Effect of chemotherapy on survival after whole brain radiation therapy for brain metastases: a single-center retrospective analysis

Background and purpose

Whether chemotherapy for systemic disease affects survival of patients with brain metastases or not has not been elucidated before. We performed comprehensive analysis of patients with newly-diagnosed brain metastases primarily treated with whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) alone.

Materials and methods

Data from 134 patients with newly-diagnosed brain metastases primarily treated with WBRT from 2007 to 2008 was retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify significant prognostic factors.

Results

Median survival time (MST) of this cohort from the start of WBRT was 5.7?months. MST of patients with RPA Class 1, 2 and 3 were 10.3, 7.8 and 2.2?months, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that karnofsky performance status (≥70, p?p?p?=?0.015), time to develop brain metastasis (<3?months, p?=?0.042) and use of chemotherapy after WBRT (multiple regimens, p?Conclusions Systemic chemotherapy for chemo-responsive cancer prolongs survival despite the presence of treated brain metastases. Irradiated brain metastases will lose their prognostic significance in a large number of patients. Systemic chemotherapy will be a treatment of choice for patients who have systemic disease after WBRT for brain metastases. These results should be validated in the future prospective clinical trials.     

60例肺癌脑转移瘤患者生存与预后分析

目的探讨非小细胞肺癌脑转移不同治疗方案的疗效。方法分析60例肺癌脑转移患者的临床特点。结果单因素分析结果提示原发病治疗方法、脑部放疗方式、T分期、颅外转移数目对患者生存期有影响(P<0.05)。全脑放疗联合全身化疗优于单纯放化疗。Cox模型多因素分析显示脑转移瘤不同治疗方案为独立预后因素(P=0.0001)。结论脑转移瘤不同治疗方案是影响预后的独立预后因素,积极的多学科综合治疗疗效优于单纯全脑放疗。     

Carcinomes et adénomes hypophysaires agressifs : mise au point et nouvelles options thérapeutiques

Pituitary carcinomas are a rare disease with an estimated prevalence around 0.2 % of the pituitary tumours. They are defined by the presence of intra or extra-cranial metastases but initially they can share the same features as aggressive pituitary adenomas. Indeed there are some indicators that help to differentiate adenomas and carcinomas such as histological findings and immunohistochemical characteristics. Usually in carcinomas, mitotic activity is higher, proliferative index Ki-67 is higher, p53 expression is positive and microvascular density is mostly increased. The majority of carcinomas are prolactin or ACTH-secreting tumors. Dopamine and somatostatin-receptor agonists are not as effective as for the treatment of adenomas. Carcinomas require often repeated surgery and radiotherapy fail to control the tumor. Conventional chemotherapy is poorly effective, but recent case reports with the alkylating agent temozolomide have provided better results at least in the short term. The effects of temozolomide are reversed by the enzyme MGMT and the treatment's response can be predicted by the study of MGMT's expression : tumours lacking MGMT are especially sensitive to temozolomide.     

Survival of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer at Ubon Ratchathani Cancer Center, Thailand

