Radiotherapy for benign diseases: a retrospective analysis.

PURPOSE: Radiotherapy of benign diseases has become a frequently discussed subject while there are neither generally accepted guidelines about the indications of radiotherapy, doses and fractionation schedules nor adequate data about the risks and the effectiveness of irradiation. We have retrospectively analyzed the patients who were irradiated for benign diseases in our department. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During the period 1978-1997, a total of 262 patients were irradiated for benign diseases. Megavoltage equipment was used for irradiation of 253 patients, while the remaining 9 patients were irradiated by orthovoltage equipments. The diseases were grouped in 5 categories, and the distribution of the patients referred and irradiated per year was analyzed. Radiotherapy doses, fractionation, response rates and follow-up were evaluated. RESULTS: The number of irradiated patients has been increasing since the 1990's. The most common indication for irradiation was Graves' ophthalmopathy and the incidence of this group has increased after 1992. On the other hand, the number of patients irradiated for soft tissue, bone and skin diseases, except aggressive fibromatosis, has declined in the past 15 years. Response rates were more than 60% for most of the diseases. The patients' follow-up ranged between 1 and 156 months (median 4 months), but it was rather short for most of them. CONCLUSION: We observed common problems about the irradiation of benign diseases such as variations on the accepted indications, the treatment schedules and followup.

Endometrial carcinoma and an unusual presentation of bone metastasis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Although metastasis to bone is common in solid tumors, it seldom occurs in endometrial carcinoma. It is usually seen together with abdominopelvic recurrences and/or other organ metastases. Furthermore, bone metastases involving only the lower limbs are seen extremely rare. CASE: 67-year-old woman was referred for a vaginal recurrence from endometrial carcinoma. Pelvic irradiation and intracavitary brachytherapy failed to control the disease. Subsequently, she was presented with swelling of her left foot resembling an abscess, and bone scan revealed an increased uptake in both lower extremities below the knees. Furthermore, biopsy showed metastatic disease. She died 2 months after palliative irradiation with progressive disease. CONCLUSION: It should be remembered that bone metastasis at unusual sites might be seen in endometrial carcinoma.