Search

To determine the primary radiotherapy (RT) consumption in a population of almost one million inhabitants, served by one RT centre. Primary RT was defined as being planned, started or finished within 4–6 months of diagnosis. Application was evaluated according to tumour category, stage and year of diagnosis during three 8-year periods: 1975–1982, 1983 –1990 and 1991–1998.Most patients were between 60 and 75 years. The number of patients receiving primary RT increased with 3% annually over the whole studied period, but remained proportionally stable for males at 30% and decreased for females from 36.2 to 34.6%. A decrease of referral rates for patients with gynaecological cancer was observed. The introduction of breast-conserving therapy in 1981 and of population screening for women aged 50–69 years in 1992 led to a considerable increase of primary RT. The eightfold increase in number of irradiated patients with localised prostate cancer rather reflected a higher detection rate than an increased referral rate. Except for an important increase of irradiated patients with rectal cancer, largely due to the shift to preoperative RT since 1994, and of patients with brain cancer, only slight alterations in referral rates were observed for the other cancers.Use of primary RT remained proportionally steady and modest. The marked increase in workload was mainly due to more and earlier detection of breast and prostate cancer and treatment changes in rectal cancer. Decreases were observed for each of the gynecological cancers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: In 2000, the results of the multicenter Post Operative Radiation Therapy in Endometrial Carcinoma (PORTEC) trial were published. This trial included 714 Stage I endometrial carcinoma patients randomly assigned to postoperative pelvic radiotherapy (RT) or no further treatment, excluding those with Stage IC, Grade 3, or Stage IB, Grade 1 lesions. Radiotherapy significantly decreased the risk of locoregional recurrence (4% vs. 14%), without affecting overall survival. In this report the long-term outcome and results with central pathology review are presented. Methods and Materials: The slides of 569 patients (80%) could be obtained for pathology review. Median follow-up for patients alive was 97 months. Analysis was done according to the intention-to-treat principle. The primary study endpoints were locoregional recurrence and death. Results: Ten-year locoregional relapse rates were 5% (RT) and 14% (controls; p < 0.0001), and 10-year overall survival was 66% and 73%, respectively (p = 0.09). Endometrial cancer related death rates were 11% (RT) and 9% (controls; p = 0.47). Pathology review showed a substantial shift from Grade 2 to Grade 1, but no significant difference for Grade 3. When cases diagnosed at review as Grade 1 with superficial myometrial invasion were excluded from the analysis, the results remained essentially the same, with 10-year locoregional recurrence rates of 5% (RT) and 17% (controls; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: In view of the significant locoregional control benefit, radiotherapy remains indicated in Stage I endometrial carcinoma patients with high-risk features for locoregional relapse. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The use of involved-field radiotherapy after chemotherapy for advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma is controversial. Methods: We randomly assigned patients with previously untreated stage III or IV Hodgkin's lymphoma who were in complete remission after hybrid chemotherapy with mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone, doxorubicin, bleomycin, and vinblastine (MOPP-ABV) to receive either no further treatment or involved-field radiotherapy. Radiotherapy consisted of 24 Gy to all initially involved nodal areas and 16 to 24 Gy to all initially involved extranodal sites. Patients in partial remission were treated with 30 Gy to nodal areas and 18 to 24 Gy to extranodal sites. Results: Of 739 patients, 421 had a complete remission; 161 of these patients were assigned to no further treatment, and 172 to involved-field radiotherapy. The median follow-up was 79 months. The five-year event-free survival rate was 84 percent in the group that did not receive radiotherapy and 79 percent in the group that received involved-field radiotherapy (P=0.35). The five-year overall survival rates were 91 and 85 percent, respectively (P=0.07). Among the 250 patients in partial remission after chemotherapy, the five-year event-free and overall survival rates were 79 and 87 percent, respectively. Conclusions: Involved-field radiotherapy did not improve the outcome in patients with advanced-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma who had a complete remission after MOPP-ABV chemotherapy. Radiotherapy may benefit patients with a partial response after chemotherapy. N Engl J Med 2003;348:2396-406. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]