G von Minckwitz

..In the following, an overview is given on the most important aspects in diagnosis and therapy of metastatic breast cancer. For detailed aspects, a comprehensive set of slides including a more complete bibliography may be accessed under ...

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..The clinical benefit and safety of the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib ('Iressa')1 was evaluated in this Phase II, multicentre study of patients with taxane and anthracycline pretreated, metastatic breast cancer...

..Dose-dense and sequential administration of cytotoxic drugs are current approaches to improve outcomes in patients with early-stage breast cancer...

..BMF caused more mucositis and leukopenias. Thus, bendamustine, when replacing cyclophosphamide in the CMF combination, can be expected to produce longer progression-free survival in first-line treatment of MBC...

..We compared the response of nonresponding patients who continued the same treatment with that of patients who switched to a well-tolerated non-cross-resistant regimen...

..The relationship between extended chemotherapy and pathological complete response at surgery was investigated in a clinical trial...

..This analysis compared the efficacies of four regimens for primary prophylaxis of FN and related toxic effects in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant TAC...

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..79 (95% CI=0.54-1.14; P=0.19). It is concluded that medical ovarian ablation with goserelin represents a valid option for premenopausal patients with node-negative breast cancer...

..However, when used as primary prophylaxis with granulocyte growth factors, as well as antibiotics, this regimen is considered as a safely-applicable standard option for early breast cancer treatment...

..Response to the first two cycles of preoperative chemotherapy might differentiate subgroups of breast cancer patients with high or minimal chances for a pathologic complete response (pCR) and may be used as an in vivo chemosensitivity test...

..New approaches are considering individual tailoring of treatment according to either early response of the primary breast tumor (Gepartrio) or pharmacogenetic testing on the tumor tissue...

..0001). Odds for cycle 1 FN, dose reductions > or =15% and FN-related hospitalisation were also significantly lower with PPP. These data support PPP in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy with moderately high/high FN risk...

..Combination of chemotherapy with trastuzumab should be considered when neoadjuvant treatment is given to patients with HER2-positive breast cancer...

..To investigate the effect of adjuvant sequential tamoxifen after chemotherapy in postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor-negative breast cancer...

..We compared intense dose-dense (IDD) adjuvant chemotherapy with conventionally scheduled adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with high-risk primary breast cancer...

..To determine activity and safety of capecitabine at a moderate dose of 2000 mg/m(2) as first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer...

..5 months. Fourteen patients (17.7%) had a prolonged clinical benefit lasting > or =12 months. In conclusion, PLD was associated with an evident clinical benefit in anthracycline-pretreated patients with MBC...

..Targeting of the sphingolipid rheostat may thus open new treatment options...

..As part of this effort, data published to date were reviewed critically and indications for neoadjuvant treatment were newly defined...

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..Safety data for combining bevacizumab, everolimus, or lapatinib with anthracycline- and taxane-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer are limited...

..CONCLUSION Adding capecitabine to or prolonging duration of neoadjuvant EC plus docetaxel does not result in higher efficacy at surgery...

..To investigate the predictive value of clinical and biological markers for a pathological complete remission after a preoperative dose-dense regimen of doxorubicin and docetaxel, with or without tamoxifen, in primary operable breast cancer...

..In the German Breast Group 26/Breast International Group 03-05 trial, we investigated if trastuzumab treatment should be continued beyond progression...

..Furthermore, most physicians tend towards therapy regimens without the use of dose-dense, highly active taxane-based treatments because of a lack of data regarding toxicities of these compounds in older patients...

..The aim of the RiTa trial is to establish a feasible combination of bendamustine and paclitaxel in a weekly schedule in anthracycline pre-treated metastatic breast cancer patients...

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..Interestingly, by comparing the promoter sequences of ER-beta with other genes known to be epigenetically inactivated in breast cancers, we identified a sequence motif possibly involved in promoter methylation...

