The effect of induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy in advanced head and neck cancer: a prospective study.

Background: Objective of current study was to observe the local control, progression free survival and organ preservation for locally advanced head and neck cancer by using induction Chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Methods: 102 patients enrolled in this study with stage III-IVB of head & neck cancer. Patients were assessed and treated by faculty of the department as per NCCN guidelines. Group A patients received three courses of cisplatin (100mg/m2) and paclitaxel (175mg/m2) at every 21 days interval followed by concurrent chemoradiothearpy with cisplatin 30mg/m2 on weekly basis while group B received only concurrent chemoradiothearpy. Radiotherapy consisted of total dose up to 66-70 Gy. by conventional fractionation schedule. Results: From August 2011 to July 2013, total 102 patients have completed 14 months of follow up after completing definitive treatment group A : 48 and group B: 54 patients. Response evaluation was done after one and half months of completion of chemoradiotherapy in both arms. Complete response rate was 60.42% and 38.88 % in study and control arm respectively while partial response was 72.92% and 55.56%. Most common grade III or IV toxicity was mucositis in group A and skin reaction in control arm. At a median follow-up 13 months the median progression free survival in group A was 11.5 months and 9 months in group B. Conclusion: Response to induction chemotherapy was useful as predictive factor for ultimate outcome and progression free survival. But our study shows statistically significant improvement in complete response rate in group A as compared to group B (p<0.05). Our induction chemotherapy with two-drug regimen followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy was well tolerated with manageable toxicity and good locoregional control.

Pattern of oral cancer registered at a tertiary care teaching hospital in rural Western Maharashtra.

Non-communicable diseases including cancer are emerging as major public health problems in India. Cancer usually means malignancy, has become one of the ten leading cause of death in India. The leading sites of cancer vary from country to country. Oral cancer ranks in the top three of all cancers in India, accounting for over 30% of all cancers reported in the country and its control is quickly becoming a global health priority. The present study was conducted to find out the contribution of different type of oral cancer in a tertiary care teaching hospital of western Maharashtra, India. A retrospective hospital record based study was carried out for the period of 2007-2011 in the department of Radiotherapy of Pravara Rural Hospital, Loni, Maharashtra, India. A total of 5879 patients who were diagnosed with cancer, of them 633 (10.76%) patients had oral cancer. Data was collected on the basis of the patient’s record in the hospital and analyzed in the form of percentage and proportions whenever appropriate. A total of 633 oral cancer patients were screened, of which 411 (64.93%) were males and 222 (35.07%) were females. Among oral cancer, buccal mucosa was highest (37.12%); followed by tongue (36.80%), oropharynx (4.74%) and lip and palate (3.15%). Oral cancer is one of the common malignancies in developing countries like India. It is common in males compared to females and is usually seen after middle age.

Radical radiotherapy treatment (EBRT + HDR-ICRT) of carcinoma of the uterine cervix: outcome in patients treated at a rural center in India.

AIM: To report the outcome of carcinoma of the uterine cervix patients treated radically by external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and high-dose-rate (HDR) intracavitary radiotherapy (ICRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1997 to December 2001, a total of 550 newly diagnosed cases of carcinoma of the uterine cervix were reported in the department. All cases were staged according to the International Federation of Gynecologists and Oncologists (FIGO) staging system, but for analytical convenience, the staging was limited to stages I, II, III, and IV. Out of the 550 cases, 214 completed radical radiotherapy (EBRT + HDR-ICRT) and were retrospectively analyzed for presence of local residual disease, local recurrence, distant metastases, radiation reactions, and disease-free survival. RESULTS: There were 7 (3.27%), 88 (41.1%), 101 (47.1%), and 18 (8.4%) patients in stage I, II, III, and IV, respectively. The median follow-up time for all patients was 43 months (range: 3-93 months) and for patients who were disease free till the last follow-up it was 59 months (range: 24-93 months). The overall treatment time (OTT) ranged from 52 to 73 days (median 61 days). The 5-year disease-free mean survival rate was 58%, 44%, 33%, and 15%, with 95% confidence interval of 48 to 68, 37 to 51, 24 to 35, and 6 to 24 for stages I, II, III, and IV, respectively. There were 62 (28.97%) cases with local residual disease, 35 (16.3%) developed local recurrence/distant metastases, 17 (7.9%) developed distant metastases, and 9 (4.2%) had local recurrence as well. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The overall outcome was poor in advanced stage disease, but might be improved by increasing the total dose, decreasing overall duration of treatment, and by adding chemotherapy in patients with disease limited to the pelvis.

High-dose-rate-intracavitary brachytherapy applications and the difference in the bladder and rectum doses: a study from rural centre of Maharashatra, India.

AIM: To report the difference in the bladder and rectum doses with different applications by the radiotherapists in the same patient of the carcinoma of the uterine cervix treated by multiple fractions of high-dose-rate (HDR) intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2003 to December 2004, a total of 60 cases of the carcinoma uterine cervix were selected randomly for the retrospective analyses. All 60 cases were grouped in six groups according to the treating radiotherapist who did the HDR-ICBT application. Three radiotherapists were considered for this study, named A, B and C. Ten cases for each radiotherapist in whom all three applications were done by the same radiotherapist. And 10 cases for each radiotherapist with shared applications in the same patient (A+B, A+C and B+C). The bladder and rectal doses were calculated in reference to point "A" dose and were limited to 80% of prescribed point "A" dose, as per ICRU-38 recommendations. Received dose grouped in three groups--less then 80% (< 80%), 80-100% and above 100% (>100%). A total of 180 applications for 60 patients were calculated for the above analyses. RESULTS: There is a lot of difference in the bladder and rectal doses with the application by the different radiotherapists, even in the same patient with multiple fractions of HDR-ICBT. Applications by 'A' radiotherapist were within the limits in the self as well as in the shared groups more number of times, by 'B' radiotherapist was more times exceeding the limit and by 'C' radiotherapist doses were in between the A and B. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: For the rectal and bladder doses most important factors are patient's age, disease stage, duration between EBRT and HDR-ICRT and patient anatomy, but these differences can be minimized to some extent by careful application, proper packing and proper fixation.