Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0006826 (cancer)
 1,092,456 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Despite health public problems arised by metastatic breast cancer, specific studies remain rare, and especially when concerning second line chemotherapy. Today, these studies seem essential to allow the clinician, facing the choice between different treatments, to make the best decision. Two recent treatments, docetaxel and paclitaxel, administered every 3 weeks, were compared to the referenced treatment: vinorelbine administered every week. The study aims at evaluating these 3 therapeutic options on second line treatment of metastatic breast cancer. For each of these 3 strategies, our end points were: (1) the duration of progression free survival; (2) the quality adjusted on progression free survival; (3) the cost including the intrinsic cost of chemotherapy as well as the cost of treatment-related and disease-related complications, due to toxicity. Savings obtained with the treatment by delaying relapse were subtracted from expenditure. We used a Markov model to describe the patient's evolution after the administration of the compared treatments. The evaluation concerns the period from the beginning of second line chemotherapy to death. Only direct medical costs were taken into account. Non medical costs and indirect costs were excluded. For each clinical state, resources utilisation was estimated by a retrospective multicentric analysis of 153 medical records of metastatic breast cancer, treated on second line. Resources valuation of hospital costs were based on a national survey on the cost of medical services per DRGs. Quality of life was estimated by a group of nurses in oncology, using the feeling thermometer and standard gamble technics. Incremental cost utility ratios were calculated. Docetaxel reduces the time spent in progression, decreases the number of complications due to progressive disease and thereby provides better quality of life. It provides a benefit of 57 disease- and discomfort-free days, compared to vinorelbine and 22 days compared to paclitaxel. Docetaxel may be thought of as a self-financing strategy as a result of savings in hospital admissions, providing net saving of French Francs (FF) 6,800 in 1993 prices, compared with expenditure associated with vinorelbine treatment and FF 700 compared with the equivalent figures for paclitaxel. A sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of those results.
Bull Cancer 1997 Jul
PMID:[A medico-economic evaluation of second line chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer: comparison between docetaxel, paclitaxel, and vinorelbine]. 933 97

Five promising new drugs for gynecological cancer were reviewed. Taxans (Paclitaxel: Taxol and Docetaxel: Taxotere) diterpenoid plant products enhance the polymerization of tublin. Taxol showed significant activity for platinum refractory ovarian cancer in a phase 1 clinical trial in the United States. The combination with cisplatin (CDDP) showed superior results to CDDP plus Cyclophosphamide and has been recognized as a new standard in adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer. The major toxicities are myelosuppression, alopecia, and hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs). HSRs were overcome by pretreatment with anti-histamines and over 24 hours administration. It was also reported that Taxol was administered safely by over 3 hours infusion with reduced myelotoxicity, but the incidence of HSRs may be increased. Clinical trials of intraperitoneal administration and combination with Carboplatin (CBDCA) are ongoing. Taxotere, an analog of Taxol, is also effective as Taxol with a low incidence of HSRs. Topoisomerase inhibitors (Irinotecan hydrochloride: CPT-11 and Topotecan) have promising antitumor activity for ovarian and cervical cancer. CPT-11 is a semisynthetic camptothesin analog developed in Japan. It was also effective for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, such as mucinous and clear cell carcinoma. An adverse effect was observed in the combination of CPT-11 and CDDP. The phase 1 clinical trial showed a 40% response rate against recurrent ovarian cancer. CPT-11 50-60 mg/m2 (day 1,8,15) and CDDP 50-60 mg/m2 (day 1) are a recommended schedule. The major toxicities are neutropenia and diarrhea. Thrombocytopenia is not severe and diarrhea is also controllable. Topotecan is also a promising topoisomerase inhibitor and reported superior result to Taxol for platinum refractory ovarian cancer. A phase II trial is ongoing for ovarian and cervical cancer in Japan. Nedaplatin, a new analog of cisplatin, has similar activity especially for cervical cancer with less myelotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.
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PMID:[Promising new drugs for gynecological cancer]. 935 Feb 38

