Topical Delivery of Modified Da-Cheng-Qi Decoction () Using Low-Frequency Ultrasound Sonophoresis for Refractory Metastatic Malignant Bowel Obstruction: An Open-Label Single-Arm Clinical Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical delivery of modified Da-Cheng- Qi Decoction (, MDCQD) by low-frequency ultrasound sonophoresis (LFUS) in patients with refractory metastatic malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) using an objective performance criteria (OPC) design.@*METHODS@#Fifty patients with refractory metastatic MBO were enrolled in this open-label single-arm clinical trial. Alongside fasting, gastrointestinal decompression, glycerol enema, intravenous nutrition and antisecretory therapy, a 50 g dose of MDCQD (prepared as a hydrogel) was applied through topical delivery at the site of abodminal pain or Tianshu (S 25) using LFUS for 30 min, twice daily for 5 consecutive days. The overall outcome was the remission of intestinal obstruction, and improvement on abdominal pain, abdominal distention, nausea and vomiting scores. Indicators of safety evaluation included liver and renal function as well as blood coagulation indicators.@*RESULTS@#Among 50 patients, 5 patients (10%) showed complete remission of intestinal obstruction and 21 patients (42%) showed improvement of intestinal obstruction. The overall remission rate of bowel obstruction was 52%. The results of the symptom score, based on the severity and frequency of the episode, are as follows: 26 patients (52%) showed improvment on symptom scores, 20 patients (40%) did not respond to treatment, and 4 patients (8%) discontinued treatment due to intolerance. No serious adverse effects or abnormal changes on liver and renal function or blood coagulation were observed.@*CONCLUSION@#Topical delivery of MDCQD at 100 g/day using LFUS can improve the treatment response in patients with refractory metastatic MBO.

Small pancreatic cancer diagnosis and prognosis / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, diagnostic methods and prognosis of small pancreatic cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From May 2000 to January 2007, 89 patients with pancreatic cancer underwent surgery in our hospital. Of those, 14 had a tumor < or = 2 cm in diameter (small tumor group), and the other 75 had a tumor >2 cm in diameter (controlled group). The clinicopathological data of all the cases were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the small pancreatic cancer group, CT and MRI detected 66.7% (8/12) and 77.8% (7/9) of the tumors, respectively. Serosal infiltration was found in 2 cases, lymph node involvement in 3 cases, and retroperitoneal infiltration in 3 cases. The follow-up duration of this group was 4-86 months. The overall 3- and 5-year survival rates were 42.8% and 31.7%, while in the control group, the overall 3- and 5-year survival rates were 29.7% and 22.5%, respectively. The multivariate analysis showed that the lymph node involvement, serosal infiltration and retroperitoneal infiltration were independent risk factors (P<0.05). However, the tumor size was not shown to be an independent risk factor (OR value = 1.45, P = 0.971).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CT and MRI are valuable in detecting small pancreatic cancer. Small pancreatic cancers are likely to have a better prognosis when compared with larger ones. Lymph node metastasis and local infiltration are independent predictors of prognosis but not tumor size.</p>