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Among several topoisomerase I inhibitors topotecan is worth taking into account because of its little toxicity, good tolerance and quick excretion. The study compared functioning of bone marrow, liver and kidneys during and after the treatment, as well as survival period and quality of life of patients treated with topotecan and patients who underwent symptomatic treatment. 35 patients aged 43-71 of both sexes, with advanced stage of large intestine cancer (IV grade in TNM scale) were included in the study. 20 hospitalized patients were administered topotecan, topoisomerase I inhibitor, intravenously in 5-day courses (1.5 mg/m2 of body surface daily) repeated 5 times with 21-day intervals. Before the beginning of therapy and after it the following were conducted: medical check-ups as well as surveys and test research including groups of somatic and vegetative symptoms connected with the disease (based on the questionnaire QLQ-C30). 15 patients with the similar stage of the disease who had not agreed to palliative treatment with chemotherapy were treated only symptomatically. Applying antineoplastic treatment with topotecan contributes to the extension of the survival time by 4 months on average, and mortality during and after the treatment is lower than in the group of patients with the symptomatic treatment only. Antineoplastic treatment improves the quality of life and delays the disease progression. The quality of life is better until the preterminal period of the disease and enables patients maintaining motor activity and independence.

Unlabelled: Anxiety accompanies patients at all stages of severe somatic diseases as well in the course of diagnostic procedures. It affects significantly quality of life of these patients and their relations with their physicians. It may also induce or exacerbate wide range of somatic complaints., Objective: Evaluation of usefulness of anxiolytic therapies in patients with diagnosed neoplastic diseases. Comparison of anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects of alprazolam and diazepam in patients treated with systemic chemotherapy., Material and Methods: Final analysis included 45 patients with various malignancies randomly assigned to receive alprazolam 3 x 0.5 mg or diazepam 3 x 2 mg. Anti-anxiety effects of both drugs was evaluated four times during the 21-day follow-up period at one week intervals with help of Clinical Global Impression scale (CGI), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Analysis of these questionnaires was performed with Mann-Whitney test and Wilcoxon test., Results: Statistically significant reduction of anxiety was found in both study groups. Alprazolam was proven to be significantly more effective than diazepam in reduction of anxiety (HARS, HADS) and depressive symptoms accompanying anxiety (HADS). Alprazolam vs. diazepam showed better tolerance by patients., Conclusions: Alprazolam effectively reduced anxiety in patients suffering from malignant diseases. Alprazolam was found to reduce depressive symptoms in patients with neurotic disorders whereas no effects of this kind were observed for diazepam.