Phase I/II study on kilovoltage surface brachytherapy in conjunctival cancer: preliminary results.

INTRODUCTION: In ocular conjunctival carcinoma after surgery, adjuvant treatment has a role and kilovoltage surface brachytherapy opens a new door for the range of therapeutic options. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2014 and June 2017, at the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases (INEN) from Peru, 39 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of ocular conjunctiva, T1-T3, resected, were selected to receive adjuvant treatment. The portable accelerator of 50-kV INTRABEAM (Carl Zeiss Meditec) was used, after local anaesthesia and blocking of ocular muscles movement. The doses used were 18 Gy for patients with free margins and 22 Gy for positive edges, according to calculation of equivalent dose of 2Gy per fraction of 46 and 66 Gy, respectively, assuming a tumoural α/ß ratio of 8 Gy. The prescription was done to 2 mm depth. RESULTS: The median age was 69 years, distributed evenly between both genders, with a median follow-up of 12 months. The surgical margins were 59% free and 41% committed, with no difference between the institutions where the surgery was performed (P = 0.069). The median tumour size was 7 mm with 2 mm of invasion, 61.5% was T2 and 35.9% T1. The mean time between surgery and irradiation was 1.5 months, 23.1% of patients developed grade I toxicity of spontaneous resolution, without evidence of greater degree in any case. The dose had no statistical relationship with toxicity (P = 0.533). One-year disease-free survival was 96.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Kilovoltage surface brachytherapy is an applicable and reproducible tool in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of ocular conjunctiva. The administered doses are well tolerated by patients with low levels of acute toxicity. Longer follow-up is needed to establish disease control rates and late toxicities.

Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type: study of clinicopathologic and prognosis factors in a series of 78 cases from Peru.

It is well known that extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (NK/TCL) nasal type clusters in Asian countries. A large series of 78 cases of nasal NK/TCL from Peru is analyzed in the present study. Two histologic groups 1 (monomorphic) and 2 (polymorphic), were segregated according to the proportion of large cells (above and below 30%, respectively). Catalyzed signal amplification technique was performed for enhancement of immunohistochemistry reactivities. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) sequences and types were investigated using polymerase chain reaction. Clinical characteristics, stage, outcome, and response to treatment were evaluated in both groups. Fourteen cases (18%) and 64 cases (82%) corresponded to groups 1 and 2, respectively. Except for nasal obstruction, more common in group 2, all other symptoms were similar in both groups. Local extension and staging were also comparable. Both groups showed CD3c+ CD2+ CD56+ CD3s- CD20- immunophenotype. All cases were positive for EBV. In this series type-2 EBV was found more frequent than type-1 EBV, contrarily to that observed in Asian series. However, about one-third of cases simultaneously harbored both viral types. Both groups received an average of 50-Gy dose of radiation therapy (RT), with or without chemotherapy. Complete therapeutic response was achieved in 89% of group 1 and in 74% of group 2, but this difference was not statistically significant. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding disease-free survival, failure-free survival, relapse, and overall survival. The overall survival, in both groups, was longer for patients treated with RT alone compared with those treated with combined RT therapy and chemotherapy. The present study has shown that dividing nasal NK/TCL in monomorphic and polymorphic variants, according to frequency of large cells, does not correlate with clinical and prognostic factors.

Repeated observation of immune gene sets enrichment in women with non-small cell lung cancer.

There are different biological and clinical patterns of lung cancer between genders indicating intrinsic differences leading to increased sensitivity to cigarette smoke-induced DNA damage, mutational patterns of KRAS and better clinical outcomes in women while differences between genders at gene-expression levels was not previously reported. Here we show an enrichment of immune genes in NSCLC in women compared to men. We found in a GSEA analysis (by biological processes annotated from Gene Ontology) of six public datasets a repeated observation of immune gene sets enrichment in women. "Immune system process", "immune response", "defense response", "cellular defense response" and "regulation of immune system process" were the gene sets most over-represented while APOBEC3G, APOBEC3F, LAT, CD1D and CCL5 represented the top-five core genes. Characterization of immune cell composition with the platform CIBERSORT showed no differences between genders; however, there were differences when tumor tissues were compared to normal tissues. Our results suggest different immune responses in NSCLC between genders that could be related with the different clinical outcome.

