Search

Background: Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to investigate the prognostic value of a novel GLUCAR index [Glucose × (C-reactive protein ÷ albumin)] in unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LA-NPC) patients who received definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Methods: The PSM analysis comprised 142 LA-PAC patients subjected to definitive CCRT. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized to identify relevant pre-CCRT cutoffs that could effectively stratify survival results. The primary and secondary objectives were the correlations between the pre-CCRT GLUCAR measures and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: The ROC analysis revealed significance at 43.3 for PFS [area under the curve (AUC): 85.1%; sensitivity: 76.8%; specificity: 74.2%; J-index: 0.510)] and 42.8 for OS (AUC: 81.8%; sensitivity: 74.2%; specificity: 71.7%; J-index: 0.459). Given that these cutoff points were close, the standard cutoff point, 42.8, was selected for further analysis. Comparative survival analyses showed that pre-CCRT GLUCAR ≥ 42.8 (n = 71) measures were associated with significantly shorter median PFS (4.7 vs. 15.8 months; p < 0.001) and OS (10.1 vs. 25.4 months; p < 0.001) durations compared to GLUCAR < 42.8 measures (n = 71). The multivariate analysis results confirmed the independent significance of the GLUCAR index on PFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p < 0.001) outcomes. Conclusions: Elevated pre-CCRT GLUCAR levels are robustly and independently linked to significantly poorer PFS and OS outcomes in unresectable LA-PAC patients treated with definitive CCRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the value of the newly created GLUCAR index in predicting tooth extraction rates after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT) in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinomas (LA-NPCs). Methods: A total of 187 LA-NPC patients who received C-CRT were retrospectively analyzed. The GLUCAR index was defined as ′GLUCAR = (Fasting Glucose × CRP/Albumin Ratio) by utilizing measures of glucose, C-reactive protein (CRP), and albumin obtained on the first day of C-CRT. Results: The optimal GLUCAR cutoff was 31.8 (area under the curve: 78.1%; sensitivity: 70.5%; specificity: 70.7%, Youden: 0.412), dividing the study cohort into two groups: GLUCAR ˂ 1.8 (N = 78) and GLUCAR ≥ 31.8 (N = 109) groups. A comparison between the two groups found that the tooth extraction rate was significantly higher in the group with a GLUCAR ≥ 31.8 (84.4% vs. 47.4% for GLUCAR ˂ 31.8; odds ratio (OR):1.82; p < 0.001). In the univariate analysis, the mean mandibular dose ≥ 38.5 Gy group (76.5% vs. 54.9% for <38.5 Gy; OR: 1.45; p = 0.008), mandibular V55.2 Gy group ≥ 40.5% (80.3 vs. 63.5 for <40.5%, p = 0.004, OR; 1.30), and being diabetic (71.8% vs. 57.9% for nondiabetics; OR: 1.23; p = 0.007) appeared as the additional factors significantly associated with higher tooth extraction rates. All four characteristics remained independent predictors of higher tooth extraction rates after C-CRT in the multivariate analysis (p < 0.05 for each). Conclusions: The GLUCAR index, first introduced here, may serve as a robust new biomarker for predicting post-C-CRT tooth extraction rates and stratifying patients according to their tooth loss risk after treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The significance of pre‐hemoglobin‐to‐platelet ratio (HPR) in predicting the occurrence of radiation‐induced trismus (RIT) in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients (LA‐NPC) who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C‐CRT). Methods: The records of LA‐NPC patients with oral examination before and after C‐CRT were analyzed. Maximum mouth openings (MMO) were measured before and after C‐CRT to confirm RIT status, with an MMO of ≤35 mm defined as RIT. HPR values were calculated on the first day of C‐CRT. The relationship between the HPR values and RIT status was discovered using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results: A total of 43 patients RIT cases among 198 individuals were diagnosed. The optimal HPR cutoff that stratified the patients into two groups was 0.54. RIT incidence was found to be significantly higher in the HPR ≤0.54 group than its HPR >0.54 counterpart(p < 0.001). Univariately T3‐4 stage, mean masticator apparatus dose>57.2Gy, and pre‐C‐CRT MMO ≤40.7 mm were found as the other significant correlates of increased RIT rates(p < 0.05). All four variables seemed to be independently connected to greater RIT incidence in multivariate analysis (p < 0.05, for each). Conclusion: The risk of post‐C‐CRT RIT may be significantly increased when pre‐treatment HPR levels are low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: We investigated the prognostic significance of the newly created Global Immune-Nutrition-Inflammation Index (GINI) in IIIC non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). A total of 802 newly diagnosed stage IIIC NSCLC patients were included. The optimal pre-CCRT