This survival analysis was conducted at Ubon Ratchathani Cancer Center to determine the prognostic factors for survival of patients with stage IIIA, stage IIIB, and stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated at the center between 1997-2001. The study sample included 210 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. Diagnosis and staging were defined employing the TNM system. The majority of lung cancer patients were smokers (66.7%), lived in Ubon Ratchathani Province (40.0%), male (77.6%), and agriculturalists (74.8%). Seventy-seven percent of patients died within five years, 19.5% were lost to follow-up and 2.9% were still alive in 2003. The estimated median survival time was 6.3 months (95% CI 5.4-7.3); the median survival times for stages IIIA, IIIB, and IV were 16.3, 7.0, and 4.5 months, respectively. The overall 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates of NSCLC were 28.9, 7.9, and 3.3, respectively. The differences in survival of patients in the various stages of the disease were statistically significant (p < 0.0001), adjusted for age and sex. Treatment with combination methods and at an early stage in the disease were associated with significant prolongation of survival. For stage IIIA, the estimated median survival times by treatment with chemotherapy was 7.0 months, radiotherapy was 16.0 months, surgery and others 16.3 months, and chemotherapy plus radiotherapy was 19.5 months. However, only chemotherapy versus surgery and others was significantly different (p = 0.0307). The median survival times for stage IIIB patients treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery and others, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and supportive treatment were 7.0, 7.0, 9.0, 14.7, and 3.0 months, respectively. The differences between surgery and others versus supportive treatment, chemotherapy and radiotherapy versus supportive treatment were significantly different (p = 0.0392, p = 0.0433, respectively). For stage IV, the median survival times for patients treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and supportive treatment were 5.0, 4.3, 6.5, and 1.0 months, respectively. The differences between chemotherapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy versus supportive treatment, all were significantly different (p = 0.0020, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, respectively). The 2-year survival rates for stages IIIA, IIIB, and IV were 16.0, 4.1, and 2.2%, respectively. The results of the study show that stage IIIA has the longest survival time. They also show that appropriate treatment is a significant factor in improving the survival of lung cancer patients.     

Favorable prognosis of brain metastases in small cell lung cancer

Brain metastases are found at diagnosis in 10% of patients with small cell lung cancer. To clarify the effect of central nervous system metastases on prognosis, the records of 429 patients with small cell lung cancer were reviewed. Forty-three patients (10%) presented with brain metastases. In 18 patients the brain was the only site of metastatic disease, whereas the remaining 25 patients had at least one additional metastatic site. Forty-one of forty-three patients were treated with combination chemotherapy and cranial radiotherapy. Systemic response rates were similar for both groups. Twenty-seven patients underwent repeat central nervous system staging: 19 (70%) had a complete response, 4 (15%) a partial response, and 4 (15%) no response. Median survival of patients with only one site of metastatic disease was 11 months; patients with additional sites lived 5 months (p = 0.153). Survival in patients with only one site is similar to that in patients with limited disease (11 compared with 13 months; p = 0.074).     

Interdisciplinary treatment of glioblastoma: Analysis of prognostic factors and treatment results in unselected patients

Aim of the present study was to investigate survival rates of unselected patients with glioblastoma after multimodal treatment and estimation of prognostic factors. Data of 189 patients (118 men; 71 women; median age: 59 years) with histologically confirmed glioblastoma treated from 1999 to 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. Complete tumor resection was performed in 99 patients (52%), subtotal excision in 65 patients (34%), and stereotactic biopsy in 25 patients (13%). In 135 patients (71%), residual tumors were detectable in post-surgical imaging. All patients underwent three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy of the tumor region in shrinking-field technique to a?total dose of 60 Gy. Beginning in 2002, 124 patients (66%) received concomitant temozolomide (TMZ) treatment, 76 patients among them were additionally treated with adjuvant TMZ. After disease progression, 74 patients underwent salvage therapy (salvage chemotherapy, n=61; local therapy, n=30). Actuarial 1- and 2- year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 32% and 7%, overall survival (OS) rates were 54% and 22%, respectively. Without TMZ, 1- and 2- year OS rates were 47% and 11%, with concomitant TMZ 57% and 28%, and with concomitant and adjuvant TMZ 72% and 44%. In multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models, age (p<0.001), extent of resection (p?=?0.001), and TMZ (p?相似文献   

Brain metastases from gastrointestinal tumours: Tailoring the approach to maximize the outcome

Brain metastases from the gastrointestinal cancers (GI) are uncommon, but their incidence is constantly increasing due to several reasons, including improved systemic therapy and survival. Nevertheless, the average outcome of these patients is poor and related to patients’ or disease characteristics, and to the availability of treatment options. Because of the lack of evidence-based recommendations, no optimal treatment strategy has been defined. The approach to brain metastases remains often tailored, and the action plan is selected on the basis of their number, size and location, the presence of symptoms and the extra-cranial disease status. Clinical prognostic factors have been identified and grouped into index scores that can be helpful in the treatment decision making. At the same time, molecular factors contributing to brain metastases are being revealed, and the role of the unique brain microenvironment is beginning to be investigated. The aim of this review is to present and discuss available data on brain metastases from GI cancers.     

