Case report and review of literature: temporary asymptomatic sinus bradycardia with carboplatin, paclitaxel and bevacizumab: under-reported in clinical trials and under-disclosed in practice.

INTRODUCTION: Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, and Bevacizumab (PCB) is one of the standard chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Temporary asymptomatic bradycardia is recognized toxicity of paclitaxel. However, it is under-disclosed to patients during consent for treatment and is under-reported in clinical phase III trials. CASE REPORT: Here, we report a case of severe but temporary asymptomatic sinus bradycardia (heart rate 39 bpm) in a patient immediately after receiving PCB. The patient was not informed of this risk during consent to therapy leading to non-compliance with future plan of management. Literature search showed that bradycardia is documented. However, it is not reported adequately in land mark phase III trials' reports. CONCLUSION: The cause of bradycardia in this patient is probably paclitaxel. Oncologists should disclose this potential risk to patients during consent to chemotherapy. Investigators should monitor and report it when conducting land mark trials.

A matched case-control study of Triple negative vs. HER-2 positive (irrespective of hormonal status) breast cancer: two subtypes with high risk features and poor outcome.

Genetic profile studies of breast cancer identified a number of biologically different subtypes. These genetic subtypes are often surrogated by estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR) and HER2 status as measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Triple negative (TN) subtype is recognized to have high risk features and poor outcome. Over expression of the HER2 is also recognized as a poor outcome marker. The characteristics and outcome of HER2 positive tumours (irrespective of hormonal status) (HER2 HR+/-) identified by IHC have not addressed in the era of surrogate genetic subtyping. Therefore, we retrospectively compared the risk features and clinical outcome of patients with TN against these with HER2 HR+/- tumours.

A matched group study of triple negative versus HER-2 positive (irrespective of hormonal status) breast cancer: two subtypes with high-risk features and poor outcome.

INTRODUCTION: Genetic profile studies of breast cancer identified a number of biologically different subtypes. These genetic subtypes are often surrogated by oestrogen receptors (ERs), progesterone receptors (PR) and HER2 status as measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Triple negative (TN) subtype is recognized to have high-risk features and poor outcome. Over-expression of the HER2 is also recognized as poor outcome marker. The characteristics and outcome of HER2 positive tumours (irrespective of hormonal status) (HER2 HR+/-) identified by IHC have not addressed in the era of surrogate genetic subtyping. Therefore, we retrospectively compared the risk features and clinical outcome of patients with TN against these with HER2 HR+/- tumours. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty patients with HER2 HR+/- tumours were matched for age and stage to 40 patients with TN tumours. Clinical and pathological data were collected retrospectively. All patients were managed in a single institution. RESULTS: Tumour grade and stage and rate of pathologically involved lymph nodes were similar in both groups. There was a trend of more lymphovascular invasion in HER2 HR+/- than TN patients (40% vs. 27.5%. p=0.07). Relapse and death rates were not statistically different (p=0.469 and p=1.0, respectively). Median relapse free survival was 38 months for TN and not reached for HER2 HR+/- patients (Log rank; p=0.757). Median overall survival was not reached in both groups. Multivariate analysis did not identify TN or HER2 HR+/- status to have any differential impact on RFS. CONCLUSION: HER2 HR+/- tumours exhibit high risk, presenting features and relatively poor clinical outcome possibly not very different from the increasingly recognized TN tumour.

Epirubicin/vinorelbine adjuvant chemotherapy in young women with breast cancer is associated with preservation of menstrual function.

AIMS: To determine whether the epirubicin and vinorelbine regimen in the adjuvant (neoadjuvant) treatment of breast cancer has minimum adverse effects on menstrual function. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-six premenopausal women with a median age of 32 (25-47) years received epirubicin and vinorelbine. Twenty-eight received only epirubicin and vinorelbine without any other neo/adjuvant chemotherapy agents. Amenorrhoea was defined as absence of periods 6 months after the completion of chemotherapy. The medical records of all patients were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were assessable for effects of epirubicin and vinorelbine on menstruation. All the 26 patients resumed menstruation within 6 months of completing epirubicin and vinorelbine treatment. Epirubicin and vinorelbine was well tolerated. After a median follow-up of 38.5 (11-78) months, six (21%) patients had developed disease relapse and three (11%) had died. The 6.5-year disease-free survival and overall survival probabilities were 77 and 86%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant (neoadjuvant) epirubicin and vinorelbine is an effective and well-tolerated regimen that is associated with the retention of menstrual function.

Metastatic struma ovarii: late presentation, unusual features and multiple radioactive iodine treatments.

Metastatic malignant struma ovarii is rare and there is a lack of agreement on the criteria of diagnosis and the lines of management. Here we describe a patient with struma ovarii that was initially diagnosed as benign and presented 10 years later with distant metastases. At this time, a pathological review of the initial lesion found that it contained invasive well-differentiated follicular carcinoma. The case was associated with a number of unusual features and challenging management issues, such as a delayed diagnosis of recurrence, functioning metastases with treatment consequences, tumour lysis-induced thyrotoxicosis and cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea. The diagnosis and management of struma ovarii should be led by an expert multidisciplinary team. Radioactive iodine should be considered in the management of metastatic disease.

Phase II study of docetaxel in patients with relapsed or refractory malignant lymphoma.

We report the activity and toxicity of docetaxel in 12 evaluable heavily pretreated patients with relapsed and refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease. In all, 42% achieved a partial response, 25% achieved stable disease. Median duration of response was 16 (10-21) weeks. The median overall survival was 70 (9-178) weeks and for responders it was 120 (22-178) weeks. One patient developed one episode of neutropenic sepsis. Docetaxel has limited activity in this group of patients.