Sequential Adjuvant CMF Chemotherapy Followed by Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Early-Stage Breast Cancer: The Lankenau Hospital Experience

Abstract: The optimal timing of systemic cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil (CMF) chemotherapy and local radiation in adjuvant breast cancer has been a debatable subject. To evaluate the Lankenau Hospital experience with sequential CMF chemotherapy followed by radiation in the adjuvant therapy of stage I and stage II breast cancer we reviewed the records of patients at our center. This group of 34 patients was treated in a homogenous manner, all receiving standard CMF for six cycles followed by radiotherapy after lumpectomy with axillary lymph node dissection. The radiation course was 5040cGy to the entire breast (28 fractions in 45 elapsed days) followed by a boost to the tumor site of 1800cGy in 10 fractions. Thirty-four patients were identified and followed for an average of 5 years (range 1.5–11.5 years). One patient had local recurrence and with subsequent treatment is disease-free at 5 years postrecurrence (8 years from initial diagnosis). Two deaths were not breast-cancer related (1 myocardial infarction at year 3, 1 melanoma at year 7.5). The estimated probability of no relapse at 5 years and 8 years by Kaplan-Meier analysis is 79% and 60% respectively. Overall and disease-free survival in this group of patients treated with breast-conserving surgery and CMF chemotherapy followed by radiation is excellent. There appears to be no detriment to delaying radiotherapy until full doses of systemic treatment are given as local recurrence was rare (6%) and was amenable to further treatment.     

光动力学疗法与局部化疗联合治疗进展期食管贲门癌

作应用光动力学疗法（ＰＤＴ）对进展期食管贲门癌５５例进行治疗，并对其中１５例联合应用内镜下局部注射抗癌药物。对每一患均先静脉滴注血卟啉衍生物（ＨＰＤ）５ｍｇ／ｋｇ，于用药后２４，４８和７２ｈ分别用波长６３０ｎｍ的铜蒸汽激光照射肿瘤部位。联合治疗组除ＰＤＴ治疗外，于每次光照前肿瘤局部注射５－Ｆｕ２５０～５００ｍｇ。结果：联合治疗组的近期显效率高于单纯ＰＤＴ组（Ｐ〈０．０５）。病例随访６～１６月，     

Postmenopausal HRT is not independent risk factor for dural sinus thrombosis

While a dural sinus thrombosis (DST), is a well-known consequence of the use of oral contraceptives, the role of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in DST was not previously evaluated. We report two postmenopausal women, presenting with DST under HRT. Antiphospholipid antibodies in one case and borderline protein S deficiency in another were diagnosed. Only five cases of DST under HRT were previously reported and in two of them additional prothrombotic risk factors were found. According to these and previous cases, HRT is not an independent risk factor for DST.     

Characterization of Aerosols of Human Recombinant Deoxyribonuclease I (rhDNase) Generated by Jet Nebulizers

Recombinant human deoxyribonuclease I (rhDNase) is a new therapeutic agent developed to improve clearance of purulent sputum from the human airways. It is delivered by inhalation. Four jet nebulizers, T Up-Draft II (Hudson), Customized Respirgard II (Marquest), Acorn II (Marquest), and Airlife Misty (Baxter), were evaluated in vitro for their ability to deliver aerosols of rhDNase. The aerosols were generated from 2.5-mL aqueous solutions of rhDNase, at concentrations of either 1 or 4 mg/mL. In all experiments, the Pulmo-Aide Compressor (De Vilbiss) was used to supply the air to the nebulizers. Between 20 and 28% of the rhDNase dose initially placed in the nebulizers was delivered to the mouthpiece in the respirable range (1-6 µm). Evaluation of the rhDNase following nebulization in all four devices indicated that there was no loss in enzymatic activity and no increase in aggregation. Circular dichroism spectrophotometry indicated there was no change in either the secondary or the tertiary structure in rhDNase following nebulization. These results show that all four nebulizers are essentially equivalent in their ability to deliver respirable doses of rhDNase in an intact, fully active form. Changing the concentration of the solution in the nebulizer from 4 to 1 mg/mL rhDNase leads to a proportional reduction in the respirable dose delivered to the mouthpiece.     

