Submandibular gland-sparing intensity modulated radiotherapy in the treatment of head and neck cancer: sites of locoregional relapse and survival.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To evaluate the patterns of locoregional relapse and survival following submandibular gland (SMG)-sparing intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty patients with laryngeal (n = 15), oropharyngeal (n = 50), hypopharyngeal (n = 11) or nasopharyngeal cancer (n = 4) were treated by submandibular gland-sparing IMRT for head and neck squamous cell cancer between July 2000 and December 2008. All patients were treated by bilateral IMRT. Thirty-nine (49%) received definitive radiotherapy (RT) and 41 (51%) postoperative RT. The contralateral parotid gland (PG) and SMG were included in the dose optimization planning program with intent to keep the mean doses for PG and SMG below 23 Gy and 28-30 Gy, respectively. The ipsilateral glands were also spared when considered feasible. RESULTS: During a median follow-up time of 51 months (range, 24-117 months) nine local recurrent tumors were observed. Four of these nine patients were salvaged by surgery with no further recurrence. All local recurrences were located within the high-dose CTVs. None of the locally recurrent cancers were located at the vicinity of the spared PGs or SMGs. No recurrent tumors were observed in the contralateral neck. The Kaplan-Meier estimate for local control at five years following IMRT was 88% for the whole cohort and the corresponding figure for local control following salvage surgery was 94%. The estimates for five-year overall survival and disease-specific survival were 85% and 90%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In selected head and neck cancer patients who are estimated to have a low risk of cancer recurrence at the nodal levels I-II and who are treated with SMG-sparing IMRT the risk of cancer recurrence at the vicinity of the spared salivary glands is low.

CD40 is a potential marker of favorable prognosis in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with immunochemotherapy.

We have previously shown that expression of CD40 has a favorable prognostic impact in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Here we examined the prognostic value of immunohistochemically defined CD40 expression in 95 patients with DLBCL treated with both anthracycline-based chemotherapy and rituximab. Using a 10% cut-off level, 77% of the patients had CD40-positive tumors and showed a superior overall survival (p = 0.02 log-rank, hazard ratio 0.35, 95% CI 0.14-0.88, p = 0.03 Cox regression). When adjusted for International Prognostic Index in multivariate analysis, CD40 was not an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio 0.39, 95% CI 0.15-1.04, p = 0.06 Cox regression). However, even after the introduction of immunochemotherapy, CD40 has a potential prognostic impact in DLBCL. Additional and larger studies are necessary, regarding the immunohistochemical robustness of CD40 and the biological mechanisms that contribute to the superior prognosis in CD40-expressing DLBCL.

Prognostic impact of protein kinase C beta II expression in R-CHOP-treated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients.

Development of targeted agents for the treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma includes clinical evaluation of enzastaurin, an agent that suppresses signaling through protein kinase C-beta and AKT pathways. To determine whether protein kinase C-beta expression has prognostic significance for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with immunochemotherapy, we analyzed the expression of protein kinase C-beta II, BCL-2 and cell of origin immunohistochemically from pretreatment samples of 95 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients. All patients received rituximab with CHOP or CHOEP. According to Kaplan-Meier analyses, overall survival at 3 years was better among the patients with low than high protein kinase C-beta II protein levels (94 vs 76%, P=0.036). The prognostic value of protein kinase C-beta II expression on survival was seen in the patients with low and high International Prognostic Index risk groups, and in all molecular entities. Gene expression data from an independent set of 233 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with a combination of rituximab and CHOP-like chemotherapy was analyzed in comparison. Accordingly, a better 3-year overall survival was observed among the subgroup with low protein kinase C-beta II mRNA levels (84 vs 68%, P=0.005). In multivariate analysis with cell of origin, protein kinase C-beta II mRNA expression remained as an independent predictor for overall survival. Together, the data show that protein kinase C-beta II expression has prognostic significance in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with immunochemotherapy.

Linac-based isocentric electron-photon treatment of radically operated breast carcinoma with enhanced dose uniformity in the field gap area.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Isocentric treatment technique is a standard method in photon radiotherapy with the primary advantage of requiring only a single patient set-up procedure for multiple fields. However, in electron treatments the size of the standard applicators does not generally allow to use an isocentric treatment technique. In this work we have modified and dosimetrically tested electron applicators for isocentric treatments in combination with photons. An isocentric treatment technique with photons and electrons for postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) has been developed with special emphasis on improving the dose uniformity in the field gap area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Standard electron applicators of two Varian Clinac 2100CD linear accelerators were shortened by 10cm allowing isocentric treatments of 90cm

Prognostic impact of activated B-cell focused classification in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with R-CHOP.

