[Non-small-cell lung cancer third-line therapy with gefitinib]. / Drittlinientherapie mit Gefitinib beim nicht-kleinzelligen Bronchialkarzinom.

The EGFR-inhibition via tyrosine-kinase-inhibitor gefitinib (Iressa) constitutes a new way to treat non-small-cell lung cancer. Recent research results enable us to better understand the basics of molecular targeted therapy (MTT). These results are helpful to re-interpret the clinical results obtained so far for gefitinib and to consider for the first time in a predictive manner factors for the selection of patients suitable for therapy. Three case reports are presented in this paper which illustrate that -- with view to the results from translational research -- the use of gefitinib offers an efficient new therapeutic modality for the treatment of chemotherapy-resistant non-small-cell lung cancer.

[Effects of Methotrexat on the chromosomes of a human fetus in vivo (author's transl)]. / Wirkung von Methotrexat auf die Chromosomen eines menschlichen Foetus in vivo

A pregnant woman in the 17th week of gestation with Hodgkin's disease was treated with 50 mg Methotrexate i.v. on the 3 days preceeding therapeutic abortion. Cytogenetic studies on blood, brain, skin and lung of the fetus were performed. Slight structural aberrations such as gaps, chromatid breaks and accentric fragments were found in an average of 8,5% of the counted metaphases. The following drastic structural chromosome aberrations were found in 24,8% of all observed metaphases: 1) mitoses with stretched chromosomes, comparable with special segments (9,9%). 2) clumping of chromosomes in varying degrees (5,4%). 3) combinations of 1) and 2) (0,4%). 4) nuclear fragments (7,4%). 5) pulverized chromosomes (1,7%). Endoreduplications were found in 2%. The modal number was 46 with a rate of 50,1%, hypodiploids 46,3%, hyperdiploids and polyploids 3,6%. Karyotype: 46, XX.