This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of low-dose paclitaxel/cisplatin chemotherapy in patients with metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer that had failed 5-fluorouracil/platinum-based chemotherapy. Thirty-two patients with documented progression on or within 6 months after discontinuing 5-fluorouracil/platinum-based chemotherapy were enrolled. As a second-line treatment, paclitaxel (145 mg/m2) and cisplatin (60 mg/m2) was administered on day 1 every 3 weeks. Among 32 patients enrolled, 8 (25%) responded partially to paclitaxel/cisplatin, 8 (25%) had stable disease, and 14 (44%) had progressive disease. Two patients (6%) were not evaluable. The median time to progression (TTP) and overall survival for all patients were 2.9 months and 9.1 months, respectively. The most common hematologic toxicity was anemia (47%). Grade 3 neutropenia developed in three patients (9%), but no other grade 3/4 hematologic toxicity occurred. The most common non-hematologic toxicities were emesis (31%) and peripheral neuropathy (38%). Three cases (9%) of grade 3/4 emesis and 2 cases (6%) of grade 3 peripheral neuropathy developed. In conclusion, low-dose paclitaxel and cisplatin chemotherapy showed moderate activity with favorable toxicity profiles. However, relatively short TTP of this regimen warrants the development of more effective paclitaxel-based regimens other than combination with cisplatin in these patients as second-line therapies.
Adenocarcinoma/*drug therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/*administration & dosage/adverse ; Cisplatin/administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Female ; Fluorouracil/administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Humans ; Leucovorin/administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Organoplatinum Compounds/administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Paclitaxel/administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Stomach Neoplasms/*drug therapy/mortality ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Failure

Despite advances in the characterization of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), little data is available on Asian patients. We report here upon single Korean institution's experience regarding the clinical characteristics and outcomes of ALCL. We performed a retrospective study of 32 adults with ALCL. Most of the patients received anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Ann Arbor stage III-IV, B symptoms, high-intermediate/ high International Prognostic Index (IPI), and extranodal disease at diagnosis were present in 56%, 44%, 41%, and 63%, respectively. Compared with Western studies, the male/female ratio (4.3) was markedly higher and skin (9%) and bone involvement (9%) were less frequent. The staining results for anaplastic lymphoma kinase were positive in 6 (33%) of 18 cases available. The complete response (CR) rate was 62% (95% CI, 44-80%). With a median follow-up of 51.0 months, 5 yr overall survival was 40+/-11%. The 3 yr relapse-free survival for the 18 patients who achieved CR was 74+/-12%. Age, performance status, lactate dehydrogenase, extranodal disease sites number, and IPI were correlated with treatment response and survival. Our data suggest that Korean ALCL patients appear to have a higher male/female ratio, less frequent skin/bone involvement, and lower CR rate compared with those of Western studies.
Treatment Outcome ; Survival Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Prognosis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Ki-1/*drug therapy/immunology/*pathology ; Korea ; Humans ; Female ; Antigens, CD30/analysis ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aged ; Adult ; Adolescent

BACKGROUND: Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is frequently encountered in elderly patients whereas intensive chemotherapy yield lower rate of complete remission (CR) and survival than young patients. This study was aimed to review the clinical features and treatment outcomes of elderly patients (>or=60) with AML. METHODS: We respectively reviewed the clinical features, laboratory findings and outcomes of treatment from the medical records of 115 patients with the elderly AML (>or=60), admitted in Seoul National University Hospital, between Jan.1995 and Dec.2004. RESULTS: Their median age was 66 (60~86) years with male predominance (M:F=68:47). Complete response rate in patients with conventional chemotherapy was 66.7% (42 of 63 patients; 95% CI 50.2~78.4). Median overall survival (OS) was 5.2 months with clinical benefit in the conventional chemotherapy group, compared to supportive or palliative group (11.5 vs 0.9months; p<0.0001). In between two age groups, the sixties (n=69) showed higher CR rate (69.0 vs 61.9%; p=0.9) and longer median overall survival (7.0 vs 4.4months; p=0.8) than patients group of the seventies (n=38) but without statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Conventional induction chemotherapy improved survival rate than palliative or supportive treatment.
Aged* ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Male ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies* ; Seoul ; Survival Rate

To evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of a reduced dose intensity (mini-) FOLFOX-4 regimen as a first-line palliative chemotherapy in elderly patients (> or =70 yr of age) with advanced colorectal cancer, data from prospective databases at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital and Seoul Municipal Boramae Hospital were analyzed. A total of 20 patients were enrolled between January 2001 and August 2004, and were treated with oxaliplatin 65 mg/m2 on day 1, and with 2-hr infusions of leucovorin 150 mg/m2 followed by a 5-FU bolus (300 mg/m2) and 22-hr continuous infusions (450 mg/m2) for 2 consecutive days every 2 weeks until progression, unacceptable toxicity or patient refusal. Sixteen patients were evaluable for response with an overall response rate of 43.8%. Median progression-free survival was 4.8 months (95% CI: 3.0-6.7) and overall survival was 13.5 months (95% CI: 11.1-16.0). The main side effects were anemia and neutropenia, which were observed in 20.8% and 17.7%, respectively, of the total cycles administered. There were no grade 4 toxicities and only one patient suffered from febrile neutropenia. No grade 3 toxicities occurred except for anemia (5.2%) and vomiting (1.0%). In conclusion, the mini-FOLFOX-4 regimen was found to be well tolerated with acceptable toxicity, and to provide a benefit for elderly patients with colorectal cancer.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Agents/administration and dosage ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/*administration and dosage ; Colorectal Neoplasms/*drug therapy/*mortality ; Disease-Free Survival ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Fluorouracil/administration and dosage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea/epidemiology ; Leucovorin/administration and dosage ; Male ; Organoplatinum Compounds/administration and dosage ; Palliative Care/*statistics and numerical data ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Risk Assessment/*methods ; Risk Factors ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate ; Terminal Care/*statistics and numerical data ; Treatment Outcome

Recent clinical trials showed that bortezomib, a novel proteasome inhibitor, had therapeutic activity in multiple myeloma. However, there was no data about the feasibility of bortezomib in Korean patients. We performed a pilot study of bortezomib in patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma (1.3 mg/m2 twice weekly for 2 week in a 3-week cycle). Seven patients were enrolled. The median age of patients was 59 yr. All patients previously received VAD (vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone) and thalidomide chemotherapy. Three patients previously received alkylator-containing chemotherapy and 4 patients, autologous stem cell transplantation. Bortezomib monotherapy resulted in 3 partial remissions (43%), 3 no changes (43%) and 1 progressive disease (14%). One patient who had no response to bortezomib monotherapy experienced partial remission after addition of dexamethasone to bortezomib. The most common serious toxicity was thrombocytopenia (grade 3/4, 10 of 20 cycles (50%)) and grade 3 peripheral neuropathy was developed in 2 of 20 cycles (10%). Drug-related adverse event led to discontinuation of bortezomib in 1 patient. There was no treatment related mortality. Overall, bortezomib seems to be effective and feasible. Conduction of larger clinical studies on Korean patients is necessary to characterize clinical efficacy and safety of bortezomib more precisely.
Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Boronic Acids/administration & dosage/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Dexamethasone/administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Disease Progression ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma/*drug therapy ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Pilot Projects ; Pyrazines/administration & dosage/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Survival Analysis ; Thrombocytopenia/chemically induced ; Time Factors

BACKGROUND: An angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a rare subtype of lymphoma, accounting for only 1 to 2% of studies on non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Because of the rarity of this disease, most studies have been small, including cases of various T-cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (T-NHL). Those patients diagnosed as AITL, during the last 8 years at a single institution (Seoul National University Hospital), were retrospectively analyzed to determine the clinical features and treatment outcomes of AITL. METHODS: All 24 of the patients diagnosed with AITL between February 1995 and February 2003 were included in this retrospective review. RESULTS: The predominant characteristics of the population were: median age 62 years (range, 32~81); M/F=18/6; nodal involvement 24/24 (100%); extranodal involvement, particularly bone marrow 16/20 (80%); skin involvement 6/24 (25%); B-symptoms 18/24 (75%) and advanced disease (stages III and IV) in 20/24 (83%). Twenty-three of the 24 patients received combination chemotherapy, with 8/23 (35%) of patients obtaining a CR. The median CR duration was 18.1 months. With a median follow-up of 40.9 months, the 5-year OS rate was 28%, with median survival of 8.7 months. According to a univariate analysis, an elevated LDH showed a tendency to negatively influence the survival. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of AITL is poor compared to other NHL, with a low CR rate and short CR duration and OS. From our data, the CR rate after first- or second-line chemotherapy were low (35%), compared with those previously described in Western reports.
Bone Marrow ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Lymphoma, T-Cell* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes*

