Permanent I Interstitial Radiation Therapy in the Treatment of Non-GBM High-Grade Gliomas

This study evaluates prognostic factors influencing survival outcomes for 50 patients with permanent¹²⁵ iodine-125 implants in the primary treatment of non-GBM high-grade gliomas. Stereotactic treatment planning aimed to encompass the contrast-enhancing rim of the tumor visualized by CT, with an initial dose rate of 0.05 Gy/hour with ¹²⁵I, delivering 100 Gy at 1 year and 103.68 Gy at infinity. Survival was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method for unvariate analysis and the Cox regressional method for multivariate analysis. In addition to the implant, 31 patients received external radiation therapy (5000 to 6000 cGy) before the implant; 10 patients were implanted without additional external beam radiation, and 9 patients underwent external radiation therapy before implant placement. With a mean follow-up of 40.76 months (range 3.47–87 months); 1–, 3–, and 5-year survival were 78.5% (± .05%), 58.7% (± .07%), and 56.2% (± .07%) respectively. Since 56.2% of the patients were alive at 5 years, median survival has not been reached yet. Second surgery was performed following the implant in 19 patients. Findings were tumor recurrence in 11 patients (22.5%), radiation necrosis in 7 patients (14.3%), and brain abcess in 1 patient (2%). Age, sex, tumor location, side of brain, tumor volume, Karnofsky, and neurological status were correlated with survival outcome. Favorable prognostic factors were age younger than 45 years, superficial tumor location, and preoperative Karnofsky greater than 70. Surgical treatment of patients with non-GBM high grade gliomas combined with external beam radiation and permanent ¹²⁵I implants represent a valuable alternative for the treatment of patients with malignant gliomas, allowing patients good quality of life and long survival.     

CT引导下放射性~(125)I粒子组织间植入治疗肺癌

目的探讨CT引导下放射性125I粒子组织间植入治疗肺癌的技术可行性和近期疗效。方法2003年3月~2007年9月,对16例肺癌(12例肺转移癌,4例肺癌术后复发)行CT引导下放射性125I粒子植入治疗。局部麻醉。术前计算机治疗计划系统行三维治疗计划,确定粒子数目、空间分布和粒子针数目。既往放疗肿瘤匹配周边剂量为90~110Gy,未行放疗为140~160Gy。计划靶体积包括临床靶体积加1cm外周。每颗粒子活度为0.40~0.70mCi。中位植入粒子38颗(15~145颗),术后即刻行CT扫描进行质量验证。3例术后1周加三维适形放疗,总剂量45~50Gy。结果中位随访14个月(6~47个月)。无治疗相关严重并发症发生。1年和2年局部控制率分别为93.8%(15/16)和93.8%(15/16)。中位生存时间14个月(6~24个月),1年和2年生存率分别为62.5%(10/16)和37.5%(6/16)。6例死于全身转移,3例死于恶液质和1例死于脑出血。结论CT引导下放射性125I植入治疗复发或转移性肺癌安全,微创,并发症发生率低,疗效肯定,粒子治疗后配合外放疗和全身化疗,有望进一步提高疗效。     

Prognostic significance of surgery and radiation therapy in cases of anaplastic astrocytoma: retrospective analysis of 170 cases

