Chemoradiotherapy Versus Chemotherapy Alone for Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The Role of Definitive Radiotherapy for Primary Tumor in the Metastatic Setting.

Introduction: The role of definitive radiotherapy in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), especially in the metastatic setting, remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) versus chemotherapy (CT) alone in these selected patients.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 194 newly diagnosed advanced ESCC who underwent definitive CRT or CT alone, including 97 patients with locally advanced and 97 patients with distant metastatic disease.

Comparison of graphical optimization or IPSA for improving brachytheraphy plans associated with inadequate target coverage for cervical cancer.

Many studies have reported that inverse planning by simulated annealing (IPSA) can improve the quality of brachytherapy plans, and we wanted to examine whether IPSA could improve cervical cancer brachytherapy plans giving D < 6 Gy (with 7 Gy per fraction) at our institution. Various IPSA plans involving the tandem and ovoid applicators were developed for 30 consecutive cervical cancer patients on the basis of computed tomography: IPSA1, with a constraint on the maximum dose in the target volume; IPSA1-0, identical to IPSA1 but without a dwell-time deviation constraint; IPSA2, without a constraint on the maximum dose; and IPSA2-0, identical to IPSA2 but without a dwell-time deviation constraint. IPSA2 achieved similar results as graphical optimization, and none of the other IPSA plans was significantly better than graphical optimization.

[The therapeutic efficacy of tumor-derived heat shock protein70 combining interleukin-2 on tumor-bearing mice].

Aim: To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of the combination of tumor-derived HSP70 and IL-2 on tumor-bearing mice.

Methods: HSP70 was purified from the murine tumor cell line by liquid chromatography. And then identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot,the purity of purified product was analyzed by capillary electrophoresis.

Efficacy of intraperitoneal thermochemotherapy and immunotherapy in intraperitoneal recurrence after gastrointestinal cancer resection.

Aim: To investigate the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of intraperitoneal IL-2 immunotherapy following intraperitoneal thermochemotherapy in the metastasis and recurrence of gastric and colorectal cancer after operation.

Methods: Forty-two gastric cancer patients at T(3)II-T(4)III( B) stages and 96 patients with colorectal cancer at B to D stages admitted from January 1996 to October 1998 were randomly divided into control group (group I, 65 cases) receiving intraperitoneal thermochemotherapy, and group II (73 cases) receiving both intraperitoneal thermochemotherapy and intraperitoneal IL-2 immunotherapy. Distilled water at 43-45 degrees containing 5-Fu 0.