GINI cutoff was 1562 (area under the curve: 76.1%; sensitivity: 72.4%; specificity: 68.2%; Youden index: 0.406). GINI ≥ 1562 was associated with significantly shorter median locoregional progression-free (p < 0.001), progression-free (p < 0.001), and overall survival (p < 0.001) than GINI < 1562. For each survival endpoint, the association between GINI and survival outcomes appeared independent of other confounding variables (p < 0.05 for each). The novel GINI index effectively stratified patients with stage IIIC NSCLSC into two distinct subgroups, demonstrating significant differences in both median and long-term survival rates. Background: We sought to determine the prognostic value of the newly developed Global Immune-Nutrition-Inflammation Index (GINI) in patients with stage IIIC non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Methods: This study was conducted on a cohort of 802 newly diagnosed stage IIIC NSCLC patients who underwent CCRT. The novel GINI created first here was defined as follows: GINI = [C-reactive protein × Platelets × Monocytes × Neutrophils] ÷ [Albumin × Lymphocytes]. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the optimal pre-CCRT GINI cut-off value that substantially interacts with the locoregional progression-free (LRPFS), progression-free (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Results: The optimal pre-CCRT GINI cutoff was 1562 (AUC: 76.1%; sensitivity: 72.4%; specificity: 68.2%; Youden index: 0.406). Patients presenting with a GINI ≥ 1562 had substantially shorter median LRPFS (13.3 vs. 18.4 months; p < 0.001), PFS (10.2 vs. 14.3 months; p < 0.001), and OS (19.1 vs. 37.8 months; p < 0.001) durations than those with a GINI < 1562. Results of the multivariate analysis revealed that the pre-CCRT GINI ≥ 1562 (vs. <1562), T4 tumor (vs. T3), and receiving only 1 cycle of concurrent chemotherapy (vs. 2–3 cycles) were the factors independently associated with poorer LRPS (p < 0.05 for each), PFS (p < 0.05 for each), and OS (p < 0.05 for each). Conclusion: The newly developed GINI index efficiently divided the stage IIIC NSCLSC patients into two subgroups with substantially different median and long-term survival outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore how well a unique combination of hemoglobin‐to‐platelet ratio (HPR) and pretreatment maximum mouth opening (MMO) predicts the prevalence of radiation‐induced trismus (RIT). Patients and methods: HPR and MMO cutoff values (0.54 and 40.7 mm) divided patients into two groups. To develop the novel HPR‐MMO index, four combinations of these factors were tested for predictive power: Group 1: HPR > 0.54 and MMO > 40.7 mm; Group 2: HPR ≤ 0.54 but MMO > 40.7 mm; Group 3: HPR > 0.54 but MMO ≤ 40.7 mm; Group 4: HPR ≤ 0.54 and MMO ≤ 40.7 mm. Results: Data of 198 patients with LA‐NPC was analyzed retrospectively. RIT rates for Groups 1 to 4 were 10.2%, 15.2%, 25%, and 59.4%. Groups 2 and 3 were merged to generate HPR‐MMO index because of statistically equivalent RIT rates: Low‐risk: HPR > 0.54 and MMO > 40.7 mm; Intermediate‐risk: HPR ≤ 0.54 but MMO > 40.7 mm or; HPR > 0.54 but MMO ≤ 40.7 mm; High‐risk: HPR ≤ 0.54 and MMO ≤ 40.7 mm. It was revealed that the low‐, high‐, and intermediate‐risk group's RIT rates; 10.2%, 59.4%, and 19.2%, respectively. Conclusion: The novel HPR‐MMO index may to classify LA‐NPC patients into low, intermediate, and high‐risk RIT groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study conducted by Katz et al. on the prevalence of acute periapical abscesses (PA) in head and neck cancer patients who received radiation therapy (RT). The study found that patients with a history of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) had a significantly higher likelihood of developing acute PA, and this risk was further increased if they had received RT. The article suggests that dosimetric data should be included to determine safer RT dosages and stratify patients into PA risk categories. It also highlights the potential development of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) in patients with PA and the need to consider pre-existing PA before RT. The article commends the study for contributing to our understanding of this treatment complication. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: We aimed to determine whether pretreatment hemoglobin (Hb) levels can predict the risk of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) in patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). Methods: ORN cases were identified from the records of LA-NPCs who had oral exams before and after CCRT. All Hb measurements were obtained on the first day of treatment. Receiving operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the relationship between Hb levels and ORN rates. The relationship between pretreatment Hb levels and ORN rates served as the primary endpoint, and secondary endpoints included the discovery of additional potential ORN risk factors. Results: Among the 263 eligible LA-NPCs, we identified 8.7% ORN cases. The ideal cutoff Hb before CCRT was 10.6 g/dL. It