OBJECT: The purpose of this retrospective study was to estimate the prognostic impact of treatment parameters for 170 patients with anaplastic astrocytoma (AA). METHODS: Survival outcome and prognostic factors were analyzed for 170 patients with AA. In the multivariate analysis, site of lesion (frontal or parietal lobe, p = 0.002), extent of surgery (total or subtotal resection, p = 0.001), Karnofsky Performance Scale status (0-2, p = 0.021), age (< or = 50 years, p = 0.024), and total dose of radiation therapy (> 60 Gy, p = 0.029) were significant favorable prognostic factors. In the analysis of groups according to extent of surgery, patients who underwent total or subtotal resection had a significantly more favorable prognosis than did patients who underwent partial resection or biopsy (5-year survival rate 54.0% for total or subtotal resection compared with 17.5% for partial resection or biopsy; median survival time [MST] 62.6 months compared with 22.9 months [p < 0.0001, log-rank test]; hazard ratio [HR] 0.67; and 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52-0.85 [p = 0.001]). In the analysis of groups according to total radiation dose, the group of patients who received doses greater than 60 Gy had a significantly more favorable prognosis than did the group who received 60 Gy or less (5-year survival rate 45.0% for patients who received doses greater than 60 Gy compared with 21.1% for those receiving 60 Gy or less; MST 48.9 months compared with 21.6 months [p = 0.0006, log-rank test]; HR 0.96; 95% CI 0.93-0.99 [p = 0.029]). CONCLUSIONS: The most important parameter in the treatment of AA was extent of surgery, and total radiation dose was the second most important factor. Resection of as much of the tumor as possible and delivery of a total radiation dose of greater than 60 Gy seem to be required for local control of AA.     

CT引导放射性~(125)I粒子组织间植入治疗头颈部复发性肿瘤

目的探讨CT引导下放射性125I粒子组织间植入近距离治疗头颈部复发性肿瘤的可行性和近期疗效。方法 2006年12月～2009年12月,对16例头颈部复发性肿瘤行CT引导下放射性125I粒子植入术。植入术前应用三维治疗计划系统(TPS)制定粒子植入计划,术中根据CT影像采取不同进针路径,粒子间距0.5～1.0cm,粒子活度0.50～0.80mCi。术后复扫CT观察粒子分布情况,并再次应用TPS进行术后剂量验证,最小周边剂量范围为106～218Gy。结果 16例均顺利完成手术,植入粒子17～158颗(中位数44颗)。随访3～36个月,中位随访时间11.5月。局部有效率68.8%(11/16),中位局部控制时间18.0月,平均生存时间25.9月。1年局部控制率67.7%,2年33.9%,3年33.9%。1年生存率76.7%,2年57.5%,3年57.5%。结论 CT引导下放射性125I粒子组织间植入精确可控,微创,安全,近期疗效确切。     

Brain metastases treated with radiosurgery alone: an alternative to whole brain radiotherapy?

OBJECTIVE: Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) provides benefit for patients with brain metastases but may result in neurological toxicity for patients with extended survival times. Stereotactic radiosurgery in combination with WBRT has become an important approach, but the value of WBRT has been questioned. As an alternative to WBRT, we managed patients with stereotactic radiosurgery alone, evaluated patients' outcomes, and assessed prognostic factors for survival and tumor control. METHODS: One hundred seventy-two patients with brain metastases were managed with radiosurgery alone. One hundred twenty-one patients were evaluable with follow-up imaging after radiosurgery. The median patient age was 60.5 years (age range, 16-86 yr). The mean marginal tumor dose and volume were 18.5 Gy (range, 11-22 Gy) and 4.4 ml (range, 0.1-24.9 ml). Eighty percent of patients had solitary tumors. RESULTS: The overall median survival time was 8 months. The median survival time in patients with no evidence of primary tumor disease or stable disease was 13 and 11 months. The local tumor control rate was 87%. At 2 years, the rate of local control, remote brain control, and total intracranial control were 75, 41, and 27%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, advanced primary tumor status (P = 0.0003), older age (P = 0.008), lower Karnofsky Performance Scale score (P = 0.01), and malignant melanoma (P = 0.005) were significant for poorer survival. The median survival time was 28 months for patients younger than 60 years of age, with Karnofsky Performance Scale score of at least 90, and whose primary tumor status showed either no evidence of disease or stable disease. Tumor volume (P = 0.02) alone was significant for local tumor control, whereas no factor affected remote or intracranial tumor control. Eleven patients developed complications, six of which were persistent. Nineteen (16.5%) of 116 patients in whom the cause of death was obtained died as a result of causes related to brain metastasis. CONCLUSION: Brain metastases were controlled well with radiosurgery alone as initial therapy. We advocate that WBRT should not be part of the initial treatment protocol for selected patients with one or two tumors with good control of their primary cancer, better Karnofsky Performance Scale score, and younger age, all of which are predictors of longer survival.     