Reports of blastic natural killer (NK)-cell lymphoma are rare. In previous reports, primary cutaneous blastic NK-cell lymphomas were even rarer. In Asian patients, most CD56+ lymphomas are classified as nasal type extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma and mostly associated with the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and have an aggressive clinical course. Few cases of blastic NK-cell lymphoma were reported previously in Korea but there was no report about blastic NK-cell lymphoma initially presented as disseminated skin lesions without any other organ involvement. We report such a young patient who was treated by systemic chemotherapy.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Drug Therapy ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; Korea ; Lymphoma* ; Skin

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to compare the antiemetic efficacy and tolerability of intravenous dolasetron mesylate and ondansetron in the prevention of acute and delayed emesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From April 2002 through October 2002, a total of 112 patients receiving cisplatin- based combination chemotherapy were randomized to receive a single i.v. dose of dolasetron 100 mg or ondansetron 8 mg, 30 minutes before the initiation of chemotherapy. In the ondansetron group, two additional doses of ondansetron 8 mg were given at intervals of 2 to 4 hours. To prevent delayed emesis, dolasetron 200 mg p.o. daily or ondansetron 8 mg p.o. bid was administered from the 2nd days to a maximum of 5 days. The primary end point was the proportion of patients that experienced no emetic episodes and required no rescue medication (complete response, CR) during the 24 hours (acute period) and during Day 2 to Day 5 2 days (delayed period), after chemotherapy. The secondary end points included the incidence and severity of emesis. RESULTS: 105 patients were evaluable for efficacy. CR rates during the acute period were 36.0% for a single dose of dolasetron 100 mg, and 43.6% for three doses of ondansetron 8 mg. CR rates during the delayed period were 8.0% and 10.9%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the efficacy between the two groups. Adverse effects were mostly mild to moderate and not related to study medication. CONCLUSIONS: A single i.v. dose of dolasetron 100 mg is as effective as three i.v. doses of ondansetron 8 mg in preventing acute and delayed emesis after cisplatin- based chemotherapy, with a comparable safety profile.
Antiemetics ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mesylates* ; Nausea ; Ondansetron* ; Vomiting*

BACKGROUND: Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is a lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by monoclonal IgM. Its rarity makes it difficult to know the clinical manifestations and outcomes of patients with WM. METHODS: The clinical records of 13 patients diagnosed with WM between 1983 and 2003 were reviewed, and 12 patients were eligible. RESULTS: The median age was 57 years (range, 40 to 85), and the male to female ratio was 2. B symptoms and hyperviscosity requiring plasmapheresis existed in 5 and 4 patients, respectively, at the time of diagnosis. Hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were detected in 5 and 3 patients, respectively. Sites of extranodal involvement were bone (3) and lung (1) in 3 patients. The peripheral neuropathy was complicated in 3 patients. (Ed note: check this sentence.) Cryoglobulin was checked in 6 patients and it was detected in 3 of them. The median concentration of serum IgM was 4.2 g/dL (0.7~6.2). The median albumin, hemoglobin, WBC, and platelet levels were 2.8 g/dL, 8 g/dL, 5, 400/micro L, and 138, 000/micro L, respectively. One patient had transitional cell carcinoma concomitantly, and one patient developed small cell lung cancer. Of the 11 patients receiving chemotherapy (7-chlorambucil, 2-melphalan, 1-cyclophosphamide, 1-CHOP), 4 patients showed the objective responses including 2 complete remissions, but they all ultimately relapsed. The response rate of second-line therapy was 14% (1/7). After a median follow-up of 20 months, 3 patients were still alive with disease. The median overall and progression-free survival were 24 months (95% confidence interval (CI) : 5-43) and 24 months (95% CI: 8-40), respectively. CONCLUSION: The initial high levels of serum IgM and severe anemia reflect a lack of suspicion of WM at the early stage. Careful suspicion and proper diagnostic approaches will allow more patients to show an improved outcome.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M/blood ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia/blood/*diagnosis

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBL) is a rare neoplasm characterized by proliferation of lymphoma cells within the lumina of small vessels. Neurological and skin involvements usually predominate. We would describe a 78-year-old woman presented with fever, multiple erythematous skin lesions, and language disturbance. The skin biopsy of breast revealed IVLBL and malignant cells were also seen in the bone marrow. Shortly after completion of six cycles of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) with clinical response, intracranial relapse with multiple brain masses occurred. The palliative whole brain radiation therapy was given and intensive chemotherapy should be investigated in the case presented here.
Aged ; B-Lymphocytes* ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Brain ; Breast ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy* ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell* ; Recurrence* ; Skin ; Vincristine