Novel Inflammation-Based Prognostic Score for Predicting Survival in Patients with Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma.

Purpose: We developed a novel inflammation-based model (NPS), which consisted of a neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet count (PC), for assessing the prognostic role in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC).

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with metastatic UC who underwent systemic chemotherapy between January 1997 and December 2014 in Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. The defined cutoff values for the NLR and PC were 3.

Tailored Selection of First-Line Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy in Patients with Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma of Bladder.

Purpose: Methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin plus cisplatin (MVAC) and gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GC) are both effective first-line chemotherapy. We explore the responsive variables of MVAC and GC for patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma of bladder (mUCB).

Materials And Methods: Patients who were initially diagnosed to have mUCB and received MVAC or GC as metastatic first-line chemotherapy between 2000 and 2014 at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital were reviewed.

The Prognostic Impact of Histopathological Variants in Patients with Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma.

Purpose: This study investigated the prognostic role of histopathological variants in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC) who were treated with systemic chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with unresectable and/or metastatic UC who underwent systemic chemotherapy between January 1997 and December 2013 in Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Histopathological types were categorized as pure UC (PUC) and variants of UC (VUC).

The use of transdermal fentanyl in cancer pain--a compliance study of outpatients in Taiwan.

The aim of this study is to investigate cancer patients' response and side effects associated with transdermal therapeutic fentanyl (TTS-F), whose pain was hardly controlled by nonweak/weak opioids in Taiwan. From 2005 to 2006, 822 outpatients received TTS-F to collect pain assessment forms and diaries for 4 weeks. Most (78.

Intraarterial Cisplatin and intravenous adriamycin in nonmetastatic osteosarcoma of the extremities: a single institution experience in Taiwan.

Background: For nonmetastatic osteosarcoma of the extremities, the optimal treatment now consists of multiagent neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy and limb-sparing surgical procedures. The degree of tumor necrosis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is one of the most important prognostic indicators. Intraarterial cisplatin and intravenous adriamycin could achieve a good initial tumor response and convert the response to an ultimate cure.

Extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma--a medical center's experience.

Background: To review the biologic behavior, therapy and natural courses of patients with extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma (EPSCC) in a medical center.

Methods: We used the computer assisted search for patients diagnosed with EPSCC registered from July 1986 through April 2005. The eligible patients had pathologically proven SCC in sites other than the lung and normal chest radiographs, computed tomography of the chest, sputum cytology, and/or negative bronchoscopic findings.

Treatment outcomes of patients with AJCC stage IVC nasopharyngeal carcinoma: benefits of primary radiotherapy.

Background: There is no agreement on the optimal management of patients initially presenting with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This study was performed to investigate the treatment outcomes and to assess whether radiotherapy to the primary tumors has survival benefits.

Methods: From 1993 to 2001, 806 consecutive patients with histology-proven nasopharyngeal carcinoma were registered at our department.

Incidence of ischemic stroke post-chemotherapy: a retrospective review of 10,963 patients.

Objective: Vascular occlusion is not an uncommon event in malignancy. However, the frequency of ischemic stroke after chemotherapy has been mentioned only occasionally in clinical studies. A large-scale study is lacking.

Treatment outcomes and late complications of 849 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy alone.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to describe the treatment outcomes and treatment-related complications of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients treated with radiotherapy alone.

Methods And Materials: Retrospective analysis was performed on 849 consecutive NPC patients treated between 1983 and 1998 in our institution. Potentially significant patient-related and treatment-related variables were analyzed.

Retrotracheal thymoma masquerading as esophageal submucosal tumor.

A 42-year-old man presented with a two-year history of progressive dysphagia and hoarseness. Esophagogram and endoscopy revealed submucosal mass effect on the upper esophagus. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an elongated mass in the retrotracheal region of the lower neck with extension to the posterior mediastinum.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for unresectable thymic carcinoma.

Background: Thymic carcinoma is a rare anterior mediastinal neoplasm. It is more invasive and has a poorer prognosis than ordinary thymoma. Complete curative resection is frequently impossible to achieve because of extensive invasion or metastasis at diagnosis.

Quality of life as a survival predictor for patients with advanced head and neck carcinoma treated with radiotherapy.

Background: Accumulating reports suggest that quality of life (QoL) may predict survival in patients with malignant disease. In the current study, the authors investigated if baseline QoL and changes in QoL during treatment were prognostic for patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with radiotherapy.

Methods: The authors studied 102 consecutive new patients with HNSCC treated with primary radiotherapy.