Short- and-long term results of intraoperative radiofrequency ablation of liver metastases

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection is the only therapeutic option with curative effect on malignant liver tumours, but in over 70% of cases, this is not a feasible option. A prospective study was performed to assess the short- and long-term effects of intraoperative radiofrequency ablation on unresectable liver metastases. PATIENTS: Between 1997 and 2001, 57 patients (mean age 61.9 years; range 31-83 years) with 297 unresectable liver metastases (colorectal adenocarcinoma, n=38; carcinoid tumour, n=4; malignant melanoma, n=3; other metastases, n=12) underwent intraoperative radiofrequency ablation. RESULTS: No mortality was observed in patients managed solely with radiofrequency ablation. Eight postoperative complications occurred in eight patients (14%). Three occurred when radiofrequency ablation was combined with resection. Of the 33 patients completely ablated, 30 patients are still alive and 21 are disease-free after a median follow-up of 18.1 months (range 2-43). Ten patients underwent more than one intraoperative radiofrequency ablation episode. Overall survival was 72.5% at 1 year and 52.5% at 3 years. Complete ablation and the number of lesions were significant independent prognostic factors for survival, with p<0.001 and p<0.0001, respectively. CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency ablation is a safe and effective option for patients with inoperable liver metastases without extra hepatic disease. Prospective controlled trials comparing the results of different treatments are required to assess which patients will benefit best from this emerging new treatment.     

Complete response of radioresistant brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer with temozolomide: A case report and literature review

Rationale:Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases (BMs) have been found as subjects of poor prognosis. Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT), surgery, and stereotactic radiosurgery, epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), or some combinations are the most commonly employed strategies for the treatment of treatments BMs. However, some patients are resistant to all these treatments.Patient Concerns:We present an NSCLC patient with progression of BMs after treatment with WBRT and EGFR-TKIs. The patient was diagnosed with multiple metastases on July 9, 2014, and treated with docetaxel plus cisplatin chemotherapy followed with gefitinib as the maintenance therapy. The patient showed recurrence of BMs after 8-months of chemotherapy. WBRT with 30 Gy was administrated in 10 fractions. Tumor progression of the brain was diagnosed with an magnetic resonance imaging scan after 2-months of WBRT.Diagnoses:The patient was diagnosed as pulmonary adenocarcinoma with diffuse metastases in both lungs and multiple metastases in bone and brain. Progression of BMs was confirmed through magnetic resonance imaging.Interventions:This patient was administered temozolomide (150 mg/m²/d for 5 days every 28-day cycle). As a whole, 6 cycles were performed after the progression of BMs from August 2015.Outcomes:The patient got complete brain remission and lived without discomfort. The intracranial lesion did not progress until the progression of the lung lesion and led to death on February 20, 2019. The intracranial progression-free survival was 42 months, whereas the overall survival was 55 months.Lessons:For patients with NSCLC and BMs, temozolomide can be used as a treatment option, especially in patients with EGFR-TKIs resistance or without driver mutations.     

Brain metastases from colorectal cancer: main clinical factors conditioning outcome

Background

The aim of our study is to evaluate the outcome of patients affected by brain metastases from colorectal cancer and to correlate the outcome with prognostic factors.

Methods

Patients were retrospectively evaluated. Survival distributions were estimated by using the Kaplan–Meier method. The log-rank test was used to assess the impact on survival of individual factors.

Results

Among 41 patients (25M and 16F; median age 58), 58.5 % had rectal cancer and 39 % synchronous metastatic disease; 95 % had extracranial metastases, most common site was lung (87.8 %). Seven patients had synchronous brain metastases. Median overall survival after diagnosis of brain metastases was 5 months [95 % confidence interval 3–12 months]. Median survival from brain metastases diagnosis was 4.2 months in patients treated with radiotherapy (29.3 %), 11.9 months in those with radio- and chemotherapy (21.9 %) and 21.4 months in those with surgery with/without radiotherapy or chemotherapy (29.3 %) (P?<?0.0001). On multivariate analysis, no independent prognostic factors were found for disease-free interval from diagnosis to brain metastases and overall survival; amount of chemotherapy before brain metastases have no statistically significant relation to brain-metastases-free-interval even if patients who received more than one line of chemotherapy have a longer median brain-metastases-free-interval than those who received less than one. KRAS was found mutated in 17/28 patients without statistically significant correlation to outcome due to the small sample size.

