Advances in the treatment of prostate cancer with radiotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: Prognosis of prostate cancer has improved as a result of the combination with androgen deprivation therapy and the increase of radiation dose. However, a high number of prostate cancer patients will develop biochemical recurrence; therefore a research effort to increase the control of the tumour in these patients is necessary. METHODS: To increase the therapeutic ratio (the index between cytotoxic effects and normal tissue complications with a certain dose of radiation), different new strategies described in the literature have been reviewed. RESULTS: There are several strategies that may increase the efficacy of radiotherapy to treat prostate cancer. First is based on physics and technology, and second based on biology. DISCUSSION: Technical advances in radiotherapy allow intensification of radiation through escalation of the dose or in combination with chemotherapy. Furthermore, targeting specific molecular dysregulated pathways in the tumour will increase the effects of radiation specifically in tumour cells. Hopefully, these strategies will result in increased rates of tumour control in all prognostic groups, especially in high risk tumours and a subgroup of patients with intermediate risk tumours, minimizing treatment morbidity and increasing the therapeutic ratio of radiotherapy.

[Thyroid orbitopathy, an overview with special attention to the role of radiotherapy]. / Orbitopatía tiroidea, una visión global con atención especial al papel de la radioterapia.

Thyroid orbitopathy is the most prevalent non-thyroid symptom in Graves' syndrome. It has a high incidence and particularly affects young women. Smoking is clearly involved in its development and progress, and in its response to different treatments. This autoimmune condition usually has a benign course, independent from hyperthyroidism, but its severe, progressive forms represent a major therapeutic challenge. Clinical evaluation poses great difficulties, as there is no truly objective rating scale representing disease activity. New molecular or inflammation markers may prove to be useful in this regard. This review reports new findings about its pathophysiology and the different techniques used for treatment over time. Discussion particularly focuses on the immunomodulatory role of radiotherapy, as well as on its role together with corticosteroids.

Potential advantages of volumetric arc therapy in head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND: Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) uses solid compensators or multileaf collimators to modulate the intensity of radiation in each field, delivering highly conformal dose distributions. This technique allows treating volumes with concave shapes when the target is close to a critical structure. The movement of multileaf collimator under computer control can modulate the dose in 3 main ways: IMRT with static field with segments, IMRT with dynamic delivery, and IMRT rotational therapy. Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a novel radiation technique that creates conformal distributions with variable gantry speed, dynamic movements of multileaf collimator, and variations in dose rate. The purpose of this study was to review the basis of VMAT, highlighting the differences with other IMRT techniques.

[Spinal cord compression: a multidisciplinary approach to a real neuro-oncological emergency]. / Compresion medular: aproximacion multidisciplinar a una autentica urgencia neurooncologica.

Spinal cord compression must be considered a top-priority neuro-oncological emergency. Hence, a multi-disciplinary approach and swiftness in establishing appropriate therapeutic measures are crucial to optimise the functional (and perhaps vital) prognosis of these patients. The nihilistic attitudes that have prevailed up until now in some professional sectors, possibly stemming from the perception of a poor short-term prognosis, must be completely eradicated. The overall improvement in survival rates among cancer patients in general, the availability of new neurosurgical techniques in the vast majority of our hospitals and the obvious improvements in radiotherapy equipment and techniques all this pathology to be addressed with greater chances of success. This greater likelihood of accomplishing a better outcome refers not only to the control of the development of the tumour itself, but also to pain control, maintenance of the functioning of the spinal cord and the overall survival of the patient. In this context, we consider it essential for all hospitals to have specific protocols on how to proceed in cases of acute spinal cord compression. The fact that this kind of protocol has been introduced in the Centro Medico de Asturias has prompted us to conduct a review of the current state-of-the-art in this field, with special emphasis on the evidence available for each of the modes of therapy that are discussed.

Mechanism of hot flashes.

Hot flashes are a common and disturbing adverse effect of hormonal therapy for cancer. Their pathophysiology is poorly understood. At present, the leading mechanistic hypothesis rests on the assumption that abrupt hormone deprivation will result in loss of negative feedback over hypothalamic noradrenaline synthesis. In this article we critically review the different theories used to explain this phenomenon. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of hot flashes may facilitate the development of new therapeutic approaches.

