Improved survival following complete excision of retroperitoneal sarcomas.

Charts and slides of 47 patients with primary retroperitoneal sarcomas (excluding pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma) were reviewed to determine clinical presentation, histologic features, extent of surgical resection, operative morbidity and mortality, use of radiation and/or chemotherapy, and survival data. Most patients presented with pain and a palpable mass. Leiomyosarcomas and liposarcomas were the most common tumors. Eighteen of the 47 patients (38%) had complete tumor excision; 68% required resection of adjacent organs. Operative morbidity was 33% with no mortality. After complete resection, the disease-free 5-year survival was 50% and the overall survival was 70% at 5 years; 10-year disease-free survival was 25% with an overall 58% survival at 10 years. Eleven patients (61%) developed recurrent disease with a median interval of 5 years following complete excision. Six patients received adjuvant radiation and/or chemotherapy with four remaining disease-free from 46 to 61 months. Eighteen patients underwent partial excision of tumor and 11 patients underwent biopsy only; these groups had similar survival curves with only 4% alive at 5 years. Their operative morbidity was 18% and mortality was 7%; median time to clinical evidence of tumor progression was 12 months. Sixty per cent of these patients received therapeutic radiation and/or chemotherapy, but their survival was the same as those undergoing surgery alone. These data emphasize the importance of an aggressive surgical approach in the treatment of retroperitoneal sarcomas. Complete tumor resection and total excision of recurrences will allow many patients long-term survival.     

Novel treatment for desmoplastic small round cell tumor: hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion

Background

Less than 200 cases have been reported in the world literature since desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) was first described in 1989. To date, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery have resulted in a poor survival of 30% to 55%. We used hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) at the time of complete tumor resection as an adjunct to treatment of pediatric and adolescent patients with DSRCT.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to assess survival as a function of disease burden and response to HIPEC in patients with DSRCT.

Methods

Twenty-four patients with DSRCT from 1995 to 2008 were evaluated. Eight patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC were compared with 16 historical controls that had chemotherapy ± radiation therapy or surgery alone.

Results

Median age was 12 years in 8 patients who underwent HIPEC. Significant morbidity after HIPEC included renal insufficiency and gastroparesis. There were no operative mortalities. The estimated median overall 3-year survival for patients not undergoing surgery or HIPEC was 26% compared with 71% in patients who underwent HIPEC. Extraabdominal metastasis correlated with poor survival (P = .021).

Conclusion

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is safe in children with DSRCT. It may prolong disease-free survival in selected cases of DSRCT. It may have a limited role as an adjunct to local control in patients with DSRCT.     

The role of surgery in the management of thyroid lymphoma

The role of surgery in the management of patients with primary lymphoma of the thyroid gland has been addressed after review of 61 patients treated at Princess Margaret Hospital between 1958 and August 1982, 46 of whom had clinical stage I and II disease confined to the thyroid gland or lymph nodes or both above the diaphragm. Postoperative radiation therapy was used in 34 patients, radiation therapy and chemotherapy in 11 patients, and chemotherapy alone in 1 patient. Analysis of disease progression, local relapse, and distant disease recurrence indicated that postoperative residual disease bulk predicted strongly for both local and distant disease progression. Overall cause-specific survival was 59% at 5 years, with a relapse-free rate of 46% at 5 years. Of those with less than 2.5 cm of residual disease after surgery, 80% achieved lifelong local disease control compared with 40% for those with residual disease in excess of 2.5 cm after surgery. Distant relapse rates were 7% and 23% for those with less than 2.5 cm and greater than 2.5 cm after surgery, respectively. The long-term survival rate for those with disease progression during this period was approximately 10%, with a median survival expectancy of 18 months. It is suggested that those patients without an antecedent cytologically based diagnosis of lymphoma undergo biopsy and removal of operable tumor without compromise of parathyroid glands, recurrent laryngeal nerves, or appearance. Those patients with an existing cytologic diagnosis of lymphoma and bulky and/or inoperable tumor may be more effectively managed with a combined chemotherapy-radiation therapy program.     

