Underweight and hypoalbuminemia as risk indicators for mortality among psychiatric patients with medical comorbidities.

AIM: Medical comorbidities are a major cause of death among patients with mental illness. The purpose of this study was to clarify the risk factors for mortality among psychiatric patients with medical comorbidities. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical files of patients transferred to Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital from a psychiatric hospital to treat medical comorbidities during the 3-year period from January 2014 to December 2016. We analyzed the clinical differences between the expired and alive patients. RESULTS: Of the 287 patients included, 29 (10.1%) had expired at the time of hospital discharge, while 258 (89.9%) were living. A multivariable analysis to determine the prognostic factors related to mortality from medical comorbidities showed that body mass index <18.5 had the highest odds ratio among the predictive factors (5.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-17.1; P < 0.05), followed by a serum albumin level < 3.0 mg/dL (3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-8.1; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: We found that underweight and hypoalbuminemia were risk factors for mortality among psychiatric patients with medical comorbidities. Physicians at psychiatric hospitals should consider transferring patients with medical comorbidities to a general medical hospital in the presence of underweight and/or hypoalbuminemia.

A prospective study of shortened vitamin supplementation prior to cisplatin-pemetrexed therapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Prior supplementation with folic acid and vitamin B12 is required to reduce pemetrexed therapy toxicity; the recommended lead-in time is at least 7 days. On the basis of previous pharmacokinetic and clinical studies, we hypothesized that the lead-in time could be shortened to 24 hours, enabling earlier commencement of standard chemotherapy; thus, we planned the first prospective trial of this regimen. METHODS: Patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer who had not previously received cytotoxic chemotherapy were enrolled. After measurement of homocysteine concentrations, the patients received 1,000 µg of vitamin B12 by intramuscular injection and began taking 350-500 µg of oral folic acid daily. Starting 24-48 hours after the vitamin B12 injection, the patients received intravenous 500 mg/m(2) pemetrexed and 75 mg/m(2) cisplatin for 4 cycles at 3 weekly intervals. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients who developed neutropenia grade ≥3. RESULTS: Thirty patients received chemotherapy starting within 48 hours of the vitamin B12 injection. No treatment-related deaths or grade 4 toxicity occurred. Neutropenia grade ≥3, other laboratory toxicities grade ≥3, and nonlaboratory toxicities grade ≥3 occurred in 6.7%, 13%, and 13% of patients, respectively. The baseline homocysteine concentrations were not higher in patients with grade ≥3 toxicities than in the remainder of the cohort (mean values, 8.6 and 10.7 µmol/L, respectively). The response rate to chemotherapy was 43%. CONCLUSION: The shortened vitamin supplementation was well tolerated and retained antitumor efficacy. Analysis of baseline homocysteine concentrations confirmed the efficacy of short-term vitamin supplementation.

Clinical characteristics of Japanese lung cancer patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer has emerged as a crucial problem among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, contributing to significant mortality in Western countries. Japan has an increasing number of newly infected HIV patients, but clinical characteristics of lung cancer have not been well investigated in Asian populations with HIV. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients diagnosed with HIV and lung cancer simultaneously in our institution between 1985 and 2010. Data regarding HIV status, characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of lung cancer were evaluated. RESULTS: We identified 13 consecutive patients (all men; mean age, 59.0 ± 10.2 years) since 1985, 7 of whom had been diagnosed since 2008. Mean CD4 cell count was 332 ± 159 cells/µL, and HIV viral loads were undetectable in 8 patients (61.5%) at the time of lung cancer diagnosis. The mean latency from HIV diagnosis to detection of lung cancer was 4.0 years. Histological examination demonstrated adenocarcinoma in 9 patients (69.2%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (23.1%), and small cell carcinoma (7.7%). Among the 7 patients available for examination, 2 patients (28.6%) harbored EGFR mutation. Six patients had stage IA-IIIA, and 7 patients had stage IIIB/IV. Among 6 patients treated with chemotherapy for unresectable stages, 5 (83.3%) achieved a partial response. Median overall survival was 17 months for all stages and 14 months for advanced stages. Toxicities for treatment modalities were largely acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical characteristics of Japanese HIV-infected patients with lung cancer resemble those of Western populations. The prognosis for patients in the metastatic stage was better than previously reported.