..As long as there is no antibody available which is highly specific for epithelial cells, detection of microdisseminated tumor cells in bone marrow by antigen-antibody reaction should be verified morphological criteria...

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..One of those genes is plexin B1, a cell-surface receptor for the semaphorin Sema4D (CD 100). However, the biological role of plexin B1 in breast cancer is largely unknown...

..An increased NO concentration catalyzed by NO synthase (NOS) is cytotoxic and can promote apoptosis. The expression of endothelial NOS (e-NOS) and induced NOS (i-NOS) was examined in various breast tumors...

..The application of both schedules is safe and feasible in an outpatient setting. Although, results obtained from this interim analysis are encouraging, caution is recommended until the results obtained show statistical difference in pCR...

..Furthermore, a taxane-containing regimen such as ET may provide a preferential benefit to patients with HER-2/neu-positive tumors...

..Thus, for patients with MBC whose tumors co-express EGFR and HER2, gefitinib in combination with trastuzumab may prevent receptor cross-talk, improving the outcome of MBC...

..No hematologic, renal, and/or cardiovascular toxicities were noted. Our results demonstrate that local therapy with scFv(FRP5)-ETA can be effective against ErbB2 expressing tumors justifying further clinical development of this reagent...

..We conclude that despite the small number of patients, the combination of 5-FU and oxaliplatin shows promising efficacy in this heavily pretreated population...

..Recommendations are made regarding terminology, indications, regimen, diagnosis before treatment, monitoring of efficacy, tumor localization, surgery, pathologic evaluation, and postoperative treatment...

..Considerable antitumor activity was observed in vivo against A549 cells. This study suggests that antisense inhibitors targeted against PLK1 at well tolerated doses may be considered as a cancer therapeutic agent...

..Novel oral therapies have now been developed and are being used increasingly in patients whose disease has progressed following taxane therapy...

..This article expands on these issues by reviewing trials comparing combination regimens with sequential approaches...

..8% versus 67.1%; P=0.049; log-rank test). To date, this is the largest analysis of i-NOS expression in breast cancer patients and the only study to assess survival...

..It is therefore important to share and build on experiences, through research and discussion, to maximise the healthcare professional's ability to offer the best standard of care to patients...

..Neoadjuvant chemotherapy can increase the rate of breast-conserving surgery in patients with operable breast cancer. However, uncertainty remains regarding surgical procedures and predictors for successful breast-conserving surgery...

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..The majority of patients (68.1%) experienced a consistent decrease in tumour size during PST. The results indicate that decisions about further treatment should take place at the earliest after the 3rd cycle or 6 weeks of dose-dense PST...

..This report presents results of a prospective, open-label, randomized study, designed to evaluate the benefits of switching to anastrozole after 2 years of tamoxifen treatment, compared with continuing on tamoxifen for 5 years...

..72-1.42, P=0.97) and 0.77 in HR-positive patients (95% CI 0.47-1.24, P=0.27). These results do not support the general use of goserelin after adjuvant chemotherapy in this group of premenopausal patients...

..This study evaluated an immediate or delayed strategy of bone protection therapy with zoledronic acid...

..Breast carcinoma during pregnancy (BCP) is a difficult clinical situation, as it appears to put the health of the mother in conflict with that of the fetus...

..To review the state of the science with respect to preoperative systemic therapy and pathologic assessment in operable breast cancer...

..PST will lead to individualised (tailored) treatment in patients with primary breast cancer...

..Treatment decisions depend upon adjuvant endocrine pretreatment. Clinical data regarding ovarian protection by synchronous use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in young breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy are incoherent...

..To find associations between knowledge about risk factors for breast cancer and the socioeconomic status of healthy women, as well as their attitude toward taking chemopreventive drugs...

..Potent antitumoral activity of scFv(FRP5)-ETA against ErbB2-overexpressing tumor cells was previously demonstrated in vitro and in animal models. Here we report the first systemic application of scFv(FRP5)-ETA in human cancer patients...