Adjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel and cisplatin in lymph node-positive thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective： No standard postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy has ever been established in node-positive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC）. This is a study to explore the effect of postoperative paelitaxel （PTX） and cisplatin （DDP） in lymph node-positive, completely resected thoracic ESCC patients. Methods： We conducted a prospective phase II trial. Patients had pathologically node-positive thoracic ESCC with negative margins. Outcomes of disease-free survival （DFS） and overall survival （OS） were compared with a matched historical control cohort. The postoperative chemotherapy regimen consisted of 4 to 6 cycles of PTX 150 mg/m2 administered intravenously on d 1 followed by DDP 50 mg/m2 on d 2 every 14 d. Results： Forty-three patients were accrued from December 2007 to May 2012 at Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences for adjuvant chemotherapy. The historical control group consisted of 80 patients who received complete resection but no adjuvant chemotherapy during the same period of time. Of the 43 patients with adjuvant chemotherapy, 37 （86.0%） patients completed 4 to 6 cycles of chemotherapy. The 3-year DFS rates were 56.3% in the adjuvant group and 34.6% in the control group （P=0.006）. The 3-year OS rates were 55.0% in the adjuvant group and 37.5% in the control group （P=0.013）. Multivariate analysis revealed that postoperative chemotherapy was the significant predictor for improved OS （P=0.005）. Conclusions： Biweekly adjuvant PTX and DDP might improve 3-year DFS and OS in lymph node-positive, curatively resected thoracic ESCC patients. These conclusions warrant further study in randomized phase III clinical trials.

PhaseⅡstudy of induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy with raltitrexed and cisplatin in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective:For locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma(LA-NPC)patients,high incidences of distant metastases and severe treatment related toxicities are the main obstacles needed to be overcome.Raltitrexed,a specific thymidylate synthase inhibitor with a convenient administration schedule,has an acceptable and manageable toxicity,and possesses radio-sensitizing properties.To investigate the efficacy and safety of raltitrexed and cisplatin induction chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy(IC+CCRT)in patients with LA-NPC,a phaseⅡclinical study was conducted.Methods:Sixty eligible patients with LA-NPC were enrolled into this study.A raltitrexed-cisplatin combination was used as part of an IC+CCRT regimen.Raltitrexed-cisplatin IC was given once every 3 weeks(q3 w)for two cycles,followed by raltitrexed-cisplatin based CCRT q3 w for two cycles.Intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT)was given for all enrolled patients.Results:All patients were included in survival analysis according to the intent-to-treat principle.The objective response rate(ORR)3 months after treatment was 98%.The 2-year overall survival(OS)rate was 92%.The median relapse-free survival(RFS)time was 30.5[95%confidence interval(95%CI),28.4-32.3]months.The 2-year RFS rate was 85%.The 2-year local failure-free survival(LFFS)rate was 97%and the 2-year distant metastasis-free survival(DMFS)rate was 88%.Acute toxicities were mostly grade 2 and 3 reactions in bone marrow suppression,gastrointestinal side effect and oropharyngeal mucositis.Only two patients occurred grade 4 acute toxicities,one was bone marrow suppression and the other was dermatitis radiation.Conclusions:The combination of raltitrexed and cisplatin has a comparable efficacy to those in standard firstline therapy.

Efficacy of 5-Fluorouracil and High-Concentration Cisplatin Suspended in Lipiodol by Short-Term Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis

Background: Since advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is potentially fatal, and patients’ quality of life (QOL) often deteriorates during their treatment, improving the prognosis and QOL of patients given chemotherapy is very important. In addition, cost-effective treatments are highly desirable when chemotherapy must be given repeatedly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and usefulness of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and high-concentration cisplatin by short-term hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (3-day FPL) in advanced HCC patients. Methods: Thirty patients with unresectable advanced HCC were enrolled. The patients underwent hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy via the implanted port system with 5-FU on days 1 - 3 and a fine-powder formulation of cisplatin in suspended pre-warmed lipiodol on day 2 every 4 to 10 weeks. Tumor response was assessed one month later with CT. Results: All patients had evidence of portal vein invasion (Vp2-4). Four patients achieved a complete response (CR), 8 patients achieved a partial response (PR), and 7 patients had stable disease (SD). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 198 days and 452 days, respectively. The OS was significantly longer in the successful disease control group (CR, PR, and SD) than in the progressive disease group (P < 0.005). Conclusions: Three-day FPL was effective and tolerable in advanced HCC patients due to its shorter time of administration than conventional FP therapy. Therefore, repetitive 3-day FPL appears useful and contributes to improving the prognosis and QOL of patients with advanced HCC. In addition, this protocol is a cost-effective treatment.

Docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy in anthracyclines-resistant advanced breast cancer

Objective： To observe the effect and toxicity of docetaxel with cisplatin in anthracyclines-resistant advanced breast cancer. Methods： Forty-five female patients received docetaxel 60 mg/m^2 on dl and cisplatin 30 mg/m^2 on d1-d3 of every 28 days. Every patient was treated with at least 2 cycles and a median of 3 cycles （2-6 cycles ）. Results： Five patients achieved complete response （11.1%） and 18 partial response （40.0%）, 10 stable disease （22.2%）. The overall response rate was 51.1%. The clinical disease control rate was 73.3%, median time to tumor progression （TTP） was 7.8 months （1.0-34.5 months）, median survival time was 17.6 months （range 1.9-48.0 months）, and one year survival rate was 65.2%. The main side effect was marrow suppression. The treatment was well tolerated with grades Ⅲ and Ⅳ leukopenia in nine （20%） and ten （22.2%） patients. Conclusion： Combinative chemotherapy of docetaxel and cisplatin has a good anti-tumor activity on refractory advanced breast cancer with manageable toxicity.

Induction chemotherapy with docetaxel,cisplatin and fluorouracil followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy for unresectable sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma: Two cases of report

BACKGROUND Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma(SNUC) is a rare aggressive tumor that is often unresectable. Optimal treatment for patients with unresectable,locally advanced SNUC(LA-SNUC) has not been established,and the patient outcome remains poor. We report two cases of unresectable LA-SNUC in which induction chemotherapy with docetaxel,cisplatin and fluorouracil(TPF) followed by radiotherapy with concurrent cisplatin(CCRT),a standard treatment option for locally advanced head and neck cancer,demonstrated promising outcomes.CASE SUMMARY A 39-year-old man presented with tearing and pain in the right eye. A biopsy of the tumor invading the sinonasal cavities,right orbit and cranial base confirmed the diagnosis of LA-SNUC. Induction TPF chemotherapy induced remarkable tumor shrinkage and rapidly improved the symptoms. He subsequently received CCRT and achieved complete remission of the disease. The other case is a 21-year-old man who presented with worsening vision. The unresectable tumor involving the nasal septum and cranial base was pathologically diagnosed as SNUC. TPF chemotherapy followed by CCRT yielded complete remission of the disease with preserved visual function. Both patients have been disease-free for44 mo.CONCLUSION Induction TPF chemotherapy followed by CCRT may remarkably improve the outcomes in LA-SNUC patients.

CHEMOTHERAPY FOR ADVANCED NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA WITH METHOTREXATE, VINCRISTINE, CISPLATIN AND ADRIAMYCIN

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of M-VCA (methortrexate 30 mg/m2, vincristine 2 mg, cisplatin 70 mg/m2, adriamycin 30 mg/m2) combination chemotherapy for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: Thirty-five patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, including 11 patients with untreated local advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 24 patients with local-regional recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma, received the chemotherapy of M-VCA. The cycle was repeated on day 22 for two cycles. All patients completed the chemotherapy courses. Results: The overall response rate was 75%, with untreated local advanced nasopharyngeal carcinomas 11/11(100%), local-regional recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinomas 12/18(67%), lung metastases 8/9(89%), bone metastases 5/9(56%), and liver metastases 1/2(50%). The main side effects included mild to moderate degree alopecia, nausea/vomiting, and neutropenia. Conclusion: M-VCA is well tolerated and has good efficacy for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma and is worth investigating further.

Feasibility of Outpatient Chemotherapy with S-1 and Cisplatin for Gastric Cancer

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of S-1 and high-dose cisplatin short hydration regimens for outpatients with unresectable metastatic gastric cancer. Methods: Data for individual outpatients treated in our institution were retrospectively pooled to assess the feasibility of an S-1 and highdose cisplatin short hydration regimen (S-1: 80 to 120 mg on Days 1 to 21;cisplatin: 60 mg/m2?on Day 8, every 5 weeks), which included 2250 ml of intravenous fluids and 1000 ml oral hydration. Ten consecutive patients were treated with S-1 and high-dose cisplatin short hydration for unresectable metastatic gastric cancer from July 2011 to May 2012 and were included in the analysis. Results: With a median of 3.5 medication cycles, unscheduled admission occurred in two patients for 5 days each due to paralytic ileus and cerebral infarction. Four patients required dose reduction, in both S-1 and cisplatin in two patients, and in S-1 alone and cisplatin alone in one patient each. Renal function transiently declined after administration of cisplatin, but serum creatinine level and estimated glomerular filtration rate were both improved by the time of the next administration. Conclusion: This study suggests that an S-1 and high-dose cisplatin short hydration strategy for outpatients with unresectable metastatic gastric cancer might be feasible.

