Aplicabilidad y resultados del trasplante hepático combinado con quimiorradioterapia neoadyuvante en el tratamiento del colangiocarcinoma perihiliar irresecable / Applicability and results of liver transplant combined with neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy in the treatment of unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Introducción: En 2007 se consensuó un protocolo asistencial entre los tres centros de trasplante hepático (TH) de Cataluña, que contemplaba el trasplante hepático (TH) asociado a quimiorradioterapia neoadyuvante como tratamiento del colangiocarcinoma perihiliar (CCAp) irresecable. Objetivo: Analizar la aplicabilidad del TH en los pacientes con CCAp incluidos en el protocolo y la supervivencia por intención de tratamiento. Métodos: Estudio observacional multicéntrico que incluye a pacientes de edad ≤ 68 años, diagnosticados de CCAp ≤3 cm (diámetro radial), irresecable, sin afectación ganglionar o metástasis a distancia. Los pacientes recibieron tratamiento neoadyuvante basado en radioterapia externa en una dosis total de 45 Gy, asociado con bolos de 5-fluoracilo durante los tres primeros días de irradiación y posteriormente capecitabina oral. Aquellos en los que no se objetivó signos de progresión se incluyeron en la lista de espera para TH. Resultados: Entre 2007 y 2018, 13 pacientes fueron incluidos en dicho protocolo. Ocho de los 13 pacientes (61%) fueron trasplantados tras un tiempo en lista de espera de 122 días (rango 5-192). La supervivencia por intención de tratamiento a 1 y 5 años fue del 69 y 39%. La supervivencia global post-TH a 1 y 5 años fue del 87 y 62%, con una probabilidad de recidiva del 29% a los cinco años post-TH. Conclusión: La aplicabilidad del trasplante hepático combinado con quimiorradioterapia neoadyuvante ha sido del 61% en nuestra serie y debe ser considerado como un tratamiento potencialmente curativo para pacientes seleccionados con CCAp irresecable y sin enfermedad metastásica. (AU)

Background: In 2007, a multicenter protocol was developed in Catalonia, Spain, combining neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and liver transplantation (LT) for those patients with unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma (hCCA). Aim: To analyse the effectiveness of the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and LT for those patients enrolled in the protocol based on intention-to-treat. Methods: Observational multicenter study which includes patients ≤ 68 years-old diagnosed with unresectable, solitary tumors ≤ 3 cm in radial diameter, without evidence of lymph node metastases. The protocol was based on a strategy of neoadjuvant therapy with high-dose radiation (45 Gy in total) plus intravenous fluorouracil (5-FU) given as a daily bolus for the first 3 days of radiation follow by oral capecitabine until transplantation. The patient was included in waiting list for LT if no evidence of disseminated disease was found. Results: Between 2007 and 2018, 13 patients were enrolled in the transplant protocol. Of those, 61% (8/13) of the patients were transplanted. The average time spent on the waiting list was 122 days (range 5-192). Intent-to-treat survival was 69% and 39% at one and 5 years. Post-transplantation overall survival was 87% and 62% and 29% recurrence rate at 5 years. Conclusion: The suitability of the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and LT protocol was 61% in our series with long-term overall survival and should be considered as an alternative to resection for patients with localized node-negative hCCA. (AU)

Applicability and results of liver transplant combined with neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy in the treatment of unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma. / Aplicabilidad y resultados del trasplante hepático combinado con quimiorradioterapia neoadyuvante en el tratamiento del colangiocarcinoma perihiliar irresecable.

BACKGROUND: In 2007, a multicenter protocol was developed in Catalonia, Spain, combining neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and liver transplantation (LT) for those patients with unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma (hCCA). AIM: To analyse the effectiveness of the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and LT for those patients enrolled in the protocol based on intention-to-treat. METHODS: Observational multicenter study which includes patients ≤ 68 years-old diagnosed with unresectable, solitary tumors ≤ 3 cm in radial diameter, without evidence of lymph node metastases. The protocol was based on a strategy of neoadjuvant therapy with high-dose radiation (45 Gy in total) plus intravenous fluorouracil (5-FU) given as a daily bolus for the first 3 days of radiation follow by oral capecitabine until transplantation. The patient was included in waiting list for LT if no evidence of disseminated disease was found. RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2018, 13 patients were enrolled in the transplant protocol. Of those, 61% (8/13) of the patients were transplanted. The average time spent on the waiting list was 122 days (range 5-192). Intent-to-treat survival was 69% and 39% at one and 5 years. Post-transplantation overall survival was 87% and 62% and 29% recurrence rate at 5 years. CONCLUSION: The suitability of the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and LT protocol was 61% in our series with long-term overall survival and should be considered as an alternative to resection for patients with localized node-negative hCCA.

Salivary scintigraphy for assessing the protective effect of pilocarpine in head and neck irradiated tumours.

Patients with head and neck cancers can develop salivary hypofunction after radiotherapy. The use of pilocarpine during radiotherapy treatment has been shown to be an effective treatment, although its usefulness is being discussed. The aim of this study was: (1) to determine the value of a semiquantitative scintigraphy method for measuring the uptake and excretory salivary function of patients with head and neck irradiated tumours; and (2) to study the usefulness of pilocarpine as a salivary gland protector during radiotherapy. We prospectively studied 49 patients (mean age 61 years, range 29-87 years) with head and neck cancer in need of radiotherapy. Patients were divided into two groups consecutively: group P (26 patients) received 5 mg of pilocarpine three times per day starting the day before radiation therapy, and group NP (23 patients) received radiotherapy without pilocarpine and were used as the control group. Salivary gland scintigraphy and a visual analogue scale (VAS) of mouth dryness were obtained from each patient before radiotherapy and during the first year after treatment. The most frequent finding after radiotherapy was a quick impairment in parotid and submaxillary excretion (P < 0.001). There were no statistical differences comparing the pilocarpine group against the non-pilocarpine group. Parotid and submaxillary uptake significantly decreased after radiotherapy in both groups (P < 0.001). However, a tendency to recover within the pilocarpine group was observed in both the parotids and the submaxillary glands at 12 months. No differences were found comparing the VAS results in both groups. Strikingly, VAS data did not correlate with salivary gland dysfunction observed by means of scintigraphy. In conclusion, salivary scintigraphy is a useful technique to evaluate objectively the salivary gland function of patients with head and neck irradiated tumours as well as to test the response to pilocarpine. However, despite better results on the salivary uptake at 12 months, pilocarpine did not significantly improve salivary gland function.

La radioterapia paliativa en el paciente oncológico

El cáncer avanzado se asocia a complicaciones secundarias a la presentación de metástasis. Los criterios más importantes a considerar para conseguir un buen resultado del tratamiento paliativo planteado son: a) definir correctamente el síntoma a tratar; b) administrar el tratamiento sin demora, la paliación es urgente, y c) comunicar al paciente y/o familiares el objetivo del tratamiento. La irradiación tiene un apel muy importante en el control del dolor neoplásico, y puede estar indicada incluso en las últimas semanas de vida del paciente, ya que la irradiación puede conseguir una rápida paliación del dolor, con la consiguiente mejoría de la calidad de vida (AU)