Impact of definitive radiotherapy on metabolic response measured with 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT in patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: To assess the early metabolic response of the primary tumor using Gallium-68 (68Ga)-labeled-prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT), as well as the relationship between PSMA change in the primary tumor and PSA response after definitive radiotherapy (RT), either alone or in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in intermediate risk prostate cancer (IR-PCa) patients. METHODS: The clinical data of 71 IR-PCa patients treated with RT alone (36 patients, 50.7%) or RT and ADT (35 patients, 49.3%) were retrospectively analyzed. The difference between pre- and Posttreatment primary tumor PSMA expression and serum PSA values measured 4 months after completion of treatment were compared between treatment arms. Correlation between primary tumor metabolic response and serum PSA changes was analyzed. RESULTS: The median duration between pre- and Posttreatment 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT for the entire patient population was 6.9 months (range, 5.6-8.4 months), and it was similar in both treatment arms. A decrease in primary tumor maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was seen in 66 patients (93.0%), with a median value of 61.2%, which is significantly lower in patients undergoing RT alone than those undergoing RT and ADT (45.1 ± 30.6% vs. 59.1 ± 24.7%; p = 0.004). The complete metabolic response rate was significantly higher in patients undergoing RT and ADT than those treated with RT alone (40% vs. 0%; p < 0.001). Although moderate and positive correlation between pretreatment SUVmax and oosttreatment SUVmax was observed, there was no significant correlation between SUV change and PSA change. For patients treated with RT and ADT, posttreatment SUVmax was significantly lower and SUV change was significantly higher in patients with PSA nadir than in those without. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results show that RT, with or without ADT, significantly reduces primary tumor SUVmax and serum PSA levels. Nonetheless, our findings indicate that early treatment response using 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT is not feasible for those treated with RT alone, and it may only be useful in better distinguishing patients with and without PSA nadir for those who received both RT and ADT.

Long-term analysis of hematological parameters as predictors of recurrence patterns and treatment outcomes in cervical cancer patients undergoing definitive chemoradiotherapy.

PURPOSE: This study sought to determine the predictive and prognostic value of clinicopathological parameters and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and hemoglobin (Hgb) level in predicting recurrence patterns and locoregional relapse-free survival (LRFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) in cervical cancer patients receiving definitive chemoradiotherapy (ChRT). METHODS: This study included 261 cervical cancer patients treated with ChRT. The primary endpoints were the predictors of local recurrence (LR) and distant metastasis (DM), whereas the secondary endpoints were LRFS and DMFS. The association of survival with potential prognostic factors was analyzed using Cox regression analysis, and the predictors of LR and DM were identified using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 10.9 years. Recurrences occurred in 132 patients (50.6%) within a median of 11.2 months after definitive ChRT. NLR and PLR values were significantly higher in patients with LR and DM than in those without, with no significant differences in Hgb levels in patients with or without LR and DM. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, lymph node metastasis, elevated NLR, and low Hgb level were significantly correlated with LR and DM. In the multivariable analysis, large tumor size, presence of lymph node metastasis, and elevated NLR were the independent predictors for poor LRFS and DMFS, and Hgb level was an additional prognostic factor for DMFS. CONCLUSION: Hematological markers, particularly NLR and Hgb, may serve as cost-effective and readily accessible indicators for predicting recurrence and survival in cervical cancer patients, contributing to their practical use in routine assessments.

Evaluation of Treatment Outcomes of Prostate Cancer Patients With Lymph Node Metastasis Treated With Definitive Radiotherapy: Comparative Analysis of PSMA PET/CT and Conventional Imaging.

