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Combined treatment with adriamycin, cyclophosphamide and vincristine (ACO) was used in 50 out-patients with histologically verified small-cell bronchial carcinoma. In 26 patients with locally and regionally limited metastases ("limited disease") radiotherapy (3000 rad focal dose) to mediastinum, hili and tumour opacity as well as prophylactic cranial irradiation (3000 rad focal dose) were performed after 3 cycles of chemotherapy. Complete clinical remission (without endoscopic control) was achieved in 32 out of 50 patients. Remissions in patients with bilateral pulmonary or extrathoracic metastases ("extensive disease", n = 24, 12 complete remissions) only led to limited asymptomatic prolongations of life (median survival time 10 months, median remission period 5 months) despite maintenance therapy. On the other hand patients with "limited disease" had considerable life prolongation (median survival 21 months, historical control value 3--4 months). Seven out of 26 patients in this group survived for 30 months after the onset of the disease, 6 out of 26 are now in their third year after starting therapy without signs of tumour recurrence. The results show that early recognition of patients with local and regional metastases has considerable prognostic value.

Seit 1975 wurden 140 Patienten mit retroperitoneal-metastasierten nicht-seminomatosen Hodentumoren nach Orchiektomie und retroperitonealer Lymphadenektomie sequentiell alternierend mit den Zytostatika-Kombinationen Velbe/Bleomycin und Adriamycin/Cisplatin plus/minus Radiotherapie behandelt. Davon erhielten 68 Patienten nach totaler retroperitonealer Lymphadenektomie mit postoperativ normalisierten Tumormarkern (Stadium IIA) 6 Chemotherapie-Kurse, woran sich bei 35 Patienten eine Strahlentherapie anschlos. Vierzig Patienten wurden nach subtotaler retroperitonealer Lymphadenektomie oder bei postoperativ erhohten Tumormarkern (Stadium IIB) und 32 Patienten nach palliativer Lymphadenektomie (Stadium IIC) mit mindestens 12 Chemotherapie-Kursen und fakultativer intermittierender Radiotherapie und/oder Relaparotomie behandelt. Der Vergleich der Behandlungsergebnisse bei den Stadien IIA und IIB ergab unabhangig von der zusatzlichen Radiotherapie nach der „Life-table“-Methode Vier-Jahres-Uberlebensraten zwischen 80 und 100%. Diese gunstigen Resultate sind mit den Ergebnissen bei 34 nicht adjuvant behandelten Patienten ohne histologisch nachweisbare retroperitoneale Metastasierung (Stadium I) vergleichbar. Ausdruck einer statistisch signifikant schlechteren Prognose bei fortgeschrittener retroperitonealer Metastasierung ist eine Vier-Jahres-Uberlebensrate von 12% bei den Patienten im Stadium IIC.

Between 1973 and 1978 combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy were given to 22 patients with histologically proven Ewing's sarcoma. The combined chemotherapy consisted of cyclophosphamide, vincristin, adriamycin, as well as dacarbazine in some cases. The neoplasm was a localized one at the beginning of treatment in 14 of the 22. These patients received high-voltage radiotherapy to the primary focus at a focal dose between 42 and 55 Gray (4200-5500 rad), followed by chemotherapy. After 6--8 treatment cycles, adriamycin was replaced by methotrexate. Nine of the 14 patients survived without recurrence for 12 to over 59 months. Eight patients had extensive metastases at the beginning of treatment: they at first received only chemotherapy, followed by radiotherapy or operation, as indicated. Full clinical remission was achieved in five of them: in three this remission has now lasted for more than 18, 40 and 44 months, respectively. These results indicate that (1) additional chemotherapy improves the prognosis of localized Ewing's sarcoma, and (2) even in far-progressed cases the combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy can achieve lasting remission, which may in fact be a true cure.

Fifty patients with inoperable bronchial carcinoma were treated with a combined schedule of adriamycin, cyclophosphamide and vincristine. In those cases with locally/regionally confined tumour spread this was followed - after three chemotherapy cycles - by radiotherapy to mediastinum, hilar region and tumour of 3000 rad focal dose. Remission was achieved in 25 of 27 patients with small-cell carcinoma: full clinical remission in 12, part remission in 13. Mean duration of the (in most instances still continuing) remission has so far been 4 + months. Mean survival time is, of course, not yet calculable. Only a few patients had to be admitted to hospital for short periods because of toxic reactions. Four full and 11 part remission (some still continuing) have so far been achieved in the group of larger-cell carcinoma (squamous cell, 4; large cells, 5; anaplastic, medium-large, undifferentiated or polymorph, 14).

Between January, 1977, and September, 1978, 14 stage III and 7 stage IV patients with previously untreated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were selected for low-dose fractionated total body irradiation (TBI), 150 rad in 10 fractions over 5 weeks, combined with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (COP) cytostatic therapy. A randomized trial was established to compare the treatment related toxicity of TBI plus COP (group A) or COP plus TBI (group B), and the efficacy to increase the response rate, particularly the complete remission rate. Fifteen patients were treated with TBI plus COP and 6 patients received COP plus TBI. The latter part of each treatment modality was delayed 6 weeks to allow recovery from the myelosuppressive effects of the foregoing one. Complete remission was achieved in 8/15 group A patients and in 3/6 treated according the group B schedule. There were no acute symptoms during either course nor could mortality associated with the treatment be observed.

