Effect of uniform magnetic field on dose distribution in the breast radiotherapy

To reduce the dose to normal tissues surrounding the treated breast, a uniform magnetic field was used within a humanoid phantom in breast radiotherapy. Monte Carlo simulations were performed with GEANT4, irradiating humanoid phantoms in a magnetic field. To reconstruct phantoms, computed tomography [CT] data slices of four patients were used for the Monte Carlo simulations. All of them had left breast cancer either or not mastectomy. In the simulations, the planning and methods of chest wall irradiation were similar to the actual clinical planning. Utilizing magnetic field will help to produce uniform dose distribution to the breast with a sharp dose-volume histogram [DVH] curve for the planning target volume [PTV], however, for the ipsilateral lung and chest wall skin the mean dose was reduced by a mean of 16% and 12% at 1.5 T, and 9% and 7% at 3 T, respectively. The magnetic field was shown to restrict the lateral spread of secondary electrons to the contralateral organs, resulting in significient dose reductions to the contralateral breast [CB] and contralateral chest wall skin [CCWS] by a mean [range] of 28% [21-37%] and 58% [44-75%] at 1.5 T, and 48% [32-81] and 66% [54-73%] at 3 T, respectively. The simulations established that the magnetic field can reduce the dose to the internal and contralateral tissues and increase it to the PTV with sharper edge DVH curve

Oral zinc sulphate and prevention of radiation-induced oropharyngeal mucositis in patients with head and neck cancers: a double blind, randomized controlled clinical trial

This research was conducted to evaluate the potential benefits of zinc sulphate in the prevention of radiation induced mucositis in patients who are being treated for head and neck cancers. Forty patients with proven cancers of head and neck were randomly divided into 2 equal groups that either received zinc sulphate or placebo [control group]. Patients who received curative radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy were instructed to take zinc sulphate capsules [30 mg] daily at 8 hours interval. They were to begin 10 days before the start of treatment and continued until 2 weeks after completing the schedule. Mucositis was evaluated weekly according to the Oral Mucositis Assessment Scale [OMAS]. In both groups [zinc and control] mucositis was evident during the first week but its prevalence was 40% and 70.5% in the zinc and placebo groups respectively at the end of this period. This difference was significant [p<0.0001]. The mean severity of oropharyngeal mucositis increased after commencement of radiotherapy and reached to maximum intensity in the 4[th] week. Control group showed higher severity [p<0.0001]. In comparison with the placebo group, the mucositis score of OMAS in the zinc group was lower until at 2 weeks after end of the treatment [p=0.0001]. The present study shows that Zinc sulfate is effective in reducing the severity of radiation induced oropharyngeal mucositis. In addition, it delays the development of mucositis and may be used at a lower dose [30 mg 3 times daily] with the same benefit but fewer side effects

Investigation of the effect of Calendula officinalis extract on preventing radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis

Introduction: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Calendula officinalis mouthwash on preventing radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis

Materials and Methods: Patients with head and neck cancers referred to our center for radiotherapy were divided into two groups, one receiving drug and the other group receiving placebo. Patients in the drug group received 2% Calendula extract. Oral Mucositis Assessment Scale was used to evaluate oral mucositis intensity at the end of each week. The scale of mucositis at the end of each week was compared between groups

Results: Calendula extract significantly decreased the intensity of oral mucositis as compared to placebo at the end of the 2nd [p=0.019], 3rd [p<0.0001] and 6th week [p=0.031]

Conclusion: Calendula extract could be effectively used to decrease the intensity of radiotherapy- induced oral mucositis

Molecular identification of Candida albicans isolated from the oncology patients at four university hospitals in Mazandaran province [2005-6]

