Reirradiation for recurrent head and neck carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To present the outcome and toxicity profile of reirradiation (re-RT) in patients with recurrent head and neck cancer (HNC). METHODS: From 1995 to 2009, 35 patients underwent re-RT at our institution. Twenty-seven (77%) patients were initially diagnosed with stage III/IV disease. The median total doses of irradiation -first and second courses- were 66.0 Gy (range 54.0-70.0) and 55.8 Gy (range 32.5-66.6), respectively. The median time from the first course of irradiation to re-RT was 25.2 months (range 8-136). Six (17%) patients underwent salvage surgery before reirradiation. Concurrent chemotherapy was administered to 18 (51%) patients. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 12.9 months (range 2.5-109.6), the 1- and 2-year locoregional control (LRC) rates were 41 and 9%, respectively. The 1- and 2-year disease free survival (DFS) rates were 30 and 7%, respectively. The 1- and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates were 42.9 and 7.9%, respectively. Grade 3 acute toxicity was reported in 7 (20%) patients while grade 3-4 late radiation-induced complications were seen in 8 (23%) patients. In univariate analysis, an improvement in OS was observed in patients with initial N0/N1 stage vs. those with N2/N3 stage (p=0.004). Prior neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with significantly inferior OS (p=0.028), while neoadjuvant chemotherapy in recurrence was predictive of improved LRC (p=0.041). CONCLUSION: re-RT in HN cancer is associated with poor prognosis, especially in patients with inoperable disease. Complications due to treatment are not infrequent. Nonetheless, our outcomes remain encouraging and applicable to a carefully selected patient population.

The role of radiation dose in a combined therapeutic protocol for the prevention of heterotopic ossification after total hip replacement.

PURPOSE: To present the results of a prospective study which aimed to evaluate the efficacy of radiation dose in a combined protocol using postoperative radiotherapy (RT) and indomethacin for the prevention of heterotopic ossification (HO) in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) and are at high risk for HO development. METHODS: Seventy-one patients with a mean age of 63 years received either a single dose of 7 Gy or a fractionated dose of 10 Gy in 5 fractions of 2 Gy within the 3 postoperative days. Concurrently all patients received 75 mg of indomethacin for 15 days. Patients were analysed for radiographical evidence of HO development and clinically with the Merle d'Aubigné score at 1 year. RESULTS: At 12 months combined RT and indomethacin achieved excellent prophylaxis of HO. The overall radiographical incidence of HO was 7.04% (95% CI 2.33-15.67), while no patient with clinically significant HO (Brooker III-IV) was seen. There was no statistically significant difference between the two RT protocols. In a subgroup of 12 patients with bilateral THA the incidence of HO in the non-irradiated hips was statistically significantly higher compared with the irradiated hips. All patients had improved joint mobility and function during follow up compared with the preoperative period. No statistically significant differences regarding the Merle d'Aubigné score was documented between the 2 RT groups. No acute or late side effects related to RT were noted. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the efficacy of combined RT and indomethacin in preventing heterotopic ossification after total hip arthroplasty. Fractionated total dose of 10 Gy seems to offer no further benefit compared to a single dose of 7.0 Gy.

Adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy in patients with gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The role of adjuvant therapy in gastric cancer has been controversial. AIM: In this study, we report our experience with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with non-metastatic gastric cancer. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Fifty patients were reviewed and assigned to three therapeutic groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients received radiotherapy with concomitant administration of 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin on the first and last three days of radiotherapy; 20 patients received a five-day cycle 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin followed four to five weeks later by radiotherapy concomitant with the administration of fluorouracil on the first and the last three days of radiotherapy. Four weeks after radiotherapy two more five-day cycles of chemotherapy were administered; 10 patients received three cycles of cisplatin/docetaxel followed by radiotherapy and three additional cycles of chemotherapy after the completion of radiotherapy. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Patients were evaluated for treatment-related toxicity, local recurrences, distant metastases and deaths. We also aimed to make any possible comparisons between different chemo-radiation protocols. RESULTS: Within a median follow-up of 21.5 months seven patients developed local recurrence and 17 patients developed distant metastases. The overall death proportion was 42% (95% CI 28.2-56.8%). Despite the limited number of patients, no statistically significant differences in local recurrences, distant metastases and deaths were observed between the three protocols. Acute and long-term treatment-related toxicity was low and no treatment-related deaths were observed. CONCLUSION: Despite variations of chemotherapy, our study demonstrated that combined chemo-radiotherapy for patients with resected gastric cancer can be administered safely, with acceptable toxicity.

Astrocytoma-like multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) may sometimes mimic clinically and radiologically a brain tumor. The initial recognition of such cases is essential as it might avoid a surgical intervention and supplementary treatment. However, even in patients who underwent surgery, the appropriate preparation of the specimen is of crucial importance for the correct pathological diagnosis since tumors and non-neoplastic demyelinating lesions share some common histopathological features. We present such a case of multiple sclerosis presenting with features of an astrocytoma and was treated with surgery and additional radiotherapy.

External radiation therapy for endometrial carcinoma: the University Hospital of Ioannina experience.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: The aim of our study was to present the experience of our department in the treatment of endometrial cancer with postoperative external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) without intracavitary brachytherapy (BRT) and to evaluate the efficacy of such a method. METHODS: We retrospectively retrieved the medical records of all patients with endometrial cancer treated with surgery and EBRT alone (median dose 50.0 Gy). Thirty-one women (median age: 67 years) of all clinical stages were reviewed and analyzed for recurrences (local or metastases) and late post-radiation side-effects. RESULTS: Within a median follow-up of 17 months one patient developed local recurrence and four developed metastases. Overall survival was 97% and disease-free survival was 87%. Three women developed post-radiation colitis. No other treatment-related late side-effects were observed. CONCLUSION: EBRT without BRT achieved an excellent local control in women with endometrial cancer although some of them were candidates for supplementary BRT.

Primary cerebral gliosarcoma: a case presentation with review of the literature.

In this presentation we describe a rare case of a 42- year-old female with a large right frontal gliosarcoma (GS) treated with gross total resection of the tumor and postoperative external radiotherapy. The patient did not respond to treatment and she died 3 months after the end of radio- therapy. We also present a review of the literature on epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment of this uncommon clinical entity.

Multi-focal gliosarcoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Gliosarcoma (GS) is an uncommon malignant brain tumor with biphasic tissue pattern consisted of both glial and sarcomatous components. It usually occurs in adult population of middle age. We report a rare case of multi-focal GS that was initially interpreted as metastases of extra-cranial tumor. The histological examination revealed the biphasic pattern of a GS. The patient was treated with postoperative external radiation therapy and had poor prognosis. To our knowledge this is the second published case of GS with multi-focal presentation. In this study we also review the literature on clinicopathological aspects of GS.