Non-resectable Stage IIIa-b lung carcinoma: a phase II study on continuous infusion of cisplatin and concurrent radiotherapy (plus adjuvant surgery)

Thirty-eight patients with non-resectable non-small-cell Stage IIIa-b lung cancer were treated in a Phase II study with radiotherapy (50 Gy in a 25-fraction split-course) plus con-current continuous infusion of cisplatin given at a daily dose of 6 mg/m2, with the aim of investigating its radiopotentiation properties. Treatments were given on an outpatient basis by means of a central venous catheter and a portable pump. Adjuvant surgery was undertaken when feasible. Toxicity was mild to moderate. The probability of a partial or complete locoregional response at 4 weeks after treatment completion was 83% (confidence limits at 95%: 13). Eighteen patients were resected. Overall 1-, 2- and 3-year progression-free survival probabilities were 42, 24 and 21%. These figures were 63, 37 and 24% in observed survival curves. Patients with squamous-cell tumors had observed survival rates of 82, 50 and 28% at 1, 2 and 3 years, compared to 42, 19 and 19% in patients with non-squamous histology. The high response and survival rates obtained at a low price according to toxicity require further investigation.

Primary childhood osteosarcoma: the role of salvage surgery

The overall results of salvage surgery for lung metastases were evaluated on 174 consecutive patients with primary osteosarcoma below the age of 20, resected in Milan between 1970 and 1988. Seventy-two children treated in the years 1970-1981 were compared with 102 children treated in the years 1982-1988. In the latter period, adjuvant chemotherapy was replaced by neo-adjuvant programs and salvage surgery was applied systematically to all patients with resectable lung metastases through median sternotomy. During the last period, the overall 5 year survival improved significantly from 35% to 58% (P less than 0.001), while the disease free survival rose from 38% to 45% (median 15 vs. 33 months, P = 0.3). The proportion of patients with completely resected lung metastases rose from 17% (7/42) to 55% (27/49), without operative mortality, and the overall survival from detection of lung metastases (including unresected cases) improved from 0 to 28% at 5 years (P less than 0.001). The survival benefit was observed only in the group of children with resected metastases. These data indicate that systematic bilateral pulmonary resection, combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, has contributed to improve the final cure rate of childhood osteosarcoma.

Correlation between first disease-free interval from mastectomy to second disease-free interval from chest wall resection

Between 24 November 1977 and 16 September 1988, 18 consecutive chest wall resections for recurrent breast cancer after failure of radiotherapy, were evaluated as of 1 January 1990. Chest wall involvement was the only site of recurrence in 14 patients (Group I), and the most painful of the multiple recurrences in the remaining four (Group II). Of Group I, chest wall recurrence was local in eight patients (four with necrosis after radiotherapy), regional in four, and distant in two. Chest wall reconstruction was effected by contralateral breast flap in six, by random cutaneous flap in seven and by myocutaneous flap in the remaining five. Cosmetic results were better if both marlex mesh and myocutaneous flap were used. Of Group I, at surgical/pathological staging, one recurrence with sarcomatous findings, two multiple recurrences and residual cancer in all necrosed local recurrences were found: in three of these cases radionecrosis was prominent. Mortality was 0% and surgical morbidity 5%. For Group I, median disease-free interval from mastectomy was extended from 1611 days to 3220 by recurrence resection, and disease-free interval from chest wall resection was 28% cancer-free at 1657 days, without any difference between the local vs regional-distant recurrence. Correlation factor between first and second disease interval was 0.99 and R2 was 0.98. For Group II, survival was 0% at 635 days. Chest wall resection must be considered as an important part of palliative treatment in breast cancer, but the results reflects the biology of the disease more than the chest wall surgery.

Anterior thoracotomy for right pneumonectomy and carinal reconstruction in lung cancer

Between September 1984 and December 1990, seven patients underwent right pneumonectomy and carinal reconstruction. All patients but one had squamous-cell lung cancer. Anterior thoracotomy through the 4th space was the surgical access in all cases. The mean time needed to perform the operation was 190 min and the mean blood infusion 340 ml. There were no intraoperative deaths. Of three deaths, only one was attributable to cancer, while two occurred after 84 and 94 days, respectively, as a result of cardiorespiratory failure. The median disease-free interval was 12 months, but the median survival had not been reached (51%) after a median follow-up of 47 months. Calculation of predicted and observed FEV1 showed that a mean decrease of 286 ml (range 145-439) occurred in the observed FEV1. More attention to pulmonary function is therefore required, and anterior thoracotomy is recommended as the surgical approach.

Randomized trial of primary school education against smoking

Since 1974 an anti-smoking campaign consisting of a one-day educational intervention has been carried out in primary schools in Milan by the Italian League against Cancer (Milan Division). All but two of the 165 schools were randomized to evaluate the intervention effect. A total of 8549 children aged 9-10 were allocated to the intervention group and 8897 to the control group. Four years later a self-administered questionnaire was distributed in order to investigate the children's smoking habits. The proportion of smokers was 8.05% and 8.72% (p = 0.23) respectively for the intervention and control groups. It was concluded that sporadic educational intervention carried out during primary school years has little or no impact in preventing cigarette smoking in teenagers.