Gene expression profiling studies initially enabled diffuse large B-cell lymphoma to be divided into germinal center and activated B-cell-like subtypes, which define high- and low-risk patient groups when treated with chemotherapy. Attempts to reproduce the prognostic classification immunohistochemically have, however, provided inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to determine whether modified immunohistochemical classification of cell of origin focusing on activated B-cell-like markers could be used to predict the outcome of immunochemotherapy-treated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients. The expression of CD10, Bcl-6, MUM1/IRF4, Bcl-2, and FOXP1 was determined immunohistochemically from 88 samples of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated uniformly with R-CHOP. When the modified classification using MUM1/IRF4 and FOXP1 positivities as activated B-cell-like markers was applied to distinguish the patients between the activated B-cell-like and other diffuse large B-cell lymphoma subtypes, a significantly worse outcome was seen for the patients with the activated B-cell-like phenotype (3-year failure-free survival 63 vs 82%, P=0.048, overall survival 69 vs 85%, P=0.110). Similarly, according to the Muris algorithm, the group 2 patients representing Bcl-2-positive post-germinal center patients showed an inferior outcome in comparison to the group 1 patients (failure-free survival 59 vs 81%, P=0.041, overall survival 67 vs 82%, P=0.159). In contrast, when the classification of the same cohort was performed according to the Hans algorithm, no significant difference in survival was observed between the germinal center and non-germinal center patients. In conclusion, the data suggest that both the modified activated B-cell-like and Muris classifications define the non-germinal center phenotype as an adverse risk factor in R-CHOP-treated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients.

[Is lymphoma curable with antibody therapy?]. / Paraneeko lymfooma vasta-ainehoidolla?

Diagnostics of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas has improved significantly over the last decades. Predictors have been found and new biological therapies developed. Rituximab, an antibody recognizing the CD20 B cell antigen, has proven to be of especially high clinical importance. In a proportion of follicular lymphomas, long responses are achieved with rituximab alone, without the adverse effects of cytotoxic agents. On the other hand, combining rituximab with cytotoxic agents extends the non-diseased period and total survival period both in follicular and diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Bcl-2 but not FOXP1, is an adverse risk factor in immunochemotherapy-treated non-germinal center diffuse large B-cell lymphomas.

OBJECTIVES: Non-germinal center (non-GC) phenotype, high level expression of the transcription factor forkhead box protein P1 (FOXP1) and anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 have been identified as unfavorable prognostic factors for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients treated with chemotherapy. Our aim was to re-evaluate the prognostic impact of these biologic factors on the survival of the patients treated with immunochemotherapy. METHODS: Expression of Bcl-2 and FOXP1, and cell of origin based on the Hans algorithm were determined immunohistochemically from samples of 117 de novo DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP and R-CHOEP regimens, and correlated with clinical data. RESULTS: Consistent with our previous studies, no significant difference in 2-yr survival rates between the GC- and non-GC phenotypes was found. Both FOXP1 and Bcl-2 expression were associated with the non-GC phenotype. For all patients, no prognostic impact of FOXP1 positivity on survival was observed. However, Bcl-2 negative patients had a better survival as compared to Bcl-2 positive patients [failure free survival (FFS) 97% vs. 71%, P = 0.001 and overall survival (OS) 97% vs. 82%, P = 0.034]. When Bcl-2 related survival was analyzed in the GC- and non-GC subgroups, a significant prognostic effect of Bcl-2 on FFS was seen only in the non-GC group of patients (positive 65% vs. negative 100%, P = 0.011). A trend for the difference in OS was also observed (positive 84% vs. negative 100%, P = 0.082). CONCLUSIONS: The data demonstrate that expression of Bcl-2 and FOXP1 is associated with the non-GC phenotype, but only Bcl-2 expression continues to be of prognostic significance in DLBCL patients treated with immunochemotherapy.

A high tumor-associated macrophage content predicts favorable outcome in follicular lymphoma patients treated with rituximab and cyclophosphamide-doxorubicin-vincristine-prednisone.

