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A detailed retrospective analysis of 260 patients with T 1 NO MO vocal cord carcinoma treated at "Instituto de Oncologia y Radioterapia de Mar del Plata" from 1967 to 1985 was performed. The majority of the patients were in the age range of 50 to 79 years, and 79% were males. The overall observed three year tumor free survival was 85.3%. When survival rate was adjusted for intercurrent disease and second primary tumor death, the 3 year tumor free survival was 92%. Sixty two percent of the patients (17/27) undergoing surgical salvage for recurrence, were controlled. Second primary tumors were seen in 18 patients (6.9%). It is emphasized the importance of close follow up to diagnose as early as possible both the vocal cord recurrence and the second primary tumors.

"Analysis of 29 cases evaluated at SMG, Rochester, N.Y." This study analyzed 29 patients with the diagnosis of medulloblastoma evaluated at Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, New York. Twenty-three patients received combined (surgery and radiotherapy) treatment. Six had surgery alone. Chemotherapy was never employed as a primary treatment, however, two cases were treated with drugs at the time of relapse. The patients having craniospinal irradiation had a better survival rate when compared with the group receiving cranial irradiation or surgery alone. The five year survival rate for the first group was 50% versus 20% for the second group and 0% for the third group. The main cause of failure was recurrence in the posterior fossa. Fifteen patients failed in this area representing 88% of the total failures. Seeding to the spinal cord was determined in 5 patients, four of whom did not have spinal cord irradiation. One patient failed outside the field of treatment in the conus medullaris six months after radiation.

A publication from the University of Rochester Cancer Center in 1975 suggested an improvement in the survival time of patients with intracranial ependymomas in whom an aggressive postoperative radiation therapy approach had been adopted. The regimen was tailored to the aggressiveness and spread patterns of these tumors and therefore considered the patient's age, tumor histopathology and location, and status of the subarachnoid space and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The authors proposed using whole brain (WB) fields for all patients with low-grade supratentorial tumors, and WB with cervical cord field extensions for low-grade infratentorial tumors if either group had no CSF or subarachnoid evidence of spinal metastases. They also proposed using craniospinal irradiation for all patients with high-grade ependymomas (regardless of location) or with low-grade infratentorial tumors with positive CSF or subarachnoid findings of spinal metastases. Recommended doses were as follows: 4500 rads to the whole brain, 5500 rads to the primary tumor volume, and 3000 to 4000 rads to the spine, depending on its subarachnoid status. Children aged 3 years or under were to receive 80% of these doses and more protracted daily treatments. Analysis of the updated experience indicates that in 51 patients treated with this approach these criteria have yielded a beneficial and consistent increase in the survival time. A 69% 10-year survival rate has been observed (75% for low-grade and 67% for high-grade ependymomas). A multifactorial analysis of survival by prognostic factors and by grouping of prognostic factors, analysis of failures, autopsy findings, and quality of survival is presented and discussed.