No abstract

The use of so-called 'suicide' genes to activate prodrugs approach but reveal that hepatic expression of HSVtk, both has been effective in animal models for several solid tumor in tumor bearing and in tumor-free rats, provokes severe types and is now in phase I and II clinical trials. We have liver dysfunction and mortality upon GCV administration. exploited adenovirus vectors (Ad) for transfer and These data show, that in contrast to the common assumpexpression of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase tion, normally non-mitotic tissues too, can be affected by (HSVtk) gene to render rat colorectal liver metastases adenovirus-mediated HSVtk transfer and subsequent GCV sensitive to the anti-herpetic agent ganciclovir (GCV). The treatment. Given the hepatotropic nature of systemically efficacy and toxicity of this enzyme-prodrug combination administered adenovirus type 2-and 5-derived vectors, it were tested after in situ transduction of rat colorectal tumor will be essential to monitor liver functions of patients cells and after intraportal administration of the vector included in all gene therapy trials involving adenoviral vecAd.CMV.TK. Our results demonstrate the validity of the tors with the HSVtk gene.

This article summarizes the expert discussion on the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which took place during the 10th World Gastrointestinal Cancer Congress (WGICC) in Barcelona, June 2008. A multidisciplinary approach to a patient with HCC is essential, to guarantee optimal diagnosis and staging, planning of surgical options and selection of embolisation strategies or systemic therapies. In many patients, the underlying cirrhosis represents a challenge and determines therapeutic options. There is now robust evidence in favour of systemic therapy with sorafenib in patients with advanced HCC with preserved liver function. Those involved in the care for patients with HCC should be encouraged to participate in well-designed clinical trials, to increase evidence-based knowledge and to make further progress.

This study aims to confirm feasibility of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging for sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in vulvar cancer and to compare the tracer indocyanine green (ICG) bound to human serum albumin (HSA) versus ICG alone. Patients received 99mTc-nanocolloid and patent blue for SLN detection. Subsequently, patients randomly received ICG:HSA or ICG alone. In 24 patients, 35 SLNs were intraoperatively detected. All SLNs detected were radioactive and NIR fluorescent and 27 (77%) were blue. No significant difference was found between ICG:HSA and ICG alone. This trial confirms the feasibility of NIR fluorescence imaging for SLN mapping in vulvar cancer.

This article summarizes the expert discussion on the management of pancreatic cancer, which took place during the 8th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer in June 2006 in Barcelona. A multidisciplinary approach to a patient with pancreatic cancer is essential, in order to guarantee an optimal staging, surgery, selection of the appropriate (neo-)adjuvant strategy and chemotherapeutic choice management. Moreover, optimal symptomatic management requires a dedicated team of health care professionals. Quality control of surgery and pathology is especially important in this disease with a high locoregional failure rate. There is now solid evidence in favour of chemotherapy in both the adjuvant and palliative setting, and gemcitabine combined with erlotinib, capecitabine or platinum compounds seems to be slightly more active than gemcitabine alone in advanced pancreatic cancer. There is a place for chemoradiotherapy in selected patients with locally advanced disease, while the role in the adjuvant setting remains controversial. Those involved in the care for patients with pancreatic cancer should be encouraged to participate in well-designed clinical trials, in order to increase the evidence-based knowledge and to make further progress.