Role of gemcitabine and cisplatin as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in muscle invasive bladder cancer: Experience over the last decade

Objective:Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy is considered the standard of care for patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer.In the last decade,interest in neoadjuvant chemotherapy has slowly shifted from methotrexate,vinblastine,doxorubicin and cisplatin regime to gemcitabine and cisplatin regime.There are many publications on gemcitabine and cisplatin regime in literature which cover different aspects of treatment.This review aims to summarise the findings published so far on gemcitabine and cisplatin regime and present it in a concise manner.Methods:A systematic literature review was conducted searching the PubMed
database in December 2016 using the medical subject heading(MeSH)with the terms gemcitabine,cisplatin,chemotherapy,muscle invasive bladder cancer,and neoadjuvant.All relevant studies were included and results were analysed.Results:A total of 13 studies were included which published between 2007 and 2015.These 13 studies comprised of 754 subjects suffering from muscle invasive bladder cancer.The proportion of male patients ranged from 60%to 86.4%and the median age ranged from 54.2 to 77.3 years in various studies.Complete pathological response(pT0)was seen in 30.0%of patients and pathological downstaging(<pT2)was seen in 48.67%of patients.Conclusion:As per latest guidelines,neoadjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer.There is substantial pathological downstaging with low toxicity in patients of muscle invasive bladder cancer who receive neoadjuvant gemcitabine and cisplatin regime.

The clinical observation of combined chemotherapy of irinotecan and cisplatin in the treatment of relapsed advanced small cell lung cancer

Objective： To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the irinotecan and cisplatin combination in relapsed advanced small cell lung cancer （SCLC）. Methods： Eligible patients with SCLC who had progressed or relapsed after therapy were treated with cisplatin and irinotecan. The regimen consisted of irinotecan 60 mg/m^2 on days 1, 8, 15 and cisplatin 60 mg/m^2 on day 1; the plan was given every 28 days. Results： In 23 evaluable patients, responses included 5 complete remissions and 7 partial remissions （overall response rate, 43.4%）, 6 patients had stable disease and 7 had progressive disease. Median time to progression and median survival were 4.6 and 8.3 months. The main toxicities were the hematologic toxicity, nausea and vomiting. Grade Ⅲ, IV leukopenia were seen in 15 patients （65.2%）, thrombocytopenia was seen in 8 patients （34.8%）; Nausea and vomiting were seen in 19 patients （82.6%）; Grade Ⅲ, IV nausea and vomiting were seen in 4 patients （65.2%） and diarrhea was seen in 20 patients （87.0%）. There were no treatment-related deaths. Conclusion： The combination of irinotecan and cisplatin is highly active and tolerable in patients with relapsed SCLC when it is administered as second-line treatment.

Effect of Docetaxel and Cisplatin Chemotherapy Combined with Intensitymodulated Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Postoperative Recurrence of Esophageal Cancer and Its Effect on Serum Tumor Markers

Objective: To investigate the effect of docetaxel and cisplatin combined with intensity-modulated radiotherapy in thetreatment of postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer and the content of tumor markers in serum. Methods: According tosimple randomization method, 60 patients with postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer admitted from February 2018 toSeptember 2019 were divided into control group (n = 30 cases) and observation group (n = 30 cases). All patients received IMRT.Fluorouracil + cisplatin was used in the control group and docetaxel + cisplatin was used in the observation group. After 2 coursesof continuous treatment, the therapeutic effect, serum tumor marker content and adverse reactions were compared between thetwo groups. Results: After treatment, the effective rate of observation group was higher than control group, and the difference wasstatistically significant (P < 0.05).The contents of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) andcarbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) in observation group were lower than those in control group, and the difference was statisticallysignificant (P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, and thedifference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Docetaxel and cisplatin combined with intensemodulated radiotherapyfor postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer can improve the therapeutic effect, inhibit the malignant degree of tumor, andreduce the incidence of adverse reactions.