[A case of pulmonary MALT lymphoma with multiple nodules and ground-glass opacities].

UNLABELLED: An asymptomatic 77-year-old woman was referred in 2000 because multiple nodular shadows were found on chest X-ray films on a medical checkup. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed bilateral multiple ground-glass opacities and ill-defined nodules. A transbronchial lung biopsy was performed via bronchoscopy, but the specimens did not yield any specific findings. She was then monitored without therapy as an outpatient. In November 2005, chest CT imaging showed that the size and density of the ground-glass opacities and nodules had increased. In January, 2006 video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) was performed to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Based on histological and immunohistochemical examinations, primary pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma was diagnosed. She has been followed up without any additional treatment since. CONCLUSION: Multiple ground glass opacities and nodules are rare chest CT findings in pulmonary MALT lymphoma.

Long-term survival following metachronous intratumoral hemorrhage in an HIV-infected patient with lung cancer.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients are likely to develop intracranial events. Due to the spread of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), HIV-infected patients now survive longer, and metastatic non-AIDS-defining carcinoma is increasing. A 49-year-old man with HIV infection undergoing treatment with HAART developed an intratumoral hemorrhage in the right frontal lobe. He was diagnosed as having lung adenocarcinoma and was found to have a brain metastasis with bleeding. After treatment for intratumoral bleeding, a contralateral frontal lobe hemorrhage occurred within a month. The patient underwent a second craniotomy and removal of hematoma, followed by whole-brain radiotherapy. He was then treated with four cycles of cisplatin and gemcitabine combination chemotherapy while receiving HAART. A partial response was achieved, though he developed severe hematological toxicities for which the doses of chemotherapy needed to be decreased. However, as a result of treatment, his activities of daily life recovered gradually. This lung cancer patient had been alive for 17 months despite the coexistence of two disorders with a poor prognosis, HIV infection and bleeding brain metastases from lung cancer. This case revealed that physicians must include non-AIDS-defining cancer metastasis to the brain in the differential diagnosis of HIV-infected patients when they show stroke-like symptoms, and such patients may respond to treatment as well as non-HIV-infected patients with advanced lung cancer.

[Re-treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor(EGFR-TKI)for lung adenocarcinoma].

BACKGROUND: EGFR-TKI yields a long survival period in cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially those with EGFR gene mutations, but the effect is limited. The later treatment strategy is still a large problem. Efficacy by re-treatment with EGFR-TKI is sometimes reported, but its clinical significance is not clear. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively 22 cases (gefitinib 11 cases and erlotinib 11 cases) of NSCLC re-treated with EGFR-TKI in our hospital from August 2004 to August 2009. RESULTS: After re-treatment with gefitinib, four cases showed disease control. Efficacy of erlotinib was recognized in the cases in which disease control was obtained by initial treatment with gefitinib. The disease control rate was 36% (4/11) in the gefitinib group and 45% (5/11) in the erlotinib group. Median survival time was 212 days and 292 days from re-treatment with EGFR-TKI, respectively. CONCLUSION: Re-administration of EGFR-TKI was effective, and therefore is considered one of the treatment options for patients who once respond to gefitinib, until new anti-cancer drugs are available.

Ultrasensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of MPT64 secretory antigen to evaluate Mycobacterium tuberculosis viability in sputum.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-secreted MPT64 as a surrogate of bacterial viability for the diagnosis of active pulmonary TB (PTB) and for follow-up treatment. METHODS: In this proof-of-concept prospective study, 50 PTB patients in the Tokyo metropolitan region, between 2017 and 2018, were consecutively included and 30 healthy individuals were also included. Each PTB patient submitted sputum on days 0, 14 and 28 for diagnosis and follow-up, and each healthy individual submitted one sputum sample. The following were performed: smear microscopy, Xpert MTB/RIF, MGIT and solid culture, and MPT64 detection on the sputum samples. Ultrasensitive ELISA (usELISA) was used to detect MPT64. The receiver operating characteristic analyses for diagnosis and follow-up revealed the optimal cut-off value of MPT64 absorbance for detecting culture positivity at multiple intervals. RESULTS: The sensitivity of MPT64 for diagnosing PTB was 88.0% (95% CI 75.7-95.5) and the specificity was 96.7% (95% CI 82.8-99.9). The specificity of MPT64 for predicting negative culture results on day 14 was 89.5% (95% CI 66.9-98.7). The sensitivity of MPT64 for predicting positive culture results on day 28 was 81.0% (95% CI 58.1-94.6). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that MPT64 is useful for diagnosing active PTB in patients and predicting treatment efficacy at follow-up.

Choroidal metastasis in a patient with small cell lung cancer discovered during treatment with chemotherapy.

A 56-year-old male patient complaining of productive cough, hoarseness, and fatigue was found to have extensive disease of small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC), with staging of cT4N3M1(PUL). He was treated with chemotherapy. While undergoing treatment with chemotherapy, he complained of a right visual disturbance, and choroidal metastasis was diagnosed. Because the primary site responded well to chemotherapy alone and the visual disturbance did not worsen, the patient refused radiotherapy to the choroidal metastasis. Two months after the first diagnosis of the choroidal metastasis, while he was receiving the first treatment regimen for SCLC, the visual disturbance suddenly worsened; emergent radiotherapy was started, with a total dose of 40 Gy, given as 2.0 Gy/fraction per day. The visual disturbance never improved, and the patient lost 80% of his right visual field. Within 6 months of diagnosis, the patient became blind in his right eye. The patient died of septic shock related to treatment received during his third chemotherapy regimen. Choroidal metastasis is very rare with extraocular malignant tumors, though it is common with intraocular malignant tumors. Choroidal metastasis secondary to SCLC has a poor prognosis, but in order to maintain quality of life during the patients' remaining lifespan, aggressive treatment would appear appropriate for these patients, because SCLC is a chemo-sensitive cancer.

Risk factors for pneumonia in patients with schizophrenia.

AIM: Pneumonia is a major cause of death in patients with schizophrenia. Preventive strategies based on identifying the risk factors are needed to reduce pneumonia-related mortality. This study aimed to clarify the risk factors for pneumonia in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical files of consecutive patients with schizophrenia admitted to Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital during a four-year period from January 2014 to December 2017. We analyzed the clinical differences between patients with and without pneumonia. RESULTS: Of the 2209 patients enrolled, 101 (4.6%) received the diagnosis of pneumonia at the time of hospital admission while 2108 (95.4%) did not have pneumonia. Multivariable analysis to determine the risk factors related to pneumonia showed that the use of atypical antipsychotics had the highest odds ratio among the predictive factors (2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-17.7; P = 0.046), followed by a total chlorpromazine equivalent dose ≥600 mg (2.6; 95% CI 1.7-4.0; P < 0.001), body mass index <18.5 kg/m2 (2.3; 95% CI 1.6-3.6; P < 0.001), smoking history (2.0; 95% CI 1.3-3.1; P < 0.001), and age ≥50 years (1.7; 95% CI 1.2-2.6; P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: We found that advanced age, underweight, smoking habit, use of atypical antipsychotics, and large doses of antipsychotics were risk factors for pneumonia in patients with schizophrenia. Among these factors, it was unclear whether the use of antipsychotics was a direct cause of pneumonia due to is uncertain because our retrospective study design. However, our result might be a good basis of further study focused on reducing pneumonia-related fatalities in schizophrenic patients with pneumonia.

