Objective To evaluate the acute side effects and efficacy of three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) combined with gemcitabine chemotherapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods From January 2006 to December 2007, 90 cases with advanced NSCLC were divided into two groups, treatment group of 45 patients were tre.ated with 3D-CRT and gemcitabine, control group of 45 patients were treated with gemcitabine and conventional radiotherapy. Chemotherapy consisted of intravenously gemeitabine 350 mg/m2 on day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36. Radioactive source was used with X ray of 6 MV or 15 MV. Irradiatial target area were lung site and mediastinal node. Results The complete remission (CR)and remission rate(RR) in centrol group were 5 cases (11.1%) and 28 cases(62.2%), but in treatment group were 13 cases (28.9%) and 38 cases (84.4%), respectively. The difference of response rate in two groups was significant(P < 0.05). The rate of acute radiation-induced pneumonifis and esophagitis in control group (28.9%, 35.6%)were higher than those in treatment group (11.1%, 17.8%), there were significant difference between two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions Concurrent application of gemcitabine and 3D-CRT can improve the RR for locally advanced NSCLC, and the acute toxicity are lower than those of gemcitabine and conventional radiotherapy. The clinical study is needed, but the late effect shoud be followed.

OBJECTIVETo observe the changes in serum transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in patients with early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy and explore the correlation of serum TGF-β1 with radiation injury and disease-free survival.

METHODSThe average serum TGF-β1 level (50.2∓3.2 ng/ml) determined from 32 healthy volunteers was used as the standard value for NPC patients in this trial. Fifty-seven patients with early-stage (T1-2N0-1M0) NPC without prior treatment were divided into two groups with serum TGF-β1 level before treatment lower than or equal to the standard value (group A, 29 cases) and a level beyond the standard value (group B, 28 cases). Serum TGF-β1 level was determined in all the patients before, during and after the radiotherapy to evaluate the radiation injury and therapeutic effect.

RESULTSThe serum TGF-β1 level before radiotherapy was significantly lower in group A than in group B (35.4∓1.4 vs 58.8∓1.0 ng/ml, P<0.05). After radiotherapy, acute radiation mucositis and skin reaction was significantly severer in group B (P<0.05). The serum TGF-β1 level before radiotherapy was significantly higher in patients with grade 3 acute radiation mucositis and skin reaction than in those with injuries below grade 3 (54.0∓2.2 vs 42.0∓2.3 ng/ml and 54.3∓2.4 vs 43.4∓2.2 ng/ml, P<0.05). The two groups showed no significant differences in the locoregional failure rate (3.4% vs 7.1%), distant metastasis rate (3.4% vs 10.8%) or disease-free survival (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSRadiotherapy can significantly decrease serum TGF-β1 level in early NPC patients. Serum TGF-β1 level before radiotherapy can help predict the degree of acute radiation mucositis and skin reaction, but shows no correlation with disease-free survival of early-stage NPC patients.

Carcinoma ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; blood ; mortality ; radiotherapy ; Radiation Injuries ; blood ; Survival Rate ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; blood

Humans ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/drug therapy* ; Aminopyridines/therapeutic use* ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols