Radiation therapy of skin carcinomas: results of a hypofractionated irradiation schedule in 675 cases followed more than 2 years.

Six hundred and seventy-five cases of cutaneous epidermoid carcinomas of the face (excluding the lips, ears and eyelids) were treated with superficial irradiation therapy according to an original dose and time schedule (3 fractions of 1020 R over 14 days), with correction for RBE. The reference dose was always set at the deepest portion of the tumor (100% isodose including the lesion) and surface dose was limited to 125% of the depth dose. The energy used varied according to the thickness of the tumor, and the size of the irradiation fields according to the diameter of the tumor.

[A systematic radio-surgical combination in the treatment of sarcoma of soft tissues in adults. Results in 106 cases at the Centre François Baclesse].

Based on a series of 143 cases of soft tissue sarcomas, including 106 cases treated curatively, the author stresses the importance of surgical resection with frozen section histological control, systematically combined with radiotherapy. Even when resection is complete, the frequency of loco-regional recurrences in all published series shows that neoplastic cells were already present around the resection site. Consequently, since 1972 at the Centre François Baclesse, whenever possible, surgery is preceded by concentrated regional irradiation (2 sessions of 6.

[Computerized medical records. The experience of the François Baclesse Center].

Information regarding the patient needs to be known before all consultations or treatment. There may only be one medical file in which this information is contained and hence there are problems regarding storage and transport which slow down the diagnostic process and treatment. The replacement of this file on paper by a completely computerised record file (observations, laboratory results, hospital reports) allows instantaneous consultation and access to such a record.

Osteosarcoma of the limbs. Report of the EORTC-SIOP 03 trial 20781 investigating the value of adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy and/or prophylactic lung irradiation.

The European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) trial 20781, concerning osteosarcoma of the limbs is reported. After definitive treatment of the primary tumor with amputation or irradiation, adjuvant treatment was given, randomized into either 9 months of chemotherapy according to a modified Rosen schedule, or elective bilateral lung irradiation of 20 Gy, or 3 months of chemotherapy followed by lung irradiation. The 4-year disease-free survival and total survival were 24% and 43%, respectively, with no difference between the treatment arms.

[Radiotherapy of sarcomas of the soft tissue in the adult].

Clinical experience has proved henceforth that radiotherapy must be considered as an integral part of the treatment of adult soft tissue sarcomas. When combined with surgery, it considerably reduces the local recurrence rate and increases the long term cure rate to about 70%. Such results can be achieved with the minimal impeding sequellae when the dose of irradiation is adjusted following the quality of the surgical excision.

[Combination of anthracyclines with radiotherapy. Value and problems].

Association between radiotherapy and anthracyclines (especially adriamycin) early showed major toxicity on critical normal tissues so that its antitumor activity was concealed. This toxicity proved to be acute toxicity, recall phenomenon and cardiac toxicity. Clinical and experimental studies showed synergistic effect when drug and radiation are administered concomitantly and additive effect in sequential administration.

[Intraoperative abdominopelvic radiotherapy by single dose electrons].

Thirty-four patients received, during laparotomy, a 15-20 Gy localized irradiation from a 10-13 MeV beam of electrons supplied by a linear accelerator and focalized by means of a localizer especially designed for this purpose. This technique is indicated for localized residual tumours of the pelvis and intra-operative irradiation of the lumbar aorta, as part of a chemo-radiotherapeutic programme in patients with advanced cancer of the cervix. It is too early to evaluate the medium-term results, but the technique is very well tolerated immediately.

Local control and survival in soft tissue sarcomas of the limbs, trunk walls and head and neck: a study of 113 cases.

One hundred thirteen patients with soft tissue sarcomas of the limbs, trunk walls, and head and neck have been treated at the Centre François Baclesse since 1972. Of these, 89 histologically confirmed patients were treated with a multimodality treatment protocol. Treatment policy was designed to use each treatment method as efficiently, economically and conservatively as possible: preoperative irradiation at moderate dose to a large volume (6.

[Cancer registry of Calvados, hospital registry of the François- Baclesse Center and mortality statistics: comparisons].

Incidence rates of the cancer registry of the department of Calvados were compared, by site and by age group, with those obtained from the cancer registry of the comprehensive cancer center in Caen, concerning the population of the department of Calvados. In males, these rates are approximately similar for head and neck sites; for the hospital registry they are 50% of those recorded by the population registry for lung cancer, and 30% for prostatic cancer. In females, the all-sites rates are nearly identical for the youngest age groups and 50% for the older.

