Survival patterns in treated cases of carcinoma larynx in north india - a 10 years followup study

Conclusion  Patients with stage I and II tumors had the best results with radical radiotherapy alone 5 years survival for patients with stage I and stage II tumors was 90-95% and 75-85% respectively Patients with advanced stage III & IV disease were treated Unoperable stage IV cancer patients had poor outcome and received only palliative treatment     

Randomized phase II trial of three schedules of pemetrexed and gemcitabine as front-line therapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: A randomized three-arm phase II study was undertaken to evaluate the optimum administration schedule of pemetrexed and gemcitabine in chemotherapy-na?ve patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to three schedules of pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 plus gemcitabine 1,250 mg/m2, separated by a 90-minute interval, on a 21-day cycle as follows: schedule A, pemetrexed followed by gemcitabine on day 1 and gemcitabine on day 8; schedule B, gemcitabine followed by pemetrexed on day 1 and gemcitabine on day 8; and schedule C, gemcitabine on day 1 and pemetrexed followed by gemcitabine on day 8. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-two eligible patients (schedule A, n = 59; schedule B, n = 31, and schedule C, n = 62) received a median of five (schedule A), two (schedule B), and four (schedule C) treatment cycles. Overall, 66% of patients experienced grade 3 or 4 neutropenia. Common grade 3 and 4 nonhematologic toxicities were dyspnea (11%), fatigue (16%), and transaminase elevation (9%). Schedule A seemed less toxic compared with schedule C (grade 3 or 4 events: 86% v 94%, respectively; P = .19; grade 4 events: 39% v 48%, respectively; P = .30). Schedule B was closed at interim analysis for inferior efficacy. Schedule A, with a confirmed response rate of 31% (95% CI, 20% to 45%), met the protocol-defined efficacy criteria, whereas schedule C, with a confirmed response rate of 16.1% (95% CI, 11% to 34%), did not. Median survival time and time to progression were 11.4 and 4.4 months, respectively, with no observable difference between the arms. CONCLUSION: Pemetrexed and gemcitabine administered as outlined for schedule A met the protocol-defined efficacy criteria, was less toxic compared with the other treatment schedules, and should be further evaluated.     

Survival patterns in treated cases of carcinoma larynx in North India: A 10-year follow-up study

Carcinoma of larynx is a common disease in North Indian population. It is seen commonly in smokers and alcoholics. It poses a serious health problem due to its tendency to cause airway obstruction and to make the patient aphonic if total larynxgectomy is done for curing this cancer. We conducted a retrospective analysis in 690 cases of carcinoma larynx presenting to Nehru Hospital, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. Various aspects of this disease like predisposing factors, patterns of spread, histological types, various treatment modalities, their complications and response of this disease to these therapeutic options were studied in detail.     

Botryomycosis: A surprising revelation in the lacrimal sac

A middle aged woman presented to us with a localised well defined swelling of 3 months duration. It was located just below the lower eyelid punctum and was constantly discharging whitish granules. We suspected it to be arising from the lacrimal apparatus and posted the patient for Dacryocystectomy. On the operating table we found a swelling in the region of the lacrimal sac which was later excised. Histopathology revealed Botryomycosis and Chronic Dacryocystitis. Botryomycosis is a rare condition and requires a high index of suspicion to diagnose it. It is confirmed by histopathology and culture. Surgical debridement is the treatment of choice in such cases with an assessment of the immune status. Long term antibiotic treatment is required in all conditions as recurrence is common.     

A systematic review of occupational exposure to synthetic vitreous fibers and mesothelioma

Objective We investigated whether available epidemiological and toxicological data suggest an increased risk of mesothelioma among workers exposed to synthetic vitreous fibers (SVF). Methods We conducted a systematic review of epidemiological studies on the risk of mesothelioma among workers exposed to SVF, and toxicological studies on SVF and mesothelioma. Results Seven cohort studies were conducted among workers employed in production of rock/slag wool, glass wool, or continuous glass filament in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Of the six deaths from mesothelioma identified in these studies, three had exposure to asbestos. A review of death certificates in a study of rock wool production workers identified one additional probable death. A formal comparison with expected deaths is not feasible. Four community-based case–control studies were identified, of which three reported an increased risk among SVF-exposed workers. The number of cases not exposed to asbestos was less, and residual confounding from asbestos exposure misclassification may explain the association in these studies. The toxicology review of SVF suggested that they present a low hazard mostly due to their low biopersistence, typically with a half-life in rat studies of tens of days compared to amphibole asbestos which has a half-life of 400–500 days. Conclusions The combined evidence from epidemiology and toxicology provide little evidence that exposure to SVF increases the risk of mesothelioma.     

Recent progress and prospects in the electrode materials of flexible sodium-ion battery

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