Cancer
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Remission maintenance for acute nonlymphocytic leukemia: cytosine arabinoside plus 6-thioguanine versus a sequence of drug regimens.
In order to determine whether the use of a sequence of chemotherapeutic regimens plus BCG could produce longer durations of remission in adult acute nonlymphocytic leukemia than maintenance therapy with cytosine arabinoside, 6-thioguanine, plus BCG, a randomized study was performed at Washington University. Upon achieving complete remissions with daunorubicin plus cytosine arabinoside, 14 patients were randomized to receive either: Regimen A--cytosine arabinoside, 6-thioguanine, plus BCG each month; or regimen B--sequential regimens consisting of: 1) azacytidine daily for five days; 2) cyclophosphamide plus cytosine arabinoside daily for four days, prednisone daily for five days, plus vincristine on the first day; 3) prednisone, 6-mercaptopurine, and methotrexate daily for five days plus vincristine on the first day; and 4) cytosine arabinoside, 6-thioguanine, plus BCG. Each of the sequential regimens was given during consecutive months, and the cycle was then repeated starting with the first regimen. ⋯ At 40 months after diagnosis, 75% of patients on Regimen A remain alive (P less than 0.05). Toxicity was equal for the maintenance regimens. Therefore, maintenance therapy with cytosine arabinoside, 6-thioguanine, plus BCG may be superior to the sequence of chemotherapy regimens plus BCG which was employed.
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During a retrospective analysis of 877 cases of lung cancer, we explored the relationships between cell type, site, cavitation, varying degrees of hemoptysis, and radiation therapy. Massive terminal hemoptysis (29 cases) was found to be significantly associated with cavitated (P less than 0.0001 squamous cell carcinoma (P = 0.0002), ARISING IN EITHER THE RIGHT OR LEFT MAIN BRONCHI (P less than 0.0001). ⋯ An interesting case, which provoked the above study, is described: a patient with bronchogenic squamous cell carcinoma and terminal hemoptysis due to a tumor fistula between the primary lesion and the left atrial chamber. The forms of cardiac involvement in lung cancer are discussed.