Docetaxel, oxaliplatin, and capecitabine combination chemotherapy for metastatic gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The incorporation of docetaxel into the cisplatin and fluorouracil backbone has been demonstrated to be an active combination in metastatic gastric cancer. Nevertheless, this regimen is burdened by nonnegligible toxicity. We hypothesized that replacing cisplatin and fluorouracil with oxaliplatin and capecitabine should be an active and safe option for metastatic gastric cancer patients. METHODS: In this phase II study, we tested the activity of docetaxel in combination with oxaliplatin and capecitabine (DOC) as a first-line treatment. DOC was administered as follows: docetaxel (60 mg/m(2)) and oxaliplatin (100 mg/m(2)) on day 1, and capecitabine (500 mg/m(2)) was administered orally twice daily given continuously, with cycles repeated every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients entered the study. All patients had metastatic disease (stage IV). None of the patients had previously received chemotherapy for advanced disease. Performance status was 0, 1, and 2 in 25, 58, and 17 % of patients, respectively; 13 patients (27 %) had adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction, and 29 patients (60.5 %) had two or more metastatic sites. The overall response rate was 52.1 %. Progression-free survival and overall survival were 6.9 and 12.6 months, respectively. The treatment was well tolerated with no treatment-related deaths. The most common grade 3-4 toxicity was neutropenia (41 %). CONCLUSIONS: DOC is an effective and tolerated first-line treatment, and the lower dose of docetaxel and oxaliplatin used in this study compared with other similar regimens does not seem to hamper the antitumor activity.

Unusual features of central nervous system involvement in CMTX associated with a novel mutation of GJB1 gene.

In this study, we report a novel connexin 32 (CX32) mutation associated with cognitive impairment and a differential degree of peripheral nerve involvement. We present clinical, electrophysiological, and neuroimaging data on a family with X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease caused by a 41A>G mutation of the gap junction protein beta 1 (GJB1) gene. The proband and her sister presented with a severe neuropathy with subclinical cognitive impairment; the proband's brother showed severe cognitive impairment and a mild neuropathy. This family report confirms that Charcot-Marie-Tooth type X is a clinically heterogeneous group, with great variability of phenotypes, possible severe involvement in females and clinical signs of cognitive impairment. Thus, this novel mutation should be added to the group of CX32 mutations with a central nervous system phenotype.

Multicenter Study on Sleep and Circadian Alterations as Objective Markers of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease Reveals Sex Differences.

BACKGROUND: Circadian and sleep disturbances are associated with increased risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Wearable activity trackers could provide a new approach in diagnosis and prevention. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate sleep and circadian rhythm parameters, through wearable activity trackers, in MCI and AD patients as compared to controls, focusing on sex dissimilarities. METHODS: Based on minute level data from consumer wearable devices, we analyzed actigraphic sleep parameters by applying an electromedical type I registered algorithm, and the corresponding circadian variables in 158 subjects: 86 females and 72 males (42 AD, 28 MCI, and 88 controls). Moreover, we used a confusion-matrix chart method to assess accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and specificity of two decision-tree models based on actigraphic data in predicting disease or health status. RESULTS: Wake after sleep onset (WASO) was higher (p < 0.001) and sleep efficiency (SE) lower (p = 0.003) in MCI, and Sleep Regularity Index (SRI) was lower in AD patients compared to controls (p = 0.004). SE was lower in male AD compared to female AD (p = 0.038) and SRI lower in male AD compared to male controls (p = 0.008), male MCI (p = 0.047), but also female AD subjects (p = 0.046). Mesor was significantly lower in males in the overall population. Age reduced the dissimilarities for WASO and SE but demonstrated sex differences for amplitude (p = 0.009) in the overall population, controls (p = 0.005), and AD subjects (p = 0.034). The confusion-matrices showed good predictive power of actigraphic data. CONCLUSION: Actigraphic data could help identify disease or health status. Sex (possibly gender) differences could impact on neurodegeneration and disease trajectory with potential clinical applications.

