[AWMF-guideline: cocaine-, amphetamine-, ecstasy- and hallucinogen-related disorders]. / AWMF-Behandlungsleitlinie: Psychische und Verhaltensstörungen durch Kokain, Amphetamine, Ecstasy und Halluzinogene.

Actually, guidelines for treatment of substance-related disorders were written under the overall control of the DG-Sucht e. V. and the DGPPN e. V. This appears within the framework of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaft (AWMF). The leading objective of these guidelines is the description of the current scientifically proven and evidence-based medicine in addiction to derive recommendations to therapy. In this context, the guideline for treatment of cocaine-, amphetamine-, ecstasy-, and halluzinogen-related disorders is introduced.

[Validity of operationalized psychodynamic diagnostics]. / Validität der Operationalisierten Psychodynamischen Diagnostik (OPD) bei familientherapeutisch behandelten Drogenabhängigen im adoleszenten und jungen Erwachsenenalter1.

The paper describes results of "operationalized psychodynamic diagnostics" (OPD) with 54 adolescent and young adult drug addicts prior to outpatient family therapy. Focus of investigation is the prognostic and factorial validity of the OPD-system. Furthermore, relationships between conflicts and psychic structure are investigated. The use of the OPD-system allows a clinical description of the patient sample. Thus, adolescent drug addicts are characterized by autonomy versus dependence and self-esteem conflicts. A neurotic or sometimes borderline level is found on the structure axis. Low scores on the structure axis are significantly correlated with self-esteem conflicts. There is some evidence for the prognostic validity of the OPD I axis. However, prognostic validity of the structure and conflict axes require further research.

Randomized trial comparing induction chemotherapy versus induction chemotherapy followed by maintenance chemotherapy in small-cell lung cancer. European Lung Cancer Working Party.

PURPOSE AND METHODS: The European Lung Cancer Working Party (ELCWP) performed a randomized trial with the primary end point to determine if maintenance chemotherapy with 12 courses of etoposide (120 mg/m2 on days 1 and 3) and vindesine (3 mg/m2 on day 3) could improve progression-free survival in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients who responded to six courses of induction chemotherapy with ifosfamide, etoposide, and an anthracycline (doxorubicin or epirubicin). RESULTS: Among 235 eligible patients initially registered, 91 were randomized to receive maintenance therapy, including seven patients who were no longer responding. Among 84 randomized responders, progression-free survival was significantly improved (P = .003) by maintenance therapy, with median durations (maintenance v follow-up) of 25 versus 12 weeks after the second randomization, but survival was not significantly increased (P = .10), with median durations of 48 and 38 weeks. However, in a multi-variate analysis that took into account disease extent, maintenance therapy, Karnofsky performance status (PS), and absolute dose-intensity (ADI) of anthracycline given during induction, limited disease (LD) and maintenance were found to be independent positive predictors of survival. CONCLUSION: We conclude that maintenance chemotherapy in responding patients is beneficial in SCLC.

Induction chemotherapy with ifosfamide, etoposide, and anthracycline for small cell lung cancer: experience of the European Lung Cancer Working Party.

Prospective trials comparing drug analogues in the treatment of small cell lung cancer are rare. The European Lung Cancer Working Party has conducted a randomized trial with a primary end point of determining the effect on survival of maintenance chemotherapy and a secondary end point of comparing doxorubicin (45 mg/m2) with a bioequivalent epirubicin dose (60 mg/m2) in one set of patients, and a standard with a high epirubicin dose (60 v 90 mg/m2) in a second set of patients. Anthracycline was given on day 1 of induction chemotherapy in combination with ifosfamide (1.5 g/m2 intravenously days 1 through 3) and etoposide (80 mg/m2 intravenously days 1 through 3). Six courses were given at 3-week intervals. In all, 235 eligible previously untreated patients with pathologically proven small cell lung cancer were randomized: 106 to the comparison of doxorubicin and epirubicin and 129 to the comparison of standard-dose versus high-dose epirubicin. There was no difference between the regimens in terms of objective response rate or survival, and the regimen containing the lower (60 mg/m2) epirubicin dose was better tolerated, with fewer toxic deaths and less need for dose and schedule adjustments.

A phase-ii study testing weekly platinum derivative combination chemotherapy as 2nd-line treatment in patients with advanced small-cell lung-cancer.

A phase II trial was conducted to determine the effectiveness of weekly administration of cisplatin (25 mg/m(2) on day 1) and carboplatin (100 mg/m(2) on day 1) as salvage chemotherapy for patients with small cell lung cancer after first-line chemotherapy without platinum derivatives. Of 40 eligible patients, 38 were evaluable for response. Interval between last course of first-line chemotherapy and first course of salvage therapy was less than 3 months in 34 and greater in 4. Five partial responses (13%; confidence interval at 95%:0.01-0.25) were documented (including 4 in patients with a treatment-free interval <3 months) as well as 8 no change, 21 progressions and 4 early deaths due to malignant disease. Toxicity consisted mainly of moderate thrombopenia and leucopenia. Grade I nephrotoxicity was observed in 6 patients. In conclusion, weekly administration of moderate doses of cisplatin and carboplatin as salvage chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer appeared feasible and was associated with a moderate but definitive anticancer activity.