Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis (ISCM) is both a rare and devastating event, since it is clinically evident in 0.1-0.9% of cancer patients and the mortality rate at 3-4 months is 80%. We present the case of a woman with colon cancer who developed ISCM while on chemotherapy for metastatic disease. The ...

The aim of this work was to evaluate the response in 10 generations of selection for ovulation rate using a cryopreserved control population. Selection was based on the phenotypic value of ovulation rate estimated at day 12 of second gestation by laparoscopy. To produce the control population, embryos from 50 ...

PURPOSE: To analyze time in relation to biochemical recurrence (BCR) and antiandrogen therapy (ADT) in patients with node metastasis at retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) and to identify prognostic factors of BCR- and ADT-free survival. METHODS: Positive node patients at RRP and extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) were recruited retrospectively. Neoadjuvant ...

INTRODUCTION: We have previously defined a new syndrome "Minimally-aggressive gestational trophoblastic neoplasms" in which choriocarcinoma or persistent hydatidiform mole has a minimal growth rate and becomes chemorefractory. Previously we described a new treatment protocol, waiting for hCG rise to >3,000 mIU/ml and disease becomes more advanced, then using combination chemotherapy. ...

OBJECTIVES: Retrospective review of 106 germ-cell testicular tumors treated in our center between 1992 and 2009. METHODS: Description and analysis of several clinical-pathologic and prognostic variables and survival analysis. RESULTS: 68% of our patients were diagnosed in the last 5 years. 54.7% presented seminoma histology. The mean age at diagnosis ...

Many personal stories carry a universal message. This account, of two patients who survived the genocide in April/May 1994 in Rwanda, symbolises the resilience of the human spirit.

Radiation therapy (RT) is the standard alternative curative treatment option for medically inoperable early stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recently, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has shown substantial promise to improve local control rates as compared with conventional fractionated RT [external beam RT (EBRT)]. We compare treatment outcomes and costs between ...

: To update our experience in treating squamous cell carcinoma of the anal margin with definitive radiotherapy (RT). : A total of 26 patients treated curatively with RT between 1979 and 2008, with or without concurrent chemotherapy, were retrospectively reviewed. American Joint Committee on Cancer stage distribution was: T1, N ...

Population-based studies have reported that as many of 35% of black women do not undergo radiotherapy (RT) after breast conservation surgery (BCS). The objective of the present study was to determine whether this trend persisted at a large multidisciplinary cancer center, and to identify the factors that predict for noncompliance ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: To assess the role of Thymidine Phosphorylase and beta-tubulin III in clinical outcome of Chinese advanced gastric cancer patients receiving first-line capecitabine plus paclitaxel. METHODS: The clinical data and tumor biopsies prior treatment from 33 advanced gastric cancer patients receiving capecitabine plus paclitaxel (cohort 1, experimental group) and ...

The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence rate and risk of developing xerostomia in association with the receipt of radiation therapy (RT) among a large population-based cohort of elderly patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer (HNC). The study consisted of 10,387 men and women diagnosed with ...

Primary gastric chorioadenocarcinoma (PGC) is an exceedingly rare neoplasm which is often misdiagnosed as gastric adenocarcinoma at presentation. A markedly elevated serum beta human chorionic gonadotrophin (Beta HCG) level is a characteristic feature of this tumor. A 44 year old white male presented with generalized abdominal pain and fullness, tarry ...

: The reported rate of developing radiation pneumonitis (RP) in patients receiving definitive radiation therapy (RT) for lung cancer is 5% to 36%. However, this incidence is probably underreported because of the nonspecific symptoms of RP that may be erroneously attributed to another cardiovascular or respiratory disorder. The objective of ...

: The effect of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) on survival in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is much debated. Studies with large numbers of patients and long follow-up are lacking in the literature. : We identified 2286 single-primary ACCs of the head and neck treated with surgery in the ...

Objective: To report an extremely rare case of spontaneous uterine perforation of choriocarcinoma with negative beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) post-chemotherapy. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: We present a 35-year-old choriocarcinoma patient whose serial serum β-hCG levels following a fifth course of chemotherapy had been within the normal range, but who developed ...

Preoperative chemoradiation (CT/RT) has been shown to achieve encouraging results in terms of clinical outcome in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). The study aims at analyzing the long-term results of this multimodal approach in a single institution series of 184 cases. Patients underwent whole pelvic irradiation combined with cisplatin and ...

Despite evidence that radiation therapy (RT) improves outcome in multiple malignancies, some patients with strong clinical indications still refuse RT. Data on factors associated with RT refusal are limited. Furthermore, the effect of RT refusal on outcome has not been clearly defined. Patients with nonmetastatic cancer, diagnosed between 1988 and ...

Ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) is a heterogeneous entity with an elusive natural history. The objective of radiological, histological and molecular characterisation remains to reliably predict the biological behaviour and optimise clinical management strategies. Increases in diagnostic frequency have followed the introduction of mammographic screening and increased utility of magnetic resonance ...

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the efficacy of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) and concomitant temozolomide (TMZ) as a salvage treatment option in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM). Between May 2006 and December 2009, 36 patients with recurrent GBM received FSRT plus concomitant TMZ at University of Rome ...

The aims of this study were to retrospectively compare outcomes for patients with cervical cancer who developed bone metastasis later after the primary treatment at the time of diagnosis of cervical cancer with concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) to radiation therapy alone (RT). We retrospectively analyzed the patients with cervical cancer during ...

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with high local control rates. The impact of introducing SBRT in patients 75 years of age or older was studied using a population-based cancer registry. The Amsterdam Cancer Registry was assessed in three eras: 1999 to 2001 ...

To review our institutional outcomes of patients treated with radiation therapy (RT) for Graves' orbitopathy (GO), assess the role of orbital reirradiation, and identify prognostic factors of complete response (CR). This is a retrospective review of 211 patients who presented with a diagnosis of GO and received RT between January ...

The benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) after surgical resection for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma has not been clearly established. We analyzed survival outcomes of patients with resected extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and examined the effect of adjuvant RT. Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program between 1973 and 2003. ...

The aim of the present analysis was to retrospectively evaluate outcomes in patients with cutaneous angiosarcoma of the face/scalp treated curatively with surgery, radiation therapy (RT), or a combination of surgery and RT. In all, 70 patients with nonmetastatic angiosarcoma underwent surgery, RT, or combined-modality therapy. Of these, 20 patients ...

The German rectal study determined that preoperative radiation therapy (RT) as a component of combined-modality therapy decreased local tumor recurrence, increased sphincter preservation, and decreased treatment toxicity compared with postoperative RT for rectal cancer. We evaluated the use of preoperative RT after the presentation of the landmark German rectal study ...

Phase II clinical studies suggest that hypoxic modification with carbogen and nicotinamide (CON) may increase the efficacy of radiotherapy (RT). Three hundred thirty-three patients with locally advanced bladder carcinoma were randomly assigned to RT alone versus RT with CON. A schedule of either 55 Gy in 20 fractions in 4 ...

To determine whether increased duration of radiation therapy (RT) and overall treatment (RX) time has a detrimental effect in anal cancer. Data from Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 87-04 and RTOG 98-11 trials were combined to form three treatment groups: RT/fluorouracil (FU)/mitomycin (n = 472), RT/FU/cisplatin (n = 320), and ...

Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is a relatively rare malignancy that usually arises in the genital areas. Wide surgical excision remains the standard and most reliable curative treatment of EMPD. However, surgery is sometimes not possible, because many patients are elderly, and complete excision can be difficult owing to the tumor ...

Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is a rare sarcoma with a predilection for multiple local recurrences (LR), for which optimal treatment has not been defined. We reviewed our experience to determine the impact of surgery and radiation therapy (RT) on pattern of recurrence, limb salvage, and overall survival (OS). Between 1995 and 2005, ...

The efficacy of prostate cancer (PCa) treatment modalities is a subject of continuous debate. We tested the hypothesis that significant differences in survival rates may exist among PCa patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP), radiation therapy (RT), and observation. We focused on 404 604 patients with clinically localized PCa within ...

To examine the patterns of care, outcomes, and prognostic factors for patients with head-and-neck cancer (HNC) treated with palliative radiotherapy (RT). An institutional HNC anthology and electronic patient records were used to identify patients with previously untreated HNC of mucosal or salivary gland origin who underwent palliative RT at our ...

To compare concurrent cisplatin (CDDP) and radiation (RT) with cetuximab (C225) and RT for locally advanced head-and-neck cancer (LAHNC). This study retrospectively compared 174 consecutive, newly diagnosed LAHNC patients definitively treated from March 1, 2006, to April 1, 2008, with single-agent CDDP/RT (n = 125) or C225/RT (n = 49). ...

To evaluate the impact of individual in vivo DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair capacity on the incidence of severe oral mucositis in patients with head-and-neck cancer undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or radiochemotherapy (RCT). Thirty-one patients with resected head-and-neck cancer undergoing adjuvant RT or RCT were examined. Patients underwent RT of ...

To assess the efficacy of salvage radiation therapy (RT) in patients with recurrent/refractory primary or secondary central nervous system lymphoma (CNSL) after initial methotrexate (MTX)-based chemotherapy and to identify factors associated with treatment outcome. We reviewed 36 patients with primary or secondary CNSL who relapsed after MTX therapy and received ...

