Excellent local control from radiation therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma.

PURPOSE: Local recurrence has been demonstrated in previous studies to be one of the obstacles to cure in neuroblastoma. Radiation therapy indications, optimal dose, and technique are still evolving. Here we report our experience of high-risk neuroblastoma patients who received local radiation therapy as part of their cancer management. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We conducted a retrospective study of 34 high-risk neuroblastoma patients who received radiation therapy to local sites of disease from March 2001 until February 2007 at our institution as part of their multimodality therapy. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 33.6 months, 6 patients died of disease, 7 patients were alive with disease, and 21 patients were in clinical remission. Eleven patients relapsed, all distantly. Two patients failed locally in addition to distant sites. Both of these patients had persistent gross disease after induction chemotherapy and surgery. Our 3-year local control, event-free survival, overall survival were 94%, 66%, and 86%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Patients with high-risk neuroblastoma in our series achieved excellent local control. Doses of 21-24 Gy to the primary tumor site appear to be adequate for local control for patients in the setting of minimal residual disease after induction chemotherapy and surgery. Patients with significant residual disease may benefit from radiation dose escalation, and this should be evaluated in a prospective clinical trial.

The role of radiotherapy and limb-conserving surgery in the management of soft-tissue sarcomas in adults.

The treatment of soft-tissue sarcomas has undergone significant changes over the past several decades. Previously, patients were often treated with surgery alone, which frequently necessitated amputation of the affected extremity. Less extensive, limb-sparing operations combined with adjuvant irradiation are now feasible for most patients without compromising the likelihood of cure.

Megavoltage radiotherapy for aneurysmal bone cysts.

PURPOSE: An aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a rapidly expansile and destructive benign tumor of bone that is usually treated by curettage and bone graft, with or without adjuvant treatment. For recurrent tumors, or tumors for which surgery would result in significant functional morbidity, does radiotherapy (RT) provide a safe and effective alternative for local control? PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nine patients with histologically diagnosed aneurysmal bone cysts without other associated benign or malignant tumors were treated at the University of Florida with megavoltage RT between February 1964 and June 1992. The patients received local radiotherapy doses between 20 and 60 Gy, with 6 patients receiving 26--30 Gy. In 6 patients the diagnosis was made by biopsy alone; 3 underwent intralesional curettage before RT. Minimum follow-up was 20 months; 7 of 9 patients (77%) had follow-up greater than 11 years. RESULTS: No patient experienced a local recurrence (median follow-up, 17 years). One patient required stabilization of the cervical spine 10 months after RT because of dorsal kyphosis from vertebral body collapse. No other significant side effects were experienced, and no patients developed secondary malignancies. Four patients were lost to follow-up: at 20 months, 11.5 years, 17 years, and 20 years after the initiation of treatment, none with any evidence of local recurrence. All of the patients who had significant pain before RT had relief of their symptoms within 2 weeks of completion of therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Using modern-day RT, patients with recurrent or inoperable aneurysmal bone cysts can be treated effectively (with minimal toxicity) using a prescribed tumor dose of 26--30 Gy.

Patterns of failure in squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina treated with definitive radiotherapy alone: what is the appropriate treatment volume?

The purpose of this study was to review treatment results, sites of failure, and complications in relation to the irradiation volume for carcinoma of the vagina treated with radiotherapy alone. A retrospective review of 65 patients with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina who received definitive radiotherapy was undertaken. The 5-year cause-specific survival rates were as follows: Stage I, 91%; Stage IIA (paravaginal extension), 90%; Stage IIB, 55%; Stage III, 89%; and Stage IVA, 62%. The pelvic disease control rates at 5 years were as follows: Stage I, 74%; Stage IIA, 90%; Stage IIB, 79%; Stage III, 89%; and Stage IVA, 67%. Recurrence in the pelvis occurred in 22% of patients. Eighty-five percent of pelvis recurrences were in the primary treatment field. Although pelvic control rates were not increased by use of larger treatment fields (>2,700 cm(3)), moderate acute and late effects were increased with these fields. Carcinoma of the vagina appears to have a different failure pattern than carcinoma of the cervix. The primary failure sites are the vagina and the paracolpal tissues and the inguinal nodes. Because of this, the superior edge of the pelvic fields does not have to extend above the bottom of the sacroiliac joints except with advanced lesions.

