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Background: Characteristic features of multiple myeloma are bone resorption, osteoporosis and osteolytic lesions. Bisphosphonates can inhibit osteoclast activity and bone resorption. In this controlled randomized multicenter trial the effect of the bisphosphonate clodronate on the progression of bone involvement in multiple myeloma was evaluated. Patients and Methods: 170 patients with multiple myeloma requiring treatment and with bone involvement were recruited and randomized. All patients received 15 mg/m² i.v. melphalan on day 1 and 60 mg/m2 p.o. predisone on days 1-4 every 4 weeks. Patients randomized to the bisphosphonate arm received 1,600 mg clodronate p.o./day for 1 year. Bone response was evaluated on the basis of X-ray controls of the skeleton at baseline, 6, and 12 months staging. In addition chemotherapy response, blood chemistry, cytology, pain, and analgesic drug consumption were documented. Results: After one year of treatment there was a higher bone response in the clodronate group (13%) when compared to the control group (6%, n.s.). The difference was mainly due to the change of the osteolytic lesions. Hypercalcemia was observed more often in the control group. The number of progressive sites was lower in the clodronate group (mean 0.49 vs. 0.66, result after one year, p = 0.09). The bone resorption index was significantly reduced in the clodronate group, but not in the control group. A reduction of pain and analgesic consumption was observed under clodronate treatment.

BackgroundDiarrhea is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Africa and Ghana in particular, it is estimated to contribute directly to 19 and 25% of pediatric mortality among children under 5 years, respectively.MethodsSurveillance for hospitalized acute diarrheal illness was initiated in November 2010 through October 2012 in a referral hospital in southern Ghana, and a teaching hospital in northern Ghana. Consenting hospitalized patients who met a standardized case definition for acute diarrheal illness provided demographic and epidemiologic data. Stool samples were collected and tested by culture for bacteria and by enzyme immunoassays for a panel of viruses and parasites.ResultsA total of 429 patients were enrolled; 216 (50.3%) were under 5 years, and 221 (51.5%) were females. Stool samples were received from 153 patients. Culture isolates included Shigella sp., Salmonella spp., Plesiomonas sp. and Vibrio cholerae. Of 147 samples tested for viruses, 41 (27.9%) were positive for rotaviruses, 11 (7.5%) for astroviruses, 10 (6.8%) for noroviruses, and 8 (5.4%) for adenoviruses. Of 116 samples tested for parasitic infections; 4 (3.4%) were positive for Cryptosporidium sp. and 3 (2.6%) for Giardia lamblia. Of the enrolled patients, 78.8% had taken antibiotics prior to sample collection.ConclusionsDiarrheal pathogens were identified across all ages, however, predominantly (81%) in the children under 5 years of age. This study also detected high antibiotic use which has the potential of increasing antibiotic resistance. The most common enteric pathogen detected (49.4%) was rotavirus.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13104-017-2621-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Rituximab proved to be effective in relapsed and refractory indolent NHL as a single agent and generated impressive results in phase II studies in combination with chemotherapy. In a prospective randomized trial we compared the efficacy and toxicity of rituximab (375 mg/m² d 1) plus MCP-chemotherapy ( mitoxantrone 8 mg/m² d 3 + 4, chlorambucile 3 x 3 mg/m² d 3 – 7, prednisolone 25 mg/m² d 3 – 7 ) given every 28 days for a total of 8 cycles versus MCP (d 1 – 5) x 8 cycles alone in advanced indolent NHL and MCL. Efficacy endpoints included overall and complete response rates, event free survival, progression free survival, overall survival and toxicity. For response assessment classical definitions have been used. Between 10/98 and 09/03 we randomized 358 patients (pts) with advanced stage follicular lymphoma (FL) (grade 1 + 2), lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma and MCL to either R-MCP or MCP. The study arms are well balanced for all demographic factors. 201/358 pts (56%) had FL. Both regimens were well tolerated with a low incidence of serious adverse events. The overall response rate (RR) and the complete response rate (CR) for all pts was 85,5% and 42% in the R-MCP arm versus 65,5% and 20% in the MCP arm (p<0,0001). Results were even more impressive in the subgroup of FL pts (n=201) with an overall RR of 92,4% and a CR rate of 49,5% for R-MCP versus 75% and 25% for MCP alone respectively (p<0,0001). In the overall group event free survival (EFS) was significantly prolonged for pts receiving R-MCP vs MCP alone (p<0,001). Median EFS for MCP was 19 months, at this time point EFS for R-MCP was 73%. In FL pts the median EFS for MCP is 19 months too and EFS was 86% for R-MCP at this point. 2-year EFS for all pts was 69% for R-MCP versus 44% for MCP; for FL pts the respective 2-year EFS was 83% for R-MCP and 43% for MCP (p’s<0,0001) (Kaplan Maier estimates). These results compare favourably with the recntly published data of immunochemotherapy for treatment of NHL or MCL. The results from our study confirm the superiority of a combination of rituximab and chemotherapy in the first- line treatment of indolent NHL, primarily follicular lymphoma. The CR rates achieved with the R-MCP regimen are impressive, especially since stricter response criteria were used. In summary we conclude, that the addition of rituximab to MCP chemotherapy improves significantly the outcome of pts with indiolent NHL and MCL.

4135 Background: Biliary tract carcinomas (BTC) are often diagnosed at an advanced/metastatic stage and have a poor prognosis. The combination of gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GEMOX) showed promising activity in a French Phase II study (4 centers) in advanced BTC (André. Ann Oncol 2004;15:1339–1343). The objective of this study is to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of GEMOX as first-line therapy in patients (pts) with advanced BTC. Methods: Eligible pts were >18 years of age with histologically proven and measurable, locally advanced or metastatic BTC, had an ECOG PS ≤ 2, adequate renal and hematologic functions, bilirubin < 2.5 × upper limit of normal, and no prior malignancy or brain metastases. Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 (Day 1) and oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 (Day 2) were administered every 2 weeks. The primary objective was response rate (RR) by RECIST (one dimension); secondary objectives were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Here we report an interim analysis of OS and safety. Results: A total of 70 pts were enrolled between April 2003 and April 2005. The median age was 62 years (range 30–83), 40.0% of pts were male, 94.3% had ECOG PS 0–1. Tumor sites were intrahepatic bile ducts (37.1%), gallbladder (31.4%), extrahepatic bile ducts (12.9%), ampulla of Vater (1.4%), intra/extrahepatic bile ducts (1.4%), missing data (15.7%); 98.6% of pts had no prior radiotherapy and 50% had no prior surgery for BTC. Median OS is 8.25 months (68% of pts are dead and 32% have censored data). Sixty-seven pts were evaluable for safety. Grade 3/4 (NCI-CTC v. 2) hematologic toxicities (% of pts) included thrombocytopenia 10.4%, anemia 9.0%, and neutropenia 9.0%. One pt had febrile neutropenia. Grade 3/4 nonhematologic toxicities included pain 10.4%, ALT elevation 9.0%, fatigue 9.0%, infection 10.4%, vomiting 9.0%, sensory neuropathy 4.5%, nausea 4.5%, and diarrhea 3.0%. One patient died during treatment (cause unknown). Conclusions: GEMOX has acceptable toxicity in pts with BTC. Updated efficacy data (RR, PFS, and OS for the entire population and also by tumor sites) will be presented at the meeting. [Table: see text]