A case of advanced ovarian carcinosarcoma that responded remarkably to neoadjuvant chemotherapy of combined CPT-11 and CDDP

Carcinosarcoma of the ovary is a very rare and highly malignant neoplasm that accounts for less than 1% of ovarian neoplasms. Survival of patients with advanced stage cancer is poor and the best treatment is not clear. We report the case of a 60-year-old woman who had Stage IV advanced heterogeneous ovarian carcinosarcoma with lung and liver metastases. The lesions were considered surgically incurable, so she was placed on neoadjuvant chemotherapy of combination CPT-11 (60 mg/m2, day 1, 15) and CDDP (60 mg/m2, day 1). Tumor markers of CA125 and LDH decreased remarkably to the normal level after 3 and 4 courses of chemotherapy, respectively. After 7 courses of chemotherapy, the ovarian tumor was obviously reduced, and the lung and liver metastases had disappeared. The patient was then able to undergo surgery. The current case suggests that combination CPT-11 and CDDP is effective against advanced ovarian carcinosarcoma.     

Left Diaphragmatic Hernia Complicated by Perforation of an Intrathoracic Gastric Ulcer into the Aorta: Report of a Case

(Received for publication on Apr. 6, 1998; accepted on May 27, 1999)     

Effectiveness of docetaxel plus cisplatin in large cell lung cancer showing little response to prior chemotherapy with MVP

The present patient was a 53-year-old male who had large cell lung cancer of c-T4N1M0. We administered multi-drug regimen including mitomycin C, vindesine and cisplatin (CDDP) because of cancer invasion into the great vessels seen on a chest CT. After 3 courses, the cancer showed no change in size. Therefore, we adopted chemotherapy of docetaxel (Taxotere: TXT) and CDDP. After 4 courses, the size of the mass had decreased (partial response). The only major toxic defect was grade 3 neutropenia. A good response to TXT and CDDP could lead to complete resection of lung cancer. It is suggested that TXT is effective in the treatment of large cell lung cancer.     

Spectral analysis of electromyograms for extraocular muscles in normal and ophthalmoplegia cases.

Quantitative analysis of electromyograms (EMGs) of the extraocular muscles (EOMs), which contain fast fibers, like all skeletal muscles, but also slow fibers, was carried out in healthy subjects and a patient with external ophthalmoplegia. Interference EMGs of normal extraocular muscles demonstrated a relatively higher power spectrum in the higher frequency domain than those of the biceps brachii (BB). In the case of ophthalmoplegia, the lateral rectus (LR) and medial rectus (MR) muscles demonstrated a power spectrum with a wide ranging distribution up to 2,000 Hz in the early stage of recovery. Conservative treatment led to an improvement in the patient's ocular motility accompanied by a gradual shift of the spectrum towards lower frequencies within 265 days, during which time EMG examinations were performed four times. The results imply that the electrical activity of the slow fibers proper in the extraocular muscles affects the high frequency domain of the power spectrum and that the those fibers synchronously improve with fast fibers.     

Loss of function of p16 gene and prognosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: Stepwise progression of peripheral-type lung adenocarcinoma was characterized morphologically and was related to prognosis. Expression of the tumor suppressor gene p16 in pulmonary adenocarcinoma decreased, mainly as a result of aberrant methylation of the CpG islands of the promoter region. METHODS: Aberrant methylation status of the p16 promoter region, the expression of its product, and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on 9p21 were examined in surgically resected lung specimens from 57 patients (28 males and 29 females) with peripheral-type lung adenocarcinoma measuring 相似文献   

Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for palmar hyperhidrosis: efficacy of T2 and T3 ganglion resection

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy has been considered an effective treatment for palmar hyperhidrosis. However, the extent of resection has not been determined in terms of efficacy and complications. We compared the efficacy and complications of 2-ganglion and single-ganglion resection in patients with palmar hyperhidrosis. METHODS: From 1995 to 2000, 75 patients underwent resection of thoracic ganglion T2 and T3. From 2000 to 2003, 67 patients underwent resection of only the T2 ganglion. Eighty of the 142 patients (56%) answered a detailed questionnaire, the results of which were analyzed. RESULTS: Gender, age, family history, and distribution of sweating were similar in both groups. Recurrence rates 1 and 2 years after endoscopic thoracic ganglionectomy were between 0% and 3% in T2 and T3 resection, and between 15% and 19% in T2 resection only. In the combined T2 and T3 resection group, 100% of patients noticed compensatory sweating; in T2 resection, 90% of patients noticed compensatory sweating. As for rates of satisfaction, T2 and T3 resection was superior to T2 resection. CONCLUSIONS: High recurrence rates of palmar hyperhidrosis after single-ganglion resection are reported in the present study. Two-ganglion resection is a superior surgical method to prevent recurrence of palmar hyperhidrosis.