Intracavitary radiotherapy for refractory dysfunctional uterine bleeding. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic irradiation was once a common treatment for dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB). Today the majority of women with DUB are successfully treated with hormonal therapy; patients unresponsive to hormonal therapy may require endometrial ablation or hysterectomy. We present a patient with severe, intractable DUB and contraindications to surgery who was treated with intracavitary radiotherapy. CASE: A 39-year-old, 150-cm-tall, 310-kg woman was referred for management of severe DUB refractory to medical management. The bleeding was successfully treated with intracavitary cesium. Hysterectomy was not recommended due to the operative risks posed by the patient's massive obesity. Because of technical difficulties during a previous dilation and curettage and the expense of long-term GnRH agonist therapy, the patient elected to undergo intracavitary radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: In selected patients, intracavitary radiotherapy can be used to treat DUB when conventional therapy fails or is contraindicated.

The optimal dose of radiation in Hodgkin's disease: an analysis of clinical and treatment factors affecting in-field disease control.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of radiation dose, as well as other clinical and therapeutic factors, on in-field disease control. PATIENTS AND MATERIALS: The study population comprised 232 patients with Stage I and II Hodgkin's disease (HD) treated with curative intent at the University of Florida with radiotherapy (RT) alone (169 patients) or chemotherapy and radiotherapy (CMT) (63 patients). Sites of involvement and radiation doses were prospectively recorded and correlated with sites of disease recurrence. RESULTS: Freedom from relapse and absolute survival rates at 10 years were as follows: 76% and 77%, entire group; 76% and 80%, RT group; 79% and 70%, CMT group; 85% and 78%, Stage I; and 71% and 77%, Stage II. Treatment failure occurred in 50 patients (22%) including in-field failure in 22 patients (9%). In-field failure was rare in electively treated sites. Multivariate analysis of clinical factors (tumor size, number of sites involved, B-symptoms, gender, histology, age, and site of involvement) and treatment factors (use of chemotherapy, number of cycles of chemotherapy, radiation dose, radiation treatment volume, and radiation treatment time) showed only tumor size (p = 0.0001) to be significantly correlated with in-field disease control. In RT patients, the in-field failure rate according to tumor size was as follows: 0% for < or = 3 cm; 4% for > 3 cm and < or = 6 cm; 23% for > 6 cm and < or = 9 cm; and 36% for > 9 cm. In CMT patients, the in-field failure rate was as follows: 0% for < or = 3 cm; 0% for > 3 and < or = 6 cm; 5% for > 6 cm and < or = 9 cm; and 26% for > 9 cm. In-field recurrence was not a predominant pattern of failure in RT patients with small tumors (< or = 6 cm); thus, the difference in in-field control in tumors < or = 6 cm between doses < or = 35 Gy (6%) and doses > or = 36 Gy (0%) was not statistically significant. In larger tumors (> 6 cm), in-field recurrence was a predominant pattern of failure; the in-field failure rate in RT patients with tumors > 6 cm of 30% for doses < or = 35 Gy was not significantly different from 25% for doses > 35 Gy. In moderately bulky tumors (> 6 cm and < or = 9 cm), the addition of chemotherapy did appear to increase in-field disease control; the in-field failure rate was 23% with RT and 5% with CMT (p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: Our data do not demonstrate statistically significant evidence of increasing tumor control in HD with doses > 30 Gy. The data do show that increasing tumor size is associated with increased rates of in-field failure, and the addition of chemotherapy may improve in-field disease control in tumors > 6 cm. In-field recurrence in large tumors remains a predominant pattern of failure, however, and the role of radiation doses higher than 30-35 Gy in this high-risk subset warrants further study.

