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The stromal tumor is the most common mesenchymal tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. Surgical resection is the first-line therapy for operable lesions, however for inoperable imatinib is an effective therapy. In this setting a patient has been operated after a remarkable response to imatinib, used as both neoadjuvant and adjuvant. This approach led to a disease-free condition without toxicity and complications.

Transcatheter chemoembolization, in conjunction with various drugs, has been widely used for palliative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. A phase II study was carried out on mitoxantrone chemoembolization. High risk cirrhotic patients were excluded from this study. Fourteen mg/m2 mitoxantrone and up to 20 ml Lipiodol were injected, followed by Gelfoam embolization as indicated. Thirty-seven patients (33 with cirrhosis) were treated. Sixty-nine cycles were delivered, with mean (+/-SD) Lipiodol and emulsified mitoxantrone doses of 11.3+/-3.8 ml and 11.8+/-5.2 mg, respectively. Thirteen, 16, and 8 patients received one, two, and three cycles, respectively, with time intervals of 123+/-60 days. Thirty patients received Gelfoam embolization at the first cycle, 9 at the second and 4 at the third. No treatment-related deaths occurred. Complications were mild and transient, including nausea/vomiting in most cases, fever over 38 degrees C 67%, pain 74%, ascites 8%, jaundice 3%, bleeding 3%, pancreatitis 3%, myelosuppression 44%, diarrhea 5%. Treatment response rate was 49% (including 16% minor responses) with 16% early progressions. With a median follow-up of 12 months, the 12-month response duration and survival rates were 56% and 79% respectively. Transcatheter chemoembolization with mitoxantrone appears to be a promising method for the palliation of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, and deserves to be evaluated in well controlled randomized studies.

Totally implantable programmable systems allow preordained complex continuous infusion of drugs. Sixteen totally programmable implantable pumps (Medtronic DAD) have been implanted in fifteen advanced colorectal and renal cancer patients for continuous ia and iv sinusoidal Fudr infusion. Median duration of pump function was 125 days (range 46-468), there was observed only one case of malfunction device which required the implant of a new device, and three complications of pump pocket (seroma, hematoma and infection) without interrumption of chemotherapy for clinical causes. The use of totally implantable programmable systems provides and important clinical improvement in controlled long-term drugs administration improving quality of life and duration of chemotherapy.