Conclusions

Prognosis of brain-metastases-patients is poor. An interesting tool is to evaluate the correlation of KRAS status and brain metastases with aim to tailor treatment and follow-up.     

Cancer of the rectum: treatment by a radiosurgical combination of 328 patients. Mono- and multivariate analysis of prognostic factors

From 1973 to 1983, 328 patients have been treated for rectal carcinoma in the Centre Paul Lamarque by preoperative radiotherapy (40 Grays) followed by surgical excision. The average age was 64 years and the sex ratio was 2:1. Abdominoperineal resection was performed in 219 patients anterior resection in 99 patients and transanal resection in 10 patients. Overall 3 years survival was 82 p. 100 and 5 year survival was 73 p. 100. The five year local recurrence rate was 9.4 p. 100 with 3.5 p. 100 of patients having liver metastases. Monovariate analysis revealed that the local recurrence rate was influenced by tumor circumference (p = 0.005), tumor reduction after radiotherapy (p less than 0.001), histological type (p = 0.049), lymph node metastases and tumor infiltration (p = 0.001). Survival was influenced by lymph node metastases, tumor infiltration (p = 0.001) and histological type (p = 0.01). The multivariate analysis revealed that prognosis was influenced by lymph node metastases and tumor infiltration. The "down staging" induced by the radiotherapy did not modify the predictive value of these 2 prognostic parameters when compared to groups treated by surgery only.     

EGFR-TKI治疗非小细胞肺癌EGFR突变阳性脑转移的临床对比观察

目的探讨EFGR-TKI(厄洛替尼与吉非替尼)治疗非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)EGFR突变阳性脑转移患者的临床疗效。方法回顾收集分析我科73例EGFR突变阳性的肺腺癌脑转移患者的临床病历资料,患者均口服厄洛替尼150mg/d(39例)或吉非替尼250 mg/d(34例),服药直至患者颅内外病情进展、死亡、出现不可耐受的副反应或不能控制的新发病灶。结果厄洛替尼组与吉非替尼组颅内病变的有效率(RR)和疾病控制率(DCR)分别为51.3%,94.9%和53.0%,94.1%(P=0.861),两组颅外病变的有效率和疾病控制率分别为59.0%,97.4%和50.0%,97.1%(P=0.793),两组患者的中位无进展生存期(PFS)和总生存期(OS)分别为11.3个月和15.1个月vs12.1个月和16.4个月(P=0.913,P=0.641)。两种药物的副反应均较小,患者都可以耐受。结论 EGFR-TKI对EGFR突变阳性的NSCLC脑转移均具有较好地疗效,可作为EGFR突变阳性脑转移患者的一线或二线治疗,药物副反应较小,两种药物对患者的预后无明显差异。     

Orbital radiotherapy combined with high dose systemic glucocorticoids for Graves' ophthalmopathy is more effective than radiotherapy alone: results of a prospective randomized study.

We have carried out a prospective study to investigate whether orbital radiotherapy combined with high dose systemic glucocorticoids is more effective than orbital radiotherapy alone for Graves' ophthalmopathy. Thirty consecutive patients with relevant and active Graves' ophthalmopathy were randomly assigned to treatment either with orbital radiotherapy combined with systemic glucocorticoids (Group 1, n = 15) or with orbital radiotherapy alone (Group 2, n = 15). The final evaluation was made 6-9 months after beginning treatment. Two patients in each group were lost to follow-up. Ocular involvement and response to treatment were evaluated by the ophthalmopathy index and by clinical assessment. Mean ophthalmopathy index values were 5.85 in Group 1 and 5.46 in Group 2 (p = NS) before treatment, and 2.46 in Group 1 and 3.61 in Group 2 after treatment (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.003 vs initial value, respectively). The mean ophthalmopathy index decrease in Group 1 (-3.39) was significantly greater (p = 0.043) than that in Group 2 (-1.85). Favorable responses on clinical ground occurred in 9 patients (69%) in Group 1 and in 5 patients (38%) in Group 2. The difference was particularly evident on soft tissue changes and extraocular muscle involvement. Severe eye muscle restriction was substantially unaffected by either treatment. In conclusion, the association of orbital irradiation and high dose systemic glucocorticoids in the treatment of severe Graves' ophthalmopathy provides more favorable responses than orbital radiotherapy alone.     