Hydroa-like cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: a clinicopathologic and molecular genetic study of 16 pediatric cases from Peru.

Hydroa-like cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (hydroa-like CTCL) is an unusual pediatric malignancy with a poor prognosis. An impressive cutaneous rash characterized by edema, blisters, ulcers, crusts, and scars, resembling hidroa vacciniforme, is seen mainly on the face and sometimes on the extremities. The lesion consists of lymphomatous T-cell infiltration of the skin and subcutis with variable exocytosis and angiocentricity. It has been also called edematous, scarring vasculitic panniculitis and hydroa-like lymphoma. An association with Epstein-Barr virus has been suggested. The differential diagnosis includes other cutaneous lymphomas, particularly the cutaneous nasal type T/natural killer-cell lymphoma, mycosis fungoides, precursor T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, nonspecific peripheral T-cell lymphoma, cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and subcutaneous panniculitic T-cell lymphoma. Other differential diagnoses are inflammatory dermatopathies and panniculitides. Based on a series of 16 such cases referred to the Institute of Neoplastic Diseases, the objective of this report is not only to provide a better clinicopathologic understanding of this entity but also a reappraisal of it as a malignancy. The male/female frequency ratio was 1:1. The median age was 10 years old. All cases showed predominant facial involvement with edema, blisters, ulcers, crusts, and scars. Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy had little or no benefit. The prognosis was usually dismal. The lymphoma extended from the epidermis to the subcutis, with frequent angiocentric and periadnexal array. Lymphoma cells were mostly of intermediate size with dense hyperchromatic nuclei, inconspicuous nucleoli, and infrequent mitosis. A scanty and variable inflammatory background was found. The lymphoma cells displayed T-cell cytotoxic phenotype. In addition, they were negative for the natural killer cell antigens CD56 and CD57. Epstein-Barr virus in situ hybridization was positive in the six cases in which it was assayed. T-cell receptor gamma (TCRgamma) displayed monoclonal-type rearrangement in four cases studied. Our findings indicate that hydroa-like CTCL is an independent clinicopathologic entity that affects children. Consequently, it should be considered an independent subset of CTCLs and be included as such in the classification of neoplastic diseases of the lymphoid tissues.

[Parametrial involvement in cervical cancer IB1 patients treated with radical hysterectomy in Peru]. / Compromiso parametrial en pacientes con cáncer de cérvix IB-1 tratadas con histerectomía radical en Perú

OBJECTIVES: To assess the frequency and factors associated with parametrial involvement (PI) in patients with cervical cancer IB1 who underwent radical hysterectomy (RH) at the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases in Peru. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 214 patients with cervical cancer IB1 undergoing RH with pelvic lymphadenectomy between 2007 and 2012. The population was compared with and without clinicopathological variables associated with PI such as age, tumor size, depth of infi histological grade and pelvic lymph node involvement. RESULTS: Ten patients (4.6%) had PI. Multivariate analysis showed that the depth of invasion (OR 8.37, 95% CI 1.24- 56.41, p=0.029) and pelvic node involvement (OR 18.03; 95% CI 3.30-98.44, p=0.001) were all independent predictors of PI. The presence of tumor size = 2 cm, invasion = 10 mm, absence of lymphovascular permeation and absence of nodal involvement identifi 97 patients at low risk of PI, none of whom had PI pathology. CONCLUSIONS: We confi the low frequency of PI in the cervical cancer IB1 subgroup and its association with the depth of invasion and lymph node involvement suggested in previous studies. This information will allow the identifi of a subgroup of patients at low risk of PI for less radical surgery in our institution.

[Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced breast cancer]. / La quimioterapia neoadyuvante en el tratamiento del cáncer de mama localmente avanzado.

