[Comparing the effects of conventional and hypofractionated radiotherapies on early skin toxicity and cosmetic outcomes after breast cancer conserving surgery]

The high number of breast cancer patients who receive radiation therapy after surgery has caused many to think about a shorter period of radiotherapy, which can significantly reduce the radiotherapy machine time, labor hours, and fewer patient visits. This study was designed to evaluate the acute skin effects and cosmetic outcomes of short course radiotherapy in early-stage breast cancer in comparison with the conventional treatment method. Fifty-two patients with operable breast cancer [pT1-3pN0M0] who underwent breast conservation surgery in Tehran Cancer Institute during January 2011 to January 2012, were randomly assigned to undergo radiotherapy by either receiving conventional treatment [dose: 50 Gy in 25 fractions] with subsequent electron boost or a short-course hypofractionated radiotherapy [dose: 42.5 Gy in 16 fractions] and a subsequent electron boost. There were no skin changes during the first or the second week of treatment in the two groups. Cutaneous complications began after the third week as grade 1 skin toxicity after termination of the short-course radiotherapy but there were no difference in complication rate after four weeks of treatment. Six months and one year after treatment, there were no differences in terms of skin complications or cosmetic outcomes between the two groups. Although the use of a whole-breast irradiation with a hypofractionated schedule was associated with desirable outcomes, in term of skin toxicity and cosmetics, but longer follow-up periods with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these results.

[Concurrent chemoradiation with weekly gemcitabine and cisplatin in locally advanced cervical cancer]

More than 80 years, the standard treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer was radiotherapy. However, based on several phase III randomized clinical trials in the past decade, concurrent cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy is the current standard of treatment for this disease. Gemcitabine has potent radiosensitizing properties in preclinical and clinical trials, so it can be utilized simultaneously with radiation. Thirty Women with untreated invasive squamous-cell carcinoma of the cervix of stage IIB to stage IVA were enrolled in the study in Radiation Oncology department of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran from September 2009 to September 2010. Sixty mg/m2 gemcitabine followed by 35 mg/m2 cisplatin were concurrently administered with radiotherapy to the whole pelvic region on day one of each treatment week for five weeks One and three months after treatment, patients underwent a complete physical examination and MRI to determine the response to treatment. The mean age of the participants was 58.13 +/- 11.83 [29-78] years. After 3 months of treatment, 73.3% had complete and 26.7% had partial response to treatment. Grade 3 anemia was seen in 10%, grade 3 thrombocytopenia in 3.3% and grade 3 leukopenia in 10% of the patients. According to the positive results of this study in stage IIB, further phase II and III clinical trials are suggested to evaluate the role of chemoradiation by gemcitabine in advanced cervical cancers

Chemoradiation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a 6-year experience in Tehran cancer institute

To determine the addition of value of neoadjuvant, concurrent and adjuvant chemotherapy to radiation in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with regard to the overall survival [OS] and disease free survival [DPS] within a six year period in Tehran cancer institute. Files of all patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated by radiotherapy with or without concurrent chemotherapy in a curative setting in Tehran cancer institute during the period of 1999-2005 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 103 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma had been treated during the study period with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy in our institute. There were 29 [28.2%] females and 74 [71.8%] males. The median age at the time of radiotherapy was 47 years old [range 9-75 years]. The patients were followed 2 to 76 months with a median follow-up of 14 months. Time of first recurrence after treatment was 3-44 months with a median of 10 months. Survival in 2 groups of patients treated with radiotherapy alone or chemoradiation did not have a significant difference [P>0.1]. Two-year survival in patients treated with or without adjuvant chemotherapy and had local recurrence after treatment did not have significant difference [P>0.1]. Two-year survival in patients with or without local recurrence after treatment did not have significant difference [P>0.1]. A beneficial effect or a survival benefit of adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiation was not observed in Iranian patients