[A case of pleomorphic malignant fibrous histiocytoma with multiple lung metastases with bilateral pneumothorax after chemotherapy].

A 70-year-old man diagnosed with pleomorphic malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the left thigh underwent tumor resection. After 10 months, he underwent extended resection due to local recurrence. However, because multiple lung metastases was detected at this time, chemotherapy with ifosfamide and doxorubicin was administered. After three courses of chemotherapy, the lung metastases enlarged and the patient received ifosfamide and etoposide as second line chemotherapy. Even after three courses of second line treatment, the disease progressed, for which docetaxel and gemcitabine were administered as third line chemotherapy. After three courses of third line treatment, multiple lung metastases reduced and were replaced with scar and cystic lesions (reduction ratio 85.9%). After four courses of treatment, the patient developed left pneumothorax. Partial resection of the left upper lobe was performed by thoracoscopic surgery. Histopathological examination revealed rupture of the visceral pleura in a scar lesion leading to air leakage. After 13 courses of treatment, he developed right pneumothorax. Partial resection of the right middle lobe was performed. Histopathological examination revealed a cystic lesion without tumor remnants. After 15 courses of third line treatment, lung metastasis could be controlled. Chemotherapy with docetaxel and gemcitabine resulted in few adverse effects that were within tolerance limits.

[A case of cStage III B non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer completely resected after downstaging with chemotherapy].

A 64-year-old man was diagnosed with a gastric ulcer, and a tumor shadow was observed in the right lower lung field on a chest radiograph. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed the tumor shadow to be 33 × 25 mm in the right lower lobe; it also revealed a 7-mm nodule in the right S3, and lymph node swelling in the upper and lower mediastinum. Positron emission tomography (PET)-CT revealed an SUVmax of 12.8, 1.2, 7.6, and 10.0 for the right lower lobe tumor, right S3 nodule, and the No. 4 and No. 7 lymph nodes, respectively. The right lower lobe tumor was diagnosed as an adenocarcinoma via transbronchiall ung biopsy. The patient was diagnosed with cT4N2M0, cStage III B cancer. Four courses of carboplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab were administered. After the fourth course, chest CT revealed that the right lower lobe tumor and the right S3 nodule significantly reduced to 14 × 7 mm and 5mm respectively, and the mediastinal lymph node swelling was nearly eliminated. Subsequent PET-CT examination revealed an SUVmax of 1.3 and 0.8 in the right lower lobe tumor and right S3 nodule, respectively. The patient was diagnosed with ycT4N0M0, ycStage III A cancer, and he underwent right lower lobe resection, right S3 partial resection, and lymph node. Postoperative pathological analysis was used to make a diagnosis of mixed type adenocarcinoma for the right lower lobe tumor, and a diagnosis of papillary adenocarcinoma for the right S3 nodule. Both tumors were diagnosed as primary lung cancers. There were no metastatic cancer cells in the dissected lymph nodes.

[A case of lung cancer in an elderly patient with malignant pleural effusion and pneumothorax treated with carboplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab].

We report a case of an elderly patient with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer who was successfully treated with chemotherapy using carboplatin(CBDCA), pemetrexed(PEM), and bevacizumab(Bev). The patient was an 84-year-old man who presented with a chief complaint of dyspnea. The right lung was completely collapsed due to malignant pleural effusion, and the mediastinum was shifted to the left. Right thoracic drainage was performed, but this was complicated by pneumothorax and a thoracotomy was performed. An absorbent tissue reinforcing agent was attached to the site of the air leakage and fibrin glue was applied. After discharge, the patient was administered 500mg/m / 2 PEM plus 15 mg/kg Bev for the first course of chemotherapy and experienced no serious side effects. CBDCA(area under the curve[AUC]4)was added from the second course. After the administration of seven courses, pleural effusion had almost disappeared and the primary tumor in the upper right lobe was observed to have shrunk. Administration of PEM+Bev was continued thereafter. The right pleural effusion was well controlled for up to 12 months(14 courses)from the start of the administration of chemotherapy, and shrinkage of the primary tumor was maintained. The side effects were mild and chemotherapy was administered safely. After the administration of 16 courses, a left malignant pleural effusion was observed, and the patient died 15 months after the initiation of chemotherapy.

[A case of advanced gastric cancer with recurrence-free long survival showing disappearance of distant lymph node metastases by S-1/docetaxel therapy followed by curative resection].

A screening CT of a 78-year-old man suffering from a laryngeal foreign body revealed multiple lymph nodes swelling at the left subclavicular, mediastinal, perigastric, and paraaortic space. He was diagnosed as advanced gastric cancer. After five courses of S-1/docetaxel therapy, the primary tumor became flat and lymph nodes became undetectable. After seven courses, he received operation(total gastrectomy and D2 lymph nodes dissection)because of tumor bleeding and severe adverse effects. The pathological chemotherapeutic effect was Grade 1b for the primary tumor and Grade 3 for lymph nodes. He received S-1 maintenance therapy for three years afterward, and is now still in good condition without recurrence 53 months after the first administration. S-1/docetaxel therapy was thought to be a useful optional regimen for highly advanced gastric cancer.