Gemcitabine-oxaliplatin (GEMOX) as salvage treatment in pretreated epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Currently, no clearly superior management strategy exists for recurrent, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. We tested the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine combined with oxaliplatin (GEMOX) in a multicentre phase II clinical trial. METHODS: Forty one patients with recurrent, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer were enrolled. Prior to study entry, all the participants had received at least one platinum-based regimen. Gemcitabine was administered at 1000 mg/m2 as protracted infusion (100 min) on day 1, and oxaliplatin at the dose of 100 mg/m2 on day 2 in a 2 hour infusion. Cycles were repeated every two weeks. RESULTS: We observed an overall response rate of 37% [95% Confidence Interval (CI), 22.3-51.7]. Objective responses plus disease stabilization (clinical benefit) occurred in 78% of patients. Median progression-free survival was 6.8 months (95% CI, 5.8-7.8), and median overall survival was 16.5 months (95% CI, 12.2-20.8). Median time to self-reported symptom relief, which was described by 22 out of 27 symptomatic patients (81.5%), was 4 weeks (range, 2-8). Grade 4 neutropenia and febrile neutropenia were observed in 2 (5%) and 1 (2.5%) patients, while grade 3 anemia was encountered in 2 (5%) patients, respectively. The most common adverse effects of any grade were gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue and neutropenia. Nine patients (22%) experienced mild allergic reaction to oxaliplatin, with no treatment discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort of recurrent, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients, GEMOX showed encouraging activity and manageable toxicity. Under circumstances requiring a rapid disease control, this combination regimen may offer a particularly viable option, particularly in heavily pretreated patients.

Impairment of sensory-motor plasticity in mild Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Primary motor cortex (M1) is relatively spared in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). OBJECTIVE: Aim of the present study was to investigate whether abnormal M1 synaptic plasticity is present at an early stage of AD. We employed an electrophysiological protocol, named rapid paired associative stimulation (rPAS), involving repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) paired with electrical stimulation of the contralateral median nerve, that modifies corticospinal excitability and short latency afferent inhibition (SAI). METHODS: We studied 10 patients with a diagnosis of probable mild AD according to the Mini Mental State Examination score (minimum 21) and 14 age-matched control subjects. Motor evoked potentials (MEP) amplitudes and short-afferent inhibition (SAI) were measured at baseline before and for up to 60 min after 5Hz-rPAS in abductor pollicis brevis (APB). rPAS consisted of 600 pairs of transcranial magnetic stimuli, at a rate of 5 Hz for 2 min, coupled with electrical median nerve stimulation preceding TMS over the contralateral M1 at an inter-stimulus interval of 25 ms. RESULTS: Baseline SAI was significantly reduced in AD patients. In the control subjects rPAS induced a significant increase in MEP amplitudes and a decrease of SAI in the APB muscle persistently for up to 1 h. Conversely 5Hz-rPAS did not induce any significant changes in MEP amplitudes and SAI in mild AD patients. CONCLUSIONS: Sensory-motor plasticity is impaired in the motor cortex of AD at an early stage of the disease.

Phase II study of epirubicin, oxaliplatin and docetaxel combination in metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This phase II study was designed to evaluate the activity and safety of a combination of epirubicin, oxaliplatin and docetaxel in metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Forty patients with measurable distant metastases received epirubicin 50 mg/m2, docetaxel 60 mg/m2 followed by oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 on day 1 of each 21-day cycle. Primary end point was response rates (RR). RESULTS: All patients were evaluable. The overall RR was 47.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 32-63). The disease control was 80%. Median time for response was 6 weeks. Median time to progression was 6.3 months (95% CI 5.4-7.2) and the median overall survival time was 12.1 months (95% CI 10.7-13.5). Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 50% of patients with two episodes of febrile neutropenia (5%). Other non-hematological grade 3 toxicities included sensory neuropathy in two patiens (5%), vomiting and mucositis in two patients (5%) and diarrhea in one patient (2.5%). CONCLUSION: The combination of epirubicin, oxaliplatin and docetaxel was found to be effective and well tolerated in patiens with metastatic gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma and maybe an appropriate regimen to be used in the neoadjuvant setting and with molecularly targeted agents.

No association between CYP2D6 polymorphism and Alzheimer's disease in an Italian population.

Allelic variation at the CYP2D6 gene has been suggested to be associated with CNS disorders, including Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia. In order to elucidate whether a relationship exists between CYP2D6 polymorphism and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD), CYP2D6 allele and genotype frequencies have been evaluated in 94 patients from Southern Italy (29 men and 65 women, aged 74+/-8 years) with AD, and in 350 healthy controls (204 men, 146 women, aged 33+/-9 years) from the same geographical region. Allele frequencies among AD patients were not significantly different from those in healthy controls. Subjects could be divided in four CYP2D6 genotype groups: 52 (56%) patients and 205 (59%) controls carried no mutated alleles (homozygous extensive metabolizers (EM)), 33 (35%) patients and 109 (31%) controls carried one mutated allele (heterozygous EM), while 4 (4%) patients and 11 (3%) controls were found to have two mutated alleles (poor metabolizers (PM)). Five (5%) patients and 25 (7%) controls carried extra copies of a functional gene (ultrarapid metabolizers (UM)). Our results indicate that CYP2D6 polymorphism is unlikely to represent a major risk factor in susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease.