[The role of laparoscopy in assessing the resectability of cancer of the esophagus and proximal stomach]. / Rol' laparoskopii v otsenke rezektabel'nosti raka pishchevoda i proksimal'nogo otdela zheludka.

Laparoscopic findings obtained in patients with cancer of the thoracic part of the esophagus (321) and proximal part of the stomach (383) were analysed. As a result of laparoscopy, unjustified surgery was withheld in 14.9 and 19.3% of cases, respectively. Tumor resectability in the laparoscopy negative group was 92.8 and 84.5% for cancer of the lower and mid-third of the esophagus, respectively, and 76.2% for cancer of the proximal part of the stomach. Laparoscopy yielded false-negative results in 1.9% of cases and failed to be instrumental in diagnosis-in 4.5%.

[Experience in the diagnosis and treatment of malignant and benign tumors of the chest]. / Opyt diagnostiki i lecheniia zlokachestvennykh i dobrokachestvennykh opukholei grudnoi kletki.

The article analyses the follow-up of 155 patients among whom 63 had malignant tumors, 65 had benign tumors, while in 27 patients the tumor-like lesions were recognized as posttraumatic and post-inflammatory processes. Among 61 patients with sarcomatous lesions of the thoracic wall 21 had a resectable tumor. Operation was undertaken as a component of combined treatment in 21 patients. In a group of 19 patients 10 (16.4% of those admitted for treatment) have a survival period of 6 months to 18 years without signs of tumor growth. The other patients died in periods of 3 to 18 months. In a group of 65 patients with benign tumors 51 were treated by operation. Complications were not encountered. Among 27 patients with "false" tumors 5 underwent operation. The results of the study allow combined treatment of malignant tumors of the thoracic wall to be recommended for wider application.

[20 years' experience in the use of local hyperthermia in the treatment of inoperable cancer of the esophagus]. / Dvadtsatiletnii opyt primeneniia mestnoi gipertermii v lechenii neoperabel'nykh bol'nykh rakom pishchevoda.

The paper discusses the results of treatment of 280 patients with inoperable esophageal cancer which included local hyperthermia, radiotherapy, hyperglycemia and chemotherapy. 122 patients receiving radiotherapy alone served as controls. The complete remission rate obtained with local hyperthermia and radiotherapy was 2.5 times that observed for radiotherapy alone. Hospital lethality was 1.4% in the study group and 2.4% in controls whereas 5-year survival rates were 13.1% and 0, respectively.

[Diagnosis and treatment of neoplastic and cystic formations of the mediastinum]. / Diagnostika i lechenie opukholevykh i kistoznykh obrazovanii sredosteniia.

The article analyses problems of the diagnosis and surgical and complex treatment of 56 patients with neoplastic and cystic structures in the mediastinum. In the group of 56 patients 28 had neoplastic diseases of the mediastinum, in 11 of them the tumors were malignant. According to the data presented, postoperative mortality in mediastinal cysts was zero. In mediastinal tumors the preoperative diagnosis was authentically established in 11 of 28 patients (39.3%), postoperative mortality was 7%. An original method for hemostasis in bleeding from the seat of the mediastinal tumor is described. The survival of patients with malignant mediastinal structures treated by partial resection of the tumor, radiotherapy and polychemotherapy varies from 6 months to 4 years, which allows the conclusion that wider application of complex treatment is expedient.

[Experience in the surgical treatment of patients with cancer of the proximal stomach]. / Opyt khirurgicheskogo lecheniia bol'nykh rakom proksimal'nogo zheludka.

The results of surgical treatment of 116 patients with cancer of the proximal part of the stomach are analysed; in 63 of the patients the tumor had spread to the esophagus. Combined gastrectomy was performed in 87 patients, combined proximal resection of the stomach--in 2 patients. In 73 patients the operation was carried out through a transperitoneal approach. The authors describe an original method of compression esophago-intestinal anastomosis established through a transperitoneal approach with a suturing apparatus of their design. The operation was performed on 14 patients. Comparative analysis of the results of surgical treatment with the use of different methods for creating the anastomosis allows the suggested method to be recommended when a transpleural approach is contraindicated.

[Experience in esophagogastroplasty in surgical and combined treatment of patients with cancer of the thoracic esophagus]. / Opyt ézofagogastroplastiki pri khirurgicheskom i kombinirovannom lechenii bol'nykh rakom grudnogo otdela pishchevoda.

The results of surgical and combined treatment of 79 patients with cancer of the thoracic esophagus are discussed. All underwent resection of the esophagus. One-stage esophagogastroplasty was carried out in 44 patients, in 35 patients resection of the esophagus was the first stage of treatment, esophagogastroplasty was undertaken 6-8 weeks later. The authors describe their techniques of separating the upper part of the esophagus, forming the gastric tube and inserting it through the posterior mediastinum. Postoperative mortality was 15.9% in one-stage and 22.8% in postponed esophagogastroplasty. Completeness of treatment in both groups in relation to the total number of patients subjected to resection of the esophagus was 86.5 and 48.1%, respectively. Preoperative radiotherapy influenced neither the incidence of complications nor the mortality.

[Intraneoplastic iontophoresis of cytostatics in the overall treatment of esophageal cancer]. / Vnutriopukholevyi ionoforez tsitostatikov v kompleksnom lechenii raka pishchevoda.

The authors report the results of clinical elaboration and testing of the technic of intraesophageal intratumor sarcolysin iontophoresis associated with radiotherapy in 40 inoperable patients with cancer of the thoracic esophagus. A total focal dose of irradiation was on the average 1/3 less compared with the routine one. Iontophoresis was performed by a specially designed electrode with 5-10 mA during 60 minutes. The iontophoresis procedure was followed by irradiation. The immediate good results of the treatment were twice as frequent as in control groups. The treatment proceeded with less pronounced radiation response. An average survival of patients while using chemical drugs intophoresis proved to be equal to control data that is likely to be due to the far-advanced stage of the disease in most patients. An average survival in patients with less tumor proliferation was found to be longer than in analogous control series.

[Hyperthermia in the overall treatment of esophageal cancer]. / Gipertermiia v kompleksnom lechenii bol'nykh rakom pishchevoda.

The authors present an analysis of the results of the treatment in 78 inoperable patients with cancer of the thoracic esophagus with the use of local hyperthermia, pyrogenotherapy, associated with tumor irradiation. Different schedules of tumor hyperthermia and its irradiation were employed. To heat the tumor a device, designed by the authors, with a contact heat transmission was used. Pyrogenal, prodigiozan were used for pyrogenotherapy. A total focal dosage of radiation was lessened compared with the control group on the average by 1/3. Good immediate results were obtained thrice as frequent as in control patients receiving only radiation therapy. After the conducted complex therapy including local hyperthermia 15% of patients survive over 3 years, while in the control group--0%.