[A patient with small intestinal cancer and extensive lymph node metastasis who responded to S-1].

The patient was an 89-year-old male who consulted our hospital with a complaint of black stools. He had undergone gastrectomy and Roux-en Y reconstruction. Upper digestive tract endoscopy revealed a flat plate-like ulcer in the jejunum on the anal side of the gastrojejunostomy site. Biopsy findings suggested undifferentiated adenocarcinoma. Computed tomography (CT) showed cervical, mediastinal, and intraperitoneal lymph node swelling, suggesting metastasis. Extensive lymph node metastasis made curative resection impossible, and symptoms such as perforation/stenosis were absent. Therefore, surgery was not performed, and systemic hemotherapy with S-1 (80 mg/body/day) was administered. We repeated 2-week administration and 1-week discontinuation per course. After the end of the second course, upper digestive tract endoscopy revealed cicatrization of the ulcer, and CT showed a marked decrease in the lymph node size; a complete response (CR) was achieved. During the 7-month follow-up after the initial consultation (7 courses of S-1 therapy in all), there has been no exacerbation, and the quality of life (QOL) has been maintained.

Docetaxel and S-1 as a first-line treatment in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of docetaxel plus S-1 combination chemotherapy as a first-line treatment in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer was verified retrospectively. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer were enrolled. The regimen used was intravenous docetaxel, 40 mg/m(2), on day 1 and oral S-1, 80 mg/m(2)/day, on days 1-14 every three weeks. RESULTS: In total 101 cycles were administered. One and 11 patients achieved complete and partial responses, while six and zero patients showed stable and progressive disease, respectively. The median time to progression (TTP) and median overall survival were 7.0 and 14.3 months, respectively. Neutropenia was the most common grade 3/4 hematological toxicity. Nausea and stomatitis were the most common grade 3 nonhematological toxicities. No treatment-related death was observed. CONCLUSION: Docetaxel plus S-1 combination is an active and tolerable regimen as a first-line treatment in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

[Combination of carboplatin and gemcitabine is a safe and feasible regimen in adjuvant therapy for stage II and IIIA NSCLC].

BACKGROUND: Recently, several randomized trials have shown that postoperative adjuvant treatment improves survival among patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Platinum-based chemotherapy has been reported to be effective for patients with postoperative stage II to IIIA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the present study, 5 patients with completely resected stage IIB and IIIA received carboplatin AUC 4 on day 1 and gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks for six cycles as adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: No early or toxic deaths were observed. All patients were administered 6 cycles completely and safely. Three patients had grade 3 neutropenia and three had grade 2 thrombocytopenia. One patient had grade 3 neutropenia on day 8 in the 2nd and 3rd cycle, and the medications were postponed for a week. Non-hematological toxicity including alopecia and neuropathy were not found. CONCLUSION: In the present study, the combination of carboplatin and gemcitabine has been a safe and feasible regimen in adjuvant therapy for stage II and IIIA NSCLC.

[Chemotherapy for patients with non-curative advanced or recurrent gastric cancer in our hospital].

In our hospital, beginning in April 2005, chemotherapy for non-curative advanced or recurrent gastric cancer was integrated, and 9 regimens including 6 combination therapies were prepared. First-line chemotherapy mainly focusing on TS-1 plus docetaxel combination therapy(S-1+DOC)was done. Second-line and subsequent chemotherapy treatments were chosen by the doctor in charge. 78.6% of second-line chemotherapy was monotherapy. Median survival time(MST)since first-line chemotherapy was 15.6 months, and 1-year survival rate since first-line chemotherapy was 65.0%. MST since the start of first-line S-1+DOC was over 16.4 months, and 1-year survival rate since this therapy start was 69.0%. The good results were ascribed to following: 1. good response rate(30.4%), prolonged time to progression(TTP)(6.1 months), and good control against adverse events at first-line chemotherapy; 2. good shift rate of second-line chemotherapy from the first-line one(82.4%); and 3. good disease control rate(78.6%), prolonged TTP(7.0 months), and good control against adverse events at second-line chemotherapy. In patients with peritoneal metastasis, however, despite the prolonged TTP of 8.7 months by first-line chemotherapy, MST since first-line chemotherapy was poor at 11.1 months. Thus, improvement of second-line or subsequent chemotherapy is warranted.

[Clinical administration of FOLFOX regimens for patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer].

FOLFOX regimens were administered to 14 patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer from 1 to 9 cycles (median 5 cycles). In our patient characteristics, 10 patients had previous chemotherapies, 3 patients showed performance status 3. The response rate was 21%, and median time to progression was 5.0 months. Frequency of grade 3/4 adverse effect was 57% in neutropenia, 36% in leucopenia, 36% in thrombocytopenia, and 7% in allergic reaction. Only 64% patients could complete the treatment, for these adverse events brought treatment failure at 3-6 cycles. Median relative dose-intensity was 80-90% during 1-4 cycles, but about 50% after 5 cycles for these adverse events. No patient had grade 3 neurologic toxicity,because no one was administered over 10 cycles. FOLFOX regimens showed good anti-tumor effects but poor tolerability after 5-6 cycles in our patients.