术后化疗胸腺肿瘤中的应用及对其预后的影响

背景与目的探讨术后化疗在胸腺肿瘤中的应用及术后化疗对Masaoka III期/IV期预后的影响。方法1994年3月至2012年12月,中国胸腺瘤研究协作组（Chinese Alliance of Research for hTymomas, ChART）数据库共纳入2,306例胸腺肿瘤病例,资料相对完整1,700例患者纳入本研究,对其中Masaoka III期/IV期665例患者进行进一步分析,初步评估术后化疗的临床价值,采用Kaplan-Meier法绘制不同亚组患者生存曲线,Cox回归进行多因素分析影响预后的因素。采用倾向值匹配研究（propensity-matched study, PSM）,评估化疗的临床价值。结果1,700例患者中未行术后化疗1,406例（82.7%）,术后化疗294例（17.3%）,随着Masaoka分期的增加,术后化疗患者的比例也随之增高,差异有统计学意义（P<0.001）。对Masaoka III期/IV期患者665例进行进一步分析,其中未术后化疗组444例,术后化疗组221例。两组患者在有无重症肌无力、WHO病理类型、病理分期、手术根治性、有无术后放疗等方面分布有差异（P<0.05）。其中C型胸腺瘤、不完全切除和术后放疗明显影响患者术后复发和生存（P<0.05）。术后化疗组5年和10年无病生存率分别为51%、30%,5年和10年复发率分别为46%、68%,而未术后化疗组5年和10年无病生存率分别为73%、58%。5年和10年复发率分别为26%、40%,两组无病生存率和复发率均有明显统计学差异（P=0.001, P=0.001）。对有无重症肌无力,病理类型,病理分期,手术根治性状态,术后放疗等因素进行倾向值匹配筛选出其中158例未术后化疗和158例术后化疗共316例患者,生存分析显示：未术后化疗组和术后化疗组两组5年生存率并无明显统计学差异（P=0.332）。结论病理学类型、手术的根治性和术后放疗是影响进展期胸腺肿瘤患者术后生存和复发的主要因素。术后化疗并未给Masaoka-Koga III期/IV期胸腺瘤患者带来生存获益。     

Thymic carcinoma: a report of 13 cases.

OBJECTIVE: Thymic carcinoma is a rare thymic neoplasm. It is more invasive and has a poorer prognosis than thymoma. We report our experience in the treatment of 13 thymic carcinomas. METHODS: Thirteen patients with histologically confirmed thymic carcinoma were treated from June 1989. Six patients underwent surgery, followed by adjuvant therapy. Seven patients underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by surgery and post-operative radiotherapy. RESULTS: The diagnosis of thymic carcinoma was achieved in six cases by a mediastinotomy, in three cases by a ultrasound-guided or a CT-guided fine needle aspiration and in three cases the pre-operative diagnosis was thymoma. In one case we did not have the histological diagnosis. All seven patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy responded. The surgical resection was complete in seven cases. Eight patients are still alive 8-142 months from the diagnosis, and six are disease-free. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience supports the role of surgery and post-operative radiotherapy in thymic carcinomas. Pre-operative treatment of such neoplasms by multi-drug chemotherapy may improve the resectability and the survival rate.     

The role of radiotherapy for thymic carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate retrospectively the role of radiotherapy for thymic carcinoma. METHODS: Between 1973 and 1998, 14 patients with thymic carcinoma were treated at Gunma Prefectural Cancer Center. Two patients who had hematogenous metastasis were excluded from this study, therefore 12 patients were analyzed. The Masaoka staging system was used; four patients were diagnosed with stage III disease and eight patients with stage IV disease. The pathological subtype according to the World Health Organization histological criteria for thymic tumors was squamous cell carcinoma (low-grade histology) in six cases and undifferentiated carcinoma (high-grade histology) in six. Ten patients underwent thoracotomy, and two patients underwent excisional biopsy without thoracotomy. Ten patients (83%) received radiotherapy as a curative intent, and the median dose was 60 Gy. Systemic chemotherapy was administered to four patients (33%), and the majority (75%) of the regimens contained cisplatin. RESULTS: The 3-year overall survival rate was 25%. Histological subtype (low-grade versus high-grade), surgical resection (complete versus incomplete), radiotherapy and chemotherapy were evaluated as prognostic factors in a univariate analysis. Low-grade histology and complete resection were good prognostic factors, although these were not statistically significant. Patients who received radiotherapy had a better outcome than those who did not. The major sites of recurrence were the pleura and pericardium. Recurrence within the radiation field was observed in one of seven patients in whom failure patterns could be evaluated. CONCLUSION: Complete resection is mandatory if possible. Radiotherapy plays an important role in treating thymic carcinoma in terms of reducing local recurrence and prolonging survival time. Establishment of an innovative treatment protocol that includes chemotherapy is necessary to control intrathoracic relapse and distant metastasis.     

