We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of single-course initial regimens in patients with low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). In this trial (NCT01823315), 276 patients were analyzed. Patients were allocated to three initiated regimens: single-course methotrexate (MTX), single-course MTX + dactinomycin (ACTD), and multi-course MTX (control arm). The primary endpoint was the complete remission (CR) rate by initial drug(s). The primary CR rate was 64.4% with multi-course MTX in the control arm. For the single-course MTX arm, the CR rate was 35.8% by one course; it increased to 59.3% after subsequent multi-course MTX, with non-inferiority to the control (difference -5.1%,95% confidence interval (CI) -19.4% to 9.2%, P = 0.014). After further treatment with multi-course ACTD, the CR rate (93.3%) was similar to that of the control (95.2%, P = 0.577). For the single-course MTX + ACTD arm, the CR rate was 46.7% by one course, which increased to 89.1% after subsequent multi-course, with non-inferiority (difference 24.7%, 95% CI 12.8%-36.6%, P < 0.001) to the control. It was similar to the CR rate by MTX and further ACTD in the control arm (89.1% vs. 95.2%, P =0.135). Four patients experienced recurrence, with no death, during the 2-year follow-up. We demonstrated that chemotherapy initiation with single-course MTX may be an alternative regimen for patients with low-risk GTN.
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects* ; Dactinomycin/adverse effects* ; Female ; Gestational Trophoblastic Disease/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Methotrexate/therapeutic use* ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the combination chemotherapy regimen with floxuridine, dactinomycin, etoposide, and vincristine (FAEV) as primary treatment for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN).

METHODSClinical data and outcome of the patients with GTN from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Totally 38 eligible patients had received at least one cycle of FAEV chemotherapy as primary treatment. The primary end points were response rate and toxicity of FAEV regimen.

RESULTSTotally 38 patients and 205 cycles of FAEV chemotherapy were included. Twenty-eight of these patients (73.6%) achieved serologic complete remission (SCR). Regimens were changed in 10 patients because of 5 with no response and 5 with intolerable toxicity. The most serious adverse events were greater than or equal to grade 3 neutropenia (31.6%), febrile neutropenia (7.9%), and greater than or equal to grade 3 thrombocytopenia (5.3%). During the follow-up, none relapsed.

CONCLUSIONFAEV is an effective regimen with manageable toxicity for patients with GTN as primary treatment, especially for patients with non-metastatic low or high risk GTN.

Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Dactinomycin ; administration & dosage ; Etoposide ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Floxuridine ; administration & dosage ; Gestational Trophoblastic Disease ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vincristine ; administration & dosage ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy and toxicity of the chemotherapeutic regimen containing pirarubicin and mitoxantrone on the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults.

METHODSIn this open prospective multicentre study, we randomly assigned patients with relapsed or refractory AML to receive TAE regimen (pirarubicin+cytarabine+etoposide) versus MAE regimen (mitoxantrone + cytarabine + etoposide). The efficacy and toxicity were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS56 patients entered this clinical trial. The complete remission (CR) rate on TAE arm was 79.0% versus 55.6% on MAE arm with the overall response (OR) rates of 86.8% versus 88.9%, respectively. The CR was higher on TAE arm (P=0.035) but with no significant difference between the two groups regarding the overall response (OR) rate. The regimens were well tolerated in both groups. Hematologic and non-hematologic toxicity were similar except relatively lower the mean dosage of G-CSF, red blood cells and platelets transfusion on TAE arm. No significant differences were seen between the two groups regarding the overall survival and relapse free survival rates.

CONCLUSIONTAE regimen might be an effective salvage therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory AML.

Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Dactinomycin ; administration & dosage ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Etoposide ; administration & dosage ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; Methotrexate ; administration & dosage ; Prospective Studies ; Recurrence ; Remission Induction

We report an unusual case of 9.5-cm-sized embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma arose from a mediastinal mature teratoma in a 46-yr-old man. A man presented with chest trauma as a result of an accident at 10 September 2011. On chest X-ray, an anterior mediastinal mass was detected. To obtain further information, chest computed tomography (CT) with contrast enhancement was performed, revealing an anterior mediastinal mass. Complete surgical excision was performed and entire specimen was evaluated. Pathologic diagnosis was embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma arising in mature cystic teratoma. After surgical excision, two cycles of dactinomycin-based chemotherapy were performed. Lung metastasis was detected on follow up CT in September 2012, and wedge resection was performed. Pathological finding of the lung lesion showed same feature with that of primary rhabdomyosarcoma.
Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/therapeutic use ; Dactinomycin/therapeutic use ; Desmin/metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung Neoplasms/radiography/secondary/surgery ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal/drug therapy/*radiography/surgery ; Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal/drug therapy/*radiography/surgery ; Teratoma/*diagnosis/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with stage IIB osteosarcoma at a single institution for 20 years and to compare the results according to the chemotherapy protocols. METHODS: From Jan 1988 to Nov 2008, 167 patients with osteosarcoma were treated at our hospital and among them, 117 patients (67 males and 50 females) with stage IIB osteosarcoma were evaluable. Their mean age was 22.6 years (range, 8 months to 71 years). Seventy-eight cases underwent the modified T10 (M-T10) protocol (group 1), 23 cases underwent the T20 protocol (group 2) and 16 cases underwent the T12 protocol (group 3). The DFS and OS were calculated and compared according to the chemotherapy protocols. RESULTS: At a mean follow-up of 78.9 months, 63 patients were continuously disease-free (63/117), 6 patients were alive after having metastatic lesions, 7 patients died of other cause and 41 patients died of their disease. The 5- and 10-year OS rates were 60.2% and 44.8%, respectively and the 5- and 10-year DFS rates were 53.5% and 41.4%, respectively. There was no significant difference of the OS and DFS between the chemotherapy protocols (p = 0.692, p = 0.113). CONCLUSIONS: At present, we achieved success rates close to the internationally accepted DFS and OS. We were able to achieve the higher survival rates using the M-T10 protocol over the 20 years. However, there was no significant difference of results between the chemotherapy protocols. We think the M-T10 protocol will achieve more favorable results in the near future.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Bleomycin/administration & dosage ; Bone Neoplasms/*drug therapy/*mortality/surgery ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cyclophosphamide/administration & dosage ; Dactinomycin/administration & dosage ; Disease-Free Survival ; Doxorubicin/administration & dosage ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Leucovorin/administration & dosage ; Male ; Methotrexate/administration & dosage ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Osteosarcoma/*drug therapy/*mortality/surgery ; Survival Rate ; Vincristine/administration & dosage ; Young Adult

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Child, Preschool ; Dactinomycin ; administration & dosage ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Kidney Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rhabdoid Tumor ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Rhabdomyosarcoma ; pathology ; Sarcoma, Clear Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Vincristine ; administration & dosage ; Wilms Tumor ; pathology

Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Papillary ; pathology ; Dactinomycin ; therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Ependymoma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Ovariectomy ; Teratoma ; pathology ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Vincristine ; therapeutic use

Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma is a rare primary malignant neoplasm of the liver. Undifferentiated sarcoma of the liver in adult is an uncommon hepatic tumor of mesenchymal origin, generally considered an aggressive neoplasm with an unfavorable prognosis. We present a case of undifferentiated sarcoma in a 61-year-old woman. CT scan demonstrated a large heterogenous, exophytic growing hepatic mass in the right lobe with pulmonary metastatic nodules. US guided liver biopsy was done and pathological findings of the liver specimen revealed that isolated or grouped round pleomorphic cells and spindle to stellate cells were present. Immunohistochemical stain showed that tumor cells expressed positivity for vimentin and partially positivity or negativity for cytokeratin. She was diagnosed as having undifferentiated sarcoma of the liver. She received seven courses of VAIA chemotherapy by CWS protocols. Chemotherapy was efficacious and the size of the tumor decreased considerably after the treatment. No tumor recurrence for 12 months is noted.
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use ; Dactinomycin/therapeutic use ; Doxorubicin/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Ifosfamide/therapeutic use ; Liver Neoplasms/*diagnosis/*drug therapy/pathology ; Middle Aged ; Sarcoma/*diagnosis/*drug therapy/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vincristine/therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo improve prognosis of the patients with advanced Wilms' tumor, the authors compared different therapeutic strategies including preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), conventional preoperative chemotherapy and initial surgery.

