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Based on randomized studies bone-marrow supported (BMS) high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) is not superior to conventional CT as adjuvant treatment for high-risk breast cancer. To compare the cost-effectiveness of these treatments we examined the data of Finnish patients in the SBG9401 trial 1. Patients were randomized to receive either dose-escalated (de FEC) (group A, n =59) or FEC and HDCT+BMS (group B, n =70). They received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) + tamoxifen. All direct health care costs of first line treatment at the oncology units were considered as well as productivity costs within the first 3 years of follow-up. Effectiveness was measured by the number of survival days during 5 years of follow-up. The mean direct health care costs were significantly higher in group B (25829 euro in group A vs. 36605 euro in group B, p0.001), mainly due to a higher number of hospital days. Half of the costs in group A was due to the use of filgrastim (15335 euro in A and 2969 euro in B, p0.001). The costs of RT were only 5% of total costs. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in the number of survival days, but sensitivity analysis based on bootstrapping suggested that treatment A would be a less costly and more effective alternative in a great majority of cases.

The aim of this study was to investigate FDG-PET (fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography) imaging in the management of prostate cancer. Twenty-two patients were studied during different disease phases of prostate cancer, for staging or restaging to clarify specific clinical questions. FDG-PET was performed encompassing the thorax, abdomen and pelvis using the Penn PET 300H scanner. Scanning was begun 60 min after 18F fluorodeoxyglucose marker. Patients were catheterized and administered diuretics to minimize urinary activity. Information obtained with FDG-PET was concordant with findings from other investigations in 7/22 (32%) patients, discordant in 15/22 (68%) patients and equivalent in one patient (4%). PET indicated progressive disease in five patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA)4 ng/L. The impact on management of the patients was high in 46% of cases, low in 41% and for 14% there was no impact on management. The accuracy of FDG-PET was 72% (95% CI 50-89) as confirmed by invasive diagnostics/follow-up. FDG-PET can provide useful information and improve the clinician's decision on further management procedures in selected patients with low PSA and bone or lymph node changes. A negative PET scan in prostate cancer should be interpreted with caution.

In order to reach a dose rate of ca. 20 Gy/min with a typical 60Co radiotherapy unit, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are irradiated at a 20 cm source-to-specimen distance (SSD). By choosing an SSD which is a fourth part of the conventional 80 cm, the dose rate in the specimen is increased by a factor of ca. 16. A Monte Carlo simulation of the CGR Alcyon II 60Co radiotherapy unit at 20 cm SSD is performed using a BEAM-EGS4 Monte Carlo code. As a result of calculations, relative dose distributions in a solid-water phantom are shown, together with measured thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD) data. An additional scattering component due to the sideways scattering from the beam limiting device structures of the radiotherapy unit is seen in the beginning of the BEAM data.

Lung cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in most Western countries. Although 5-year survival rates have doubled from 1960s, they are low compared with survival rates for other cancer types. Tumour stage is the strongest prognostic factor and the most important parameter that guides treatment decision making. Metabolic imaging with fluorodeoxyglucose-labelled positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has proved superior to conventional imaging for staging of non-small-cell lung cancer. This new imaging modality permits more accurate planning of treatment with surgery and radiotherapy and provides information of greater prognostic significance than what can be obtained with conventional approaches. FDG-PET has been approved in the USA and the UK as a basic and invaluable tool in the management of lung cancer. This paper reviews current trends in clinical practice on the applications of FDG-PET in the management of non-small-cell lung cancer.

This study investigated the outcome of testicular cancer treatment in Finland.Data on 88 testicular cancer patients treated in Turku University Central Hospital between 1976 and 1992 were studied to analyse outcome and survival.The histological diagnosis was seminoma for 39 patients and non-seminoma for 49 patients. Two seminoma patients relapsed (5%) and one patient died of progressive disease (3%; initially stage II seminoma). Eleven non-seminoma patients relapsed (22%), nine of whom were cured with chemotherapy. Four non-seminoma patients died of progressive disease (8%; initially one stage I non-seminoma and three stage III non-seminomas). The median time to relapse after the completion of treatment was 9 months (range 3-50 months). Non-seminoma patients had significantly more relapses than seminoma patients (p = 0.03). Most relapses (73% of the non-seminoma relapses) were found among the stage I non-seminoma patients who had not received adjuvant chemotherapy, while none of the stage I seminoma patients relapsed (p = 0.007).Close surveillance is important for all non-seminoma patients to guarantee the early detection and treatment of recurrent disease. Treatment and surveillance should be covered by national guidelines and be conducted in centres with special interest in this rare but mostly curable cancer.

The risk of a second cancer among lung cancer patients was investigated using Finnish Cancer Registry data from 1953 to 1989. Among the 36 528 patients with a primary cancer of the lung, 504 new cancers were diagnosed six months or more after the diagnosis of lung cancer, yielding a standardized incidence ratio significantly lower than expected (SIR = 0.81). A significant excess of cancers of the larynx (SIR = 2.10) and urinary bladder (SIR = 1.35) was observed. Among lung cancer patients below 60 years of age, the risks of oesophageal cancer (SIR = 2.47) and kidney cancer (SIR = 2.48) were also significantly elevated. The risk of a second cancer among lung cancer patients increased with the length of follow-up, and there was some indication of an excess risk of oesophageal cancer and leukaemia among lung cancer patients subject to radiotherapy.

Ninety-four urinary bladder cancer patients with locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic urinary bladder cancer were treated with external radiotherapy with the aim of palliating local disease. Conventional radical radiotherapy was inappropriate because of extensive disease, poor general condition or old age of the patients. The palliative course studied was 30 Gy (mid-point dose) in six fractions, two fractions a week. Eighty-two patients (87%) tolerated treatment as planned. Forty patients (43%) had complete palliation of initial symptoms. Thirty-eight patients (40%) had initial local control of the tumour, which was lasting in 25 cases (26%). Median disease-specific survival of the patients was 13. 3 months. The estimated five-year survival was 13% and survival from bladder cancer 27%.

In a retrospective study, 203 patients with cancer of the urinary bladder were analysed concerning treatment outcome, survival and some prognostic factors. Radiotherapy with curative intent and a tumour dose of 66 Gy in 9 weeks with a 3 weeks' pause after 33 Gy was the planned treatment for 155 patients. Preoperative radiotherapy with a tumour dose of 40 Gy in 4 weeks was delivered to 28 patients, 4-6 weeks prior to cystectomy. Twenty patients with advanced disease received palliative radiotherapy with a tumour dose of 30 Gy in 2 weeks. A significant initial response to radiotherapy was obtained in 26.7% of the patients. The actuarial 5-year survival was 24% for patients treated with definitive radiotherapy only. The most important factors associated with survival in this radiotherapy group were stage (T-class), performance status and serum creatinine. Acute side-effects were common and in 18% of the patients deviation from the planned treatment was necessary.