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The expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) was studied immunohistochemically in fifty-seven Chinese patients with primary invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the pancreas. The frequency of expression of EGF and EGFR was 73.7% and 68.4%, respectively. The frequency of their co-expression was 61.4%. No significant relationships were seen between the expression of EGF and its receptor and the patients' age, gender, site of the tumor, stage, and grade. Positive co-expression of EGF and EGFR was significantly associated with the poor prognosis. The median survival of the EGF(-)EGFR(-) group for 17.2 months was longer than that of the EGF(+)EGFR(+) group for 9.7 months (p = 0.02), as well as that of the other groups of EGR(+)EGFR(-), EGF(-)EGFR(+), and EGF(+)EGFR(+) for 9.9 month (p = 0.03). These results suggested that EGF and EGFR were frequently expressed in Chinese patients with IDC of the pancreas. Their co-expression may be a useful prognostic indicator for pancreatic cancer.

Eight cases of the primary hepatosarcoma were reported in this paper. These cases were verified by resection and pathological examination. The abdominal pain and mass were of the main clinical features. The image studies showed the occupied lesions of the liver. The preoperative differential diagnosis is of difficulty. All these cases were misdiagnosed: 6 cases (75%) as cystic lesions and 2 cases (25%) as cancer of the liver, The sarcoma of the liver is usually huge and central necrotized which formed liquid-cavity. Therefore the differential diagnosis of huge mixed cystic lesions of the liver should be stressed. During operation, the frozen section pathological examination should be performed as a routine in case misdiagnosis and mistreatment happen. Early surgical resection is suggested in order to raise the survival rate.

Pulmonary function was studied in sixty patients with pleural effusion and seventy patients with fibrothorax. The patients with pleural effusion were divided into three groups according to the extent of the effusion. The patients were submitted to spirometry and arterial blood gas analysis. The effects of pleural effusion on pulmonary function is evaluated with regards to the size of effusion. Small-size pleural effusion little affects arterial oxygen tension. Pleural effusion and fibrothorax have a similar pattern of pulmonary function.

The effects of lung surgery on respiratory function were investigated in 80 patients; 17 patients were submitted to left pneumonectomy (LPN); 11 patients were submitted to right pneumonectomy (RPN); 7 patients underwent a left upper lobectomy (LUL); 16 patients a left lower lobectomy (LLL); 17 patients were submitted to right upper lobectomy (RUL); 12 patients underwent right lower lobectomy (RLL). All patients were submitted to spirometry and arterial blood gas analysis. The effects of lung surgery on respiratory function depends upon the extent of the resected tissue.