Cancer
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The postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) associated with perioperative blood transfusion has been the subject of controversy. The authors prospectively investigated the relation between perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions, the recurrence free survival, and the immunologic profiles of patients with HCC who had undergone curative hepatic resections. ⋯ Although allogeneic blood transfusion may have immunosuppressive effects, perioperative blood transfusions did not influence the cancer free survival rate in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
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The objective of this study was to determine prognostic factors for response and survival on three consecutive institutional trials utilizing concurrent chemotherapy and radiation for locally advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN). ⋯ Chemoradiation provides patients with locally advanced SCCHN the opportunity for long term survival. Among the three chemoradiation regimens studied, C + P/RT was associated with the best complete response and survival rates. Complete response to therapy was the single most important predictor of overall survival. These three consecutive concurrent chemotherapy and radiation trials achieved a 5-year survival of greater than 30% for the entire population. These results support the use of this nonoperative approach for this group of patients with a historically poor prognosis.