Esthesioneuroblastoma: the impact of treatment modality

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the impact of treatment modality on esthesioneuroblastoma. METHODS: Between 1976 and 1996, 25 patients with esthesioneuroblastoma were treated at Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology. There were 11 male and 14 female patients; their ages ranged from 16 to 73 years (median, 57 years). The tumors were Kadish stage A in 3, Stage B in 13, C in 8, and modified D in 1 (cervical nodal metastasis). Seventeen patients were treated with surgery and radiation therapy, six were treated with irradiation alone, and two were treated with surgery only. Eight patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Median follow-up was 8 years (range, 2-24 years). RESULTS: The 5-year actuarial overall survival, disease-free survival, and local tumor control rates were 66.3%, 56.3%, and 73.0%, respectively. Kadish stage was not a significant prognosticator for local control or disease-free survival. Five-year local control rates were 87.4% for the combination of surgery and radiation therapy and 51.2% for irradiation alone. Two patients with Kadish stage A and B disease underwent surgical resection alone; both failed locally. In contrast, 33.3% of patients (three of nine) with Kadish stage A or B disease who received adjuvant radiation therapy had a local recurrence develop. With adjuvant radiation therapy, the surgical margin status did not influence local tumor control. Among the eight patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, six patients showed no response, one had partial response, and one showed a complete response. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection plus adjuvant radiation therapy yielded the best treatment outcome. More effective chemotherapy agents with a reproducible effectiveness are needed for patients with locally advanced esthesioneuroblastoma.     

Supratentorial malignant gliomas of childhood. Results of treatment with radiation therapy and chemotherapy

Twenty-seven patients aged 1 to 18 years harboring supratentorial (20 in the cerebrum and seven in the thalamus) malignant gliomas were treated between 1975 and 1982. There were four glioblastomas multiforme, 14 anaplastic astrocytomas, and nine malignant gliomas. All patients had a subtotal resection or biopsy as the initial procedure and received postoperative radiation therapy (RT). Fifteen of 27 patients were treated by RT alone; 14 had tumor progression with a median time to tumor progression (MTP) of 65 weeks. Twelve patients were treated with chemotherapy as an adjuvant to RT; only seven had tumor recurrence, with an MTP of 130 weeks. Of the 21 patients with recurrent tumors in both groups, 18 were treated with chemotherapy alone, or chemotherapy with a second surgical procedure or second course of RT. For all histological grades of tumor, the MTP for first recurrence was 75 weeks and the median survival time was 180 weeks. Age at initial diagnosis was found to be a statistically significant prognostic factor, with patients younger than 10 years of age surviving longer than patients aged over 10 years (p = 0.02).     

Resection of pulmonary metastases following chemotherapy for high stage testicular tumors

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to analyze retrospectively our experience with 19 patients who had metastatic germ cell testicular tumor and had undergone resection of pulmonary metastases following chemotherapy. We wished to determine the necessity of thoracic surgery on these patients. METHODS: Of 103 patients in need of postchemotherapeutic surgery for metastatic germ cell testicular tumors, 19 patients (mean age 31) underwent surgery for thoracic masses following cis-platin based chemotherapy. Resection of pulmonary metastases was performed on patients with normal tumor markers after chemotherapy, who did not achieve complete radiological remission. Histopathological findings, correlation with the pathology of abdominal surgery and probable prognostic factors for disease-free and overall survivals were evaluated. RESULTS: Disease-free and overall survival rates were 14/19 (73%) and 16/19 (84%), respectively, within a median follow-up time of 30 months (15-212 months). Patients with and without viable tumor cells in their thoracic histopathological specimen had 40% and 85% disease-free survival rates, respectively (P < 0.05). Eight patients had both abdominal and thoracic postchemotherapy surgery. Only two (25%) of these patients had the same histopathological features at both sites. CONCLUSIONS: All patients with residual thoracic masses must be considered candidates for surgery, because there are no predictive factors to determine the thoracic pathology without surgery. With the resection of the pulmonary metastases only, surgery can be performed without significant morbidity and is essential to select patients for further chemotherapy, to remove all visible masses and to provide histopathological confirmation. Patients with viable tumor cells in the thoracic surgical specimen have a poor prognosis.     