Clinical Application Effect of Paclitaxel Combined with Cisplatin Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Treatment of Early and Mid Stage Cervical Cancer

Objective:To study the application effect and value of paclitaxel combined with cisplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy in treatment of early and mid stage cervical cancer.Methods:A total of 92 patients with early and mid stage cervical cancer admitted to our department from 2016 to 2018 were enrolled in the study.The patients were divided into two groups according to random number table.Reference group(n=46)was treated with cervical cancer radical resection combined with postoperative chemotherapy.On the same basis,experimental group(n=46)was given neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen of paclitaxel combined with cisplatin.Total effective rate,adverse reaction and score of life quality of the two groups were compared.Results:Total effective rate of experimental group was 76.09%which was higher than reference group,41.30%.Score of life quality of the experimental group was higher than that of reference group,the comparison between two groups showed P<0.05.There was no difference in incidence of adverse reaction between the two groups,P>0.05.Conclusion:Application of neoadjuvant chemotherapy of paclitaxel combined with cisplatin had ideal tumor controlling effect for early and mid stage cervical cancer with lesser adverse reaction.Postoperative quality of life was high.It should be promoted in clinics.

Intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin in locally advanced or recurrent penile squamous cell carcinoma

The prognosis of locally advanced or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) of the penis after conventional treatment is dismal. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin on locally advanced or recurrent SCC of the penis. Between April 1999 and May 2011, we treated 5 patients with locally advanced penile SCC and 7 patients with recurrent disease with intraarterial chemotherapy. The response rate and toxicity data were analyzed, and survival rates were calculated. After 2 to 6 cycles of intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin, 1 patients with locoregionally advanced disease achieved a complete response, and 4 achieved partial response. Of the 7 patients with recurrent disease, 2 achieved complete response, 3 achieved partial response, 3 had stable disease, and 1 developed progressive disease. An objective tumor response was therefore achieved in 10 of the 12 patients. The median overall survival for the patients was 24 months(range, 10-50 months). Three out of 10 patients who responded were long-term survivors after intraarterial chemotherapy. Intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin may be effective and potentially curative in locoregionally advanced or recurrent penile SCC. The contribution of this therapy in the primary management of advanced or recurrent penile SCC should be prospectively investigated.

Anti-Colorectal Cancer Chemotherapy-Induced Diarrhoea: Current Treatments and Side-Effects

Chemotherapy-induced diarrhoea (CID) is a common side-effect experienced by patients being treated with a variety of antineoplastic agents. Approximately 80% of patients undergoing chemotherapeutic treatment for colorectal and other gastrointestinal cancers present with CID;moreover, about 5% of early deaths associated with combination anti-cancer chemotherapy are due to CID. Chronic post-treatment diarrhoea amongst cancer survivors can persist for more than 10 years greatly effecting long-term quality of life. Gastrointestinal toxicities such as diarrhoea and vomiting are amongst the primary contributors to dose reductions and delays throughout anti-cancer treatment, presenting a significant hurdle in clinical management of anti-cancer regimes and often result in sub-optimum treatment. However, little is known about pathophysiological mechanisms underlying CID. This work provides a review of chemotherapy-induced diarrhoea, current management guidelines, and shortcomings of current treatments as well as emerging and already existing anti-diarrhoeal treatments potentially suitable for CID.

Study on the Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Endostar Combined with Pemetrexed and Cisplatin in the Treatment of Lung Adenocarcinoma

Objective:To analyze and study the efficacy and safety of Endu combined with pemetrexed and cisplatin in the clinical treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.Methods:From August 2016 to September 2020,32 patients with lung adenocarcinoma who were treated in our hospital were selected for group trials.According to their specific treatment plan,the patients were divided into control group and experimental group,with 16 cases in each group.The control group was treated with pemetrexed and cisplatin,and the experimental group was treated with Endostar combined with the treatment received by the control group.The clinical efficacy and safety of the two regimens were assessed by comparing the changes in symptoms and the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups of patients after treatment.Results:The disease control rate of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group,and there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups.Conclusions:From the experimental results,we found that the treatment of patients with lung adenocarcinoma by Endostar combined with pemetrexed and cisplatin can effectively improve the treatment efficacy without increasing adverse reactions and therefore relevant chemotherapy regimens can be considered for wider clinical applications.

