The feasibility study on continuous 7-day-a-week external beam irradiation in locally advanced cervical cancer: a report on acute toxicity.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility and toxicity of continuous 7-day-a-week pelvic irradiation with no breaks between external beam irradiation and intracavitary applications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between November 1998 and December 1999, 30 patients with FIGO Stage IIB or IIIB cervical cancer were treated with continuous 7-day-a-week pelvic irradiation, to the total Manchester point B dose of 40.0-57.6 Gy. The first 13 patients (group A) were applied a daily tumor dose of 1.6 Gy and the remaining 17 patients (group B)-10.8 Gy. One or two immediate brachytherapy applications (point A dose 10-20 Gy, each) were performed in 28 cases. RESULTS: Two patients did not complete the irradiation due to apparent early progression of disease during the irradiation. Of the remaining 28 evaluable patients 11 (39%) completed treatment within the prescribed overall treatment time and 17 had unplanned treatment breaks. For the latter group overall treatment time ranged from 103 to 122% (mean 114%) and from 103 to 197% (mean 138%) of the planned treatment time for group A and B, respectively. The majority of patients experienced acute toxicity. Severe toxicity (EORTC/RTOG grade 3 and 4), predominantly gastrointestinal, occurred in 5 of the 13 patients in group A, and in 7 of 17 patients in group B. CONCLUSION: The studied regimen was accompanied by considerable toxicity, hindering delivery of irradiation within planned treatment time.

[Primary brain lymphoma: diagnostic problems]. / Pierwotny chloniak mózgu--problemy diagnostyczne.

Diagnostic difficulties in a patient with primary malignant lymphoma of the brain are presented. Computerized tomography scans disclosed, at the beginning, a large mass located in the frontocallosal region, and 15 months later another focus in the cerebellum. Differential diagnostic considerations based on CT and NMR pictures, included infectious diseases, demyelinating diseases also metastatic tumours. The patient was successfully treated surgically, and had than radiotherapy.

Improved foot position sense as a result of repetitions in older adults.

This research investigated whether acuity of perceived foot position changes as a result of repetitions in older and young adults. Subjects actively held four reference positions with one foot and matched these positions 12 times with the other foot. The data suggest that young adults performed the matching tasks with more overall accuracy and less variability than the older adults. Both young and older adults needed progressively less time to perceive an accurate match with repetitions. Repeated matching trials improved performance consistency in the older adults and resulted in less bias in both age groups. These results imply that adult aging affects the quality of the sensory signals conveying foot position at the ankle joint, but that repetitions make older adults more aware of proprioceptive feedback resulting in faster, more consistent, and more accurate performance.

Observations of absorption of immunolactoglobulins in calves.

The aim of this study was to ascertain whether administration of one liter of stilulated saliva from a healthy cow as first food to newborn calves blocks absorption of immunolactoglobulins administered later in colostrum or milk. The study material consisted of 12 calves, divided into two groups, one of which received colostrum, and the other milk. Blood samples were drawn immediately after birth and 3 and 6 hours after administration of saliva and 3 and 6 hours after administration of colostrum (group I) or milk (group II). Only some of the calves of each group absorbed immunolactoglobulins from colostrum or milk. In these calves, immunoglobulins could be demonstrated in their serum as early as 3 hours after birth. Absorption of immunolactoglobulins was independent of their concentration in food as their levels were similar in calves fed colostrum or milk. The experiment failed, however, to give an unequivocal answer to the question whether feeding calves before the first administration of colostrum restricts or inhibits absorption of immunolactoglobulins from colostrum.