[Small cell laryngeal cancer: analysis of literature and a report of two cases]. / Drobnokomórkowy rak krtani. Analiza pismiennictwa i dwóch wlasnych przypadków.

On the basis of the literature the clinical picture, treatment and prognosis of the small cell laryngeal cancer has been discussed. The authors presented two own cases.

Palliative radiotherapy in asymptomatic patients with locally advanced, unresectable, non-small cell lung cancer.

Between 1983 and 1990, 332 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were referred to short-time, split-course palliative thoracic radiotherapy. The group consisted of patients with locally advanced (III degrees), unresectable cancer, not suitable for curative radiotherapy, asymptomatic or having only minimal symptoms related to intrathoracic tumor. The therapeutic plan involved two series of irradiation. Tumor dose delivered in each series was 20 Gy given in five daily fractions over five treatment days. There were four weeks interval between series. Of 332 patients initially qualified to thoracic radiotherapy only 170 patients received the treatment; the other 162 patients were not irradiated because of treatment refusal or logistic problems concerning therapy. They made the control group of the study, receiving the best possible symptomatic care. Twelve-month survivals in the radiotherapy and control groups were 32.4% and 9.3%, respectively; 24-month survivals 11.2% and 0%, respectively. Improvement of survival after palliative thoracic radiotherapy was observed only in patients with clinical stage IIIA and Karnofsky's performance status (KPS) > or = 70.

[A rare case of dissemination of anaplastic oligodendroma outside the central nervous system]. / Rzadki przypadek rozsiewu anaplastycznego skapodrzewiaka poza osrodkowy uklad nerwowy.

A rare case is reported of primary brain tumour with histological features of anaplastic oligodendroglioma, with metastases outside the central nervous system. Of interest is a short remission after treatment with cyclophosphamide and vepesid which shows that this type of tumour is sensitive in a way to chemotherapy.

Results of radiotherapy with curative intent in non-small cell lung cancer. An analysis of 130 patients.

Between 1970 and 1985, 130 patients were irradiated with curative intent at the Center of Oncology in Kraków. The histological diagnosis was squamous-cell carcinoma in 60.8% of patients, adenocarcinoma in 25.4% of patients and other non-small cell cancer in 13.8% of patients. Out of 130 irradiated patients 21.5% refused surgery, 26.2% were inoperable for medical reasons, and 52.3% had unresectable tumors. According to the UICC TNM 1987 classification, 62 (47.7%) patients had early (stages I and II) disease. The remaining 68 (52.3%) patients had stage III A cancer. Additional criteria for patients selection to radiotherapy with curative intent were: Karnofsky performance status > or = 50, and no respiratory insufficiency. All patients were treated with megavoltage radiation. Patients with stage I were treated by three isocentric beams. Tumor dose was 6000 cGy in 24 fractions over five weeks. In patients with stage II and III A disease the radiotherapy was started with two parallel opposed beams encompassing primary lesion and mediastinum. The dose of 4000 cGy was given in 20 fractions over four weeks, followed by a "boost" dose of 2000 cGy in the fractions over two weeks, delivered with three isocentric beams. 54% of patients were disease-free at the twelfth month, 24.6% at the 36th month, and 18.5% of patients survived five years without evidence of cancer. A significantly better survival has been observed in patients with stages I and II, with Karnofsky performance status > or = 70, and with complete radiological regression eight weeks after radiation therapy. The main cause of failure of the treatment were distant metastases.

[Cylindromas of the head and neck]. / Oblaki glowy i szyi.

The authors present the results of medical treatment in patients with head and neck cylindromas hospitalized in the Department of Otolaryngology. The Zeromski Hospital in Kraków, within the period 1961 to 1988.

[Evaluation of the effectiveness of postoperative radiotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer]. / Ocena skutecznosci pooperacyjnego napromieniania chorych na niedrobnokomórkowego raka pluca.

An analysis of 75 patients with non-small cell lung cancer that underwent post-surgical teleradiotherapy was carried out. The authors have shown it to be of little value in stage III B patients and in patients with metastases to regional lymph nodes and in whom the surgical procedure was not radical. 17.9% of stage III A patients were cured, 61.1% of stage II. Postsurgical radiotherapy was very efficient in patients without metastases to regional lymph nodes (61.5%--3 year survival).

The test of non-specific cell-mediated response in animals with transplantable tumours stimulated with calf thymus extract.

Investigations were carried out on the non-specific cell-mediated response in mice with transplantable tumours: LLC in mice C57Bl and F1(C57Bl X C3H), and SAL-l tumour in Balb/c mice. The malignant cells were implanted subcutaneously for observation of changes in the non-specific cell-mediated response at the time of the local growth of the tumour, and injections into the vein or into the foot-pad were made for studying the non-specific cell-mediated response at the time of tumour dissemination. In each series of the experiments the animals received an extract of calf thymus--the preparation TFX-Polfa. The control groups had the tumour cells implanted or injected but were not given TFX. For determining the non-specific cell-mediated response the animals were immunized with picryl chloride. In both experimental models, that is with subcutaneous implantation and with injections intravenously or into the foot-pad a decrease of the non-specific cell-mediated response was observed progressing gradually with extension of the tumours. Long-term administration of TFX in doses of 0.1 mg per mouse prevented the decrease of the non-specific cell-mediated response in the first place in mice with subcutaneous implantations. In mice with malignant cells injected intravenously or into the foot-pad TFX administration had no evident effect on the value of the test. This observation suggests that TFX prevents the development of a secondary immune deficit in mice with subcutaneous transplanted tumours--that is mainly at the time of local growth of the tumour, but is of little use in the phase of tumour dissemination.

Changes in mucus secretion during chemical carcinogenesis in the rat colon.

Adenomatous polyps and adenocarcinomas with variety of the precancerous stages have been induced by intraectally injection of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. The aim of our experiments have been to study some quantitative and qualitative changes in mucus secretion both in the neoplasm and in transitional area surrounding tumor. The changes in composition of mucus confirmed by several histochemical methods reflect the earliest morphologically observable stage of malignant transformation in colonic mucosa.

Certain parameters of oxygen pulmonary toxicity during hyperoxia.

The results of the investigations on the effect of highly concentrated normobaric oxygen on rabbit lung are reported. Detailed pathomorphological analysis demonstrated that rapidly developing extensive changes of the structural elements of the capillaries and other vessels were the prevalent lesions. These changes are connected, in the light of earlier experiments carried out under identical conditions, with the observed disturbances in the metabolism of pulmonary lipids and suggest pathogenetic correlations between prostaglandins and pulmonary surfactant.

[Evaluation of treatment of myasthenia with thymectomy (author's transl)]. / Appréciation du traitement de la myasthénie par la thymectomie.

The paper describes the effectiveness of treatment of myasthenia with thymectomy in 136 patients operated on, observed in hospital and 107 examined by questionnaire on late results after 10 years. Exclusive of myasthenia with thymoma, cures were obtained in 26.4%, marked improvement in 19.6%, moderate improvement in 21.4%, improved motor strength in 27.1%, and deterioration was observed in 3.8%. The assessment was based mainly on the amount of cholinergic drugs taken. Early mortality rate was 2,4%, and late mortality 1,9%. Relation of postoperative complications/respiratory and crisis of both kinds to mortality and intraoperative pleural injury also surgical approach and anatomic variants of the thymus were discussed. An influence of the number of proliferating centers on prognosis in myasthenia after thymectomy was nor demonstrated. Thymectomy in a generally accepted and most effective method of treatment in myasthenia.