Risk Factors for Death from Psychiatric Hospital-acquired Pneumonia.

Objectives Pneumonia is a major cause of death among inpatients at psychiatric hospitals. Psychiatric hospital-acquired pneumonia (PHAP) is defined as pneumonia developed in inpatients at psychiatric hospitals. PHAP is a type of nursing and healthcare-associated pneumonia (NHCAP). The purpose of this study was to clarify the risk factors for mortality among PHAP patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical files of patients transferred to Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital from psychiatric hospitals for PHAP treatment during the 10-year period from September 2007 to August 2017. We analyzed the clinical differences between the survivors and non-survivors and assessed the usefulness of severity classifications (A-DROP, I-ROAD, and PSI) in predicting the prognosis of PHAP. Results This study included a total of 409 PHAP patients, 87 (21.3%) of whom expired and 322 (78.7%) of whom survived. The mortality rates, according to the A-DROP classifications, were 4.9% in the mild cases, 21.6% in the moderate cases, 40.7% in the severe cases, and 47.6% in the very severe cases. The mortality rates, according to the I-ROAD classifications, were 9.5% in group A, 34.7% in group B, and 36.2% in group C. The mortality rates, according to the PSI classifications, were 0% in class II and III, 23.1% in class IV, and 44.9% in class V. The mortality rate increased as the severity increased. We identified 3 factors (age ≥65 years, body mass index ≤18.5 kg/m2, and bilateral pneumonic infiltration) as significant predictors of mortality. We therefore added two factors (body mass index ≤18.5 kg/m2 and bilateral pneumonic infiltration) to the A-DROP classification and established a modified A-DROP classification with a range of 0 to 7. The area under the receiver operation characteristic curves for predicting mortality were 0.699 for the A-DROP classification and 0.807 for the modified A-DROP classification. Conclusion The mortality rate in PHAP patients tended to increase with increasing classifications of severity. The modified A-DROP classification may be useful for predicting the prognosis of PHAP patients.

Frequent exacerbation of pulmonary nocardiosis during maintenance antibiotic therapies in a hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipient.

We describe a rare case of recurrent pulmonary nocardiosis (PN) in a hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipient. The patient developed Nocardia farcinica infection while receiving corticosteroid and cyclosporine for the treatment of bronchiolitis obliterans, probably due to chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). The patient responded well to the initial treatment with meropenem, but PN recurred 3 times during oral maintenance therapies using different antibiotics, which were chosen on the basis of the results of in vitro susceptibility testing against N farcinica Minocycline, amoxicillin/clavulanate, and levofloxacin were not effective as oral maintenance therapies. Frequent exacerbation of PN was considered to have resulted from the low blood concentration of these antibiotics, and decreased gastrointestinal absorption, probably due to cGVHD, might have been the underlying problem.

[Clinical features of lung cancer HIV-infected patients].

Since HIV infection and opportunistic infections began to be treated by highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the incidence of cancers, especially lung cancer increased. The clinical course of lung cancer in HIV infected patients is more aggressive, and little is known about its features or management. We retrospectively evaluated 6 cases of lung cancer with HIV infected patients in Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital. All patients were male and current smokers. Adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma were observed in 3, 2 and 1, respectively. There were 2 cases each of clinical Stage I, IIIB, and IV were each 2 cases. The range of the CD4 cell count was 52-432/microL. HIV infection was confirmed concurrently with the diagnosis of lung cancer or complications in 5 of 6 patients. Some cases treated for both lung cancer and HIV, had a relatively good clinical course. We suggest that cancer treatment concurrently with HAART may be useful for similar cases. Further experience and study are necessary.

