Table of contents
July 2005 Volume 2 No 7
Editorial
Viewpoint
The emerging role of immunotherapy in the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers
326Ablative therapies such as cryotherapy, Mohs' micrographic surgery and radiation have long been considered the standard of care for actinic keratoses and superficial basal cell carcinomas, but imiquimod is now approved for these indications in the US and Europe. Daniel Sauder discusses the mechanisms of action and clinical potential of this promising agent.
Research Highlights
EGFR copy number and gefitinib efficacy in advanced NSCLC
328Penetrating the blood–brain barrier: enhanced chemotherapy for central nervous system tumors
328Oblimersen and gimatecan in the treatment of human melanoma
328Garlic extract and apoptosis in a human cancer cell line
329Refractory cancer pain and drug-related toxicity controlled by an implantable drug delivery system
329OCFL combination for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer
330A new indicator of disease progression in gastrointestinal stromal tumors
330CpG hypermethylation of the GSTP1 promoter in prostate cancer patients from different ethnic groups
331New salvage treatment for advanced urothelial tract cancers
332Interleukin-1
gene polymorphisms in advanced gastric cancer
332Practice Points
Radiotherapy plus adjuvant temozolomide for the treatment of glioblastoma—a paradigm shift
334Can noninvasive imaging of biomarkers improve clinical grading of pediatric brain tumors?
336Chemoimmunotherapy—towards real progress in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
338What variables predict for metastasis in men with biochemical relapse following radiotherapy for prostate cancer?
340Does neoadjuvant versus adjuvant systemic treatment improve outcomes in breast cancer?
342Stem-cell transplant for Hodgkin's lymphoma: does choice of therapy prior to high-dose treatment matter?
344Reviews
Drug Insight: emerging new drugs in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes
348Although the current classification schemes and prognostic algorithms for defining myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are valid for defining disease subgroups, they do not take into consideration the significant biological diversity of MDS. Numerous pathophysiological pathways involved in MDS are being unraveled, and new molecular targets are being identified. This review provides a concise update of some of the most up-to-date targeted agents being investigated in MDS that may offer durable benefits to patients with MDS.
doi:10.1038/ncponc0224 | Full Text | PDF (147K)
Mechanisms of Disease: the impact of antithrombotic therapy in cancer patients
356Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication in patients with malignant disease. Despite the use of anticoagulant drugs, cancer patients have an increased risk of recurrent VTE following initial treatment of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. The potential roles of an activated coagulation system in the biology of solid tumors have started to emerge. Petralia et al. review the current understanding of the role of the blood coagulation system in tumor biology, the mechanism of action of low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), and emerging evidence from contemporary clinical trials that indicate a potential survival benefit for cancer patients who receive LMWHs.
doi:10.1038/ncponc0225 | Full Text | PDF (252K)
Adjuvant chemotherapy for stage II colorectal cancer: the time is right!
364The use of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colorectal cancer is well established, but the use of this approach in patients with stage II colon cancer is more controversial. Midgley and Kerr highlight data from the QUASAR 1 trial, which provide compelling evidence for the use of adjuvant chemotherapy. The use of combination therapeutic options, the rationale for considering morphologic or molecular features to select and individualize therapy, and the crucial question of which patients would benefit most from adjuvant chemotherapy, are discussed.
doi:10.1038/ncponc0228 | Full Text | PDF (118K)
Case Study
COX2-related multicentric mixed-type Castleman's disease in a young man
370doi:10.1038/ncponc0219 | Full Text | PDF (598K)
