A prospective randomized study was conducted to determine the optimal schedule of rhG-CSF (recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor). A group of 33 lung cancer patients treated with MVP therapy (mitomycin, vindesine, and cisplatin) were randomly assigned to three groups: an early prophylaxis group in which rhG-CSF was initiated on day 2 of the MVP cycle; a late prophylaxis group in which rhG-CSF was initiated on day 8; and a therapeutic group in which rhG-CFS was initiated after the onset of neutropenia. Ten patients who had received MVP therapy without rhG-CSF were also analyzed as a no-support group. The incidence of neutropenia was 80% (16/20 courses) in the early prophylaxis group, 44% (8/18) in the late prophylaxis group, 94% (17/18) in the therapeutic group, and 94% (16/17) in the no-support group. The incidence of neutropenia in the late prophylaxis group was less than in the early prophylaxis group (P<0.05), the therapeutic group (P<0.01), and the no-support group (P<0.01). The late prophylactic rhG-CSF schedule was therefore more effective in countering neutropenia than either the early prophylactic or therapeutic schedule.

Wereport a case of pulmonary infiltration with eosinophilia (PIE), associated with increased serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen (SCC) and neuron specific enolase (NSE). The diagnosis of PIE was confirmed by examination ofbronchoalveolar lavage fluid and specimens of transbronchial lung biopsy. It was suggested that PIE was probably induced by a course of amoxicillin for a sore throat. Corticosteroid therapy resulted in clinical improvement of symptoms, resolution of pulmonary infiltrates on chest roentgenogram and reduction in serum levels of SCC andNSE. (Internal Medicine 33: 550-553, 1994)

Vasospastic angina is rarely observed during cancer treatment. The present report describes two males with lung cancer, aged 73 and 61, who developed vasospastic angina during combination treatment of cisplatin-containing chemotherapy and thoracic irradiation. As both patients have smokedand their ages are typical for patients with coronary artery disease, such events may be incidental. However, oncologists should be aware of the possible development of myocardial ischemia during or following administration of antineoplastic agents, especially in elderly patients with pre-existing coronary risk factors or a history of thoracic radiotherapy. (Internal Medicine 38: 436-438, 1999)

No abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify the effect of ion bombardment during the deposition of silicon nitride film. Since silicon nitride is an insulator, ion bombardment was controlled by RF bias to the substrate. When the effective value of the RF voltage was increased from 0 to 120 V, the self‐bias, which is an indicator of the acceleration voltage of ions is impinging on the film, monotonically changed from 0 to −75 V. Therefore, when RF voltage is increased, the ion bombardment increased, hydrogen content in the film decreased, the content of nitrogen and silicon in the film increased, and the film density increased. This phenomenon is caused by the acceleration of surface reaction due to the thermal effect on the film surface by the increase of ion bombardment. The Si/N ratio was constant regardless of the RF voltage.