Prognosis of resected well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung

Among lung tumors, well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas are often misdiagnosed or may go unrecognized. Nineteen cases of well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (WDNC) were assessed at the National Cancer Institute of Milan over a ten-year period. There was only one woman and the age range was 50 to 77 years. Most of the patients were smokers (83 percent). All tumors were radically resected. There were 12 lobectomies, two sleeve-lobectomies, three bilobectomies, one pneumonectomy, and two segmentectomies (one patient had two synchronous WDNCs). There was neither operative mortality nor major complications. Sixteen tumors were stage 1, three were stage II, and one was stage IIIa. Five patients had adjuvant chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine [CAV] regimen). One patient was given local or regional radiotherapy. In ten patients the tumors recurred, even though four had had adjuvant treatment. The brain was the first site of metastasis in seven cases. The pathologic stage seemed not to be closely related to the appearance of metastases (six patients with stage I disease had recurrences). Only two patients with recurrence were still alive 12 and 103 months after the procedure. The percentage of survival for patients with stage I disease after more than 100 months was 68 percent. WDNC is similar to small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) with regard to the neurotropism of metastases. Surgery is curative for more than one half of the patients with localized disease. Therefore, multimodal therapy, probably based on tumor behavior and investigations of tumor markers, is advisable.

The contribution of salvage surgery to the management of childhood osteosarcoma

Between January 1970 and December 1988, 174 consecutive patients under the age of 20 years with curatively resected primary osteosarcoma were treated at our institute; 72 in the years of 1970 to 1981 and 102 in the years 1982 to 1988. In the latter period, adjuvant chemotherapy was replaced by neoadjuvant programs, and new criteria were adopted for the management of lung metastases, consisting in early bilateral surgical staging and lung resection through median sternotomy for all patients with purely intrathoracic relapse. Follow-up was updated in December 1989. During the last period, the overall 5-year survival improved significantly from 35% to 58% (P less than .001). The disease-free survival rose from 38% to 45% at 5 years, with median values of 15 months versus 33 months, while the frequency of isolated lung metastases dropped from 58% to the actuarial 48%. The proportion of patients who underwent complete resections of their pulmonary metastases rose from 17% (seven of 42) to 55% (27 of 49), without operative mortality. Due to such a high proportion of patients eligible for salvage surgery, the overall survival from detection of lung metastases improved from 0% to 28% at 5 years (P less than .001). Contralateral occult metastases were resected in three of 15 subjects with monolateral clinical lesions, and five patients underwent subsequent lung resections. These data indicate that systematic bilateral pulmonary resection plays an important role in improving the final cure rate of childhood osteosarcoma, beyond the benefit resulting from neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Laboratory evaluation during high-dose vitamin A administration: a randomized study on lung cancer patients after surgical resection

The laboratory findings in patients receiving high-dose vitamin A as adjuvant treatment for stage I lung cancer are here reported. A group of 283 patients were randomized to either treatment with retinyl palmitate (300,000 IU daily for 12 months) or standard follow-up, and are now evaluable after a median observation period of 28 months. At regular intervals, all the patients underwent a physical examination, chest roentgenogram, blood chemistries, haematological assays, hepatic and renal function tests and determinations of serum triglycerides and cholesterol. Serum transaminase abnormalities were of similar magnitude in cases and controls, while gamma-glutamyltransferase levels were abnormally elevated in 69% of the treated patients compared to 39% of controls (mean values 149 vs 57 IU/l at 24 months, P less than 0.05). Serum triglyceride concentrations over 150 mg/dl were seen in 74% of treated patients compared to 43% of controls at 12 months, the average concentration was 283 mg/dl compared to 179 mg/dl (P less than 0.05). Cholesterol levels showed a modest, non-significant rise with time in both groups, and there was no other laboratory evidence of toxicity attributable to vitamin A. Serum retinol and retinol-binding protein, assessed on a limited sample of patients, were higher in the treatment arm (P less than 0.05) at 12 months. In our experience 300,000 IU/day of retinyl palmitate can be administered as a possible chemopreventive agent with reasonable safety for up to 2 years.

Prolonged venous infusion of cisplatin and concurrent radiation therapy for lung carcinoma. A feasibility study

Fifty patients with non resectable and/or inoperable bronchogenic carcinoma were entered into a feasibility study of cisplatin (CDDP) given in continuous infusion with concurrent radiation therapy. The radiation therapy regimen consisted of 2 Gy given 5 days a week in the first 3 and last 2 weeks of a 7-week split course (50 Gy of total dose). The CDDP (daily dose of 4 to 6 mg/m2) was administered to cover the days of radiation treatment by means of a central venous catheter and a portable pump. Less than 1% of predicted duration of infusion was lost due to complications related to venous access and pump. Toxicity was moderate. The overall probability of a locoregional major response (complete + partial) within 1 month after treatment completion was 86%. Twenty-three patients underwent resection. The 1-year actuarial probability of survival was 64%. The high response and survival rates warrant further studies on concurrent CDDP continuous infusion and radiation therapy in inoperable lung carcinoma.

