PURPOSE To determine the conversion to resectability in patients with unresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer treated with hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) plus systemic oxaliplatin and irinotecan (CPT-11). PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty-nine patients with unresectable liver metastases (53% previously treated with chemotherapy) were enrolled onto a phase I protocol with HAI floxuridine and dexamethasone plus systemic chemotherapy with oxaliplatin and irinotecan. Results Ninety-two percent of the 49 patients had complete (8%) or partial (84%) response, and 23 (47%) of the 49 patients were able to undergo resection in a group of patients with extensive disease (73% with > five liver lesions, 98% with bilobar disease, 86% with > or = six segments involved). For chemotherapy-naïve and previously treated patients, the median survival from the start of HAI therapy was 50.8 and 35 months, respectively. The only baseline variable significantly associated with a higher resection rate was female sex. Variables reflecting extensive anatomic disease, such as number of lesions or number of vessels involved, were not significantly associated with the probability of resection. CONCLUSION The combination of regional HAI floxuridine/dexamethasone and systemic oxaliplatin and irinotecan is an effective regimen for the treatment of patients with unresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer, demonstrating a 47% conversion to resection (57% in chemotherapy-naïve patients). Future randomized trials should compare HAI plus systemic chemotherapy with systemic therapy alone to assess the additional value of HAI therapy in converting patients with hepatic metastases to resectability.

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RESUMO: "Efeito hipoglicêmico de Croton cuneatus em ratos diabéticos induzido por estreptozotocina". A ação hipoglicemiante do extrato aquoso das cascas do caule de Croton cuneatus Klotz (Euphorbiaceae) foi investigada em ratos com diabetes induzida pela estreptozotocina (STZ). Doses crescentes do extrato aquoso (6,5, 13, 26 e 52 mg/kg i.p.) foram administradas separadamente a grupos de animais normais e diabéticos em jejum. Foram avaliadas as concentrações plasmáticas de glicose e colesterol, assim como mudanças no peso corporal. A administração crônica intraperitoneal (i.p.) do extrato durante 22 dias induziu uma redução signifi cativa nos níveis de glicose sanguínea. Foi feita uma comparação entre o extrato aquoso de C. cuneatus e a droga de referência glibenclamida. Os resultados desse experimento indicam que esta planta possui atividade antidiabética em modelo com animais hiperglicêmicos. Unitermos:Croton cuneatus, estreptozotocina, açúcar no sangue, efeito antihiperglicémico.ABSTRACT: Aqueous extract of the stem barks of Croton cuneatus Klotz (Euphorbiaceae) was investigated for hypoglycaemic activity in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Increasing doses of aqueous extract (6.5, 13, 26 and 52 mg/kg i.p.) were separately administered to groups of fasted normal and diabetic rats. Plasma glucose concentration, cholesterol and changes in body weight were evaluated. The chronic intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of the extract for 22 days was found to induce signifi cant reduction in blood glucose level. A comparison was made between the action of the aqueous extract of C. cuneatus and the reference standard drug glibenclamide. The results of this experimental animal study indicate that this plant has an antidiabetic activity in hiperglycaemic rat models.

e18166 Background: Watson for Oncology (WFO) is a Memorial Sloan Kettering trained cognitive computing system designed to extract structured and unstructured data from medical records; ingest a large body of published evidence and guidelines; and provide evidence-based treatment options tailored to an individual patient. In Mexico, 160,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed per year, causing almost 80,000 deaths. 70% of cases are diagnosed at a late stage (Secretariat of Health, 2016). Given the burden of cancer on morbidity and mortality in Mexico, WFO was evaluated as a potential tool to help oncologists select treatment options for their patients. Our objective was to gain feedback on the experience of using WFO in a Mexican population by a panel of local oncology experts, retrospectively comparing their treatment recommendations to the options provided by WFO. Methods: Patient cases with lung, breast, gastric, colon and rectal cancer diagnosed within the last 5 years were included. Physician users were asked to describe the perceived utility of WFO and to compare the treatment options proposed by WFO with local treatment decisions and guidelines. Results: A total of 100 cases were processed using WFO. Oncologists found WFO to be very useful. They felt that it would be particularly beneficial in clinics that lack subspecialist expertise, and for training medical students and residents. Differences between WFO recommendations and those of the Mexican oncologists were attributed primarily to limited access to high-cost therapies in Mexico and differences between U.S. and Mexican cancer treatment guidelines. Conclusions: WFO is a cognitive computing tool that has the potential to improve the consistency, efficiency, and overall quality of cancer care in Mexico. By surfacing relevant literature and evidence, WFO may provide support for coverage of effective yet high-cost therapies.

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