Clinical study of docetaxel combined with concurrent radiotherapy in patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective： The aim of this study was to study the short-term curative effects and adverse reactions of docetaxel （DOC） in concurrent chemoradiotherapy compared to DDP plus 5-Fu （DF） combined with concurrent radiotherapy in patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods： Thirty-three patients in the experimental group （DOC group） were given DOC 25 mg/m2 ivgtt, dl, 7 times, concurrent radiotherapy was performed from dl. Thirty-three patients in the control group （DF group） were given cisplatin 25 mg/@ivgtt dl-3 and 5-Fu 550 mg/m2iv, dl-5, 3 weeks a cycle, 2 cycles, and concurrent radiotherapy was performed from dl. Six MV X-ray and 9 MeV electronic line for external irradiation were adopted in concur- rent radiotherapy. Results： The response rates of DOC group and DF group were 90.9% and 93.9%, the rates of neutropenia were 45.45% and 67.74%, and the rates of oral mucositis were 60.61% and 90.32%. Conclusion： The difference of short- term curative effects between DOC group and DF group was not statistically significant in patients with advanced nasopha- ryngeal carcinoma. The rates of adverse reactions were lower in DOC group. DOC combined with concurrent radiotherapy could be a new choice for patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.     

Experience with the surgical treatment of patients with both esophageal carcinoma and bullous emphysema

Objective： We aimed to investigate the security and feasibility of the simultaneous surgery for patients with both esophageal carcinoma and bullous emphysema. Methods： We described simultaneous surgery performed on 49 cases with both esophaoeal carcinoma and buUous emphysema, accounting for 2.5% of all esophagectomy patients from January 2000 to January 2003. Radical resection of upper and mid-thoracic esophageal cancer was performed in 31 cases, including three approaches from the right chest, left neck and midsection. Thirty-six patients were underwent cervical anastomosis and 13 cases were operated by intrathoracic anastomosis. Results： No perioperative period death occurred. And postoperative com- plications were as follows： cervical anastomotic leakage in 9 cases, lung infection in 11 cases, pulmonary air leak in 13 cases （2 cases lasted for 4 weeks）, recurrent laryngeal nerve damage in 4 cases, supraventricular tachycardia in 4 cases. Patients all recovered and left the hospital with average hospitalization time of 17.5 days. Conclusion： Patients with both esophageal carcinoma and bullous can perform the esophageal carcinoma resection and lung volume reduction surgery （LVRS） simulta- neously. It will not increase the mortality rate and show the feasibility and safety in patients.