Post-operative intrapleural BCG in lung cancer: A 5-year follow-up report

Summary Of a total study group of 99 patients 56 received intrapleural BCG in three different dosages (5 patients 16×10⁶, 25 patients 32×10⁶, and 26 patients 64×10⁶ culturable particles) following resection treatment for lung cancer. This study group was compared with an historical control population, very closely matched with regard to age, sex, stage of disease, histology and type of operation.Although the clinical condition of the patients selected for BCG treatment was above average, no survival benefit ensued from the intrapleural BCG. On the contrary, disease-free survival in BCG receivers with stage I and II squamous cell carcinoma was shortened significantly at 2 years follow-up due to the earlier appearance of local recurrences, with the same tendency still present after 5 years. This observation suggests an enhancement of tumour growth by the intrapleural BCG treatment. This alarming phenomenon could be a warning to clinicians when planning clinical immunotherapy trials to be aware of the potentially deleterious effects of such treatment.     

Regional immunotherapy in resectable squamous cell lung carcinoma

Summary Patients with resectable squamous cell carcinoma were randomly allocated after surgery to receive either no further treatment (57 patients) or a single intrapleural injection of BCG (61 patients). No significant improvement in survival was observed in patients treated with BCG, even when their disease was staged as N₀. These was a slight trend for the recurrence rate to be lower in patients classed as N₀, but this was not significant.     

Specific and nonspecific immunotherapy as an adjunct to curative surgery for cancer of the lung.

Attempts to improve survival following curative surgery for non-small-cell lung cancer are reviewed. Most of these approaches have been designed to stimulate the resistance of lung cancer patients in a non-specific fashion. Living bacteria or products of dead bacteria have been given as adjunctive treatment. Various routes have been used; oral, intradermal, subdermal, or intrapleural, with either BCG or Corynebacterium parvum. No reproducible benefit has been observed. Levamisole has not been proven to be useful. Trials have yet to be completed to confirm the use of thymosin fraction V for small cell carcinoma in improving the effectiveness of chemotherapy. A pilot trial using specific active immunotherapy is described. Prolongation of survival four years after closure of the trial in those patients immunized, compared with non-immunized patients, has prompted two further clinical trials. A small trial has confirmed the effectiveness of specific immunotherapy as adjunctive therapy for squamous cell carcinoma. A large multicenter trial in Canada and the United States should be completed and open to analysis in 1984 and may shed light on the role of tumor-associated antigens in stimulating specific resistance to lung cancer.     

Increase in number of circulating disseminated epithelial cells after surgery for non-small cell lung cancer monitored by MAINTRAC(R) is a predictor for relapse: A preliminary report

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer still remains one of the most commonly occurring solid tumors and even in stage Ia, surgery fails in 30% of patients who develop distant metastases. It is hypothesized that these must have developed from occult circulating tumor cells present at the time of surgery, or before. The aim of the present study was to detect such cells in the peripheral blood and to monitor these cells following surgery. METHODS: 30 patients treated for lung cancer with surgery were monitored for circulating epithelial cells (CEC) by taking peripheral blood samples before, 2 weeks and 5 months after surgery and/or radiotherapy (RT) chemotherapy (CT) or combined RT/CT using magnetic bead enrichment and laser scanning cytometry (MAINTRAC(R)) for quantification of these cells. RESULTS: In 86% of the patients CEC were detected before surgery and in 100% at 2 weeks and 5 months after surgery. In the control group, which consisted of 100 normal donors without cancer, 97 % were negative for CEC. A significantly higher number of CEC was found preoperatively in patients with squamous cell carcinoma than in those with adenocarcinoma. In correlation to the extent of parenchymal manipulation 2 weeks after surgery, an increase in numbers of CEC was observed with limited resections (18/21) whereas pneumonectomy led to a decrease (5/8) of CEC, 2 weeks after surgery. The third analysis done 5 months after surgery identified 3 groups of patients. In the group of 5 patients who received neo- or adjuvant chemo/radiotherapy there was evidence that monitoring of CEC can evaluate the effects of therapy. Another group of 7 patients who underwent surgery only showed a decrease of CEC and no signs of relapse. A third group of 11 patients who had surgery only, showed an increase of CEC (4 with an initial decrease after surgery and 7 with continuous increase). In the group with a continuous increase during the following 24 months, 2 early relapses in patients with stage Ia adenocarcinoma were observed. The increase of CEC preceded clinical detection by six months. CONCLUSION: We consider, therefore, that patients with adenocarcinoma and a continuous increase of CEC after complete resection for lung cancer are at an increased risk of early relapse.     