The role of cyberknife radiosurgery/radiotherapy for brain metastases of multiple or large-size tumors.

OBJECTIVE: Focused, highly targeted radiosurgery and fractionated radiotherapy using the Cyberknife are useful treatments for multiple or large metastases. Here we present our results of Cyberknife radiosurgery for 71 patients with 148 metastatic brain lesions. METHODS: There were 32 women and 39 men with a median age of 63 (range: 30-88) years. Radiographic follow-up was available for 60 patients with 104 lesions. The mean and median initial volumes of the tumor per lesion were 6.6 and 2.9 cm(3) (range: 0.1-53.2 cm(3)), respectively, at the time of the initial Cyberknife treatment. Forty patients (56%) had a single lesion, and 31 (44%) had multiple lesions (range: 2-7) at initial treatment. The number of fractions ranged from 1 to 3, and forty (27%) of 148 lesions were treated by a fractionated course of Cyberknife therapy. The mean marginal dose was 20.2 Gy (range 7.8-30.1 Gy, median: 20.7 Gy). RESULTS: At 44 weeks of median follow-up, there were no permanent symptoms resulting from radiation necrosis. Overall 6-month and 1-year survival rates were 74% and 47%, respectively, and the median survival time was 56 weeks. The Karnofsky performance score and extracranial metastasis were significant prognostic factors at 6 months and 1 year, respectively, in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Age or multiple metastases did not influence prognosis at 6 months and 1 year. Local control was achieved in 83% (86 lesions). After additional radiosurgical or surgical salvage, no patient died as a result of intracranial disease. Twenty-five patients developed 92 new metastases (range 1-13) outside of the treated lesions with 22.4 weeks of median follow-up. Among them, 21 patients (84 lesions) were treated by salvage Cyberknife. CONCLUSION: Despite the inclusion of an unfavorable group of patients with large tumors, our results for survival and tumor control rates are comparable to those of published series. The Cyberknife provides the advantage of allowing for fractionated treatment to multiple or large-size tumors.     

Stereotactic radiosurgery without radiation therapy providing high local tumor control of multiple brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma.

The aim of this study was to analyse treatment effects after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) without whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) as primary treatment for patients harboring brain metastases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). During an 8-year period, 85 patients with 376 brain metastases from RCC underwent 134 outpatient SRS procedures. 65 % of all patients had multiple brain metastases. The median tumor volume was 1.2 cm (3) (range: 0.1 - 14.2 cm (3)). Mean prescribed tumor dose was 21.2 (+/- 3.2) Gy. Local/distant tumor recurrences were treated by additional SRS in cases of stable systemic disease. Overall median survival was 11.1 months after SRS. The local tumor control rate after SRS was 94 %. Most patients (78 %) died because of systemically progressing cancer. A KPS > 70 and RTOG class I were related to prolonged survival time. Patients of the RTOG groups I, II and III survived for 24.2 months, 9.2 months and 7.5 months, respectively. There was no permanent morbidity after SRS. 11 patients (12.9 %) showed transient radiogenic complications and 3 patients (3.5 %) died because of intratumoral bleedings after SRS. Stereotactic radiosurgery alone achieves excellent local tumor control rates for patients with small brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma.     