术后替加氟辅助化疗对Ro切除的食管鳞癌患者生存率的影响

目的探讨替加氟用于辅助化疗对Ro切除食管鳞癌患者生存率的影响。方法收集汕头市中心医院肿瘤外科1987年1月至1996年12月食管鳞癌RO手术病例411例,其中单纯手术组74例,术后口服替加氟化疗组337例。化疗方案：替加氟800～1200mg／d．连续服用3周后休息一周,总剂量达到40g以上。结果单纯手术组5年生存率50．1％,替加氟术后化疗组5年生存率44．3％,两组患者5年生存率相比未见显著性差异（P=0．853）。另外,从不同性别、年龄、肿瘤部位、大体类型、分化程度、浸润深度、有无淋巴结转移和分期等亚组人群分析来看,单纯手术组与替加氟术后化疗组的生存率皆无显著性差异。Cox回归模型分析结果显示,年龄、分化程度、淋巴结转移是影响生存率的独立因素,而术后替加氟化疗对预后没有产生明显影响。结论替加氟用于术后辅助化疗没有明显提高RO切除的食管鳞癌患者的生存率。食管癌术后辅助化疗缺乏有效方案,有待今后进一步深入研究。     

Oligodendrogliomas: the Mayo Clinic experience.

Eighty-one patients with pure supratentorial oligodendrogliomas underwent surgery alone (19 patients) or surgery plus postoperative radiation therapy (63 patients) between the years 1960 and 1982. The median survival time and the 5-, 10-, and 15-year survival rates for these 82 patients were 7.1 years, 54%, 34%, and 24%, respectively; these values were significantly different from those for an age- and sex-matched normal reference population. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed on 13 possible prognostic factors including: patient age and sex; presence of seizures; site, size, side, computerized tomography (CT) enhancement, grade, and calcification of the tumor; and treatment (extent of surgical resection, lobectomy, radiation dose, and radiation field). Of these factors, tumor grade as classified by the Kernohan and St. Anne-Mayo methods was most strongly associated with survival. Patients with Grade 1 or 2 tumors by either grading method had a median survival time and 5- and 10-year survival rates of approximately 9.8 years. 75%, and 46%, respectively, compared to 3.9 years, 41%, and 20% for those with Grade 3 or 4 tumors. The extent of surgical resection was also associated with survival. The 19 patients who underwent gross total resection of their tumor had a median survival time and 5- and 10-year survival rates of 12.6 years, 74%, and 59%, compared to 4.9 years, 46%, and 23%, respectively, for the 63 who had subtotal resection. When comparing the 19 patients who underwent surgery alone with the 63 who had surgery plus postoperative radiation therapy, there did not appear to be a survival benefit to be gained from the addition of postoperative radiation therapy. However, the patients who had surgery alone tended to have gross total resections and lower tumor grades. Analysis of the subset of 63 patients who underwent subtotal resection alone or with radiation therapy showed that the median survival time and 5- and 10-year survival rates were: 2 years, 25%, and 25% for the eight patients with subtotal resection alone; 4.5 years, 39%, and 20% for the 26 patients with surgery and low-dose (less than 5000 cGy) radiation therapy; and 7.9 years, 62%, and 31% for the 29 patients receiving surgery and high-dose radiation therapy (greater than or equal to 5000 cGy), respectively.     

Axillary lymph node status,but not tumor size,predicts locoregional recurrence and overall survival after mastectomy for breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: To assess the significance of axillary lymph node status and tumor size for predicting locoregional recurrence (LRR) and overall survival after mastectomy for breast cancer and to discuss the utility of postmastectomy radiation therapy. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Patients with locally advanced breast cancer require multimodality treatment combining chemotherapy (and/or hormonal therapy), surgery, and radiation. Randomized trials have demonstrated that postmastectomy radiation reduces LRR, but no overall survival benefit has been established. METHODS: Criteria for accrual to the Alabama Breast Cancer Project (1975-1978) were female gender and T2-3 breast cancer with M0 status. Patients underwent a radical or a modified radical mastectomy. Node-positive patients received adjuvant cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil chemotherapy or adjuvant melphalan. Patients were evaluated for LRR and overall survival based on the number of positive axillary lymph nodes and (in N0 patients) pathologic tumor size. Significance was determined using chi-square analysis. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared by log-rank analysis. RESULTS: After median follow-up of 15 years, neither type of surgery nor chemotherapy was shown to affect locoregional disease-free or overall survival. LRR rates were higher and overall survival rates were lower in patients with nodal involvement, while tumor size was not shown to significantly affect these rates. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with axillary lymph node metastases may benefit from postmastectomy radiation, but the use of postmastectomy radiation in N0 patients is not supported when it is based on tumor size alone.     