In the first stages of cancer treatment, it was believed that it spread by continuity, so the first strategies to treat locally advanced breast cancer were highly aggressive, as well as mutilating. A deeper knowledge of the biology of cancer later resulted in important changes in its treatment, such as the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, administered prior to surgical treatment, as an alternative therapy. Initially described by the University of Milan, neoadjuvant chemotherapy has proven to be a better alternative than surgical treatment alone, adjuvant (or post-surgical) chemotherapy and radiotherapy alone or in combination with the previously mentioned techniques. Among its advantages we find an increase in the rate of breast-conserving surgeries and a reduction in the ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence rate. Furthermore, it facilitates breast cancer control and follow-up. On the other hand, its main disadvantage is that it cannot modify some of the disease's prognostic factors, such as the tumor breast relation, multicentric disease, scattered microcalcifications and the coexistence of medical elements which contraindicate radiation therapy. Currently, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a pillar of the treatment of locally advanced breast cancer and is recommended in order to guarantee a more conservative evolution of the disease.

[Triple negative breast cancer: a difficult disease to diagnose and treat]. / Cáncer de mama triple negativo: una enfermedad de difícil diagnóstico y tratamiento.

Triple negative breast cancer (CMTN, Spanish acronym) is a malignant neoplasm characterized by the absence of expression of estrogen, progesterone and HER2 receptors. Recent studies have shown that CMTN is a heterogeneous group including different neoplasm with different prognosis. However, because genetic profiles are not a standard practice in conventional diagnosis of breast cancer, it is hard to properly identify this breast cancer subtype. CMTN is characterized by its high-incidence epidemiological patterns in African-American and Latin people, and lower incidence in Caucasian people, and constitutes a public health issue due to its high morbidity and mortality. Due to the absence of therapeutic targets, chemotherapy has a key role in treatment, and many efforts are being deployed to seek other combinations of chemotherapy and new drugs, while the current guides do not specify treatment for this type of cancer. This document reviews the epidemiological and clinical characteristics, the potential prognosis factors and some therapeutic strategies against CMTN.

EBV-associated cutaneous NK/T-cell lymphoma: review of a series of 14 cases from peru in children and young adults.

We have reviewed clinically, morphologically, and immunophenotypically a series of 14 Epstein-Bar virus (EBV)+ cutaneous natural killer cell (NK)/T-cell lymphoma from Peru. Most (11 out of 14) of these cases fit well into the category of Hydroa vacciniforme-like lymphoma (HVLL), but 3 have a different clinical presentation, without facial involvement. In all 14 cases, skin lesions present in both the sun-exposed and nonexposed areas exhibited a slowly progressive relapsing course, changing from edema, to blistering, ulceration, and final scarring. The immunophenotype had a cytotoxic T or NK-cell lineage. The mean time of disease before admission to hospital was 69 months (range, 6 mo to 31 y). Only 2 patients had fever, hepatosplenomegaly, systemic lymphadenopathy, and a high lactate dehydrodenage (LDH) level at the time of diagnosis, whereas 10 had facial swelling. After treatment, only 4 patients remain alive, although with persistent disease. Ten patients died after a mean follow-up of 11.6 months after the initial diagnosis (range, 1 to 32 mo), because of concurrent infections (4 cases), disease progression (4 patients) or both (2 patients). Endemic Epstein-Bar virus (EBV)-positive cutaneous NK/T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders in childhood and early adulthood are characterized by a protracted clinical course, eventually leading to an aggressive phase characterized by concurrent infections and disease progression.

Compromiso parametrial en pacientes con cáncer de cérvix IB-1 tratadas con histerectomía radical en Perú / Parametrial involvement in cervical cancer IB1 patients treated with radical hysterectomy in Peru