To evaluate adjuvant chemotherapy and interpolated accelerated radiotherapy (RT) for adult patients with high-risk soft tissue sarcoma in the extremities or trunk wall. High-risk soft tissue sarcoma was defined as high-grade malignancy and at least two of the following criteria: size ≥8 cm, vascular invasion, or necrosis. Six cycles of ...

The United Kingdom Coordinating Committee on Cancer Research anal cancer trial demonstrated the benefit of combined modality treatment (CMT) using radiotherapy (RT), infusional 5-fluorouracil, and mitomycin C over RT alone. The present study retrospectively examines the impact of the recommended 6-week treatment gap and local RT boost on long-term outcome. ...

To evaluate the long-term efficacy and toxicity of a hypofractionated (55 Gy in 20 fractions within 4 weeks) vs. a conventionally fractionated (64 Gy in 32 fractions within 6.5 weeks) dose schedule for radiotherapy (RT) for localized carcinoma of the prostate. A total of 217 patients were randomized to either ...

To determine the advantages and disadvantages of daily online adaptive image-guided radiotherapy (RT) compared with conventional RT for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Twenty-seven patients with T2-T4 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were treated with daily online adaptive image-guided RT using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). From day 1 daily soft tissue-based ...

Numerous preclinical studies have demonstrated that angiogenesis inhibitors can increase the efficacy of radiotherapy (RT). We sought to examine the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab (BV) and RT in soft tissue sarcomas and explore biomarkers to help determine the treatment response. Patients with ≥5 cm, intermediate- or high-grade soft tissue ...

To determine the optimal sequence of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with Stage II or III rectal cancer. A total of 308 patients were randomized to early (n = 155) or late (n = 153) radiotherapy (RT). Treatment included eight cycles of chemotherapy, consisting of fluorouracil 375 mg/m(2)/day ...

To investigate, in a prospective trial, the acute and chronic toxicity of patients with cervical cancer treated with surgery and postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy (RT) delivered using helical tomotherapy, with or without the administration of concurrent chemotherapy. A total of 24 evaluable patients entered the study between March 2006 and August ...

To evaluate whether complex radiotherapy (RT) planning was associated with improved outcomes in a cohort of elderly patients with unresected Stage I-II non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry linked to Medicare claims, we identified 1998 patients aged >65 years with histologically confirmed, unresected stage ...

The primary objective of this augmental, prospective, uncontrolled phase II multicentre trial was to assess adverse events (AE) associated with malignant glioma resection using 5-aminolevulinic (5-ALA). During accrual, the standard of adjuvant therapy changed to concomitant radiochemotherapy with adjuvant temozolomide (RT/TMZ). Thus, this study also provided a platform for investigating ...

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) functions within the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway as a critical modulator of cell survival. The mTOR inhibitor temsirolimus (CCI-779) was combined with chemoradiotherapy in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients in a dose-escalation phase I trial. The first 12 patients were treated with CCI-779 combined with ...

Interest has been increasing in the use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) combined with radiation therapy (RT) in the management of localized prostate cancer. Preclinical studies have provided some rationale for the use of this combination. In patients with high-risk disease, the benefit of a combined approach, with the addition ...

Radiation therapy (RT) after radical prostatectomy (RP) has been associated with a survival benefit in both the adjuvant and salvage setting. Nevertheless, optimal targeting of the prostate bed following surgery remains challenging. The Calypso 4D Localization System (Calypso Medical Technologies, Seattle, WA, USA) is a target positioning device that continuously ...

OBJECTIVES: Assess the role of radiotherapy (RT) in the management of primary and recurrent myxopapillary ependymoma (MPE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of patients with MPE treated at the Montreal Children's Hospital/McGill University Health Centre between 1985 and 2008. RESULTS: Seven children under the age of 18 ...

OBJECTIVE: Preoperative (preop) chemoradiation therapy improves local control and reduces toxicity for stage II/III rectal cancer better than postoperative (postop) chemoradiation therapy. We examined the temporal and regional variations in the use of preop radiotherapy (RT) across the United States. METHODS: Patients with stage II/III rectal cancer diagnosed between 1998 ...

BACKGROUND: Both concomitant chemotherapy and altered fractionation radiotherapy (RT) have been shown to improve outcomes for patients with locoregionally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. However, both strategies also increase acute toxicity, and it is questionable whether the 2 can be safely combined. Traditional concomitant chemotherapy regimens include high-dose ...

The Head and Neck Intergroup conducted a Phase III randomized trial to determine whether the addition weekly cisplatin to daily radiation therapy (RT) would improve survival in patients with unresectable squamous cell head-and-neck carcinoma. Eligible patients were randomized to RT (70 Gy at 1.8-2 Gy/day) or to the identical RT ...