Safety of high-dose vitamin A. Randomized trial on lung cancer chemoprevention

The paper reports on the efficacy and side effects of high-dose vitamin A, administered as adjuvant treatment for resected stage I lung cancer in a randomized clinical trial. After a median follow-up of 28 months, 283 patients were evaluable: 138 allocated to treatment with retinol palmitate (300,000 IU daily for at least 12 months) and 145 to standard observation. The clinical results available to date do well justify a continuation of the study. Skin dryness and desquamation were the most frequent symptoms, affecting 60% of all treated patients. Other symptoms such as dyspepsia, headache, nosebleeds and mild hair loss occurred in less than 10% of patients, and were self-terminating. Only in 4 patients (3%) was the treatment interrupted because of symptoms potentially related to vitamin A administration. As for laboratory tests, gamma-GT levels were abnormally elevated in 69% of treated patients vs. 39% of controls at 24 months (mean 149 vs. 58 IU/l; p less than 0.05). Serum triglyceride concentrations over 150 mg/dl were seen in 74% of treated patients vs. 43% of controls at 12 months (mean 283 vs. 179 mg/dl; p less than 0.05). There were no other laboratory signs of toxicity attributable to vitamin A. In our experience, high-dose retinoyl palmitate administration was a well-tolerated and safe treatment. The long-term impact on lipid metabolism still remains to be determined.

[Esophagogastric anastomosis at the inferior cricoid margin]

In esophageal resections, esophagogastric anastomosis can be performed either at cervical or intrathoracic level. A recent paper showed a greater incidence of postoperative leakages in cervical vs. intrathoracic anastomosis (26% vs. 4%). In the present paper we describe 55 cases of esophagectomy with a modified technique of cervical stapled anastomosis, where the incidence of fistula was 5%.

Median sternotomy and multiple lung resections for metastatic sarcomas

In the attempt to apply salvage surgery to the majority of patients with pulmonary tumour relapse, we have adopted a new treatment plan consisting of early bilateral lung exploration and resection through median sternotomy in all cases of sarcoma with resectable lung metastases, including synchronous or previously resected ones. The present paper summarizes the early results achieved with this technique in 56 consecutive patients treated between 1985 and 1988. Perioperative mortality was zero, and morbidity negligible. Occult contralateral metastases were resected in about one third of subjects with monolateral clinical lesions. Overall actuarial survival from first pulmonary resection is 51% at 2 years and 35% at 3 years. A slightly more favourable trend is evident for solitary lesions but the difference is not statistically significant. No difference in survival is observed in relation to the initial disease-free interval or to the histological type. The majority of relapses occurred within 6 months of sternotomy (23/35) and were confined to the lungs (21/35). Ten of these 21 patients with pulmonary relapse have undergone further resection and 5 of them are alive, with a median survival of 28 months. Present results are encouraging as far as resectability and early recurrence rate are concerned. Median sternotomy appears a most valuable therapeutic approach to pulmonary metastases from sarcomas, being safe and effective in local control of disease, and compatible with further surgical management of pulmonary recurrences.

Lung resection for metastatic sarcomas: total survival from primary treatment

The results of surgical management of 63 cases of pulmonary metastases from bone and soft tissue sarcomas, admitted at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan, between 1970 and 1987, are reviewed in this paper. To estimate the relative impact of metastasectomy on the overall performance of treatment, survival curves were calculated from the time of first thoracotomy, as well as from the initial treatment of primary sarcoma. In the present series, total actuarial survival at 10 years was 37% for osteosarcoma, 27% for soft tissue sarcomas, and 24% for the other bone sarcomas, with a median survival of 48, 56, and 36 months, respectively. Five-year survival from the first pulmonary resection was influenced by the number of metastases and the length of the first disease-free interval only in osteosarcoma, while in soft tissue sarcomas a major untoward factor was represented by local recurrence at the site of the primary tumor. These data support the concept of pulmonary metastasectomy as effective salvage therapy for radically treated sarcomas; this management can rescue a significant proportion of all relapsed patients.

Prognosis after Nonradical Resections for Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (SCLC)

Out of 52 consecutive patients resected for small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) from 1976 to 1986, 19 were selected because they underwent nonradical surgery, 10 of them for locoregional spread and 9 for distant metastases. Of the former subset all received postoperative radiotherapy and 8 chemotherapy also. Three patients are alive and disease-free 37, 56 and 91 months after resection. Four patients had a distant recurrence, and 3 a locoregional failure. Patients of the latter subgroup received chemotherapy in 7 instances. None survived more than 16 months, distant metastases being the cause of death. In these patients NO status was associated with 13.3 months of mean survival, N1 with 8.5 months, and N2 with 6.7 months. Surgery and adjuvant treatments seem effective in achieving local control of SCLC despite nonradical resections. Tumor burden at locoregional sites does not preclude the possibility of long term survival.