The effect of radiosurgery during management of aggressive meningiomas

BACKGROUND: Aggressive (atypical or malignant) meningiomas are difficult tumors to manage. We review the local control and survival rates of patients with aggressive meningiomas after multi-modality therapy that included stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). METHODS: Thirty patients had SRS for treatment of malignant (n = 12) or atypical (n = 18) meningiomas. There were 17 (57%) males and 13 (43%) females with an average age of 58 years. The mean number of prior surgical resections was two. The median imaging follow-up was 2.3 (0.1-11.4) years; median clinical follow-up was 3.8 (0.25-11.5) years. RESULTS: After SRS, the overall median time until progression of neurologic signs was 48.0 (+/-6.51) months. Median time to neurologic progression was significantly worse for patients treated late after recurrence versus early after craniotomy. Atypical meningiomas had 5- and 10-year overall actuarial survival rates of 59% (+/-13), while malignant meningiomas had 5- and 10-year overall actuarial survival rates of 59% (+/-16) and 0%. These curves were not significantly different from one another. Atypical meningiomas had a 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) of 83% (+/-7%), while malignant meningiomas had a 5-year PFS of 72% (+/-10) (p = 0.018). On multivariate analysis, early SRS and smaller tumor volumes were associated with better PFS, while younger age was associated with better survival. One patient had an adverse radiation effect after SRS. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic radiosurgery is an important adjuvant management strategy for residual tumors identified early after craniotomy and partial resection. Aggressive use of early boost radiosurgery following craniotomy and radiation therapy is recommended for patients with malignant meningiomas.     

Interstitial 125-iodine radiosurgery of low-grade gliomas of the insula of Reil

Summary Between 1979 and 1991 67 patients with low-grade gliomas of the insula (of Reil) were treated with 125-iodine interstitial radiosurgery. Retrospective analysis with a median follow-up of 55 months demonstrated a 5- and 10-year survival rate of 54% and 47%, respectively, for all low-grade gliomas treated and a 5- and 10-year survival rate of 57% for 49 patients with astrocytomas WHO grade II analysed separately. The median Karnofsky performance status of survivors was 90%. Malignant change was the cause of death in 85%, failure to control tumour growth in the remaining cases. Multivariate analysis with a Cox proportional hazard model identified solely the pre-operative Karnofsky performance score of 70–80 vs. 90% as a prognostic factor for outcome (p=0.001, risk ratio 3. 62), but not age, gender, tumour volume, length of disease before treatment, mode of implantation, or major vs. moderate or no shrinkage of tumour volume after interstitial radiosurgery.Thus, 125-iodine radiosurgery yielded survival rates in these deep-seated insular gliomas comparable to those reported after surgery and radiation therapy of lobar tumours. This was achieved with a low peri-operative mortality and morbidity and at low costs.     

Liver resection for hilar and peripheral cholangiocarcinomas: a study of 62 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze a single center's 14-year experience with 62 consecutive patients with hilar (HCCA) and peripheral (PCCA) cholangiocarcinomas. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Long-term survival after surgical treatment of HCCA and PCCA has been poor. METHODS: From March 1981 until December 1994, 62 consecutive patients with HCCA (n = 28) and PCCA (n = 34) underwent surgical treatment. The operations were individualized and included local excision of the tumor and suprapancreatic bile duct, lymph node dissection, vascular reconstruction, and subtotal hepatectomy. Clinical and pathologic risk factors were examined for prognostic influence. RESULTS: Patients were followed for a median of 25 months (12-102 months). Postoperative morbidity and mortality (at 30 days) were 32% and 14%, respectively, for HCCA and 24% and 6% for PCCA. The survival rates for HCCA and PCCA were 79% (+/-8%) and 67% (+/-8%) at 1 year; 39% (+/-10%) and 40% (+/-9%) at 3 years; and 8% (+/-7%) and 35% (+/-10%) at 5 years, respectively. The median survival was 24 (+/-4) months for HCCA and 19 (+/-8) months for PCCA. The disease-free survival rates for HCCA and PCCA were 85% (+/-10%) and 77% (+/-9%) at 1 year; 18% (+/-11%) and 41% (+/-12%) at 3 years; and 18% (+/-11%) and 41% (+/-12%) at 5 years, respectively. Nearly 80% of these patients had TNM stage IV tumors. With HCCA, no risk factors were associated with patient survival. For PCCA, multiple tumors (relative risk [RR] = 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-10.5) and incomplete resection (RR = 8.3; 95% CI = 2.3-29.6) were independently associated with a worse prognosis. For HCCA, there was a trend for lower disease-free survival in females (p = 0.056; log rank test). For PCCA, tumor size >5 cm was the only factor associated with disease recurrence (p = 0.024; log rank test). CONCLUSIONS: Even though rare, 5-year survival by resection can be achieved in both HCCA and PCCA, but new adjuvant treatments are clearly needed.     