Randomized clinical study on intratumoral BCG-cell wall preparation (CWP) therapy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck region

Summary Based on animal experiments a clinical study with BCG cell wall preparation (CWP) was developed. Patients with head and neck carcinomas stage T_1/2N_0–2M₀ were randomized. One group received surgical treatment only and a second group received preoperative intralesional BCG-CWP. So far 12 patients have been included in each group. After 3 years the CCR (complete cancer remission) in the surgery only group was 39% and that in the preoperative BCG-CWP group, 69% (P=11%). The cumulative proportion of surviving patients was 50% in the surgery only and 73% in the BCG-CWP group (P=21%). BCG-CWP injection was followed by an increase in body temperature and a decrease in peripheral blood lymphocytes. No changes in liver, kidney, or other organ function could be observed after BCG-CWP therapy. Complications and severe secondary effects such as have been described for living BCG were not observed, and significant immunological changes have not been detected so far.     

A controlled trial of BCG immunotherapy in bronchogenic carcinoma treated by surgical resection

Summary Ninety-two patients with bronchogenic carcinoma who were treated by surgical resection of the tumour were subsequently given immunotherapy with BCG (Glaxo). The study was strictly randomised into three groups. Twenty-nine patients received multipuncture BCG (50–250×10⁶ viable units) and 26 patients intradermal BCG (0.4–0.9×10⁶ viable units) treatment being given at 1, 2, 5, 9, 13 and 26 weeks after operation and every 26 weeks thereafter. Thirty-seven control patients did not receive BCG. The patients have been observed for 15–33 months. There was no significant difference in survival between the control group and the two immunotherapy groups or between the two immunotherapy groups. The tumour cell type and presence of mediastinal nodes significantly influenced overall survival but not the response to BCG immunotherapy. The possible reasons for the failure of BCG to prolong survival in this study are discussed.     

Fast neutron treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: final report of Edinburgh randomised trial.

OBJECTIVE--To compare neutron treatment and megavoltage (photon) radiotherapy in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. DESIGN--Randomised trial of patients stratified by site of primary tumour and presence or absence of lymph node metastases. Follow up of patients after treatment. SETTING--Department of clinical oncology, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh. PATIENTS--165 Patients with untreated, histologically proved squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx. All patients completed treatment, and no patient was lost to follow up. INTERVENTION--Treatment with either neutrons or photons. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Disease state and morbidity (scored with the system of the European Organisation for Research on Treatment of Cancer) at each visit during follow up. RESULTS--Of the 165 patients, 85 were randomised to receive neutron treatment and 80 to receive photon treatment. Minimum follow up was five years. Local control of cancer remained similar in the two groups, being achieved in 37 (44%) patients after neutron treatment and 36 (45%) after photon treatment. Five year and actuarial 10 year survival rates were 24% (20/85) and 14% respectively in the group treated with neutrons and 34% (27/80) and 30% respectively in the group treated with photons. Five year survival rates without local disease were 19% (16/85) and 30% (24/80) respectively. Necrosis was more common after neutron treatment than after photon treatment. Seven patients in the neutron group who developed necrosis died whereas no deaths were associated with photon treatment. CONCLUSION--Rates of long term local control were similar in the two groups. Necrosis related to radiation was more common in patients treated with neutrons, and the mortality related to treatment was significantly higher in these patients.     

