Thalidomide for Advanced Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Eisen T, Boshoff C, Mak I, Sapunar F, Vaughan M M, Pyle L, Johnston S R D, Ahern R, Smith I E, Gore M E
Primary Institution: Royal Marsden Hospital
Hypothesis
Can continuous low dose Thalidomide improve outcomes in patients with advanced malignancies?
Conclusion
Thalidomide showed some effectiveness in stabilizing renal cancer and improving quality of life in patients with advanced cancer.
Supporting Evidence
- Three of 18 patients with renal cancer showed partial responses.
- Three patients experienced stabilization of their disease for up to 6 months.
- Patients reported significant improvements in sleeping and appetite.
Takeaway
This study tested a medicine called Thalidomide on people with serious cancers to see if it could help them feel better or live longer.
Methodology
Patients received Thalidomide 100 mg orally every night until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Limitations
No objective responses were seen in most tumor types, and the study was limited to a small sample size.
Participant Demographics
66 patients (37 women and 29 men; median age 48 years; range 33–62 years).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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