PURPOSE: We investigated the impact of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT compared with conventional imaging on treatment outcomes for node-positive prostate cancer (PCa) patients who underwent androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and external radiotherapy (RT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicentric, retrospective study recruited patients with node-positive PCa patients who underwent conventional radiological evaluation or PSMA PET/CT and received ADT and RT at 3 hospitals from 2009 to 2021 were enrolled. Patients underwent prostate and pelvis RT, accompanied by a minimum of 6 months of ADT. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and PCa-specific survival (PCSS). Cox regression analyzed the association of survival with potential prognostic factors, whereas logistic regression identified the predictors of bone and lymph node metastasis. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 64.0 months. The majority of patients (64.1%) underwent PSMA PET/CT for staging. The 5-year rates of PFS and PCSS were 63.7% and 83.7%, respectively. Disease progression was observed in 90 patients (36.3%). In multivariable analysis, ADT duration of less than 24 months and post-RT prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nadir were prognostic for PFS. Early clinical T stage and PSMA PET/CT predicted better PCSS. Patients staged with PSMA PET/CT had exhibited significantly higher 5-year PCSS rates than compared with those staged with conventional imaging (95.1% vs 76.9%; P = 0.01). Shorter ADT duration and higher PSA levels after RT independently predicted bone metastasis in multivariable logistic regression. Advanced T stage, shorter ADT duration, and higher PSA levels after neoadjuvant ADT predicted nonregional lymph node recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: ADT with pelvis RT is an effective treatment option for node-positive PCa patients. The PSMA PET/CT outperformed conventional imaging in PCSS, emphasizing the importance of precise clinical staging for patients undergoing definitive RT.

Comparison of computed tomography- and positron emission tomography-based radiotherapy planning in cholangiocarcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare computed tomography (CT)- and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT-based gross tumor volume (GTV) delineation and its subsequent expansion to the planning target volume (PTV), and to analyze the resultant doses of 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) to critical organs. METHODS: 15 patients with unresectable extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC) were enrolled into this study. PTVCT-based plans were initially made, and then PTVPET-CT-based plans were created using the same beam angles and isocenter. The dosimetric parameters analyzed included GTVCT, PTVCT, GTVPET-CT and PTVPET-CT. Prescribed and delivered radiation doses to target volumes and delineated organs at risk were also compared. RESULTS: Mean GTV and PTV were significantly reduced in the PET/CT-based plan compared to the CT-based plan; the mean reductions of GTV and PTV were 28.7% and 15.2%, respectively. The mean value for GTVPET/GTVCT mismatch was 49.5 ± 28.9%, and that for GTVCT/GTVPET was 95.9 ± 19.5%. The mean value for PTVPET-CT/PTVCT mismatch was 21.9 ± 7.0% and that for PTVCT/PTVPET-CT was 39.1 ± 9.2%. Liver doses were significantly reduced (17.1%) in the PET/CT-based plan compared to the CT-based plan; the doses received by at least 30% and 50% of the liver were 30.0%, and 27.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The potential benefit of PET/CT is the reduction in geographic misses and regional treatment failures associated with CT-based planning.

Exploration of nursing students' views on the theory-practice gap in surgical nursing education and its relationship with attitudes towards the profession and evidence-based practice.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore nursing students' views on the theory-practice gap in surgical nursing education and determine its relationship with attitudes towards the profession and evidence-based practice. BACKGROUND: In nursing education, the discrepancy between the theoretical knowledge and clinical practices is known as the "theory-practice gap". Although this problem was defined many years ago, scientific information on the subject is very limited in terms of surgical nursing. METHOD: This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was carried out in three different universities in the Black Sea Region of Türkiye. The sample consisted of 389 nursing students. The data collection was carried out in May-July 2022 through the use of the following tools: The Attitude Scale for the Nursing Profession (ASNP), the Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors Questionnaire for Evidence-Based Practice (KABQ-EBP) and the researchers made form to determine students' views on the theory-practice gap. The data were analysed with Student's t-test, multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: 72.8% of the students stated that they thought there was a discrepancy between their theoretical surgical nursing courses and clinical practice. While the total ASNP score of students who thought that there was a discrepancy between theoretical education and clinical practice was lower than that of the other students (p = 0.002), no difference was found among the students in terms of the total KABQ-EBP score (p > 0.05). In the multiple linear regression analysis, it was determined that thinking about gap (ß = -0.125, p = 0.009), gender (ß = -0.134, p = 0.006), willingness to choose the profession (ß = 0.150, p = 0.002) and KABQ-EBP score (ß = 0.247, p < 0.001) had significant effects on nursing students' attitudes towards the profession. In the model, %12 of the total variance was explained by the variables. CONCLUSION: The study shows that the gap between theory and practice for the surgical nursing course is a problem perceived by most students. Also, students who thought that there was a theory-practice gap for the surgical nursing course had a more negative attitude towards the profession, while their attitudes towards evidence-based nursing were not different from others. The results of this study encourage further research to gain a better understanding of the impact of the gap between theory and practice on nursing students.

