Erectile dysfunction after prostate three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy. Correlation with the dose to the penile bulb.

PURPOSE: Erectile dysfunction is associated with all the common treatment options for prostate cancer. The aim of this research was to evaluate the relationship between erectile function and radiation dose to the penile bulb (PB) and other proximal penile structures in men receiving conformal radiotherapy (CRT) without hormonal therapy (HT) for prostate cancer, whose sexual function was known before treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 19 patients treated with 3D-CRT for localized prostate cancer at our department, who were self-reported to be potent before treatment, had not received HT, and had complete follow-up data available. Our evaluation was based on the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5). Dose-volume histograms (DVHs) were used to evaluate the dose to the PB. Statistical analysis was performed with an unconditional logistic regression model. RESULTS: All patients reported change in potency after radiation. Eight patients (42%) remained potent but showed a decrease of 1 or 2 levels of potency, as defined by the IIEF-5 questionnaire (reduced potency group), while 11 patients (58%) reported a change of higher levels and revealed a severe erectile dysfunction after 2 years (impotence group). Multivariate analysis of morphological and dosimetric variables yielded significance for the mean dose (p = 0.05 with an odds ratio of 1.14 and 95% CI 1-1.30). Patients receiving a mean dose of less than 50 Gy to the PB appear to have a much greater likelihood of maintaining potency. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest a possible existence of a dose-volume correlation between the dose applied to the PB and radiation-induced impotence.

Preoperative chemoradiotherapy in cancer of the thoracic esophagus.

Surgery with or without adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) is the standard treatment of esophageal cancer. Preoperative radio- and chemotherapy (CT) have been introduced to improve prognosis. We report a phase II prospective non-randomized trial of preoperative RT (42 Gy/25) plus CT (cisplatin 20 mg/mq/day plus 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/mq/day, 1-5 weeks) for the treatment of thoracic esophageal cancer. From 1993, 50 patients were enrolled (40 men and 10 women, mean age 57 years, range 30-75 years). Squamous cell carcinoma accounted for 90% of cases; 10% were adenocarcinoma. Downstaging of the disease was obtained in 77.3% of cases; there were 13 (29.5%) complete responses (CR) and 21 (47.7%) partial responses (PR). Median survival was 28 and 25 months, respectively, for CR and partial response (PR) plus stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD) (P = 0.05). Progressive-free median survival was 22 and 17 months, respectively, for CR and PR + SD + PD (P = 0.08). Multimodal treatment of esophageal cancer showed promising results, although not significant, in terms of survival and disease progression for patients achieving a complete pathologic response.

[Intraoperative radiotherapy in abdominal-pelvic cancer surgery]. / La radioterapia intraoperatoria nella chirurgia oncologica addomino-pelvica.

Intraoperative radiotherapy consists in the irradiation of the affected area, exposed using anesthesiological and laparotomic procedures, following the removal of a neoplasia using palliative or macroscopically radical surgical. This increases local tumour control and augments the selectivity of treatment between healthy and neoplastic tissues, thus obtaining a marked improvement in survival or palliation. The authors analyse the data reported in international literature regarding the possible use of intraoperative radiotherapy in patients undergoing abdomino-pelvic oncological surgery. The aim of the study was to evaluate this method for use in selected and combined treatment in which surgery represents an obligatory step. Studies were carried out in a few highly specialised centres given that special technical, logistic and professional skills were required. The populations studied were often very small with a marked prevalence of feasibility studies compared to random studies. In spite of this intraoperative radiotherapy is undoubtedly indicated in locally advanced gastric, rectal and vesical neoplasia, it represents a valid palliative solution in pancreatic neoplasia and in pelvic recidivation, and an effective alternative solution to mutilating surgery in the initial stages of vesical cancer. Positive results are obtained in prostate and uterine cancer, but they are reported by non-conclusive studies. Toxicity is acceptable and non-limiting within a given range of doses and irradiated volume. The "repercussion" in terms of knowledge, experience, scientific integration between oncological surgeons and radiotherapists is basic, with a marked improved in the management of cancer treatment.