Frequent brain metastasis after chemotherapy and surgery for advanced esophageal cancers

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Brain metastasis, rarely observed as a tumor recurrence after curative surgery for thoracic esophageal cancers (TEC), has been increasingly observed with improvement of the clinical outcome of TEC. METHODOLOGY: Records of 254 TEC patients who developed recurrent cancers after curative surgery during 1984-2002 revealed 11 patients (4.3%) with symptomatic brain metastasis, which were classified as five without extra-cranial disease (Brain type) and six with other metastatic diseases (Systemic type). RESULTS: Brain metastases were significantly associated with an advanced clinical stage and perioperative chemotherapy, which had been undergone by 73% of the brain metastasis patients, but only 23% for non-brain metastasis patients (p = 0.0008). Comparing to Systemic type, Brain type showed longer duration from esophagectomy to brain metastasis and tended to be more effective for perioperative chemotherapy. All Brain type but only two Systemic type brain metastases were removed by surgery. The average survival after brain metastasis was 17.7 months for the Brain type patients (two alive without tumor recurrence), but only 38.5 days for the Systemic type patients. The histological hallmark of Brain type metastasis was medullary tumor growth with mature tumor vessels, while Systemic type showed invasive tumor growth with naive capillaries. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative brain metastasis in TEC patients is not rare, especially in an advanced clinical stage following perioperative chemotherapy. Surgical removal of brain metastasis might be the most promising treatment unless tumor metastasis in other organs is evident.     

Afatinib in Treatment-Naive Patients With EGFR-Mutated Lung Adenocarcinoma With Brain Metastasis: A Case Series

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were previously the standard first-line treatments for lung cancers with activating EGFR mutations. The first-generation reversible EGFR TKIs, gefitinib and erlotinib, demonstrated substantial efficacy in the treatment of brain metastases from EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma. However, the efficacy of afatinib, the second-generation irreversible EGFR TKI, as the first-line treatment in lung adenocarcinoma patients with brain metastasis has yet to be evaluated.Here, we report cases of 3 patients who received afatinib alone as the first-line treatment in combination with whole-brain radiotherapy or following surgical resection of brain metastases. All 3 patients had EGFR L858R mutation. The first patient had lung adenocarcinoma with brain metastasis and no neurologic symptoms. After consultation, she received afatinib as a first-line treatment. Chest computed tomography and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed partial response. The second patient had lung adenocarcinoma accompanied with a metastatic brain lesion associated with seizures. This patient received whole-brain radiotherapy and afatinib treatment following brain MRI and subsequently showed significant regression of the brain metastasis. The third patient had strabismus of the right eye, and brain MRI showed a single tumor at the cerebellar pontine angle. This patient underwent surgical resection of the tumor followed by afatinib treatment. He refused adjuvant radiotherapy after surgery for brain metastasis. The brain MRI showed no recurrent brain metastasis, and the patient had relatively less neurologic deficiency.This series of 3 cases indicate that afatinib may be an appropriate first-line treatment alternative in patients having lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR mutations. Further retrospective analyses and prospective clinical trials are required to substantiate the efficacy of afatinib in the treatment of brain metastases of lung adenocarcinoma.     

