A study to evaluate the adequacy of pelvic lymph node coverage in carcinoma cervix patients in Indian population by conventional four field box technique using computerized tomography simulation based pelvic lymph node contouring

Background: Traditionally pelvic External Beam Radiotherapy is delivered with four field box technique in carcinoma cervix patients. The primary aim of this prospective observational study is to determine the adequacy of pelvic lymph nodal coverage by conventional Four Field Box Technique with the help of pelvic lymph node contouring by CT simulation.Methods: Between January 2013 and August 2015 sixty patients with biopsy proven Carcinoma Cervix were enrolled in this study. Of these fifty-three patients were available for final analysis. CT simulation based Pelvic lymph node contouring was done for each patient. Then two External Beam Radiotherapy plans were generated, one contoured based and the other based on bony landmark based Four Field Box Technique. The number of patients whose contoured lymph nodes lies partly outside the field borders of the bony landmark-based plan and also its extent was determined. D90 of various groups of pelvic lymph nodes obtained from both the plans were compared using ‘paired sample t - test’.Results: It was seen that with Four Field Box Technique there is inadequate coverage of common iliac lymph nodes in 34/53 patients. The difference between the mean D90 of common iliac lymph nodes in two sets of plans was found to be statistically significant.Conclusions: Pelvic field planning should be individualized. CT simulation-based radiotherapy planning should be done for each individual patient to adequately cover the nodal microscopic disease.

A Prospective Comparative Study of Concurrent Chemoradiation with Accelerated Fractionated Radiotherapy versus Concurrent Chemoradiation with Conventional Fractionation in Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

Introduction: Concurrent chemo-radiation is the standard ofcare for locally advanced head and neck carcinoma. Duringlater part of radiation treatment schedule, there is acceleratedrepopulation of surviving tumour cells. So the treatment shouldbe completed as early as possible. Study aimed to comparethe loco-regional control rates between the acceleratedfractionated and conventional fractionated radiotherapy andto compare the rate of acute and late toxicities between thetwo arms.Material and Methods: Thirty patients with locally advancedhead and neck cancer in the study arm (ARM-A) received sixfractions of radiotherapy per week and thirty-two patients in thecontrol arm (ARM-B) received five fractions of radiotherapyper week. Total radiation dose was same in both arms. Inj.Cisplatin at a dose of 100mg/m2 was given to the patients ofboth the arms every three weeks as a radiosensitizer agent.Results: Complete response rate (19/30 vs 14/32) rate thoughhigher in the study arm, was not statistically significant.Similarly overall response rate (25/30 vs 21/32) was notstatistically significant (P value – 0.15). Among acutetoxicities only dysphagia was significantly higher in the studyarm (P value-0.024). Late toxicities were similar in both thearms.Conclusion: So accelerated fractionation radiotherapy canbe used for treating locally advanced head and neck cancerpatients to improve loco-regional control rate with acceptabletoxicities.

Drug delivery through osmotic systems – An overview.

The immediate release conventional dosage form lack in the efficiency of controlling the proper plasma drug concentration. This results in the development of various controlled drug delivery system. Among which the Pulsatile drug delivery systems (PDDS)/ osmotic drug delivery system (ODDS) are gaining importance as these systems deliver the drug at specific time as per the path physiological need of the disease, resulting in improved patient therapeutic efficacy and compliance. They work on the principle of osmotic pressure for controlling the delivery of the drug. The release of the drug is independent of physiological factors of the GIT to a large extent. This review highlights’ the theoretical concept of drug delivery, history, types of oral osmotic drug delivery systems, factors affecting the drug delivery system, advantages and disadvantages of this delivery systems ,theoretical aspects, applications, marketed status and last but not the least the recent development.