The treatment of cancer has developed substantially from its conception in the first years of the 20th century. Since the introduction of alkylating agents during second World War, the oncology specialty has markedly grown. In the recent years, new drugs have been approved for the treatment of cancer. Such examples include the taxanes (Docetaxel and Paclitaxel), Vinorelbine, Irinotecan, Topotecan, Gemcitabine and Gliadel. We will discuss these new chemotherapuetic agents, their pharmacology, indications, toxicity and appropriate dosing. There is no doubt that further clinical research is needed to determine the optimal use of these agents.
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PMID:Recent advances in cancer therapy. 941 30

The efficacy and safety of docetaxel in clinical trials in patients with a variety of malignancies are reviewed. The overall response rate for docetaxel as a first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer is 59%. Docetaxel in combination with doxorubicin or vinorelbine has proved particularly effective in the first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Docetaxel is also one of the most active single agents in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), producing an overall response rate of 27% when used as a first-line agent. Docetaxel plus cisplatin was more effective against NSCLC than either drug used alone, yielding response rates of 33-48%. Docetaxel has shown activity against a variety of other tumors, including ovarian cancer (response rate in second-line therapy, 34%), head-and-neck cancer (response rate in first-line therapy, 35%), and soft-tissue sarcoma (response rate in first-line therapy, 32%). The main toxic effect is grade 3-4 neutropenia, which occurs in 57% of treatment cycles but is brief and manageable. The dosage of docetaxel should be reduced from 100 mg/m2 to 75 mg/m2 if patients have neutropenia lasting more than one week, febrile neutropenia, or impaired liver function. Other adverse effects include severe fluid retention and asthenia. Some adverse effects can be avoided by administering corticosteroid premedication. Docetaxel has shown efficacy against a wide range of cancers in clinical trials and has a manageable adverse-effect profile.
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PMID:Efficacy and safety of docetaxel in clinical trials. 943 29

Docetaxel and ifosfamide have shown significant activity against a variety of solid tumours. This prompted a phase I trial on the combination of these drugs. This phase I study was performed to assess the feasibility of the combination, to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the side effects, and to propose a safe schedule for further phase II studies. A total of 34 patients with a histologically confirmed solid tumour, who were not pretreated with taxanes or ifosfamide and who had received no more than one line of chemotherapy for advanced disease were entered into the study. Treatment consisted of docetaxel given as a 1-h infusion followed by ifosfamide as a 24-h infusion (schedule A), or ifosfamide followed by docetaxel (schedule B) every 3 weeks. Docetaxel doses ranged from 60 to 85 mg m(-2) and ifosfamide doses from 2.5 to 5.0 g m(-2). Granulocytopenia grade 3 and 4 were common (89%), short lasting and ifosfamide dose dependent. Febrile neutropenia and sepsis occurred in 17% and 2% of courses respectively. Non-haematological toxicities were mild to moderate and included alopecia, nausea, vomiting, mucositis, diarrhoea, sensory neuropathy, skin and nail toxicity and oedema. There did not appear to be any pharmacokinetic interaction between docetaxel and ifosfamide. One complete response (CR) (soft tissue sarcoma) and two partial responses (PRs) were documented. A dose of 75 mg m(-2) of docetaxel combined with 5.0 g m(-2) ifosfamide appeared to be manageable. Schedule A was advocated for further treatment.
Br J Cancer 1998
PMID:Phase I study on docetaxel and ifosfamide in patients with advanced solid tumours. 1064 11

Docetaxel (Taxotere) has been studied at a dose of 100 mg/m2 i.v. as a one hour infusion every 3 weeks, in four phase II trials in patients with extensively pretreated ovarian cancer. A total of 340 patients were treated, including 256 patients in two separate EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) trials and 84 patients in two trials in the U.S.A. All patients had received prior cisplatin or carboplatin therapy and the treatment-free interval was less than 4 months in 155 patients. The overall response rate using conventional UICC criteria was 30% among 315 evaluable cases (95% confidence interval: 24-36%). Among 155 patients whose disease was most refractory (i.e. treatment-free interval was less than 4 months), the overall response rate was 28% (95% confidence interval: 19-36%). Response duration ranged from 4 to 17 months. Grade IV neutropenia was a common finding and fluid retention was observed. The incidence of febrile neutropenia ranged from 8 to 44% of patients with two deaths (i.e. 0.6% of the total treated) related to neutropenic sepsis. Docetaxel and paclitaxel (Taxol) have comparable activities in ovarian cancer. Ongoing studies with docetaxel include its use in patients as part of first-line therapy, as well as in patients refractory to paclitaxel. To prevent the development of fluid retention, these now involve the routine use of steroid prophylaxis. It is expected that docetaxel will prove to be an important addition to the drugs available for the treatment of ovarian cancer.
Eur J Cancer 1997 Nov
PMID:Phase II trials of docetaxel (Taxotere) in advanced ovarian cancer--an updated overview. 947 Aug 2

