Preliminary report of multimodal treatment with ifosfamide, 5‐fluorouracil,etoposide and cisplatin (IFEP chemotherapy) against metastatic adenocarcinoma of the urachus

Abstract: We report the effectiveness of a combination chemotherapy consisting of ifosfamide, 5‐fluorouracil, etoposide and cisplatin (IFEP chemotherapy) against metastatic adenocarcinoma of the urachus. From April 1995 to November 2004, four patients with adenocarcinoma of the urachus who developed metastases after definitive surgery were treated with the IFEP chemotherapy followed by consolidative radiotherapy or salvage surgery in good responders. During the median follow‐up period of 26 months, three of the four patients responded to the regimen (75%). In one patient with pulmonary metastases, four cycles of the IFEP chemotherapy, followed by stereotactic consolidative radiotherapy resulted in a complete remission for more than 8 years. Two patients achieved partial remission after the IFEP chemotherapy. We have demonstrated the IFEP chemotherapy is one of the most effective chemotherapy regimens against metastatic adenocarcinoma of the urachus. A multimodal treatment strategy, even with curative intent, can be considered when a sufficient effect was obtained by the IFEP chemotherapy.     

Docetaxel,cisplatin and 5‐fluorouracil chemotherapy with concurrent radiation for unresectable advanced urethral carcinoma

The present case report describes two cases of unresectable advanced primary urethral carcinoma. Case 1 was a 61‐year‐old man with squamous cell carcinoma of the urethra that directly invaded into the perineal skin. Case 2 was a 64‐year‐old woman with adenocarcinoma, and solitary lung and lymph node metastases. Both patients received docetaxel/cisplatin/5‐fluorouracil chemotherapy with concurrent radiation. The docetaxel/cisplatin/5‐fluorouracil chemotherapy regimen consisted of docetaxel (75 mg/m²) on day 2, cisplatin (100 mg/m²) on day 2 and 5‐fluorouracil (1000 mg/m²) on days 1 to 5 and was repeated every 4 weeks. Complete response was achieved after two cycles of chemotherapy combined with radiation in case 1. In case 2, complete response was achieved locally after six cycles of chemotherapy combined with radiation, but the solitary lung lesion remained viable. We experienced two cases with advanced urethral carcinoma for whom docetaxel/cisplatin/5‐fluorouracil chemotherapy chemotherapy with radiation was effective.     

A giant testicular tumor detected with dyspnea due to lung metastases: a case report

A 19-year-old male presented with dyspnea. Clinical examination revealed the left infant-head-sized testicular tumor, multiple lung metastases and retroperitoneal bulky lymph node metastasis with marked elevation of serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and alpha-fetoprotein. Left radical orchiectomy followed by the chemotherapy with etoposide and cisplatin (EP) for 4 cycles was performed. The tumor weighed 1,700 g, and was pathologically diagnosed as mixed germ cell tumor consisting of embryonal carcinoma and yolk sac tumor. After the treatment, the tumor markers were normalized with partial response (PR) of lung metastases and complete response (CR) of retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis. Thereafter, biopsy of lung metastases through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was performed, and pathologically no viable cells were detected. Five months after the treatment, he was seized with convulsion due to brain metastasis with hemorrhage. Therefore, a surgical resection of brain metastasis and 2nd line chemotherapy with etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin (VIP) chemotherapy for 3 cycles was performed. The patient has been free of recurrence for 21 months after the 2nd line chemotherapy.     

