The state-of-the-art technic of stereotactic radioablation for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias: An overview.

Introduction: Cardiac arrhythmias, including ventricular tachycardia (VT), stand as a significant threat to health, often leading to mortality and sudden cardiac death. While conventional treatments for VT exhibit efficacy, cases of refractory VT pose challenges. Stereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation (STAR) offers a novel approach, delivering precise high-dose radiation to well-defined targets with minimal collateral damage. This study explores the potential of STAR as an alternative therapy, especially for high-risk patients or those with refractory VT. Methods: This research reviews ongoing studies and preliminary investigations into the evaluation of the efficacy and safety of STAR. The method involves targeted radiation delivery, assessing reductions in VT recurrence and the early safety profile in refractory VT patients. However, given STAR's early stage and limited clinical evidence, cautious interpretation is advised. Results: Preliminary findings indicate a reduction in VT recurrence with STAR, suggesting promise as a therapeutic option. Early safety profiles are encouraging, but definitive statements on efficacy and safety require further investigation. Positive initial outcomes underscore the need for additional data and long-term studies. Conclusion: Stereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation is recently emerging as a promising treatment for refractory VT. While early results are encouraging, careful interpretation is needed, due to STAR's early stages. Ongoing investigations are critical for a comprehensive understanding of its long-term efficacy and tolerability. This review provides fundamental insights into STAR's background, principles, pre-treatment procedures, clinical implications, and toxicity, setting the stage for future research in this evolving therapeutic field.

Malignant transformation of tailgut cyst to squamous cell carcinoma, a rare case with poor outcome.

Tailgut cyst, a type of retro-rectal cyst, is a rare condition requiring evaluation for malignant transformation. We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma arising in the retro-rectal cyst, in a 51-year-old female who underwent incomplete resection of the cyst and chemo-radiotherapy, subsequently became locally recurred and metastatic.

Adjunctive treatment of myxopapillary ependymoma.

Myxopapillary ependymoma are rare tumors and optimal therapeutic strategy is remained controversial. The main treatments for myxopapillary ependymoma tumors include surgery and radiotherapy. Hence, the present study aimed to review adjuvant treatment of myxopapillary ependymoma, focusing on spinal myxopapillary ependymoma. The information sources of all articles were the English authoritative databases including PubMed, Web of science, Scopus, Science direct and Google scholar. In this review study, the keywords including adjuvant, treatment, myxopapillary and ependymoma were selected from MeSH medical library. Related articles were published from 2000 to 2020. Given radiation tolerance in the spinal cord is 10-15% lower than that of the brain, it also should be noted that with increased dose and scope of therapeutic field, the corresponding risks are increased, as well. Also, chemotherapy has never been used as the primary treatment approach. Radiotherapy's value is considered while involving with sensitive areas where chemotherapy is also recommended. Gross total resection is the preferred primary treatment. But the role of adjuvant radiotherapy is debated in different tumor and patient scenarios and no standard treatment strategy had been defined yet. The bottom line is that as long as cellular and molecular methods or gene therapy can be used in the treatment of myxopapillary ependymoma, all the studies confirm that the best treatment method is still wide surgical resection as much as possible.