A prognostic score based on clinical factors and biomarkers for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Aims: The objective of the present study is to determine the prognostic value of clinical variables and biomarkers in patients with advanced stages of NSCLC and establish a prognostic classification of these patients.

Methods: For 135 patients with advanced NSCLC we determined their clinical variables and their levels of CEA, CA 125, CYFRA 21-1, albumin, LDH, erythrosedimentation and leukocytes.

Results: Multivariate analysis identified PS (ECOG) >1, metastases, no anti-neoplastic treatment, CA 125 >35 U/mL, CYFRA 21-1 >3.

Determination of biological variation of α-fetoprotein and choriogonadotropin (β chain) in disease-free patients with testicular cancer.

Background: Knowledge of biological variation (BV) is important for determining analytical goals and for establishing the magnitude of change between two consecutive measurements which indicate change in a patients' health status. The aim of this work is to determine the BV for total choriogonadotropin (β chain) (β-hCG) and α-fetoprotein (AFP) in patients diagnosed with testicular cancer but with no evidence of recurrence of disease.

Methods: We estimated BV from a mean of five consecutive measurements in 28 patients diagnosed with testicular cancer, 3 months after tumor resection or 4 months after complete treatment with chemotherapy.

Tumor markers as prognostic factors in treated non-small cell lung cancer.

The usefulness of tumor markers in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is not well defined. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive value for response to treatment and prognosis of pretreatment concentrations of tumor markers. The pretreatment levels of CEA, CA125 and CYFRA21-1 were determined by electrochemoluminiscence in 48 patients with advanced stage (IIIA-IV) NSCLC treated with platin-based chemotherapy.

[Granulocytic sarcoma: unusual form of presentation for acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia].

A case of acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemia is reported which appeared as granulocytic sarcoma (GS) with no leukaemic expression in peripheral blood. Aside of the patient's advanced age, the rarity of this entity at the onset of ANLL and the location of the tumour, on the back of the patient's left upper thigh are outstanding features. The difficult diagnosis of such non-leukaemic cases is also stressed here, with regard to the differential diagnosis with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

[Primary dural lymphoma].

We describe a 48-year-old woman with an intracranial tumor located in the meninges. Radiologic images were consistent with meningioma. Pathology showed that it was well differentiated and diffuse lymphocytic lymphoma.

[Pseudohemopathy caused by rhabdomyosarcoma].

A 26-year-old male with a primary rhabdomyosarcoma of maxillary sinus is reported. The tumor was initially mistaken for an anaplastic Ki-1 positive anaplastic lymphoma in the histological preparation, owing to its high indifferentiation degree. After a smear study it was categorized as IEA, and chemotherapy of CHOP type was started; after two courses, local telecobalt therapy was given.