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We report a case of a large Merkel cell skin tumor (left cheek) in an 83 year-old woman treated by a combination of radiotherapy and hyperthermia. A complete response to the treatment was observed and without side effects. The patient has now been followed for 12 months without signs of recurrence, nodal disease, or distant metastasis.

Various biological dressings, for example, human fresh and cadaver skin grafts, homologous cultured human epithelium and deep frozen porcine split skin (Lyocutis), have been used to treat skin loss. Each of these biological dressings has its advantages and disadvantages. The antimicrobial properties of each dressing type are important since bactericidal activity influences the lifespan of the transplanted tissue. In the present study the in vitro antimicrobial effects of human fresh skin, homologous cultured epithelium and Lyocutis were compared to in vivo bactericidal activity of these dressings and possible clinical applications are recommended.

Surgical experience on the management of early gastric carcinoma (EGC) related to a series of 54 subjects was observed from 1974 to 1984. Thirty-four patients were male, 20 were female; median age was 61.84 (range 22-79) years. Malignancy always occurred in the middle or distal third of the stomach. A partial subtotal gastrectomy (two-thirds of the stomach) with Roux en Y or Billroth II reconstruction was performed. Omentectomy and lymph node dissection of the primary and secondary groups of nodes, according to General Rules, was always performed. Age-corrected 5- and 10-year survival rates were 95.7% and 84.3%, respectively. Based on their experience, the authors discuss the surgical approach to EGC stressing the need for an accurate lymph node dissection and pointing out that results of subtotal gastrectomy are similar to that reported in the literature for total gastrectomy. The only absolute need for a total gastrectomy may be the presence of an EGC in the proximal third of the stomach. To this end the authors compare their results with 5- and 10-year series from Japanese and western countries reported in the literature.