Indiana University experience in the management of vaginal cancer.

PURPOSE: To review our institutional experience in the treatment of primary vaginal cancer and identify predictors for outcome, in particular, recurrence rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 45 patients identified as having primary squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma of the vagina and recorded information regarding both patient and tumor characteristics and treatment modalities. Treatment modalities included surgery and radiation with or without chemotherapy (6 patients), radiation alone (30 patients), and chemoradiation (9 patients). Then, univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify factors, which predicted for recurrence. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were also generated. RESULTS: The median follow-up time for all surviving patients was 5.8 years (range, 9-146 months). The mean and the median minimum tumor doses were 7300 cGy. The 5-year overall survival rate was 71%, and the 5-year progression-free survival rate was 77%. The 5-year overall survival rates by stage were carcinoma in situ with microinvasion and stage I, 92%; stage II, 82%; and stages III and IVA, 20% (P = 0.0005). The 5-year progression-free survival rates by stage were carcinoma in situ and stage I, 92%; stage II, 88%; and stages III and IVA, 30% (P = 0.00049). Of the factors analyzed, only stage predicted for a statistically significant increased risk for recurrence (P = 2.23E-0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Early-stage vaginal cancer can be successfully managed with radiation therapy with excellent rates of local control and survival. Patients with stages III and IV disease have a very poor outcome, and more aggressive therapies need to be investigated. Given the limited number of patients treated with chemotherapy and radiation, no definitive conclusions can be made regarding the impact of combined therapy in the management of this disease.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy for bilateral primary lung cancers: the Indiana University experience.

PURPOSE: To review the outcomes of 10 patients treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy for bilateral primary medically inoperable lung cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between July 2001 and February 2005, 10 patients were treated at Indiana University with stereotactic body radiotherapy for bilateral multiple primary lung cancers using a stereotactic body frame (Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden). Nine patients had cancers that were deemed inoperable secondary to multiple medical comorbidities. One patient refused surgery. All patients had biopsy proven non-small-cell lung carcinoma of at least one of their masses and presented with either metachronous or synchronous pulmonary nodules. Positron emission tomography scans were done for all patients before treatment. Radiation dose varied between 4800 and 6600 cGy given in 3 fractions prescribed to the 80% line covering at least 95% of the planning target volume. We performed a retrospective review of the outcome of these patients. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 20.7 months and the median time was 18.5 months (range, 7-42 months). At the time of this review, all 10 patients were living. Eight (80%) of 10 patients had no evidence of disease progression. One patient developed distant metastasis 5 months after treatment and a second patient developed a local recurrence within the radiation field 11 months after treatment. Six patients had either acute or late pulmonary toxicity, but all toxicity was < or =Grade 2 as defined by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group toxicity criteria. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results indicate that stereotactic body radiotherapy is a possibly safe and potentially effective treatment option for patients with bilateral multiple primary lung cancers that are deemed medically inoperable.