International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Oct 2000
Allelic loss of chromosome 1p and radiotherapy plus chemotherapy in patients with oligodendrogliomas.
Allelic loss of the short arm of chromosome 1 predicts radiographic response to chemotherapy and long overall survival times in patients with anaplastic oligodendrogliomas. Using a database of patients with oligodendrogliomas in whom chromosome 1p status was known, we explored whether allelic loss of 1p also predicted longer duration of tumor control when radiotherapy was part of the initial treatment of these patients. ⋯ These data suggest allelic loss of chromosome 1p in patients with oligodendroglial neoplasms predicts longer progression-free survival among patients receiving radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy as part of their initial treatment. Chromosome 1p loss may be an important stratification variable in future therapeutic trials of oligodendroglioma.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Oct 2000
Predictors of severe esophagitis include use of concurrent chemotherapy, but not the length of irradiated esophagus: a multivariate analysis of patients with lung cancer treated with nonoperative therapy.
To identify in a multivariate analysis treatment-related factors predisposing patients (pts) with lung cancer to acute esophagitis, expressed as a severity grade or Esophagitis Index (EI). ⋯ Concurrent chemotherapy and twice daily radiotherapy, especially if combined together, were associated with the highest acute maximum esophagitis grade and esophagitis index in pts with lung cancer. The duration of acute esophagitis was also longest in the concurrent chemotherapy/twice daily radiotherapy group. Esophagitis Index appeared to be a more sensitive measure of acute esophagitis than the maximum esophagitis grade. The increasing length of esophagus in the radiation field did not predict for the severity of acute esophagitis.
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Quality of life following therapeutic intervention for carcinoma of the prostate gland has not been well documented. In particular, a paucity of data has been published regarding bowel function following prostate brachytherapy. This study evaluated late bowel function in 209 consecutive prostate brachytherapy patients via a one-time questionnaire administered 16-55 months postimplant. ⋯ To date, no severe changes in late bowel function have been noted following prostate brachytherapy. Although the survey scores indicate bowel function is worse after an implant, the minor changes are not significant enough to bother most individuals. Less than 20% of patients reported that their bowel function was worse following prostate brachytherapy.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Oct 2000
Timescale of evolution of late radiation injury after postoperative radiotherapy of breast cancer patients.
To evaluate the incidence and prevalence of various signs of late morbidity, their time of appearance and pattern of progression during an observation period up to 34 years in breast cancer patients treated with postoperative radiation therapy after radical mastectomy. ⋯ The greatest risk for all cancer patients is the inadequate treatment of their disease, because this is inevitably lethal. The aggressiveness of the therapy and the acceptable risk of complications must therefore be balanced against the risk of recurrence. The neuropathy seems to be closely linked to the development of fibrosis around the nerve trunks. The use of large daily fractions, combined with hot spots from overlapping fields contributed to the severity of the complications.