术前预后营养指数对肺鳞状细胞癌患者术后复发及死亡的预测价值分析

摘要 目的：探讨术前预后营养指数（PNI）与肺鳞状细胞癌患者预后的关系及对术后复发、死亡的预测效能。方法：纳入2017年1月-2019年1月在我院接受治疗的78例肺鳞状细胞癌患者,所有患者均具有完整的临床资料及病理信息,对其进行门诊复查随访3年,除去失访病例共纳入76例患者资料,期间共有43例患者复发、37例患者死亡;按照复发及死亡情况将该76例患者分别分为复发组（n=43）及未复发组（n=33）,死亡组（n=37）及存活组（n=39）,分别使用单因素和多因素Logistic回归分析影响肺鳞状细胞癌患者复发及死亡的独立危险因素;采用受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分别分析PNI在肺鳞状细胞癌患者术后复发及死亡的预测效能及最佳截断值。结果：单因素分析显示,TNM分期、吸烟年限、糖尿病、家族史、PNI是影响肺鳞状细胞癌患者术后复发的相关因素（P＜0.05）;性别、年龄、TNM分期、BMI、吸烟史、吸烟年限及PNI是影响肺鳞状细胞癌患者术后死亡的相关因素（P＜0.05）。多因素Logistic回归模型分析显示,TNM分期为Ⅲ期、吸烟年限较长、家族史是引发肺鳞状细胞癌患者术后复发的独立危险因素,PNI为保护因素（P＜0.05）;另外男性、年龄较大、TNM分期为Ⅲ期、吸烟年限较长是引发肺鳞状细胞癌患者术后死亡的独立危险因素,PNI为保护因素（P＜0.05）;ROC分析显示PNI在预测肺鳞状细胞癌患者术后复发的曲线下面积为0.726,敏感度为0.814,特异度为0.667,最佳截断值为48;PNI在预测肺鳞状细胞癌患者术后存活的曲线下面积为0.787,敏感度为0.838,特异度为0.718,最佳截断值为50。结论：PNI对肺鳞状细胞癌患者术后复发及生存均具有较高的预测效能,提高PNI水平对改善肺鳞状细胞癌患者的预后具有积极作用。     

Role of p-glycoprotein expression in predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer-a prospective clinical study

Background

Lung cancer still remains one of the most commonly occurring solid tumors and even in stage Ia, surgery fails in 30% of patients who develop distant metastases. It is hypothesized that these must have developed from occult circulating tumor cells present at the time of surgery, or before. The aim of the present study was to detect such cells in the peripheral blood and to monitor these cells following surgery.

Methods

30 patients treated for lung cancer with surgery were monitored for circulating epithelial cells (CEC) by taking peripheral blood samples before, 2 weeks and 5 months after surgery and/or radiotherapy (RT) chemotherapy (CT) or combined RT/CT using magnetic bead enrichment and laser scanning cytometry (MAINTRAC^®) for quantification of these cells.

Results

In 86% of the patients CEC were detected before surgery and in 100% at 2 weeks and 5 months after surgery. In the control group, which consisted of 100 normal donors without cancer, 97 % were negative for CEC. A significantly higher number of CEC was found preoperatively in patients with squamous cell carcinoma than in those with adenocarcinoma. In correlation to the extent of parenchymal manipulation 2 weeks after surgery, an increase in numbers of CEC was observed with limited resections (18/21) whereas pneumonectomy led to a decrease (5/8) of CEC, 2 weeks after surgery. The third analysis done 5 months after surgery identified 3 groups of patients. In the group of 5 patients who received neo- or adjuvant chemo/radiotherapy there was evidence that monitoring of CEC can evaluate the effects of therapy. Another group of 7 patients who underwent surgery only showed a decrease of CEC and no signs of relapse. A third group of 11 patients who had surgery only, showed an increase of CEC (4 with an initial decrease after surgery and 7 with continuous increase). In the group with a continuous increase during the following 24 months, 2 early relapses in patients with stage Ia adenocarcinoma were observed. The increase of CEC preceded clinical detection by six months.