Computer-Based Communication Tool Provides Effective Communication for Non-speaking Patients: A Quasi-experimental Study.

Even though they are conscious, patients who are unable to speak while connected to a mechanical ventilator have serious difficulties in communicating with healthcare staff. This research aimed to determine the effectiveness for patients of a computer-based communication tool (CBCT) and to compare these results with patients using a routine method. This quasi-experimental study was conducted with 90 intubated patients. It was found that 20.0% of the patients using CBCT stated that they had difficulties in communicating, while this rate was 82.2% among patients not using CBCT. Compared with participants in the control group, experimental group patients reported a lower median score for the anxiety levels (23.0 [20.0-39.0], 29.0 [20.0-57.00], p < .001) and higher mean comfort levels (130.2 ± 9.0, 109.6 ± 13.3, p < .001). Positive impacts of the CBCT are its suitability for patients who are dependent upon ventilation for different reasons and their improved ability to communicate effectively.

Could Amifostine Prevent Experimental Radiotherapy-Induced Acute Pericarditis?

BACKGROUND: Amifostine is a powerful antioxidant that is one of the documented three chemo-radio prototectants recommended for clinical use. There is no data exploring amifostine in prevention of acute pericardial damage. We aimed to investigate whether amifostine has protective effect against acute pericardial injury due to radiotherapy in an experimental rat model. METHODS: Twenty-four rats were divided into four groups: control group, radiotherapy-only group, amifostine-only group, radiotherapy+amifostine group. In groups receiving radiotherapy, hearts were irradiated with a Co 60 teletherapy device at a distance of 80 cm and 20 Gy at a depth of 2 cm. Thirty minutes before interventions, 200 mg/kg amifostine or same volume 0.9% NaCl were administered intraperitoneally. Subjects were sacrificed 24 hours after the procedure. Pericardial histopathological changes were investigated by light microscopy. RESULTS: There was focal inflammation of >= 50% in all rats exposed-to-radiotherapy. All groups receiving radiotherapy revealed a significant increase in pericardial inflammation compared to the groups that did not receive irradiation (p<0.05). There was no difference between the radiotherapy-only group and amifostine+radiotherapy group for pericardial inflammatory response (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Acute pericarditis was detected in all rats receiving radiotherapy. There was no positive effect of amifostine administration before radiotherapy on acute pericardial inflammation.

Plasma citrulline levels predict intestinal toxicity in patients treated with pelvic radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy (RT) for abdominal and pelvic malignancies often causes severe small bowel toxicity. Citrulline concentrations are known to decrease with intestinal failure. We thus evaluated the feasibility of plasma citrulline levels in predicting radiation-induced intestinal toxicity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty-three patients (36 prostate cancer, 17 endometrial cancer) who received 45 Gy pelvic RT using conventional fractionation were prospectively evaluated. Patients with prostate cancer received an additional 25-30.6 Gy conformal boost. Plasma citrulline levels were assessed on day 0, mid- (week 3) and post-RT (week 8), and four months post-RT. Dose-volume histogram, citrulline concentration changes, and weekly intestinal toxicity scores were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean age was 63 years (range: 43-81 years) and mean baseline citrulline concentration was 38.0 ± 10.1 µmol/l. Citrulline concentrations were significantly reduced at week 3 (27.4 ± 5.9 µmol/l; p < 0.0001), treatment end (29.9 ± 8.8 µmol/l; p < 0.0001), and four months post-treatment (34.3 ± 12.1; p = 0.01). The following factor pairs were significantly positively correlated: Citrulline concentration/mean bowel dose during, end of treatment, and four months post-RT; dose-volume parameters/citrulline change groups; cumulative mean radiation dose/intestinal toxicity at end and four months post-RT; citrulline changes/intestinal toxicity during and end of RT. Citrulline concentration changes significantly differed during treatment according to RTOG intestinal toxicity grades (p < 0.0001). Although the citrulline changes differed significantly within RTOG intestinal toxicity grades (p = 0.003), the difference between Grade 0 and Grade 1 did not differ significantly at the end of the treatment. At four months after RT, no significant differences were apparent. CONCLUSION: Citrulline-based assessment scores are objective and should be considered in measuring radiation-induced intestinal toxicity.