Expression of p53 and bcl-2 and response to preoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus.

AIMS: To investigate the immunohistochemical expression of p53 and bcl-2 proteins in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oesophagus and to assess whether expression of these oncoproteins can be used to stratify patients into groups with a favourable or unfavourable response to preoperative chemo/radiotherapy. METHODS: The initial diagnostic biopsy and the corresponding resected samples were obtained from 22 consecutive patients with SCC. All patients underwent preoperative chemo/radiotherapy. Tumour sections were incubated with a monoclonal antibody directed against p53 (DO-7). Twenty four non-neoplastic oesophageal biopsy specimens immunostained for p53 served as controls. Twelve randomly chosen sections from the 22 SCC samples were immunostained to test for bcl-2 protein expression. RESULTS: After chemo/radiotherapy, 12 (55%) of the 22 patients had no evidence of tumour in the resected oesophagus. Before chemoradiotherapy, however, 17 (77%) patients were p53 positive. After treatment, residual carcinoma was detected in seven (41%) of the 17 p53 positive patients. All non-responsive cases had the same p53 immunopattern as before treatment. Bcl-2 immunoexpression was detected in six (50%) of 12 patients. Residual tumour was detected in the residual oesophagus in two (33%) of the six bcl-2 positive patients. After treatment, bcl-2 expression was no longer detected in the residual neoplastic cells of a previously bcl-2 positive tumour. Using Fisher's exact test no significant association was found between oncoprotein expression and response to preoperative treatment. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the observation that p53 protein is frequently expressed in SCCs of the oesophagus, probably as a result of a mutation of the TP53 gene. However, no significant association was found between oncoprotein expression and response to chemo/radiotherapy. Anticancer agents do not seem to modify the expression of p53 and bcl-2 proteins.

[Interstitial brachytherapy in carcinoma of the lip. Case histories and results]. / Brachiterapia interstiziale nel carcinoma del labbro. Casistica e risultati.

Squamous cell carcinomas of the lip can be treated by surgery or radiation therapy. Since local control rates exceed 90% with both treatment modalities, therapy is chosen according to functional and cosmetic results, to the patient's wishes and to the physician's medical policy. This study was aimed at retrospectively reviewing our local control results and patterns of failure relative to survival as well as evaluating the results according to technical surgical variables. From 1982 to 1991, sixty-nine patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lip received a course of interstitial brachytherapy with 192Ir. The disease stage was T1 in 36 cases, T2 in 12 cases and T3 in 2 cases and 19 recurrences; 3 patients only had clinically detectable lymph nodes at diagnosis. Interstitial brachytherapy was used as postoperative treatment, at a dose of 60 Gy, in 47 cases. As an exclusive curative approach brachytherapy was given at a reference dose of 65 Gy, with a medium dose rate of 62.88 cGy; a single plane was used in 55 cases, a triangular plane in 11 and a double plane in 3 cases. In one patient only the disease persisted and no local failures were observed. Overall actuarial survival at 5 years is 76.81% (91.3% when corrected for disease). In fact, 6 patients died of disease progression: 3 with lung metastases, 1 with bone metastases and 3 with lymph node metastases. Five patients died of cancer in other sites--i.e., ovary, lung, prostate, hypopharynx, stomach--and 4 of non-neoplastic diseases. Tolerance rates were excellent, with only one mucosal necrosis which resolved spontaneously; no sequelae were observed in gums, teeth and jaws. The cosmetic result was also excellent in most of the cases with a worsening trend for multiplanar disposition. In conclusion, interstitial brachytherapy can be considered the treatment of choice for early lip cancer.

An afterloading technique suitable for carcinomas of the oral cavity.

The authors describe an afterloading brachytherapy to treat oral cavity carcinomas. Catheters for arterial/venous catheterization are inserted percutaneously in the target volume. The internal needles are then removed and replaced with iridium wires inside tubes to form wire loops. This technique has proven to be simple, quick and safe.

