Impact of adjuvant radiotherapy on biological and clinical parameters in right-sided breast cancer.

PURPOSE: In patients with right-sided breast cancer (BC) the liver might be partially irradiated during adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). Thus, we performed a prospective observational study to evaluate the dose delivered to the liver, and its potential biological impact. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We enrolled 34 patients with right-sided BC treated with adjuvant RT. The RT schedules were either the Canadian (42.5Gy in 16 fx) or standard fractionated (50Gy in 25 fx) regimen respectively with 9 (26.5%) and 25 (73.5%) patients each, ± a boost of 10-16Gy. Each patient had a complete blood count and liver enzymes analysis, before starting and during the last week of treatment. RESULTS: A significant decrease in white blood cells and thrombocytes counts was observed during RT. We observed a significant correlation between certain hepatic parameters and the volume of the irradiated liver and/or the mean liver dose. A significant correlation between the volume of the right lung and the liver mean dose was found (P=0.008). In the bivariate analysis, a significant correlation between fatigue and the white blood cell count's evolution was observed (P<0.025). CONCLUSION: With the standard RT technique, incidental irradiation of the liver was documented in a large number of patients, and some significant hepatic parameters alterations were observed, without an apparent clinical impact, but this study cannot exclude them. The liver mean dose was correlated with the right lung volume suggesting that deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) techniques may represent a way to decrease the liver dose. These findings need to be evaluated in further larger studies.

Synthesis and SAR of bulky 1-azabicyclo[2.2.1]-3-one oximes as muscarinic receptor subtype selective agonists.

The synthesis of a series of potent and efficacious 1-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-3-one oxime muscarinic agonists is described. The oximes have extended appendages designed to span the cavity defined by the seven transmembrane helices of the muscarinic receptor. Some members of the series are selective for receptors of the m1 subtype. One such oxime, 31, shows affinity and functional selectivity for m1 over m2, m3, and m4 muscarinic receptor types.

Integrated preadmission services and case management: the foundation for achievable patient outcomes in a hospital-based ambulatory surgery setting.

The forces of technology and changing payor requirements continue to move many surgical procedures to the ambulatory setting. The American Hospital Association's Hospital Statistics, 1991-92 indicates that more than half of all surgeries are now performed on an ambulatory or outpatient basis. Hospital-based ambulatory surgery programs must learn to fully integrate many of their traditional inpatient hospital services with the needs of the ambulatory surgery patient by developing preadmission services, as well as by adopting case management theory to continue to deliver quality ambulatory care.