Stiff man syndrome with thymoma.

Paraneoplastic stiff man syndrome with a thymoma is rare disease. We treated a 57-year-old woman with a type B1 thymoma, based on the World Health Organization classification, who had stiff man syndrome. Her symptoms were alleviated after a thymectomy.

Oblique approach of computed tomography guided needle biopsy using multiplanar reconstruction image by multidetector-row CT in lung cancer.

The purpose of this study was to establish the technique of multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) with multidetector-row (MDR) computed tomography (CT) guided needle biopsy for the diagnosis to access very difficult lesions. The CT guided percutaneous biopsy are well-established methods to obtain cytological and histological material such as the peripheral tumors in lung cancer. Occasionally, the conventional CT cannot permit planning a trajectory to avoid passage through bones, avoidance of bullae, fissures or vessels.

Screening for lung cancer.

Purpose Of Review: With the development of newer forms of technology such as low-dose spiral computed tomography, there has been a resurgent interest in screening for lung cancer. The purpose of this review is to highlight recent advances in screening for lung cancer. Articles published since September 2002 are reviewed here.

Gemcitabine and vinorelbine followed by docetaxel in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a multi-institutional phase II trial of nonplatinum sequential triplet combination chemotherapy (JMTO LC00-02).

To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the sequential nonplatinum combination chemotherapy consisting of gemcitabine (GEM) and vinorelbine (VNR) followed by docetaxel (DOC) in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we conducted the multiinstitutional phase II study. A total of 44 chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced NSCLC were treated with GEM 1000 mg m(-2) and VNR 25 mg m(-2) intravenously on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks for three cycles. DOC 60 mg m(-2) was then administrated intravenously at 3-week intervals for three cycles.

Phase II study of weekly irinotecan and carboplatin for refractory or relapsed small-cell lung cancer.

We designed a phase II study of weekly irinotecan (CPT-11) and carboplatin for refractory or relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and assessed the response rate, survival, and toxicity. Twenty-nine patients with refractory or relapsed SCLC were entered onto the trial. The median time off chemotherapy was 3.

A feasibility study of paclitaxel 225 mg/m(2) and carboplatin AUC = 6 in untreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients in Japan.

Background: The combination of paclitaxel (225 mg/m(2), 3 h infusion) and carboplatin [area under the curve (AUC) 6 mg/ml x min] is used widely for non-small cell lung cancer in the USA and is one of the standard regimens in the Southwest Oncology Group. In Japan, however, the upper limit of the approved dose for single-use paclitaxel is 210 mg/m(2) and the optimum dose of this agent in combination with carboplatin has not yet been established. This study was designated to determine whether the paclitaxel dose of 225 mg/m(2 ) plus carboplatin (AUC = 6) is tolerable for Japanese patients with untreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

A phase II study of continuous concurrent thoracic radiotherapy in combination with mitomycin, vindesine and cisplatin in unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

The split-course concurrent thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) and full-dose chemotherapy for unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has produced promising results by comparison with the sequential approach. Instead of split-course radiation, we conducted a phase II study to investigate the feasibility of continuous concurrent TRT and chemotherapy. Twenty-two patients with unresectable NSCLC were enrolled onto a phase II study of continuous concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Phase II study of S-1, a novel oral fluorouracil, in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel oral anticancer fluoropyrimidine derivative, S-1, in patients receiving initial chemotherapy for unresectable, advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Between June 1996 and July 1998, 62 patients with NSCLC who had not received previous chemotherapy for advanced disease were enrolled in this study. 59 patients (22 stage IIIB and 37 stage IV) were eligible for the evaluation of efficacy and safety.

Increased serum levels of basic fibroblast growth factor in lung cancer patients: relevance to response of therapy and prognosis.

Angiogenesis is controlled by inhibitors and angiogenic factors. Among these, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is closely involved in cancer proliferation and has been related to progression and prognosis of various cancers, including lung cancer. To evaluate the role of bFGF, we measured serum levels of bFGF from healthy controls (Ctrl) and 106 patients with lung cancer, including 31 adenocarcinomas (AD), 29 squamous cell carcinomas (SQ), and 46 small cell carcinomas (SCLC), by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Originality benefit and difficulty of clinical research in the West Japan Lung Cancer Group.

The West Japan Lung Cancer Study Group (recently renamed the West Japan Thoracic Oncology Group) is a non-government, non-profit regional scientific organization whose objectives are to conduct clinical research and treatment of lung cancer, and to promote lung cancer expertise among thoracic physicians and radiologists in west Japan. Since 1990, a total of 46 institutes have joined and established the rules of a society. Our major interests are phase II and III trials of chemotherapy in lung cancer.

Phase II trial of daily low-dose carboplatin and thoracic radiotherapy in elderly patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of concurrent thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) and daily low-dose carboplatin (CBDCA) in elderly patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to estimate tumor response, toxicity and survival.

Methods: Forty patients were entered in a multicenter phase II study. All were patients with pathologically documented unresectable stage IIIA or IIIB or medically inoperable stage I, II NSCLC.

Immunohistochemical analysis of Bcl-2 protein in early squamous cell carcinoma of the bronchus treated with photodynamic therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) in early squamous cell carcinoma of the bronchus has been shown to result in complete response (CR) and cure. However, local recurrence after PDT develops frequently even after complete remission. Because the effect of PDT had been reported to depend on apoptosis, and apoptosis is inhibited by bcl-2 protein, the relationship between the expression of bcl-2 protein and local recurrence after PDT was examined immunohistochemically.

