[Results of combined treatment of patients with metastatic gastric cancer. Case study].

We present the clinical observation of combined treatment of a patient with metastatic gastric cancer. The patient underwent combined chemotherapy for initially inoperable gastric cancer with metastases to the liver, paragastric lymph nodes, and peritoneal carcinomatosis with complete regression of distant metastases, which allowed radical surgery. The patient is currently under regular team observation without signs of disease. His present survival is 44 months.

[Study on efficacy and toxicity of new combined regimen "taxoter + cisplatin + 5-fluorouracil" in disseminated and locally-spread stomach cancer. Comparative analysis of tolerance and efficacy in patients younger and older than 65 years].

The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 3-drugs regimen: T 75 mg/m2 d2 + P 75 mg/m2 d2 + F 500 mg/m2 x 3h d 1-3 every 28 days. 31 patients (pts) with morphologically proven advanced gastric cancer of the age 29-77 years (median 61.0) have been treated with this regimen. They received 138 cycles (1-10, median 4.0 cycles per pt). The response rate was evaluated in pts received > or =2 cycles: CR 1/27 (3.7%), PR 12/27 (44.4%), SD 7/27 (25.9%), PD 7/27 (25.9%). The median duration of CR+PR--4.5 mon (1.1-9.9), of SD--6.8 mon (3.0-10.7). Median TTP--5.5 mon. Overall survival: median--11.5 mon, 1-year--46.6%. PS improvement was observed in 54.8%pts, symptomatic improvement--in 71% pts. Toxicity per pt (per cycle) was moderate. There were 11 elderly among these pts. We didn't receive any significant differences in efficacy and severe toxicity in this group compared to non-elderly pts. We observed 55.6% PR, 33.3% SD, 11.1% PD, TTP--4.6 mon, median OS-7.5 mon. in elderly and 5.6% CR, 38.9% PR, 22.2% SD, 33.3 % PD, TTP--6.1 mon, median OS-12.3 mon for non-elderly pts. But dose reduction was performed more frequently in the elderly then non-elderly: 63.6% vs 30.0% pts (p = 0.07) in 64.8% vs 19.1% cycles (p < 0.0001). We consider this regimen to be effective and well tolerated both for elderly and for non-elderly patients.

[Experience in treating elderly patients with disseminated stomach and colon cancer]. / Opyt lecheniia pozhilykh bol'nykh disseminirovannym rakom zheludka i tol'stoi kishki.

Colorectal and gastric cancer in usually diagnosed in elderly patients. In metastatic disease systemic chemotherapy has been shown to be of clinical benefit for patients in term of prolongation of survival, symptomatic improvement and quality of life. Compared to its younger counterparts 5-FU-based treatment appears to be equally effective and more toxic according to some reports. Data regarding raltitrexed, oral fluoropyprimidines, Campto or oxaliplatin are limited but suggest no age-specific differences in activity or toxicity. Our experience of using chemotherapy with 5-FU-based combinations, oxaliplatin, Campto, raltitrexed in limited groups of elderly patients confirms this opinion.

[Features of chemotherapy of malignant tumors in elderly patients]. / Osobennosti khimioterapii zlokachestvennykh opukholei u patsientov pozhilogo vozrasta.

Elderly patients as a rule have modifications related to age (physiologic changes) and to other concomitant diseases (comorbidity). The glomerular filtration rate decreases with age. Before any chemotherapy is started creatinine clearance should be performed, and the doses of cytotoxic agents with active renal excretion should be modified according to creatinine clearance. Decreased liver blood flow may influence drug disposition. Some changes in liver function do occur with advanced age and may form the basis of some drug toxicities. The lean body mass in elderly people is characterized by an increase in fat, with a decrease in intracellular water, and this change, along with a decrease in serum albumin, can considerably modify drug pharmacokinetics. Decreasing in bone marrow reserve related to age increases the risk of myelotoxicity after cytotoxic therapy. Nevertheless chemotherapy may be tolerable and successful in elderly patients carefully selected. This article contains information about elderly cancer patients treated with cisplatin-based combinations (cisplatin + Vepesid + Nitrullyn, cisplatin + taxotere). There were no serious side effects.

[Nitrullin -- a new original Russian drug of the nitrosomethylurea group]. / Nitrullin -- novyi original'nyi otechestvennyi preparat iz gruppy nitrozomocheviny.

Hematologic thrombopenia and leukopenia formation limits use of nitrullin as a toxic hazard. The drug showed moderate effect in treating inoperable non-small cell cancer of the lung and satisfactory end results. The treatment had marked symptomatic effect in patients with this cancer and, as a consequence, improved the quality of life. Nutrullin had immuno-modulating effect. Its application alone or in combination with VPN showed good results in the management of small-cell cancer of the lung.

[Adriablastin (doxorubicin) in the combined chemotherapy of patients with disseminated forms of breast cancer]. / Adriablastin (doksorubitsin) v kombinirovannoi khimioterapii bol'nykh s disseminirovannymi formami raka molochnoi zhelezy.

A total of 119 patients were treated for disseminated cancer of the mammary gland according to two schemes with the use of adriablastin. It was shown that in the treatment of metastases into the bones adriablastin was the drug of choice. The treatment of such patients with it may be effective. The analgetic action of the drug was noted in 80 per cent of the patients. The roentgenologically observed objective effect of the drug was provided by the doses higher than 300 mg and the treatment period of not less than 4 months. In the treatment of patients with metastases of other localization the schemes with the use of adriablastin had no advantage over the Cooper scheme.