Treatment of small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a very chemo- and radiosensitive systemic disease. Combination chemotherapy produces a survival advantage resulting in median survival of 9 to 12 months in extensive disease. Platinum and etoposide in combination with concurrent, early, hyperfractionated chest radiotherapy, in patients with limited disease, produces median survival of 20 months. Prophylactic cranial radiotherapy, in patients with complete response following induction chemotherapy, reduces the incidence of brain metastases and improves survival. Triplet combinations, dose intensification, and maintenance therapy have not demonstrated meaningful survival improvements. Recurrent disease can be treated with the same chemotherapy, as in the first line treatment if the progression-free interval exceeds 3 months; otherwise, monotherapy with a novel compound is suggested. Camptothesins (topotecan, irinotecan) appear the most promising new compounds and may become first-line agents for SCLC in the near future. Molecular advances have provided many new targets for SCLC therapy. Many studies, ongoing or planned, evaluate the effectiveness of new agents developed to attack these targets.     

Surgical management of non-small cell lung cancer with synchronous brain metastases

OBJECTIVES: Published series on the synchronous combined resection of brain metastases and primary non-small cell lung cancer are small and scarce. We therefore undertook a multicenter retrospective study to determine long-term survival and identify potential prognostic factors. DESIGN: Our series includes 103 patients who were operated on between 1985 and 1998 for the following tumors: adenocarcinomas (74); squamous cell carcinomas (20); and large cell carcinomas (9). Three patients had two brain metastases, and one patient had three metastases; the remaining patients had a single metastasis. Ninety-three patients presented with neurologic signs that regressed completely after resection in 60 patients and partially, in 26 patients. Neurosurgical resection was incomplete in six patients. Seventy-five patients received postoperative brain radiotherapy. The time interval between the brain operation and the lung resection was < 4 months. Pulmonary resection was incomplete in eight patients. RESULTS: The survival calculated from the date of the first operation was 56% at 1 year, 28% at 2 years, and 11% at 5 years. Univariate analysis showed a better prognosis for adenocarcinomas (p = 0.019) and a trend toward a better prognosis for patients with small pulmonary tumors (T1 vs T3, p = 0.068), N0 stage disease (N0 vs N+, p = 0.069), and complete pulmonary resection (p = 0.057). In a multivariate analysis, adenocarcinoma histology also affected the survival rate (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: It seems legitimate to proceed with lung resection after complete resection of a single brain metastasis, at least in patients with an adenocarcinoma and a small lung tumor and without abnormal mediastinal lymph nodes seen on the CT scan or during mediastinoscopy.     

A multimodality therapeutic approach in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: study on 39 patients

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of multimodality treatment in patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. From 1992 to 1999, 39 consecutive patients with a histologically or cytologically proven anaplastic thyroid carcinoma were referred to the Thyroid Center of Padua General Hospital. There were 28 females and 11 males with a median age of 69 years (range 39-88 years). About one-third of patients had a history of preceeding nodular goiter. Two patients had areas of differentiated thyroid carcinoma at histological examination. Local disease was present in 26 patients while distant metastases, mainly to the lung, were present in 22 at diagnosis or quickly developed during the observation period in all the others except one. Thirty-two patients were previously untreated: 9 of them were in good general condition, 1 had limited lung metastases, and the tumor mass was considered resectable by the surgeon. These 9 patients were treated with cisplatin once a week and radiotherapy (RT) 36Gy in 18 fractions over three weeks, followed by total thyroidectomy (TT) and by further chemotherapy (CHT) with adriamycin and bleomycin in 4 patients. Seven patients, 3 with lung metastases at diagnosis, had undergone TT, followed by RT in 5, in another hospital and were subsequently referred to our center due to the presence of distant metastases. Therefore, a total of 16 patients (Group 1) was treated with TT, RT and CHT in various order. Nine patients with distant metastases at diagnosis (Group 2) received CHT; one of them had a disappearance of lung metastases and was then treated by TT and further CHT. Group 3 consisted of 14 elderly patients in poor general conditions; 4 of these received local RT, while the remaining did not receive any treatment. Four complete responses were seen in patients from Group 1, and 1 from Group 2. One patient without distant metastases at diagnosis is alive and free of disease 6 months after TT and adjuvant CHT, and 12 months after diagnosis. Three had long-term survival (14, 24, 27 months) with a disease-free interval of 6-8-10 months. The patient from Group 2 who was treated in a second time by TT is alive without disease after 60 months. Median survival rate was 11 months for Group 1, 5.7 months for Group 2 and 4 months for Group 3. In some patients multimodality treatment (TT, RT and CHT) is associated with increased survival. Nine out of 16 patients, who underwent surgery and complementary treatment, had no local progression. In all but one distant metastases developed, mainly in the lung, during or after post-surgical CHT. The best results were obtained in younger patients with less advanced disease. Early diagnosis is mandatory. Only a few patients responded to CHT, confirming that anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is often resistant to anticancer drugs. Our experience with combination modalities suggests that aggressive and appropriate combinations of RT, TT and CHT may provide some benefit in patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Preoperative CHT and RT may enhance surgical resectability of the primary tumor.     