Complete responses in metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the prostate with cisplatin regimens

We describe 3 patients with metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the prostate who achieved a complete response with regimens containing cisplatin. Two patients received cyclophosphamide and weekly cisplatin, and 1 was given cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and cisplatin. All 3 patients had extensive pulmonary metastasis at initiation of chemotherapy. One patient, who also had massive local disease, suffered an isolated brain metastasis 9 months after completion of chemotherapy but he remains in systemic remission 5 months later. Another patient had bilateral brain metastases 3 months after achieving complete remission with chemotherapy, followed 4 months later by systemic relapse. The third patient, who also had bone and bone marrow metastasis, is free of disease 20 months after completion of chemotherapy. In contrast, none of 14 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and other sites treated with the same regimens obtained a complete response. Advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the prostate must be recognized promptly, since it is nonresponsive to hormonal manipulation and complete responses have been achieved with cisplatin chemotherapy programs as used in our patients.     

Successful Surgical Resection and Chemotherapy for Unresectable Hepatoblastoma With Pulmonary Metastases and for Lung Recurrence After Liver Transplantation: A Case Report

BackgroundLiver transplantation (LTx) is indicated for unresectable hepatoblastoma (HB) without distal metastasis. However, to our knowledge, there is no consensus on the management of unresectable HB with pulmonary metastases, or on the treatment of recurrent HB. We report a successful case of metastatic HB treated with repeated lung resection, chemotherapy, and LTx. This study strictly complied with the Helsinki Congress and the Istanbul Declaration regarding donor source.Case ReportOur case was a 1-year-old boy who developed pre-treatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) Ⅲ HB with multiple pulmonary metastases. The liver tumor was unresectable because it involved all hepatic veins. After 3 cycles of chemotherapy (cisplatin/carboplatin plus doxorubicin), the remaining 2 pulmonary metastases were resected and living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) was performed. Five months after LDLT, a tumor recurrence was detected in the right lung. Repeat lung resection was performed followed by 1 cycle of chemotherapy (carboplatin plus doxorubicin). There has been no recurrence for 18 months since the last lung resection.DiscussionPrevious reports revealed that 14 patients, including the present case, underwent LTx after resection of metastatic HB pulmonary lesions. Of these patients, the 2-year survival rate after LTx was 91%. Recurrence was reported in 5 patients, 2 of whom were successfully treated with repeated resection of the metastatic lesions. LTx after resection of lung recurrence may be a potential treatment for unresectable HB with pulmonary metastases.     

Pulmonary rhabdomyosarcoma generated during treatment of testicular tumor

A 23-year-old male was admitted to our hospital for the management of pulmonary metastases. He had undergone right high orchiectomy, chemotherapy with four courses of PEB regimen (cisplatin, etoposide, bleomycin) and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection the previous year. The pathological findings showed mixed germ cell tumor (seminoma, yolk sac tumor, embryonal carcinoma) in the testis and mature teratoma in the draining lymph node. Two courses of salvage chemotherapy using a VIP regimen (etoposide, ifosfamide, cisplatin) were performed after diagnosis of pulmonary metastases, but had no affect on tumor size. Video-assisted excision of pulmonary metastases was then performed, giving a pathological diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma in all three resected tumors. The operation was followed by three courses of CYVADIC (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin, dacarbazin) chemotherapy and oral cyclophosphamide, as a small residual tumor was suspected. These chemotherapeutic interventions have appeared effective, with no apparent recurrence of lesions at present, one year after the excision of pulmonary metastases.     

Advanced ureteral cancer with complete remission achieved by taxan containing systemic chemotherapy

We report a case of advanced ureteral cancer successfully treated with systemic chemotherapy combined with irradiation. A 47-year-old man was diagnosed as having a right ureteral cancer at the clinical stage of T4, N2 and M1 (liver). A papillary tumor was also found in the bladder and the resected specimen showed a grade 1 transitional cell carcinoma. Although three cycles of methotrexate, vinblastine, pirarubicin and cisplatin (MVAC) gave partial response to the ureteral tumor, new metastases to the lung and pelvic bone were observed. The patient received 50 Gy external irradiation to the pelvis, 11 cycles of paclitaxel (270 mg) and cisplatin (60-80 mg) followed by four cycles of docetaxel (100 mg) and cisplatin. Thereafter, he underwent bone biopsy, partial hepatectomy, total nephroureterectomy and lymph node resection, by which a complete response was achieved pathologically. The patient has been alive without evidence of disease for 12 months.     