The essential cellular functions associated with microtubules have led to a wide use of microtubule-interfering agents in cancer chemotherapy with promising results. Although the most well studied action of microtubule-interfering agents is an arrest of cells at the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, other effects may also exist. We have observed that paclitaxel (Taxol), docetaxel (Taxotere), vinblastine, vincristine, nocodazole, and colchicine activate the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) signaling pathway in a variety of human cells. Activation of JNK/SAPK by microtubule-interfering agents is dose-dependent and time-dependent and requires interactions with microtubules. Functional activation of the JNKK/SEK1-JNK/SAPK-c-Jun cascade (where JNKK/SEK1 is JNK kinase/SAPK kinase) was demonstrated by activation of a 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate response element (TRE) reporter construct in a c-Jun dependent fashion. Microtubule-interfering agents also activated both Ras and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase (ASK1) and coexpression of dominant negative Ras and dominant negative apoptosis signal-regulating kinase exerted individual and additive inhibition of JNK/SAPK activation by microtubule-interfering agents. These findings suggest that multiple signal transduction pathways are involved with cellular detection of microtubular disarray and subsequent activation of JNK/SAPK.
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PMID:Microtubule-interfering agents activate c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase through both Ras and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase pathways. 947 37

Specific causes for Lhermitte's sign (LS) in cancer patients are spinal cord compression, radiation therapy to the spinal cord, and cisplatin chemotherapy. We observed a transient LS in five of 87 patients treated with more than two cycles of 100 mg/m2 docetaxel (Taxotere). LS developed either concurrently or after the onset of docetaxel-induced sensory neuropathy, and disappeared after the discontinuation or dose reduction of chemotherapy.
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PMID:Lhermitte's sign following chemotherapy with docetaxel. 948 2

The rationale for the development of a new drug combination is to combine optimal doses of drugs with single-agent activity that are not cross-resistant or have similar toxicities. Docetaxel, with its unique mechanism of action and its high response rates in metastatic breast cancer, provides both opportunities and challenges for the development of combination chemotherapy. Anthracyclines are widely accepted as the agents of choice for first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer and they have been studied in combination with taxoids. Preliminary results with a combination of docetaxel and doxorubicin indicate an overall response rate of 74%, with the dose-limiting toxicities being neutropenia and infection. Vinorelbine also has single-agent activity against metastatic breast cancer and preclinical studies have demonstrated synergism when vinorelbine and docetaxel are combined. The dose-limiting toxicities of the vinorelbine-docetaxel combination are febrile neutropenia and mucositis. The overall response rate to treatment with this combination is 67%. We therefore conclude that docetaxel can be combined with doxorubicin or vinorelbine to provide high response rates and acceptable toxicity.
Eur J Cancer 1997 Aug
PMID:Docetaxel in combination with doxorubicin or vinorelbine. 948 99

Docetaxel is one of the most active drugs used in the treatment of breast cancer. However, its major side-effect, myelosuppression, hampers full-dose combination chemotherapy. We have, therefore, developed an alternating schedule of docetaxel with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide, together with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, to ameliorate neutropenia. We studied the feasibility of such a strategy, decreasing the treatment interval from 21 days to 14 days, thus further increasing the dose intensity. As expected, myelosuppression was common, complicated by neutropenic fever, which did not exceed preset criteria. Other side-effects were also as expected: alopecia, malaise, nausea and vomiting. After two alternating courses of chemotherapy, a partial response was documented in 15 of 17 patients. We conclude that this alternating schedule is very active against breast cancer and warrants further phase II studies.
Eur J Cancer 1997 Aug
PMID:Docetaxel alternating with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide: a feasibility study in breast cancer patients. 948


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