Conclusion

We consider, therefore, that patients with adenocarcinoma and a continuous increase of CEC after complete resection for lung cancer are at an increased risk of early relapse.     

Virus-modified homologus tumor-cell extract in the treatment of vulvar carcinoma

Summary Eight patients with squamous carcinoma of the vulva and two or more positive nodes have received adjunctive immunotherapy with a virus modified homologous cell extract. Seven of eight patients received radiation therapy in addition. Cells derived from the SW962 vulvar carcinoma cell line were infected with PR8/A/34 strain of influenza and a membrane extract was used for immunization. The extract was administered by the intradermal route weekly for three doses and then biweekly for up to 2 years. Each dose is equivalent to 1.5 mg protein. None of the patients have recurred and durations of remission are 24, 24, 22, 22, 21, 16, 7, and 2 months respectively. This compares favourably with similar groups of patients who were treated with surgery alone (22/33 recurred, median recurrence time 14.8 months) or surgery plus radiation therapy (8/9 recurrences, median recurrence time 11.0 months). No serious side effects have occurred with more than 200 doses of extract.Post immunization monitoring has indicated good in vitro and in vivo immunological responses and antibody titers to PR8 increased significantly in five of eight patients.Dr. Rutledge is Head of the Department of Gynecology     

A comparative cytopathologic study of noninvasive and invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

Atypical cells and tissue fragments from the sputum of patients with early and advanced stages of squamous cell carcinoma of the bronchus are objectively characterized and quantitatively compared in this paper. Four classes of single-cell features of cytoplasm, nucleus, nucleolus and nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio are analyzed as a function of cell size and tumor development stage. Distinct differences in the cellular patterns are observed which may enhance cytologic discrimination between noninvasive and invasive stages of squamous cell carcinoma of the bronchus. Initial results justify the application of more sensitive measurement techniques (i.e., automated cytology) to an enlarged data base.     

Clinico-pathological aspects of immunotherapy by intralesional injection of BCG cell walls or live BCG in bovine ocular squamous cell carcinoma

Summary Bovine ocular squamous cell carcinoma (BOSCC) of clinical stage I, mostly situated in the third eyelid, was chosen as a therapy model for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck in humans. Block resection was found to be the best method of treatment. Regression was noticed in 19 out of 30 cows treated intratumourously with a single injection of live BCG or BCG cell wall vaccine, followed by recurrence in 8 cases. In 2 untreated cows, complete lasting regression occurred. Regression was significantly more frequently encountered in intratumourously treated cows than in controls. Regression was associated with a high mitotic index, severe infiltrating growth and small amounts of cellular (lymphoid) infiltration.Metastasis was found in 14 out of 50 cows: 5 in 10 untreated controls, 8 in 30 BCG treated cows and 1 in 10 surgically treated cows. The growth rate of progressively growing untreated and of some treated tumours was not associated with the mitotic index nor with other morphological characteristics tested. The mitotic index was found to be higher in the deep infiltrating layer than in the superficial layer of the primary tumour, suggesting that a single biopsy is not sufficiently representative for cell kinetic studies.Animals were maintained under the guidelines set forth by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University, Utrecht, The NetherlandsGrant recipient of the Koningin Wilhelmina Fonds (The Netherlands Cancer Foundation)     

Giant locally advanced and metastatic squamous cell skin carcinoma of head and neck region: case report

IntroductionAt the present time, the skin tumors are among the most common cancers. Optimal therapy is based on the extent of the disease and the age of the patient. The need for radiotherapy occurs for inoperable locally advanced tumors and in the event of failure, salvage surgery is applied.Materials and methodsWe provided a case report of an older patient with giant squamous cell skin carcinoma and a review of published articles.ResultsWe present a rare case of giant squamous cell skin carcinoma with metastatic satellite tumors that was primarily treated with curative radiotherapy. Five months after radiotherapy, a recurrent tumor was detected at the site of origin and the treatment was completed by salvage surgery. Full remission was achieved for four years.ConclusionDespite the seemingly incurable finding it is always necessary to consider radical treatment regardless of the patient´s age. Curative treatment could achieve long term remission in the group of older patients.     

