Cetuximab Concomitant with Second-Line Radiation Therapy in Patients with Locally Advanced Recurrent Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer

We presented 9 recurrent head and neck carcinoma patients. Priorly all of them had received radiochemotherapy. We used cetuximab and irradiation concomitantly. Overall survival analysis of the patients was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method on SPSS version 15.0. Based on this calculation, mean follow-up duration is 12.8 months. Mean survival time is 19.8 months and annual mean survival rate is 59.3%

Generalized Lymphadenopathy: Unusual Presentation of Prostate Adenocarcinoma

Generalized lymphadenopathy is a rare manifestation of metastatic prostate cancer. Here, we report the case of a 59-year-old male patient with supraclavicular, mediastinal, hilar, and retroperitoneal and inguinal lymphadenopathy, which suggested the diagnosis of lymphoma. There were no urinary symptoms. A biopsy of the inguinal lymph node was compatible with adenocarcinoma, whose prostatic origin was shown by immunohistochemical staining with PSA. The origin of the primary tumor was confirmed by directed prostate biopsy. We emphasize that a suspicion of prostate cancer in men with adenocarcinoma of undetermined origin is important for an adequate diagnostic and therapeutic approach

Synchronous testicular liposarcoma and prostate adenocarcinoma: a case report

Prostate adenocarcinoma is the most common malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in men. Testicular liposarcomas are uncommon soft tissue neoplasms. We report coexistence of prostate cancer and testicular liposarcoma in a 69 year-old-man because while orchiectomy endications are decreasing day by day, these second malignancies should not be missed

Increased plasma thioredoxin levels in patients with sepsis: positive association with macrophage migration inhibitory factor.

PURPOSE: To establish the relationship between plasma levels of thioredoxin (Trx) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in systemic inflammatory stress syndrome (SIRS)/sepsis. METHODS: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay measurements of Trx, MIF, IL-6, -8, and -10 and enzyme-linked fluorescent assay determination of procalcitonin (PCT) in plasma from patients with SIRS/sepsis, neutropenic sepsis, healthy volunteers and pre-oesophagectomy patients. RESULTS: Thioredoxin was significantly higher in SIRS/sepsis patients [101.3 ng ml(−1), interquartile range (IQR) 68.7–155.6, n = 32] compared with that in healthy controls (49.5 ng ml(−1), IQR 31.4–71.1, P < 0.001, n = 17) or pre-oesophagectomy patients (40.5 ng ml(−1), IQR 36.9–63.2, P < 0.01, n = 7), but was not raised in neutropenics (n = 5). MIF levels were also significantly higher in SIRS/sepsis patients (12.1 ng ml(−1), IQR 9.5–15.5, n = 35), but not in the neutropenic group, when compared with healthy controls (9.3 ng ml(−1), IQR 7.3–10.7, P < 0.01, n = 20). Trx levels correlated, positively, with MIF levels and APACHE II scores. Plasma levels of IL-6, -8 and -10 and PCT increased significantly in patients with SIRS/sepsis (P < 0.001) and with neutropenic sepsis, but did not correlate with Trx or MIF levels. CONCLUSION: Plasma levels of Trx, MIF, IL-6, -8, -10 and PCT were raised in patients with SIRS/sepsis. Comparisons between mediators suggest a unique correlation of Trx with MIF. Moreover, Trx and MIF differed from cytokines and PCT in that levels were significantly lower in patients with neutropenia compared with the main SIRS/sepsis group. By contrast, IL-8 and PCT levels were significantly greater in the neutropenic patient group. The link between MIF and Trx highlighted in this study has implications for future investigations into the pathogenesis of SIRS/sepsis

The Importance of Serum Cytokine Levels in Febrile Neutropenia

The most important evaluation of the neutropenic patients is to determine the risk group. The desired approach to patients with low risks should be either not to hospitalize or to hospitalize for a short period of time which both decreases the cost and exposure to the resistant flora. The early diagnosis of sepsis in patients with high risk may be life saving. Recently, the determination of low and high-risk groups only by the clinical variables is not found to be a reliable method. The laboratory parameters supported by the clinical variables may be more practical. The determination of serum cytokines levels in febrile neutropenia may be helpful for the early risk diagnosis, new treatment approaches, and prognosis. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2003; 12(1.000): 12-19