Salvage high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy for locally recurrent rectal cancer.

For tumors of the lower third of the rectum, the only safe surgical procedure is abdominal-perineal resection. High-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy is a promising treatment for local recurrence of previously irradiated lower rectal cancer, due to the extremely high concentrated dose delivered to the tumor and the sparing of normal tissue, when compared with a course of external beam radiation therapy.

Bladder (ICRU) dose point does not predict urinary acute toxicity in adjuvant isolated vaginal vault high-dose-rate brachytherapy for intermediate-risk endometrial cancer.

Purpose: High-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) alone is an adjuvant treatment option for stage I intermediaterisk endometrial cancer after complete surgical resection. The aim of this study was to determine the value of the dose reported to ICRU bladder point in predicting acute urinary toxicity. Oncologic results are also presented.

Double blind randomized prospective trial of bethanechol in the prevention of radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction in head and neck cancer patients.

This study assessed the prophylactic bethanechol use to prevent salivary gland dysfunction during radiotherapy. A total of 97 head and neck cancer patients were allocated into two groups: Bethanechol or Placebo. Bethanechol group presented significantly improve of salivary parameters.

Local control after radiosurgery for brain metastases: predictive factors and implications for clinical decision.

Background: To evaluate the local control of brain metastases (BM) in patients treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), correlate the outcome with treatment parameters and lesion characteristics, and define its implications for clinical decisions.

Methods: Between 2007 and 2012, 305 BM in 141 consecutive patients were treated with SRS. After exclusions, 216 BM in 100 patients were analyzed.

Evidence and clinical outcomes of adult soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities treated with adjuvant high-dose-rate brachytherapy - a literature review.

The treatment strategies for adult soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities place an emphasis on local control, maintenance of limb function, and quality of life. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for soft tissue sarcomas. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are also both important treatments used in these patients to optimize the outcomes of limb sparing surgery.

Prognostic value of nuclear factor κ B expression in patients with advanced cervical cancer undergoing radiation therapy followed by hysterectomy.

Aims: The nuclear factor κ B (NF-κB) family comprises transcription factors that promote the development and progression of cancer. The NF-κB pathway is induced by radiation therapy and may be related to tumour radioresistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of NF-κB as a predictor of the response to radiotherapy and its value as a prognostic marker.

High-dose-rate brachytherapy combined with hypofractionated external beam radiotherapy for men with intermediate or high risk prostate cancer: analysis of short- and medium-term urinary toxicity and biochemical control.

Unlabelled: The best management of localized and locally advanced prostate cancer remains controversial, but there are clinical evidences that for patients considered of unfavorable outcome that dose escalation radiotherapy has a significantly better outcome.

Methods: Between 2005-2009 a total of 39 unfavorable patients were treated in a phase I-II trial for dose escalation with high-dose rate (HDR)- 30 Gy given by 4 fractions BID, in two separated implants and hypofractionated conformal/tri-dimensional radiotherapy (hEBRT) - 45 Gy (3 Gy per fraction in 3 weeks), at Hospital AC Camargo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Results: Median age of patients was 69 (range, 58-80) years old.

Hearing loss and complaint in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy.

Objective: To investigate occurrences of hearing loss and hearing complaints among patients with head and neck tumors who underwent radiotherapy.

Design: Prospective case-control study.

Setting: Tertiary care hospital.

High dose rate and external beam radiotherapy in locally advanced prostate cancer.

Purpose: To report the outcomes and toxicity of high dose rate brachytherapy as a boost for localized prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: Between 1997 and 2000, the medical records of 131 patients with prostate adenocarcinoma who were treated with external beam radiation therapy and high dose rate brachytherapy, were retrospectively analyzed. Furthermore, 55% of the patients received neoadjuvant/concurrent or adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy.

Updated results of high-dose rate brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy for locally and locally advanced prostate cancer using the RTOG-ASTRO Phoenix definition.

Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic factors for patients with local or locally advanced prostate cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy (RT) and high dose rate brachytherapy (HDR) according to the RTOG-ASTRO Phoenix Consensus Conference.

Materials And Methods: The charts of 209 patients treated between 1997 and 2005 with localized RT and HDR as a boost at the Department of Radiation Oncology, AC Camargo Hospital, Sao Paulo, Brazil were reviewed. Clinical and treatment parameters i.

The relationship between the biochemical control outcomes and the quality of planning of high-dose rate brachytherapy as a boost to external beam radiotherapy for locally and locally advanced prostate cancer using the RTOG-ASTRO Phoenix definition.

Purpose: To evaluated prognostic factors and impact of the quality of planning of high dose rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) for patients with local or locally advanced prostate cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and HDR-BT.

Methods And Materials: Between 1997 and 2005, 209 patients with biopsy proven prostate adenocarcinoma were treated with localized EBRT and HDR-BT at the Department of Radiation-Oncology, Hospital A. C.

High-dose-rate brachytherapy for soft tissue sarcoma in children: a single institution experience.

Purpose: To report our experience treating soft tissue sarcoma (STS) with high dose rate brachytherapy alone (HBRT) or in combination with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in pediatric patients.