Protective effects of melatonin and octreotide against radiation-induced intestinal injury.

PURPOSE: To compare the protective effects of the potent antioxidants, melatonin and octreotide, against radiation-induced intestinal injury. METHODS: A total of 42 male 3-month-old Swiss albino mice (40 ± 10 g) were matched according to body weight and randomly assigned to one of six groups: control; radiation treatment (RT) only; melatonin only (15 mg/kg, i.p.); melatonin + RT; octreotide only (50 µg/kg i.p.); and octreotide + RT. Intestinal damage was induced by exposure to a single whole-body radiation dose of 8 Gy. All mice tolerated the experimental interventions, and no deaths were observed. RESULTS: Irradiation induced architectural disorganization, including inflammatory mononuclear cell infiltration, villitis, and desquamation with eosinophilic necrosis, and diminished mucosal thickness, crypt height, and villous height. In the melatonin + RT and octreotide + RT groups, the villous pattern was well preserved; desquamation at villous tips and edema was prominent, but necrosis was absent. The radiation-induced decrease in mucosal thickness was significantly reduced by pretreatment with melatonin (p < 0.001) or octreotide (p = 0.01), although the protective effect was significantly greater for melatonin (p = 0.04). Pretreatment with melatonin also preserved villous height (p = 0.009) and crypt height (p = 0.03); although a similar trend was observed for pre-irradiation octreotide, the differences were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Melatonin and octreotide potently protected against radiation-induced intestinal injury in mice, but melatonin was significantly more effective in preserving the histological structure of the intestines, a finding that warrants confirmation in clinical studies.

Prevention of acute radiation-induced esophagitis with glutamine in non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with radiotherapy: evaluation of clinical and dosimetric parameters.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of oral glutamine in the prevention of acute radiation-induced esophagitis (ARIE) and weight loss in lung carcinoma patients, and to determine the clinical/dosimetric predictors of ARIE. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from 41 patients with stage III lung carcinoma treated with thoracic irradiation were retrospectively analyzed. Twenty-two patients (53.6%) received prophylactic powdered glutamine in doses of 10g/8h. Prescribed radiation dose to planning target volume was 60Gy, in 30 fractions, 5 days/week. The primary endpoint included the ARIE incidence and its correlation with clinical/dosimetric factors relative to treatment with glutamine. RESULTS: Glutamine was well tolerated. Grade 2 or 3 ARIE occurred in 20 (48.8%) of 41 patients: seven in the glutamine-supplemented group, and 13 in the glutamine-free group (p=0.002). All seven patients with grade 3 esophagitis were in the glutamine-free group (36.8% vs. 0%). Glutamine supplementation appeared to significantly delay ARIE onset for six days (22 days vs. 16 days; p=0.002). Glutamine-supplemented patients demonstrated a lower incidence of grade 2 or 3 ARIE (27.2%), and gained weight during radiotherapy (p=0.04). V55 was the only dosimetric parameter that correlated with the severity of ARIE in glutamine-free patients: a V55 of <35% had a 31% risk of ARIE grade 2 or 3, and the risk increased to 76% with a V55 of >or=35% (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: This schedule and dosage of glutamine may be beneficial in the prevention of ARIE and weight loss in lung cancer patients undergoing thoracic irradiation.

Cranial prophylactic irradiation in locally advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma: current status and future perspectives.