Response to paclitaxel in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary glands

BACKGROUND: Paclitaxel is not considered to be an active drug in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the salivary glands. We report 2 consecutive cases of patients with ACC who responded to paclitaxel. METHODS: The patients were: (1) a 58-year-old man with recurrent ACC who developed pulmonary metastases, had progressive disease after a good response to first-line chemotherapy, and then achieved a partial response to weekly single- agent paclitaxel; and (2) a 46-year-old woman with extensive thoracic ACC metastases who achieved a significant response after 2 cycles of paclitaxel chemotherapy. RESULTS: The first patient died of progressive disease approximately 4 months after completing paclitaxel therapy, and the second patient had disease control after 6 cycles of paclitaxel. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic weekly paclitaxel produced a significant response in 2 patients with ACC of the head and neck, and its use in this disease merits further study.     

A case of recurrent metastatic testicular cancer, successfully treated with paclitaxel, ifomide and cisplatin

A 30-year-old man was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and underwent a radical orchiectomy. Pathological diagnosis was a mixed type nonseminomatous germ cell tumor. We diagnosed him as having stage I testicular cancer and decided to forgo adjuvant therapy. After 8 months of follow-up, he was admitted to our department because of brain, lung, and spleen metastases. Since the serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level was present at a high level at 1,297 ng/ml, he was given combination chemotherapy consisting of 3 cycles of PEB, cisplatin, etoposide and bleomycin and one cycle of PE, cisplatin and etoposide. Because of the decline in lung diffusing capacity, the administration of bleomycin was stopped in the final course. However, the AFP level remained above 14 ng/ml. Then he was given one more cycle of VIP therapy (etoposide, ifosfamide, cisplatin), but the serum AFP level was increased to 56 ng/ml. Then, two cycles of chemotherapy with paclitaxel, ifosfamide and cisplatin were administered as salvage chemotherapy, which led to a normalization of the serum AFP level, and disappearance of the brain and spleen metastases. Residual lung mass was resected at the surgical department, and microscopically no viable tumor cells remained. Three years after his final hospitalization, the patient has had no evidence of recurrence or metastasis.     

Cost-effectiveness of pulmonary resection and systemic chemotherapy in the management of metastatic soft tissue sarcoma: a combined analysis from the University of Texas M. D. Anderson and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centers

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine the cost-effectiveness of different treatment strategies for patients with pulmonary metastases from soft tissue sarcoma. METHODS: We constructed a decision tree to model the outcomes of 4 treatment strategies for patients with pulmonary metastases from soft tissue sarcoma: pulmonary resection, systemic chemotherapy, pulmonary resection and systemic chemotherapy, and no treatment. Data from 1124 patients with pulmonary metastases from soft tissue sarcoma were used to estimate disease-specific survival for pulmonary resection and no treatment. Outcomes of systemic chemotherapy and pulmonary resection and of systemic chemotherapy were estimated by assuming a 12-month improvement in disease-specific survival with chemotherapy; this was done on the basis of the widely held but unproven assumption that chemotherapy provides a survival benefit in patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma. Direct costs were examined for a series of patients who underwent protocol-based pulmonary resection or doxorubicin/ifosfamide-based chemotherapy. RESULTS: The mean cost of pulmonary resection was 20,339 dollars per patient; the mean cost of 6 cycles of chemotherapy was 99,033 dollars. Compared with no treatment and assuming a 12-month survival advantage with chemotherapy, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 14,357 dollars per life-year gained for pulmonary resection, 104,210 dollars per life-year gained for systemic chemotherapy, and 51,159 dollars per life-year gained for pulmonary resection and systemic chemotherapy. Compared with pulmonary resection, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of pulmonary resection and systemic chemotherapy was 108,036 dollars per life-year gained. Sensitivity analyses showed that certain patient and tumor features, as well as the assumed benefit of chemotherapy, affected cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with pulmonary metastases from soft tissue sarcoma who were surgical candidates, pulmonary resection was the most cost-effective treatment strategy evaluated. Even with favorable assumptions regarding its clinical benefit, systemic chemotherapy alone, compared with no treatment, was not a cost-effective treatment strategy for these patients.     