Primary fibrosarcoma of bone. Outcome after primary surgical treatment

To investigate outcome and evaluate prognostic factors in primary fibrosarcoma of bone, all patients at the authors' institution who had surgical treatment for primary fibrosarcoma of bone from 1910 to 1995 were studied. Medical records, surgical reports, radiographs, and histologic slides of 92 patients (51 males, 41 females; mean age, 38 years; range, 8-84 years) were reviewed. The most common tumor locations were the femur (28 patients), tibia (21 patients), and pelvis (14 patients). Sixty-one tumors (66%) were Enneking Stage IIB. Twenty-nine patients (31.5%) had adjuvant therapy: 16 had radiation, nine had chemotherapy alone, and four had radiation and chemotherapy. Amputation or disarticulation was performed in 61 patients (66%), wide excision was performed in 13 (14%), marginal excision was performed in 15 (16%), and intralesional excision was performed in three (3.3%). Local recurrence occurred in 14 patients (15%) at a median time of 7 months (range, 3-21 months). Metastases developed in 58 of the 85 patients (68%) with Stage I or II tumors at presentation, at a median of 9 months (range, 1-51 months). Survivorship analysis showed that the overall probability of survival was 33.4% at 5 years after surgery. Multivariate analysis showed that the main prognostic risk factors affecting overall survival included age older than 40 years, tumor location in the axial skeleton, and high-grade tumor (Grade 3 or 4). With the high incidence of systemic failure after surgical treatment, perioperative adjuvant treatment modalities should be considered.     

Impact of medical and surgical intervention on survival in patients with cholangiocarcinoma

AIM:To examine surgical and medical outcomes for patients with cholangiocarcinoma using a populationbased cancer registry.METHODS:Using the California Cancer Registry’s Cancer Surveillance Program,patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma treated in Los Angeles County from 1988 to 2006 were identified and evaluated for clinical and pathologic factors and therapies received(surgery,radiation,and chemotherapy).The surgical cohort was further categorized into three treatment groups:patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy,adjuvant chemoradiation,or underwent surgery alone(no chemotherapy or radiation administered).Survival was assessed by Kaplan-Meier method;and Cox proportional hazard modeling was used in multivariate analysis.RESULTS:Of 825 patients,60.2% received no treatment.Of the remaining 328 patients,18.5% chemotherapy only,7.4% chemoradiation,and 13.8% underwent surgery.More male patients underwent surgical resection(P = 0.004).Surgical patients were younger than the patients receiving chemotherapy or chemoradiation(P < 0.001).Of the surgical cohort(n = 114),60.5% underwent surgery alone while 39.5% underwent surgery plus adjuvant therapy(chemotherapy n = 20;chemoradiation,n = 21)(P < 0.001).Median survival for all patients in the study was 6.6 mo.Median survival was highest for patients who underwent surgery(23 mo),whereas both chemotherapy(9 mo) and chemoradiation(8 mo) alone were each less effective(P < 0.001).By multivariate analysis,extent of disease,receipt of surgery,and administration of chemotherapy(with/without surgery) were independent predictors of overall survival.CONCLUSION:This study demonstrates that surgery is a critical treatment modality.Multimodality treatment has yet to be standardized,but play a role in optimal therapy for cholangiocarcinoma.     