was revealed that HPR ≤ 10.6 group had a significantly higher ORN rate (32.5% vs. 1.5% for Hb > 10.6; P < 0.001). The mandibular V59.8 ≥ 36% Gy, pre-CCRT ≥ 4 tooth extractions, the presence of post-CCRT tooth extractions, and the time of post-CCRT tooth extractions > 8 months were the other factors associated with significantly increased ORN rates (P < 0.05 for each). Conclusion: Low pre-CCRT Hb levels appeared to be independently linked to significantly higher ORN rates. Pretreatment Hb levels may be used to establish preventive measures and predict ORN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This retrospective study aimed to investigate whether the pretreatment hemoglobin-to-platelet ratio (HPR) could predict the risk of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) in patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT) for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). Methods: ORN cases were reported from the records of LA-NPC patients who had oral examinations before and after C-CRT. The pretreatment HPR values were calculated on the first day of C-CRT. The connection between HPR values and ORN occurrences was determined using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The primary endpoint was the relationship between the pretreatment HPR values and post-C-CRT ORN incidence rates, while secondary endpoints included the identification of other putative ORN risk factors. Results: We distinguished 10.9% incidences of ORN during the post-C-CRT follow-up period among 193 LA-NPC patients. The optimal cutoff for pre-C-CRT HPR was 0.48 that grouped the patients into two HPR groups with fundamentally different post-C-CRT ORN incidence rates: Group 1: HPR ≤ 0.48 (N = 60), and Group 2: HPR > 0.48 (N = 133). The comparative analysis indicated a significantly higher ORN incidence in HPR ≤ 0.48 group (30%; P < 0.001). The other factors associated with meaningfully increased ORN rates included the presence of pre-C-CRT ≥ 5 teeth extractions, mandibular volume receiving ≥ 64 Gy, post-C-CRT tooth extractions, mean mandibular dose ≥ 50.6 Gy, and C-CRT to tooth extraction interval > 5.5 months. Conclusion: Low pretreatment HPR levels were independently and unequivocally linked to significantly increased incidence of ORN post-C-CRT. Pre-C-CRT HPR levels may be used to estimate the incidence of ORN and be useful for taking preventive and therapeutic measures in these patients such as monitoring oral hygiene with strict follow-up, avoidance of unnecessary tooth extractions, particularly after C-CRT, and use of more rigorous mandibular RT dose limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study conducted by Rahul et al. on the long-term effects of chemotherapy and radiation on the dental development of pediatric cancer patients. The study examined 11 cases of altered dental development out of 138 pediatric cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment. The researchers found a higher prevalence of root development abnormalities compared to abnormalities in tooth crowns. They concluded that the age at which anticancer therapy was initiated, the combined effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and the dose of radiation therapy administered were the primary contributors to dental abnormalities. The article also highlights the need for further research on the adverse impacts of radiation therapy on dental tissues in pediatric cancer patients. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses a study conducted on elderly patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) who underwent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). The study found that the 5-year progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and local control (LC) rates were 57%, 52%, and 91%, respectively. The study also identified the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) as a predictive factor for OS. However, the article points out that the study did not address certain late toxicities, such as radiation-induced trismus (RIT) and radiation-induced tooth loss (RITL), which can significantly impact patients' quality of life. Additionally, the article suggests that the small sample size and lack of data on salvage therapies may have influenced the study's results. Overall, the study provides valuable insights for clinicians and researchers working in head and neck oncology. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: In a lack of similar research, we meant to retrospectively investigate the prognostic significance of pre-chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT) platelet-to-albumin ratio (PAR) on the survival results of locally advanced unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma (LAPC) patients.Patients and Methods: The present analysis included 139 LAPC patients who received C-CRT in total. The utility of pre-C-CRT cutoff(s) reshaping survival data was explored using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The primary and secondary objectives were the associations between PAR levels and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) outcomes.Results: At a median follow-up of 15.7 months (95% CI: 11.6-19.8), the overall cohort's median and 5-year OS rates were 14.4 months (95% CI: 11.8-17) and 14.7%, respectively, while the corresponding PFS rates were 7.8 months (95% CI: 6.5-9.1) and 11.2%. Because the ROC curve analysis found 4.9 as the optimal PAR cutoff for both OS and PFS [area under the curve (AUC): 75.4%; sensitivity: 72.4%; specificity: 70.3%], we divided the patients into two PAR cohorts: PAR<4.9 (N=60) and PAR≥4.9 (N=79). Comparative analysis per PAR group exhibited significantly worse OS (11.2 vs 18.6 months, and 9.8% vs 20.9% at 5 years, P=0.003) and DFS (7 vs 14.3 months, and 7.6% vs 16.2% at 5 years, P=0.001) with PAR≥4.9 versus PAR<4.9, respectively. In multivariate analysis, the N0 nodal status, CA 19-9≤90 U/mL, and PAR<4.9 were found to be independent predictors of improved OS and PFS.Conclusion: The pre-C-CRT high PAR (≥4.9) robustly and independently prognosticated significantly worse OS and PFS results in inoperable LAPC patients who underwent definitive C-CRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To evaluate the utility of pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in predicting the teeth caries and need for tooth extraction after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT) for locally advanced squamous-cell head and neck cancer (LA-SCHNC) patients.Methods: The records of LA-SCHNC patients who underwent formal dental evaluations at pre- and post-C-CRT periods were retrospectively analyzed. The pretreatment SII values were calculated using the platelet, neutrophil, and lymphocyte measures acquired on the first day of C-CRT: SII=Platelets×neutrophils/lymphocytes. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to identify the ideal pre-C-CRT SII cutoff that may predict the teeth caries and the need for tooth extraction after the C-CRT. The primary endpoint was the link between the pre-C-CRT SII and the need for tooth extraction during the follow-up period.Results: A sum of 126 patients were included. Median follow-up was 4.9 years (range: 2.7-7.8). Nasopharyngeal and laryngeal cancers comprised the majority (75.4%) study cohort. Post-treatment teeth extractions were reported in 62.7% patients. The optimal cutoff was 558 [Area under the curve (AUC): %76.8 sensitivity: 72.3%; and specificity: 70.9%] that grouped the patients into two subgroups with significantly different post-C-CRT tooth extraction rates: Group 1: SII≤558 (n = 70) and SII>558 (n = 56), respectively. Correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between the pretreatment SII and the tooth extraction rates after the C-CRT (rs:0.89: P = 0.001). The comparative analysis displayed that the teeth extractions rates were significantly higher in the SII>558 group (77.1% versus 51.4% for SII≤558; Hazard ratio: 1.68; P = 0.001). Further analyses showed that the pre-C-CRT SII>558 was the unique factor associated with meaningfully higher necessities for post-C-CRT teeth extractions.Conclusion: The present outcomes intimated that high pretreatment SII levels were linked to significantly increased post-treatment teeth extractions in LA-SCHNC patients undergoing definitive C-CRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) was administered to 62 patients. The RT technique was 3-dimensional conformal RT or intensity-modulated RT (IMRT) in 44 (71%) and 18 (29%) patients, respectively. Letter to the Editor regarding "Long-term swallow outcomes and factors affecting swallowing dysfunction and quality of life among oral cancer patients: a prospective observational study" by Thaduri et al. [Extracted from the article]

Background: To retrospectively assess the impact of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on survival outcomes of patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Methods: This study incorporated 154 patients with LA-NPC who received exclusive cisplatinum-based CCRT. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized for accessibility of pretreatment PNI cutoffs influencing survival results. The primary end point was the interaction between the overall survival (OS) and PNI values, while cancer-specific survival (CSS) locoregional progression-free survival (LR-PFS), distant metastasis–free survival (DMFS), and PFS were the secondary end points. Results: A rounded PNI cutoff value of 51 was identified in ROC curve analyses to exhibit significant link with CSS, OS, DMFS, and PFS outcomes, but not LR-PFS. Patients grouping per PNI value (≥51 [N = 95] vs <51 [N = 49]) revealed that PNI < 51 group had significantly shorter median CSS (P <.001), OS (P <.001), DMFS (P <.001), and PFS (P <.001) times than the PNI ≥ 51 group, and the multivariate results confirmed the PNI < 51 as an independent predictor of poor outcomes for each end point (P <.05 for each). The unfavorable impact of the low PNI was also continued at 10-year time point with survival rates of 77.9% versus 42.4%, 73.6% versus 33.9%, 57.9% versus 27.1%, and 52.6% versus 23.7% for CSS, OS, DMFS, and