Effects of endostatin combined with pemetrexed and cisplatin on the levels of TNF-α, NSE, CEA, CA199, AFP and CYFRA21-1 in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma

Objective: To investigate the effect of endostatin combined with pemetrexed and cisplatin on the levels of TNF-α, NSE, CEA, CA199, AFP and CYFRA21-1 in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: The retrospective analysis method was used to analyse the 80 patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the lung in our hospital from January 2013 to January 2017, and patients were divided into two groups: the control group and the observation group. The patients in the control group received pemetrexed combined with cisplatin on the basis of conventional treatment, the observation group was treated with endostatin on the basis of the treatment of the control group, then the changes of TNF-α, NSE, CEA, CA199, AFP and CYFRA21-1 levels in two groups before and after treatment (3 cycles of chemotherapy) were detected and compared. Results: Before treatment, there was no significant difference in serum TNF-α, NSE, CEA, CA199, AFP and CYFRA21-1 levels between the two groups;After treatment, the levels of TNF-α, NSE, CEA, CA199, AFP and CYFRA21-1 in the control group were (5.58±2.43) pg/mL, (17.65±6.97) ng/mL, (6.13±1.14) ng/mL, (62.48±7.86) U/mL, (15.28±4.17) ng/mL, (2.81±0.54) ng/mL, that in the observation group were (4.37±2.15) pg/mL, (11.33±5.24) ng/mL, (4.65±0.88) ng/mL, (51.71±5.23) U/mL, (10.29±3.56) ng/mL, (1.74±0.23) ng/mL, Compared with the same group before treatment, the level of indicators were significantly improved, the difference was statistically significant, and The improvement of the indexes in the observation group was obviously better than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: With the use of pemetrexed and cisplatin in the treatment of advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients, the addition of endostatin could improve the levels of serum TNF-α, NSE, CEA, CA199, AFP and CYFRA21-1 in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma, To some extent, it shows that the combined use of drugs is more effective and is worthy of further clinical research and application.

Feasibility Study for Biweekly Administration of Cisplatin plus Vinorelbine as Adjuvant-Chemotherapy for Completely Resected Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients in a Japanese Population

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of biweekly administration of cisplatin and vinorelbine as adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and Methods: This was a single-arm, single-institutional study. Patients with completely resected NSCLC (p-Stage IB-IIIA) with no previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy were eligible. Simon’s optimal two-stage design was applied. Both cisplatin (50 mg/m2) and vinorelbine (25 mg/m2) were given on days 1 and 15, every 28 days. The primary endpoint of this study was the feasibility of this combination in the four cycles of treatment. Results: Twenty patients (19 lobectomies and 1 pneumonectomy) were enrolled in this study. 10 (50%) of patients had grade 3/4 neutropenia, and 3 (15%) had grade 3/4 anemia. Severe non-hematologic toxicities were uncommon in this series. No treatment-related death was encountered. 18 (90%) patients completed the planned 4 cycles of chemotherapy. The median intensity was 24.3 (range 18.1 to 25) mg/m2/week with an average of 23.6 (21 - 25) mg/m2/week cisplatin and 12.5 (range 10 to 12.5) mg/m2/week with an average of 12.3 (10 - 12.5) mg/m2/week vinorelbine. The median relative dose intensity of cisplatin was 97.5% (range 72.5% to 100%) with an average of 94.6% (72.5% - 100%) and that of vinorelbine was 100% (range 80% to 100%) with an average of 97.8% (80% - 100%). Conclusion: This regimen is feasible in the treatment of patients with completely resected NSCLC. A phase III trial is warranted to assess the efficacy of this regimen at promoting survival and preventing recurrence.

Clinical significance of miRNA-106a in non-small cell lung cancer patients who received cisplatin combined with gemcitabine chemotherapy