First-line chemotherapy improves the resection rate and long-term survival of locally advanced (T4, any N, M0) squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus: final report on 163 consecutive patients with 5-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this prospective, nonrandomized study was to evaluate the immediate and long-term results of first-line chemotherapy and possible surgery in locally advanced, presumably T4 squamous cell esophageal cancer. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Locally advanced esophageal cancer is rarely operable and has a dismal prognosis. For this reason, neoadjuvant cytoreductive treatments are more and more frequently used with the aim of downstaging the tumor, increasing the resection rate, and possibly improving survival. Methods: From January 1983 to December 1991, 163 consecutive patients with a presumedly T4 squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus (group A) received on average 2.5 cycles (range, 1-6) of first-line chemotherapy with cisplatin (100 mg/m2 on day 1) and 5-fluorouracil (1000 mg/m2 per day, in continuous infusion from day 1 through day 5). Chemotherapy was followed by surgery when adequate downstaging of the tumor was obtained. RESULTS: Chemotherapy toxicity was WHO grade 0 to 2 in 80% of cases, but 3 toxic deaths (1.9%) occurred. Restaging suggested a downstaging of the tumor in 101 of 163 patients (62%), but only 85 patients (52%) underwent resection surgery; it was complete or R0 in 52 (32%) and incomplete or R1-2 in 33. Overall postoperative mortality was 11.7% (10 of 85), morbidity 41% (35 of 85). Complete pathologic response was documented in 6 patients, and significant downstaging to pStage I, IIA, or IIB occurred in 25 more patients. The overall 5-year survival was 11 % (median, 11 months). After resection surgery, the 5-year survival was 20% (median, 16 months); none of the nonresponders survived 4 years after palliative treatments without resection (median survival, 5 months). The 5-year survival rate of the 52 patients undergoing an R0 resection was 29% (median, 23 months). Stratifying patients according to the R, pT, pN, and pStage classifications, the survival curves were comparable to the corresponding data obtained in the 587 group B patients with "potentially resectable" esophageal cancer who underwent surgery alone during the same period. Furthermore, the results were improved in comparison with 136 previous or subsequent patients with a locally advanced tumor who did not undergo neoadjuvant treatments (group C). In these patients, the R0 resection rate was 7%, and the overall 5-year survival was 3% (median, 5 months). CONCLUSION: Although nonrandomized, these results suggest that in locally advanced esophageal carcinoma, first-line chemotherapy increases the resection rate and improves the overall long-term survival. In responding patients who undergo R0 resection surgery, the prognosis depends on the final pathologic stage and not on the initial pretreatment stage.     

Ⅳ期结直肠癌78例的手术治疗及预后因素分析

目的探讨Ⅳ期结直肠癌姑息性手术治疗效果和影响预后的因素.方法回顾性分析1999年8月至2004年3月诊治的78例Ⅳ期结直肠癌患者的临床病理资料.结果姑息性手术治疗组73例,未手术组5例.全组患者中位生存时间11个月.单因素分析显示：原发灶切除,肿瘤合并症,肿瘤转移范围,CEA水平,是否接受化疗等因素与预后相关.Cox多因素分析仅显示肿瘤多发性转移、CEA水平升高和未化疗是Ⅳ期结直肠癌的独立危险因素.分析53例无肿瘤外科合并症患者的预后因素,原发灶切除组和未切除组的中位生存时间分别是12个月和10个月,预后差异无统计学意义（P=0.1568）,而肿瘤转移范围,CEA水平,是否接受化疗是患者生存的独立相关因素.结论对结直肠癌原发肿瘤引起的肠梗阻、消化道出血等合并症者,应争取积极手术切除;无外科合并症患者切除原发肿瘤并不能改善Ⅳ期结直肠癌患者的预后.     

Prognostic factors for Korean patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), although rare, is one of the most aggressive human cancers, and patients with ATC have extremely poor prognoses despite various therapeutic measures. We wished to determine the prognostic factors of survival and effect of treatment on survival rate in patients with ATC. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the 121 patients (41 men and 80 women) diagnosed with ATC from January 1995 to June 2004 at 5 major referral centers in Korea. RESULTS: Mean patient age at diagnosis was 64 +/- 11 years (range, 17-84 years). Of the 121 patients, 11 (9%) had intrathyroidal tumors, 69 (57%) had extrathyroidal tumors or lymph node involvement, 29 (24%) had distant metastases, and 12 had no data about staging (9%). The mean tumor diameter was 5.5 +/- 2.5 cm (range, 0.5-17.0 cm). At a median follow-up of 41 months (range, 26-122 months), 8 patients were alive. Median survival time was 5.1 months. The disease-specific survival rates were 42% at 6 months, 16% at 12 months, and 9% at 24 months. Sixteen patients (13%) received only supportive care, 25 (21%) received surgery alone, 20 (16%) received radiation treatment or chemotherapy without surgery, and 60 (50%) received surgery plus radiation treatment or chemotherapy. Multivariate analysis showed that age less than 60 years, tumor size less than 7 cm, and lesser extent of disease were independent predictors of lower disease-specific mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term survival is possible for ATC patients less than 60 years old and with small localized tumors. Although aggressive multimodal therapy, including surgery, radiation treatment, and chemotherapy, was not significantly associated with improved survival, we advocate aggressive multimodal therapy in selected ATC patients with good prognostic factors.     