Postoperative radiotherapy in thymic carcinoma: treatment results and prognostic factors

PURPOSE: To analyze the treatment results and prognostic factors of patients with primary thymic carcinoma treated by total or subtotal tumor resection followed by radiotherapy alone. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between October 1987 and October 1997, 26 patients with thymic carcinoma were treated with complete or incomplete surgical resection and postoperative adjuvant irradiation without chemotherapy. The radiation was delivered with 10-MV X-ray given 5 days per week at 1.8 to 2 Gy per fraction. Total doses ranged from 40 to 70 Gy. All patients had at least 40 months of follow-up. RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival rate, local control rate, and distant metastasis-free rate were 77%, 91%, and 57%, respectively. Several prognostic factors, including sex, age, extent of resection (total resection vs. subtotal resection), Masaoka staging (early Stage I + II vs. advanced Stage III + IV), pathology (low-grade vs. high-grade), and postoperative radiation dose (> or =60 Gy vs. <60 Gy), were evaluated in univariate analysis. The Masaoka staging system was the only statistically significant predictor in overall survival rate (p = 0.0482) and distant metastasis-free rate (p = 0.0193). CONCLUSIONS: The Masaoka staging system is the most important prognostic factor in primary thymic carcinoma patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy alone. For resectable tumors, surgery and postoperative radiotherapy can achieve good local control, but the distant metastatic rate is still high. Further investigation of more effective chemotherapy is needed.     

Multimodality treatment program in invasive thymic epithelial tumor

Little is known regarding malignant thymoma and thymic carcinoma optimal therapy, and a multimodality approach could therefore be proposed in an attempt to improve the survival of patients. We report our experience with 8 cases of malignant thymoma or thymic carcinoma. These patients took part in a multimodality treatment program including neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and postoperative radiotherapy in our center between December 1995 and June 2001. The induction chemotherapy consisted of 4 courses of the CAP regimen (cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 day 1, doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 day 1, and cisplatin 80 mg/m2 day 2), every 3 weeks. Patients underwent surgical resection after complete hematological recovery pending sufficient tumor response with a postchemotherapy resectable status. Adjuvant radiotherapy up to 60 Gy in 30 fractions was attempted postsurgically or after best chemotherapeutic response in nonsurgical patients. Among the 8 patients, 3 had a thymic carcinoma and 5 a malignant thymoma; 5 had a stage IV and 3 a stage III disease (Masaoka). Six patients partially responded to the chemotherapy regimen. Three patients were operated upon, and complete resection was performed in 2 cases. Finally, 4 patients achieved the planned radiotherapy. Four patients are still alive without evidence of tumor activity (23-77 months from the diagnosis) and 1 patient is alive with relapse at 56 months. The low compliance with the program led us to an early discontinuation. The high proportion of thymic carcinoma and advanced disease in our limited series might be an explanation for this unsatisfactory result. Optimal multimodality treatment of epithelial thymic tumor remains to be defined in multicenter trials.     

