[Impact of chemotherapy on ovarian function and quality of life of patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia].

Objective: Using a questionnaire to evaluate different regimens of chemotherapy on ovarian function and quality of life of patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) . Methods: At least 6 months after completion of chemotherapy, 200 patients with GTN treated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2010 to June 2017 were randomly selected to fill up the questionnaire. The questionnaire items were included the patient's menstrual cycles, sexual life, gestational issues and common health. The patients were divided into 3 groups by chemotherapy regimens: actinomycin D (Act-D) group, floxuridine+Act-D+vincristine (FAV) or floxuridine+Act-D+etoposide+vincristine (FAEV) group (FAV-FAEV group) , and etoposide+methotrexate+Act-D (EMA) /vincristine+cyclophosphamide (CO) or EMA/ etoposide+cisplatin (EP) group (EMA/CO-EMA/EP group) . Chi-square test was used with a significance level of P-value less than 0.05. Results: One hundred and seventy-three (86.5%,173/200) of the patients completed the questionnaire. Forty three point two percent (43.2%, 19/44) in the EMA/CO-EMA/EP group had a normal menstrual cycle, which were significantly lower than those of Act-D group (84.6%,22/26) and FAV-FAEV group (71.2%, 37/52; all P<0.05) . Amenorrhea rate was also significantly higher in EMA/CO-EMA/EP group (25.0%, 11/44) than in Act-D group (0) and FAV-FAEV group (17.3%, 9/52; all P<0.05) . The sexual life parameters were comparable among 3 groups. Ten out of thirty-two patients conceived after chemotherapy, 2 had miscarriages and 8 had full-term delivery of healthy babies. The common health and labor capacity were significantly decreased after chemotherapy (all P<0.05) . Conclusions: EMA/CO or EMA/EP regimen have a worse impact on ovarian function than Act-D and FAV or FAEV regimen. Gynecologic oncologist should be concerned about the ovarian function and quality of life of GTN patients.

[A case of complete response for advanced gastric cancer with liver metastasis treated with combination chemotherapy of weekly paclitaxel and doxifluridine].

A 68-year-old man underwent total gastrectomy for Type 3 gastric cancer with liver metastasis. The final finding was T3(SE), N1, H1, P0, CY0(class IV), Stage IV, Cur C. After surgery, he was treated with combination chemotherapy of weekly paclitaxel(PTX)/doxifluridine(5'-DFUR). Paclitaxel was administered at a dose of 80 mg/m(2) on day 1, 8 and 15, and doxifluridine was orally administered at a dose of 533 mg/m(2) day for five days followed by withdrawal for two days. This regimen was repeated every four weeks. After 2 courses, the tumor marker level normalized, and the size of the liver metastasis was remarkably decreased. After 5 courses, a CT scan revealed the liver metastasis had disappeared, and he has now survived without recurrence after the disappearance of the liver metastasis. No severe adverse reactions were observed, and the man can be treated as an outpatient. This therapy may thus be effective in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer following non-curative operation.

Avoidance of gastroduodenal toxicity in patients receiving hepatic arterial 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine.

Gastroduodenal inflammation and ulceration have been frequently observed in patients receiving continuous hepatic arterial infusions of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FUDR) for liver malignancy. Thirty-five patients with metastatic colon cancer received hepatic arterial FUDR administered with implanted infusion pumps. At surgery, particular care was taken to identify and divide those vessels arising from the hepatic arteries distal to the point of cannulation that supplied the superior border of the distal stomach and proximal duodenum. None of the patients developed signs or symptoms of gastritis or ulcer attributable to chemotherapy. We contend that gastritis and ulcer in patients receiving hepatic arterial FUDR are due to misperfusion of drug into the upper gastrointestinal tract and that these complications can be largely avoided by use of appropriate surgical techniques.

Floxuridine-containing regimens in the treatment of gestational trophoblastic tumor.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the efficacy of floxuridine (FUDR)-containing regimens in the treatment of gestational trophoblastic tumor (GTT). STUDY DESIGN: Seventy-four patients with GTT, 47 with invasive mole and 27 with choriocarcinoma were treated with FUDR-containing regimens. Clinical staging of the disease was: 33 cases of stage I, 3 cases of stage II, 31 cases of stage IIIa, 6 cases of stage IIIb and 1 case of stage IV. RESULTS: The complete response rate of FUDR-containing regimens in the treatment of GTT was 91.9% (68 of 74 cases). Six patients, of whom 3 showed signs of drug resistance and 3 showed myelosuppression, had their regimens changed to non-FUDR-containing regimens, and all achieved a complete response. All 7 patients with advanced disease (>IIIb) achieved a complete response. The major adverse event with FUDR-containing regimens was myelosuppression and gastrointestinal toxicity: third- and fourth-degree neutropenia in 26% and thrombocytopenia in 6.2%, third-degree vomiting in 57.1% and third-degree diarrhea in 4.3%. CONCLUSION: FUDR-containing regimens are efficient for the treatment of GTT even for patients with advanced or drug-resistant disease.

[Advanced breast cancer with multiple bone metastases successfully treated with combined chemoendocrine-therapy of CEF (cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil) and 5'-DFUR (5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine) + MPA (medroxyprogesterone acetate)--a case report].