Methods And Materials: Eighteen patients, median age 11 years (range 2 - 16 years) with grade 2-3 STS were treated with HBRT using Ir-192 in a interstitial (n = 14) or intracavitary implant (n = 4). Eight patients were treated with HBRT alone; the remaining 10 were treated with a combination of HBRT and EBRT.

Interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy and local anesthesia for prostate cancer: a feasibility report.

High-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) to treat prostate cancer is usually performed with the patient under general or spinal anesthesia. This report describes how patients tolerate HDR-BT under local anesthesia and provides technical detail, quantifies discomfort level, and summarizes time required for the procedure. Eleven patients with locally advanced prostate cancer, classified as intermediate or high risk, were treated based on an institutional protocol combining HDR-BT and hypofractionated external-beam radiotherapy.

Whole brain radiotherapy for brain metastases from breast cancer: estimation of survival using two stratification systems.

Background: Brain metastases (BM) are the most common form of intracranial cancer. The incidence of BM seems to have increased over the past decade. Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) of data from three Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) trials (1200 patients) has allowed three prognostic groups to be identified.

Salvage for cervical recurrences of head and neck cancer with dissection and interstitial high dose rate brachytherapy.

Salvage therapy in head and neck cancer (HNC) is a controversy issue and the literature is scarce regarding the use of interstitial high-dose rate brachytherapy (I-HDR) in HNC. We evaluated the long-term results of a treatment policy combining salvage surgery and I-HDR for cervical recurrences of HNC. Charts of 21 patients treated from 1994 to 2004 were reviewed.

High-risk surgical stage 1 endometrial cancer: analysis of treatment outcome.

Purpose: To report the relapse and survival rates associated to treatment for patients with stage IC, grade 2 or grade 3 and IB grade 3 diseases considered high risk patients group for relapse.

Materials And Methods: From January 1993 to December 2003, 106 patients with endometrial cancer stage I were managed surgically in our institution. Based on data from the medical records, 106 patients with epithelial endometrial cancer met the following inclusion criteria: stage IC grade 2 or 3 and IB grade 3 with or without lymphovascular invasion.

Interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy combined with cervical dissection on head and neck cancer.

Background: The literature is scarce regarding the use of interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy (I-HDR) as adjuvant treatment of the cervical region, and most reports are focused on primary tumors of the mobile tongue and oropharynx. We evaluated the outcome and morbidity related to an institutional treatment policy, using I-HDR as the sole adjuvant treatment or in combination with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) at the Departments of Radiation Oncology and Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital do Cancer, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Methods: From October 1994 to December 2003, charts of 42 patients who had biopsy-proven cervical head and neck cancer, with a median follow-up of 36 months (range, 8-111 months), were reviewed.

Comparison of low and high dose rate brachytherapy in the treatment of uterine cervix cancer. Retrospective analysis of two sequential series.

Purpose: This retrospective analysis aims to report on the comparative outcome of cervical cancer patients treated with low dose rate (LDR) and high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy.

Methods And Materials: From 1989 to 1995, 190 patients were treated with low dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy (LDR group) and from 1994 to 2001, 118 patients were treated with high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy (HDR group). FIGO stage distribution for the LDR group was Stage I: 6.

High-dose-rate brachytherapy as part of a multidisciplinary treatment of nasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma in childhood.

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in childhood is rare. Radiochemotherapy is considered the standard treatment and yields increased survival and local control rates. In this article, the authors report on the results from the multidisciplinary treatment of pediatric patients who had nasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma with radiochemotherapy, including high-dose-rate brachytherapy of the primary tumor site.

Treatment results on advanced neck metastasis (N3) from head and neck squamous carcinoma.

Objective: To analyze the long-term results of patients with N3 neck metastasis from squamous carcinoma of the head and neck.

Study Design: This study is based on the analysis of a retrospective cohort of 224 previously untreated patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and lymph node metastasis sized greater than 6 cm (N3) who were evaluated from 1981 to 1996.

Results: Fifty-four patients (24.

Radiochemotherapy in the conservative treatment of anal canal carcinoma: retrospective analysis of results and radiation dose effectiveness.

Purpose: This retrospective analysis reports the results on patients with anal canal carcinoma treated by combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Methods And Materials: Between March 1993 and December 2001, 43 patients with anal canal carcinoma were treated with radiochemotherapy at the Hospital do Cancer A.C.

Auditory effects after organ preservation protocol for laryngeal/hypopharyngeal carcinomas.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of hearing loss after concomitant radiochemotherapy in patients enrolled in a larynx preservation protocol.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Consecutive patients treated in a tertiary cancer center hospital between 2001 and 2002.

Late urinary morbidity with high dose prostate brachytherapy as a boost to conventional external beam radiation therapy for local and locally advanced prostate cancer.

Purpose: Late urinary retention (UR) is a known complication that may occur when using high dose rate brachytherapy (HDR-B) to boost external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) when treating prostate cancer. However, the dosimetric, treatment and clinical factors associated with this complication are not well-known.

Materials And Methods: From March 1997 to March 2000 a total of 108 patients with local or locally advanced prostate adenocarcinoma were treated with EBRT (45 Gy) and HDR-B as a boost, when 16 to 20 Gy was given in 4 fractions twice daily.