Long-term follow-up results of 175 patients with malignant glioma: Importance of radical tumour resection and postoperative adjuvant therapy with interferon,ACNU and radiation

Summary We analysed long-term follow-up results of 175 patients with malignant glioma (110 glioblastoma and 65 anaplastic astrocytoma) treated under five different regimes during the past two decades. The factors of age (less than 40), histology (anaplastic astrocytoma) and type of adjuvant therapy (radiation and chemotherapy) contributed to long survival. The other important factor was the response to adjuvant therapy.Cases of gross total removal or complete response (CR) of a residual tumour to an adjuvant therapy showed a better prognosis. The three and five year survival rate was 42% and 24%, respectively. The highest CR ratio (23%) was seen in patients treated by intravenous injection of interferon and ACNU in addition to radiotherapy (IAR therapy).     

Developments in treatment of primary irresectable rectal cancer

Abstract The treatment options for primary irresectable rectal cancers are discussed. Assessment of tumour stage is the first step for an appropriate choice of treatment. Following a diagnosis of rectal cancer, a vast array of diagnostic procedures is available to determine its stage, and thereby its best treatment options. From the many (new) diagnostic options the merits and drawbacks are discussed. If a diagnosis of irresectability is made, further treatment options should include radiotherapy in most cases, some aspects of timing and application, i.e. intra-operative treatment are discussed. Chemotherapy options are manifold, the results are discussed and some new options are explored.     

支气管动脉灌注化疗联合直线加速器放射治疗Ⅲa期非小细胞肺癌

目的　研究支气管动脉灌注化疗联合直线加速器放射治疗Ⅲa期非小细胞肺癌 (NSCLC)的可行性及临床价值。方法　 76例NSCLC患者随机分成A、B 2组 ,A组先行 2次支气管动脉灌注化疗 (BAI) ,第 2次BAI 1～ 2周后再行直线加速器放射治疗 (RT) ;B组单纯行 2次BAI (对照组 )。结果　临床疗效 ,A组 (BAI RT)和B组 (BAI)分别为 89.47%和 60 .5 3% (Ρ <0 .0 1) ;1、3年生存率 ,A、B组分别为 81.5 8%、5 0 .0 0 %和 60 .5 3%、2 1.0 5 % ( 0 .0 1<Ρ <0 .0 5 )。结论　支气管动脉灌注化疗联合直线加速器放射治疗Ⅲa期非小细胞肺癌的临床疗效和患者 1、3年生存率均显著提高     

LIMITATIONS OF RADIOTHERAPY IN THE DEFINITIVE TREATMENT OF SQUAMOUS CARCINOMA OF THE TONSILLAR FOSSA

Between 1970 and 1990, 104 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tonsil were treated. The median age was 58 years and 80% of patients were males. Distribution among clinical stages was: stage I, 19 patients; stage II, 12 patients; stage III, 23 patients; and stage IV, 48 patients. More than 70% of patients had initial radiotherapy as definitive treatment irrespective of stage, reflecting the treatment philosophy over much of this period. The overall survival rate was 26% at 5 years, with survival being significantly affected by T stage, clinical stage and age. Clinical node status did not significantly affect survival rates. Good local control of T₁N₀ cancers was achieved with radiotherapy alone, but patients with more advanced cancers did poorly. We have now moved away from a non-selective policy and use initial surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy in most patients, reserving radiotherapy alone for mainly early tonsil cancers.     

中国人与白种人鼻咽癌的发病和治疗

对1971—1990年间加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚癌症中心收治的428例鼻咽癌病人的发病和治疗情况进行分析。其中,中国人占303例(71％),白种人116例(27％)。中国人在该省鼻咽癌的年发病率是白种人的64倍,其中又以在中国出生的发病率最高,分别为白种人的104倍和北美出生的中国人的16倍。本组总的5年和10年生存率分别为51％和39％,颈淋巴结阴性的病人5年生存率达64％;而阳性的病人只有44％。鼻咽癌的预后与它的临床分期、病理类型、治疗前有无做颈淋巴结活检,以及性别有关,而与病人的人种和出生地无关。     

RESULTS OF EXTERNAL BEAM RADIOTHERAPY IN 448 PATIENTS WITH CLINICALLY LOCALIZED ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE PROSTATE

The results of external beam radiotherapy for clinically localized adenocarcinorna of the prostate in 448 patients treated in the period 1980–90 were reviewed. The average follow up was 4.9 years. The patients were aged 44–87 years (median 69 years) and all had histopathological evidence of adenocarcinoma by needle biopsy or transurethral resection of prostate. The histopathological grading was: 127 G₁; 154 G₂; 127 G₃; 12 G₄; 28 G_x. Clinical staging according to TNM (American Urological Association) was: 29 T₀ (A2); 4 T₁ (B1); 173 T₂ (B2); 176 T₃ (C1); 63 T₄ (C2); 3 T_x. Routine surgical pelvic lymph node staging was not performed but patients had radiological (computerized tomography scan or lymphogram) nodal staging: 350 N₀; 22 N₁; 12 N₂; 64 N_x. High energy linear accelerator external beam radiotherapy was given by multiple fields to total doses of 50–70 Gy (median 60 Gy). The majority of patients (307, 69%) was treated by a uniform policy under the care of one radiation oncologist (HM). The rates of local and distant failure at 5 years were 10% (s.e. = 2%) and 42% (s.e. = 3%), respectively. The late complication rate at 5 years was 25% (s.e. = 2%), comprising mild 16%, moderate 7% and severe 1.3%. The 5 year overall survival rate was 64% (s.e. = 2%) and the cancer-specific survival rate was 74% (s.e. = 3%). Both histological grade and clinical stage were strongly predictive of overall survival and distant failure. Only histological grade was predictive of local failure. Treatment with external beam radiotherapy for this common cancer resulted in survival and disease control rates that compare favourably with other published radiotherapy series and has been accompanied by acceptably low morbidity.     