Objetivos. Evaluar la frecuencia y factores asociados al compromiso parametrial (CP) en pacientes con cáncer de cérvix IB-1 sometidas a histerectomía radical (HR) en el Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas del Perú. Materiales y métodos. Estudio transversal analítico en 214 pacientes con cáncer de cérvix IB-1 sometidas a HR con linfadenectomía pélvica entre el 2007 y 2012. Se comparó la población con y sin CP según variables clinicopatológicas como edad, tamaño tumoral, profundidad de infiltración, grado histológico y afectación ganglionar pélvica. Resultados. Diez pacientes (4,6%) presentaron CP. El análisis multivariable mostró que la profundidad de la invasión (OR 8,37, IC 95%: 1,24-56,41, p=0,029) y el compromiso de ganglios pélvicos (OR 18,03, IC 95%: 3,30-98,44, p=0,001) resultaron ser predictores independientes del CP. La presencia de tamaño tumoral ≤ 2 cm, invasión ≤ 10 mm, ausencia de permeación linfovascular y ausencia de compromiso ganglionar permitió identificar 97 pacientes de bajo riesgo de CP, de los cuales ninguno tuvo CP en patología. Conclusiones. Confirmamos la baja frecuencia del CP en el subgrupo de cáncer de cervix IB-1 y su asociación con la profundidad de la invasión y con el compromiso ganglionar linfático sugeridos en estudios previos. Esta información permitirá identificar un subgrupo de pacientes con bajo riesgo de CP candidatas a una cirugía menos radical en nuestra institución...

Objectives. To assess the frequency and factors associated with parametrial involvement (PI) in patients with cervical cancer IB1 who underwent radical hysterectomy (RH) at the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases in Peru. Materials and methods. Cross-sectional study of 214 patients with cervical cancer IB1 undergoing RH with pelvic lymphadenectomy between 2007 and 2012. The population was compared with and without clinicopathological variables associated with PI such as age, tumor size, depth of infiltration, histological grade and pelvic lymph node involvement. Results. Ten patients (4.6%) had PI. Multivariate analysis showed that the depth of invasion (OR 8.37, 95% CI 1.24- 56.41, p=0.029) and pelvic node involvement (OR 18.03; 95% CI 3.30-98.44, p=0.001) were all independent predictors of PI. The presence of tumor size ≤ 2 cm, invasion ≤ 10 mm, absence of lymphovascular permeation and absence of nodal involvement identified 97 patients at low risk of PI, none of whom had PI pathology. Conclusions. We confirmed the low frequency of PI in the cervical cancer IB1 subgroup and its association with the depth of invasion and lymph node involvement suggested in previous studies. This information will allow the identification of a subgroup of patients at low risk of PI for less radical surgery in our institution...

La quimioterapia neoadyuvante en el tratamiento del cáncer de mama localmente avanzado / Neoadyuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced breast cancer

Al inicio del tratamiento del cáncer, se pensaba que este se diseminaba por continuidad, lo cual originó que las primeras estrategias para el manejo de cáncer de mama localmente avanzado fueran altamente agresivas, además de mutilantes. Con los avances en el conocimiento de la biología de la enfermedad, se generaron importantes cambios en el manejo de esta neoplasia. Surgió entonces como alternativa terapéutica la quimioterapia neoadyuvante, que es aquella que se administra previamente al tratamiento quirúrgico. Descrita inicialmente por la escuela de Milán, ha probado ser una mejor alternativa que el tratamiento quirúrgico solo, que la quimioterapia adyuvante (o postquirúrgica) y que la radioterapia sola o en combinación con las técnicas señaladas previamente. Dentro de las ventajas de la quimioterapia neoadyuvante se encuentran el incremento de la tasa de las cirugías conservadoras de mama y la disminución de la tasa de recaída ipsilateral. Facilita además el control y seguimiento de la enfermedad. Sin embargo, la principal desventaja es que no puede modificar algunos factores pronósticos de la enfermedad como la relación tumor mama, enfermedad multicéntrica, las microcalcificaciones dispersas y la coexistencia de procesos médicos que contraindiquen la radioterapia. Actualmente, la quimioterapia neoadyuvante es la base del manejo del cáncer de mama localmente avanzado y está recomendada para garantizar una evolución más conservadora en el manejo de esta enfermedad.

