Weekly paclitaxel / carboplatin with concurrent thoracic radiation followed by paclitaxel / carpoplatin consolidation for postoperative stage II and IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer

Recent studies have suggested the superiority of concurrent chemoradiotherapy and the efficacy of paclitaxel/carboplatin in adjuvant non-small-cell lung cancer [NSCLC]. In view of those results, we conducted this phase II trial to examine the safety and efficacy of administration of radiosensitizing paclitaxel/carboplatin weekly with concurrent thoracic radiation therapy [XRT] followed by consolidation paclitaxel/carboplatin for stage II and IIIA NSCLC. Patients with resected NSCLC, pathological stage II or IIIA, Nl-N2 with or without positive margin received paclitaxel/carboplatin weekly during thoracic radiotherapy. All patients received 50.4Gy in 28 fractions for 6 weeks [1.8Gy/d, 5 days/wk]. A boost of 10.8Gy in six fractions was given for extracapsular nodal extension or positive margin. Four weeks after radiotherapy, the patients received two courses of consolidation paclitaxel/carboplatin every 3 weeks. Treatment compliance was acceptable, with 96% compliance for radiation therapy and 92% for chemotherapy completion. The median duration of follow-up was 30 months. The 3-year actuarial survival and progression-free survival rates were 56% and 44%, respectively. Loco-regional failure was a component of first failure in 24% of patients. Toxicities were acceptable. The results of this study suggest that weekly paclitaxel/carboplatin concurrent with radiotherapy is safe and acceptable adjuvant treatment for stage II and IIIA resected NSCLC patients. A randomized phase III trial comparing this treatment regimen with standard therapy seems warranted

Studies on deep fungal infections in cancer patients

This study included one hundred and ten tumour cases [tested group]. Also, twenty non tumor cases [control group]. All were subjected to four samples taken from each case, blood, sputum, urine and stool for isolation of possible fungi. The tested group was divided into 3 sub-groups according to the type of tumour. Group I. Haematological tumours [8 cases], Group II Lymphoproliferative tumours [10 cases] and Group III Solid organ tumours [84 tumours]. The most prevalent type of fungi was found in Group III. Most infections occur in respiratory tract infection. The fungal in these cases accounts for 12 types of fungi followed by, gastrointestinal fungal infections which accounts for 10 types of fungi and then to urinary tract fungal infections which accounts for 5 types of fungi. The most prevalent fungi in respiratory tract infections were C. albicans. Which was isolated from 52 cases of 84 cases with a percentage of 62%. In gastrointestinal infections were 36 cases of a total 86 positive cases with a percentage of 42%. The infected control cases were in 6 cases of 20' positive cases [30%]. In urinary tract infections 12 cases of 24 positive cases with a percentage of [50%] while; control cases were negative. The following most prevalent fungi in respiratory-tract infections was C.pseudotropicalis. It was isolated from 16 cases of 84 cases with a percentage of [19%]. Gastrointestinal infections were 20 cases of a total 86 positive cases with a percentage of [23%]. In urinary tract infections 6 cases of 24 positive cases with a percentage of [25%]. C.tropicalis infection of respiratory tract was in 12 cases of a total 84 with a percentage of [14%] and in gastrointestinal infections was 12 cases of a total 86 cases with a percentage of [14%]. Asp. Niger represent 9.5% [8/84] of respiratory tract infections while; control cases accounts for 20%. In gastrointestinal infections, Asp. Niger represent [2.4%] while controls was 2 of 20 positive cases [10%]. The same fungus represent 8.3%' [2/24] in urinary tract infections. Negative control cases in urinary tract infections