[Influence of radiotherapy on lymphocyte subpopulations]. / Influenza della terapia radiante sulla popolazione linfocitaria.

The authors investigated the effects of radiation therapy on the immune system by studying lymphocyte subsets and other parameters in 32 patients undergoing radiation therapy for solid cancer. With monoclonal antibody techniques, we studied both T- and B-lymphocytes; cell suspensions were analyzed by means of a Facs Spectrum III Ortho (Ortho-Diagnostic) unit. The first control was performed right after the beginning of radiotherapy, when the dose to the patients was 50 Gy or higher. The second control was performed at 40 Gy because all patients received this dose. 30% of the patients exhibited lymphopenia from the beginning of the study; at 40 Gy the number of T-lymphocytes was low and helper/suppressor ratio was altered. A variable response of B-cells was observed, although all patients exhibited restoration of normal values at 6 months. Four patients only suffered from side-effects: a patient with tongue cancer presented oral mycosis, and a woman--treated for breast cancer--presented vaginal mycosis. Two cases of cystitis were also observed, after 18 Gy, in patients with uterine carcinoma undergoing pelvic irradiation. Disease progression was observed in 2 patients with head and neck cancer, while 3 patients died from lung cancer progression. Another one, with head and neck cancer, died because of heart failure.

[Role of accelerated electrons in the therapy of advanced-stage skin epithelioma advanced stage: analysis of 31 cases]. / Ruolo degli elettroni accelerati nella terapia degli epiteliomi cutanei in stadio avanzato: analisi di 31 casi.

Electron beam therapy is the superior modality of treatment for advanced skin cancer or in specific anatomical situations. The authors report the results for the electron beam therapy of 31 patients with advanced skin carcinoma. There were 15 squamous cell carcinomas, 11 basal cell carcinomas and 5 mixed, basosquamous cell carcinomas. All lesions were 3 cm or greater in maximum diameter. With follow-up ranging from 1 to 6 years, 28 patients have not evidence of disease, 1 is dead with disease, 1 is alive with suspicious residual disease and 1 is alive with recurrence. Acute and late complications are acceptable; bone, cartilage and soft tissue necrosis are not reported. The treatment results are similar to those in the literature and show the advantages of the electron beam irradiation for advanced skin carcinomas.

[The treatment of cancer of the anal area with radiotherapy. An analysis of the authors' personal experience]. / Trattamento del cancro della regione anale con radioterapia. Analisi dell'esperienza personale.

The treatment of anal canal carcinoma is very difficult and great care must be taken in planning therapy because this type of cancer is potentially curable. From 1982 through 1989 we treated 16 patients with carcinoma of the anal canal. All patients were evaluable for toxicity and 14/16 for response after treatment. Of the 12 patients who underwent irradiation alone and were N0 M0, 8 are alive with no evidence of the disease, 4 had a recurrence which was treated with radical surgery, and 2 underwent palliative treatment alone. Therapy toxicity was not relevant in most cases and our results are in agreement with those reported in the literature.

[Templates for curietherapy of the oral cavity and their dosimetric use]. / I templates nella curieterapia del cavo orale e loro implicazioni dosimetriche.

Flexible 192Ir wire implants are commonly used for the treatment of some types of cancer in the oral cavity. A modified technique of plastic tubes is here presented which aims at correctly positioning the active wires with thin plastic templates. Possible sources of error are examined and their consequences on the dose distribution around the implant are analyzed. In most cases control dosimetry matches the provisions satisfactorily. It may be thus concluded that the use of templates allows good and reproducible results to be obtained in the brachytherapy of the oral cavity.

A new technique for endocavitary irradiation of the esophagus.

Recently, high-dose rate intracavitary irradiation has been used as a boost therapy or a palliative therapy in the treatment of the esophageal carcinoma. The new intraesophageal device is based on a modified Sengstaken-Blackemore tube. On the surface of the esophageal balloon of the S-B tube Cyponil tubes are fixed as iridium containers. The device is placed at the level of the neoplastic lesion. Treatment tolerance is good.