Localization and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in patients after BCG treatment for bladder cancer

Treatment with Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) bladder instillations is an established treatment modality for superficial urinary bladder cancer and carcinoma in situ (CIS), but the anti-tumor mechanisms following BCG instillations remain largely unknown. Previous data show increased nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in the urinary bladder from patients treated with BCG suggesting that NO-formation may be involved in the BCG mediated effect. In the present study we evaluated 11 patients with urinary bladder cancer who had received BCG treatment and 11 tumor free control subjects. We performed immunohistochemistry, Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on bladder biopsies to establish inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein levels and localization as well as iNOS mRNA expression. Endogenous NO formation in the bladder was also measured. In patients with bladder cancer who had received BCG treatment iNOS-like immunoreactivity was found in the urothelial cells but also in macrophages in the submucosa. Furthermore, endogenously formed NO was significantly increased (p<0.001) in the BCG treated patients and they had a ten-fold increase in mRNA expression for iNOS compared to healthy controls (p=0.003). In conclusion iNOS was found to be localized to the urothelium and macrophages underlying it. Our study also confirms elevated levels of endogenously formed NO and increased mRNA expression and protein levels for iNOS in patients with BCG treated bladder cancer. These data further support the notion that NO may be involved in the anti-tumor mechanism that BCG exerts on bladder cancer cells.     

Adjuvant therapy after radical surgery of cervical cancer: Zagreb experience

The results of the analysis of the treatment of 72 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix are presented. Seventy-two patients with Stage IB1 carcinoma of the cervix underwent a radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. The low-risk group includes the patients without unfavourable prognostic factors that were treated by surgery alone. The high-risk group included women with pelvic node metastases, clinical tumour size greater than 3.0 cm, depth of stromal invasion greater than 1/3 of the cervical wall, Grade 3 tumours and the presence of lympho-vascular space involvement. High-risk patients received whole pelvic radiotherapy between two and four weeks following surgery. Thirty-four patients (47.2%) were in the low-risk group and thirty-eight patients (52.8%) were in the high-risk group. Locoregional recurrences were diagnosed in three cases (8.8%) in the surgery group and in four patients (10.5 %) assigned to postoperative radiotherapy. The incidence of distant metastases was 2.9% in the group treated by surgery alone and 5.3% in the group treated by surgery and radiotherapy. Overall survival at five years was 91.2% in the low-risk group and 89.5% in the high-risk group of patients. Five-year overall survival, locoregional and distant metastases were similar in the low-risk and high-risk groups of patients, which emphasizes the value of whole pelvic radiation in patients with one or more unfavourable prognostic factors after radical surgery in Stage IB1 cervical cancer     

Prognostic value of p53 overexpression in head and neck carcinomas: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE: To correlate p53 overexpression in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region with the outcome of treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-five biopsy-proven squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region, locally advanced and untreated, were studied. Before treatment, all patients underwent fine needle aspiration from primary and/or metastatic lesions. Smears were prepared from the aspirate for immunostaining, and p53 overexpression was measured semiquantitatively. All patients received a radical dosage of radiation equivalent to 60 Gy for 6 weeks in 30 fractions from a 6-MV linear accelerator. Local-regional disease control was studied, and the mean follow-up duration was one year. The pretreatment values of p53 overexpression were correlated with the outcome of treatment. RESULTS: Overexpression of p53 was found in 36% patients. At the end of 1 year, 6/9 patients showing overexpression were disease free as compared to 5/16 patients without overexpression. The difference was not significant (chi2 test, P>.05). CONCLUSION: Response to radiation therapy is not dependent on p53 overexpression in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region. However, this was only a pilot study, and a large number of cases are needed to establish the prognostic value of p53 overexpression in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.     

