Chemotherapy in disseminated thymoma - case report, own experience

Grasiczaki należą do nowotworów, które powstają z tkanki nabłonkowej grasicy. Zabieg chirurgiczny odgrywa główną rolę w leczeniu grasiczaków, ale chemioterapia może znacząco wpływać na polepszenie prognoz dla tej grupy pacjentów. Skuteczna chemioterapia może mieć charakter leczenia neoadjuwantowego przed zabiegiem operacyjnym, uzupełniającego po zabiegu, stanowić element leczenia skojarzonego z radioterapią lub być stosowana w przebiegu rozsiewu choroby. Celem pracy jest przedstawienie przypadku 66-letniego chorego, u którego rozpoznano zaawansowanego grasiczaka i zastosowano z dobrym efektem leczenie systemowe dwóch linii. Pneumonol. Alergol. Pol. 2011; 79, 3: 222-226Thymomas are thymic epithelial neoplasms. Surgery plays a major role in thymoma treatment but chemotherapy can significantly improve prognoses for this group of patients. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (before surgery), adjuvant chemotherapy (after surgery), chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy and palliative chemotherapy in dissemination stage could be required in effective therapy. The aim of this paper is description of the effective systemic second line treatment in the case of 66 years old patient with advanced thymoma. Pneumonol. Alergol. Pol. 2011; 79, 3: 222-22

Usefulness of osteopontin (OPN) determinations in ovarian cancer patients who underwent first-line chemotherapy

Abstract Introduction: Currently CA 125 is a marker of choice for monitoring ovarian cancer. Nonetheless, scientists are still searching for new markers, which could provide additional information for the evaluation of treatment, especially in patients with normal CA 125 levels, despite the progression of the disease. According to the latest reports, OPN can be a potential new marker. Aim: Estimation of usefulness of OPN determinations in the monitoring of ovarian cancer patients. Material and Methods: The study included 54 ovarian cancer patients, undergoing chemotherapy. Markers were measured before, during and after treatment. The dynamics of the change of OPN levels was shown on line graphs, using Microsoft Excel programme. Statistical analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Results: 44% of patients from the study group were found to have low CA 125 levels. In these cases only the increase of OPN concentration indicated recurrence of the disease. In 43% of patients the high initial CA 125 and OPN levels decreased during chemotherapy and complete regression was stated in these patients. Nevertheless, in 13/17 patients a repeated increase of OPN concentration signalling the recurrence, earlier than CA 125 and clinical recurrence manifestation, was observed. In 13% of patients high initial levels of markers did not decrease during chemotherapy, which correlated with the progression of the disease. Our study showed that only the CA 125 levels had a significant influence (p=0.00063) on the disease-free survival time. Conclusions: Our data suggest a potential usefulness of the OPN determinations in estimating ovarian cancer recurrence. Nonetheless, there was no correlation between the initial OPN concentration and the disease-free survival time

Ziarniniak grzybiasty — opis przypadku i przegląd piśmiennictwa

Ziarniniak grzybiasty jest najczęściej występującym typem skórnego chłoniaka T-komórkowego, charakteryzującym się indolentnym przebiegiem z ewolucją zmian skórnych. Ustalenie rozpoznania może być trudne ze względu na bardzo zróżnicowany obraz kliniczny zmian skórnych. W pracy przedstawiono przypadek 64-letniej chorej na ziarniniaka grzybiastego o dość szybkim przebiegu choroby, uwzględniając kontekst wielodyscyplinarnego leczenia w tym typie chłoniaka. Onkol. Prak. Klin. 2010; 6, 4: 195–201Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, characterized by an indolent clinical course with subsequent evolution of patches, plagues and tumors. Diagnosis of MF can be difficult due to highly variable presentations. We present a case of rather rapidly progressive MF in a 64-year-old female who initially presented with psoriasiform patches in context of multidisciplinary approach to this type of disorder. Onkol. Prak. Klin. 2010; 6, 4: 195–20

Chemotherapy in the Management of Disseminated Thymoma: A Case Report and the Authors’ Own Experience

Thymomas are tumours originating from the epithelial tissue of the thymus. While surgery is the mainstay of therapy in thymoma, chemotherapy may significantly improve the prognosis. Effective chemotherapy may be administered in the neoadjuvant setting (prior to surgery), in the adjuvant setting (following surgery), may be combined with radiotherapy or be used for palliation in disseminated disease. We report a case of a 66-year-old male with advanced thymoma who received second-line treatment with a good outcome