A multivariate analysis of prognostic factors in early stage Hodgkin's disease.

A multivariate analysis of the prognostic factors was carried out with a Cox model on 1,139 patients with clinical Stage I + II Hodgkin's disease included in three controlled clinical trials. The following indicators had been prospectively registered: age, sex, systemic symptoms, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), number and sites of involved lymph node areas, histologic type, clinical stage, pattern of presentation, results of staging laparotomy when performed, as well as the date and type of treatment. A linear logistic analysis showed that most of the indicators are interrelated.

Combined radiotherapy-chemotherapy for early stages non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: the 1975-1980 EORTC controlled lymphoma trial.

Patients with stage I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) are considered to have a relatively good prognosis. For this reason, they are seldom referred to specialized centers and the accrual of such patients in controlled studies is limited. Therefore, significant studies of homogeneously treated patients are difficult to collect and the management of these patients remains controversial.

Radiotherapy as an integrated part of the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas.

A considerable improvement in the prognosis of soft tissue sarcomas in the adult has been obtained with a treatment schedule combining surgery and routine radiation therapy (possibly preoperative and certainly postoperative); local recurrences, the predominant element in the natural history of the disease, have become very rare and limb function is generally maintained. Metastatic risk presents the major problem, and in our series spread of the disease remained uncontrolled in 25% of cases. Further research is required in this area, and a better definition of the risk factors, especially with regard to histology, is needed.

[Bilateral lung irradiation as adjuvant therapy in osteogenic sarcoma ].

Bilateral lung irradiation as well as chemotherapy are still controversial in the "prevention" of pulmonary metastases from osteosarcomas. This paper presents theoretical and experimental evidence in support of such an irradiation. Doses which can be tolerated by the normal lung are recalled.

[Frequency of complications and radiotherapeutic progresses in Hodgkin's disease (author's transl)].

Two categories of iatrogenic effects are observed in Hodgkin's disease: the radiotherapeutic loco-regional complications; the systemic effects in which the long term carcinogenic risk is particularly important to consider. The first category can be avoided by the technical improvements which are steadily achieved. The second category can be minimized with a good therapeutic strategy in which the magnitude and intensity of the treatment are matched to the severity of each anatomical and clinical presentation.

[Multidisciplinary treatment of soft tissue sarcomas: an improvement in prognosis (author's transl)].

The results obtained in the treatment of 45 cases of soft tissue sarcomas are presented. All cases were reviewed and classified according to the modern criteria of malignancy. The treatment schedule comprised: (1) preoperative irradiation: 2 sessions of 6.

The pathologist's role in a multidisciplinary approach for soft part tissue sarcoma: a reappraisal (39 cases).

A combined treatment modality of radiotherapy, surgery, and monochemotherapy in 39 cases of soft tissue sarcomas is presented. The 39 patients presented initially with local disease only, without evidence of metastases. At the end of the surgical procedure the adequacy of the excision had been evaluated by the pathologist.

[Combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy: pulmonary side effects (author's transl)].

Systemic chemotherapy and lung irradiation have very similar effects on lung tissue. Several mechanisms are involved, mainly: --cytotoxic effects on lung cells (type II pneumocytes, capillary endothelial cells, and connective tissue); --enhancement of infection; --hypersensitivity and auto-immune phenomena. Acute pneumonitis or chronic lung sclerosis develops which may or may not be compatible with life, depending on the lung volume involved and the clinical course.

[Hydroxy 9-methyl 2-ellipticinium acetate (NSC 264-137). Toxicologic study and therapeutic effect in 100 cancers (author's transl)].

A new derivative of ellipticine, hydroxy-9-methyl-2-ellipticinium acetate, was found to be a useful anti-tumor drug in advanced cancers which could not be treated any longer successfully by any other procedure. In our series of 100 patients, the best results were obtained with bone metastases from breast carcinomas and with anaplastic thyroid carcinomas. Most patients usually received a weekly perfusion of 80 mg/m2.

Oesophageal cancer and alcohol consumption; importance of type of beverage.

The role of alcohol consumption in oesophageal cancer in Normandy has been studied by a retrospective study of 312 male cases and 869 controls. The linear relationship between the logarithm of risk and overall daily alcohol consumption was confirmed after adjustment for tobacco. The role of each specific alcoholic beverage was further investigated by computing relative risks for individuals consuming a given beverage and for those drinking other beverages only, within each overall alcohol consumption category.