ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the efficacy and prognostic factors of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in elderly patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer.Methods:The clinical data of 87 elderly patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer who received IMRT and 79 elderly patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer who received three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) from January 2005 to December 2015 in Changzhou Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University were retrospectively analyzed, and their efficacy and adverse reactions were observed. The log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model were used for univariate and multivariate analyses to analyze the prognostic factors of patients receiving IMRT.Results:In the IMRT group, 27 cases (31.0%) achieved complete remission, and 60 cases (69.0%) achieved partial remission; in the 3DCRT group, 18 cases (22.8%) achieved complete remission, and 61 cases (77.2%) achieved partial remission. There was no statistical difference in the short-term efficacy (CR+PR) between the two groups ( χ2 = 1.43, P = 0.232). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates in the IMRT group were 77.0%, 46.0% and 23.0%, respectively, and the 3DCRT group were 70.1%, 40.5% and 10.1%, respectively. There was a statistical difference in the overall survival between the two groups ( χ2 = 4.89, P = 0.027). For elderly patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer who received IMRT, univariate analysis showed that gender, lesion location, T stage, gross tumor volume, and short-term efficacy were prognostic factors (all P < 0.05); multivariate analysis showed that lesion location, T stage, gross tumor volume, and short-term efficacy were independent prognostic factors (all P < 0.05). In the IMRT group, the incidence rate of ≥ grade 2 radiation pneumonitis was 10.3% (9/87), the incidence rate of ≥ grade 2 radiation esophagitis was 32.2% (28/87), the incidence rate of leukopenia was 18.4% (16/87), and the incidence rate of hemoglobin reduction was 7.0% (6/87), and there was no statistical difference in the incidence of acute adverse reactions between the IMRT group and the 3DCRT group (all P > 0.05). Conclusions:IMRT has more advantages than 3DCRT in the treatment of elderly patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer, especially those with upper cervical and thoracic lesion, T 1-3 stage, gross tumor volume ≤40 cm 3, and complete remission in a short term can benefit from it, and the adverse reactions are mild.
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Objective:To investigate the effect of hybrid intensity modulated radiotherapy (Hy-IMRT) on immune function in patients with locally advanced breast cancer surgery and the treatment efficacy.Methods:A total of 94 patients with locally advanced breast cancer who underwent modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer and required postoperative radiotherapy in Changzhou Cancer Hospital in Jiangsu Province from January 2015 to January 2017 were selected. The patients were divided into Hy-IMRT group (observation group, 47 cases) and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) group (control group, 47 cases) according to the random number table method. The dose and related radiophysical parameters of the respective target areas of the two groups, adverse reactions during and after radiotherapy, cytokines and T lymphocyte subsets before and after radiotherapy, 3-year local recurrence rate, distant metastasis rate and mortality were observed and compared between the two groups.Results:The dose obtained by 95% (D 95%) [(4 945.6±36.1) Gy vs. (4 754.0±35.6) Gy] and target area conformity (CI) of the target volume (0.7±0.1 vs. 0.5±0.1) in the observation group were greater than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (both P<0.05); the target volume of 110% of the prescription dose (V 110%) [(1.6±0.5) cm 3 vs. (8.4±1.2) cm 3], the target volume of more than 105% of the prescription dose (V 105%) [(19.3±3.5) cm 3 vs. (26.6±5.6) cm 3] and the heterogeneity index (HI) (1.1±0.1 vs. 1.3±0.1) in the observation group were all smaller than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The incidence of acute skin adverse reactions [53.2% (25/47) vs. 74.5% (35/47)] and the incidence of bone marrow suppression [40.4% (19/47) vs. 70.2% (33/47)] in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (both P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), CD4 +, CD8 +, and CD4 +/CD8 + between the two groups before radiotherapy (all P > 0.05). At the end of radiotherapy, the levels of IL-6, TNF-α and CD8 + were higher in both groups than before radiotherapy (all P < 0.05), and CD4 + and CD4 +/CD8 + were lower than before radiotherapy (both P < 0.05). The levels of IL-6, TNF-α and CD8 + in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, while the CD4 + and CD4 +/CD8 + were higher than those in the control group (all P < 0.05). The 3-year local recurrence rate [34.04% (16/47) vs. 42.55% (20/47)], distant metastasis rate [25.53% (12/47) vs. 38.30% (18/47)] and mortality rate [14.89% (7/47) vs. 19.15% (9/47)] in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, but the differences were not statistically significant (all P > 0.05). Conclusion:Compared with 3DCRT, the Hy-IMRT has less effect on the immune function of locally advanced breast cancer patients after modified radical resection, and the incidences of acute skin reaction and bone marrow adverse reaction are low.
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To investigate the radiosensitizing effects of dihydroartemisinin [DHA] and its underlying mechanisms in cervical cancer cells. This experimental study was conducted between May 2009 and August 2012 in the School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, China. HeLa and Siha cells were assigned as the control group and DHA as treated group. The 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide [MTT] assay, clonogenic assay, cell cycle analysis, and apoptosis analysis were carried out in 2 cell lines of both groups. The inhibitory effect of DHA on the HeLa and Siha cell lines was dependent on both concentration and time. Dihydroartemisinin increased the radiosensitivity of HeLa cells, but not of Siha cells. Apoptosis and the gap2/mitosis [G2/M] phase transition induced by x-irradiation was enhanced by DHA treatment in HeLa cells. Irradiation, combined with DHA, decreased Wee1 expression while increasing Cyclin B1 expression in HeLa cells. Dihydroartemisinin potently abrogates G2 checkpoint control in HeLa cells. It can relieve the G2/M arrest induced by irradiation; thus, it can be used as an effective radiosensitizer, which will probably promote the entry of more irradiation-damaged cells into mitosis