The impact of radiotherapy dose and other treatment-related and clinical factors on in-field control in stage I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: To assess local (in-field) disease control, identify potential prognostic factors, and elucidate the optimal radiotherapy dose in various clinical settings of Stage I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (non-CNS). MATERIALS & METHODS: A total of 285 consecutive patients with Stage I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with curative intent, including 159 with radiotherapy (RT) alone and 126 with combined-modality therapy (CMT). Of these, 72 patients had low-grade lymphomas (LGL), 92 had intermediate or high-grade lymphomas (I/HGL), and 21 had unclassified lymphomas. Clinical and treatment variables with potential prognostic significance for in-field disease control, freedom from relapse (FFR), and absolute survival (AS) were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The 5-, 10-, and 20-year actuarial AS rates were 73%, 46%, and 33% for patients with LGL and 64%, 44%, and 18% for patients with I/HGL, respectively. The 5-, 10-, and 20-year actuarial FFR rates were 62%, 59%, and 49% for patients with LGL and 66%, 57%, and 57% for patients with I/HGL, respectively. Significant prognostic factors identified by the multivariate analysis were age, tumor size, and histology for AS; tumor size and treatment for FFR; and only tumor size for in-field disease control. There were 95 total failures, with only 12 occurring infield. Most failures (65%) were in contiguous unirradiated sites. All 4 in-field failures in patients with LGL occurred after RT doses < 30 Gy, although none occurred in 10 patients with small-volume LGL of the orbit treated with doses < 30 Gy. The 8 in-field failures in patients with I/HGL were distributed evenly throughout the RT dose range; 5 occurred in patients treated with CMT, all with tumors > 6 cm, and 4 with less than a complete response (CR) to chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Our analysis suggests that the overwhelming problem in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is not in-field failure but, rather, failure in contiguous unirradiated sites. A dose of 20-25 Gy may be sufficient for small-volume LGL of the orbit. A dose of 30 Gy is sufficient for LGL in general, as well as for patients with nonbulky (< or = 6 cm) I/HGL treated with CMT who have a CR. However, patients with I/HGL treated with CMT for tumors > 6 cm and/or without a CR may benefit from doses > or = 40 Gy.

Radiotherapy in the management of orbital lymphoma.

PURPOSE: This retrospective study reviews the treatment technique, disease outcome, and complications of radiotherapy used in the management of lymphoma involving the orbits. PATIENTS & METHODS: Thirty-eight patients were treated between May 1969 and January 1995, with a median follow-up of 8.3 years. All patients had biopsy-proven orbital lymphoma. Twenty patients who had limited disease were treated with curative intent, and 18 patients who had known systemic disease were treated with palliative intent. Of the 20 patients treated with curative intent, 14 had low-grade and 6 had intermediate- or high-grade disease. None received chemotherapy. Most patients received treatment with 250 kVP or 60Co radiation, using either an en face anterior field or wedged anterior and lateral fields. Median treatment dose was 25 Gy. Lens shielding was performed if possible. For patients treated for cure, cause-specific survival and freedom from distant relapse were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Control of disease in the orbit was achieved in all but 1 patient, who developed an out-of-field recurrence after irradiation of a lacrimal tumor and was salvaged with further radiotherapy. In the patients treated curatively, the 5-year rate of actuarial freedom from distant relapse was 61% for those with low-grade and 33% for those with intermediate/high-grade disease (p = 0.08). Cause-specific survival at 5 years was 89% for patients with low-grade and 33% for those with intermediate/high-grade disease (p = 0.005). Two patients with low-grade disease had contralateral orbital failures; both were salvaged with further irradiation. Acute toxicity was minimal. Cataracts developed in 7 of 21 patients treated without lens shielding and 0 of 17 patients treated with lens shielding. No patient developed significant late lacrimal toxicity. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy is a safe and effective local treatment in the management of orbital lymphoma.

Preliminary experience with frameless stereotactic radiotherapy.

PURPOSE: To report initial clinical experience with a novel high-precision stereotactic radiotherapy system. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Sixty patients ranging in age from 2 to 82 years received a total of 1426 treatments with the University of Florida frameless stereotactic radiotherapy system. Of the total, 39 (65%) were treated with stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) alone, and 21 (35%) received SRT as a component of radiotherapy. Pathologic diagnoses included meningiomas (15 patients), low-grade astrocytomas (11 patients), germinomas (9 patients), and craniopharyngiomas (5 patients). The technique was used as means of dose escalation in 11 patients (18%) with aggressive tumors. Treatment reproducibility was measured by comparing bite plate positioning registered by infrared light-emitting diodes (IRLEDs) with the stereotactic radiosurgery reference system, and with measurements from each treatment arc for the 1426 daily treatments (5808 positions). We chose 0.3 mm vector translation error and 0.3 degrees rotation about each axis as the maximum tolerated misalignment before treating each arc. RESULTS: With a mean follow-up of 11 months, 3 patients had recurrence of malignant disease. Acute side effects were minimal. Of 11 patients with low grade astrocytomas, 4 (36%) had cerebral edema and increased enhancement on MR scans in the first year, and 2 required steroids. All had resolution and marked tumor involution on follow-up imaging. Bite plate reproducibility was as follows. Translational errors: anterior-posterior, 0.01 +/- 0.10; lateral, 0.02 +/- 0.07; axial, 0.01 +/- 0.10. Rotational errors (degrees): anterior-posterior, 0.00 +/- 0.03; lateral, 0.00 +/- 0.06; axial, 0.01 +/- 0.04. No patient treatment was delivered beyond the maximum tolerated misalignment. Daily treatment was delivered in approximately 15 min per patient. CONCLUSION: Our initial experience with stereotactic radiotherapy using the infrared camera guidance system was good. Patient selection and treatment strategies are evolving rapidly. Treatment accuracy was the best reported, and the treatment approach was practical.

