Irradiation, chemotherapy and surgery in esophageal cancer: a randomized clinical study. The first Scandinavian trial in esophageal cancer.

In a randomized trial, irradiation alone (35 Gy) or irradiation (30 Gy) and bleomycin was given as preoperative treatment of esophageal cancer. In inoperable patients, a split course of irradiation alone (63 Gy) or irradiation (55 Gy) and bleomycin was given. Bleomycin doses were 5 mg i.m. 1/2-1 h before each irradiation dose. No benefit was obtained by addition of bleomycin to irradiation concerning survival or palliation of dysphagia. No benefit of bleomycin was seen either in any subgroup of patients according to different primary tumour classifications, histopathological gradings or localizations of tumour. In patients with advanced/metastatic disease, bleomycin and adriamycin treatment gave a significantly longer survival than bleomycin alone. It was shown that the presence of T1 tumours was a significant prognostic factor for long-term survival and that performing a radical operation was a significant advantage for a longer survival. Female patients treated with irradiation with or without bleomycin survived significantly longer than males, but in operable patients there was no significant difference between the two sexes with regard to survival.

[Muscle layers of the stomach]. / Die Muskelschichten des Magens.

The arrangement of the gastric muscles of men, dogs and cats was studied from the aspect of functional anatomy. The stomach is divided into 8 segments on the basis of its vascularisation, musculature, structure and function. The muscular structures of the walls of the different segments are different. It was found that the sphincter of the pylorus is formed by the outer longitudinal muscle. The internal oblique muscle separates the sac and the tube system, while the circular musculature contributes mainly to the transport of nutrition.

[Mechanism of ulcers]. / Uber die Mechanik der Geschwüre

The mechanical causes playing a role in the pathogenesis of ulcers were investigated. It was found that the severity of ulcers formed on an epithelium which had lost its elasticity due to the impairment of blood supply is directly proportional to the size of ulcer and to the tensile stress acting upon it.