Pemetrexed plus carboplatin are a step forward in the treatment of mesothelioma, the prognosis for these patients remains poor. Cheaper combinations as gemcitabine and cisplatin may be considered sufficient to treat cases with advanced mesothelioma.

Neuroblastoma is a high-grade malignancy of childhood. It is chemo- and radio-sensitive but prone to relapse after initial remission.The aim of the current study was to study the results of the first- and second-line chemotherapy on the short-term response and long-term survival of children, and to further describe the side effects of treatment. Ninety-five children with advanced neuroblastoma were included in the study, divided into two groups according to the treatment strategy: 65 were treated by first-line chemotherapy alone, and 30 children who were not responding or relapsed after first-line chemotherapy were treated by second-line chemotherapy. External beam radiotherapy was given to bone and brain secondary cancers when detected. Staging workup was performed before, during and after management. Response was documented after surgery for the primary tumor. Median follow up was 32 months (range 24–60 months). Chemothe rapy was continued until toxicity or disease progression occurred, indicating interruption of chemotherapy. Patients received a maximum of 8 cycles. Toxicity was mainly myelo-suppression, with grade II-III severity in 60% of the firstline and 70% of the second-line chemotherapy patients. Median total actuarial survival was nearly 51 months for the first-line chemotherapy group and 30 months for the second-line line group, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01).

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This study assesses the morbidity and complications of treatment among long-term survivors of cervical cancer. Ninety-eight female patients who were diagnosed and treated from invasive carcinoma of the cervix uteri 5 years or more are included in this study. All the cases were free of disease and had survived up to December 2010. Forty-one cases were treated with radical hysterectomy with removal of the lymph nodes (Wertheim’s surgery) (42%). Radical radiation therapy was given to 57 cases (58%) according to our treatment protocol; weekly cisplatin was given concomitantly with radiation. Although urinary adverse effects were more prevalent among the radiation group, the difference was not statistically significant. Bowel dysfunction was more prevalent and statistically significant (p.001) among the radiotherapy arm. Dysfunctions recorded included change in bowel habit, diarrhea, constipation, tenesmus, soiling of clothes and or flatulence. However, their severity was grade 1–2 only. The frequency of small intestinal obstruction was comparable in both arms. Pelvic vein thromboses had a tendency to occur among the surgical group especially in obese females (p value 0.005). The frequency of sexual dysfunction was comparable in both groups with no statistical difference. It was age related. The younger the patients’ ages, the more was the sexual complaint irrespective to the treatment modality. Sexual problems included dyspareunia from vaginal stenosis shortening or dryness, vulval soreness from itching and dryness. Bearing in mind that many patients had more than one health complaint. The remaining cases denied the presence of any complications and stated that they had a normal life style

Neuroblastoma is a high-grade malignancy of childhood. It is chemo- and radio-sensitive but prone to relapse after initial remission. The aim of the current study was to study the results of the first- and second-line chemotherapy on the short-term response and long-term survival of children, and to further describe the side effects of treatment. Ninety-five children with advanced neuroblastoma were included in the study, divided into two groups according to the treatment strategy: 65 were treated by first-line chemotherapy alone, and 30 children who were not responding or relapsed after first-line chemotherapy were treated by second-line chemotherapy. External beam radiotherapy was given to bone and brain secondary cancers when detected. Staging workup was performed before, during and after management. Response was documented after surgery for the primary tumor. Median follow up was 32 months (range 24-60 months). Chemothe rapy was continued until toxicity or disease progression occurred, indicating interruption of chemotherapy. Patients received a maximum of 8 cycles. Toxicity was mainly myelo-suppression, with grade II-III severity in 60% of the firstline and 70% of the second-line chemotherapy patients. Median total actuarial survival was nearly 51 months for the first-line chemotherapy group and 30 months for the second-line line group, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01).