Intra-arterial cisplatin for bladder cancer.

Cisplatin (25 to 120 mg. per m.2) was injected into the internal iliac arteries of 33 patients with locally advanced bladder cancer. Of the patients 9 were inevaluable for response to the cisplatin, since they began radiotherapy to the bladder before course 2 of cisplatin as part of a preplanned therapeutic approach. One patient received the treatment as postoperative adjuvant therapy, 1 did not return for followup and 1 with metastatic disease did not undergo repeat cystoscopy. Of 21 evaluable patients 3 (14 per cent) achieved complete remission, 12 (57 per cent) achieved partial remission, 2 (14 per cent) were stable and 4 (19 per cent) failed. The response rate was higher in patients receiving 100 to 120 mg. per m.2 per course than in patients receiving lower doses (all except 1 of whom received 60 or less mg. per m.2 per course) (86 versus 64 per cent) and it was higher in patients without prior radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The response rate in patients with previously untreated invasive transitional cell carcinoma was 88 per cent. Of the 33 patients 21 were alive at last followup, with a median duration of followup of 32 weeks. Toxicity was dose-related and local neurotoxicity was excessive at cisplatin doses of 100 to 120 mg. per m.2. Diabetic patients were particularly prone to have neurotoxicity. Other toxicity generally was not severe and consisted of ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity, myelosuppression, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Even elderly patients and patients with cardiac disease tolerated the treatment well. We plan to proceed with further intra-arterial cisplatin studies in which all patients except those more than 80 years old will be treated with an intra-arterial cisplatin dose of 90 mg. per m.2 per course combined with radiotherapy with or without cystectomy.

The estrogen receptor test: a prognostic tool in primary breast cancer.

To evaluate the usefulness of the estrogen receptor test as a prognostic indicator, a retrospective study of 134 patients with primary breast cancer was carried out at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. The estrogen receptor values, measured in a single laboratory, were correlated with the recurrence rate and the survival time after recurrence. Other well-established prognostic data, such as stage of cancer, lymph-node involvement and menopausal state, have been similarly examined to ensure that information obtained from the estrogen receptor test offers more than a duplication of information from these traditional methods. It was found that this test is a useful prognostic tool when used on premenopausal women. The results of the study show that (a) breast cancer patients having positive estrogen receptor values have recurrences less frequently, (b) among estrogen receptor-negative patients there is more than a 50% chance of early recurrence in premenopausal women compared with less than a 20% chance in postmenopausal women, (c) conventional adjuvant chemotherapy in estrogen receptor-negative premenopausal patients does not prevent early recurrence, hence, this group requires more aggressive adjuvant treatment and (d) the method described by Heuson and colleagues for estrogen receptor determination follows the trends of better-established tests.

Specific active immunochemotherapy in lung cancer: a survival study.

A radomized clinical trial of chemotherapy, immunization and immunochemotherapy among 55 patients with stages I and II carcinoma of the lung is reported. The survival rate in the immunized groups was significantly better (P = 0.001) than that in the nonimmunized groups. The results are discussed in the light of the reactivity of the patients to the specific cancer antigen.

Response to medroxyprogesterone acetate (NSC-26386) as secondary hormone therapy for metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

We have treated 40 postmenopausal women with documented metastatic breast cancer with medroxyprogesterone acetate. The average age was 63 years and the patients were, on the average, 14 years' postmenopausal. Only two patients had received no prior additive hormone therapy. The remainder had previously received estrogen, androgens, or both. Only two patients had objective evidence of tumor regression. In one patient a metastatic node disappeared for 7+ months, and the other patient had well-documented clinical improvement and control of brain mestastases for 22 months. Two other patients had mixed responses of chest wall metastases (regression of some but not all lesions), lasting 3 and 4 months respectively. Five other patients had obvious subjective benefit. There were four objective responses (10%) and five subjective responses (12%). There was no correlation between route of administration and response. All patients receiving benefit had previously responded to other hormones. Side effects were usually absent or consisted of mild fluid retention; however, four patients had disease stimulation from therapy.

PIP: Progesterone, like estrogens, is used in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. The 3 most active derivatives are megestrol, norethisterone acetate, and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). This study evaluates the use of MPA in treating metastatic breast cancer in 40 postmenopausal women (average age, 63 years; average duration of postmenopause, 14 years) who have either not responded to or have relapsed after therapy with estrogens and androgens. 18 patients received a depot preparation of MPA intramuscularly in a loading dose of 3.2 g over a 2-week period and then 400 mg at 2-4 week intervals. 22 patients received the drug orally in a dose of 200 to 300 mg daily. Patients were evaluated after 6 weeks of therapy. Criteria for evaluating response were those used by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. Only 2 of 40 patients exhibited an objective response (disappearance of metastatic lymph node for 9 months in 1 and well-documented clinical improvement and control of brain metastases for 22 months in another). 2 patients had mixed responses of chest wall metastases (regression of some but not all lesions) lasting 3 and 4 months respectively. 5 patients had obvious subjective response (pain relief) but no objective response. Overall response rate was 22%: 4 objective responses (10%) and 5 subjectives responses (12%). Route of administration did not correlate with response. Tumor stimulation and clinical deterioration occurred in 4 patients. It appears that MPA therapy is costly and of minimal usefulness as secondary therapy in metastatic breast cancer. Further studies should focus on megestrol and norethisterone acetate which have been documented to have better response rates.

Acute leukemia in children: experience in Saskatchewan in 1966-72.

In 1966-72 in Saskatchewan there was a significant improvement in survival of patients up to 16 years old with acute leukemia treated intensively. The rate of complications was low. Attention to the emotional needs of the patients and parents and formation of parent mutual-support groups improved the acceptibility of intensive therapy.