[Photodynamic therapy of bronchogenic cancer].

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) means the activation by light of an exogenous photosensitizer previously retained by tumors. This therapeutic method is under current investigation for lung cancer. A review of the literature presents the preliminary results bearing upon more than 200 epidermoid bronchus carcinomas.

[Thoracic radiography in detecting heart diseases].

Within the scope of a physical examination, more than 147,000 patients from the Eastern part of France, were examined and had a chest X-ray, between 1982 and 1987. Seven physicians read those radiographs and reported their findings. After discussion of an interindividual variation noted between the seven physicians, the authors present the major findings of this study: relation between a cardiovascular anomaly discovered on the radiographs and a high blood pressure; relation between a cardiovascular anomaly discovered on the radiographs and one or several electrocardiographic anomalies; relation between anomaly of the cardiovascular silhouette as seen on the radiographs and increased levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in young adults.

[Surgery of microcellular bronchial cancer: retrospective multicenter study apropos of 110 cases].

The results of a multicentric retrospective study of 110 cases of small cell bronchial cancer are reported. In 57 of these patients the histological diagnosis was unknown before surgery. Among the remaining 53 patients, 22 were operated upon immediately and 31 after chemo-and/or radiotherapy (12 full responders, 10 partial responders, 5 no change and 4 in relapse).

[Surgical pulmonary biopsy in diffuse interstitial pneumopathies].

On the basis of 81 cases of surgical lung biopsy performed in the course of diffuse interstitial lung disease, the authors report the yield and the tolerance which they observed with this technique in comparison with data from the literature. Like other authors, they obtained an excellent histological yield, as only one case was uninterpretable in this present series. However, they emphasise the "final yield", which consists of a precise aetiological diagnosis, i.

[The satellite lymph node of surgically-treated epidermoid bronchial cancer. Evaluation and meaning. Apropos of 167 cases].

This study is based on the analysis of the radiological and histological features of the lymph nodes in 167 operated cases of bronchial carcinoma. The conventional evaluation by means of radiography demonstrates the difficulty of accurately diagnosing lymph node involvement; these investigations are simply able to reveal the presence or absence of enlarged lymph nodes without being able to distinguish between neoplastic and purely inflammatory lymphadenopathy. Histological examination demonstrates the presence of hilar and mediastinal node involvement: the first does not influence the survival in contrast with the second which seems to reflect an intense immune response.

[Nontumoral nervous complications of bronchial cancer].

The authors present 52 cases of neurological complications of bronchial cancer including 35 cases of non-tumoral manifestations. They stress the frequency and the severity of these complications which are dominated by cerebral vascular accidents and describe the pathogenic features of this particular complication. They define the complications accessible to treatment: iatrogenic pathology, deficiency disorders and certain paraneoplasic syndromes.

[Bone evaluation in microcellular cancer treated by chemotherapy].

Bone surveys represent a particular problem in the investigation of secondary tumours, especially in the case of small cell cancer. This study was based on 70 patients in which qualitative criteria (clinical, radiographic, bone scan, bone aspiration-biopsy) replaced quantitative criteria (calcium, alkaline phosphatase, phosphorus). The histological (BPO) and clinical (pain) markers were determinant in the prognosis; in contrast, the repetition of the bone scan in the evaluation of response to treatment is only of very limited value.

[Present status of granular cell tumors. Apropos of 8 new cases with tracheobronchial localization].

The authors report 8 new cases of granular cell tumour of Abrikossoff's tumour located in the trachea or bronchus. After briefly recalling the generally accepted features of this disease, they report several new aspects: the obviously under-estimated frequency, the absence of progression, requiring therapeutic abstention and regular follow-up, the epidemiological problems posed by the association with chronic bronchitis or the coexistence with a malignant bronchial tumour, the uncertainties which still surround the histogenesis, which is partly mesenchymal and partly nervous tissue, more particularly Schwann cells, which can be supported by ultrastructural arguments.

[Bronchial disobstruction in the treatment of cancer of the bronchi].

The progression of bronchial cancer results in death due to local complications in more than one third of cases and systemic treatment often needs to be completed by disobstruction procedures which restore the continuity of the bronchial lumen and palliate the severe complications, in particular respiratory failure and bronchial infections. The techniques are described in detail: bronchoscopy, endoscopic resection with various types of forceps, diathermy loops and, most importantly, laser. A series of 99 disobstruction procedures performed in 47 patients is presented.

[Microcellular bronchial cancer. Current general and therapeutic problems].

Small cell carcinomas constitute about 15-20% of all primary lung tumours. They are divided into oat cell and intermediate cell carcinomas. Pathognomonic neurosecretory granules have been detected in the cytoplasm of these cells by electron microscopy.

[Pulmonary veins in normal and pathologic states].

The pulmonary veins are rarely the subject of an autonomous and complete study. In fact they have given rise to very few works in comparison with the neighbouring structures and their pathology seems to be rare and heterogeneous. The present article deals with the fundamental points about the normal pulmonary veins and the different aspects of their pathology.

[Tumor markers in bronchial cancer: do they have a role in daily practice?].

The authors report a study conducted in 167 cases of primary bronchial carcinoma, in which 6 tumour markers were assayed: carcinoembryonic antigen, alpha-1-foetoprotein, ACTH, parathormone, thyrocalcitonin, and beta-HCG. The statistical analysis of their results suggests that these markers are of limited value in routine practice. They discuss the development of the ideas on this subject and try to explain a certain number of controversies.

[Triple biphasic chemotherapy in the treatment of small-cell bronchial cancer].

Forty-three patients with small-cell bronchial carcinoma were treated with sequential combination chemotherapy of the CMC-VAP type alternating every 6 weeks. Toxicity affected mostly blood cells and occurred during induction. The response rate was 60% in circumscribed forms with a median survival of 15 months, and 30% in diffuse forms with a median survival of 6 months.