Spontaneous regression of pulmonary metastases and long-term survival of a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, after immunostimulation with bacillus Calmette-Guérin and extirpation of brain and contralateral lung metastases

A 52-year-old patient underwent left radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma and received adjuvant chemotherapy postoperatively with adriamycin and 5-fluoruracil. Twenty months afterwards he developed cerebral and multiple bilateral pulmonary metastases. The cerebral metastasis was excised and nonspecific immunostimulation with bacillus Calmette-Guérin was initiated. Two years later the other secondaries had scarcely grown and extirpation of the two right pulmonary metastases was undertaken. Few months afterwards the two left pulmonary nodules disappeared. The patient continues free of disease more than 5 years after nephrectomy and 16 months after regression of the lung metastases.     

Successful long-term management of hepatic and lymph nodes metastases of ureteral cancer by multimodal treatment including radiofrequency ablation

A 56-year-old man presented with asymptomatic gross hematuria. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed right hydronephrosis and a slightly enhanced invasive tumor in the right lower ureter, providing a diagnosis of ureteral cancer stage cT3NOM0. The patient underwent minimum incision endoscopic nephrouretectomy, and pathological examination of the resected specimen revealed urothelial carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma with metastases to right obturator lymph nodes (pT3pN2). Ten months later, CT scan of the abdomen revealed two hepatic metastases. After three courses of combination chemotherapy consisting of gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC), one tumor completely disappeared and another achieved a partial response. The patient underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the residual followed by GC chemotherapy. However, eighteen months later, CT scan of the abdomen revealed two metastatic foci in other hepatic lesion. The patient underwent RFA again followed by GC chemotherapy and then all hepatic metastases have not revealed enlargement. More than three years after surgery, the patient has achieved a high quality of life.     

Laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection combined with adjuvant chemotherapy for pathological stage II disease in nonseminomatous germ cell tumours: a 15-year experience

OBJECTIVE

To present our 15‐year experience of laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (LRPLND) combined with adjuvant chemotherapy (after RPLND) for patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumour and positive nodes (pN+), evaluating the morbidity and long‐term oncological outcome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data for 87 patients with clinical stage I GCT were collected prospectively from 1992 to 2007. Primary diagnostic LRPLND was performed for pathological staging using a modified‐template dissection. Patients with lymph node involvement had adjuvant chemotherapy, with two cycles of bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin.

RESULTS

The mean (range) operative duration was 177 (68–360) min, and the hospital stay 6 (4–18) days. Positive nodes were identified in 24% of patients, who subsequently had adjuvant chemotherapy. After a mean (range) follow‐up of 84 (1–186) months, distant relapse occurred in 9% of patients with pathological stage I (no adjuvant chemotherapy), including three patients with pulmonary metastases, two with retroperitoneal recurrence (outside the template field), two biochemical recurrences (α‐fetoprotein elevated) and one port‐site metastasis. No patients with pN+ disease relapsed. There were complications after surgery in 9% of patients, i.e. one pulmonary embolus, one lymphocoele, temporary ureteric stenting in two, ureteric stenosis requiring surgical repair in three and retrograde ejaculation in one patient. All patients remain disease‐free.

CONCLUSIONS

After gaining experience, LRPLND has comparable operative times to contemporary open series, and low morbidity. The two retroperitoneal recurrences (2.5%) were outside the template field. No patients with pN+ had a recurrence, showing the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy. Our approach provides excellent oncological outcomes, avoiding intensive surveillance.     