Novel prognostic classification predicts overall survival of patients receiving salvage whole-brain radiotherapy for recurrent brain metastasis from breast cancer: A recursive partitioning analysis (KROG 16-12)

BackgroundTo investigate outcomes of salvage whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) for recurrent brain metastases (BM) from breast cancer (BC), to identify prognostic factors of overall survival (OS), and to propose a novel prognostic classification for OS in these patients.Materials and methodsWe identified 54 patients who had received salvage WBRT as the second brain-focused treatment for recurrent BM from BC (2000–2014). The median follow-up duration was 4.9 months. A recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was conducted to develop a model to predict OS at the time of salvage WBRT.ResultsThe median OS was 6.8 months. OS according to BC-specific graded prognostic assessment (breast-GPA), modified breast-GPA, and updated breast-GPA did not represent our cohort. In the multivariate analysis, a long time before salvage WBRT (≥16 months), control of primary BC or extracranial metastases, systemic treatment after salvage WBRT, and administration of a biologically effective dose for an α/β of 10 Gy (BED10) of salvage WBRT >37.5 Gy showed superior OS. We proposed three RPA classes based on the control of both primary BC and extracranial metastasis and BED10 of salvage WBRT: class I, class II, and class III. In this model, patients with class I experienced the best OS (34.6 months; class II, 5.0 months; class III, 2.4 months; P < 0.001).ConclusionsIn our RPA classification according to the control of both primary BC and extracranial metastasis and the dose of salvage WBRT, significant differences in OS were observed. The subsequent use of a systemic treatment showed better OS.     

Adult soft tissue Ewing sarcoma or primitive neuroectodermal tumors: predictors of survival?

BACKGROUND: Ewing sarcoma (ES) is the second most common primary osseous malignancy in childhood and adolescence. The improvement in survival is primarily associated with the combination of surgery and chemotherapy. HYPOTHESIS: Little is known about the outcome of adults with soft tissue ES or primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET). Certain prognostic factors from soft tissue sarcomas (tumor size, tumor location, margin status, and initial presentation) in adults (>16 years) with ES/PNET will help to identify factors associated with outcome. METHODS: Between July 1, 1982, and June 30, 2000, we identified 59 adult patients with primary soft tissue ES/PNET. Clinicopathologic factors were correlated with the end points studied: patient factors, tumor factors, pathologic factors, status of surgical margins, adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. RESULTS: There were 41 male and 18 female patients, with a median age of 27 years (range, 16-72 years). Median tumor size was 8 cm, with all lesions being high grade. The most common site was the trunk (n = 22), with an even distribution of retroperitoneal, pelvis, buttock, and lower extremity (all n = 5). The median follow-up was 29 months (range, 6-222 months), with local recurrence identified in 13 patients (22%), with a median time to recurrence of 15 months (range, 5-200 months). Overall 5-year survival was 60%. Initial presentation was the only predictor of long-term survival, with primary tumor-only presentation having a 5-year survival of 60% (median not reached) compared with primary tumor plus metastatic disease having a 5-year survival of 33% (median, 17 months) (P =.02). CONCLUSION: Initial presentation of disease represents the only predictor of survival identified in this small group of adult patients with ES/PNET.     

