Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a specific entity different from head and neck carcinoma. Incidence is higher in South-East Asia and North Africa. Prognosis, especially for locally advanced stages (IIB - IVB) and metastasis, remains poor: more than third of cases will present local and/or metastatic recurrence. Overall 5-year survival for all NPC stages ranges from 50% to 70%. The role of chemotherapy in metastasis is well established, and remains an important palliative treatment, although no randomized trial has been reported comparing the different chemotherapy regimens. As 1(st)-line treatment, platin-based regimens seems optimal; in 2(nd) line and after progression under platins, there is no consensus: monotherapy with drugs such as gemcitabine, capecitabine or taxanes has been the most widely tested, with acceptable results. Future trials should integrate targeted therapy, in the light of overexpression of EGFR1 and C-kit in NPC. The present study presents a review of the literature concerning the various studies of metastatic NPC.
Background: Bladder small cell carcinoma is an uncommon tumour. Through a retrospective study we will present the evolution of recurrent and metastatic disease and outcome of patients treated at Léon-Bérard Cancer Centre.
Desmoplastic small round cell tumors (DSRCT) are rare and aggressive malignant neoplasms that usually occur in young males. They usually present intraabdominally with widespread peritoneal involvement at diagnosis and are sometimes associated with lymphadenopathies and liver metastases. Intraabdominal DSRCT is usually disseminated; no curative outcome has yet been achieved. We report a case of metastatic intraabdominal DSRCT controlled by an anthracycline-based regimen. A literature review of the treatment options, mainly chemotherapy, available for this unusual neoplasm, will be discussed. In patients with unresectable or metastatic disease, symptom control is most important because treatment modalities minimally impact survival. Palliative chemotherapy (mainly monotherapy) is preferable.
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