Brain metastases from bladder carcinoma: presentation, treatment and survival

PURPOSE: We report the presentation of brain metastases from bladder carcinoma. We investigated the role of whole brain radiation therapy for treating this disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1982 and November 1999, 16 patients with brain metastases from bladder carcinoma were treated at our institution. We reviewed patient and tumor characteristics at the time of the primary diagnosis and the brain metastasis diagnosis. We analyzed treatment results in regard to survival and local metastasis control. RESULTS: Brain metastases from bladder carcinoma were commonly accompanied by uncontrolled systemic metastases. Multiple brain lesions developed in 14 of the 16 patients. Of the 16 patients 14 received radiation therapy with or without surgery, 1 was treated surgically and 1 did not receive any treatment. The 11 patients treated with whole brain radiation therapy had a median survival of only 2 months (range 0.5 to 11). A patient who received stereotactic radiosurgery survived 12 months after the brain metastasis diagnosis and 2 treated with radiation therapy after surgery survived 12.75 and 2.75 months, respectively (median 7.75). The patient treated with surgery alone survived 1.25 months after the brain metastasis diagnosis and 1 who received no treatment survived 1.75 months. Patients with multiple brain metastases had shorter survival than those with a single metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Overall survival after brain metastasis development in patients with bladder carcinoma was poor. Although the number of patients in this study was small, results indicate that radiation therapy alone is inadequate treatment. Therefore, when possible, we advocate more effective treatment by combining radiation therapy with other treatment modalities, as recommended in ongoing clinical trials.     

58例阴茎鳞状细胞癌治疗的临床分析

目的:提高阴茎鳞状细胞癌的治疗水平,寻求鳞状细胞癌合理有效的治疗方法。方法:回顾分析58例病理活检证实阴茎鳞状细胞癌治疗的临床资料。结果:按照Jackson分期,Ⅰ期25例,Ⅱ期18例,Ⅲ期11例,Ⅳ期4例。53例行手术治疗;行阴茎肿瘤局部切除及阴茎癌部分切除43例;阴茎全切除并尿道会阴部造口术及髂腹股沟淋巴清扫术10例(腹股沟淋巴结均阳性,髂淋巴结阳性1例)。术前新辅助治疗(热疗加化疗)联合术后化疗37例,仅术后化疗12例,单纯手术治疗4例;5例未手术治疗患者行化疗和/或放疗。48例随访2~5年,4例行阴茎部分切除者2年内复发,4例2年内死亡,7例2~5年内死亡,2年生存率为91.7%,5年生存率为77.1%,10例失访或随访期未满2~5年。结论:外科手术治疗、术前新辅助治疗联合术后化疗是目前治疗阴茎鳞状细胞癌的有效方法,淋巴结的清扫根据临床分级具体处理,手术联合术前新辅助治疗及术后化、放疗是否可减少复发及提高生存率,还需进一步研究。     

Long-term results of a combined modality approach in treating inflammatory carcinoma of the breast.

Twenty-eight patients with inflammatory carcinoma of the breast were managed initially by induction chemotherapy consisting of 3 courses of a combination of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin hydrochloride, and 5-fluorouracil. Twenty-two showed a partial response, and 21 underwent mastectomies. Histopathologic examination of the surgical specimens revealed no residual tumor in 2 breasts, but all 21 patients had residual metastases in their axillary lymph nodes. Postoperatively, they received the same chemotherapy. The other six patients who failed to respond to induction chemotherapy received radical radiation therapy followed by a combination chemotherapy regimen that consisted of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, vincristine, and prednisone. Any patient in whom chemotherapy failed during the follow-up period was treated by radiation therapy and/or a combination of mitomycin-C and vinblastine as necessary. At the time of diagnosis, 17 patients who had no evidence of distant metastasis, i.e., stage III B disease, had disease-free survival ranging from 5 to more than 84 months, with a median of 30 months, and an overall survival of 7 to more than 120 months with a median of 32 months. The 5-year survival rate was 18%. The other 11 patients who had distant metastases, i.e., stage IV disease, had an overall survival ranging from 4 to 14 months. The results of this approach of initial systemic chemotherapy followed by local-regional cytoreductive therapy, then systemic therapy, might suggest some survival benefits in patients with stage III disease.     