As a result of improved local and regional control with aggressive multimodality protocols, the brain has become one of the major sites of relapse in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma (LA-NSCLC). The demonstrated efficacy of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in small-cell lung carcinoma led to studies of its effectiveness in LA-NSCLC, which indicated that PCI also has a high potential to reduce the incidence or delay the occurrence of brain metastases in this patient group. This report provides an extensive review of the current evidence from nonrandomized and randomized trials regarding the use of PCI in LA-NSCLC and discusses related key issues including risk factors, patient selection criteria, timing of PCI, preferred PCI dosing scheme, toxicity profile and potential novel PCI techniques.

Comparison of the protective effects of melatonin and amifostine on radiation-induced epiphyseal injury.

PURPOSE: We compared the effects of amifostine and melatonin in preventing radiation-induced epiphyseal growth plate injury in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four-week-old (65-85 g), growing male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive radiation alone, at 25 Gy in three fractions (group R), or this dose of fractionated radiation proceeded by prophylactic amifostine 200 mg/kg i.p. (group A), melatonin 15 mg/kg i.p. (group M), or amifostine + melatonin (group AM). The right rear extremity of each animal was irradiated while the contralateral leg was shielded from radiation, as a control. Bone growth based on the length of the tibia, femur, and overall limb was calculated 6 weeks after the treatment. RESULTS: In groups R, A, M, and AM, the mean growth loss (GL) for the overall limb was 56.9 +/- 8.1%, 46.8 +/- 7.7%, 36.6 +/- 4.3%, and 38.5 +/- 5.1%, respectively. The limb length discrepancies (LLD) in groups R, A, M, and AM were 13.8 +/- 1.4%, 10.5 +/- 0.3%, 7.4 +/- 0.7%, and 8.8 +/- 1.1%, respectively. Differences in LLD were significant between each treatment group and group R (range: p = 0.0001-0.001). Differences in either of mean GL and LLD were not significant between groups M and AM; however both of these groups had significantly less GL and LLD than group A. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a superior radioprotective function of melatonin over amifostine in preventing radiation-induced epiphyseal growth plate injury, without any increase in radioprotective effect by adding amifostine to melatonin.

Managing liver metastases with conformal radiation therapy.

A subgroup of liver metastases, especially those emanating from colorectal carcinoma, may be cured. Surgical excision is accepted as the mainstay of treatment for these malignancies; unfortunately, however, the majority of patients presents with advanced unresectable hepatic involvement and have no standard treatment option available. Radiation therapy (RT) has not played a significant role in managing liver metastases, because the liver has little tolerance to radiation. In patients with good hepatic function, however, very-high-dose RT may be used safely and effectively if a small volume of the liver (< 25%) is irradiated. In particular, RT, and especially three-dimensional conformal RT (3D-CRT), may be used to manage medically unfit patients or those with an unresectable metastatic liver lesion. This review discusses existing literature on use of various types of RT, including whole-liver irradiation, partial hepatic irradiation with 3D-CRT, and hypofractionated high-dose irradiation with stereotactic body RT, and future directions for this treatment modality.

Radiation port wart: a distinct cutaneous lesion after radiotherapy.

UNLABELLED: LABELED BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy may cause common cutaneous side effects such as acute and chronic radiodermatitis and also rare skin conditions. CASE REPORT: A 42-year-old woman who received radiotherapy for invasive breast carcinoma developed multiple, scaly, rough papules and nodules restricted to treatment fields six months after completion of the treatment. A relapse of the breast cancer and/or seborrheic keratosis was ruled out by histological confirmation of verruca vulgaris. CONCLUSION: We report the first case of verruca vulgaris associated with radiation treatment. Radiotherapists and dermatologists should be aware of this possibility and be able to differentiate it from other skin lesions associated with irradiation.

Dosimetric comparison of different treatment planning techniques with International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements Report-83 recommendations in adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy of gynecological malignancies.

