Age and prognosis in stage Ib squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Two materials consisting of patients with early invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix have been studied in regard to the influence of age and treatment technique on prognosis. In the first material, consisting of 254 Stage Ib patients treated only with radiation therapy, a poorer prognosis was found in the women under 35 years of age. The second material consisted of 274 Stage Ib patients who had been preoperatively irradiated and had undergone radical hysterectomy.

Phase II study of spirogermanium in advanced ovarian malignancy.

In the present phase II trial 18 heavily pretreated patients with advanced ovarian malignancy were treated with spirogermanium, 11 im and seven iv. Objective responses (partial remission) were obtained in two (11%) of the 18 patients, with a remission duration of 5 and 23 + months, respectively. An additional four (22%) patients had stable disease.

Cancer chemotherapy in advanced malignant disease. A cost benefit analysis.

A cost benefit analysis of chemotherapy in unselected patients with advanced malignant disease originating in a defined population (250 000 inhabitants) demonstrated that the use of this therapy as the main treatment in hospitalised patients increased from a few per cent during 1973 to 60 per cent during 1977, corresponding to an increase in the cost of drugs from 10 000 to 200 000 dollars. At the same time the capacity for hospital care of patients with advanced malignancies increased from 317 to 488 patients without any enlargement of other resources. As more than 90 per cent of the medical budget consists of expenditures for salaries and localities, a cheaper medical care was obtained, but, above all, the survival rate and the quality of life for many patients was improved.

Chemotherapy of metastatic carcinoma of the breast. A 4-drug regimen.

Combination chemotherapy (vincristine, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate with leucoverin rescue) in 32 patients with metastatic carcinoma of the breast resulted in an overall response rate of 81 per cent (9/32 complete remission, 17/32 partial remission). No serious side effects were noted. Karnofsky performance index improved in 24/26 responders.