Prospective comparison of acute severe toxicities between smokers and non-smokers during radiotherapy for head and neck cancers.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The association between smoking and acute radiation toxicities of head and neck cancer (HNC) is currently unproven. The aim of the study was to compare the occurrence of acute severe toxicity between active and non-active smokers treated for HNC by radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective monocentric cohort study included patients treated by (chemo)radiotherapy for HNC from January 2021 to January 2023. Smoking status was recorded. Patients underwent a medical exam weekly during the radiotherapy to report acute toxicities according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Effects system version 5.0. Primary endpoint was the occurrence of at least one grade ≥ 3 acute toxicity among mucositis, dysphagia and dermatitis. RESULTS: Among the 102 patients included, 27.4 % were active smokers, 58.8 % were former smokers and 13.7 % had never smoked. Regarding toxicity, 23.5 % (n = 24) patients experienced severe mucositis, 37.2 % (n = 38) severe dysphagia, 13.7 % (n = 14) severe dermatitis and 54.9 % (n = 56) experienced at least one of them. Occurrence of severe acute toxicity was not statistically associated with smoking during radiotherapy (64.3 % among active smokers versus 51.3 % among non-active smokers; p = 0.24). On multivariate analysis, concurrent chemotherapy (87.5 % vs 65.2 %; OR = 5.04 [1.64-15.52]; p = 0.004) and 2.12 Gy versus 2 Gy fractionation schedule (64.3 % vs 41.3 %; OR = 2.53 [1.09-5.90]; p = 0.03) were significantly associated with severe acute toxicity. CONCLUSION: This study did not find an association between smoking during radiotherapy for HNC and occurrence of severe acute toxicities.

[Retrospective study of the distribution and the fertility of hydatid cysts in the child in Tunisia]. / Étude rétrospective de la distribution et de la fertilité des kystes hydatiques chez l'enfant en Tunisie.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Our aim was to study the distribution and the fertility of the hydatid cysts in function of the age and the sex of patients and to identify the strain(s) responsible(s) of the children hydatidosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have analyzed a total of 241 cysts coming from 195 children aged 2 to 16 years operated in the CHU F. Bourguiba of Monastir during the period from November 1999 to December 2009. For each cyst, the localization and the fertility of the métacestode as well as age, sex and origin of the patient are listed. Identification of strains was carried out by PCR/RFLP and has targeted the ribosomal gene ITS1. RESULTS: The lung was the primary localization of cyst (61.8%) followed by the liver (34.85%). The greatest number of cases is observed in the age groups 4-9 years (138 cases) where children's infection is more frequent in the male than in the female sex. The fertility of the cyst was independent of its site or its size and no incidence of age of children was detected. The G1 sheep strain is responsible for the contamination of children. CONCLUSION: The cystic echinococcosis described as a young adult disease may actually observed at any age and remains a serious problem of public health in Tunisia.