimumab with targeted inhibitors of BRAF.
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Is Personalized Medicine Here?This review describes the achievements in therapeutic and molecular diagnostics, details evolving molecular platforms, and highlights the challenges for the translation of these developments to daily clinical practice.
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Multiple Myeloma Management: Addressing Disparities in CareBefore closing out their review on the management of multiple myeloma, panelists consider disparities in care and share how these barriers are being addressed.
