Are intraoral customized stents still necessary in the era of Highly Conformal Radiotherapy for Head & Neck cancer? Case series and literature review.

AIM: To evaluate the dose sparing efficacy of intraoral customized stents in combination with IGRT/VMAT in Head & Neck cancer patients. BACKGROUND: Despite advances in high-dose conformal radiotherapy (RT) techniques, adverse effects (such as oral mucositis) during and after RT often require temporary suspension of treatment and affect the quality of life in survivors. Intraoral customized stents can decrease radiation doses in healthy tissues and minimize damage from radiations. At the best of our knowledge the clinical impact of such devices in combination with VMAT (volumetric modulated arc therapy) is not reported in the literature. CASES DESCRIPTION: Three Head & Neck cancer patients were submitted to image guided (IG) RT/VMAT in their treatment protocol. Dose distribution with and without the use of an intraoral stent was compared in each patient. Mean radiation doses proved to be lower in all patients, especially in the subsite: oral cavity. CONCLUSIONS: There are several reports on the efficacy of IS during RT for Head & Neck cancer. Despite technological advances, the combination between high conformal RT and intraoral stents could still play a role in the management of this kind of patients. This strengthens the usefulness of the individualization of treatments and multidisciplinary approach.

Dose due to scattered radiation in external radiotherapy: a prostate cancer case history.

One of the authors was subjected to external radiotherapy with 6 MeV photons to treat a prostate cancer. The dose due the radiation scattered by the target was measured by means of pen dosemeters distributed along the body. Subsequently, both the equivalent dose delivered to some organs and the effective dose delivered to the body, due to scattering only, were evaluated.

Changes in airway responsiveness following mantle radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease.

UNLABELLED: STUDY OBJECTIVES To investigate whether mantle radiotherapy (MRT) for the lung, through its proinflammatory effects, can induce an increase in airway responsiveness. DESIGN: Follow-up of the changes in lung function and methacholine responsiveness in patients 1, 6, 12, and 24 months after they underwent MRT. PATIENTS: Thirteen nonasthmatic patients with bulky Hodgkin's lymphoma who were scheduled for MRT. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Chest radiographs, lung function tests, methacholine thresholds of the bronchi (the provocative dose of methacholine causing a 10% fall in FEV(1) [PD(10)]) and central airway (the provocative dose of methacholine causing a 25% fall in the maximal mid-inspiratory flow [PD(25)MIF(50)]), and the provocative dose of methacholine causing five or more coughs (PDcough) were serially assessed. One month after patients underwent MRT, there were significant decreases in PD(10) (mean [+/- SEM], 2,583 +/- 414 microg to 1,512 +/- 422 microg, respectively; p < 0.05), PD(25)MIF(50) (mean 2,898 +/- 372 microg to 1,340 +/- 356 microg, respectively; p < 0.05), and PDcough (mean 3,127 +/- 415 microg to 1,751 +/- 447 microg; p < 0.05), which were independent of the decrease in FEV(1) and reversed within 6 months in all patients but three. Six months after undergoing MRT, four patients showed radiation-induced lung injury (RI) on chest radiographs, which subsequently evolved into fibrosis. These patients had greater decreases in vital capacity, FEV(1), MIF(50), and methacholine thresholds than those without RI, and this persisted up to 2 years after they had undergone MRT. One year after the patients underwent MRT, a close relationship was found overall between the change in FEV(1) and those in both PD(10) (r = 0.733; p = 0.004) and PD(25)MIF(50) (r = 0.712; p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: : MRT triggers an early transient increase in airway responsiveness, which reverses spontaneously. In patients with RI, the persistence of airway dysfunction long after undergoing MRT may depend on airway remodeling from radiation fibrosis.

[Prognostic factors in the treatment of advanced cervical cancer. A retrospective study]. / Fattori prognostici nel trattamento del cervicocarcinoma in stadio localmente avanzato. Studio retrospettivo.

BACKGROUND: The value of prognostic factors in patients with advanced cervix carcinoma treated by radiotherapy was assessed in a retrospective study. METHODS: From January 1977 through December 1990, 261 patients (average age 60 years) were treated at the Radiotherapy Department of the University of Turin. Distribution by stage was: 142 T2b (54%), 8 T3a (3%), 98 T3b (38%) and 13 T4 (5%). 83% of the patients underwent radiotherapy alone; the total dose was 45-88 Gy in 91 patients (42%) with poor clinical conditions, 60-75 Gy in 121 (56%) and 75-80 Gy in 5 cases. 17% of the patients was treated by surgery combined with radiotherapy. The median follow-up was 50 months (minimum 2, maximum 177 months). RESULTS: The 5-year NED survival and local control were 42% (52% for T2b, 33% for T3 and 15% for T4). The severe (G3-G4) complication rate was very low (1.9%). CONCLUSION: In our series, the prognostic factors which significantly influenced survival in the uni-variate analysis were: advanced T stage, contemporary infiltration of parametrium and vagina, nodal status, non squamous neoplasm, younger age and the absence of brachytherapy in the radiotherapy alone protocol.

Results of hypofractionated stereotactic re-irradiation on 13 locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinomas.

Thirteen patients with locally recurrent, previously-irradiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated with linac-based hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (24 Gy in two or four fractions). One- and 3-year overall survival were 54 and 31%. Three patients were free of disease at 30, 34 and 65 months. No severe acute or late complications were seen.

Acute stroke. Emergency management and future interventions.

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability. Early intervention in the emergency department has become increasingly important in improving stroke outcome as effective therapies are used. Current emergency evaluation and management of ischemic (thromboembolic) stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, cerebellar stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and transient ischemic attacks is discussed. Recent developments in stroke therapeutics including thrombolytics, low-molecular-weight heparins, excitatory amino acid antagonists, free radical scavengers, gangliosides, and leukocyte inhibitors are reviewed.

[Radiotherapy of non-neoplastic diseases: the situation in Piedmont]. / La radioterapia delle affezioni non neoplastiche: la situazione in Piemonte.

The authors report the results of a census among the Piedmont region radiation therapy departments during the period 1980-1991 concerning non antineoplastic radiotherapy. Eight out of eleven centers respond to the questionnaire. During the period considered 36,480 patients were treated, with an annual mean of 4056; the number of treated patients varies from 1.2% to over 71.3% in the different centers when compared to the number of neoplastic patients. Arthrosis, osseous angioma, cheloides and verruca were the most treated diseases. Plesioroentgentherapy and roentgentherapy were normally employed; telecesium and telecobalt therapy were also used; only two centers used electron beams or brachytherapy. The doses of radiotherapy were not uniform; also patients' information and follow-up criteria were quite different in the various centers. The authors conclude with a guidelines for future radiotherapy in benign diseases.