Medulloblastoma: time-dose relationship based on a 30-year review.

PURPOSE: Time-dose relationships have proven important in many cancer sites. This study evaluates the time factors involved in the successful postoperative radiotherapy of medulloblastoma, based on a 30-year experience in a single institution. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fifty-three patients with medulloblastoma received postoperative craniospinal radiotherapy with curative intent between 1963 and 1993. Seven patients (13%) underwent biopsy alone, 28 patients (53%) had subtotal excision, and 18 patients (34%) had gross total excision. Eleven patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. The mean posterior fossa dose was 53.1 Gy; most patients received 54.0 Gy (range, 34.3 to 69.6 Gy). For 41 patients receiving once-a-day therapy, the mean dose was 50.6 Gy (range, 34.3 to 56.0 Gy). For 12 patients receiving twice-a-day therapy, the mean dose was 61.8 Gy (range, 52.6 to 69.6 Gy). Minimum follow-up was 2 years, and median follow-up was 10.7 years. Survival, freedom from relapse, and disease control in the posterior fossa were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and multivariate analysis was performed for prognostic factors. Variables related to radiotherapy were examined, including dose to the craniospinal axis, dose to the posterior fossa, fractionation (once-a-day vs. twice-a-day), use of adjuvant chemotherapy, risk group [high (> or =T3b or > or =M1) or low (< or =T3a and M0-MX)], interval between surgery and radiotherapy (excluding patients receiving chemotherapy before radiotherapy), and duration of radiotherapy. RESULTS: At 5 and 10 years, overall survival rates were 68 and 64%, respectively, and freedom-from-relapse rates were 61 and 52%, respectively. Rates of disease control in the posterior fossa at 5 and 10 years were 79 and 68%, respectively. At 5 years, absolute survival rates after biopsy alone, subtotal excision, and gross total excision were 43, 67, and 78%, respectively (p=0.04), and posterior fossa control rates were 27, 89, and 83%, respectively (p=0.004). Duration of the treatment course was the only radiotherapy-related variable with a significant impact on freedom from relapse and posterior fossa control. For patients whose radiation treatment duration was < or =45 days, posterior fossa control was 89% at 5 years, compared with 68% for those treated for >45 days (p=0.01). Duration of treatment also affected freedom from relapse at 5 years: < or =45 days (76%) compared with >45 days (43%), p=0.004. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that if adequate doses are used, then radiotherapy treatment duration will significantly affect the outcome in terms of control of disease in the posterior fossa and freedom from relapse. Fractions of at least 1.75 Gy given once a day, or a twice-a-day regimen should yield optimal local control results.

Consolidative 32P after second-look laparotomy for ovarian carcinoma.

We report our experience with consolidative 32P after second-look laparotomy. Forty-three patients received consolidative 32P after platinum-based chemotherapy and a negative (39 patients, 91%) or positive (4 patients) second-look laparotomy. Thirty-one patients (72%) initially had stage III (30 patients) or stage IV (1 patient) disease; 28 patients (65%) had grade 3 tumors. Patients had follow-up from 3.5 to 14.9 years (median, 7.7 years); no patient was lost to follow-up. The 5-year rates of control of disease within the abdomen (local control) for the overall group and the subset of patients with stage II-IV disease and a negative second-look laparotomy were 65% and 69%, respectively. The corresponding 5-year survival rates were 78 and 81%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that tumor found at second-look laparotomy significantly influenced the likelihood of local control and cause-specific survival. Acute side effects included cellulitis (1 patient) and ileus (3 patients). Two patients (5%) experienced severe late complications; both experienced small bowel obstruction that necessitated surgical intervention. Consolidative 32P appears to reduce the risk of recurrence and improve survival after negative second-look laparotomy. The risk of significant complications is low.