In the first stages of cancer treatment, it was believed that it spreaded by continuity, so the first strategies to treat locally advanced breast cancer were highly aggressive, as well as mutilating. A deeper knowledge of the biology of cancer later resulted in important changes in its treatment, such as the use of neoadyuvant chemotherapy, administered prior to surgical treatment, as an alternative therapy. Initially described by the University of Milan, neoadyuvant chemotherapy has proven to be a better alternative than surgical treatment alone, adjuvant (or post-surgical) chemotherapy and radiotherapy alone or in combination with the previously mentioned techniques. Among its advantages we find an increase in the rate of breast-conserving surgeries and a reduction in the ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence rate. Furthermore, it facilitates breast cancer control and follow-up. On the other hand, its main disadvantage is that it cannot modify some of the disease’s prognostic factors, such as the tumor breast relation, multicentric disease, scattered microcalcifications and the coexistence of medical elements which contraindicate radiation therapy. Currently, neoadyuvant chemotherapy is a pillar of the treatment of locally advanced breast cancer and is recommended in order to guarantee a more conservative evolution of the disease.

Cáncer de mama triple negativo: una enfermedad de difícil diagnóstico y tratamiento / Triple negative breast cancer: a difficult disease to diagnose and treat

El cáncer de mama triple negativo (CMTN) es una neoplasia maligna caracterizada por la ausencia de la expresión de los receptores de estrógeno, de progesterona y HER2. Estudios recientes han señalado que el CMTN es un grupo heterogéneo de distintas neoplasias, con pronósticos diferentes. Sin embargo, debido a que la realización de perfiles genéticos no es una práctica estándar para el diagnóstico convencional del cáncer de mama, se dificulta la apropiada identificación de este subtipo de cáncer de mama. El CMTN se caracteriza por tener patrones epidemiológicos de alta incidencia en poblaciones afroamericanas y latinas, y de menor incidencia en población caucásica y constituye un problema de salud pública por su elevada morbilidad y mortalidad. Ante la ausencia de blancos terapéuticos, la quimioterapia cumple un rol importante en el tratamiento, y muchos esfuerzos están destinándose a buscar otras combinaciones de quimioterapia y nuevas drogas, mientras que las actuales guías no especifican un tratamiento para este tipo de cánceres. En el presente documento se hace una revisión sobre las características epidemiológicas y clínicas, los posibles factores pronósticos y sobre algunas estrategias terapéuticas contra el CMTN.

Triple negative breast cancer (CMTN, Spanish acronym) is a malignant neoplasm characterized by the absence of expression of estrogen, progesterone and HER2 receptors. Recent studies have shown that CMTN is a heterogeneous group including different neoplasm with different prognosis. However, because genetic profiles are not a standard practice in conventional diagnosis of breast cancer, it is hard to properly identify this breast cancer subtype. CMTN is characterized by its high-incidence epidemiological patterns in African-American and Latin people, and lower incidence in Caucasian people, and constitutes a public health issue due to its high morbidity and mortality. Due to the absence of therapeutic targets, chemotherapy has a key role in treatment, and many efforts are being deployed to seek other combinations of chemotherapy and new drugs, while the current guides do not specify treatment for this type of cancer. This document reviews the epidemiological and clinical characteristics, the potential prognosis factors and some therapeutic strategies against CMTN.

Oligodendroglioma anaplásico primario de la médula espinal / Primary anaplastic oligodendroglioma of the spinal cord

El oligodendroglioma de la médula espinal es una neoplasia extremadamente rara y solo se han reportado 52 casos en la literatura. Se reporta el caso de un paciente varón de 52 años, con paraplejia y un tumor en la medula espinal a nivel de C7 a T4. El diagnóstico final fue oligodendroglioma anaplásico con deleción del cromosoma 1p.

Spinal cord oligodendroglioma is an extremely unusual glial neoplasm and only 52 cases have been reported at this time. We report the case of a 52 year-old man with paraplegia and an intramedullary tumor of the spinal cord at levels C7 to T4. The final diagnosis was anaplastic oligodendroglioma with an isolated chromosome 1p deletion.

