Safety profile and clinical outcome of adjuvant radiation therapy and intermediate-dose interferon in comparison with intermediate-dose interferon alone in patients with melanoma metastases in regional lymph nodes and unfavorable prognostic factors.

AIM: To assess the safety profile and efficacy of adjuvant radiation therapy and intermediate-dose interferon in comparison with intermediate-dose interferon alone in patients with synchronous and metachronous skin melanoma metastases in regional lymph nodes with unfavorable prognostic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 96 patients with synchronous and metachronous skin melanoma metastases in regional lymph nodes (stage III according to American Joint Committee on Cancer) and unfavorable prognostic factors were randomized in 2 groups: one of them (n = 45) received regional radiation therapy 50-55 Gy and intermediate dose of α2b-interferon (RT + IFN) in adjuvant setting and another one (n = 51) intermediate dose of α2b-interferon alone (IFN). RESULTS: The most common adverse events in both groups were pyrexia and fatigue but grades 3-4 were observed more frequently in the RT + IFN group than in the IFN group (24.4 and 42.2% vs 11.8 and 27.5% respectively). 3-year recurrence-free survival was 78.5% in the RT + IFN group and 73.8% in the IFN group (p = 0.72), 3-year progression-free survival was 63.2% in the RT + IFN group comparing with 57.2% in the IFN group (p = 0.59) and 3-year overall survival was 77.1% and 66.7%, respectively (p = 0.29). Median of recurrence-free, progression-free and overall survival was not reached in any group. CONCLUSIONS: Radiation therapy and intermediate-dose interferon in adjuvant setting tends to improve recurrence-free, progression-free and overall survival comparing with intermediate-dose interferon alone in patients with synchronous and metachronous skin melanoma metastases in regional lymph nodes and unfavorable prognostic factors but it needs further investigation in larger groups of patients.

SURGICAL TREATMENT RESULTS IN PATIENTS WITH PELVIC BONE TUMORS IN CASES OF PREOPERATIVE 3D MODELING USE. / REZUL'TATY KhIRURGIChNOGO LIKUVANNIa U KhVORYKh Z PUKhLYNAMY TAZOVOÏ KISTKY ZA VYKORYSTANNIa PEREDOPERATsIY̆NOGO 3D-MODELIuVANNIa.

The use of computer and magnetic-resonance therapy permits high accuracy visualization of tumor lesion zone in patients with pelvic bone tumors. More precise results concerning lesion zones before surgical intervention have been obtained in cases of 3D modeling use. OBJECTIVE: improvement of surgical treatment results due to determination of the optimal level for pelvic bone resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cohort study was realized using 3D modeling based on computer tomography data applying the software packet RadiAnt DICOM Viewer with 3D Volume Rendering and the software packet «SolidWorks¼. Two patient groups were investigated: 1) 13 patients without preliminary preoperative 3D modeling (control group) and 2) 14 patients with modeling (main group). In both groups relapse-free survival and age-dependent survival were evaluated. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Tumor relapses were found in 6 patients (46.15 %) of control group and in 5 patients (33.33 %) of the main group. No statistically significant difference between groups concerning relapse-free survival results was detected. In both groups, medians of relapse-free survival were not obtained, two-year long relapse-free survival reaching (53.8 ± 13.8) % and (66.7 ± 12.2) % in control and main groups, respectively. Analyzing the cor- relation between patients age and results obtained the authors demonstrated the two-year relapse-free survival to reach (47.4 ± 11.5) % and (88.9 ± 10.5) % in patients aged above 40 and below 40, respectively (p = 0,06). CONCLUSION: Because of small sample sizes in both groups, the use of 3D modeling does not demonstrate any signif- icant difference regarding two-year relapse-free survival. However, there is a tendency for further progress. The search of approaches for improvement of the treatment results for pelvic bone tumor patients remains among the most important study problem in current orthopedics for tumor patients.

[Long-term results of treatment of patients with bone tumors using hydroxyapatite and calcium phosphate ceramic implants]. / Viddaleni rezul'taty likuvannia khvorykh z pukhlynamy kistok z vikorystanniam keramichnykh implantativ na osnovi gidroksylapatytu ta trykal'tsiifosfatu.

On the basis of experimental-and-clinical investigations it has been found out that the home-produced hydroxylapatite (HA)- and tricalciumphosphate(TCP)-based ceramic material is capable owing to specificities of its chemical structure and osteoinductive action of stimulating the reparative osteogenesis and is accompanied by angiogenesis. No ill effects have been noted in its use in bone plastic surgery. An apparent clinical effect has been shown to occur in postsurgical patients (n = 120) presenting with giant cell tumour, benign tumours and tumour-like affections of the bones, with the expediency having been ascertained of employment of the HA- and TCP-base ceramic material in the treatment of the above patients. The use of the above materials implants versus allotransplants promotes decline in the percentage of complications (1.66 vs 27.2), shortening of time of medical rehabilitation of patients by two to three months as compared to allotransplantation as well as hospital stay duration (by 10 to 12 days).

[Experimental studies on the effect of ceramic materials on cellular and humoral immunity]. / Eksperymental'ni doslidzhennia vplyvu keramichnogo materialu na reaktsiï klitynnogo ta gumoral'nogo imunitetu.

It has been established in an experimental setting in laboratory animals through testing a number of reactions such as active skin anaphylaxis reaction, mast cell degranulation reaction, specific leucocyte lysis reaction, delayed hypersensitivity reaction, and graft-versus-host reaction that ceramic preparations hydroxilapatite M and osteogel-7 have no sensitizing effects; osteogel-7 is not endowed with immunomodulating activity, which fact suggests to us its immunological inertness.