ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A combination of bortezomib (1.3 mg/m(2)), melphalan (5 mg/m(2)), and dexamethasone (40 mg) (BMD), with all three drugs given as a contemporary intravenous administration, was retrospectively evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty previously treated (median 2 previous lines) patients with myeloma (33 relapsed and 17 refractory) were assessed. The first 19 patients were treated with a twice-a-week (days 1, 4, 8, 11, 'base' schedule) administration while, in the remaining 31 patients, the three drugs were administered once a week (days 1, 8, 15, 22, 'weekly' schedule). RESULTS: Side-effects were predictable and manageable, with prominent haematological toxicity, and a better toxic profile in 'weekly' schedule (36% versus 66% in 'base' schedule). The overall response rate was 62%. After median follow-up of 24.5 months (range 2.7-50 months), the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 21.6 with no difference between the two schedules and the median overall survival (OS) was 33.8 months. Independently from the adopted schedule, we found that also in a cohort of relapsed/refractory patients achieving at least partial remission improved PFS (35.2 versus 9 months) and OS (unreached median versus 18 months). CONCLUSION: Taken together, our observations suggest that BMD is an effective regimen in advanced myeloma patients with acceptable toxicity.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/administration & dosage , Boronic Acids/administration & dosage , Dexamethasone/administration & dosage , Melphalan/administration & dosage , Multiple Myeloma/drug therapy , Pyrazines/administration & dosage , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects , Boronic Acids/adverse effects , Bortezomib , Dexamethasone/adverse effects , Disease-Free Survival , Drug Administration Schedule , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions/chemically induced , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions/pathology , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Injections, Intravenous , Male , Melphalan/adverse effects , Middle Aged , Multiple Myeloma/pathology , Pyrazines/adverse effects , Recurrence , Retrospective Studies , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Orbital rhabdomyosarcoma accounts for one-fourth of the primary tumors in the head and neck region. Modern treatment modalities have led to a 2-year survival rate of about 90% in these patients. However, new therapeutic trials are designed to reduce complications and salvage more than 90% of orbital cases. Between 1979 and 1990, 12 children affected by primary orbital rhabdomyosarcoma have been diagnosed and treated at the University of Naples. Ten of them have been uniformly treated by biopsy, followed by immediate radiation and combined chemotherapy. All 12 patients are alive and free of detectable disease, from a minimum of 7 months to a maximum of 123 months after diagnosis. In all children, ocular structures have been spared and the complications observed until now have been few. The above results suggest that the association of immediate radiation therapy and chemotherapy might represent an optimal tool for treatment of orbital rhabdomyosarcoma.