Treatment and prognosis of patients with intracranial nongerminomatous malignant germ cell tumors: a multiinstitutional retrospective analysis of 41 patients

BACKGROUND: The relative roles of surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy in the management of patients with intracranial nongerminomatous malignant germ cell tumors have been controversial. The authors retrospectively investigated the results of different treatment regimens in patients with these tumors. METHODS: The records of 41 patients who were treated between 1981 and 2001 were reviewed. They were grouped into patients with a good prognosis (n=3), an intermediate prognosis (n=24), and a poor prognosis (n=14) based on the histology of their tumors. Fifteen patients (37%) underwent surgical resection and received radiotherapy, and 26 patients (63%) also received chemotherapy. The median follow-up of 18 patients who remained alive was 61 months (range, 14-194 months). RESULTS: The 5-year actuarial overall survival rates for patients in the good prognosis, intermediate prognosis, and poor prognosis groups were 100%, 68%, and 8%, respectively. In the analysis, histology alone had a statistically significant impact on overall survival (P<0.0001). All 3 patients in the good prognosis group were treated successfully with surgical resection and radiotherapy. In the intermediate prognosis group, the 5-year actuarial overall survival rate was 44% for patients who underwent surgical resection and received radiotherapy (n=9) and 84% for patients who also received chemotherapy (n=15; P=0.01). Patients in the poor prognosis group who underwent surgical resection and received radiotherapy (n=3) or who underwent incomplete resection and received both radiotherapy and chemotherapy (n=8) all died of disease, whereas 2 of 3 patients who underwent macroscopic total resection and received both radiotherapy and chemotherapy survived free of disease. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of patients with intracranial nongerminomatous malignant germ cell tumors should be based on tumor histology. For patients who had a good prognosis (mature teratoma with germinoma), surgical resection and radiotherapy were sufficient; however, for patients in the intermediate prognosis group, multimodal treatment, including surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, was effective. Conversely, for patients in the poor prognosis group, more intensive multimodal treatment, including macroscopic total resection, may improve the survival rate.     

胸腺类癌(附13例报告)

目的：探讨胸腺类癌临床表现、治疗及预后.方法：对天津市肿瘤医院自1960年1月～2006年6月间共收治胸腺类癌13例.本组男11例,女2例,年龄36～59岁,平均48.8岁,病期1～14个月,平均5.3个月.结果：完整切除3例,2例生存超过8年,7年后失访,1例生存7年半死亡,5例不完全切除,1年左右均死亡,探查2例,1例术后放疗生存13年,1例有异位上腔静脉综合征,探查后3个月死于广泛转移,3例放化疗,2例1年死亡,1例放化疗有效,目前生存5个月,仍在治疗中.结论：胸腺类癌病理分为典型与不典型类癌,不典型者预后差,电镜示胸腺类癌在细胞浆内有致密核心颗粒,大小由600～5 000埃（angstromes）,可有细胞间桥小体,宽阔张力丝及基底层在胸腺癌内缺如,电镜可作鉴别诊断,有利胸腺类癌诊断,手术彻底切除预后好,尤其典型者,不彻底切除,放疗、化疗均较差.     

Clinical analysis of 45 patients with thymic carcinoma

OBJECTIVE To retrospectively evaluate the prognostic factors for advanced thymic carcinoma. METHODS The data from 45 patients with advanced thymic carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed according to Masaoka stage criteria. There were 29 Stage Ⅲ patients and 16 Stage Ⅳ patients （13 Stage ⅣA patients and 3 Stage ⅣB patients）. According to the World Heath Organization Histological Criteria （2004）, 25 cases were identified as low-grade and 20 cases were identified as high-grade. All diagnoses were confirmed by biopsy. Five patients underwent gross total resection, 21 patients underwent subtotal resection and 19 patients underwent biopsy alone. Forty-two patients received radiotherapy with a median dose of 60 Gy, and 37 patients underwent conventional radiotherapy, including local irradiation and expanded irradiation. Local irradiation volume covered the primary tumor bed and approximately 1-2 cm^2 surrounding the tumor （according to preoperative imaging）. Expanded irradiation volume covered the full mediastinal and pericardium areas （with or without prophylactic irradiation in the supraclavicular area）. Five cases received stereotactic radiotherapy. Thirty-one patients were also treated with chemotherapeutics, including Cisplatin, VP-16, Endoxan, 5-FU and taxol. RESULTS The median follow-up period was 59 months. The overall 3-year survival rate was 57.8%, and the median survival was 45 months. Univariate statistical analysis showed that the histological subtype and Masaoka stage were prognostic factors. The 3-year survival rate was 61.9% in patients treated with gross total resection and 55.0% in those who underwent biopsy only. The 3-year survival rate was 59.5% in patients treated with conventional radiotherapy and 80% in those treated with stereotactic radiotherapy. The 3-year survival rate was 64.5% in patients treated with simultaneous chemotherapy and 42.9% in patients treated without simultaneous chemotherapy （P 〉 0.05）. Chemotherapy in combination with radiation treatment and surgery achieved better outcomes for Stage Ⅳ patients than radiation treatment and surgery without chemotherapy （P 〈 0.05）.
CONCLUSION For patients with Stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ thymic carcinoma, complete resection and postoperative radiotherapy or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy constitute the best treatment solution. Chemotherapy can also be used in combination to improve prognosis. For patients with Stage Ⅳ thymic carcinoma, chemotherapy is necessary.     

