No abstract

The incidence of consecutive primary carcinoma of the breast in 1489 women was 1 percent per year and remained constant for 20 years. The age of women with bilateral carcinomas was 6 years younger than those who had single tumors. Survival after the second tumor tended to be better in women less than 50 years. Patients who developed metastases had a shorter interval between the first and second tumors than those who remained free from the disease. Prognosis was the same in those with nonsynchronous carcinomas as in those with single tumors, and the incidence of positive nodes was the same in both groups. The prognosis was poorest in those who developed synchronous tumors. Prophylactic postoperative radiotherapy did not affect the incidence of consecutive breast carcinomas and did not alter prognosis. The results stress the importance of observing carefully the remaining breast, especially in younger women.

The evaluation of low dose pre-operative X-ray therapy in the management of operable rectal cancer; results of a randomly controlled trial 824 patients with operable rectal carcinoma were randomly allocated to be treated by surgery alone, 2000 rad in 10 dailyfractions and 500 rad as a single fraction. No diference has been demonstrated in the actuarial survival rates to 5 years. The local recurrence-free and metastasis-free rates are similar in all groups. There is also no evidence that the pre-operative radiotherapy benejted patients in subgroups by Dukes' stage. The complication rates were also similar in the three treatment groups.

Summary— A series of 27 patients with measurable metastases from primary carcinoma of the bladder received cis‐platinum 50 mg/m2/3‐weekly. Twenty‐six per cent (32% if patients receiving only one injection are excluded) responded for a median of 4 months.

A trial of preoperative radiotherapy in the management of operable rectal cancerIn a multicentre study, 824 patients with operable rectal cancer were randomized to receive surgery alone, surgery plus a single fraction of 500 rad ( 5 Gy) and surgery plus 2000 rad (20 Gy) in 10 equal daily, i.e. multiple, fractions. The ratio of abdominoperineal excision to anterior restorative operations was 3 : 1. There was no evidence of an increased morbidity or mortality following irradiation. The multiple fraction 2000 rad group had tumours which were significantly smaller than those of the other groups. There was also a reduction in the Dukes' C cases in the multiple fraction group. Neither the tumour size nor the lymph node status was altered in the single fraction group.