Increased oxidative stress in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as measured by redox status of plasma coenzyme Q10.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The percentage of oxidized coenzyme Q10 in total coenzyme Q10 (%CoQ-10) has been shown to indicate the degree of systemic oxidative stress. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is regarded as a systemic disease that is linked to oxidative stress in its pathogenesis. In this study, the plasma %CoQ-10 levels in COPD patients were determined and assessed. In addition, the effect of oxygen supplementation on plasma %CoQ-10 was also evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirteen COPD patients who had not received oxygen supplementation (COPD-Pt), five COPD patients who had received oxygen supplementation (COPD + O2) and 20 age-matched control subjects (CONTROL) were enrolled. We have also enrolled 83 young healthy non/slight smokers (smoking index <20 pack-year) and 24 young healthy smokers (smoking index > or = 20 pack-year) in order to assess the effect of smoking history on %CoQ-10 level. Their plasma was collected and plasma %CoQ-10 levels were determined and compared. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The plasma %CoQ-10 of COPD-Pt was 6.3 +/- 2.3, significantly higher than that of CONTROL, 4.7 +/- 1.6 (p < 0.05), indicating an increased oxidative stress in the patients. In contrast, no significant difference in %CoQ-10 was observed between young healthy non/slight smokers (%CoQ-10 = 3.2 +/- 0.9) and young healthy smokers (%CoQ-10 = 3.7 +/- 1.3). Our observation of five COPD patients who received an oxygen supplementation revealed that their %CoQ-10 values (4.0 +/- 1.5) were significantly lower than those in COPD-Pt subjects (p < 0.05), suggesting that oxygen supplementation ameliorates the oxidative stress. In contrast, our study showed that no significant difference was observed among the three groups in plasma levels of Vitamin C or E. In conclusion, plasma %CoQ-10 levels are increased in COPD patients and oxygen supplementation attenuates this increasing effect by COPD. This implies that %CoQ-10 might be used practically to assess the COPD patients systemically.

[Pituitary stalk metastasis from lung cancer, preceding diabetes insipidus--case report and clinical review of the literature].

A 59-year-old woman whose first clinical manifestations were polyuria and polydipsia was admitted to our hospital. Brain MRI showed multiple mass lesions and a thickened pituitary stalk. Chest CT showed hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy and a small nodule measuring about 1.5 cm in the apex of the right lung. Histopathological examination revealed adenocarcinoma of the lung, and primary lung cancer with diabetes insipidus secondary to pituitary stalk metastasis was diagnosed. She received systemic chemotherapy and whole-brain irradiation concurrent with intranasal desmopressin (DDAVP) treatment. Although the size of the tumor was reduced, her symptoms did not improve and the same dose of hormone replacement therapy was required. We present this rare case and review the twenty cases of metastatic pituitary lesions arising from lung cancer reported in the literature.

[Alveolar hemorrhage as a possible adverse drug reaction by gefitinib (ZD1839, Iressa)].

We experienced a case in which severe alveolar hemorrhage occurred in the course of gefitinib therapy. A 56-year-old man with non-small cell lung cancer had been treated with CDDP + CPT-11, CDDP + GEM + VNR, CDDP + TXT. After the chemotherapy with these regimens was found to be ineffective, daily oral gefitinib was started. Four weeks later, the patient complained of cough, bloody sputum and dyspnea. Chest X-ray and CT showed bilateral infiltrations with air bronchogram. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed alveolar hemorrhage with an increase of lymphocytes in the BALF. After the cessation of gefitinib therapy and the administration of steroid, he gradually recovered.

Cisplatin and irinotecan combination chemotherapy for advanced thymic carcinoma: evaluation of efficacy and toxicity.

BACKGROUND: Thymic carcinoma is a rare, malignant mediastinal tumor that is definitively distinguished from thymoma by its wide extensiveness and poor prognosis. At present, cisplatin-based triplet or quartet chemotherapy with the second generation antitumor agents, referred to as Einhorn's protocol for germ cell tumors, is used as first-line chemotherapy for advanced thymic carcinoma, though an optimal chemotherapeutic regimen has not yet been established. In this retrospective study, the effectiveness and toxicity of cisplatin and irinotecan combination chemotherapy were evaluated over a nine-year period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with advanced thymic carcinoma who were treated with cisplatin and irinotecan combination chemotherapy between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2010, were retrospectively identified from our database and medical records. The endpoints in this study were disease control, response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Significant hematological and non-hematological toxicities were also assessed. RESULTS: Among identified nine patients, disease control was achieved in 8 patients (88.9%), and a clinical response was achieved in 5 (55.6%). The median PFS was 7.9 months, and the median OS was 33.8 months. One- and two-year OS were 77.7% and 55.6%, respectively. Grade 3/4 hematological toxicities were observed in 2 patients (22.2%), and Grade 3/4 non-hematological toxicities were seen in 2 patients (22.2%). No febrile neutropenia or toxic death was recorded. CONCLUSION: Cisplatin and irinotecan combination chemotherapy appears to be acceptable for advanced thymic carcinoma as first-line chemotherapy with respect to efficacy, toxicity, and usage in the clinical setting.

S-1 is an active anticancer agent for advanced thymic carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Thymic carcinoma is a rare intrathoracic malignant tumor, and the prognosis for patients with advanced stage of the disease is poor. However, no definitive chemotherapeutic regimen has been established for advanced thymic carcinoma in front-line settings. The efficacy and benefit of second-line or salvage chemotherapy are also unknown, as few cases or case series have been reported. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of S-1 monotherapy with S-1, a novel oral fluoropyrimidine agent, as salvage therapy in four consecutive patients with previously treated advanced thymic carcinoma from January, 2008 to May, 2010. RESULTS: Two patients achieved stable disease, and two achieved partial response. Median progression-free survival was 8.1 months. Hematological toxicity was mild, but gastrointestinal toxicity led to discontinuation in two of four patients. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that oral S-1 monotherapy is useful as second-line or later chemotherapy in previously treated patients with advanced thymic carcinoma and is a potential alternative choice for patients who cannot tolerate platinum-containing treatments.

Retrospective analysis of efficacy and safety of amrubicin in refractory and relapsed small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Amrubicin, a totally synthetic 9-aminoanthracycline, was evaluated retrospectively for the treatment of refractory and relapsed small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed in 32 patients. Amrubicin was infused over 5 min on days 1-3, with courses repeated at 3- or 4-week intervals. Amrubicin was given at a dose of 45 mg/m(2) per day, 40 mg/m(2) per day, 35 mg/m(2) per day, 30 mg/m(2) per day, or 25 mg/m(2) per day depending on medical conditions (patients' age and performance status [PS]), and the dose was modulated according to myelosuppression. RESULTS: The median number of treatment cycles was 3 (range, 1-6). Seventeen patients (53.1%) had a partial response. Median progression-free survival time for all patients was 96 days, and median survival time was 166 days. Grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicities comprised neutropenia (78.1%), anemia (65.6%), and thrombocytopenia (50.0%). Febrile neutropenia was observed in 8 patients (25.0%). Nonhematologic toxicities were mild. Treatment-related death was observed in 1 patient. CONCLUSION: Treatment with amrubicin appeared effective in SCLC patients previously treated with chemotherapy, although it was not necessarily safe, because of myelosuppression. Further research is warranted to investigate amrubicin treatment for patients with SCLC.

A long-term survival case of small cell lung cancer in an HIV-infected patient.

We report a case of small cell lung cancer in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The patient was a 51-year-old man diagnosed 8 years previously as seropositive for HIV, who was admitted to our hospital for re-evaluation of antiretroviral medications due to multidrug resistance. Chest radiograph revealed an abnormal hilar shadow subsequently confirmed to be small cell lung cancer. He received chemotherapy concurrently with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and lived for 14 months after the diagnosis. The prognosis of lung cancer in HIV-seropositive patients is very poor, and adverse effects of chemotherapy occur more frequently than in other patients. However, the simultaneous antiretroviral agents and combination chemotherapy was successful. Such treatment may be effective despite an otherwise poor prognosis, including HIV infection.