ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the short- term efficacy of argon- helium knife cryotherapy followed by chemotherapy in treating advanced non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to investigate its effect on the long- term survival. Methods During the period from March 2005 to March 2008, a total of 61 patients withⅢb or Ⅳ stage NSCLC received argon- helium knife cryotherapy followed by chemotherapy (study group), and other 52 patients with Ⅲb or Ⅳ stage NSCLC were treated with chemotherapy only (control group). The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. The pain was evaluated by numeric rating scale (NRS) and the quality of life (QOL) was assessed by functional assessment of cancer therapy- general (FACT- G) scale. The clinical effect was evaluated according to RECIST criteria for solid tumor, and the patient’s survival time was recorded. Results (1) Twenty- six patients had local pain before the treatment, and the pain was relieved in different degrees after cryotherapy. The QOL, including all respects of FACT - G, was significantly improved after cryotherapy in all 61 patients. (2) The remission rate of the study group and the control group was 34.4% and 15.4% respectively, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P <0.05). (3) The median survival time of the study group and the control group was 12.9 months and 9.5 months respectively, and the one- year survival rate of the study group and the control group was 53.6% and 35.4% respectively. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.01). Conclusion Argon- helium knife cryotherapy is a safe and effective local treatment for advanced NSCLC, which can quickly reduce the tumor load, relieve the pain and improve patient’s quality of life. Cryotherapy with subsequent chemotherapy is superior to simple chemotherapy in improving the patient’s survival rate.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this investigation was to study the myeloid antigen expression and its relationship with clinical and biological features in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). A panel of lineage-associated monoclonal antibodies and indirect immunofluorescence technique were used to analyse the immunophenotype in 85 previously untreated cases. The results showed that twenty-one point two percent of patients expressed myeloid antigens (My(+)), and CD13 and CD33 were frequently involved. The incidence of myeloid antigen expression had no statistical difference between T and B ALL or between ALL-L(1) and ALL-L(2) (P > 0.05). Myeloid antigens were expressed in three of seven T/B mixed ALL cases. There was no significant difference in clinical and biological features and chromosome abnormality between My(+) and My(-) cases (P > 0.25). There was no significant difference in complete remission rate and relapse rate between My(+) and My(-) cases (P > 0.05). The conclusion suggested that myeloid antigen expression was not associated with complete remission rate in childhood ALL. T/B mixed ALL more frequently showed expression of myeloid antigens and had an unfavorable prognosis.