The value of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains controversial. From Nov.1987 to Jan. 1993, thirty-one patients with small cell lung cancer received PCI. PCI was given for complete remission SCLC patients after chemotherapy and chest radiotherapy. The total dose of PCI was 40Gy in 26 cases, 30～

BACKGROUNDTo study the results of combination therapy for adrenal metastasis from lung cancer.

METHODSThirty patients with adrenal metastasis were treated in our hospital from Feb. 1995 to Apr. 2001. Forteen patients were small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and 16 patients were non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). All patients were treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Eighteen patients were treated with combination therapy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, while twelve patients with chemotherapy alone.

RESULTSThe median survival time was 8 months. The response rate of chemotherapy alone was 25.0% (partial relief 3 cases), while the response rate of combination therapy was 44.4% (complete relief 1 case and partial relief 7 cases). Pain was relieved quickly after radiotherapy for the patients with pain symptom.

CONCLUSIONSCombination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy is better than chemotherapy alone for the treatment of adrenal metastasis from lung cancer.

Objective To study on the relationship between the levels of homocysteine(HCY) ,folic acid and vitamin B12 and pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH) in different pregnancies .Methods 539 pregnant women who registered for prenatal exami-nation of pregnant in the hospital were selected as research subjects .And there were 87 cases of PIH(PIH group) and 452 cases of normal pregnancy(normal pregnancy group) among them .The fasting blood samples were collected respectively in early pregnancy (8-10 weeks and 12-14 weeks of pregnancy) ,mid pregnancy(18 pregnancy weeks and 24 pregnancy weeks) ,and late pregnancy (30 pregnancy weeks and 36 pregnancy weeks) ,and the levels of HCY ,folic acid and vitamin B12 were measured .At the same time ,the supplements of folic acid and vitamin B12 and the incidence of PIH and birth defects were asked ,registered and checked . Results Compared with normal pregnancy group ,the serum HCY level of PIH group significantly increased in medium and late pregnancy periods (P<0 .05) ,and had no statistical significance in early pregnancy(P>0 .05) .In mid and late pregnancy periods , the serum HCY levels of PIH group and normal pregnant group negatively correlated with serum folic acid levels (r<0 ,P<0 .05) , and did not correlate with vitamin B12 levels (P>0 .05) .Conclusion In middle and late pregnancy periods ,if the serum HCY level of pregnant women increased ,the risk of PIH increased significantly .

Objective:To observe the effect of moxibustion on learning and memory abilities, corticosterone and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in subacute aging rats. Methods:Twenty four Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group and a moxibustion group, 8 rats in each group. Rats in the model group and the moxibustion group were subcutaneously injected with 25% D-galactose [125 mg/(kg·bw)] for 40 d continuous; rats in the normal group were injected with saline at the same position for 40 d continuous. Rats in the moxibustion group were given mild moxibustion at bilateral Shenshu (BL 23) at the same time of modeling; rats in the normal group and the model group were only identically grabbed without moxibustion for 40 d. The learning and memory abilities of rats were observed using the Morris water maze at the end of the experiment. Abdominal aorta blood and thymus were collected after water maze experiment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect serum corticosterone level, and immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of thymus GR. Results:Compared with the normal group, rats in the model group showed that a significantly longer escape latency time (P<0.01) on the third and the fourth days; number of times crossing the platform in 70 s significantly reduced (P<0.01); activity times in the fourth quadrant significantly decreased (P<0.05); serum corticosterone levels increased (P<0.01); thymus GR expression decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, rats in the moxibustion group showed that the escape latency times were significantly shorter on the third, the fourth and the fifth days (P<0.01,P<0.05); number of times crossing the platform in 70 s significantly increased (P<0.05); activity times in the fourth quadrant significantly increased (P<0.05); serum corticosterone levels decreased (P<0.05); thymus GR expression increased (P<0.05). Conclusion:Moxibustion could improve the learning and memory abilities of subacute aging rats, down-regulate serum corticosterone levels, and increase thymus GR content.

Objective　To investigate the therapeutic effect and safety of PBSCT combined with high dose chemotherapy in the treatment of small cell lung cancer(SCLC). Methods　From March, 1994 to June, 1999, high dose chemotherapy combined with PBSCT was carried out in 20 patients with SCLC. Eight patients were in CR status while twelve patients were for salvaging therapy. Allo-PBSCT was performed in 1 patient and Auto-PBSCT in 19 patients. After mobilization of stem cell, mononeuclear cell (MNC) was collected for ≥3.0×108／kg, CD34＋ cell≥2.0×106／kg. The high dose chemotherapy included carboplatin 350?mg／m2×3 days, VP-16 120?mg／m2×5 days, and E-ADM 40?mg／m2×2 days. Results　Encouraging results were achieved in 8 patients who were in CR status. Seven of the eight patients survived after Auto-PBSCT. One patients survived more than 1 year, 4 cases over 2 years, and 3 cases over 3 years. Of the 3 patients, 2 survived more than 4 years. In the group of salvaging therapy, response was good, however there was no long-term survival and median remission time was only 3.5 months. Conclusion　High dose chemotherapy combined with PBSCT in the treatment of SCLC with CR status is feasible and safe, although the side effects are severe too. It is worth further studying on clinical practice.

BACKGROUNDTo investigate the immunohistochemical detected method and the clinical incidence of the bone marrow micrometastases (BMM) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to analyze the sensitivity and specificity and clinical application value.

METHODSBone marrow samples were collected from the anterior superior iliac spines or posterior superior iliac spines of 53 patients with NSCLC in clinical stage I to III and 15 patients in stage IV, and the BMM was detected by immunohistochemical techniques (IHC) using monoclonal antibodies AE1/AE3 against cytokeratin. Chi-square test was used statistically.

RESULTSThe IHC sensitivity could be 10⁻⁵. The BMM positive rate was 22.6% (12/53) in stage I to III and 53.3% (8/15) in stage IV, and there was a significant difference in the BMM positive rate between stage I to III and stage IV (P < 0.05). No correlation was observed between BMM and sex, age, KPS, pathology classification and cancer cell differentiation.

CONCLUSIONSThe detection of BMM by IHC is convenient, sensitive, and specific. It might be helpful to diagnose bone marrow micrometastasis in patients with NSCLC.