High-dose intravenously (i.v) vitamin C in cancer patients is controversial. Numerous studies carried out on cancer cell lines and animal models demonstrated that millimolar vitamin C concentrations inhibit tumor cells viability, especially in association with chemotherapy. In cancer patients, high-dose i.v vitamin C in monotherapy does not show any anti-cancer activity. Clinical trials assessing high-dose i.v vitamin C concomitantly with chemotherapy do not conclude to reliable evidence for tumor control or overall survival benefit. Randomized double-blind trials are warranted.

To evaluate the results of anti-VGEF with trabeculectomy in the treatment of neovascular glaucoma, a severe complication of retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

To evaluate and compare the efficacy of subconjunctival bevacizumab injections alone, photodynamic therapy alone and combined treatments for reduction of corneal neovascularization.

The international phase IIIb study, ATHENA assessed the combination of bevacizumab/taxane-based chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer (mBC) in real-life setting. Among the 365 patients included in France, median overall survival (OS) is 28.4 months (CI95% 24.8-33.0), with a median time from treatment start to end of study of 36,5 months (25,1-45,4). Exploratory analyses in three sub-groups show that the median OS in long responder patients (not progressing for at least one year; n = 116) is not reached. In responder patients (n = 308), median OS is 33.0 months (CI95% 28.6-37.4) and 12.4 months (CI95% 11.2-17.4) in non-responders (n = 41). In patients with mBC expressing hormone receptors (HR+), treated with first-line hormone therapy before inclusion (n = 87) median OS in is 23.2 months (CI95% 19.6-28.6), and 35.3 months (CI95% 32.2-not reached); P = 0.004 in patients treated first with chemotherapy + bevacizumab (n = 179). The safety analysis in the various sub-groups of grade 3-5 adverse events of particular interest to bevacizumab of this study was comparable to the safety data of randomized phase III studies.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal injection of ranibizumab 0.5mg in the treatment of idiopathic choroidal neovascularisation in young patients, which is the second most common cause of macular CNV in patients under 50 years of age.

The efficacy of the combination bevacizumab-chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer (mBC) was demonstrated in several randomized clinical trials. However, limited safety data is available in daily medical practice. ATHENA is an international phase-IIIb study conducted in 2,251 patients with locally advanced or mBC, treated in first-line with bevacizumab combined with taxanes-based chemotherapy. The primary objective is safety assessment. In France, 365 patients were included. Their median age was 56 years (24-93 years) and ECOG performance status was 0 or 1 in 93.9% of patients. Bevacizumab was essentially combined with a taxanes monotherapy: docetaxel (37.3%) or paclitaxel (28.8%) or taxanes-based combination therapy (9.4%). The most frequent grade superior or equal to 3 adverse event (AE) was neutropenia (34.5%). Grade superior or equal to 3 AEs of special interest related to bevacizumab were arterial and venous thromboembolism (5.1%), high blood pressure (4.2%), proteinuria (2.3%) and hemorrhage (2%). Median time to progression was 9.5 months (95% CI: 8.8-10.4). The safety profile and the efficacy of the combination bevacizumab-taxanes in a population more representative of daily oncology practice in France are comparable to those reported in clinical trials in mBC.

Antiangiogenic agents may be associated with severe hand-foot reactions (HFR) requiring dose adjustment by oncologists. Many preventive and curative treatments are described in the literature but their efficacy has not been assessed in clinical trials. The aim of this study was to examine information given to patients about HFR and to evaluate compliance with prophylactic therapy for this complication.

To compare chemoradiation with systemic chemotherapy to chemotherapy alone in locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

To assess efficacy and safety of subconjunctival bevacizumab in corneal neovascularization treatment.

To determine prospectively the factors associated with reconstruction failure (i.e. requiring expander removal) and capsular contracture in patients undergoing mastectomy and immediate two-stage breast reconstruction with a tissue expander and implant, and radiotherapy for breast cancer. This is a multi-institutional prospective nonrandomized trial.

Evaluate efficacy and safety of epoetin beta in anaemic patients receiving chemotherapy for a non-myeloid malignancy.

The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of epoetin beta once-weekly in anemic patients with solid tumors treated with chemotherapy.

To report the effect of an intravitreal injection of 1.25 mg (0.05 ml) of bevacizumab (IVB) as symptomatic treatment for neovascular glaucoma.

Medical corrective make up can be applied to hide the adverse effects of cancer treatments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerance and the satisfaction of patients needing medical make up to hide the cutaneous side effects induced by chimiotherapy and to improve self-esteem.

There is no standard second-line treatment for small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The prognosis of these patients is poor and special attention should be paid to both quality of life and economic factors.

The authors evaluated the impact of a chronotherapy with 5-FU, folinic acid and carboplatine (chronomodulated infusions by ambulatory pumps; 5/21 days) for the management of oesophagus (52 cases) and gastric (56 cases) cancer patients. The overall tolerance of treatment was gauged excellent (grade 3-4; % patients: mucitis: 11-23%; leucopenia 6-19%; thrombopenia 18-50%; almost no digestive disturbances nor alopecia). Also tumor outcome was considered interesting with major responses rate in 61% (gastric) to 79% (oesophagus) of patients. The median survival of oesophageal cancer was limited to 9.2 months; the one of disseminated gastric cancer was 12.7 months but 72% of curatively resected patients were alive at 5+ years.

In 1996, a multicenter randomized study comparing after breast-conservative surgery, sequential vs concurrent adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) with radiation therapy (RT) was initiated (ARCOSEIN study). Seven hundred sixteen patients were included in this trial. After a median follow-up of 6.7 (4.3-9) years, we decided to prospectively evaluate the late effects of these two strategies.

Concomitant radiotherapy (5FU-MMC) was proved to be useful in locally advanced anal canal carcinoma. Nevertheless, it remains 30% of failures after this conservative treatment. The tolerance and efficiency of a neoadjuvant chemotherapy (5-FU-CDDP) were validated by a phase II trial including 80 patients, which obtained 73% of colostomy free survival and 70% of relapse free survival at 3-year follow-up. Its usefulness is studied in an ongoing phase III trial, as well as the dose escalation of the boost, from 15 Gy to 25-25 Gy. The results of the 101 first included patients are studied by an intermediate analyze. In July 2003, 222 patients were enrolled by 33 investigating centres out of the 350 planned patients until the end of the trial in December 2004.