Effect of definitive radiotherapy on the long-term outcome in patients with solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma.

Extramedullary solitary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a rare type of malignancy. This paper presents a retrospective review of the experience with EMP at the Krakow Oncology Center. Records of 17 patients with head and neck EMP, treated with definitive radiotherapy between 1976 and 2009, were analyzed. The total tumour dose ranged from 45 to 70 Gy (median 56 Gy). In four patients with partial response after radiotherapy, adjuvant melphalan-based chemotherapy was applied. The median follow-up period was 8.6 years. The treatment was well tolerated. The estimated 10-year overall survival, disease-free survival, and multiple myeloma-free survival were 68.4%, 49.3%, and 55%, respectively. The 10-year local control rate was 90.9%. No in-field local recurrence was observed. During the follow-up, progression into multiple myeloma was observed in five patients, with a mean time to conversion of 24 months. The only factor adversely affecting overall survival on univariate analysis was the age >56 years, whereas a complete tumour regression after radiotherapy was associated with a significant improvement in both disease-free survival and multiple myeloma-free survival. Despite the high effectiveness of local radiotherapy, there is still a significant treatment failure risk due to the EMP conversion into generalized disease. An attempt to identify prognostic factors may facilitate selection of patients with a high risk of progression to multiple myeloma. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with TURB followed by concomitant boost with small reduction of radiotherapy field with or without of chemotherapy.

AIM: To evaluate the clinical outcome and toxicity of the treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) that combined transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURB) with "concomitant boost" radiotherapy delivered over a shortened overall treatment time of 5 weeks, with or without concurrent chemotherapy. BACKGROUND: Local control of MIBC by bladder-sparing approach is unsatisfactory. In order to improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy, we have designed a protocol that combines TURB with a non-conventionally fractionated radiotherapy "concomitant boost". MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2004 and 2010, 73 patients with MIBC cT2-4aN0M0, were treated with "concomitant boost" radiotherapy. The whole bladder with a 2-3 cm margin was irradiated with fractions of 1.8 Gy to a dose of 45 Gy, with a "concomitant boost" to the bladder with 1-1.5 cm margin, during the last two weeks of treatment, as a second fraction of 1.5 Gy, to a total dose of 60 Gy. Radiochemotherapy using mostly cisplatin was delivered in 42/73(58%) patients, 31/73(42%) patients received radiotherapy alone. RESULTS: Acute genitourinary toxicity of G3 was scored in 3/73(4%) patients. Late gastrointestinal toxicity higher than G2 and genitourinary higher than G3 were not reported. Complete remission was achieved in 48/73(66%), partial remission in 17/73(23%), and stabilization disease in 8/73(11%) patients. Three- and five-year overall, disease specific and invasive locoregional disease-free survival rates were 65% and 52%, 70% and 59%, 52% and 43%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: An organ-sparing approach using TURB followed by radio(chemo)therapy with "concomitant boost" in patients with MIBC allows to obtain long-term survival with acceptable toxicity.

Postoperative irradiation in patients with pT3-4N0 laryngeal cancer: results and prognostic factors.

Approximately 60 % of patients with locally advanced laryngeal cancer (LALC) treated primarily with surgery require adjuvant radiotherapy. In the available literature predominate series of patients were with pathologically confirmed node-positive status. Subgroups of pN0 patients with LALC are scarce. The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of postoperative radiotherapy in patients with pathological stage T3-4N0M0 and identification of prognostic factors in this group. Between 1975 and 2005, 138 patients with squamous pT3-4N0 laryngeal cancer were irradiated postoperatively. Primary surgical treatment consisted of total laryngectomy and cervical lymphadenectomy. The median time between surgery and the implementation of radiotherapy was 56 days. The median total dose was 60 Gy (range 40-70 Gy). Five-year disease-free survival (DFS5) was achieved in 76 % of patients. Cancer recurrence was observed in 34 patients. In 28 (82 %) cases it was locoregional failure. DFS5 rates for pT3 and pT4 were 92 and 69 %, for margin status R0, R1 and R2 were 82, 72 and 67 %, respectively. The pharyngeal invasion was related to a decrease in DFS5 from 80 to 59 %. Postoperative irradiation in patients with pT3-4N0 LALC is an effective treatment method. The main reason of the failure is local recurrence. The following independent prognostic factors were identified in this group of patients: pT stage, surgical margin status and pharyngeal invasion.

[Results of radiotherapy in elderly patients with early laryngeal cancer]. / Ocena skutecznosci radioterapii niezaawansowanego raka krtani u chorych powyzej 70 roku zycia.

UNLABELLED: Evaluation of the results of radiotherapy in elderly patients with early laryngeal cancer, the relation between comorbidities and the overall treatment time, and the influence of treatment interruptions on the outcome of treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A clinical retrospective analysis of a group of 117 patients (over the 70 years old) with early laryngeal cancer was carried out. Patients were irradiated between the years 1980 and 2000 in the Centre of Oncology in Cracow. The analysed group consisted of 105 men (90%) and 12 women (10%). Patients' age ranged from 70 to 87 years, median - 73 years. Most of them had various comorbidities. Three different irradiation techniques and fractionation schemes were used according to the site, stage and grade of cancer: two oblique beams including the larynx with total dose of 60 Gy in 24 fractions (46 patients), two parallel opposing beams including the larynx and cervical lymph nodes with total dose of 60 Gy in 30 fractions (38 patients), and mixed photon-electron unilateral beam including the larynx with total dose of 60 Gy in 30 fractions (33 patients). RESULTS: The median follow-up was 48 months. During the follow-up period 78 patients (66.6%) died. Among them 29 patients (37.2%) died of laryngeal cancer, 6 (7%) patients of other malignancy, and 43 (55%) patients died of concomitant diseases without evidence of cancer. The actuarial 5/10-year overall survival (OS) and disease specific survival (DSS) were 51%/23% and 77%/68%, respectively. The overall tolerance of radiation therapy was good; only 3 patients had G3 early mucosal reaction, and 1 patient had G3 early skin reaction were observed. Comorbidities were not demonstrated to have statistically significant influence on DSS rate. In 6 (5.1%) from 117 patients complete tumor regression was not achieved after radiotherapy. During the follow-up period loco-regional relapse were observed in 27 patients (23.5%), and distant metastases in 2 patients (1.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy of the elderly patients with laryngeal cancer is effective and well tolerated method. Comorbidities do not significantly influence the treatment results. T stage, localization in supraglottic area, age over 73 years old, fractionation dose under 2 Gy and overall treatment time over 43 days are statistically significant negative prognostic factor for DSS rate.