ABSTRACT
The Brachytron has been used in the University of California at San Diego Medical Center since 1970 as one method of treating gynecological malignancies. This machine contains a high intensity cobalt 60 remote afterloading cycling source used for intracavitary brachytherapy. One hundred twenty-seven patients with epithelial carcinoma of the cervix are available for analysis of 5-year survival, and 176 are analyzed for treatment complications two years following therapy. Five year survival figures for FIGO-staged patients treated with external beam pelvic irradiation and intracavitary Brachytron treatments are as follows: Stage I, 89%; Stage II, 58%; Stage III, 33%, and two of five patients Stage IVa. Rectal complications graded moderate or severe (M, S) were dose-related and gradually decreased over the years as techniques improved. Complications from early results in 1970-1972 (24% M, 10% S) were reduced to lower levels in 1976-1979 (14% M, 4% S). The Brachytron offers the advantage of rapid dose delivery. Thus, patients can be treated in an outpatient setting, avoiding the cost of hospitalization and the risks of anesthesia. The Brachytron also offers virtually complete radiation safety to all attending medical personnel. With survival and complication figures similar to those reported for patients treated with conventional low-dose-rate brachytherapy, the Brachytron represents an effective alternate mode of therapy for uterine carcinoma.
Subject(s)
Brachytherapy/instrumentation , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/radiotherapy , Cobalt Radioisotopes/therapeutic use , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Brachytherapy/adverse effects , Female , Follow-Up Studies , HumansABSTRACT
Levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and N-(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,3-diaminopropane (WR-1065) were measured in tissues of Balb/c mouse bearing EMT6 tumors at time intervals ranging from 5 min to 48 hr after i.v. injection of S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)ethyl phosphorothioate (WR-2721) at 500 mg per kg. In all tissues examined (liver, kidney, lung, heart, muscle, brain, tumor, spleen, and salivary gland), maximal WR-1065 levels occurred 5-15 min after injection, with levels in liver, kidney, lung, and salivary gland exceeding one mumole per gm. The post-maximum decline in WR-1065 varied markedly with tissue, lung exhibiting a 6-fold drop by 30 min and salivary gland falling only 15% after 3 hr. In a mouse treated with carbon-14 labeled WR-2721 it was found after 15 min that WR-1065 accounted for over half of the total drug in all tissues except tumor, where it accounted for a third of the total drug. There was no evidence that GSH levels were substantially altered by WR-2721 treatment. The results provide the first direct evidence supporting the widely held view that WR-2721 treatment results in intracellular WR-1065 and they demonstrate that high levels of WR-1065 occur very soon after i.v. injection.
Subject(s)
Amifostine/metabolism , Mercaptoethylamines/metabolism , Organothiophosphorus Compounds/metabolism , Radiation-Protective Agents/metabolism , Animals , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Neoplasm Transplantation , Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism , Time Factors , Tissue DistributionABSTRACT
A device and method for creating reproducible radiation injury to skin in rodents are described. Application of this method to the study of altered skin flap circulation in an irradiated field is also described.
Subject(s)
Disease Models, Animal , Radiation Injuries, Experimental , Rats, Inbred Strains , Skin/radiation effects , Animals , Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation , Male , Methods , Radiation, Ionizing , RatsABSTRACT
The results of 51 patients with metastatic spinal cord compression were analyzed. There were seven paralyzed patients, three received radiotherapy (RT) alone and four received laminectomy (L) + RT. No patient regained any motor function. Of six ambulatory patients, half received RT and half L + RT. All remained ambulatory after the treatment. Of 38 paraparetic patients, 20 underwent L + RT. Their complete, partial and nonresponse (CR, PR, NR respectively) rates were 25%, 60% and 15%, respectively. This result was clearly better than 18 other patients treated by RT alone of which only 22% regained ambulation (CR = 22%) while 67% were NR and 11% had a PR. In this series combined modality therapy appears better in paraparetic patients. Five patients with radiosensitive tumors all had CR/PR whether treated by RT or L + RT. Patients with epithelial tumors treated by L + RT had a PR (CR + PR) of 71% while RT alone gave only 25%. On the basis of this analysis we conclude: (1) ambulatory patients respond satisfactorily to RT alone; (2) paraparetic patients with radiosensitive tumors do well with RT alone while such patients with epithelial tumors merit L + RT; but (3) paraplegic patients rarely benefit from either modality; (4) pain control appears a useful measure of minimally adequate radiation dose in individual patients.
Subject(s)
Spinal Cord Compression/therapy , Spinal Neoplasms/secondary , Combined Modality Therapy , Epidural Space , Female , Humans , Laminectomy , Male , Middle Aged , Paralysis/etiology , Paralysis/therapy , Prognosis , Spinal Cord Compression/etiology , Spinal Neoplasms/complications , Spinal Neoplasms/radiotherapySubject(s)
Amifostine/pharmacology , Organothiophosphorus Compounds/pharmacology , Radiation Injuries, Experimental/prevention & control , Animals , Blood Vessels/radiation effects , Cobalt Radioisotopes , Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation , Hindlimb , Injections, Intraperitoneal , Muscles/radiation effects , Rats , Skin/radiation effectsSubject(s)
Amifostine/pharmacology , Mouth/radiation effects , Organothiophosphorus Compounds/pharmacology , Radiation Injuries, Experimental/prevention & control , Amifostine/metabolism , Animals , Dogs , Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation , Mice , Mouth Mucosa/drug effects , Mouth Mucosa/radiation effects , Radiation Injuries, Experimental/etiology , Salivary Glands/drug effects , Salivary Glands/metabolism , Salivary Glands/radiation effects , Skin/drug effects , Skin/radiation effectsABSTRACT
67Ga-subtraction scan was found to be useful and a promising new method for the pre-treatment evaluation of the patient with Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The scan appeared to be most accurate in the neck, chest, and axillary regions. It appears to offer a means of increasing the accuracy of evaluating the abdomen, the paraaortic and pelvic regions. It may be a useful method for follow-up to detect recurrences. It was an easily performed, safe, non-invasive test, well tolerated and accepted by patients.