Clinical Analysis of 45 Patients with Thymic Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE To retrospectively evaluate the prognostic factors for advanced thymic carcinoma.METHODS The data from 45 patients with advanced thymic carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed according to Masaoka stage criteria. There were 29 Stage Ⅲ patients and 16 Stage Ⅳ patients (13 Stage IVA patients and 3 Stage IVB patients).According to the World Heath Organization Histological Criteria (2004), 25 cases were identified as low-grade and 20 cases were identified as high-grade. All diagnoses were confirmed by biopsy. Five patients underwent gross total resection, 21patients underwent subtotal resection and 19 patients underwent biopsy alone. Forty-two patients received radiotherapy with a median dose of 60 Gy, and 37 patients underwent conventional radiotherapy, including local irradiation and expanded irradiation.Local irradiation volume covered the primary tumor bed and approximately 1-2 cm2 surrounding the tumor (according to preoperative imaging). Expanded irradiation volume covered the full mediastinal and pericardium areas (with or without prophylactic irradiation in the supraclavicular area). Five cases received stereotactic radiotherapy. Thirty-one patients were also treated with chemotherapeutics, including Cisplatin, VP-16,Endoxan, 5-FU and taxol.RESULTS The median follow-up period was 59 months. The overall 3-year survival rate was 57.8%, and the median survival was 45 months. Univariate statistical analysis showed that the histological subtype and Masaoka stage were prognostic factors.The 3-year survival rate was 61.9% in patients treated with gross total resection and 55.0% in those who underwent biopsy only. The 3-year survival rate was 59.5% in patients treated with conventional radiotherapy and 80% in those treated with stereotactic radiotherapy. The 3-year survival rate was 64.5% in patients treated with simultaneous chemotherapy and 42.9%in patients treated without simultaneous chemotherapy (P >0.05). Chemotherapy in combination with radiation treatment and surgery achieved better outcomes for Stage Ⅳ patients than radiation treatment and surgery without chemotherapy (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION For patients with Stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ thymic carcinoma, complete resection and postoperative radiotherapy or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy constitute the best treatment solution. Chemotherapy can also be used in combination to improve prognosis. For patients with Stage Ⅳ thymic carcinoma,chemotherapy is necessary.     

Thymoma and thymic carcinoma: therapeutic approaches

Thymomas and thymic carcinomas, which are rare epithelial tumors arising from the thymus gland, are the most common tumors of the anterior mediastinum. Thymomas are generally encapsulated, slow-growing tumors that have a "bland" histologic appearance. Thymic carcinomas possess more overtly malignant histologic features than thymomas and are more likely to present as invasive or disseminated disease. Surgery is the treatment of choice for localized thymic tumors, with complete resection being the most important prognostic factor. Complete resection also improves survival in locally invasive thymic tumors. Adjuvant postoperative radiation therapy may improve the outcome in patients with invasive disease, although the data are conflicting. Multimodal regimens, including neoadjuvant combination chemotherapy, surgery, and/or postoperative radiation therapy, are recommended for patients with advanced thymomas and thymic carcinomas. Use of octreotide plus prednisone has produced responses in thymomas, but the dosing and schedule have not been clearly defined. Prospective studies have been limited, and, as such, enrollment in clinical trials is encouraged.     

