International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2005
Epidermal growth factor receptor amplification does not have prognostic significance in patients with glioblastoma multiforme.
There have been conflicting reports in the literature regarding the prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) amplification in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The purpose of this study is to determine the prognostic significance of EGFR amplification in patients with GBM treated at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. ⋯ Epidermal growth factor receptor amplification was not found to be a significant prognostic indicator of overall survival or radiographic local control in patients with GBM treated with surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Further studies are needed to fully delineate the significance of this molecular marker in patients with GBM.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2005
Review Meta AnalysisDose response and factors related to interstitial pneumonitis after bone marrow transplant.
Total body irradiation (TBI) and chemotherapy are common components of conditioning regimens for bone marrow transplantation. Interstitial pneumonitis (IP) is a known regimen-related complication. Using published data of IP in a multivariate logistic regression, this study sought to identify the parameters in the bone marrow transplantation conditioning regimen that were significantly associated with IP and to establish a radiation dose-response function. ⋯ Dose responses for both lung radiation dose and cyclophosphamide dose were identified. A conditioning regimen of 12 Gy TBI in 6 daily fractions induces an IP incidence of about 11% in the absence of lung shielding. Shielding the lung to receive 50% of this dose lowers the estimated incidence to about 2.3%. Because the lungs can be adequately shielded, we recommend against using busulfan as a substitute for fractionated TBI with cyclophosphamide.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2005
Multicenter StudyYear of treatment as independent predictor of relapse-free survival in patients with localized prostate cancer treated with definitive radiotherapy in the PSA era.
To study the use of the year of therapy as an independent predictor of outcomes, serving as a proxy for time-related changes in therapy and tumor factors in the treatment of prostate cancer. Accounting for these changes would facilitate the retrospective comparison of outcomes for patients treated in different periods. ⋯ Independent of tumor stage, radiation dose, failure definition, and follow-up parameters, the year in which RT was performed was an independent predictor of outcomes. These findings indicate a more favorable presentation of localized prostate cancer in current years that is not necessarily reflected in the patients' PSA levels or Gleason scores. This phenomenon is probably related to a combination of factors, such as screening, increased patient awareness leading to earlier biopsies and earlier diagnosis, more aggressive pretherapy staging, and unrecognized improvements in therapy, but perhaps also to changing tumor biology. Outcomes predictions should be based on contemporaneous series. Alternatively, the year of therapy could be incorporated as a variable in outcomes analyses of localized prostate cancer patients treated in different periods within the PSA era.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2005
Randomized Controlled TrialEconomic analysis of a phase III clinical trial evaluating the addition of total androgen suppression to radiation versus radiation alone for locally advanced prostate cancer (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group protocol 86-10).
To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of adding hormone therapy to radiation for patients with locally advanced prostate cancer, using a Monte Carlo simulation of a Markov Model. ⋯ Our analysis shows that adding hormonal treatment to RT improves health outcomes at a cost that is within the acceptable cost-effectiveness range.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2005
Matched case-control study of quality of life and xerostomia after intensity-modulated radiotherapy or standard radiotherapy for head-and-neck cancer: initial report.
To compare quality of life (QOL) and xerostomia between head-and-neck cancer patients who received standard radiotherapy (RT) and patients matched by factors known to affect QOL who received intensity-modulated RT (IMRT). ⋯ After initial posttherapy declines in both groups, xerostomia and QOL improved over time after IMRT but not after standard RT. The potential benefits gained from IMRT in xerostomia or in QOL, compared with standard RT, are best reflected late (> or = 6 months) after therapy.