Clinicopathologic Prognostic Factors in Myxoid Liposarcoma: A Retrospective Study of 49 Patients With Long-Term Follow-Up

BACKGROUND: The main goal of this retrospective study was to investigate prognostic factors influencing the survival of myxoid liposarcoma (MLS) with emphasis on the role of transitional areas (TLS) and round cell morphology (RCLS). METHODS: From 1977 to 2004, 49 patients-28 men (57%) and 21 women (43%) with a median age of 44 years (range, 7-83 years)-were diagnosed with an MLS. In 42 patients, the histology could be reviewed, and tumors were classified as MLS, TLS, or RCLS. Clinicopathologic factors were analyzed for influence on survival by univariate and multivariate methods. RESULTS: The median follow-up of 49 patients was 101 months (range, 4-550 months). Of the 42 patients for whom histology was reviewed, 16 tumors were classified as MLS (38%), 19 as TLS (45%), and 7 as RCLS (17%). Sixteen patients (33%) developed a local recurrence after a median follow-up of 21 months (range, 2-108 months). Thirteen patients (27%) developed metastases. The median interval between diagnosis and metastasis was 41 months (range, 0-222 months). Median survival after metastasis was 18 months (range, 1-179 months). The 5- and 10-year disease-specific survival rates were 85% and 72%, whereas the 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 83% and 68%, respectively. Age at presentation (P = .02), tumor grade (P = .01), and tumor size (P = .005) were significant prognostic factors associated with survival. Tumor grade was the only independent prognostic variable that remained significant with multivariate analysis. A TLS presentation had no negative influence on patient survival. CONCLUSIONS: Age at presentation, tumor grade, and tumor size had a negative influence on survival by univariate analysis, whereas tumor grade was the only independent prognostic factor by multivariate analysis. TLS was not associated with poor outcome.     

Surgery and radiotherapy compared with gamma knife radiosurgery in the treatment of solitary cerebral metastases of small diameter.

OBJECT: The aim of this retrospective study was to compare treatment results of surgery plus whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) with gamma knife radiosurgery alone as the primary treatment for solitary cerebral metastases suitable for radiosurgical treatment. METHODS: Patients who had a single circumscribed tumor that was 3.5 cm or smaller in diameter were included. Treatment results were compared between microsurgery plus WBRT (52 patients, median tumor dose 50 Gy) and radiosurgery alone (56 patients, median prescribed tumor dose 22 Gy). In case of local/distant tumor recurrence in the radiosurgery group, additional radiosurgical treatment was administered in patients with stable systemic disease. Survival time was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and prognostic factors were obtained from the Cox model. The patient groups did not differ in terms of age, gender, pretreatment Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score, duration of symptoms, tumor location, histological findings, status of the primary tumor, time to metastasis, and cause of death. Patients who suffered from larger lesions underwent surgery (p < 0.01). The 1-year survival rate (median survival) was 53% (68 weeks) in the surgical group and 43% (35 weeks) in the radiosurgical group (p = 0.19). The 1-year local tumor control rates after surgery and radiosurgery were 75% and 83%, respectively (p = 0.49), and the 1-year neurological death rates in these groups were 37% and 39% (p = 0.8). Shorter overall survival time in the radiosurgery group was related to higher systemic death rates. A pretreatment KPS score of less than 70 was a predictor of unfavorable survival. Perioperative morbidity and mortality rates were 7.7% and 1.6% in the resection group, and 8.9% and 1.2% in the radiosurgery group, respectively. Four patients presented with transient radiogenic complications after radiosurgery. CONCLUSIONS: Radiosurgery alone can result in local tumor control rates as good as those for surgery plus WBRT in selected patients. Radiosurgery should not be routinely combined with radiotherapy.     

