ABSTRACT
This retrospective study of radioactive needle implants at the Institute of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Kuala Lumpur Hospital serves as an audit of our practice as well as a demonstration of the usefulness of this technique of brachytherapy. A variety of tumour sites were implanted, of which over two-thirds involved the tongue and buccal mucosa. Although most of the implants were carried out with radical intent, one-tenth of these implants were performed for palliation. Radiotherapy techniques employed are described. The crude survival ranged from 1 month to 109 months while the disease free interval ranged from 0 months to 102 months.
Subject(s)
Brachytherapy , Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Needles , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Plasma gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities were determined in normal and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. No difference in enzyme activities was observed in the three major races of the Malaysian population, i.e. Malay, Chinese and Indian patients. However, plasma gamma-GT, erythrocyte glutathione S-transferase (GST) and GPx activities were significantly increased in all NPC patients, while GR activity remained unchanged. Patients with elevated plasma gamma-GT activities also had increased GST and GPx activities. Plasma gamma-GT and GPx activities were then found to be affected by treatment. Patients with plasma gamma-GT activity greater than 70 IU/l had very poor prognoses but patients with decreased gamma-GT activities were found to be in remission.