Phase III study of concurrent versus sequential thoracic radiotherapy in combination with mitomycin, vindesine, and cisplatin in unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: A phase III study was performed to determine whether concurrent or sequential treatment with radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT) improves survival in unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: Patients were assigned to the two treatment arms. In the concurrent arm, chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin (80 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 29), vindesine (3 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, 29, and 36), and mitomycin (8 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 29).

Solitary squamous papilloma of the bronchus associated with human papilloma virus type 11.

A 79-year-old female presented with persistent dry cough, and a chest radiograph showed a mass shadow in the right upper lung. Bronchoscopic examination revealed that the right main bronchus was severely obstructed by a polypoid tumor, which was diagnosed pathologically as squamous papilloma. After the failure of the attempted endobronchial snare to remove the tumor, right upper lobectomy was performed.

Phase I/II study of vinorelbine, mitomycin, and cisplatin for stage IIIB or IV non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: To determine the maximum-tolerated doses (MTDs) of vinorelbine (VRB), mitomycin (MMC), and cisplatin (P), given in two courses every 28 days to previously untreated patients with stage IIIB or IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: At least three or four patients were entered at each dose level. The starting dose was 20 mg/m(2) for VRB on days 1 and 8 and 4 mg/m(2) for MMC on day 1, with a fixed dose of P 80 mg/m(2) on day 1 every 4 weeks.

A case of long-term survival with stage IV small cell lung cancer and early-stage central-type squamous cell lung cancer treated by photodynamic therapy.

The present report is on a 67-year-old man with stage IV small cell lung cancer and early-stage centrally located squamous cell cancer of the lung. He was diagnosed as small cell lung cancer with multiple metastasis to the ipsilateral lung and was found to have a central-type early-stage squamous cell cancer by bronchoscope. After obtaining a complete response to the small cell lung cancer with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, photodynamic therapy was applied to the squamous cell carcinoma, resulting in complete disappearance of the tumor.

Safe pleural contraction employing a new tip for electrosurgical units. An ex vivo experiment.

Background: Certain pulmonary lesions are treated by lung tissue contraction induced by heat administered by laser or electrosurgical unit (ES). ESs are comparatively less expensive, less complicated and more ubiquitous than a lasers but with their conventional tip carries the a risk of damaging the pleura. We developed a large ball tip (M-tip) for ES and evaluated its effect on the pleura in comparison with that of Nd:YAG laser in ex vivo lung.

[Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. 4. Treatment and prognosis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis].

We studied the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients retrospectively. In this study, multidrug-resistant is defined as both resistant to 0.1 microgram/ml of INH and 50 micrograms/ml of RFP at least.

Histological Examination of Bronchial Mucosa after Photodynamic Therapy Showing no Selectivity of Effect between Tumour and Normal Mucosa.

.After the treatment for early stage bronchogenic carcinoma including carcinoma in situ with photodynamic therapy (PDT), the degree of bronchial mucosal damage was studied histologically. The influence of treatment modality on bronchial mucosa was also examined.

Second primary tumours in more than 2-year disease-free survivors of small-cell lung cancer in Japan: the role of smoking cessation.

Patients with small-cell lung cancer who survive more than 2 years have a significantly increased risk (relative risk of 3.6) of developing a second primary tumour. The cessation of cigarette smoking after successful therapy is associated with a significantly decreased risk of a second primary tumour.

Phase III study of intensive weekly chemotherapy with recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor versus standard chemotherapy in extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer. The Japan Clinical Oncology Group.

Purpose: To evaluate the therapeutic significance of cisplatin, vincristine, doxorubicin, and etoposide (CODE) plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) compared with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine, alternating with cisplatin and etoposide (CAV/PE) for extensive-disease (ED) small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Patients And Methods: Two hundred twenty-seven patients were randomized. CODE consisted of cisplatin 25 mg/m2 weekly for 9 weeks; vincristine 1 mg/m2 on weeks 1, 2, 4, and 6; and doxorubicin 40 mg/m2 and etoposide 80 mg/m2 for 3 days on weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9.

[Cytokines in cancer chemotherapy: present state and problems in use of G- and GM-CSF for solid tumors in Japan].

The present state and the problems of G and GM-CSF in cancer chemotherapy, especially for solid tumors in Japan, were reviewed. One of the problems is that adaptation is restricted to several tumors, and the other that recommended doses are about half or one-fourth as much as in North America or Europe. With G-CSF after dose-intensive chemotherapy in small-cell lung cancer, three studies showed G-CSF shortened the duration of neutropenia, and reduced the incidence of neutropenic fever, use of antibiotics and hospitalization, while they showed no advantages in terms of response rate and the incidence of infection-related death.

Utility of hyaluronic acid in pleural fluid for differential diagnosis of pleural effusions: likelihood ratios for malignant mesothelioma.

The level of hyaluronic acid (HA) was determined in the pleural fluid of 99 patients, including 19 with malignant mesothelioma, 27 with lung cancer, 1 with breast cancer, 1 with mediastinal tumor and 51 with non-malignant diseases. With a cut-off level at 100 micrograms/ml, the pleural fluid concentration of HA was high in 36.8% of patients (7 of 19) with malignant mesothelioma and 1.