[Esophageal carcinoma: the final results of a multicenter and controlled German study with misonidazole and radiation]. / Osophaguskarzinom: Endergebnis einer multizentrischen und kontrollierten deutschen Studie mit Misonidazol und Bestrahlung.

A prospective, randomized clinical study on 91 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus was undertaken in order to investigate the radiosensitizing effect of misonidazole. After histologic verification and extensive diagnosis, the greater tumor region was at first irradiated during 2.5 weeks with ten fractions of 3 Gy each up to a target volume dose of 30 Gy. Prior to each fraction, patients received randomly misonidazole or a placebo in a dose of 1 g/m2 body surface. Then they were presented to the oncologic surgeon in order to decide whether a surgical resection should be performed or not. Following to this operation no further radiotherapy was performed. However, if a surgical intervention did not take place, radiotherapy was continued without administration of misonidazole or placebo up to a target volume dose of 60 to 70 Gy. There was no evidence of neurotoxic side effects or modifications of the blood count and some laboratory parameters caused by misonidazole. As to recurrence-free interval and survival time, no significant differences were found between the different therapy groups, so that a radiosensitizing effect of misonidazole was not demonstrated in this study. Regarding several positive phase II studies with misonidazole, some hopes had been placed in this study because at present the therapeutic situation in oesophagus carcinoma is extremely unsatisfactory. Even the combination of a most sophisticated operation technique prior or following to irradiation could not essentially improve the poor healing rates.

[Salmon calcitonin in metastatic bone pain. Demonstration of acute analgesia in tumor patients]. / Salm-Calcitonin bei metastatischen Knochenschmerzen. Nachweis akuter Analgesie bei Tumorpatienten.

Infusion of 200 IU Calcitonin-Sandoz in 20 of 44 hospitalized patients with malignant tumor suffering from chronic severe pain due to bone metastases, reduced the intensity of pain and with it the need for analgesics for an average of 10 hours. The result points to an analgesic potential of salmon-calcitonin.

[Postoperative radiotherapy of astrocytomas grade 3 and 4 with the radiosensitizer misonidazole. -End results of a multicentric controlled German study]. / Die postoperative Strahlenbehandlung von Astrozytomen Grad 3 und 4 mit dem Strahlensensibilisator Misonidazol. Endergebnis einer multizentrischen und kontrollierten deutschen Studie.

102 patients entered a multicentric randomized study from May 1978 till December 1980. After an operative removal of a supratentorial astrocytoma grade 3 or 4 all patients were treated by radiotherapy of the whole brain with 40 Gy, and after a rest of 1 to 2 weeks with a boost dose of 20 Gy to the tumor region. By randomization the patients got misonidazole (400 mg/m2) to each of the 30 fractions or a placebo. The overall tolerance was good. A mild transient peripheral neuropathy was seen only in 2 patients. The median of survival time was not significantly different for both groups with 16 months (grade 3) and 10 months (grade 4). Thus a radiosensitizing effect of misonidazole was not proven.

[Combination of chemotherapy and local radiation therapy for metastases to the lung or liver: indication and results (author's transl)]. / Kombination von Chemo- und Teilkörperstrahlentherapie bei Lungen- und Lebermetastasen. Indikation und Ergebnisse.

42 patients with metastases to the lung and 7 patients with metastases to the liver received a combined treatment with polychemotherapy and local gamma-irradiation simultaneously. Radiation doses to the lung were mostly 15 Gy in 12 days up to 18 Gy in 2 1/2 weeks (657 to 731 ret). Right and left lung were never treated at the same time. Thus, treatment results could be compared and severe side effects were avoided. Regression of metastases occurred more often after a combined treatment, and remission lasted longer. Pneumonitis was seen in 1/3 of all cases but could be managed satisfactorily by antiphlogistics. Metastases to the liver, too, responded well to a combined treatment.