Accelerated hyperfractionated irradiation for advanced head and neck cancer: effect of shortening the median treatment duration by 13 days.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Optimal treatment duration of altered fractionation schedules in head and neck cancer is still undefined. A retrospective study on local tumor control, survival, and complications of accelerated hyperfractionated irradiation in head and neck cancer was undertaken to investigate whether there was an advantage in further shortening overall time from 6.5 weeks. METHODS: Four hundred nineteen consecutive male patients treated with radiation alone for cure 1987-1998 were analyzed. Patients with stage I, or treated also with brachytherapy implants or chemotherapy, were excluded. Treatment with accelerated hyperfractionation was performed twice daily, at a median of 1.6 Gy/fraction, to a total median dose of 68 Gy in 39 days. The patient population was divided into two groups: those with < or =39 days overall treatment time (group A, n = 227; median, 33 days) and those with >39 days (group B, n = 192; median, 46 days). Group A received a significant median tumor dose reduction of 7% compared with group B. RESULTS: The 7-year actuarial local control (LC) rates were 59% and 48% for groups A and B, respectively (p =.02). The actuarial LC rates for T1-2 patients were 79% and 74% at 7 years for groups A and B, respectively (p = NS). Similarly, for T3-4 patients, they were 47% and 35% (p =.02), respectively. The 7-year actuarial disease-free survival (DFS) rates for groups A and B were 39% and 26% (p =.01), respectively. For stage II patients, DFS was 62% and 60% at 7 years (p = NS) for groups A and B, respectively. And similarly, for stage III-IV patients, DFS was 33% and 20% (p =.04), respectively, at 7 years. LC and DFS rates at 7 years for T4 and stage IV patients, respectively, were significantly improved in group A. Cox regression analyses for LC showed that both T stage and overall time were significant prognostic factors. Similarly, UICC clinical stage and overall time were significant prognostic factors for DFS. There was no difference in acute morbidity between the two groups: 3% of patients in both groups required tube or parenteral feeding. The 7-year actuarial probability of RTOG/EORTC grades 3-5 late effects was 15% and 13%, respectively, for each group (p = NS). CONCLUSIONS: This study, with the limitations of a retrospective study, has shown a significant improvement in local tumor control and disease-free survival, in patients treated with shorter overall treatment times (median, 33 days) with an accelerated hyperfractionated irradiation schedule compared with those treated with a median duration of 46 days. No significant enhancement of acute reactions and late morbidity were observed with the shorter schedule.     

Combined Major Hepatectomy and Pancreaticoduodenectomy for Locally Advanced Biliary Carcinoma: Long-Term Results

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to define the role of combined major hepatectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy in the surgical management of biliary carcinoma and to identify potential candidates for this aggressive procedure. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 28 patients who underwent a combined major hepatectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (n = 17) or gallbladder carcinoma (n = 11). Major hepatectomy was defined as hemihepatectomy or more extensive hepatectomy. Altogether, 11 patients underwent a Whipple procedure, and 17 had a pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. The median follow-up time was 169 months. RESULTS: Morbidity and in-hospital mortality were 82% and 21%, respectively. Overall cumulative survival rates after resection were 32% at 2 years and 11% at 5 years (median survival time 9 months). The median survival time was 6 months with a 2-year survival rate of 0% in 11 patients with residual tumor, whereas the median survival time was 26 months with a 5-year survival rate of 18% in 17 patients with no residual tumor (P = 0.0012). Residual tumor status was the only independent prognostic factor of significance (relative risk 4.65; P = 0.003). There were three 5-year survivors (two with diffuse cholangiocarcinoma and one with gallbladder carcinoma with no bile duct involvement) among the patients with no residual tumor. CONCLUSIONS: Combined major hepatectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy provides survival benefit for some patients with locally advanced biliary carcinoma only if potentially curative (R0) resection is feasible. Patients with diffuse cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma with no bile duct involvement are potential candidates for this aggressive procedure.     

Prognostic factors in supratentorial WHO grade II astrocytoma in adults

The records of 33 adult patients with supratentorial World Health Organization grade II astrocytoma (A-II) treated between January 1980 and April 1997 at our hospitals were retrospectively reviewed. All tumours were surgically resected or biopsied and their MIB-1 labelling indices (LIs) were less than 1.5%. The median time to tumour progression after the initial surgery was 60 months, and the 5- and 10-year tumour progression-free rates were 53 and 39%, respectively. The median survival time was 107 months, and the 5- and 10-year survival rates were 66 and 43%, respectively. The major cause of death was tumour recurrence with malignant transformation, comprising 93% of all deaths due to unrestrained tumour growth. In a univariate analysis for survival rate by log-rank test, age (< 60 years), Karnofsky Performance Scale score (90-100%), tumour location (except for the basal ganglia), and extent of surgery (more than biopsy) were revealed to be significant positive prognostic factors. A Cox proportional hazard multivariate regression analysis confirmed that the age was the only independent, significant positive prognostic factor in this series. The survival time after the initial surgery in patients without radiotherapy tended to be prolonged compared with those of the patients with radiotherapy. Of the 26 patients who received radiotherapy, however, the survival time after the initial surgery in the nine patients with intraoperative radiotherapy was significantly prolonged compared with the 17 patients who received sole external beam radiotherapy. Gender, symptoms, histology, p53 LI, enhancement on CT/MRI, cyst, calcification and chemotherapy were not shown to be significant prognostic factors. The optimal management strategy for A-II is expected to be established by clarification of the natural history with cytological and molecular biological analyses of the biological features of this disease.     

