ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: We aimed to evaluate long-term treatment outcomes and toxicity profile of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in Saudi women with uterine cancers. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Medical records of patients with histopathologically proven uterine cancers were reviewed and identified those who received PORT (45-50.4 Gy in 25-28 fractions) followed by vaginal brachytherapy (15-20 Gy in 3 to 4 sessions) after total abdominal hystrectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAHBSO) in our center between August 2007 and April 2012. Data regarding the safety profile, locoregional control (LRC) or distant metastases control (DMC) and overall survival (OS) rates were analyzed. RESULTS: Median follow-up period was 60 months (range, 12-70) for 89 patients. Predominant histological type was endometrial (59 patients), followed by carcinosarcoma (17 patients) and leiomyosarcoma (13 patients). Median age at time of diagnosis was 57.6, 56 and 51.1 years for endometrial, carcinosarcoma and leiomyosarcoma respectively. LRC rates were 80.9%, 87.1% and 100% for leiomyosarcoma, carcinosarcoma and endometrial carcinoma respectively (p 0.4). DMC rates were 69.3%, 45% and 16.3% for endometrial, leiomyosarcoma and carcinosarcoma respectively (p 0.0001). Five-year OS rates were 71.1%, 60% and 16.3% for endometrial, leiomyosarcoma and carcinosarcoma respectively (p 0.001). Coxproportional hazard ratio model showed body mass index, FIGO stage, lymphovascular invasion in endometrial carcinoma, tumor size in leiomyosarcoma and histology in carcinosarcoma important prognostic factors for LRC. Acute grade 3 and 4 proctitis/enteritis seen only in 4 patients (4.5%) and late toxicities were minimal. CONCLUSION: PORT in Saudi women with uterine cancers showed better LRC, DMC and OS rates with minimal toxicity.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Bicalutamide is approved as an adjuvant to primary treatments (radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy) or as monotherapy in men with locally advanced, nonmetastatic prostate cancer (pca). However, this treatment induces gynecomastia in most patients, which often results in treatment discontinuation. Optimal therapy for these breast events is not known so far. We undertook a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of various treatment options for bicalutamide-induced gynecomastia. METHODS: The medline, cancerlit, and Cochrane library databases were searched and the Google search engine was used to identify prospective and retrospective controlled studies published in English from January 2000 to December 2010 comparing prophylactic or curative treatment options with a control group (no treatment) for pca patients who developed bicalutamide-induced gynecomastia. Radiotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity was also evaluated. RESULTS: The search identified nine controlled trials with a total patient population of 1573. Pooled results from prophylactic trials showed a significant reduction of gynecomastia in pca patients treated with prophylactic tamoxifen 20 mg daily (odds ratio: 0.06; 95% confidence interval: 0.05 to 0.09; p = 0.09), and pooled results from treatment trials showed a significant response of gynecomastia to definitive radiotherapy (odds ratio: 0.06; 95% confidence interval: 0.01 to 0.24; p < 0.0001). Aromatase inhibitors and weekly tamoxifen were not found to be effective as prophylactic and curative options. For the radiotherapy, skin-to-heart distance was found to be an important risk factor for cardiotoxicity (p = 0.006). A funnel plot of the meta-analysis showed significant heterogeneity (Egger test p < 0.00001) because of low sample size. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis suggests using prophylactic tamoxifen 20 mg daily as the first-line preventive measure and radiotherapy as the first-line treatment option for bicalutamide-induced gynecomastia. Aromatase inhibitors and weekly tamoxifen are not recommended.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Set-up errors are an inherent part of radiation treatment process. Coverage of target volume is a direct function of set-up margins, which should be optimized to prevent inadvertent irradiation of adjacent normal tissues. The aim of this study is to evaluate set-up errors and propose optimum margins for target volume coverage in head and neck radiotherapy. METHODS: Twenty six head and neck cancer patients received intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) included in the study. The weekly portal images taken after correction of the systematic error -if any- were evaluated. The systematic error tested and corrected by taking portal images in the 1st 3 days of treatment by using the VARIS offline review system. Three hundred sixty four portal images matched anatomically with anterior and lateral digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs). Five hundred forty six points used to evaluate isocenter displacement in antero-posterior direction (AP), supero-inferior direction (SI) and right-left direction (RL). RESULTS: The mean isocenter displacement in AP, RL, and SI directions were 1.5 +/- 1.6 mm, 1.3 +/-1.4 mm and 2.13 +/- 1.6 mm. Ninety six percent of the isocenter deviations were within 4 mm in all three directions. The displacement more than 4 mm (negative or positive) was 4% in the vertical direction, 7% in the longitudinal direction and 1.6% in the lateral direction. There is insignificant increase of the isocenter shift in the last weeks of radiotherapy especially in the vertical and longitudinal directions. CONCLUSION: The current setup for irradiating head and neck cancer patients using IMRT in our department is accurate. The 4 mm CTV-PTV margin is enough.