Factores pronósticos de sobrevida en pacientes con cáncer de endometrio tratados con radioterapia preoperatoria / Prognostic factors for survival in patients with endometrial cancer treated with preoperative radiotherapy

Objetivo: determinar la sobrevida global (SG), los factores pronósticos de sobrevida libre de enfermedad y SG, el porcentaje de complicaciones en pacientes con cáncer de endometrio tratados con radioterapia preoperatoria en el INEN. Material y Métodos: se realizó un estudio retrospectivo analítico de 381 historias clínicas de pacientes con cáncer de endometrio entre 1995 a diciembre del 2004, 53 pacientes cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión: estadiaje clínico I, II, III según FIGO 1971, radioterapia externa (RTE) a la pelvis a dosis de 50Gy a 50,4Gy en 25-28 sesiones más Braquiterapia (BT) seguido de cirugía. Resultados: la dosis promedio de BT fue 45Gy (rango 25Gy a 70Gy) administradas en una sola aplicación de baja tasa de dosis. La sobrevida Global (SG) a los 5 años fue 86,39%. La sobrevida diferenciada por estadios clínicos fue 85,71%, 83,52% y 84,03% para los estadíos I, II y III respectivamente sin diferencia significativa (p=0,55). El 20,75% (11/53) fallecieron por enfermedad, de las cuales 36,36% (4/11) recurrieron a nivel loco regional y 63,64% (7/11) metástasis a distancia. El análisis Bivariado no demostró factores de riesgo asociados con la mortalidad. Sin embargo el análisis multivariado de Regresión de Cox solo la enfermedad extra-pélvica es un factor de mal pronóstico y se relacionó con mayor mortalidad [HR: 5,27 IC 95% (1,10-25,28)] (p=0,038). Las pacientes con viabilidad en la pieza quirúrgica recibieron mayor dosis de radiación al punto A (mayores a 90Gy) que las piezas quirúrgicas no viables (p=0,041). El porcentaje de complicaciones fue del 20,75% (11/53) siendo el 9,44% (5/53) complicaciones severas (grado 4). Conclusiones: La presencia de enfermedad extra-pélvica fue un factor de mal pronóstico para la sobrevida. Palabras Claves: cáncer endometrial, radioterapia preoperatoria, sobrevida global.

Objective: To determine overall survival (OS), prognostic factors for disease-free survival and OS, the percentage of complications in patients with endometrial cancer treated with preoperative radiotherapy at the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas (INEN). Material and Methods: An analytical retrospective study of 381 patient records with endometrial cancer between 1995 and December 2004 was done; Only 53 patients full filed the inclusion criteria: clinical stage I, II, III according to FIGO 1971, external beam radiation to the pelvis to a dose of 50Gy - 50.4Gy in 25-28 sessions followed Brachytherapy (BT) and then surgery. Results: The mean dose of BT was 45Gy (range 25Gy to 70Gy) administered in a single application with low dose radiation. The OS at 5 years was 86.39%. OS for clinical stages I, II and III were 85.71%, 83.52% and 84.03% respectively, with no significant difference (p=0.55). 20.75% (11/53) died of disease, of which 36.36% (4/11) had recurrence in the pelvis and 63.64% (7/11) was distant metastases. Bivariate analysis showed no risk factors associated with mortality. However in the multivariate Cox regression only the extra-pelvic disease is a poor prognostic factor and was associated with increased mortality [HR: 5.27 IC 95% (1.10-25.28)] (p=0.038). The patients with viability in the surgical specimen had higher radiation doses to point A than non-viable surgical specimens (greater than 90Gy) difference that was significant (p = 0.041). The complication rate was 20.75% (11/53) and 9.44% (5/53) of complications were grade 4. Conclusions: The presence of extra-pelvic disease proved to be a poor prognostic factor for overall survival. Keywords: endometrial cancer, preoperative radiotherapy, overall survival.

Unidad de termoluminiscencia. diseño de una interface de operación para computadora personal / Thermoluminiscent reader system

Se describe el proceso de diseño y construcción de una interface para comunicar un equipo de Termoluminiscencia (TLD) con una computadora personal (PC) de modo que la unidad TLD, la interface y la computadora funcionen como un espectrómetro termoluminiscente.