Chemotherapy in the treatment of thymic tumors

Thymic tumors, including thymoma and thymic carcinoma, are mainly treated with surgical resection. The majority of patients with thymic tumors present with early stage and are cured with surgical excision with or without post-operative radiation. For the patients who present with unresectable stage III or IV disease, or for the patients who experience recurrence, chemotherapy can play a significant role in ensuring long-term survival and offering palliation. Thymic tumors are chemo-sensitive with optimal responses achieved with cisplatin-based combinations. A multimodality approach including chemotherapy and post-operative radiation can improve complete resection rates and long-term outcomes in locally advanced tumors. Patients with disseminated thymic tumors can have significant disease response and symptom palliation when treated with chemotherapy. Durable responses can be obtained both in metastatic and recurrent settings. Second-line treatments are available and novel therapies are currently being explored. This review provides an update of available evidence about the treatment of thymic tumors with chemotherapy.     

Transitional cell carcinoma in high-grade high-stage ovarian carcinoma. An indicator of favorable response to chemotherapy

We reviewed 53 high-grade carcinomas of the ovary in order to define pathologic features that correlate with prognosis. All tumors were Stage III with comparable amounts of residual tumor left after the primary resection. Similar postoperative chemotherapeutic regimens were given to each patient, and there was a clinical followup of at least four years in each case. The tumors were classified according to their predominant (greater than 50%) histology as transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) (18 tumors), papillary serous (18), undifferentiated (8), or endometrioid (3). There were six mixed carcinomas without predominant histology. In 17 of 18 patients, TCC predominant tumors responded completely to chemotherapy and 15 of 18 patients (83%) are alive without disease 4 to 10 years after presentation (average 6.8 years). In comparison, tumor progression/recurrence developed in 31 of 35 non-TCC tumors (18 serous, eight undifferentiated, one endometrioid predominant, and four mixed carcinomas). Of these 35 patients, 27 (77%) died of disease from 6 months to 7 years after presentation (average 2.5 yrs.). Flow cytometric determination of DNA content and immunoperoxidase studies did not allow discrimination between the histologic types of high-grade ovarian carcinomas. We conclude that TCC should be recognized as a distinct histologic type of ovarian carcinoma because of the favorable response to chemotherapy and improved patient survival.     

Hemangiopericytoma in pediatric ages: a report from the Italian and German Soft Tissue Sarcoma Cooperative Group.

BACKGROUND: Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is very uncommon in childhood and comprises two different clinical entities, the adult type and the infantile type, occurring in the first year of age. We report on a series of 27 pediatric patients treated from 1978 to 1999 by the Italian and German Soft Tissue Sarcoma Cooperative Group. METHODS: Seven patients had infantile HPC; complete resection was achieved in the tumors of five patients and chemotherapy was given to four patients. Twenty children had adult type HPC; nine received complete tumor resection (four patients at diagnosis and five at delayed surgery). Post-operative radiotherapy was administered to 15 patients, chemotherapy to 19. RESULTS: Six of seven patients with infantile HPC were alive in first remission; one patient died of disease. Chemotherapy achieved an objective response in four of four patients. Among the adult type HPC cases, 5-year event free survival was 64% (median follow-up 125 months); 12 patients were alive in first remission, eight patients relapsed and died of disease. Seven of 10 evaluable patients showed good response to chemotherapy. Statistically significant differences in outcome were observed in relation to Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study grouping, size, local invasiveness, and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Infantile HPC is a unique entity probably related to infantile myofibroblastic lesions and characterized by a high response to chemotherapy, which is required in case of unresectable, life-threatening tumors. In children over 1 year of age, HPC behaves like its adult counterpart; complete surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment, but chemotherapy and radiotherapy seem effective and are recommended in all patients with incomplete tumor resection and/or locally invasive, large tumors.     