Early detection of Candida species in body site could improve the survival of the immunosuppressed patients by allowing the initiation of specific treatment while the fungal biomass is still low. The aim of this study was the identification of Candida albicans isolated from the oncology patients by molecular methods. Sixty two of Candida albicans isolated identified by phenotypic methods [color of colony on CHROMagar medium, germ-tube formation in horse serum, chlamydospore formation on Cornmeal agar with 1% Tween 80]. DNA was extracted by using a glass bead/phenol-chloroform method. The oligonucleotide primer pairs [NL1/NL4] were used to amplify a 620bp fragment of D1/D2 region of large submit [26s] ribosomal DNA gene. PCR-products were electrophoresed in a 1.5% agarose gel. Eighteen PCR-amplified products sequenced and results were evaluated by online BLAST software. Multiple sequence alignment was performed by using online CLUSTAL-W [version 1.83] software. The BLAST search revealed that all of products were Candida albicans. All sequences showed >99% similarity when compared with known reference sequences at the Gene-Bank. Four different strains were obtained of albicans species, including: AA 1622b [13 samples], 24698 [3 samples], TA 62 [1 samples] and 551 FC [1 sample]. A total of 131 nucleotide exchange sites were revealed. The dominant species by phenotypic approaches was Candida albicans. In addition, identification of Candida albicans by [26S] rDNA sequencing was 100% concordant to the results obtained by the phenotypic methods

[Sensitivity and specificity of CA 15-3 in detection of breast cancer recurrence]

The value of CA15-3[cancer antigen 15-3] marker in early detection of breast cancer recurrence has and been studied in several prospective trials. But the results of these studies are different. This may be due to variable cutoff and points used for analysis, different intervals between CA15-3 measurements and the differences between patients and population. This study was done to examine the predictive value, sensitivity and specificity of `CA15-3 in detection of and breast cancer recurrence in Iranian patients, using a commercial available ELISA assay with a cut-off value of 30 u/ml. and For this purpose serial blood samples and clinical data of 133 female patients with breast cancer referring and for adjuvant treatment to Radiation Oncology Department of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences from 1379 to 1382 and were collected and for all cases of clinically suspected recurrence, routine methods were used for documentation. Mean age of patients was 45.6 years [SD 11] and mean time of follow up was 17.5 months. Recurrence was and documented in 39 patients who were classified into 4 groups: patients with documented recurrence and early elevated and marker [true positive,32 patients], patients with documented recurrence but no elevated marker[false negative, 7 and patients], those without recurrence and normal marker [true negative,76 patients] and those without recurrence but and elevated marker [false positive,18 patients]. According to these data sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative and predictive values of CA15-3 were 82,80.85,64 and 91.5 percent respectively. CA15-3 with cut-off point of 30 u/ml has an adequate sensitivity and specificity for early detection of and breast cancer recurrence in Iranian patients

[Sensitivity and Specificity of CA 15-3 in detection of breast cancer recurrence]

The value of CA15-3[cancer antigen 15-3] marker in early detection of breast cancer recurrence has been studied in several prospective trials. But the results of these studies are different. This may be due to variable cut- off points used for analysis, different intervals between CA15-3 measurements and the differences between patients population. This study was done to examine the predictive value, sensitivity and specificity of CA15-3 in detection of breast cancer recurrence in Iranian patients, using a commercial available ELISA assay with a cut-off value of 30 u/ml. For this purpose serial blood samples and clinical data of 133 female patients with breast cancer referring for adjuvant treatment to Radiation Oncology Department of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences from 1379 to 1382 were collected and for all cases of clinically suspected recurrence, routine methods were used for documentation. Mean age of patients was 45.6 years [SD 11] and mean time of follow up was 17.5 months. Recurrence was documented in 39 patients who were classified into 4 groups: patients with documented recurrence and early elevated marker [true positive,32 patients], patients with documented recurrence but no elevated marker[false negative, 7 patients], those without recurrence and normal marker [true negative,76 patients] and those without recurrence but elevated marker [false positive,18 patients]. According to these data sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values of CA15-3 were 82,80.85,64 and 91.5 percent respectively. CA15-3 with cut-off point of 30 u/ml has an adequate sensitivity and specificity for early detection of breast cancer recurrence in Iranian patients