Ependymoma: results, prognostic factors and treatment recommendations.

PURPOSE: To review the University of Florida experience in treating ependymomas, analyze prognostic factors, and provide treatment recommendations. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Forty-one patients with ependymoma and no metastases outside the central nervous system received postoperative radiotherapy with curative intent between 1966 and 1989. Ten patients had supratentorial lesions, 22 had infratentorial lesions, and 9 had spinal cord lesions. All patients had surgery (stereotactic biopsy, subtotal resection, or gross total resection). Most patients with high-grade lesions received radiotherapy to the craniospinal axis. Low-grade intracranial lesions received more limited treatment. Spinal cord lesions were treated using either partial spine or whole spine fields. RESULTS: Of 32 intracranial tumors, 21 recurred, all at the primary site; no spinal cord tumors recurred. Overall 10-year survival rates were 51% (absolute) and 46% (relapse-free); by tumor site: spinal cord, 100%; infratentorial, 45%; supratentorial, 20% (p = 0.002). On multivariate analysis, tumor site was the only factor that influenced absolute survival (p = 0.0004); other factors evaluated included grade, gender, age, duration of symptoms, resection extent, primary tumor dose, treatment field extent, surgery-to-radiotherapy interval, and days under radiotherapy treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with supratentorial or infratentorial tumors receive irradiation, regardless of grade. Craniospinal-axis fields are used when spinal seeding is radiographically or pathologically evident. Spinal cord tumors are treated using localized fields to the primary site if not completely resected. Failure to control disease at the primary site remains the main impediment to cure.

Treatment of unresectable or metastatic pediatric soft tissue sarcomas with surgery, irradiation, and chemotherapy: a Pediatric Oncology Group study.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to compare vincristine/actinomycin D/cyclophosphamide/adriamycin (VACA) with VACA/plus imidazole carboxamide (DTIC) (VACAD) therapy in regards to complete/partial response and event free survival rates in children and adolescents with metastatic non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas (NRSTS) or previously chemotherapy-naive recurrent NRSTS or locally persistent gross residual tumor after surgery and radiation therapy. PROCEDURES: Between 1986 and March 1994, 75 patients entered this randomized study comparing VACA and VACAD, given at 3 week intervals. Sixty-one patients were considered eligible and received chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the primary tumor and areas of metastases. Thirty-six patients had regional unresected (Group III) disease, and 25 had metastatic disease (Group IV) at time of accession. Thirty-six patients received VACA (11 were not randomized), and 25 received VACAD. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of greater than 4 years, overall and event-free survival for all eligible patients are 30.6% and 18.4% respectively (S.E: 9.5% and 6.8%). There was insufficient evidence that DTIC offered any advantage to event free survival, but there was evidence for better outcome for patients in Group III disease in comparison to patients with Group IV disease, and for patients with a Grade 1 and 2 histology in comparison to Grade 3 lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Combination chemotherapy with VACA and VACAD were insufficient to prevent recurrent or progressive disease in children and adolescents with high stage NRSTS. The use of vincristine/ifosfamide/doxorubicin with cytokine support is under study.

Outcome after radiotherapy of primary spinal cord glial tumors.

Primary spinal cord tumors are rare, and treatment recommendations are therefore difficult. We reviewed a 22-year experience of postoperative radiotherapy for spinal cord tumors to elucidate prognostic factors and recommendations. Twenty-two patients with spinal cord tumors were treated from 1969-1991. Ten patients had ependymomas, of which two were high grade. Twelve had astrocytomas, of which 4 were high grade. Karnofsky status, age, extent of resection, tumor histology, grade, and radiation dose were evaluated, as well as degree of clinical improvement after treatment based on change in Karnofsky status. Ependymomas achieved 100% local control with postoperative radiotherapy. Grade and dose were of indeterminate significance because of these excellent results. High-grade astrocytomas all recurred and caused death. Disease recurred in 1 of 8 patients with low-grade astrocytic or mixed astrocytic tumors. The only prognostic variables of significance were histology, grade, and change in Karnofsky status after treatment. Radiation of primary spinal cord tumors is rare. In nearly all cases, local fields may be used. Improvement in Karnofsky status after radiotherapy may predict better survival. Treatment recommendations for these rare tumors are discussed.

