Evaluation of toxicity of surgery and/or chemoirradiation treatment of uterine cervix cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate acute and chronic toxicity of chemoirradiation treatment (neoadjuvant, adjuvant and radical treatment) in patients diagnosed with cervix cancer. METHODS: From December 1999 to August 2007, 53 patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix received neoadjuvant, adjuvant or radical chemoirradiation. RESULTS: Acute gastrointestinal toxicity of grade 3 or more in 9 patients (17%) and haematological toxicity of grade 3 or more in 9 patients (17%). Chronic toxicity of grade 3 or more was shown in only 2 patients (4%). The most frequent toxicities were gastrointestinal toxicity and haematological toxicity. The most frequent chronic toxicities were gastrointestinal toxicity and vaginal toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: We report that the combined neoadjuvant, adjuvant or radical chemoirradiation treatment with weekly cisplatin chemotherapy (40 mg/m(2)/week) in patients diagnosed with cervix cancer is a well tolerated treatment and chronic and acute toxicity is low-grade. This treatment scheme has easy compliance.

Re-irradiation to prevent ectopic bone formation after major hip surgery.

Ectopic bone formation may occur after total hip arthroplasty, but fortunately most patients are asymptomatic. Both pre-operative and post-operative radiotherapy are effective in prevention of ectopic bone formation. In the few patients who needed re-operation, we found that re-irradiation is possible and safe. This case report presents our experience with single dose reirradiation of the hip in an attempt to prevent post-operative ectopic bone formation.

Intracranial germ cell tumor mimicking anorexia nervosa.

We report on a case of a 23 year-old female diagnosed as having a germ-cell tumour located in the sellar region. The patient referred anorexia, psychic disorders, weight loss of 15 kilograms and secondary amenorrhea during the previous three years. This is the reason why the patient was diagnosed as having anorexia nervosa. Subsequently, the patient presented some endocrine dysfunction. MRI revealed the existence of a lesion located in suprasellar and hypothalamic regions. This case shows that the presence of intracranial tumours next to the hypothalamus must be borne in mind as a rare but real possibility in cases of anorexia nervosa, specially in those non-typical cases.

[The role of radiotherapy in the management of bucopharyngeal epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma]. / Radioterapia en el tratamiento del sarcoma de Kaposi epidémico bucofaríngeo.

PURPOSE: This study is presented to help define the role of radiotherapy in the management of buccopharyngeal epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 1999 and December 2004, we treated 17 patients who had acquired inmunodeficiency syndrome related to mucous Kaposi's sarcoma. Kaposi's sarcoma lesions were in the oral cavity in 12 patients (70%), oropharynx in 3 patients (18%) and larynx in 2 patients (12%). All the patients were treated by radiotherapy using a Cobalt Unit beam energy, the treatment doses ranged from 15 to 30 Gy. RESULTS: Tolerance was generally satisfactory, with an effective palliation of symptoms (88,4% overall rate of objective responses). Nevertheless an enhanced mucosal reaction was noted in patients receiving doses close to 30 Gy (mucositis grade 3). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that radiotherapy is an efficient treatment for mucous epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma; a dose of 15 Gy may be enough to shrink the tumour and obtain a good palliation of symptoms. Prophylactic measures with antifungal treatment should be systematically associated with oropharyngeal irradiation in order to improve tolerance to the treatment.