We report the case of a 51-year-old female with stage IV advanced breast cancer accompanied by multiple bone metastases. A hard mass of about 3.0 cm in diameter was palpated just below the nipple. An excisional biopsy was performed and histological examination revealed infiltrated solid tubular adenocarcinoma. There were no estrogen or progesterone receptors in the tumor. Modified radical mastectomy was performed in October, 1998. Postoperative adjuvant therapy with 10 cycles of CEF therapy was undertaken for one year. Combined chemoendocrine therapy with 5'-DFUR and MPA was also conducted for 11 months. Bone scintigraphy showed that all bone metastatic lesions disappeared completely one year after the operation. Mild bone marrow suppression, alopecia and body weight gain were observed as side effects. It is suggested that this combination therapy may be useful for advanced breast cancer patients with multiple bone metastases.

Quality of life/spirituality, religion and personal beliefs of adult and elderly chronic kidney patients under hemodialysis / Qualidade de vida/espiritualidade, religião e crenças pessoais de adultos e idosos renais crônicos em hemodiálise / Calidad de vida/espiritualidad, religión y creencias personales de adultos y ancianos renales crónicos en hemodiálisis

OBJECTIVE: to assess the quality of life of chronic kidney patients undergoing hemodialysis, using the WHOQOL-bref and WHOQOL-SRPB. METHOD: a descriptive and cross-sectional study was undertaken at a kidney replacement therapy service in the interior of the state of SP. The 110subjects who complied with the inclusion criteria answered the Subject Characterization Instrument, the WHOQOL-bref and WHOQOL-SRPB. RESULTS: most of the respondents were male (67.27%), with a mean age of 55.65 years, Catholic (55.45%), with unfinished primary education (33.64%) and without formal occupation (79.08%). The WHOQOL-bref domains with the highest and lowest mean score were, respectively, "psychological" (µ=74.20) and "physical" (µ=61.14). The WHOQOL-SRPB domains with the highest and lowest mean score were, respectively, "completeness and integration" (µ=4.00) and "faith" (µ=4.40). CONCLUSIONS: the respondents showed high quality of life scores, specifically in the dimensions related to spirituality, religion and personal beliefs. Losses were evidenced in the physical domain of quality of life, possibly due to the changes resulting from the chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis treatment. .

OBJETIVO: avaliar a qualidade de vida de pacientes renais crônicos em hemodiálise, por meio do WHOQOL-bref e WHOQOL-Spirituality, Religion and Personal Beliefs. MÉTODO: trata-se de um estudo descritivo, de corte transversal, realizado em uma unidade de terapia renal substitutiva do interior do Estado de São Paulo. Os 110 sujeitos que atenderam os critérios de inclusão responderam ao Instrumento de Caracterização dos Sujeitos, ao WHOQOL-bref e WHOQOL-Spirituality, Religion and Personal Beliefs. RESULTADOS: a maioria dos respondentes era do sexo masculino (67,27%), com idade média de 55,65 anos, católica (55,45%), com ensino fundamental incompleto (33,64%) e sem ocupação formal (79,08%). Os domínios do WHOQOL-bref com maior e menor pontuação média foram, respectivamente, "psicológico" (µ=74,20) e "físico" (µ=61,14). Os domínios do WHOQOL-Spirituality, Religion and Personal Beliefs de menor e maior pontuação média foram, respectivamente, "totalidade e integração" (µ=4,00) e "fé" (µ=4,40). CONCLUSÕES: os respondentes apresentaram elevados escores de qualidade de vida, especificamente nas dimensões referentes à espiritualidade, religião e crenças pessoais. Evidenciaram-se prejuízos no domínio físico da qualidade de vida, possivelmente em decorrência das alterações resultantes da doença renal crônica e do tratamento hemodialítico. .

OBJETIVO: evaluar la calidad de vida de pacientes renales crónicos en hemodiálisis, por medio del WHOQOL-bref y WHOQOL-SRPB. MÉTODO: se trata de un estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal, realizado en una unidad de terapia renal substitutiva del interior del estado de SP. Los 110 sujetos que atendieron a los criterios de inclusión respondieron al Instrumento de Caracterización de los Sujetos, al WHOQOL-bref y WHOQOL-SRPB. RESULTADOS: la mayoría de los entrevistados era del sexo masculino (67,27%), con edad promedio de 55,65 años, católicos (55,45%), con enseñanza fundamental incompleta (33,64%) y sin ocupación formal (79,08%). Los dominios del WHOQOL-bref con mayor y menor puntuación promedio fueron, respectivamente: "psicológico" (µ=74,20) y "físico" (µ=61,14). Los dominios del WHOQOL-SRPB de menor y mayor puntuación promedio fueron, respectivamente: "totalidad e integración" (µ=4,00) y "fe" (µ=4,40). CONCLUSIONES: los entrevistados presentaron elevados puntajes de calidad de vida, específicamente en las dimensiones referentes a espiritualidad, religión y creencias personales. Se evidenciaron perjuicios en el dominio físico de la calidad de vida, posiblemente en consecuencia de las alteraciones resultantes de la enfermedad renal crónica y del tratamiento de hemodiálisis. .