Sorafenib TARGET trial results in Spanish patients.

INTRODUCTION: Sorafenib improves progression-free survival in advanced clear-cell renal-cell carcinoma patients progressing to first-line therapy, as has been shown in the placebo-controlled international TARGET trial. The aim of this study is to report the results of the patients included in the Spanish centres in this trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The records of the patients in the database of the TARGET trial have been reviewed. Data about progression-free survival, overall survival and toxicity have been collected in order to do this subpopulation analysis. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients have been included (sorafenib arm 7, placebo arm 8). A trend to an improved progression-free survival in the sorafenib arm has been observed period Toxicity in the sorafenib arm has been manageable. CONCLUSION: The analysis of these 15 patients has shown efficacy and toxicity results that follow the trend observed for the overall international population.

Ifosfamide and irinotecan in solid tumors: a phase I dose-finding trial.

The combination of ifosfamide and irinotecan was tested in a dose-finding study. The preliminary results of the combination in this phase I study did not show any major toxicity that could help to define the dose-limiting toxicity. The escalation continues even after nine levels; the study is therefore ongoing. The main toxicity is gastrointestinal, with mild nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. There was some other irrelevant toxicity, which was easily manageable with the usual supportive therapy. When responses were evaluated, stable disease was found in some cases, suggesting some activity for the combination.

Solar recharging system for hearing aid cells.

We present a solar recharging system for nickel-cadmium cells of interest in areas where batteries for hearing aids are difficult to obtain. The charger has sun cells at the top. Luminous energy is converted into electrical energy, during the day and also at night if there is moonlight. The cost of the charger and hearing aid is very low at 35 US$. The use of solar recharging for hearing aids would be useful in alleviating the problems of deafness in parts of developing countries where there is no electricity.

[Brainstem evoked potentials in diagnosis of infantile hypoacusis]. / Potenciales evocados de tronco cerebral en el diagnóstico de las hipoacusias infantiles.

This paper deals with the auditory brainstem responses and its clinical application to the assessment of hearing losses, degree of severity and topographic diagnosis, in children.

[Tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies with less than six hour admittance]. / Amigdalectomías y adenoidectomías con una hospitalización de menos de 6 horas.

Surgery practice, as day cases, is as old as surgery itself, but actually because of the assembly of present-day circumstances, specially the shortage of ward beds, make necessary to gain advantage of resources available. The new requests for medical attendance as well the technological novelties have influenced at Hospital de Cruces to establish the Outpatients Surgical Unit. A good organisation allows the Adeno-tonsillectomy surgery with little risk in these Unities. We describe our experience, the advantages and the complications of this behavior.