Doxorubicin-cisplatin chemotherapy for high-grade nonosteogenic sarcoma of bone. Comparison of treatment and control groups.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of chemotherapy with a combination of doxorubicin (adriamycin) and cisplatin in high-grade, nonosteogenic, non-Ewing's sarcoma (non-OSA) of bone. DESIGN: A case series comparison with a literature-derived control group. SETTING: A university-affiliated tertiary care centre. PATIENTS: Thirty patients with a diagnosis of non-OSA. Of these, 8 had low-grade disease (grade 1 or 2) and 22 had high-grade disease (grade 3). Eleven of the 22 with high-grade disease had malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Seventeen patients with nonmetastatic high-grade non-OSA were compared with a literature cohort of 37 patients who met the eligibility criteria of nonmetastatic, high-grade non-OSA treated with surgery, with or without radiotherapy. The mean follow-up was 25.2 months. INTERVENTIONS: Eight patients with low-grade tumour underwent surgery alone; 22 patients with high-grade tumour underwent surgery and 6 courses of adriamycin (75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks) and cisplatin (100 mg/m2 every 3 weeks). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Disease-free survival and overall survival in those with high-grade tumours treated with or without chemotherapy. RESULTS: Of 8 patients who had low-grade tumours and underwent surgery alone, 3 had systemic relapse. Of the 22 having high-grade tumours, 4 did not receive chemotherapy because of age and comorbid conditions. Of the other 18, 13 received 3 courses of chemotherapy preoperatively and 3 courses postoperatively, 4 received all 6 courses postoperatively and 1 received all chemotherapy preoperatively to treat metastatic disease. In the 17-patient cohort used for comparison with the literature control group, disease-free survival was 57% at a mean follow-up of 25.6 months and overall survival was 57% at a mean follow-up of 30.1 months. In the control group, disease-free survival was 16% at a mean follow-up of 20.9 months and overall survival was 26% at a mean follow-up of 29.9 months. These differences are significant: p = 0.0000, chi 2 = 41.61 for disease-free survival and p = 0.0000, chi 2 = 46.49 for overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study support the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with high-grade non-OSA, in whom malignant fibrous histiocytoma was the predominant histologic subtype.     

Ewing's sarcoma of the femur: Prognosis in 69 patients treated by the CESS group

We reviewed the treatment outcome of 69 patients with Ewing's sarcoma of the femur. The patients received chemotherapy according to the CESS 81 (n 14), CESS 86 (n 43), and CESS 91P (n 12) protocols. The 10-year relapse-free survival rates were 36%, 65%, and 65% (p = 0.01). 68 patients received local treatment. The primary tumor was treated by surgery without radiotherapy in 28 patients; 1 developed a local recurrence and 7 metastases. 10 patients received radiotherapy alone; 4 developed metastases and 4 local recurrences and metastases. 30 cases had a combination of surgery and radiotherapy; 7 developed metastases and 1 a local recurrence and metastasis. The survival of patients after radiotherapy alone was worse than that of patients after surgery with/without radiotherapy (p = 0.005). Pathological fractures (n 16) did not influence the prognosis.     

直肠癌术后局部复发综合治疗的疗效分析

目的：分析直肠癌根治术后局部复发的类型、综合治疗的疗效及预后。方法：对直肠癌术后局部复发、以往未接受过放疗的66例病人进行疗效分析。原手术方式为经腹直肠切除术45例(Dixon术40例，Parks术5例)，腹会阴直肠切除术21例。经腹直肠切除术后复发以吻合口为主(37／45，82．2％)，腹会阴直肠切除术后复发则以盆腔或会阴为主(19／21，90．5％)。复发后盆腔放疗中位剂量为40(20—64）Gy，临床症状缓解中位剂量26(10～52)Gy。其中26例在放疗过程中或之后接受过中位7个(2～12)疗程以5-FU为主的化疗。有22例放疗后获补救手术机会。结果：全组中位生存期24个月。Kaplan-Merier法计算生存率，放疗后1、3年总生存率分别为72．2％、17．9％。单因素分析并Log rank检验生存率差异，显示生存率与原发病变的期别、术后复发时间、复发部位及是否加用化疗无关，而仅与是否再次行补救手术有关。放疗后加用补救手术者3年生存期明显较长，为36．0％比8．8％(P=0．016)。结论：直肠癌根治术后局部复发者，放疗具有良好的姑息减症的作用；对部分经腹直肠切除术后的复发病例，放射治疗加补救手术能明显延长生存期。