肝内胆管细胞癌根治性切除术后临床预后影响因素的研究

目的探讨肝内胆管细胞癌（ICC）行根治性切除（R0切除）术后的独立预后影响因素。 方法回顾性分析中山大学附属第一医院自2002年1月至2018年8月行R0切除并经病理确诊的237例ICC患者的临床病理及随访资料,采用Kaplan-Meier法构建生存曲线;单因素及多因素COX回归分析筛选影响患者生存预后的独立因素。一致性指数（C-index）、时间依赖性受试者工作特征曲线（ROC曲线）、曲线下面积（AUC）及校准曲线用于评价COX回归模型的预测效能。 结果237例ICC患者的中位生存期为19.93个月（95%CI=14.31~26.21）,术后1、2、3年生存率分别为62.3%、45.0%及35.6%。单因素及多因素回归分析显示谷氨酰转移酶（GGT） >53 U/L（P=0.001）、CA125>17.4 U/ml（P<0.001）、淋巴结转移（P=0.039）、肿瘤分化不良（P<0.001）是ICC患者行R0切除术后预后不良的独立危险因素。按照删除概率P>0.1的标准,纳入癌胚抗原（CEA）（P=0.092）后的预后模型C-index为0.74（95%CI=0.68~0.78）,不同随访时间点对应的AUC值均在0.8左右,模型具有良好的预测效能。 结论GGT、CEA、CA125、淋巴结转移情况及肿瘤分化程度可作为ICC患者R0切除术后临床预后的预测指标。     

Image-guided craniotomy for cerebral metastases: techniques and outcomes

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to analyze the outcomes after craniotomies for brain metastases in a modern series using image-guided technologies either in the regular operating room or in the intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging unit. METHODS: Neurosurgical outcomes were analyzed for 49 patients who underwent 55 image-guided craniotomies for excision of brain metastases during a 5-year period. Tumors were located in critical and noncritical function regions of the brain. A total of 23 craniotomies for tumors in critical brain were performed using intravenous sedation anesthesia; craniotomies for noncritical function brain regions were completed under general anesthesia. The patients were also divided into Radiation Therapy Oncology Group recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) classes on the basis of age, Karnofsky Performance Scale scores, state of primary disease, and presence or absence of extracranial metastases. RESULTS: There was no perioperative mortality. Gross total resection, as verified by postoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, was achieved in 96% of patients. The median anesthesia time was 4.25 hours, and the median length of hospital stay was 3 days. In 51 symptomatic cases, there was complete resolution of symptoms in 70% (n = 36), improvement in 14% (n = 7), and no change in 12% (n = 6) postoperatively. No patient who was neurologically intact preoperatively deteriorated after surgery, and 93% of patients maintained or improved their functional status. Only two patients (3.6%) with significant preoperative deficits had increased long-term deficits postoperatively. The mean follow-up was 1 year, and the local recurrence rate was 16%. The median survival of the entire group was 16.23 months (17.5 mo in RPA Class I, 22.9 mo in RPA Class II, and 9.8 mo in RPA Class III). CONCLUSION: Gross total resection of brain metastases, including those involving critical function areas, can be safely achieved with a low morbidity rate using contemporary image-guided systems. RPA Class I and II patients with controlled primary disease benefit from aggressive treatment by surgery and radiation.