PURPOSE: Tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) content predicts survival in follicular lymphoma (FL) patients treated with chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to determine how combination of rituximab with chemotherapy influences TAM-associated clinical outcome. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Expression of a macrophage marker, CD68, was determined immunohistochemically from FL samples of 96 patients treated with rituximab and cyclophosphamide-Adriamycin-vincristine-prednisone regimen. Of them, 71 received therapy at diagnosis and 25 at relapse. Neutrophil and CD3+ lymphocyte counts were also measured. The median follow-up time for the cohort was 54 months. Fourty-five patients previously treated with chemotherapy served as a control group. RESULTS: Consistent with previous studies, high TAM amount was associated with adverse outcome in chemotherapy-treated patients (P = 0.026). In contrast, after rituximab and cyclophosphamide-doxorubicin-vincristine-prednisone regimen, high TAM content correlated with longer survival rates. According to Kaplan Meier estimates, the median progression free survival (PFS) was not reached for patients with high TAM content compared with 45 months for patients with low TAM scores (P = 0.006). A trend toward a better overall survival (OS) at 5 years was also observed for patients with high TAM content (OS, 97% versus 90%, P = 0.116). The positive prognostic value of TAMs was seen both for the patients treated at diagnosis and at relapse. In multivariate analyses, TAM content remained an independent prognostic factor for OS and PFS. Neutrophil and CD3+ lymphocyte counts did not correlate with outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that high TAM score is associated with a favorable prognosis in FL patients treated with immunochemotherapy.

Prognostic impact of immunohistochemically defined germinal center phenotype in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with immunochemotherapy.

Germinal center (GC) and non-GC phenotypes are predictors of outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and can be used to stratify chemotherapy-treated patients into low- and high-risk groups. To determine how combination of rituximab with chemotherapy influences GC-associated clinical outcome, GC and non-GC phenotypes were identified immunohistochemically from samples of 90 de novo DLBCL patients treated with rituximab in combination with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone)-like regimen (immunochemotherapy). One hundred and four patients previously treated with chemotherapy served as a control group. Consistent with previous studies, chemotherapy-treated patients with immunohistochemically defined GC phenotype displayed a significantly better overall (OS) and failure-free survival (FFS) than the non-GC group (OS, 70% vs 47%, P = .012; FFS, 59% vs 30%, P = .001). In contrast, immunohistochemically defined GC phenotype did not predict outcome in immunochemotherapy-treated patients (OS, 77% vs 76%, P = ns; FFS, 68% vs 63%, P = ns). In comparison, International Prognostic Index (IPI) could separate the high-risk patients from low- and intermediate-risk groups (OS, 84% vs 63%, P = .030; FFS, 79% vs 52%, P = .028). We conclude that rituximab in combination with chemotherapy seems to eliminate the prognostic value of immunohistochemically defined GC- and non-GC phenotypes in DLBCL.

Differential gene expression in non-malignant tumour microenvironment is associated with outcome in follicular lymphoma patients treated with rituximab and CHOP.

Rituximab in combination with chemotherapy (immunochemotherapy) is one of the most effective treatments available for follicular lymphoma (FL). This study aimed to determine whether differences in gene expression in FL tissue correlate with outcome in response to rituximab and CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) chemotherapy (R-CHOP). We divided 24 patients into long- [time to treatment failure (TTF) >35 months] and short-term (TTF <23 months) responders, and analysed the gene expression profiles of lymphoma tissue using oligonucleotide microarrays. We used a supervised learning technique to identify genes correlating with outcome, and confirmed the expression of selected genes with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry. Among the transcripts with a high correlation between microarray and qPCR analyses, we identified EPHA1, a tyrosine kinase involved in transepithelial migration, SMAD1, a transcription factor and a mediator of bone morphogenetic protein and transforming growth factor-beta signalling, and MARCO, a scavenger receptor on macrophages. According to Kaplan-Meier estimates, high EPHA1, and low SMAD1 and MARCO expression were associated with better progression-free survival (PFS). Immunohistochemistry showed that EphA1 was primarily localised in granulocytes. In addition, both EphA1 and Smad1 were expressed in vascular endothelia. However, no difference in vasculature was detected between long- and short-term responders. In a validation set of 40 patients, a trend towards a better PFS was observed among patients with high EphA1 expression. We conclude that gene expression in non-malignant cells contributes to clinical outcome in R-CHOP-treated FL patients.