Objective：Research has demonstrated that microRNA（miR）-106a is related to cisplatin resistance.We investigated the expression of miR-106a in the serum of patients with non-small cell lung cancer（NSCLC）and their sensitivity to chemotherapy by cisplatin combined with gemcitabine.Methods：Eighty-five NSCLC patients,who completed four cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy,volunteered for this study and their serum samples were collected.Serum samples from 60 healthy subjects were used as controls.Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（real-time q PCR）was used to quantify the level of miR-106a in the serum.Demographic and survival data of these patients were collected for the analysis.Results：The expression of miR-106a in the serum of NSCLC patients was significantly higher than that of healthy subjects（P＆lt;0.001）.The expression of miR-106a was not correlated with patients＇gender,age,tumor size,lymphatic metastasis,and pathological types;but was correlated with patients＇tumor staging（P=0.003）.After chemotherapy,serum miR-106a expression decreased in patients.The decrease in miR-106a expression in the chemotherapy-sensitive group was much higher than that in the chemotherapy-resistant group.Survival analysis shows that NSCLC patients with high expression of miR-106a have a poorer prognosis.The overall survival of NSCLC patients in the chemotherapy-sensitive group was significantly higher than that in the chemotherapy-resistant group.Conclusions：High expression of miR-106a may be involved in the development of NSCLC.Mi R-106a has significance in the prognosis of NSCLC.The level of miR-106a in the serum can be a useful parameter in screening for drug resistance during cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

ALTERNATING CHEMOTHERAPY AND FRACTIONATED RADIOTHERAPY AS A MODALITY FOR THE TREATMENT OF PRIMARY LIVER CANCER

Alternating chemotherapy and fractionated radiotherapy were carried out in 32 patients with surgically proven unresectable primary liver cancer (PLC).After initial surgical intervention of hepatic artery ligation and cannulation,the tumor war localized with silver clips.The cisplatin 20 mg was infused via a hepatic artery catheter per day on the first 3 consecutive days.Fractionated radiation(18MV straight linear accelerator)of 250 cGy,twice a day with an interval of 6 hours,was then followed on the 8th,9th and 10th days.The cycle was repeated 3 or 4 times.The shrinkage of tumors and decrease of AFP level were observed in 100%(32/32)and 5% (19/21)of the patients respectively.A second-stage resection was done in 37.5%(12/32)of the patients.The 1-,3- and 5-year survival rates after resection were 96.7% ,67.5% and 67. 5 % respectively.It is suggested that this modality is a choice of therapies which can convert some unresectable large PLC to resectable ones.

Nephrotoxicity Evaluation in Outpatients Treated with Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy Using a Short Hydration Method

Background: To evaluate cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in outpatients receiving chemotherapy with cisplatin alone or in combination with other agents using a short hydration method. Methods: Forty-nine patients enrolled in the study were monitored during 3 cycles of chemotherapy. Cisplatin was given in 1000 mL of 0.9% NaCl solution for 90 min as an intravenous infusion. Renal parameters were evaluated before and after each chemotherapy cycle, and 6 weeks after the completion of treatment. Results: Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and cystatin C levels increased significantly during the 3 cycles of chemotherapy, whereas sodium and potassium levels decreased significantly. Magnesium and calcium levels decreased only during the second cycle of chemotherapy. Significant increases in uric acid level were observed during the 1st and 3rd cycles, and 6 weeks after the completion of treatment. Conclusions: The method used in our study shows minimal changes in renal functions. To effectively monitor nephrotoxicity, renal parameters and electrolyte levels should be measured before and after each cisplatin based chemotherapy cycle. More investigations are required to evaluate this method with higher doses of cisplatin.

VARIOUS DOSES OF CISPLATIN (DDP) COMBINED WITH MULTI-DRUG CHEMOTHERAPY FOR ADVANCED MALIGNANT SOLID TUMOR

Two hundred and thirty-six patinets with various advanced malignant solid tumors treated by combined chemotherapy with routine doses of cisplatin (DDP) from 1980 to 1986 are presented. According to different doses of cisplatin everyday, the patients were divided into 4 groups: (1) 20 ing/day×4- 5, 80 cases; (2) 30 mg day × 3 - 5, 91 cases; (3) 40 mg/ day 3 -4, 37 cases; (4) 50 mg/day×2 - 3, 28 cases. Each group was repeated for 3 weeks. The effect and toxicity were analysed and compared with 22 cases treated by single DDP in 1975. The response (CR+PR) rate was 39.2% in 194 evaluated patients. The response rate was similar in group 20 mg and single DDP (29.2% and 27.3%). Ths response rate was lower than that of group 30 mg, 40 mg, and 50 mg 43.4% and 50%) (P<0.05). The remissions in various groups were not significantly different.The toxicity of combined chemotherapy was not severe. 91.1% of patients had nausea and vomiting. There was no statistical difference in the various groups. Bone marrow suppresion was less in single DDP group than that of combined chemotherapy group (P<0.05), DDP 30-50 mg 1/d×5-3 was better than HD-DDP in some patients.