Authors

Chronic Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: More Drugs, More Lives Saved, New Challenges

The development of imatinib mesylate (Gleevec), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeted against the causative Bcr-Abl protein in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), has resulted in hematologic and cytogenetic remissions in all phases of CML. Following imatinib treatment, more than 90% of patients obtain complete hematologic response, and 70% to 80% achieve a complete cytogenetic response. With 5 years of follow-up, the data are very encouraging, exhibiting a major change in the natural history of the disease. The understanding of at least some of the mechanisms of resistance to imatinib has led to a rapid development of new agents that may overcome this resistance. Combination strategies are currently being investigated in preliminary clinical studies and may prove to be useful. Overall, there are an increasing number of treatment options now available for patients with CML.

The Hope of Integrated Palliative Care in Oncology Private Practice

The review by Alesi et al attempts to answer an important question in real clinical practice: Is it better to refer patients directly to hospice when aggressive treatments have stopped working or rather to integrate palliative care (PC) earlier in the course of a patient’s disease?

Oropharyngeal Mucositis in Cancer Therapy

Oropharyngeal mucositis is a common and treatment-limiting sideeffect of cancer therapy. Severe oral mucositis can lead to the need tointerrupt or discontinue cancer therapy and thus may have an impacton cure of the primary disease. Mucositis may also increase the risk oflocal and systemic infection and significantly affects quality of life andcost of care. Current care of patients with mucositis is essentially palliativeand includes appropriate oral hygiene, nonirritating diet andoral care products, topical palliative mouth rinses, topical anesthetics,and opioid analgesics. Systemic analgesics are the mainstay of painmanagement. Topical approaches to pain management are under investigation.The literature supports use of benzydamine for prophylaxisof mucositis caused by conventional fractionationated head andneck radiotherapy, and cryotherapy for short–half-life stomatoxic chemotherapy,such as bolus fluorouracil. Continuing studies are investigatingthe potential use of biologic response modifiers and growth factors,including topical and systemic delivery of epithelial growth factorsand agents. Progress in the prevention and management of mucositiswill improve quality of life, reduce cost of care, and facilitate completionof more intensive cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy protocols. Inaddition, improved management of mucositis may allow implementationof cancer treatment protocols that are currently excessively mucotoxicbut may produce higher cure rates. Continuing research related to thepathogenesis and management of mucositis will undoubtedly lead to thedevelopment of potential interventions and improved patient care.

Chemotherapy for Resectable and Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

This article will review the pertinent data on the use of chemotherapy for all stages of pancreatic cancer. For patients with metastatic disease, fluorouracil (5-FU) was the standard of care for several decades until a single

It’s Time for Clinicians to Reconsider Their Proscription Against the Use of Soyfoods by Breast Cancer Patients

Recently published research questions the need for the advised restriction against the use of soyfoods by women with a history of breast cancer.

Update on Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Early Breast Cancer

Adjuvant chemotherapy represents a significant advance in the management of early-stage breast cancer and, as such, has saved many lives. Worldwide, adjuvant chemotherapy has benefitted all groups tested, including

HDAC Inhibitor Research: Still in Its Infancy

Shabason et al have written a thoughtful review of an exciting new class of agents, histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. While the authors focus primarily on the role of HDAC inhibitors in combination with radiation therapy, we would like to highlight some potential strategies combining these agents with systemic therapies for the treatment of cancer.

Molecular Markers for Diagnosis, Staging, and Prognosis of Bladder Cancer

Conventional histopathologic evaluation of bladder cancer, encompassing tumor grade and stage, is inadequate to accurately predict the behavior of most bladder tumors. Intense research efforts are under way to identify and

Commentary (Fesen): NCI's Cancer Information Systems-Bringing Medical Knowledge to Clinicians

Hubbard, Martin, and Thurn describe PDQ, CANCERLIT, and other International Cancer Information Center (ICIC) programs that bring cancer information to health professionals, patients, and policy makers. PDQ (Physician Data Query), the cancer information "knowledge base" of the ICIC includes information on cancer treatment, screening, and prevention, as

Treatment Recommendations for Anaplastic Oligodendrogliomas That Are Codeleted

Although important questions still remain regarding chemotherapy choice, sequence, and dosing, the answers to which will require additional large phase III trials, radiotherapy alone is no longer appropriate therapy for 1p/19q codeleted anaplastic oligodendrogliomas.

Managing Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Further Considerations

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Before 1980, radiotherapy was considered the only real recourse in advanced disease. In 1995, a landmark meta-analysis of trials conducted in the 1980s and early 1990s demonstrated a survival benefit with platinum-based chemotherapy. Newer chemotherapy agents and improved supportive care measures have allowed more patients to benefit from chemotherapy with reduced toxicity. Concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy has improved the survival in stage III disease, and recently chemotherapy has also demonstrated improved survival in resected early-stage disease. The majority of patients still present with advanced unresec disease for whom the prognosis remains poor, but for key subpopulations the outlook has improved markedly since the emergence of targeted therapies directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor pathways. Patient selection and the incorporation of targeted therapies with cytotoxic chemotherapy are the focus of many ongoing studies, and there is an abundance of new agents undergoing clinical trials. Together, these developments have moved us away from the nihilism of 20 years ago into an era of unprecedented optimism in taking on the many remaining challenges of managing NSCLC in the 21st century.

Would Oncologists Want Chemotherapy If They Had Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer?

In 1985, a survey found that only about one-third of physicians and oncology nurses would have consented to chemotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer. In response to statements made at a recent American Society of Oncology (ASCO) Board of Directors meeting questioning whether these data are still valid, Dr. Smith and colleagues conducted a new survey of oncologists attending a 1997 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) annual meeting. The results of that survey are summarized and analyzed.

Controversies in the Pathology of Thymoma Viewed Through the Prism of Evidence-Based Pathology

Thymomas are uncommon neoplasms that have generated considerable controversy among pathologists. The following questions can be used to evaluate the evidence supporting current concepts about the pathology of thymomas and the clinical applicability of those concepts.

TPS 89 A Randomized Phase 3 Study of First-Line Saruparib (AZD5305) Plus Camizestrant Versus CDK4/6i Plus Physician’s Choice Endocrine Therapy or CDK4/6i Plus Camizestrant in Patients With HR+/HER2– Advanced Breast Cancer With BRCA1/BRCA2/PALB2 Mutations (EvoPAR-B)

Molecular Monitoring of Cell-Free Circulating Tumor DNA in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

In this review, we discuss the potential applications of monitoring ctDNA in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and mantle cell lymphoma.

The Long Road-and the High Road-to Successful Implementation of OncoEMR

What distinguishes those practices that are successful in their use of the EMR is their commitment to the product and their recognition that it is the central element in the treatment of their patients.

Minimizing Oral Complications of Cancer Treatment

Aggressive cancer therapy places patients at greater risk for oral complications and treatment-related consequences. Unfortunately, prevention and/or treatment of such oral sequelae have become often overlooked priorities of the treatment team.

A Patient With Metastatic Melanoma of the Small Bowel

Melanoma frequently metastasizes to the small bowel. In this installment of Clinical Quandaries, we describe the case of 74-year-old man who presented with this rare but well described manifestation of malignant melanoma

Radioimmunotherapy: An Underutilized Alternative

Tositumomab/iodine-131 tositumomab (Bexxar) and ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) are radioimmunoconjugates targeting the CD20 antigen. Both agents are approved in the United States for use in relapsed or refractory, indolent or transformed, B-cell lymphoma. These agents are well tolerated and have the highest levels of single-agent activity observed in these histologies. This review will summarize the key trials that led to approval of both I-131 tositumomab and ibritumomab tiuxetan, and then focus on four novel therapeutic concepts in radioimmunotherapy: retreatment, therapy of de novo indolent lymphoma, therapy of aggressive histologies, and incorporation in high-dose therapy programs utilizing autologous stem cell support.

Counseling Cancer Patients About Changes in Sexual Function

Cancer treatments often cause sexual dysfunctions that remain severe long after therapy is over. Nevertheless, sexual counseling is not routinely provided in most oncology treatment settings. Most patients and their partners can benefit from brief counseling that includes education on the impact of cancer treatment on sexual functioning; suggestions on resuming sex comfortably and improving sexual communication; advice on how to mitigate the effects of physical handicaps, such as having an ostomy, on sexuality; and self-help strategies to overcome specific sexual problems, such as pain with intercourse or loss of sexual desire. Brief counseling can be provided by one of the allied health professionals on the oncology treatment team. A minority of patients will need specialized, intensive medical or psychological treatment for a sexual dysfunction. In a large cancer center, such treatment could be provided as part of a reproductive health clinic serving the special needs of cancer patients. In smaller settings, the oncologist should build a referral network of specialists. Not all managed care organizations reimburse for these services, however. [ONCCOLOGY 13(11):1585-1591, 1999]

The Multidisciplinary Management of Paragangliomas of the Head and Neck, Part 2

Paragangliomas most commonly occur in the carotid body, jugulotympanicarea, and vagus nerve but have also been reported in otherareas of the head and neck. These tumors are highly vascular andcharacteristically have early blood vessel and neural involvement,making their treatment particularly challenging. Surgery has traditionallybeen the preferred method of treatment, especially in light of recentadvances in technique. However, compared to radiation therapy, it canresult in a higher incidence of cranial nerve dysfunction. Radiationtherapy has the advantage of avoiding the increased morbidity ofsurgery while offering an equal possibility of cure. Part 2 of this articlediscusses radiation therapy as primary treatment of patients who areineligible for surgery and the elderly and infirm. Results with radiotherapyare comparable to those achieved with surgery. The efficacy ofsalvage therapy with either surgery or radiation is discussed, and atreatment algorithm for these tumors is proposed.

It’s Tough to Make Predictions, Especially About the Future ... of Rectal Cancer

By adjusting the sequencing of currently available treatments, improved compliance with therapy is ensured, and novel scientific and clinically relevant hypotheses can be further explored.

Commentary (Soloway): Management of Patients With Muscle-Invasive and Metastatic Bladder Cancer

High-grade urothelial cancer ofthe bladder is not only relativelycommon but unfortunately,is frequently lethal. These tumorsare often diagnosed when thetumors have already invaded the wallof the bladder. Even when they arediagnosed at a time when they areconfined to the mucosa or lamina propria,patients may not respond to abladder-preservation approach. Oftena radical cystectomy with urinary diversionis either not offered at all or notconsidered until the cancer has invadeddeep into the muscularis propria andlocal treatment fails.

Endoscopic Ultrasound in the Diagnosis and Staging of Pancreatic Cancer

The article by Drs. Levy and Wiersema is an excellent overview of the indications, technical nuances, and efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound in the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic neoplasms. Endoscopic ultrasonography was introduced into the diagnostic armamentarium for gastroenterology approximately 15 years ago. Although the literature suggests a general increase in the utility and experience with endoscopic ultrasound, the technique remains most effective in the hands of experienced experts like Drs. Levy and Wiersema. Their article is a complete and thorough review of the indications and expected accuracy of the technique when evaluating a variety of different pancreatic lesions.

The Allegheny General Modification of the Harvard Breast Cosmesis Scale for the Retreated Breast

Repeat lumpectomy and retreatment radiotherapy following ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) by either external-beam irradiation or brachytherapy in lieu of salvage mastectomy is an area of significant recent clinical interest. Multiple authors have reported their results, with encouraging numbers of patients avoiding mastectomy.[1‑4]

Monitoring Changes in the Microenvironment During Targeted Therapies

This review covers progress to date in the identification of molecular targets on blood vessels in cancers, as well as agents that act on those targets, with emphasis on those currently in clinical trials. Current vascular-targeting therapies comprise two general types—antiangiogenic therapy and antivascular therapy. Advances in antiangiogenic therapies, particularly inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factors and their receptors, have clarified the capacity of these inhibitors to change tumor-associated vessel structure to a more normal state, thereby improving the ability of chemotherapeutics to access the tumors. The responses of other antiangiogenesis target molecules in humans are more complicated; for example, αvβ3 integrins are known to stimulate as well as inhibit angiogenesis, and cleavage of various extracellular proteins/proteoglycans by matrix metalloproteinases produces potent regulators of the angiogenic process. Antivascular therapies disrupt established blood vessels in solid tumors and often involve the use of ligand-based or small-molecule agents. Ligand-based agents, irrespective of the antiangiogenic capacity of the ligand, target antivascular effectors to molecules expressed specifically on blood vessels, such as aminopeptidase N, fibronectin extra-domain B, and prostate-specific membrane antigen. Small-molecule antivascular agents, which are not targeted to molecules on blood vessels, rely on physical differences between the vasculatures in tumors and those in normal tissues.

Treatment of Adult ALL: More Questions Than Answers

It is clear that the management of adult patients with ALL is an area in which little progress has been made in the last 30 years. Given the disappointing outcomes, the field is one that lends itself to the study of the incorporation of novel agents, including monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase and proteasome inhibitors, as well as to further study of allogeneic transplant.

Gemcitabine and UFT Plus Oral Calcium Folinate: Phase I Study

Gemcitabine (Gemzar) (2-deoxy-2,2-difluorocytidine) is a new antimetabolite being increasingly used in the treatment of solid tumors. It is an analog of deoxycytidine and cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) (Figure 1) that has shown significant activity

Allogeneic Transplantation for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in the Age of Novel Treatment Strategies

The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on HSCT in CLL and to discuss critically its role in the age of novel treatment strategies.

Management of Infusion Reactions in Clinical Trials and Beyond: The US and EU Perspectives

Infusion reactions (IRs) can be broadly categorized by their immunologic mechanism. Anaphylaxis is a systemic, immediate hypersensitivity reaction mediated by factors released from interactions between immunoglobulin E (IgE) and mast cells that produce an antigen-antibody reaction.[1] Anaphylactoid reactions can be differentiated from anaphlaxis by the fact that they are not IgE-mediated but rather cytokine-mediated.