Benign meningiomas: primary treatment selection affects survival.

PURPOSE: To examine the effect of primary treatment selection on outcomes for benign intracranial meningiomas at the University of Florida. METHODS AND MATERIALS: For 262 patients, the impact of age, Karnofsky performance status, pathologic features, tumor size, tumor location, and treatment modality on local control and cause-specific survival was analyzed (minimum potential follow-up, 2 years; median follow-up, 8.2 years). Extent of surgery was classified by Simpson grade. Treatment groups: surgery alone (n = 229), surgery and postoperative radiotherapy (RT) (n = 21), RT alone (n = 7), radiosurgery alone (n = 5). Survival analysis: Kaplan-Meier method with univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: At 15 years, local control was 76% after total excision (TE) and 87% after subtotal excision plus RT (SE+RT), both significantly better (p = 0.0001) than after SE alone (30%). Cause-specific survival at 15 years was reduced after treatment with SE alone (51%), compared with TE (88%) or SE+RT (86%) (p = 0.0003). Recurrence after primary treatment portended decreased survival, independent of initial treatment group or salvage treatment selection (p = 0.001). Atypical pathologic features predicted reduced 15-year local control (54 vs. 71%) and cause-specific survival rates (57 vs. 86%). Multivariate analysis for cause-specific survival revealed treatment group (SE vs. others; p = 0.0001), pathologic features (atypical vs. typical;p = 0.0056), and Karnofsky performance status (> or = 80 vs. < 80; p = 0.0153) as significant variables. CONCLUSION: Benign meningiomas are well managed by TE or SE+RT. SE alone is inadequate therapy and adversely affects cause-specific survival. Atypical pathologic features predict a poorer outcome, suggesting possible benefit from more aggressive treatment. Because local recurrence portends lower survival rates, primary treatment choice is important.

Radiotherapy for pituitary adenoma: long-term outcome and sequelae.

PURPOSE: To review outcome and treatment sequelae in patients treated with external beam radiotherapy for pituitary adenomas. METHODS AND MATERIALS: One hundred forty-one patients with pituitary adenomas received radiotherapy at the University of Florida and had 2-year minimum potential follow-up. One hundred twenty-one had newly diagnosed adenomas, and 20 had recurrent tumors. Newly diagnosed tumors were treated with surgery and radiotherapy (n = 98) or radiotherapy alone (n = 23). Patients with recurrent tumors received salvage treatment with surgery and radiotherapy (n = 10) or radiotherapy alone (n = 10). The impact of age, sex, presenting symptoms, tumor extent, surgery type, degree of resection, hormonal activity, primary or salvage therapy, and radiotherapy dose on tumor control was analyzed. Tumor control is defined by the absence of radiographic progression and stable or decreased hormone level (in hormonally active tumors) after treatment. Effect of therapy on vision, hormonal function, neurocognitive function, life satisfaction, and affective symptoms were examined. A Likert categorical scale survey was used for assessment of neurocognitive, life satisfaction, and affective symptom status. Survey results from the radiotherapy patients were compared with a control group treated with transsphenoidal surgery alone. Multivariate analysis used the forward step-wise sequence of chi squares for the log rank test. RESULTS: At 10 years, tumor control for the surgery and radiotherapy group (S + RT) was 95% and not statistically different (p = 0.58) than for patients treated with radiotherapy alone (RT) (90%). Patients with prolactin- and ACTH-secreting tumors had significantly worse tumor control, as did patients treated for recurrent tumors. Multivariate analysis for tumor control revealed that only young age was predictive of worse outcome (p = 0.0354). Visual function was either unaffected or improved in most patients, although four patients developed visual loss due to treatment. Hormonal function was affected adversely in 46 of the 93 patients for whom detailed hormonal information was available. Neurocognitive function evaluation revealed that patients in the S + RT group were more likely (p = 0.005) to report difficulty with memory than those in the RT-alone or S-alone groups. No significant difference in life satisfaction or affective symptoms was evident. CONCLUSIONS: Pituitary adenomas are well controlled by external beam radiotherapy, either alone or in combination with surgery. Visual symptoms often improve after treatment. Hormonal sequelae require medical intervention in many patients. Neurocognitive sequelae may be different among treatment groups.

Primary intracranial germ cell tumors: clinicopathologic review of 32 cases.

