AIMTo evaluate the long-term effectiveness and late toxicities of paclitaxel (PTX) plus cisplatin (DDP) with concurrent radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cancer.METHODSBetween 2008 and 2011, 76 patients were enrolled in a phase II study on the treatment of loco-regionally advanced esophageal cancer with radiotherapy (68.4 Gy/44 fractions or 61.2 Gy/34 fractions) combined with 4-cycle chemotherapy consisting of DDP (25 mg/m2 per day for 3 d) and PTX (175 mg/m2 for 3 h). The primary endpoints were overall survival and progression-free survival, and the secondary endpoints were toxicity and the treatment failure pattern.RESULTSA total of 76 patients were enrolled in this study, of whom 63.2% finished the whole regimen. The 5-year survival rates for the per-protocol population and intent-to-treat population were 25.4% and 26.4%, respectively, and the median survival rates were 23.7 mo and 28.5 mo, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 late toxicity was observed in only one patient (heart failure). In log-rank analysis, the pretreatment stage (stage II + III: 36.1 mo vs stage IV: 14.9 mo) and the completed cycle (1-3 cycles: 16.1 mo vs 4 cycles: 35.5 mo) were significant prognostic factors (P = 0.037 < 0.05 and P = 0.013 < 0.05).CONCLUSIONRadiotherapy combined with chemotherapy consisting of PTX and DDP is a safe and effective definitive treatment for loco-regionally advanced esophageal squamous cancer.

A novel, rapidly quenched skeletal Fe catalyst (RQ Fe) has been prepared by alkali leaching of the Fe 50 Al 50 alloy solidified by the rapid quenching technique and tested in gas phase Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS). Characterizations demonstrate that the RQ Fe catalyst has larger specific surface area, smaller crystallite size, and higher population of the Fe(111) surface than the conventional Raney Fe catalyst prepared from the naturally solidified Fe 50 Al 50 alloy. As compared to Raney Fe, which has FTS activity equivalent to the precipitated Fe catalyst while higher than the fused Fe catalyst, RQ Fe is 25% more active. Promotion of the RQ Fe catalyst with Mn or K further improves the FTS activity, selectivities to alkenes and higher alkanes, as well as the catalytic stability, showing that the rapid quenching technique is promising in the preparation of skeletal Fe-based catalysts with improved FTS performance.

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In CPH/HS patients, preoperative SAE reduced LS conversion frequency and reduced operative time compared with LS alone, while mSAE further decreased volume of blood loss.

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