Long-term results following adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with clinical stage I testicular nonseminomatous malignant germ cell tumors with high risk factors

PURPOSE: We determine the efficacy and safety of 2 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy after orchiectomy in patients with high risk clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumor of the testis as an alternative to retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy or watchful waiting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 consecutive patients with clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumor of the testis and 1 or more risk factors were entered into this prospective study. Criteria for high risk were embryonal cell carcinoma, tumor invasion of blood or lymph vessels, or tumor stage pT2 or greater. Chemotherapy consisted of 2 cycles of cisplatin, vinblastine and bleomycin or bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin. RESULTS: Of the 60 patients 1 refused chemotherapy and 1 was lost to followup 1.5 years after treatment. The remaining 58 patients have been followed for a median of 93 months (range 32 to 146). World Health Organization grade 4 toxicity was observed in 9 of the 116 chemotherapy cycles, and consisted mainly of transient neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. No significant long-term sequelae were detected. There was 1 relapse after 22 months in a patient with adult teratoma in the ipsilateral region of the iliac vessels who remained disease-free 85 months after surgical excision of the lesion. Another patient had a seminoma in the contralateral testicle with interaortocaval lymph node metastases 7.5 years after adjuvant chemotherapy. The remaining 56 men are without relapse or contralateral tumor to date. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend adjuvant chemotherapy as an efficient therapeutic alternative to retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy for high risk nonseminomatous germ cell tumor of the testis.     

Choriocarcinoma of the renal pelvis: a case report

A 68-year-old male presented to our hospital complaining of gross hematuria. Intravenous pyelography subsequently demonstrated a left non-visualized kidney, and he was admitted for further evaluation. Cystoscopy revealed a bladder tumor around the left ureteral orifice and retrograde pyelography showed a filling defect in the left renal pelvis. The urinary cytology from the left renal pelvis indicated class IV, and the microscopic findings of a bladder biopsy demonstrated grade 1 transitional cell carcinoma. We performed transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-BT) followed by left nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff. The pathological diagnosis was high grade transitional cell carcinoma with choriocarcinomatous component. After the operation, the serum human chorionic gonadotropin-beta (hCG-beta) level was slightly elevated, and the combination chemotherapy with methotrexate, vinblastine and cisplatin (MVC) was administered. Although the serum hCG-beta level fell to 0.1 ng/ml, after two courses of MVC chemotherapy, bilateral pulmonary metastases appeared in the chest X-ray with increasing hCG-beta levels. Salvage chemotherapy with cisplatin, etoposide and bleomycin (PEB) was performed. After two courses of PEB chemotherapy, the serum hCG-beta level fell to within the normal range and all pulmonary metastases disappeared.     

Rezidivtherapie von Hodentumoren

The majority of patients with germ cell tumors who fail first-line treatment will still be cured. Patients without first-line chemotherapy who fail surveillance, radiotherapy, or surgery will be managed according to the treatment algorithms of their primary metastatic disease. These patients usually receive three to four cycles of cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin. Salvage treatment of patients who relapse after first-line chemotherapy is more complex and requires an experienced and highly specialized team. Two distinct treatment strategies can be pursued: four cycles of conventional-dose chemotherapy with cisplatin, ifosfamide, and either etoposide, paclitaxel, or vinblastine; or early intensification of first-salvage treatment using sequential high-dose chemotherapy. Salvage surgery is frequently required after completion of salvage chemotherapy to completely resect all radiologic residual manifestations. Patients with brain metastases should receive upfront whole brain radiation concurrent with salvage chemotherapy. Patients with late relapses more than 2 years after first-line treatment should receive immediate salvage surgery whenever this is technically feasible.     