放射治疗骨转移癌疼痛47例临床分析

目的 观察骨转移癌疼痛放射治疗方法对疼痛的缓解效果。方法47例患者60处骨转移灶均采用6 MV X线放射治疗。剂量方案采用两种方法:A方案:30—51 Gy/10～17f/2～4周,B方案:25～30 Gy/5—6f/1～2周。结果分次方案对疼痛缓解率无明显影响,总有效率均为91.5％,但常规分次放疗3～4次后疼痛缓解,而低分割放疗1—2次后疼痛即缓解。结论 骨转移癌放射治疗止痛效果确切、迅速,副作用小,对大部分病例可采用低分割方案。     

Multicentre prospective audit of surgical outcomes and acute complications following short course pre-operative radiotherapy for resectable rectal cancer

BACKGROUND: The addition of short course pre-operative radiotherapy to total mesorectal excision reduces local recurrence in resectable adenocarcinoma of the rectum. In a previous retrospective study potential factors associated with early complications following this combination were identified. The aim of this study was to examine these relationships in a prospective multicentre audit. METHODS: One hundred and seven patients who received short course pre-operative radiotherapy in four cancer centres between 1 October 2001 and 30 September 2002 were included. Data including patient age, radiotherapy field length, overall treatment time, operation type, surgical outcomes and complications occurring within 3 months of the 1st day of radiotherapy were collected. These were compared and combined with the previously studied cohort of 176 patients treated at one centre between 1st January 1998 and 31st December 1999. RESULTS: In the prospective cohort only patient age (P=0.001) was significantly associated with acute complications. However, both the overall treatment time (median 9.0 vs 11.0 days P <0.0001) and field length (median 16.6 vs 17.0 cm P=0.03) were significantly shorter in this cohort when compared to the previous retrospective study. In patients from both studies (n=283), increasing age (P=0.002) and field length (independent of operation type) (P=0.02) were independently associated with an increased risk of acute complications. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that meticulous selection of patients for short course pre-operative radiotherapy and smaller planning target volumes may be associated with a lower risk of acute complications. The use of MRI scanning to stage pelvic disease may reduce the number of patients with R1 resections receiving short course pre-operative radiotherapy.     

Impact of Increasing Margin Around the Lumpectomy Cavity to Define the Planning Target Volume for 3D Conformal External Beam Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dose to normal tissues as a function of increasing margins around the lumpectomy cavity in accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) using 3D-conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). Eight patients with Stage 0-I breast cancer underwent treatment planning for 3DCRT APBI. The clinical target volume (CTV) was defined as a 15-mm expansion around the cavity limited by the chest wall and skin. Three planning target volumes (PTV1, PTV2, PTV3) were generated for each patient using a 0, 5-, and 10-mm expansion around the CTV, for a total margin of 15, 20, and 25 mm. Three treatment plans were generated for every patient using the 3 PTVs, and dose-volume analysis was performed for each plan. For each 5-mm increase in margin, the mean PTV:total breast volume ratio increased 10% and the relative increase in the mean ipsilateral breast dose was 15%. The mean volume of ipsilateral breast tissue receiving 75%, 50%, and 25% of the prescribed dose increased 6% to 7% for every 5 mm increase in PTV margin. Compared to lesions located in the upper outer quadrant, plans for medially located tumors revealed higher mean ipsilateral breast doses and 20% to 22% more ipsilateral breast tissue encompassed by the 25% IDL. The use of 3DCRT for APBI delivers higher doses to normal breast tissue as the PTV increases around the lumpectomy cavity. Efforts should be made to minimize the overall PTV when this technique is used. Ongoing studies will be necessary to determine the clinical relevance of these findings.     

Is pre‐operative radiotherapy necessary in T1‐T3 rectal cancer with TME?

OBJECTIVE: The indications for pre-operative radiotherapy in rectal cancer are still unclear with the exception of T4 tumours. The aim of this study was to assess local and overall recurrence in patients with T1-T3 rectal cancers undergoing total mesorectal excision (TME). METHODS: Prospective data was collected from 150 patients with rectal cancer treated in one surgical centre between July 1997 and July 2002. One hundred and twenty-nine primary resections were carried of which 102 were with curative intent. Seventy-nine patients with T1-T3 tumours were included in the analysis. Nine had local resections and 70 underwent TME; 19 of the 70 patients were node positive and 51 were node negative. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 37 months (range 19-79 months) there were 3 (4.3%) isolated local recurrences. One node positive patient developed isolated local recurrence compared with 2 node negative patients. The node positive patient died from a myocardial infarction while the two node negative patients died as a consequence of local recurrence. Three (4.3%) of 70 patients developed systemic relapse all of whom were node positive. The cancer specific mortality rate over the same follow-up period was 3/19 for node positive patients and 2/51 for node negative patients. Of 9 patients who had local resections, none developed local recurrence or systemic relapse. CONCLUSIONS: With TME the rate of local recurrence in T1-T3 tumours is low. Our results do not support the use of pre-operative radiotherapy for these patients.