Liver resection for non-colorectal, non-neuroendocrine metastases: analysis of a multicenter study from Argentina

Background and aim: Resection of colorectal liver metastases has become a standard of care, although the value of this procedure in non-colorectal non-neuroendocrine (NCRNNE) metastases remains controversial and is still a matter of debate. The aim of the study was to determine the utility of liver resection in the long-term outcome of patients with NCRNNE metastases. Material and methods: The records of 106 patients who underwent liver resection for NCRNNE metastases in the period 1989 to 2006 at 5 HPB Centers in Argentina were analyzed. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, type of resection, long-term outcome and prognostic factors were analyzed. Depending on primary tumor sites, a comparative analysis of survival was performed. Results: Mean age was 54 (17–76). Hepatic metastases were solitary in 62.3% and unilateral in 85.6%. Primary tumor sites: Urogenital (37.7%), sarcomas (21.7%), breast (17.9%), gastrointestinal (6.6%), melanoma (5.7%), and others (10.4%). Fifty-one major hepatectomies and 55 minor resections were performed. Twenty patients underwent synchronous resections. An R0 resection could be achieved in 89.6%. Perioperative mortality was 1.8%. Overall, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates were 67%, 34%, and 19%, respectively. Survival was significantly longer for metastases of urogenital (p=0.0001) and breast (p=0.003) origin. Curative resections (p=0.04) and metachronous disease (p=0.0001) were predictors of better survival. Conclusions: Liver resection is an effective treatment for NCRNNE liver metastases; it gives satisfactory long-term survival especially in metachronous disease, in patients with metastases from urogenital and breast tumors and when R0 procedures can be performed.     

A short course of preoperative radiotherapy improves prognosis of operable rectal carcinoma: a case control study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Randomized Swedish studies demonstrate the efficacy of a 5-fraction course of preoperative radiotherapy for rectal carcinoma. The present study evaluates the results in a single Greek institution over a 10-year period, with a similar regimen. METHODOLOGY: During the period of 1995-2000, 150 consecutive patients with Dukes' B or C rectal cancer were matched to receive preoperative radiotherapy (Group I) or not (Group II). Seventy-five patients received pelvic radiotherapy of 2500cGY/5 fractions, followed by surgery within one week. Radiotherapy was delivered through 4 portals, with the patient lying in the prone position. A CT scan was used to define treatment volume. The 5-fraction course was used for lesions that seemed readily resectable. Patients in both groups received adjuvant chemotherapy. Local recurrence, disease-free interval and 5-year survival were evaluated and analyzed. RESULTS: The disease-free interval was significantly longer in Group I (p < 0.0005). This benefit was mainly due to a significantly lower incidence of local recurrence in Group I (9/75, 12%) compared with Group II (30/75, 40%) (p < 0.0005). The incidence of distant metastases was not significantly different between the 2 groups. The 5-year survival for all patients, who underwent "curative" surgery was significantly higher in Group I (77.3%) as compared to Group II (39%), (p < 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with resectable rectal cancer who received 2500cGy/5 fractions preoperative radiotherapy to the pelvis had excellent local control of disease, longer disease-free interval and higher 5-year survival than patients who did not. These patients were able to undergo sphincter preserving surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy.