Difficulties using the Franco-Italian Glossary in assessing toxicity of cervical cancer treatment.

Shakespeare TP, Ferrier AJ, Holecek MJ, Jagavkar RS, Stevens MJ. Difficulties using the Franco-Italian Glossary in assessing toxicity of cervical cancer treatment. Int J Gynecol Cancer 1998; 8: 51-55 We assessed the toxicities of patients treated for cervical cancer using the revised Franco-Italian Glossary (FIG). A total of 69 separate complications were appraised in 47 patients; however, only 43.5% of these side-effects could be accurately graded. In all, 56.5% of toxicities could not be scored for a variety of reasons: (1) the FIG does not account for all possible complications of cervical cancer treatment; (2) some important toxicities are regarded as too minor to be graded; (3) subjective assessment of some side-effects did not allow consensus to be reached when assigning a grade; (4) we could not accurately score toxicities using the FIG in a retrospective manner. Previous studies utilizing the FIG retrospectively have noted few problems with its use, with no indication of the number of toxicities unable to be graded. In view of the inability to grade the majority of complications in the present study in an accurate manner, we conclude that the revised FIG requires detailed data that are best collected prospectively and that several minor modifications of the glossary should be considered. Results of studies using the glossary retrospectively should be viewed with caution.

Guidelines for radiation oncology registrar training. Royal North Shore Hospital.

Radiation oncology registrar training varies between centres, reflecting to some extent the varied training experiences of specialists. The attempts of one department to formalize the philosophy, aims and structure of its training are described and illustrated.

Radiotherapy of Kaposi's sarcoma.

Between 1958 and 1976, 34 patients with Kaposi's sarcoma were seen. Two patients were kidney transplant recipients. Co-existing malignancies were seen in 22% of patients. From 1958 to 1965, cutaneous lesions were treated solely with local radiotherapy techniques, single doses of 800 rads being found adequate to produce a complete response. In 1965, because of the multicentric occurrence of the disease and frequent recurrences after local radiotherapy techniques, extended field radiotherapy was begun. Ten of twelve patients thus treated responded completely. It is concluded that extended field radiotherapy using a single dose of 800 rads offers complete relief of symptoms and better control of the disease when compared to local radiotherapy. There was very little morbidity, with the extended field technique.