METHODSSixty-two patients aged from 5 months to 10 years (mean 3.2 years) were identified from medical records to have histologically confirmed advanced Wilms' tumor during the period from January 1993 to December 2002. The criteria for choice were huge tumor size with a volume more than 550 ml or the mass extending beyond the midline, involvement of vital structures, inferior vena cava invasion, distal metastasis or bilateral Wilms' tumor judged by imaging examination. All cases were divided into 3 groups according to the treatment received: 31 cases in group TACE received preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with Lipiodol-Epirubicin (EPI)-Vincristine emulsion. One week after TACE, systemic chemotherapy with Actinomycin D (ACTD) was administered and tumor resected at two weeks after TACE. 20 cases in group PC received conventional preoperative chemotherapy with VCR, ACTD plus EPI for 4-5 weeks, and 11 cases in group IS underwent initial surgery. Postoperative treatment for all patients was based on the postoperative staging and tumor histology.

RESULTSIn the patients treated with TACE, no drug-induced complications such as cardiotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, hepatic dysfunction or bone marrow suppression were observed except for mild fever due to tumor necrosis. The percentages of tumor size shrinkage were 32.4% and 20.3% in group TACE and group PC, respectively (P < 0.05). Complete surgical removal of the tumor was achieved in 27 patients (87.1%) in group TACE, significantly higher in comparison with 14 in group PC (70.0%, P < 0.05) and 2 in group IS (18.2%, P < 0.01). Event-free survival (EFS) at 2 years was 87.1% (27/ 31), 60.0% (12/20) and 18.2% (2/11), respectivrely. EFS at 4 years was 84.6% (11/13), 56.3% (9/16 ) and 18.2% (2/11) in groups TACE, PC and IS, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe present study has shown that both preoperative TACE and conventional preoperative chemotherapy can be applied to the patients with advanced Wilms' tumor who are not candidates for immediately surgical resection. The survival is significantly increased in the patients undergoing preoperativeTACE when compared with conventional preoperative chemotherapy and initial surgery.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Dactinomycin ; administration & dosage ; Disease-Free Survival ; Epirubicin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Iodized Oil ; administration & dosage ; Kidney Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Nephrectomy ; Preoperative Care ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Vincristine ; administration & dosage ; Wilms Tumor ; pathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of lung lobectomy in the patients of tumor with lung metastases.

METHODSA total of 45 cases of trophoblastic tumor with pulmonary metastases treated by lung lobectomy from 1985-2002 at PUMC hospital was retrospectively analyzed. Seven cases were diagnosed as invasive mole and thirty-eight as choriocarcinoma.

RESULTSLung lobectomy was performed in all of these patients after several courses of chemotherapy. Seven cases of invasive mole reached complete remission. Eleven cases of choriocarcinoma with stage IIIa had received average 13 courses of chemotherapy, 10 of them reached complete remission. Seventeen cases of choriocarcinoma with stage IIIb had received average 14.3 courses of chemotherapy, 11 of them reached complete remission. Ten cases of choriocarcinoma with stage IV had received average 15 courses of chemotherapy, six of them reached complete remission. In the 45 patients, histologic examination disclosed haemorrhagic necrotic tissue in 27 patients, 17 of them reached complete remission (63%). Histologic examination also revealed fibrosis around the focus in 16 patients, 14 of them reached complete remission (88%). Tuberculosis was found in 2 patients.

CONCLUSIONSAlthough the development of effective chemotherapy has resulted in improved survival of patients with gestational trophoblastic tumor, lung lobectomy remains an important adjunct treatment in a selected subset of patients. Pathological examinations can help to estimate the prognosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Choriocarcinoma ; secondary ; surgery ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cyclophosphamide ; administration & dosage ; Dactinomycin ; administration & dosage ; Etoposide ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Hydatidiform Mole, Invasive ; pathology ; secondary ; surgery ; Lung Neoplasms ; secondary ; surgery ; Male ; Methotrexate ; administration & dosage ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonectomy ; methods ; Pregnancy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Trophoblastic Neoplasms ; secondary ; surgery ; Uterine Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Vincristine ; administration & dosage