European journal of surgical oncology : the journal of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and the British Association of Surgical Oncology
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Two male patients who underwent curative surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy (with further chemotherapy in one) for testicular cancer developed adenocarcinoma of the stomach 5 and 19 years after treatment. The stomach is included in the field of radiotherapy used to treat the para-aortic lymph nodes and this may lead to dysplastic changes in the stomach mucosa which can lead to frank malignancy. Early endoscopy should be offered to patients with dyspeptic symptoms after adjuvant radiotherapy for testicular cancer.
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Pancreatic cancer remains an important cause of suffering among oncologic patients. Due to the current poor response to specific therapies, a palliative approach represents the main treatment for this kind of tumour. The authors present the results of a prospective study performed on 41 patients treated according to the World Health Organization guidelines for cancer pain relief; 21 of them were treated by neurolytic coeliac blockade as well. Results, even if not comparable between the two groups, show that this neurolytic technique can play an important role in palliative treatment, on condition that it is part of a multimodal continuing care system.