Following orchiectomy and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RND) 140 patients with stage II non-seminomatous testicular cancer were treated by sequential combination chemotherapy consisting of vinblastine/bleomycin and adriamycin/cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) (DDP), plus/minus radiotherapy. 68 stage IIA-patients (complete RND and normal tumor-markers thereafter) received 6 courses of chemotherapy, followed by radiotherapy in 35 patients. 40 stage IIB-patients (minor residual disease after RND or elevated tumor-markers after RND) and 32 stage IIC-patients (advanced residual disease after RND) were treated by at least 12 chemotherapy courses and optional intermittent radiotherapy and/or relaparotomy. In stage IIA and IIB disease the actuarial 4-year survival rates were between 80 and 100%. These favourable results were not significantly influenced by additional radiotherapy and corresponded to the survival rates for 34 stage I-patients. For stage IIC-patients the prognosis was significantly worse with a 12% 4-year survival rate.

Nonoperative treatment of hypernephroma comprises irradiation and transfemoral catheter embohzation of the advanced, inoper able, and symptom-causing tumor, as well as drug treatment of metastatic disease with cytostatic substances, hormones, and immunotherapeutic agents.

Combined treatment with adriamycin, cyclophosphamide and vincristine (ACO) was used in 50 out-patients with histologically verified small-cell bronchial carcinoma. In 26 patients with locally and regionally limited metastases ("limited disease") radiotherapy (3000 rad focal dose) to mediastinum, hili and tumour opacity as well as prophylactic cranial irradiation (3000 rad focal dose) were performed after 3 cycles of chemotherapy. Complete clinical remission (without endoscopic control) was achieved in 32 out of 50 patients. Remissions in patients with bilateral pulmonary or extrathoracic metastases ("extensive disease", n = 24, 12 complete remissions) only led to limited asymptomatic prolongations of life (median survival time 10 months, median remission period 5 months) despite maintenance therapy. On the other hand patients with "limited disease" had considerable life prolongation (median survival 21 months, historical control value 3--4 months). Seven out of 26 patients in this group survived for 30 months after the onset of the disease, 6 out of 26 are now in their third year after starting therapy without signs of tumour recurrence. The results show that early recognition of patients with local and regional metastases has considerable prognostic value.

Between 1973 and 1978 combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy were given to 22 patients with histologically proven Ewing's sarcoma. The combined chemotherapy consisted of cyclophosphamide, vincristin, adriamycin, as well as dacarbazine in some cases. The neoplasm was a localized one at the beginning of treatment in 14 of the 22. These patients received high-voltage radiotherapy to the primary focus at a focal dose between 42 and 55 Gray (4200-5500 rad), followed by chemotherapy. After 6--8 treatment cycles, adriamycin was replaced by methotrexate. Nine of the 14 patients survived without recurrence for 12 to over 59 months. Eight patients had extensive metastases at the beginning of treatment: they at first received only chemotherapy, followed by radiotherapy or operation, as indicated. Full clinical remission was achieved in five of them: in three this remission has now lasted for more than 18, 40 and 44 months, respectively. These results indicate that (1) additional chemotherapy improves the prognosis of localized Ewing's sarcoma, and (2) even in far-progressed cases the combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy can achieve lasting remission, which may in fact be a true cure.

Since electron linear accelerators with energies up to 20 MeV were introduced to radiotherapy it has become easier to irradiate large portals than was previously possible with 60Co unites or betatrons. The reasons for this are: 1) More favourable depth dose distribution resulting in better field homogeneity 2) Considerably smaller penumbra 3) Higher and more constant dose rates 4) Larger portals. The indications for the following large portal techniques are discussed: 1) Total nodal irradiation 2) Total lung irradiation 3) Abdominal bath 4) Irradiation of larger segments of the extremities 5) Whole body irradiation.

In a 79-year-old woman, the progression of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinemia (AILD) to malignant lymphoma was observed within one year after diagnosis. Three biopsy specimens from lymph nodes and one tonsil, obtained at intervals of several months, showed an increasing destruction of the tissue architecture and the development of histological criteria for a lymphoid neoplasm, which at autopsy was confirmed as a malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The demonstration of a chromosomally abnormal clone in lymph node derived and the laboratory findings were in agreement with the histological changes and the sequential clinical deterioation. Initially, a symptom-free interval of eight months was achieved with prednisone therapy. However, this treatment failed after the malignant transformation had become evident.

Fifty patients with inoperable bronchial carcinoma were treated with a combined schedule of adriamycin, cyclophosphamide and vincristine. In those cases with locally/regionally confined tumour spread this was followed - after three chemotherapy cycles - by radiotherapy to mediastinum, hilar region and tumour of 3000 rad focal dose. Remission was achieved in 25 of 27 patients with small-cell carcinoma: full clinical remission in 12, part remission in 13. Mean duration of the (in most instances still continuing) remission has so far been 4 + months. Mean survival time is, of course, not yet calculable. Only a few patients had to be admitted to hospital for short periods because of toxic reactions. Four full and 11 part remission (some still continuing) have so far been achieved in the group of larger-cell carcinoma (squamous cell, 4; large cells, 5; anaplastic, medium-large, undifferentiated or polymorph, 14).