Predictive factors determining neoadjuvant chemotherapy outcomes in breast cancer - a single center experience.

From January 1, 2008 to March 31, 2010, 101 patients with stage II-III breast cancer were enrolled in this study and subjected to an anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen with or without docetaxel. Surgery was performed after 2-6 cycles of chemotherapy, and the clinical response was determined by pathological and histochemical assessments. The clinical response rate, as indicated by complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), and progressive disease (PD), were 6.9, 52.5, 36.6, and 4.0%, respectively. A multivariable correlation analysis indicated that the overall clinical response rate correlated with the number of metastatic lymph nodes, number of chemotherapy cycles, and vessel invasion status. Importantly, the CR rate was only associated with the number of chemotherapy cycles. Nonparametric tests failed to detect a correlation between HER2 or Topo IIα status and clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in these patients. When they were stratified by HER2 or HR status, for HER2-positive patients the CR rate was associated with vessel invasion and Topo IIα status. Based on our findings, we propose that HR, HER-2 and Topo IIα are not putative predictive biomarkers of chemotherapy outcome for breast cancer patients. Topo IIα expression level was only inversely correlated with CR rate among HR-positive patients. Importantly, the achievement of CR was largely related to the number of chemotherapy cycles.

Oxaliplatin-dacarbazine combination chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcoma of the limbs.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to explore the feasibility, safety, and outcomes of pre-operative oxaliplatin-dacarbazine combination therapy for the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) of the limb. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between November 2005 and November 2008, 31 patients with advanced limb STS classified with stage IV STS were randomly assigned into experimental or control groups, and both were given 2 cycles of chemotherapy before undergoing surgery. The regimen for the experimental group was oxaliplatin (120 mg/m2, d1) in combination with dacarbazine (175 mg/m2, d13), while that for the control group was a standard vincristine, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide therapy. Operations were carried out four weeks after the second chemotherapy cycle, followed by another 24 more chemotherapy cycles of the previous regimen. RESULTS: Following preoperative chemotherapy, the experimental group exhibited a significant improvement in tumor regression compared to controls. Both regimens were well-tolerated, and no significant differences in adverse reactions were noted. At a median follow-up of 24 months, 28 patients were still alive and had normal limb function. The progression free survival rate of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (10/15 vs. 4/16, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Oxaliplatin- dacarbazine neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy improved the prognosis of patients with advanced limb STS in comparison with vincristine, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide combination therapy.

[Correlation between dissection of lymph nodes adjacent to mesenteric artery pedicle and prognosis in colorectal cancer patients].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the impact of radical surgery with different extent of lymph nodes dissection on the prognosis of colorectal carcinoma patients and to see if lymph nodes adjacent to mesenteric artery root should be excised. METHODS: Data of 1409 cases with colorectal carcinoma treated in Shanghai Cancer Hospital during 1985-2000 were collected. These patients had primary colorectal carcinoma treated by radical surgery with different extent of lymph nodes excision. They were divided into two groups: in group D3 the lymph nodes adjacent to mesenteric artery root were excised (n = 857), while in group D2 (n = 552) were not. The time of follow-up was 6 approximately 289 months (median: 48 months). RESULTS: The 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-year total survival rates (TS) in group D3 patients were 90.3%, 81.4%, 77.0% and 73.0%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-year tumor-free survival rates (TFS) in group D3 patients were 89.9%, 79.4%, 74.5% and 70.3%, respectively. In group D2 patients, the 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-year TS were 91.04%, 84.12%, 79.33% and 76.17%, and those of TFS were 90.0%, 82.7%, 76.0% and 71.8%, respectively. The differences in TS and TFS in the two groups of patients were not significant according to Kaplan-Meier analysis (P > 0.05). During the follow-up period, 42 patients in group D3 had local recurrence (4.9%), while in group D2 the rate of local recurrence was 5.4% (P > 0.05). Metastases developed in 79 cases in group D3 and in 60 cases in group D2 (P > 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the excision of lymph nodes adjacent to mesenteric artery pedicle did not statistically correlate with recurrence, metastasis and survival time after radical operation of colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION: Excision of lymph nodes adjacent to the mesenteric artery root has no significant impact on prognosis and is unnecessary in the radical surgery for colorectal carcinoma.

[Experience and discussion on treatment of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas of crura in youth].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the experience and investigate better method on treatment of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas of crura in youth. METHODS: Six young cases suffered from high-grade soft tissue sarcomas of crura were treated by interpolatory chemotherapy using vindesine 4mg or vincristine 2 mg combined with cisplatin 40 - 60 mg and 4'-Epidoxorubicin (4'-epi-ADM) 50 - 80 mg. There were 3 males and 3 females, and their ages rang from 12 to 23. The primary tumor locations were: calf in 4, thigh in 1, popliteal fossa in 1. The pathological type of these 6 cases were: 1 small round cell tumor from soft tissue, one rabdomyosarcoma, one alveoliar soft part sarcoma, one synovial sarcoma, one primitive neuroectodermal tumor and one without classification. All cases received interpolatory chemotherapy twice. Before their receiving interpolatory chemotherapy they had no tumor metastases. The maximum diameters of tumors rang from 4 - 15 cm. One patient's tumor disappeared after interpolatory chemotherapy and she received no further therapy. The other 5 cases received operations and one of them received additional pre-operational radiotherapy using Co(60) and pre-operational systemic chemotherapy using ifosfamide and dacarbazine. RESULTS: The tumors dwindled in size of 1 - 8 cm after interpolatory chemotherapy. All cases saved their crura and had normal functions. After interpolatory chemotherapy, all patients suffered from edema and ache of crura. One patient suffered from lymphatitis. All these patients were followed up for 6 - 20 months. All of them were alive and had pigmentations on their crura. A lung metastasis was found in 1 patient by CT 2 months after surgery, then he was in hospital and treated by chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: For treatment of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas of crura which are difficult to resect in youth, interpolatory chemotherapy is a good choice.

[Clinical analysis of 251 cases of soft tissue sarcomas].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic principles and prognostic factors of soft tissue sarcoma. METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-one patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) treated at Shanghai Cancer Hospital during 1986 - 1990 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-year tumor-free survival rates were 67.74%, 57.16%, 52.41%, 38.60%, respectively. The overall survival rates for 1, 3, 5 and 10 years were 81.01%, 67.75%, 60.79%, and 49.23% respectively. Log-rank test showed that the patients with different pathological findings, histological grades, mass location and size, anatomical depth, and surgical margin showed different outcomes. Whether the sarcomas invaded the vessels or metastasized would influence the survival rates. The patients who underwent different interventions or operations also had different outcomes. The prognosis of STS was associated with age, histological type, histological grade, tumor size, surgical margin and metastasis according to the Cox regression analysis. CONCLUSION: During the treatment of STS, wide-resection, especially 3-dimensional resection, comprehensive treatment and individualized treatment should be advocated.