Orbitopatía tiroidea, una visión global con atención especial al papel de la radioterapia / Thyroid orbitopathy, an overview with special attention to the role of radiotherapy

La orbitopatía tiroidea es el síntoma no tiroideo más prevalente en el síndrome de Graves. Presenta una alta incidencia, afectando especialmente a mujeres jóvenes. Existe una clara relación causal con el tabaco, que se halla implicado tanto en su desarrollo como en su evolución y en la respuesta a los diferentes tratamientos. Se trata de un proceso autoinmune que suele evolucionar de manera benigna e independiente del hipertiroidismo, aunque cuando es grave y progresiva representa un gran reto terapéutico. Su evaluación clínica presenta grandes dificultades al no existir una escala de valoración realmente objetiva y representativa de la actividad de la enfermedad. En esta línea pueden ser útiles nuevos marcadores moleculares o de inflamación. En la presente revisión se describen nuevos hallazgos sobre su fisiopatología, así como las diferentes técnicas utilizadas para su tratamiento a lo largo del tiempo. La discusión se centra especialemente en el papel inmunomodulador de la radioterapia, así como en su papel junto con los corticoides

Thyroid orbitopathy is the most prevalent non-thyroid symptom in Graves’ syndrome. It has a high incidence and particularly affects young women. Smoking is clearly involved in its development and progress, and in its response to different treatments. This autoimmune condition usually has a benign course, independent from hyperthyroidism, but its severe, progressive forms represent a major therapeutic challenge. Clinical evaluation poses great difficulties, as there is no truly objective rating scale representing disease activity. New molecular or inflammation markers may prove to be useful in this regard. This review reports new findings about its pathophysiology and the different techniques used for treatment over time. Discussion particularly focuses on the immunomodulatory role of radiotherapy, as well as on its role together with corticosteroids

[Spinal cord compression: a multidisciplinary approach to a real neuro-oncological emergency. Reply]. / Compresion medular: aproximacion multidisciplinar a una autentica urgencia neurooncologica. Replica.

TITLE: Compresion medular: aproximacion multidisciplinar a una autentica urgencia neurooncologica. Replica.

Compresión medular: aproximación multidisciplinar a una auténtica urgencia neurooncológica. Réplica / Spinal cord compression: a multidisciplinary approach to an authentic neuro-oncological emergency

No disponible

Compresión medular: aproximación multidisciplinar a una auténtica urgencia neurooncológica / Spinal cord compression: a multidisciplinary approach to a real neuro-oncological emergency

La compresión medular debe ser considerada una urgencia neurooncológica de primera magnitud. Bajo este planteamiento, la aproximación multidisciplinar y la rapidez en la instauración de las medidas terapéuticas que procedan son cruciales para optimizar el pronóstico funcional (y quizás vital) de los pacientes afectos. Las actitudes nihilistas hasta ahora imperantes en algunos sectores profesionales, posiblemente derivadas de una percepción de mal pronóstico a corto plazo, deben ser completamente desterradas. La mejora de la supervivencia global de los pacientes oncológicos en su conjunto, la disponibilidad de nuevas técnicas neuroquirúrgicas accesibles a una gran mayoría de nuestros hospitales, y las mejoras evidentes en los equipos y técnicas de radioterapia permiten abordar esta patología con mejores perspectivas de éxito, no sólo en lo que al control de la progresión tumoral propiamente dicha se refiere, sino también en el control del dolor, el mantenimiento de la funcionalidad de la médula espinal y la supervivencia global del paciente. En este contexto, consideramos obligado que todos los hospitales dispongan de protocolos de actuación específicos para la compresión medular aguda. La puesta en marcha en el Centro Médico de Asturias de un protocolo de estas características ha animado a realizar una revisión y actualización sobre el tema, con especial énfasis en las evidencias disponibles para cada una de las modalidades terapéuticas comentadas

Spinal cord compression must be considered a top-priority neuro-oncological emergency. Hence, a multidisciplinary approach and swiftness in establishing appropriate therapeutic measures are crucial to optimise the functional (and perhaps vital) prognosis of these patients. The nihilistic attitudes that have prevailed up until now in some professional sectors, possibly stemming from the perception of a poor short-term prognosis, must be completely eradicated. The overall improvement in survival rates among cancer patients in general, the availability of new neurosurgical techniques in the vast majority of our hospitals and the obvious improvements in radiotherapy equipment and techniques all this pathology to be addressed with greater chances of success. This greater likelihood of accomplishing a better outcome refers not only to the control of the development of the tumour itself, but also to pain control, maintenance of the functioning of the spinal cord and the overall survival of the patient. In this context, we consider it essential for all hospitals to have specific protocols on how to proceed in cases of acute spinal cord compression. The fact that this kind of protocol has been introduced in the Centro Médico de Asturias has prompted us to conduct a review of the current state-of-the-art in this field, with special emphasis on the evidence available for each of the modes of therapy that are discussed