Primary intracranial germ cell neoplasms are rare tumors and constitute a heterogeneous group. We have reviewed 32 cases, over a 21-year period, from the University of Florida. The cases include 22 germinomas, 6 mixed germ cell tumors, and 4 teratomas. The clinical presentations in these cases were more closely related to the location of the tumor, that is, pineal or suprasellar, rather than the histologic subtype. Neuroimaging evaluation was useful in distinguishing between germinomas, teratomas, and other mixed germ cell tumors (MGCTs), primarily by evaluation of cystic versus solid lesions (teratoma versus germinoma), contents of cysts (teratoma versus MGCT), and infiltrative nature of the tumors (MGCT), although cytologic-histopathologic confirmation remains necessary. Germinomas responded favorably to radiation therapy with survival periods of over 16 years; MGCTs were treated with combination chemotherapy and radiation, with a markedly poorer prognosis. This study underlines the critical significance of histopathologic evaluation of the tumor in determining therapeutic interventions as well as prognosis.

Randomized study of intensive MOPP-ABVD with or without low-dose total-nodal radiation therapy in the treatment of stages IIB, IIIA2, IIIB, and IV Hodgkin's disease in pediatric patients: a Pediatric Oncology Group study.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the addition of low-dose total-nodal irradiation (TNI) in pediatric patients with advanced-stage Hodgkin's disease who have received eight cycles of alternating mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (MOPP) and doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) will improve the event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) when compared with patients who have received chemotherapy only. PATIENTS AND METHODS: At diagnosis, 183 children and adolescents with stages IIB, IIIA2, IIIB, and IV Hodgkin's disease were randomized to receive eight cycles of alternating MOPP-ABVD with or without low-dose TNI. RESULTS: Of 183 patients, four were rendered ineligible before treatment was initiated. One hundred sixty-one of 179 patients (90%) were in complete remission (CR) at the completion of eight cycles of alternating MOPP-ABVD; 81 were in the chemotherapy-only group and proceeded to observation off therapy, whereas 80 of 161 were to receive combined modality therapy (CMT). Nine of 80 patients randomized at the time of diagnosis to receive CMT did not receive radiation (RT) because of a protocol violation, but were monitored for EFS and OS and included in all analyses. The estimated EFS and OS rates at 5 years for the 179 eligible patients are 79% and 92%, respectively. The actuarial EFS at 5 years was 80% for patients who received CMT and 79% for patients who received MOPP-ABVD only. The OS for the former group is estimated to be 87% and for the latter patients 96%. Age < or = 13 years of age at diagnosis and the attainment of a clinical CR after three cycles of chemotherapy were associated with a statistically significant improved EFS. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that after the delivery of eight cycles of MOPP-ABVD, the addition of low-dose RT does not improve the estimated EFS or OS in pediatric patients with advanced-stage Hodgkin's disease.

Pituitary adenomas: current methods of diagnosis and treatment.

Pituitary adenomas are benign neoplasms that can be effectively managed by a variety of therapeutic options. The clinician's goal in managing patients with these tumors should be to minimize the morbidity of each intervention used in diagnosis and treatment. Standard diagnostic interventions include MRI, hormonal assessment, and tissue diagnosis. Therapies include transsphenoidal surgery, external-beam radiotherapy, newer stereotactic irradiation techniques, and medical management. Appropriate treatment selection requires detailed knowledge of the expected outcomes and side effects of each option. Newer and perhaps less toxic treatment techniques are evolving and require further evaluation.

Adjuvant 32P in the treatment of ovarian carcinoma.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of adjuvant 32P for patients with high-risk, early-stage ovarian carcinoma. Twenty-five patients underwent apparent complete resection followed by 32P (15 mCi) at the University of Florida between 1976 and 1993. Minimum and median follow-up times were 3 and 8 years, respectively. The rate of local control at 10 years was 83%. Four of the 5 patients who experienced recurrent disease had a component of intra-abdominal disease at the time of relapse. The absolute and cause-specific survival rates at 10 years were 68% and 82%, respectively. There were no severe acute complications. Five patients experienced significant late complications, including chronic abdominal cramping that was treated conservatively (3 patients) and small bowel obstruction necessitating surgical intervention (2 patients). Adjuvant 32P results in disease control and survival rates that are similar to those observed after adjuvant chemotherapy. However, the risk of late complications, particularly small bowel obstruction, is higher.