Subject(s)
Hodgkin Disease/diagnosis , Lymphoma/diagnosis , Adult , Aged , Female , Gallium Radioisotopes , Humans , Male , Orbit , Radionuclide Imaging , TechnetiumABSTRACT
Severe radiation reaction with chest wall necrosis occurred following 5,000 rads of 60Co irradiation. The patient was arthritic and on chloroquine therapy. This delayed reaction was due to chloroquine radiosensitization. Rats treated with combined chloroquine and chest wall irradiation were compared to rats receiving irradiation alone. The acute radiation reaction was greater in the drug treated animals.
Subject(s)
Hydroxychloroquine/adverse effects , Radiation-Sensitizing Agents , Radiotherapy/adverse effects , Animals , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy , Breast Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Female , Humans , Hydroxychloroquine/therapeutic use , Middle Aged , RatsABSTRACT
67Ga-subtraction scan was found to be useful and a promising new method for the pre-treatment evaluation of the patient with Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The scan appeared to be most accurate in the neck, chest, and axillary regions. It appears to offer a means of increasing the accuracy of evaluating the abdomen, the para-aortic and pelvic regions. It may be a useful method for the follow-up to detect recurrences. It was an easily performed, safe, non-invasive test, well tolerated and accepted by patients.
Subject(s)
Gallium Radioisotopes , Hodgkin Disease/diagnostic imaging , Lymphoma/diagnostic imaging , Abdominal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Adult , Aged , Axilla , Female , Head and Neck Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Male , Mediastinal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Methods , Pelvic Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Radionuclide ImagingSubject(s)
Amifostine/metabolism , Organothiophosphorus Compounds/metabolism , Radiation-Protective Agents/metabolism , Animals , Brain/metabolism , Kidney/metabolism , Liver/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Myocardium/metabolism , Neoplasm Transplantation , Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism , Salivary Glands/metabolism , Submandibular Gland/metabolism , Urinary Bladder/metabolismABSTRACT
A treatment planning approach to radiation therapy for carcinoma of the cervix which attempts to maximize tumor dose and minimize the effect on normal tissue must include additonal dose reference points besides the standard ones (Manchester points A and B, mg-hrs.) A variety of loading configurations can be used to treat the tumor volume to a specified dose. In order to avoid inappropriate loading arrangements, dose at the tumor and at the vault must be carried to required therapeutic levels.
Subject(s)
Radiotherapy Dosage , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Radiotherapy/adverse effects , Radiotherapy/methodsSubject(s)
Amifostine/therapeutic use , Organothiophosphorus Compounds/therapeutic use , Radiation Injuries, Experimental/prevention & control , Radiation-Protective Agents/therapeutic use , Animals , Cesium Radioisotopes , Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation , Gamma Rays , Intestine, Small/drug effects , Intestine, Small/radiation effects , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Skin/drug effects , Skin/radiation effectsABSTRACT
Serial carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were obtained from 122 cancer patients. In a random selection, the levels in 67 of these patients were compared with clinical response to radiotherapy. Skin tests were also performed for histoplasmin, tuberculin and mumps. CEA levels, skin-delayed hypersensitivity reaction (DHR) and clinical tumor response were evaluated and correlated. Clinical response of tumors to radiotherapy was more often seen in patients with positive skin tests, but no correlation was observed between skin test reactivity and CEA response curves.
Subject(s)
Carcinoembryonic Antigen , Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Skin Tests , Clinical Trials as Topic , Humans , Neoplasms/immunologySubject(s)
Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental , Organothiophosphorus Compounds/pharmacology , Oxygen/pharmacology , Radiation-Protective Agents , Animals , Cell Survival , Diamines/administration & dosage , Diamines/pharmacology , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Neoplasm Transplantation , Organothiophosphorus Compounds/administration & dosage , Radiation Effects , Transplantation, HomologousABSTRACT
We have measures serial carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) titers in 92 patients, randomly selected from the patient population of a Radiotherapeutic Clinic, to correlate with clinical and follow-up evaluation. 57 out of 92 patients had positive CEA levels (2.5 ng/ml) or 62 percent of proven cancer patients. In this series, 67 percent (63/92) showed positive correlation between the curves of CEA levels and the clinical evaluation of disease activity. A simple computerized program was designed with the data collection directed to identifying parameters and trends of different groups. Breast CA showed 89 percent correlation; lung carcinoma showed 80 percent large bowel 75 percent, and other organs showed less. This assay is a prototype study of human response to therapy in relation to tumor antigen and host response, as measured by a nonspecific tumor associated antigen.
