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This article reviewed the latest developments in radiotherapy for locally advanced non small cell lung carcinomas (LANSCLC) in the past three years. ①Induction therapy before surgery, which includes chemotherapy and chemo radiotherapy. ②Chemo radiotherapy for resectable LANSCLC. It is suggested that chemo radiotherapy would be one of the choices, besides surgery. ③Chemo radiotherapy for unresectable LANSCLC. Chemotherapy is emphasized to play an important role for these patients. The models of combination of chemotherapy and irradiation are also discussed, and so are the efficacy, toxicity and tolerance. ④Three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). It has been demonstrated that 3DCRT could protect normal lung well, which surrounds the tumor. Therefore, irradiation dose could be increased, and local control as well as survival would be improved by this way. ⑤Unconventional fractionated irradiation. Accelerated hyperfractionated radiation therapy, which shortens the total treatment time and still remains a high dose, has resulted in good outcome. Therefore, there is a room for further studies. ⑥Application of radioprotector in lung irradiation. Amifostine has been tried and shown to have protection for normal tissues, especially in decreasing the incidences of radiation induced esophagitis and pneumonitis.

Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy(3D-CRT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) are becoming important parts for research of treatment in esophageal carcinoma patients.The advances of dosimetric study in 3D-CRT,IMRT of esophageal carcinoma and the evaluation indices are reviewed.

Previous studies have showed that sulfonylureas possess a bidirectional effect on cardiovascular system:they can raise the coronary artery tone,aggravate ischemic injury to the cardiovascular tissues,and accelerate cardiac hypertrophy through closing cardiovascular ATP-sensitive K+ channels;meanwhile,they can also regulate glucolipid metabolism,modulate inflammatory reaction and inhibit atherosclerosis through activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors.Clinical-epidemiological study showed different opinions on whether sulfonylureas can increase the mortality of patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Radiation therapy plays an important role in the multidisciplinary treatment of early stage breast cancer. While breast conservative treatment has become an established strategy, recent clinical investigations focus mainly on the possibility of modification to the standard practice, including the significance of tumor bed boost after whole breast irradiation, the criteria for low-risk patients not to receive adjuvant radiotherapy after breast conservative surgery and the feasibility of partial breast irradiation. Post-mastectomy radiotherapy to the chest wall and regional lymph nodes in high-risk patients has been proved to reduce the local-regional recurrence by 2/3. However, only a few trials support the improvement of survival, and significant controversy exists concerning the role of post-mastectomy radiotherapy in intermediate-risk patients. Current review summarizes the advances and controversies stated above for the treatment of early stage breast cancer.

Local recurrences and distant metastases develop in patients with early stage NSCLC ( Non-small Cell Lung Cancer) after surgery. It becomes important to predict the prognosis and give postoperative adjuvant therapy if necessary. The advances of prognostic factors of early stage NSCLC are reviewed.

Objective: Our purpose was to understand the effect of transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) in pathogenesis and development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Methods: Serum TGF-β was measured with enzyme-linked immunosersorbent assay(ELISA). Results: The serum level of TGF-β in diabetic patients with no DN was not different from that in normal persons(12.7±5.0 pg/ml, 12.6±4.4 pg/ml, P >0.05). Serum TGF-β level in DN patients with urinary albumin clearance (20 to 200 μg/min，not include 200) was significantly higher than that in diabetic patients with no DN (65.3±13.0 pg/ml, 12.7±5.0 pg/ml, P<0.01). Serum level of TGF-β in DN patients with urinary albumin clearance (≥200 μg/min) was significantly higher than that in the patients with trace urinary albumin （136.4±21.4 pg/ml, 65.3±13.0 pg/ml, P<0.01）, and serum level of TGF-β was positively correlated with urinary albumin clearance. Conclusion: The serum level of TGF-β has increased in early stage of DN. With the development of DN, the serum level of TGF-β significantly increased. The alteration of serum level of TGF-β was positively correlated with urinary albumin clearance. So TGF-β play a very important role in pathogenesis and development of diabetic nephropathy. We can regard serum level of TGF-β as a diagnostic target of DN in early stage.

Purpose:To investigate the toxicities and res po nse of liver cancers to 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3-DCRT) com bined with Trancatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) Methods :The histopathological confirmed liver cancer patients were treated by 3-DCRT co mbined with TACE, all patients received TACE before 3-DCRT The total irradiati on dose is 50 Gy to 58 Gy in daily fractions of 2 Gy Each planning target volu me (PTV) received a minimum of 90% of the prescribed dose Each mean liver dose not reached 30 Gy, V 30 Gy (the percentage of normal liver volume with ra diation dose≥30 Gy) less than 33% Results:Thirty patients were included in this study including 2 1 hepatocellular carcinoma Survivals at 1 year after 3-DCRT were 76%, with a median survival time of 8 months 2 patients developed Grade 1 acute liver toxi city and one patient experienced Grade 2 gastrointestinal complications No pat ient developed Grade 2 or greater liver toxicity Conclusions:The use of 3-DCRT technique for liver cancer is a safe and efficient method O ur experience indicated the total irradiation dose above 58 Gy is feasible in da ily fractions of 2 Gy, if the mean liver dose did not reach 30 Gy and V 30 G y

50Gy) in solitary or limited BM subgroup seemed to survive longer. However in the Cox mu ltivariate analysis, only KPS, numbers of BM, extracranial systemic metastasis a nd chemotherapy were significant prognostic factors. Just as those of RPA subgro ups, the median survival from the start of WBRT was 3, 9, 16 months in 3 PI subg roups respectively.Conclusions:Overall survival in BM from breast cancer remains p oor. KPS, numbers of BM, extracranial systemic metastasis and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors. RPA classification can predict the prognosis of patients with BM from breast cancer, so can the PI model.

Background and purpose:It may improve local control to increase radiation dose for esophageal cancer.The purpose of the study is to obtain the maximum tolerance dose(MTD)and assess toxicity of 3-D conformal radiation therapy(3-DCRT)for esophageal cancer.Methods:The scheduled dose escalation ranged from 70 Gy to 76 Gy.All patients received conventional fractionation irradiation to a dose of 46 Gy/23 Fx/4.5 weeks,followed by accelerated hyperfractionation irradiation using reduced fields,1.5 Gy twice a day,to a dose of 24 Gy/16 Fx.The criteria for stopping dose escalation was grade ≥3 radiation-induced toxicity in ≥15% patients.Results:From July,2000 to July,2001,18 patients were enrolled.Five patients completed a total dose of 70 Gy and an additional 5 patients received 73 Gy.Eight patients completed a total dose of 76 Gy.No patient occurred grade ≥3 radiation-induced toxicity at the level of 70 Gy.Four patients(80%)experienced grade ≥3 radiation-induced late toxicity(2 patients died of late radiation-induced pneumonitis)at the level of 73 Gy.Five patients(62.5%)experienced grade ≥3 radiation-induced acute toxicity and 6 patients(75%)had grade≥3 late toxicity(1 patients died of late radiation-induced esophagitis,and 2 patients died of late radiation-induced pneumonitis)at the level of 76 Gy.Conclusions:Based on the clinical trial,there were more severe radiation-induced toxicities when the patients with esophageal cancer received more than 70 Gy.