PFS, respectively. Additionally, we found that PNI < 51 was significantly associated with higher rates of weight loss >5% over past 6 months (49.2% versus 11.6%; P =.002) compared to PNI < 51 group. Conclusion: Low pre-CCRT PNI levels were independently associated with significantly reduced CSS, OS, DMFS, and PFS outcomes in patients with LA-NPC treated with definitive CCRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. We explored the prognostic influence of the systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) on the survival outcomes of stage IIIB/C non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Methods. Present propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis comprised 876 stage IIIB/C NSCLC patients who received 1–3 cycles of platinum-based doublets concurrent with thoracic radiotherapy from 2007 to 2017. The primary and secondary objectives were the relationships between the SIRI values and overall (OS) and progression-free survival, respectively. Propensity scores were calculated for SIRI groups to adjust for confounders and to facilitate well-balanced comparability between the SIRI groups by creating 1 : 1 matched study groups. Results. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified an optimal SIRI cutoff at 1.9 for OS (AUC: 78.8%; sensitivity: 73.7%; specificity: 70.7%) and PFS (AUC: 80.5%; sensitivity: 75.8%; specificity: 72.9%) and we grouped the patients into two PSM cohorts: SIRI < 1.9 (N = 304) and SIRI ≥ 1.9 (N = 304), respectively. The SIRI ≥ 1.9 cohort had significantly worse median OS (P < 0.001) and PFS (P < 0.001) than their SIRI < 1.9 companions. The further combination of SIRI with disease stage exhibited that the SIRI-1 (IIIB and SIRI < 1.9) and SIRI-3 (IIIC and SIRI ≥ 1.9) cohorts had the best and worst outcomes, respectively, with SIRI-2 cohort (IIIB and SIRI ≥ 1.9 or IIIC and SIRI < 1.9) being remained in between (P < 0.001 for OS and PFS, separately). In multivariate analysis, the two- and three-laddered stratifications per the 1.9 cutoffs and SIRI groups retained their independent significance, individually. Conclusions. The SIRI ≥ 1.9 independently prognosticated significantly worse OS and PFS results and plated the stage IIIB/C patients into three fundamentally distinct prognostic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Recent studies have indicated that the systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) can efficiently predict survival outcomes in various tumor types. Thusly, in absence of comparable investigations in limited-stage small-cell lung cancers (LS-SCLCs), we aimed to retrospectively evaluate the prognostic utility of SIRI in LS-SCLC patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Patients and Methods. Present multi-institutional retrospective analysis incorporated LS-SCLC patients treated with CRT at three academic radiation oncology centers between January 2007 and December 2018. The SIRI was calculated by using the peripheral blood neutrophil (N), monocyte (M), and lymphocyte (L) counts acquired in the last ≤7 days before the commencement of the CRT: SIRI = N × M/L. Accessibility of pretreatment SIRI cutoff that may stratify the study population into two gatherings with distinctive overall survival (OS) results was evaluated by utilizing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Primary objective was the association between the SIRI values and the OS results. Results. Search for the availability of an ideal SIRI cutoff that may stratify the entire patients' population into two particular groups with distinctive OS outcomes identified the 1.93 value (area under the curve (AUC): 72.9%; sensitivity: 74.6%; specificity: 70.1%): Group 1: SIRI <1.93 (N = 71) and Group 2: SIRI ≥1.93 (N = 110), respectively. At a median follow-up of 17.9 (95% CI: 13.2–22.6) months, 47 (26.0%) patients were still alive (47.9% for SIRI <1.93 versus 18.3% for SIRI ≥1.93; p < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier comparisons between the two SIRI groups showed that the SIRI <1.93 cohort had significantly longer median OS (40.5 versus 14.2 months; p < 0.001) than the SIRI ≥1.93 cohort. Similarly, the 3- (54% versus 12.6%) and 5-year (33% versus 9.9%) OS rates were also numerically superior in the SIRI <1.93 cohort. Results of the multivariate analyses uncovered that the prognostic significance of the SIRI on OS outcomes was independent of the other confounding variables. Conclusions. The results of this retrospective multi-institutional cohort analysis suggested that a pre-CRT SIRI was a strong and independent prognostic biomarker that reliably stratified LS-SCLC patients into two cohorts with significantly different OS outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myofibrosarcomas (MFSs) of the sinonasal tract are exceedingly rare tumors in adults. The principle treatment of MFS of the head and neck is surgical. However, aggressive surgery is not only debilitating, functionally and cosmetically, but tumor free margins are often difficult to obtain because of the local anatomy, and recurrence following surgery is likely. Here we report on a 64-year-old female patient who had a recurrence of an MFS of the sinonasal tract, despite prior aggressive surgery. The recurrence was successfully treated with a partial tumor resection followed by radiation therapy. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case of an MFS originating from the sinonasal tract in an adult, and the first treated with postoperative radiation therapy. This case indicates that postoperative radiation therapy may be beneficial in local disease control in such patients. However, more experience is needed to determine the efficacy of this therapeutic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To evaluate the impact of four different rectum contouring techniques and rectal toxicities in patients with treated with 3D conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). Methods: Clinical and dosimetric data were evaluated for 94 patients who received a total dose 3DCRT of 70 Gy, and rectal doses were compared in four different rectal contouring techniques: the prostate-containing CT sections (method 1); 1 cm above and below the planning target volume (PTV) (method 2); 110 mm starting from the anal verge (method 3); and from the anal verge to the sigmoid flexure (method 4). The percentage of rectal volume receiving RT doses (30-70 Gy) and minimum, mean rectal doses were assessed. Results: Median age was 69 years. Percentage of rectal volume receiving high doses (≥ 70 Gy) were higher with the techniques that contoured smaller rectal volumes. In methods 2 and 3, the percentage of rectal volume receiving ≥ 70 Gy was significantly higher in patients with than without rectal bleeding (method 2: 30.8% vs. 22.5%, respectively (p = 0.03); method 3: 26.9% vs. 18.1%, respectively (p = 0.006)). Mean rectal dose was significant predictor of rectal bleeding only in method 3 (48.8 Gy in patients with bleeding vs. 44.4 Gy in patients without bleeding; p = 0.02). Conclusion: Different techniques of rectal contouring significantly influence the calculation of radiation doses to the rectum and the prediction of rectal toxicity. Rectal volume receiving higher doses (≥ 70 Gy) and mean rectal doses may significantly predict rectal bleeding for techniques contouring larger rectal volumes, as was in method 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare tumor of the urinary bladder accounting for less than 0.5% of all primary urinary bladder tumors. Since the patients were presented with large tumor with extended stages, outcome was found to be poor. In order to improve local control, adjuvant local treatment may be practical. We report a rare case with sarcomatoid carcinoma of the urinary bladder diagnosed with immunuhistochemical (IHC) study and treated with 3D-conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) post-operatively. A 55-year old female patient complained about painless hematuria for 2 months. Computed tomography of the pelvic region revealed tumor and wall thickening at the left posterolateral side of the bladder. Total cystectomy with lymph node dissection and total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salphingo-oopherectomy was performed and histopathological and immunohistochemical findings strongly correlate with sarcomatoid carcinoma. The patient was treated with 3D conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) with a total dose of 59.4 Gy with 1.8 Gy fractional daily doses. Patient was alive without any local recurrence and distant metastasis 10 months after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of octreotide in the treatment of chemoradiotherapy (CRT)-induced diarrhea (CRTID) refractory to conventional loperamide treatment in this pilot study. Methods: Forty-two rectal carcinoma (T3–4N0–2M0) patients with grade 2 or 3 diarrhea refractory to loperamide were enrolled to receive octreotide. Eligible patients were treated with pelvic radiotherapy combined with bolus 5- fluorouracil CRT. Octreotide was administered subcutaneously, 150 μg three times daily, for 5 consecutive days. Only complete resolution of diarrhea was considered as therapeutic success. Results: Diarrhea mainly occurred in the first 4 weeks of CRT (83.3%) and completely resolved in 34 patients (80.9%) following octreotide administration. Mean time to response was 2.7 days: 27 patients (64%) responded during the first 3 days, and the remaining 7 (17%) on days 4 and 5. No significant side effect was reported. Eight patients (19.1%) with refractory diarrhea were hospitalized for additional treatment. No treatment delay was reported in complete responders, whereas an average 7.7-day delay was observed in refractory patients. Antidiarrheal treatment was administered on an outpatient basis in the response group, whereas refractory patients were hospitalized for an average of 8.8 days. Conclusion: Daily subcutaneous octreotide administration (150 μg t.i.d.) for 5 days is apparently an effective, tolerable treatment modality for concurrent CRTID refractory to loperamide. Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]