Stage III-IV sinonasal and nasal cavity carcinoma treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: To report the dosimetric data and clinical outcomes of patients with advanced neoplasm of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity, treated by three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy. METHODS: Between 2000 and 2005, 31 consecutive patients were treated for locally advanced tumors of paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity. The primary tumor was located as follows: maxillary sinus 15 (48.4%); ethmoid sinus 10 (32.3%); nasal cavity 6 (19.3%). The patients were separated in two groups according to the modality of treatment: group A included 21 patients treated with postoperative three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy; group B included 10 patients treated with radical three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. The median radiation dose to the planning target volume was 60 Gy (range, 56-63) for patients who underwent complete surgical resection and 68 Gy (range, 64-70) for those who did not have tumor resection or patients with residual disease. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 42 months. Five-year local tumor control and overall survival actuarial rates were 74% and 72%, respectively, in the postoperative setting, 20% and 25%, respectively, with the primary radiotherapy. Local recurrence was the most common site of failure. No patient developed radio-induced blindness; 4 patients underwent enucleation as part of radical surgery. Dosimetric data are reported. CONCLUSIONS: The local control rate for these tumors remains low. The prognosis depends on localization, tumor stage and treatment modality. Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy reduces the risk on optical pathways but does not modify outcome.     

Treatment of malignant thymoma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The present review reports findings in the field of epithelial tumors originating from the thymus from the past year and discusses these findings in the context of the literature. RECENT FINDINGS: Epithelial tumors of the thymus are relatively common tumors of the anterior superior mediastinum. Thymomas are usually slowly growing tumors, and their prognosis depends on the macroscopic and microscopic invasion of surrounding tissues. Thymic carcinomas are more aggressive and less common tumors than thymomas and have been increasing in frequency in recent years. Surgery is the mainstay treatment of thymic malignancies, and complete resection represents the best prognostic factor in this disease. Postoperative radiotherapy may be indicated in tumors with invasion of surrounding tissues, but it is controversial in early-stage thymomas. Combination chemotherapy has been employed in several small studies and in advanced disease has been demonstrated to produce a 50-80% objective response rate. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy or external beam radiotherapy have been used with success in patients with tumors that are not readily resectable. Novel antiproliferative systemic agents are being investigated, based on a better understanding of the biology of these tumors. SUMMARY: A better understanding of the clinical behavior of thymomas versus thymic carcinomas and systemic therapies targeted to biologically validated targets in these diseases will help improve efficacy of treatment.     

Evaluation of pre- and postoperative chemotherapy for resectable adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction

Thirty-five consecutive patients with resectable adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction were treated with two preoperative and three or four postoperative chemotherapy courses consisting of etoposide, fluorouracil, and cisplatin (EFP) to evaluate the rate of curative resection, clinical and pathologic response, toxic effects, and survival. One hundred thirty-seven courses with a median number of five courses (range, one to six) were administered. Preoperative EFP resulted in 17 (49%) major responses, including six patients who did not have carcinoma cells in the repeat endoscopic biopsy specimens and cytologic brushings. Among 32 patients who had surgery, 25 (78%) had curative resection, one patient had a complete pathologic response, and one had microscopic carcinoma in the resected specimen. Six patients had microscopic carcinoma at the resection margins and received postoperative radiotherapy. At a median follow-up of 20 months, the projected survival of 35 patients is 23 months (range, 6 to 33+). Fifteen patients died of their carcinomas, and 15 patients were alive (median follow-up, 20+ months; range, 15+ to 33+ months) with no evidence of relapse. There were no deaths related to chemotherapy, surgery, or radiotherapy. EFP-induced toxic reactions were moderate. Our data suggest that multiple courses of EFP are feasible. Future strategies for this disease should consider prolonged chemotherapy with regimens that result frequently in pathologic complete responses.     

The clinical course of nonsmall cell lung carcinoma in survivors of Hodgkin disease

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to document the natural history of second lung carcinomas, common second tumors that arise in survivors of Hodgkin disease (HD). METHODS: The data bases of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center were searched to retrieve those patients who were listed with a diagnosis of both lung carcinoma and HD. Information was extracted regarding their HD (including age at diagnosis and treatment received) and their lung carcinoma (including smoking history, latency from HD, histology, disease stage, treatment received, treatment response, and survival). RESULTS: Twenty-one lung carcinomas were diagnosed in 19 patients, with a median latency of 13 years from the time of diagnosis of HD. Only five patients underwent complete resection, and four patients were alive and disease free at the last follow-up. In contrast, the median survival of 14 patients with unresectable disease was 3 months. No major objective responses were documented after chemotherapy. Poor performance status and prior thoracic radiotherapy limited treatment in patients with advanced disease. All patients had either received radiotherapy to the chest for HD or had a history of smoking; 74% of patients had both risk factors for the development of lung carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with a history of HD, survival after the development of lung carcinoma is poor. Because surgical resection can lead to long-term survival, early detection is crucial. HD survivors, especially those with a history of smoking, should undergo careful surveillance for second primary lung carcinomas and other diseases. Patients who are diagnosed with HD should abstain from smoking. Physicians should assess specifically the smoking status of all HD patients and prescribe a smoking cessation program.     