AIM: The study evaluates the different treatment planning techniques according to three recommendation levels of the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements Report-83 in gynecologic cancer patients treated with adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy (APR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Computerized tomography images of ten endometrial and cervical cancer patients who were treated with APR were assessed. For each patient, five different treatment plans were created. One homogeneity index and four different conformity indexes (CIs) were calculated for three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT), field-in-field (FIF), seven-field intensity modulated radiotherapy (7-IMRT) with two different degrees beginning (7A-IMRT, 7B-IMRT) and 9-IMRT treatment plans. Dose volume histogram parameters and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) were compared for organs at risk (OAR). RESULTS: The CI values of the IMRT were closer to 1 with respect to other plans (P < 0.05). The rectum and the bladder volumes which received more than 40 Gy were decreased with IMRT compared to 3D-CRT (P < 0.05). Doses received by the 195 cc volume of the small intestine and NTCP values were significantly decreased with IMRT (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: IMRT provided more protection than FIF plans at high dose volumes of the OAR; however, it did not show any superiority at low-dose volumes. The NTCP results supported IMRT for only small intestine protection. Because IMRT is increasingly used clinically, the comparison of NTCP will become more common in the near future. Therefore, new prospective studies with sufficient number of patients and appropriate NTCP models are needed for this treatment modality.

Long-term results of a concomitant boost radiotherapy technique for elderly patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the long-term clinical efficacy and toxicity of concomitant boost radiotherapy (CBRT) in elderly patients with invasive bladder cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Elderly patients (n=188; mean 75-year-old, range 70-91 years; 88.3% male/11.7% female) with T1-T4a bladder carcinoma were irradiated with CBRT. A total of 24 (12.8%) patients were diagnosed at stage T1, 117 (62.2%) were at stage T2, 28 (14.9%) at were stage T3a, 14 (7.4%) were stage T3b, and 5 (2.7%) were stage T4a. A dose of 45Gy in 1.8Gy fractions was administered to the whole pelvis 5 days/week over 5 weeks. A concomitant boost limited to the bladder tumor area plus margin or whole bladder of 22.5Gy in 1.5Gy fractions was administered from weeks 3×5. Thus, irradiation totalled 67.5Gy over 5 weeks. The interfraction interval was ≥6h/treatment day. We assessed prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), cause-specific survival (CSS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). RESULTS: Median follow-up was 46.2 months (range 4.7-155.7 months). Median overall survival was 27 months (95% CI:21-33 months). In this study, 146 (77.7%) patients had complete response, 39 (20.7%) had residual disease and 4 (1.6%) had progressive disease. The mean 3-, 5- and 10-year OS rates were respectively 41.2% (S.E.±0.036), 29% (S.E.±0.034), and 13.8% (S.E.±0.031). Significant prognostic factors for OS and CSS, by multivariate analysis, were tumor T-stage and urothelial obstruction. CONCLUSION: This CBRT protocol provided excellent results with a high complete response rate and good tolerance. This approach may therefore be particularly appropriate for elderly patients with invasive bladder cancer.

The efficacy of octreotide in the therapy of acute radiation-induced diarrhea: a randomized controlled study.

PURPOSE: Although the somatostatin analog octreotide is currently used in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced diarrhea and secretory diarrhea associated with various disorders, its role in the management of radiation enteritis is not well defined. We performed a randomized study that compared octreotide acetate with diphenoxylate hydrochloride plus atropine sulfate, the drug commonly used as therapy for acute radiation-induced diarrhea (ARID). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Sixty-one patients with Grade 2 (four to six stools per day) or Grade 3 (> or = seven stools per day, National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria) diarrhea associated with pelvic radiotherapy were assigned randomly to receive octreotide s.c., 100 microg three times daily (n = 33) or diphenoxylate and atropine orally, 2.5 mg four times daily (n = 28). Radiotherapy was delivered to all patients in a conventional manner, with high-energy photons in a total dose > or =45 Gy, which exceeds the tolerance of intestine. Overall, there was no significant difference in patient characteristics or radiotherapy applied between the two arms. Patients were evaluated daily for the primary study end point, resolution of diarrhea, as well as for interruption of pelvic radiotherapy. RESULTS: Within 3 days, ARID completely resolved in 20 patients in the octreotide arm (2 within the first day, 11 within the second day, and 7 within the third day) vs. only 4 (all within the second day of therapy) in the diphenoxylate arm (p = 0.002). On the diphenoxylate arm, 15/28 patients were required to discontinue pelvic radiotherapy; on the octreotide arm, 6/33 patients were required to discontinue pelvic radiotherapy for an average of 1.89 +/- 0.5 and 0.45 +/- 0.2 days, respectively (p = 0.003). No side effects were observed in either arm. Three patients on the diphenoxylate arm and only 1 on the octreotide arm required further treatment for parenteral replenishment of fluids and electrolytes or other antidiarrheal treatments. CONCLUSION: Octreotide seems to be more effective than conventional therapy with diphenoxylate and atropine in controlling ARID and eliminating the need for radiotherapy interruptions.

