Tumori
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We investigated the physical and psychological adaptation to a protracted continuous infusion system in a series of patients receiving protracted continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil for advanced breast cancer. ⋯ The system for the protracted continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil was well tolerated by the patients, who were able in most cases to perform their daily activities with little or no disturbance, needing only occasional help, and were willing to resume the same treatment modality if necessary.
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Comparative Study
[The treatment of malignant pleural effusions: the experience of a multidisciplinary thoracic endoscopy group].
More than half of neoplastic patients show in their clinical history the onset of pleural effusion. Malignant pleural effusion produces dyspnea, decreases respiratory function and quality of life in patients with advanced cancers. ⋯ Patients are been subdivided in two group, depending on respiratory performance status and they are been submit to a Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) with talc pleurodesis and to positioning of a chronic indwelling pleural catheter. The treatment of malignant pleural effusion with the methods reported above allows, not only to achieve palliation of symptomatology, but also to achieve pleurodesis in patients with limited life-expectancy with good cost-beneficial ratio.
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The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the cardia is increasing. The choice of surgical strategy for AEG type II of Siewert classification is the subjects of controversial discussion. The aim of our retrospective study is to analyse the surgical results in 12 years. ⋯ In patient with AEG I the therapy of choice is a radical transthoracic or transhiatal oesophagectomy with resection of the proximal stomach. For type III extended total gastrectomy with transthoracic or transhiatal oesophagectomy is the procedure of choice. The superiority of the thoracoabdominal approach is therefore evident in terms of oncologic radicality. Survival is similar in AEG type II patients for both operations. A oesophagectomy with proximal gastric resection should be adopted for these tumors as the standard procedure in the majority of cases.
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To verify the effectiveness and the incidence of complication in the transcutaneal celiac plexus block with CT-guided in the patient with intractable upper abdominal cancer, using alcoholic solutions to different concentrations (50% and 96%), previous insertion of the peridural catheter. From December 1997 to June 2002, studies were carried out on 24 patients with CT-guided percutaneous coeliac plexus neurolysis including 17 men and 7 women with inoperable abdominal malignancy and two with chronic pancreatitis. The patients were affected by very intense pain controllable only with high doses of analgesic narcotics. ⋯ Our method provided an excellent control of the pain in all patients. In our experience the pain relief was almost complete in patients treated with 96% ethyl alcohol solution (VAS from 8 before the treatment to 1, 48 hours after the treatment). The alcohol administered in elevated concentrations (96%), does not increase the incidence of complications.