Treatment of spinal cord ependymomas by surgery with or without postoperative radiotherapy

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of complete resection and postoperative radiotherapy in spinal cord ependymomas. Methods and materials: We conducted a retrospective study over 20 patients (13 males and 7 females) with histologically confirmed spinal cord ependymomas between July 1985 and April 2001. Among them, 13 patients had ependymomas, 6 had myxopapillary ependymomas, and 1 had anaplastic ependymoma. All patients received radical surgery for tumor removal with 13 patients achieving complete resection and 7 incomplete resection due to technical difficulty. Among those with incomplete resection, 6 patients received postoperative radiotherapy to tumor bed and only one patient with anaplastic ependymoma received surgery alone. The total tumor dose ranged from 50 to 60 Gy. Results: Among the 20 patients, 19 patients were alive and showed local control. The median survival time of all patients was 109 months, with 104 months in the complete resection alone group and 135 months in the incomplete resection with postoperative radiotherapy group. One patient with anaplastic ependymoma and no postoperative radiotherapy developed leptomeningeal seeding 9 months after surgery. Salvage therapy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy maintained normal neurological functions. The patient expired 34 months from the initial diagnosis due to progression of leptomeningeal seeding. Conclusion: Complete resection alone in spinal cord ependymoma can achieve excellent local control and survival. Patients should receive complete resection if technically possible. Postoperative radiotherapy is not recommended for complete resection. For incomplete resection, postoperative local radiotherapy is recommended and it can also achieve excellent local control and survival. Local radiotherapy with 50-60 Gy is effective and safe. Salvage radiotherapy improves quality of life for local recurrence or leptomeningeal seeding patients.     

Treatment and prognosis of brain metastases from breast cancer

Background To analyze retrospectively the results of treatments for patients with brain metastases from breast cancer. Materials and Methods The records of 65 breast cancer patients with brain metastases who were treated between 1985 and 2005 were reviewed. For brain metastases, 11 patients (17%) were treated with surgical resection followed by radiotherapy, and the remaining 54 patients were treated with radiotherapy alone. Systemic chemotherapy was also administered to 11 patients after brain radiotherapy. Results The overall median survival for all patients was 6.1 months (range, 0.4–82.2 months). In univariate analysis, treatment modality, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), administration of systemic chemotherapy, extracranial disease status and total radiation dose each had significant impact on overall survival, and in multivariate analysis, treatment modality, KPS and administration of systemic chemotherapy were significant prognostic factors. Eight patients survived for more than 2 years after the diagnosis of brain metastases, and all these patients were treated with surgical resection and/or systemic chemotherapy in addition to radiotherapy. For the 45 patients treated with palliative radiotherapy (without systemic chemotherapy), the improvements in neurological symptoms were observed in 35 patients (78%), with the median duration of improvement of 3.1 months (range, 1.5–4.4 months). Conclusions The prognoses for patients with brain metastases from breast cancer were generally poor, although selected patients may survive longer with intensive brain tumor treatment, such as surgical resection and/or systemic chemotherapy in addition to brain radiotherapy. For patients with unfavorable prognoses, palliative radiotherapy was effective in improving the quality of the remaining lifetime.     

Results of the radiation therapy of malignant epipharyngeal tumors in 1953-1977]

134 patients having carcinomas of nasopharynx were treated with megavoltage radiotherapy. Treatment results in relation to histology, stage and tumor dose are reported. Patients with squamous cell carcinomas showed a shorter survival in comparison with tumors of higher sensibility. Patients with smaller tumors survived longer than others in advanced stages and patients who received more than 5000 rads had a better prognosis both in squamous cell carcinomas and tumors of higher sensibility. The value of a combined treatment of radiotherapy with hyperthermia and/or chemotherapy is discussed.