Introduction: Several studies suggest a causal relationship between platelets activation and cancer metastasis. Activated platelets release platelet microparticles (PMP), VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor) which could play a role in patient outcome. Methods: Eligible chemonaive hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) patients (pts) were required to have: European Cooperation Oncology Group performance

Abstract A case report of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) induced by the use of sunitinib is presented in an 81-year-old woman treated with sunitinib for metastatic, interferon alpha-refractory renal cell carcinoma. During the fourth cycle of sunitinib, she was hospitalized for dizziness followed by brief unconsciousness. The symptomatology improved immediately after sunitinib interruption and recovery was complete after a few

PURPOSE: Collecting duct carcinoma of the kidney is a rare and aggressive neoplasm of the distal collecting tubules for which there is no established treatment. Since the histology of collecting duct carcinoma is similar to that of urothelial carcinoma, the standard chemotherapy regimen defined by a gemcitabine and platinum salts combination was prospectively investigated in patients with metastatic collecting duct carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Background: Gefitinib (IressaTM) is approved in for use as monotherapy for the treatment of patients (pts) with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC after failure of both platinum-based and docetaxel chemotherapy (CT). CT that include a taxane, vinorelbine or gemcitabine remains the alternative for the second- and third-line CT. The modality of combining these CT in a sequential manner and the place of target therapies could have a major impact on

Background: The monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin; H) is currently approved for therapeutic use in HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer. Data indicate that HER2 overexpression may be as high as 20–35% in UC, suggesting that H could be a feasible treatment option in this setting. Here, we describe the identification of patients (pts) eligible for a phase II randomized study of chemotherapy ± H in advanced or metastatic HER2 positive

Objective: PSA decrease is a surrogate endpoint for response in HRPC patients (pts) treated with chemotherapy (CT). This study aimed to assess the correlation between PSAHT dynamics with overall survival (OS) and time to PSAHT failure (TTF) in pts receiving CT for metastatic HRPC and to identify new predictive response categories. Methods: From 2000 to 2002, 121 pts were randomized: 42 pts to docetaxel (D) 70 mg/m2 day 1, 21 + estramustine (arm A);