新辅助介入化疗可显著促进局部晚期宫颈癌治疗

本研究选择自2011年1月至2016年1月间在我院妇产科收治并确诊的90例肿瘤直径大于4 cm的Ⅰb～Ⅱb期宫颈癌患者作为研究对象,随机分为A组、B组和对照组,每组30例,A组患者手术前采用动脉介入新辅助化疗,B组患者手术前采用静脉介入新辅助化疗,对照组患者仅采用手术治疗,并对3组疗效及副作用进行了分析,采用免疫组化法检测治疗前后3组患者MMP-2、Fas和FasL细胞因子的表达情况,以探讨新辅助介入化疗在局部晚期宫颈癌治疗中的疗效。研究结果表明:A组(有效率=83.33%)和B组(有效率=73.33%)疗效显著高于对照组(p<0.05),并且A组疗效显著高于B组(χ~2=2.116, p=0.045);Ⅰb期有效率显著高于Ⅱa和Ⅱb,Ⅱa显著高于Ⅱb,鳞癌患者的化疗有效率显著高于腺癌,低分化宫颈癌患者有效率显著低于中分化和高分化(p<0.05);A组中共有14例出现化疗副作用,B组共有11例出现副作用,两组差异无统计学意义(p>0.05);MMP-2和FasL治疗后的阳性率在A组和B组中均较治疗前显著下降,而A组和B组中Fas阳性率治疗后较治疗前显著升高(p<0.05),而对照组中MMP-2、Fas和FasL治疗前后的阳性率差异均无统计学意义(p>0.05)。本研究的结论初步说明:新辅助介入化疗在局部晚期宫颈癌治疗中的效果显著,MMP-2、Fas和FasL细胞因子与宫颈癌肿瘤细胞密切相关。     

Evaluation of the therapeutic benefits in relation to the extent of surgery in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma

INTRODUCTION: Evaluation of the therapeutic benefits in relation to the stage of thyroid cancer and to the extent of surgery and the risk of postoperative complications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) patients staged T1M0 versus T2-T4M0 was performed. All of them were treated or diagnosed in Institute of Oncology in Gliwice between 1986-1998. Previously they were operated in various surgical centers all-over Poland. The risk of death, local relapse and postoperative complications were analyzed using the decisiontree model to evaluate the therapeutic benefits. RESULTS: The recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (transient or permanent) was observed in retrospective analysis in 21% of patients, while postoperative hyperparathyroidism in 15.8%. The analysis of the therapeutic benefit index showed no advantage of total thyroidectomy in the T1M0 group (0.96 vs. 0.98 in patients treated by less than total thyroidectomy). The advantage of radical surgery was confirmed in T2-T4M0 group. The therapeutic benefit index was 0.92 in patients treated by total thyroidectomy and 0.69 in those who received less extensive operation. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of therapeutic benefits confirmed the limit of 1 cm tumor diameter between less extensive surgery and total thyroidectomy. It showed that total thyroidectomy brings a significant therapeutic benefits in patients in > T1M0 stage. The improvement of overall survival and decrease of local relapse far outweigh the disadvantages related to postoperative complications.     

A follow-up study on chemoimmunotherapy (5-fluorouracil and BCG) in advanced gastric cancer

Summary Two hundred and seventeen patients with advanced gastric cancer were classified according to the resectability of the tumour into two groups: I, resectable (non-radical surgery), 99 patients, and II, non-resectable carcinoma, 118 patients. Within each group patients were randomly assigned to receive 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) + BCG, 5-FU, or no further treatment (surgery only). BCG was given by scarification. A 2-year follow-up is reported. The group of patients with resectable tumours and receiving chemoimmunotherapy had a statistically significant prolongation of survival compared with the 5-FU and surgery only groups. No differences in survival were observed between these treatment modalities in patients with non-resectable tumour. These observations indicate that chemoimmunotherapy may be of benefit for a selected group of patients with gastric cancer.