Metastatic rectal neuroendocrine tumor presenting as an inguinal mass: A case report and review of literature

IntroductionNeuroendocrine tumors (NET) are a heterogeneous group of rare carcinomas that most often manifest along the gastrointestinal tract. Some of these tumors have the ability to secrete vasoactive peptides and hormones.Presentation of caseThe present report describes the case of a previously healthy 52-year old man who presented with a painful right inguinal mass. Upon surgical exploration, a lymph node metastasis of a high-grade NET was found. Further investigations revealed a rectal NET with pulmonary, pelvic and penile metastases.The patient was treated with 6 cycles of carboplatin and etoposide. Although initial follow-up imaging after 3 cycles of chemotherapy revealed stable disease, there was progression of the metastases after completion of systemic treatment. Second and third-line chemotherapy regimens were instituted along with pelvic and whole-brain radiation therapy extending the patient’s survival to 18 months after the initial diagnosis.DiscussionThis case highlights the aggressive nature high-grade NETs as described in the current literature. Treatment modalities of colorectal NETs include local excision for non-metastatic disease and systemic palliative chemotherapy for advanced disease. However, there are no controlled trials in favor of palliative chemotherapy.ConclusionRectal NETs are rare tumors which often have an atypical presentation or present in advanced stages. Currently, surgical options exist for local disease while treatment modalities for more advanced disease is still under investigation.     

Successful salvage chemotherapy with gemcitabine,etoposide and cisplatin for metastatic ureteral cancer: a case report

A 35-year-old man who had undergone nephroureterectomy and a single cycle of adjuvant MVAC chemotherapy for the left ureteral cancer was referred our clinic for the treatment of paraaortic lymph node metastases. Following histologic confirmation of transitional cell carcinoma by computed tomography (CT) guided biopsy, we treated him with combination chemotherapy consisting of ifosfamide, 5-fluorouracil, etoposide and cisplatin. After 5 cycles of chemotherapy complete remission was obtained. Six months later, however, metastases recurred in the left supraclavicular and paraaortic lymph nodes. Thus, we treated him with a new combination chemotherapy comprising gemcitabine, etoposide and cisplatin which was approved as a phase I study by the institutional review board. Although he was the first patient enrolled in the study and received the minimum dose of gemcitabine (level 1), complete remission was again achieved. Adjuvant radiotherapy of 40 Gy was given to the metastatic sites. He has been well without evidence of disease for 12 months.     

Long-term follow-up of 5 patients with intracranial germinoma initially treated by chemotherapy alone

Summary Background. High rates of overall- and event-free survival have been reported in patients with intracranial germinoma treated by radiotherapy. We report the long-term results after treatment initially with chemotherapy, but without radiation. Patients and method. Five patients with an intracranial germinoma were treated with 2 cycles of etoposide and cisplatin, without radiotherapy. All achieved complete remission; 3 suffered recurrence within 2 years and were again treated with 2 cycles of etoposide and cisplatin followed by radiotherapy. Results. At long-term follow-up, each of the 5 patients was in complete remission without further recurrence. Each patient with a neurohypophyseal germinoma who presented with endocrinopathy had initially recovered endocrinological function. Conclusion. In a patient with a germinoma chemotherapy, and restriction of radiation to those with recurrence may allow restoration of hypophyseal function damaged by the intracranial germinoma without compromising long term survivial.     

Solitary osseous metastasis in a patient with germ cell tumor--successful chemotherapy]

A 25-year-old patient with testicular teratoma (pathological stage I) relapsed with a solitary, symptomatic metastasis in the right humerus 8 months after unilateral orchiectomy and lymphadenectomy. Treatment consisted in three cycles of standard chemotherapy with etoposide, bleomycin and cisplatin (the last replaced by carboplatin in courses 2 and 3). No supplementary treatment proved necessary to achieve complete remission and complete physical rehabilitation. Only four cases of solitary bone metastasis of testicular germ cell tumors have been reported previously. The present case illustrates that, contrary to previous reports, symptomatic skeletal metastases of germ cell tumors can safely be treated with standard chemotherapy alone.