Accelerated superfractionated radiotherapy with concomitant boost for invasive bladder cancer.

PURPOSE: To determine the toxicity and clinical effectiveness of accelerated superfractionated radiotherapy with delayed concomitant boost (ASCBRT) in locally invasive carcinoma of the bladder. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between July 1997 and December 2001, 87 patients (unsuitable or refusing cystectomy) with invasive bladder cancer underwent ASCBRT. The mean patient age was 66 years (range 40-90). The stage distribution was as follows: 2 T1, 51 T2, 13 T3, and 21 T4. Initially, the whole pelvis was treated by 1.8-Gy conventional daily fractions up to a total dose of 45 Gy. A small field boost covering gross disease was added as a second daily fraction (1.5 Gy) during the last 3 weeks of the 5-week schedule up to a total dose of 67.5 Gy. The interfraction interval was a minimum of 6 h. The patients were evaluated in follow-up for toxicity, local control, and survival. RESULTS: All but 2 patients completed the study protocol. Grade 3 acute urinary toxicity was observed in 2 patients. Grade 2 and 3 late bladder toxicity was observed in 12 patients and 1 patient, respectively. Grade 2 and 3 late bowel toxicity was observed in 5 and 3 patients, respectively. The 3-year actuarial local control, distant disease control, cause-specific survival, and overall survival rate was 64%, 78%, 58%, and 46%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed T stage as independent predictor of complete response. For Stage T2 and T3, the 3-year local control rate was 77% and 48%, respectively. At the last follow-up, 53 patients (61%) were still alive with a survival time between 6 and 62 months. CONCLUSION: ASCBRT is feasible with acceptable tolerance even in relatively old patients with Stage T3 or greater tumor. The encouraging locoregional control and survival results of this institutional experience, favorable compared with conventional radical and other accelerated fractionated (with or without a concomitant boost) RT series, make ASCBRT worthy of further study in a Phase III trial.

Correlation of serum IL-2, IL-6 and IL-10 levels with International Prognostic Index in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Cytokines play important roles in the pathogenesis of lymphomas. The aim of this study was to determine the relations between serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-6, and IL-10 and parameters of International Prognostic Index (IPI). Serum levels of IL-2, IL-6, and IL-10 were measured using a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the pretreatment frozen sera from 43 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The patients we included in the study were divided into two groups, one with high risk and the other with low risk according to the IPI in regard to their ages, stages, performance status, extranodal involvements, and serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase. In the high-risk group, serum levels of IL-2 (0.852 +/- 0.268 ng/ml), IL-6 (0.461 +/- 0.206 ng/ml), and IL-10 (0.816 +/- 0.240 ng/ml) were found to be higher than serum levels of IL-2 (0.667 +/- 0.170 ng/ml), IL-6 (0.355 +/- 0.075 ng/ml), and IL-10 (0.643+0.177 ng/ml) in the low-risk group ( < 0.05). There was a correlation between the patients with high risk according to the IPI criteria and high levels of serum cytokines (IL-2, IL-6, IL-10). Knowledge of the serum levels of these cytokines in patients with newly diagnosed aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma may help us to have some information about the possible prognosis, the activation of disease, and to decide on appropriate therapeutic approaches for individual patients.