Operative therapy for primary malignant bone tumors (author's transl)]

During the last 20 years, particularly in Europe, high dosage radiation therapy was primarily advocated and secondarily surgical amputation. Today, the earliest possible surgical elimination is considered to be the most sensible. This need not necessarily take the form of a mutilating procedure since, on the basis of American statistics, the results of resection procedures can be considered to be equally good. In each case, the diagnosis must be histologically clarified by biopsy before drastic surgery. In the context of a plan of therapy which is individually discussed among surgeons, radiation therapists and internists, additional tasks such as metastasectomy and stabilizing procedures in tumor-induced fractures fall to the surgeon. While it is still too early for a survey, we nevertheless hope that the positive aspects of combined therapy in our individual cases will increasingly benefit the total number of patients with malignant bone tumors - even if only in the form of a prolongation of life with less symptoms.     

Radiation therapy of oropharyngeal tumors (author's transl)]

The clinical data as well as a statistical evaluation of the treatment of patients with oropharyngeal tumors, who had undergone a combined treatment by interstitial radium therapy, megavoltage irradiation, and operation, lead to the conclusion that better final results and palliation effects may be obtained by a megavoltage irradiation of the tonsillar region and soft palate than by means of ultraradical surgery. Good results have been observed after interstitial radium therapy or electrosurgical operations of keratoid squamous cell carcinomas. The radical operation with preceding telecobalt irradiation, however, is to be preferred in the case of basioglossal squamous cell carcinomas.     

Benign and malignant tumors of the prostate (author's transl)]

Etiology, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of carcinoma of the prostate and benign prostatic adenoma are discussed. In prostatic adenoma the treatment of choice is either open surgery or transurethral resection. Conservative medical treatment has not been successful. The decision between radical prostatectomy, radiotherapy, or hormonal treatment in prostatic carcinoma depends on the staging results of the disease including-if necessary-diagnostic lymphadenectomy.     

Radiation therapy of humeroscapular periarthritis (author's transl)]

The effectiveness of radiation therapy in 233 cases with periarthritis humeroscapularis is reviewed in a prospective study from the Basel canton hospital. The patients are studied with regard to different parameters, such as duration of the anamnesis, importance of the dose, moment of evaluation of the results and influence of a 2-series technique. The total result, comprising 43.3% cases without complaints, 30.9% being better, and 25.8% whose troubles had not changed, is compared with the compiled statistical data of 4957 cases found in literature. The gonadal load is discussed on the basis of our own investigations.     

Isomorphism of primary and secondary tumors of bone in radiographs (author's transl)]Radiologic findings of spread of malignant lymphoreticular processes in the lungs and their response to cytostatic therapy (author's transl)]

Retrospective evaluation of follow-up series of chestfilms of 30 patients suffering from malignant lympho-reticular processes of the lungs and treated with cytostatic drugs. Among 130 changes of form there were foci of infiltration which could be recognized as due to malignant lymphoreticular deposits. They were large zones of shrinking, stripey scars, perivascular densities with vague contrours, an accent on reticular basic pulmonary structure, widening of interlobar septa and stripey shadows in the shape of plate atelectases. During the changes developing in time, the tumor adhered to a certain degree to its primary pattern of spread. Combinations of different types of foci appear to be signs of the severity of the disease.     

Periosteal reactions in bone tumors (author's transl)]

Morphology of solid, lamellar and spicular periosteal reactions of benign and malignant primary and metastatic bone tumors in x-ray-pictures with regard to common and specific characteristics of different bone tumors is presented. The specific behaviour of the periosteum itself and of the subperiosteal region as an expression of the reactive biodynamics in skeletal neoplasia is demonstrated; and the diagnostic value of the radiograph is explained. The possibilities but also the limitations of sophisticated radiologic image analysis in establishing a differential diagnosis and a diagnosis of bone tumors and other bone lesions are discussed.     

Radiation therapy in myasthenia gravis (author's transl)]

The etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of myasthenia gravis are discussed. We treated 16 patients, 13 of them with conventional X-rays and three by megavoltage irradiation. Our results show that radiotherapy has a definite role in the management of patients with myasthenia gravis and should be considered more frequently in future.     

Clinical and roentgenological findings after radiation therapy of malignant esophageal tumors (author's transl)]

The palliative effect of treatment stands in the first place in radiation therapy of the esophageal carcinoma. Clinical and roentgenolocical features before and after radiation therapy are reported for 172 patients having been treated under high-voltage conditions between 1962 and 1977. The response of the tumor to irradiation is largely dependent on the tumor shape as visible in the radiograph. In case of tumors growing in polypous shape, often a regression of the tumor is observed even after low doses. An effect beginning later but frequently lasting for a longer time is found with tumors of circular stenosing and diffusely infiltrating growth. All in all a temporary dilatation of the tumor stenosis was achieved in 52% of the patients. Serious side effects of the radiation treatment rarely were observed.     

Visualisation of gastric wall lesions in malignant tumors (author's transl)]

A simple and harmless method to determine the thickness of the stomach wall is described. The examination consists of a pneumoperitoneum with CO2 and a barium meal. The principle is the absorption of x-rays in three different media: gas, stomcah wall and barium. The method allows determination of the tumor-size and may avoid unnecessary surgery. All cases were verified by operation or autopsy.     

Localization diagnostics of malignant tumors using radioactive bleomycin (author's transl)]

Total-body scintigraphy with 111In-labeled bleomycin was performed in 66 patients with malignant solid tumors and systemic diseases of the lymphatic pathways (Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma). In 38 (58%) of 66 cases positive information was correct. In 12 (18%) of 66, scintigraphic information was correctly negative. With 16 out of 66 (24%), false positive or false negative informations were obtained.     

Contribution to the radiation therapy of cerebral tumors (author's transl)]

Postoperative radiation therapy chiefly has to be regarded under the aspects of prevention or delay of recurrences. Primary radiation therapy without surgical extirpation of the principal mass of the tumor generally represents a palliative measure. As the radiosensitivity of a cerebral tumor is not exclusively dependent on the histological picture, histology should not influence the indication for radiotherapy. A diagnosis however, based on all clinical means, being reliable to a high degree, is a condition of the radiation therapy of brain tumors without a clear histologic determination. In this paper are reported the results of treatment from 132 intracranial tumors, and compared with data from literature.     

Radiation therapy and mode of propagation of non-Hodgkin lymphomas (author's transl)]

Out of a total number of 123 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphomas the result of local radiation therapy from 65 patients with lymphosarcomas or reticulosarcomas stage I or II are reported. In stage I, the tumor still being localized, there are good chances for recovery (3 or 4 years of survival without recurrenced in 75%). Already in stage II the percentages of a three-year survival without recurrences are reduced to 40% with lymphosarcomas and to 19% with recitulosarcomas. This most probably is due to an early, occult, already advanced cancerous spread, not having been recognized. More aggressive diagnostic measures for the staging, therefore, are recommandable. There are significant differences between lymphosarcomas and recitulosarcomas concerning their mode of propagation. Lymphosarcomas prefer the propagation into contiguous lymph node stations. With reticulosarcomas the generalisation to stage IV predominates at the first recurrence. For an improvement of the therapeutic results an irradiation is recommended which encompasses the adjacent lymphatics not yet being involved, the so-called "extended field technic". Early cytostatic therapy in stage II additionally has to be discussed, particularly for reticulosarcomas.