Weekly doxorubicin versus doxorubicin every 3 weeks in cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer

Article Abstract:

The prognosis for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer is poor, with a 3 to 10 percent chance of a five-year survival. Patients with local advanced disease are generally treated by chest irradiation, but frequently the cancer reoccurs both locally and away from the initial site. There is recent evidence that patients have an improved response rate and increased survival time if chemotherapy is used in combination with chest irradiation. Different schedules of administration of doxorubicin were analyzed for effectiveness in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer when used in a chemotherapy regimen with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin. Weekly administration of doxorubicin was compared with treatment given every three weeks in 102 patients. There was no significant increase in the survival rate of any of the patients on either of the schedules. The overall response rate in patients with limited disease was similar, regardless of the schedule. A 35 percent response rate occurred with doxorubicin given weekly, and a 31 percent response rate was observed when treatment was given triweekly. In patients with disease that was limited, but severe enough to be treated with chest irradiation, there was a 20 percent response rate with doxorubicin given weekly, and 25 percent response rate when given triweekly. In patients with extensive disease, there was a 16 percent response rate with weekly doxorubicin and a 11 percent response rate with triweekly treatment. However, a significant increase in the duration of response was noted with the weekly schedule (35.8 weeks) compared with the triweekly schedule (11.4 weeks). Weekly administration of doxorubicin was also less toxic to the heart muscle and produced lower incidence of other side effects such as fever, destruction of granulocytes, hair loss, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea than the triweekly schedule. Weekly administration of doxorubicin provided similar therapeutic results as triweekly administration, but resulted in fewer side effects. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Complications and side effects, Lung cancer, Non-small cell, Non-small cell lung cancer, Cisplatin, Adriamycin (Medication)

---

Results of initial doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, and cyclophosphamide combination chemotherapy for inflammatory carcinoma of the breast

Article Abstract:

Symptoms of inflammatory breast carcinoma include elevated skin temperature, pain, flushing, and edema, which usually occur before a tumor mass is palpable. The prognosis for inflammatory breast carcinoma, which represents two to five percent of breast cancers, is especially poor. The use of chemotherapy has raised the five-year disease-free survival rate to about 40 percent. A combination of chemotherapy and surgery was used to treat 43 patients with nonmetastatic (confined to the primary site) inflammatory carcinoma of the breast. The treatment was administered in three steps beginning with chemotherapy with doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, and cyclophosphamide. Tamoxifen was given to all patients, and the ovaries of premenopausal women were destroyed with radiation. A total mastectomy was then performed, along with the removal of lymph nodes from the armpit. After surgery, chemotherapy was again initiated, along with radiotherapy of the chest wall and armpits. The overall survival rate after five years was 75 percent, and the disease-free five-year survival rate from these patients was 48 percent, which compares well with other treatment regimens. The factor which correlated most strongly with survival was the response of the tumor to the initial chemotherapy. Patients with tumors that responded to the first three cycles of chemotherapy had an 80 percent rate of disease-free survival after five years. Patients with a residual tumor that remained larger than 1 cm after the initial chemotherapy had a 30 percent rate of disease-free survival after five years. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Breast cancer, Fluorouracil

---

A case report of malignant pleural mesothelioma with long-term disease control after chemotherapy

Article Abstract:

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is on the rise in the United States. This is not surprising, since the disease seems to result from exposure to asbestos after a long latency period. Since efforts to limit asbestos exposure began in earnest only in the mid-1970s, many people exposed prior to that time may be expected to develop malignant mesothelioma in the future. Unfortunately, the success rate in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma is poor. Among patients whose disease is not amenable to treatment with radical surgery or radical radiotherapy, the median survival is about six months. The authors report the case of a 59-year-old woman in whom inoperable malignant pleural mesothelioma has been controlled for over four years with combination chemotherapy. Treatment with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin produced a complete response; after relapse a second remission was induced with 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin C. Unfortunately, computed tomography has revealed the presence of pleural disease despite the patient's stable clinical condition. The experience of this patient suggests that it may be possible to significantly improve upon the poor response to chemotherapy which is generally observed in patients with metastatic pleural mesothelioma. Although it would be unwise to generalize from a single case, a Phase II evaluation of combination chemotherapy in the treatment of this cancer may be in order. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Mesothelioma

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cisplatin as treatment for adrenal cortical carcinoma. Cisplatin, etoposide, and ifosfamide in non-small cell lung carcinoma: a phase II randomized study with cisplatin and etoposide as the control arm
• Abstracts: The efficacy of fiberoptic endoscopic examination and biopsy in the detection of early nasopharyngeal carcinoma
• Abstracts: Anatomic markers of human premalignancy and risk of breast cancer. Invasive breast cancer risk in women with sclerosing adenosis

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.