Table of contents
May 2008 Volume 5 No 5
Viewpoint
Should adjuvant imatinib be used as primary treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumors?
240Gastrointestinal stromal tumors that metastasize cannot be controlled by systemic chemotherapy or radiotherapy; however, tumor control in such patients can be achieved with imatinib. The author of this Viewpoint discusses whether imatinib should be used as adjuvant therapy in patients who are at risk for developing metastasis, and whether tumor size is an appropriate criterion for such therapy.
Research Highlights
A novel combination regimen for the treatment of multiple myeloma
242Myelodysplastic syndromes can be effectively treated with lenalidomide
242Oral contraceptives confer a lasting reduction in the risk of ovarian cancer
242Chemokines mediate preferential metastasis of cutaneous melanoma to the small intestine
243Preoperative serum C-reactive-protein level might predict prognosis in ovarian cancer
243Nomograms for predicting survival of patients with glioblastoma
244Sequential versus concomitant chemotherapy and tamoxifen in breast cancer
244Regional lymphadenectomy should be standard for metastasis from melanoma of unknown primary
245Practice Points
Which patients with prostate cancer benefit from immediate postoperative radiotherapy?
246doi:10.1038/ncponc1106 | Full Text | PDF (103K)
Is the prevalence of colorectal neoplasm higher in patients with coronary artery disease?
248doi:10.1038/ncponc1107 | Full Text | PDF (126K)
Metastatic colorectal cancer: irinotecan plus infusional, bolus or oral fluoropyrimidines as first-line treatment
250HER2 positivity predicts a benefit from paclitaxel treatment after adjuvant chemotherapy
252doi:10.1038/ncponc1092 | Full Text | PDF (100K)
Does the addition of thalidomide to MP or low-intensity SCT improve survival in elderly multiple myeloma patients?
254doi:10.1038/ncponc1093 | Full Text | PDF (100K)
Reviews
Transplantation of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells: an emerging treatment modality for solid tumors
256Allogeneic non-myeloablative stem-cell transplantation is feasible for patients with various refractory and advanced solid tumors. Current data suggest that the graft-versus-tumor effect associated with this approach might prolong survival of some patients with metastatic solid tumors. The authors discuss the latest results from the literature and recent data from the European Bone Marrow Transplantation Solid Tumors Working Party.
doi:10.1038/ncponc1104 | Full Text | PDF (195K)
Drug Insight: gastrointestinal and hepatic adverse effects of molecular-targeted agents in cancer therapy
268Several toxicities are associated with molecular-targeted drugs including gastrointestinal adverse effects. These adverse effects need to be considered carefully because they can lead to the discontinuation of oral treatment and subsequently compromise cancer control. The authors of this Review discuss the incidence and clinical patterns of the gastrointestinal toxic effects induced by these agents and propose some hypotheses for each adverse event.
doi:10.1038/ncponc1087 | Full Text | PDF (187K)
Mechanisms of Disease: epithelial–mesenchymal transition—does cellular plasticity fuel neoplastic progression?
280Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a phenotypic conversion that facilitates organ morphogenesis and tissue remodeling. The authors of this Review discuss the phenomenon of EMT in relation to tumor development, and the function of EMT in promoting invasion and metastasis. The roles of ERK1, ERK2 and PI3-kinase, as microenvironmental responsive regulators of EMT are also highlighted.
doi:10.1038/ncponc1089 | Full Text | PDF (444K)
Case Study
Five donors–one recipient: modeling a mosaic of granulocytes, natural killer and T cells from cord-blood and third-party donors
291Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is the only curative treatment for the majority of patients with high-risk or advanced hematologic malignancies. Schöttker et al. describe the case of a male patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who received cord-blood, third-party CD34+ stem-cell, and T-cell transplantation after experiencing primary graft failure. The authors discuss the therapeutic potential of this combined non-HLA restricted transplantation for patients with hematologic disorders.
doi:10.1038/ncponc1105 | Full Text | PDF (187K)
