RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: We examined the impact of adjuvant modalities on resected pancreatic and periampullary adenocarcinoma (PAC). METHODS: A total of 563 patients who were curatively resected for PAC were retrospectively analyzed between 2003 and 2013. RESULTS: Of 563 patients, 472 received adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) alone, chemoradiotherapy (CRT) alone, and chemoradiotherapy plus chemotherapy (CRT-CT) were analyzed. Of the 472 patients, 231 were given CRT-CT, 26 were given CRT, and 215 were given CT. The median recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were 12 and 19 months, respectively. When CT and CRT-CT groups were compared, there was no significant difference with respect to both RFS and OS, and also there was no difference in RFS and OS among CRT-CT, CT and CRT groups. To further investigate the impact of radiation on subgroups, patients were stratified according to lymph node status and resection margins. In node-positive patients, both RFS and OS were significantly longer in CRT-CT than CT. In contrast, there was no significant difference between groups when patients with node-negative disease or patients with or without positive surgical margins were considered. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of radiation to CT has a survival benefit in patients with node-positive disease following pancreatic resection.
RESUMEN
Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis are obligatory parasites that live in sebaceous glands and follicles. When immune system becomes suppressed by any reason, patients become vulnerable to obligatory parasites like D. folliculorum and D. brevis. Immune system becomes suppressed in cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy, and as a result these patients become vulnerable to infestations. In our case, a 45 year-old female has been admitted to oncology clinic for a medical treatment of breast cancer. Her systematic physical examination was normal, except redness on her cheeks and forehead. There was no abnormality in biochemical and haematological laboratory values. We have decided to apply chemotherapy of Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil. Due to the itchy redness on her cheeks and forehead, we had performed an examination for demodex before chemotherapy; and we have identified 20 mites/cm(2) on her right and left cheeks, and 15 mites/cm(2) on her forehead. When our patient had came our clinic with increasing complaint of itchy rash, after the first course of chemotherapy we have reexamined demodex. The result of microscopic examination revealed large amount of demodex of 50 mites/cm(2) on her right and left cheeks and 30 mites/cm(2) on her forehead, which were nearly 2.5-times higher than the previous examination. This increase probably was associated with immune suppression of chemotherapy.