前列腺癌去雄激素治疗不良反应的预防和处理

目的观察去雄激素治疗前列腺癌的不良反应,并探讨其预防和治疗。方法回顾性分析1998年7月-2006年1月112例去雄激素治疗晚期前列腺癌的临床资料。结果112例患者中,97例完成了不良反应的调查。随访3-36月,去雄激素治疗后潮热、性功能障碍、病理性骨折发生率分别为46％、75％、4％;患者潮热、精神疲乏、四肢乏力、纳差症状明显加重(P<0．05);性功能明显减退(P<0．05)。12例潮热症状严重者使用抗抑郁药博乐欣(25mg,tid)1-2周症状减轻。7例有骨转移性疼痛或严重骨质疏松患者,应用唑来膦酸4mg静脉滴注,每45d一次,骨痛症状缓解。结论去雄激素对前列腺癌患者生活质量有一定影响。博乐欣可减轻患者潮热症状,唑来膦酸可预防和治疗去雄激素相关的骨质疏松并发症。     

Secondary pharyngeal tuberculosis

Secondary tuberculosis of pharynx is a rare condition as pharynx is not a common site for clinically manifest tuberculosis. A rare and unusual case of secondary oropharyngeal tuberculosis in a 40 years male patient, who presented with an ulceroproliferative lesion of oropharynx extending to nasopharynx and laryngopharynx is being reported.     

Is it time to reconsider initial antibiotic treatment strategies for severe urinary tract infections in Europe?

Until recently, most reported cases of bacteraemia caused by multidrug-resistant strains of Enterobacteriacae producing an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) in Europe have been nosocomial in origin. However, increasing numbers of reports of community-acquired bacteraemia and urinary tract infection caused by ESBL-producing microorganisms suggest that the geographical origin of patients should be taken into account as a risk-factor for possible ESBL production. Early identification of patients at high-risk of infection with ESBL-producing microorganisms, based on their geographical origin and travel history, should help to optimise initial antibiotic treatment strategies for severe urinary tract infections in Europe.     

复方保元煎对绝经后CHD患者脂代谢和血流变影响的研究

目的:研究复方保元煎对绝经后冠心病(CHD)患者脂代谢、血流变的影响。方法:观察180例患者,随机分为治疗组102例,对照组78例。治疗组采用中药复方保元煎治疗,对照组采用维尼安治疗,分别于治疗前后测定脂代谢、血流变指标。结果:治疗后两组脂代谢、血流变指标均有不同程度的改变。治疗组在降低总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG),低密度脂蛋白(LDL-C)、载脂蛋白B(apoB)、血流变指标优于对照组(P<0.05或P<0.01)。结论:复方保元煎能改变血脂代谢、调节血黏度,对预防和逆转绝经后的CHD的发生和发展有积极的治疗作用。     

Intramedullary pilocytic astrocytomas — a clinical and morphological study after combined surgical and photon or neutron therapy

Ten patients suffering from intramedullary pilocytic astrocytomas (WHO-classification: astrocytoma grade I) were investigated catamnesticly. Combined surgery and radiotherapy was performed. Seven patients received neutron irradiation postoperatively. In four cases the neurological symptoms were improved after follow-up periods ranging from 33 to 89 months. The three other patients died after 6 to 21 months. The autopsy findings of a 14 year old child are presented. Our results are compared with reports in the literature. In addition, long-term problems of the spinal column are discussed. It seems that the combined surgical and neutron therapy improves the prognosis of pencil gliomas.     

An investigation of the neuropsychological profile in adults with velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS).

Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS) is associated with deletions on the long arm of chromosome 22, mild intellectual disability, poor social interaction and a high prevalence of psychosis. However, to date there have been no studies investigating the neuropsychological functioning of adults with VCFS. We compared 19 adults with VCFS with 19 age, gender and IQ matched controls using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Compared to controls, adults with VCFS had significant impairments in visuoperceptual ability (Visual Object and Space Perception Battery), problem solving and planning (Tower of London) and abstract and social thinking (Comprehension WAIS-R). It is likely that haploinsufficiency (reduced gene dosage) of a neurodevelopmental gene or genes mapping to chromosome 22q11 underlies the cognitive deficits observed in individuals with VCFS.