Preliminary results of proton-beam therapy for stage III non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: We conducted a preliminary retrospective evaluation of the efficacy and toxicity of proton-beam therapy (pbt) for stage iii non-small-cell lung cancer. METHODS: Between January 2009 and August 2013, 27 patients (26 men, 1 woman) with stage iii non-small-cell lung cancer underwent pbt. The relative biologic effectiveness value of the proton beam was defined as 1.1. The beam energy and spread-out Bragg peak were fine-tuned such that the 90% isodose volume of the prescribed dose encompassed the planning target volume. Of the 27 patients, 11 underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Cumulative survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Treatment toxicities were evaluated using version 4 of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. RESULTS: Median age of the patients was 72 years (range: 57-91 years), and median follow-up was 15.4 months (range: 7.8-36.9 months). Clinical stage was iiia in 14 patients (52%) and iiib in 13 (48%). The median dose of pbt was 77 GyE (range: 66-86.4 GyE). The overall survival rate in the cohort was 92.3% at 1 year and 51.1% at 2 years. Locoregional failure occurred in 7 patients, and distant metastasis, in 10. In 2 patients, initial failure was both locoregional and distant. The 1-year and 2-year rates of local control were 68.1% and 36.4% respectively. The 1-year and 2-year rates of progression-free survival were 39.9% and 21.4% respectively. Two patients experienced grade 3 pneumonitis. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with stage iii non-small-cell lung cancer, pbt can be an effective and safe treatment option.

Diabetes mellitus associated with superior mesenteric artery syndrome: report of two cases.

We observed two patients with diabetes who were suffering from nausea, vomiting and epigastralgia after meals. These symptoms subsided when lying on their left side. Since the 2 patients had autonomic neuropathy, at first, the symptoms seemed to be attributable to diabetic gastroparesis. However, they were diagnosed as having superior mesenteric artery syndrome by hypotonic duodenography. These finding suggest that in diabetic patients who have a history of excessive weight loss superior mesenteric artery syndrome should be ruled out even though they have autonomic neuropathy.

Searching for preventive measures of cardiovascular events in aged Japanese taxi drivers--the daily rhythm of cardiovascular risk factors during a night duty day.

Previous studies have shown that Japanese taxi drivers are exposed to more risk factors and have a higher mortality rate due to cardiovascular disease than other occupational groups. We investigated the effect of night taxi driving with a view to preventing acute events of cardiovascular disease among aged taxi drivers. Twenty-nine taxi drivers (41-67 years old) were examined for urine normetanephrine/creatinine, von Willebrand factor, anti-thrombin III, t-plasminogen activator-plasminogen activator inhibitor 1-complex, hematocrit, blood glucose and blood pressure in the morning and at midnight during a duty day and in the following morning. At the same time, the blood pressure and blood glucose of 46 taxi drivers (43-67 years old) in the morning after a night duty with little sleep and in the morning after daytime work and subsequent night sleep were compared. The results obtained indicate that the aggravation of sympathetic nervous system functions with disturbed circadian rhythms, increased blood coagulation and blood concentration, endothelial injury and the elevation of blood glucose at midnight or the next morning were induced by their night work. These conditions are supposed to favour acute vascular events in aged taxi drivers. Preventive measures considered include social support for anticoagulant food and water intake, short exercise and walking as well as taking a rest and a nap during night work.

Paralytic ileus accompanied by pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis after acarbose treatment in an elderly diabetic patient with a history of heavy intake of maltitol.

An 87-year-old woman, diagnosed with diabetes mellitus at age 73, exhibited abdominal distention and appetite loss in March 1998. She had received acarbose as well as 5 mg per day of glibenclamide and had habitually used about 100 g of maltitol daily from 1997. She was diagnosed as having paralytic ileus accompanied by pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI). This condition subsided quickly with discontinuation of diet or cessation of acarbose and maltitol usage. The patient's condition appears to be attributable to increased gas levels produced by fermentation of disaccharides and maltitol. Decreased intestinal motility may be a result of pre-existing diabetic autonomic neuropathy and hypothyroidism. The patient's clinical course suggests that paralytic ileus and PCI should be listed as rare side effects of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors and that the drug should be used with great caution for those who consume non-digestive sugar substitutes.