Clinical Evaluation of Low-Molecular-Weight Hyaluronic Acid-Based Treatment on Onset of Acute Side Effects in Women Receiving Adjuvant Radiotherapy after Cervical Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy treatment for cervical cancer (CC) often induces side effects, including inflammation, dryness, dyspareunia. Considering its key role in the healing process, hyaluronic acid (HA) could be useful for the completion of radiotherapy. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work was to evaluate the ability of HA to reduce the onset of side effects due to radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 180 women undergoing radiotherapy were randomized into two arms: controls and those treated with vaginal suppositories containing low-molecular-weight HA from day 1 of radiotherapy. The study lasted 5 weeks and was characterized by three visits: at baseline (T0), 15 days later (T1), and at the end of the radiotherapy cycle (T2). The onset of side effects, pain, safety, efficacy, acceptability of treatment, and compliance to the therapy were evaluated. RESULTS: Patients in the control arm reported the onset and worsening of all symptoms with a moderate or severe grade at T2, whereas in the treatment arm almost 90% of patients reported the absence of symptoms or a mild grade. All patients in the treatment arm referred a lower intensity of pain on a visual analog scale compared with the control arm at T2 (6.85 ± 0.94 vs. 1.88 ± 1.02). CONCLUSIONS: HA was able to help vaginal mucosa healing during radiotherapy in patients with CC.

Breast cancer bone metastases: an epidemiologic study in selected radiation departments.

AIMS: To quantify radiation treatments for bone metastases from breast cancer in three Sicilian provinces (Messina, Catania, Ragusa) with respect to the general population and the incidence and prevalence of breast cancer in this macro-area in a 8-year period. METHODS: All bone metastasis patients treated using radiotherapy in 8 radiation departments operating in the provinces of Messina, Catania and Ragusa were collected. Among these, metastases from breast carcinoma were analyzed according to year of irradiation. An analysis of breast cancer incidence and prevalence with respect to inhabitants in this macro-area was conducted using literature and census data. RESULTS: From January 2004 to December 2011, irradiation was delivered in 4419 bone metastasis patients. Among these, 1617 had a primary breast cancer with a median treatment per year of 206.5 (range, 164-251); 211 patients were treated in 2004 and 206 in 2011. In 2004, there were 1,048,957 female residents in the three provinces and 1,065,422 in 2011. The reported breast cancer incidence and prevalence in Sicily was respectively 100.79/100,000 and 908.54/100,000 in 2004 and 108.41/100,000 and 1091.29/100,000 in 2010. CONCLUSIONS: There has been an increase in both incidence and prevalence of breast cancer in Sicily. Nevertheless, it seems that there was no increment in skeletal-related events requiring irradiation in such patients in eastern Sicily radiation departments.