Quimioterapia-Radioterapia en cáncer pulmonar a células no pequeñas (CPCNP) / Chemotherapy-Radiotherapy in non small cell lung cancer

Trece pacientes con cáncer inoperable de pulmón de células no pequeñas, recibieron tratamiento secuencial con quimioterapia y radioterapia. El régimen de quimioterapia consistió de cis-Platino (CDDP) 100 mg/m2/día, en una infusión intravenosa continua por 5 días; esta combinación fue administrada cada 21 días por 4 ciclos. Todos los pacientes fueron programados para recibir radioterapia al tumor primario, con una dosis total de 6000 rads., dividos en 3 pulsos de 10 fracciones o días cada uno administrados durante los intervalos de reposo del 1º, 2º y 3º ciclos de quimioterapia. Se observaron 2 (15.4 por ciento) remisiones completas y 4 (31 por ciento) parciales. La duración mediana de las respuestas fue de 8 meses; la sobrevida mediana de aquellos que respondieron fue de 15 meses y la sobrevida del grupo total de 9.5 meses. La toxicidad fue evaluada en 13 pacientes que corresponden a 52 ciclos de quimioterapia. Toxicidad gastrointestinal (náusea y vómito) fue importante: Grado 3 (27 por ciento), Gr 2 (54 por ciento),Gr 1 (18 por ciento); toxicidad hematológica fue moderada: Gr 3 (27 por ciento), Gr 2 (18 por ciento) y toxicidad neurológica fue leve: Gr 3 (9 por ciento), Gr 2 (9 por ciento), Gr 1 (18 por ciento). No se observó toxicidad renal ni hepática. En conclusión, el tratamiento combinado y secuencial con quimioterapia (CDDP, VP-16.5-FU) y radioterapia demostró una eficacia comparable a otros regímenes similares, con una toxicidad gastrointestinal y hematológica manejables. El rol de esta modalidad terapéutica deberá ser evaluado en un número mayor de pacientes y posiblemente en un estudio randomizado

Reticulosis letal de la línea media. Manejo con radiaciones y consideraciones histopatológicas / Lethal midline granuloma. Radiotherapy and pathology

Entre 1973 y 1990 se han tratado 24 pacientes portadores de Reticulosis Letal de la Línea Media (RLLM) mediante el empleo de radiaciones ionizantes en el Departamento de Radioterapia del Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas en Lima, Perú. Los autores realizan una revisión descriptiva y retrospetiva de dichos casos así como una revisión de la literatura referente a este tipo de neoplasia. Todas las láminas provenientes de las biopsias han sido revisadas para confirmar el diagnóstico de RLLM. Todos los pacientes recibieron tratamiento con radiaciones ionizantes y 12 de ellos algún tipo de quimioterapia durante el tratamiento con radiaciones. La relación según sexo masculino-femenino ha sido de 5:3, la edad promedio de 29:33 años y el rango de edad entre los 6 y 84 años de edad. Los síntomas de presentación más comunes han sido: obstrucción de fosa nasal (45.83 por ciento), aumento de volumen de la fosa nasal (33.33 por ciento), rinorrea (29.16 por ciento) y alza térmica constante mayor de 38.5ºC (29.16 por ciento), principalmente. No se ha podido establecer una dosis de referencia para el tratamiento con radiaciones puesto que las dosis han variado desde 732 cGy hasta 7095 cGy; sí hemos podido observar que todos aquellos que recibieron menos dosis de la planificación fue porque fallecieron durante el tratamiento ya que acudieron con enfermedad muy avanzada y en mal estado general. Asimismo, se ha podido corroborar que si la dosis administrada fue de 50 cGy ó más se obtuvo mejor control local aunque por el número de casos no se ha podido demostrar estadísticamente. Al evaluar la sobrevida se observa que ésta disminuye considerablemente durante el primer año de seguimiento pero a partir del segundo año se mantiene constante (33.33 por ciento); esto en relación al estado en que acudió el paciente a recibir tratamiento. Concluimos que en este tipo de neoplasias el empleo de radiaciones ionizantes juega un rol importante en el control local de la enfermedad pero también es importante la extensión de la misma