Influence of Radiation Exposure During Radiotherapy. Evidence for the Increase of Versican and Heparin-Binding EGF-like Growth Factor Concentrations.

Objective: To investigate the reaction of versican and heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) molecule concentrations to acute radiation exposure in normal bladder and rectal tissue samples in order to gain more insight into the effects of cancer radiotherapy.

Study Design: Four groups with 6 male adult Swiss Albino mice per group were investigated. The mice bladder and rectum tissue samples were subjected to a 10-Gy single-dose radiation exposure in the pelvic region with a Co-60 teletherapy device and investigated 1, 2, and 7 days after radiation exposure, with 1 reference group which was not exposed to radiation.

Effects of Cyclooxygenase on the Urothelium of the Urinary Bladder of Mice Exposed to Pelvic Radiation.

Objective: To determine the role of cyclooxygenase (COX) expression in the urothelium of the urinary bladder during radiation injury caused by pelvic radiotherapy for cancer therapy.

Study Design: Twenty-four male Swiss Albino mice were separated into 4 groups. The first group was the control group (Group 1) and the second, third, and fourth groups were euthanized after 24 hours (Group 2), 48 hours (Group 3), and 7 days (Group 4), respectively.

An Experimental Study of Radiation Effect on Normal Tissue: Analysis of HIF-1α, VEGF, eIF2, TIA-1, and TSP-1 Expression.

Objective: This study investigated whether or not the stress and hypoxia, which are the effects of radiation on normal vascular endothelium, leading to the release of HIF-1α, VEGF, eIF2, TIA-1, and TSP-1 were related and the possibility of them stimulating angiogenesis.


Materials And Methods: Twenty-four male Swiss Albino mice were separated into 4 groups. The first group was the control group (Group 1), and the second, third, and fourth groups were euthanized after 24 h (Group 2), 48 h (Group 3), and 7 days (Group 4), respectively.

Chromosomal aberrations induced by radiotherapy in lymphocytes from patients with lung cancer.

In this study we tried to define incidence and types of chromosomal aberrations (CAs) caused by radiotherapy (RT) in circulating lymphocytes from patients with lung cancer. For this purpose, we used cumulative dose-effect relationship, and correlate these data with statistical parameters. CAs were evaluated in terms of chromosome break, dicentric, ring and chromosome gap.

Mid-course thoracic radiotherapy with cisplatin-etoposide chemotherapy in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer.

Combination chemoradiotherapy is a standard treatment for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LSSCLC). However, there is still controversery about the optimal timing of thoracic radiotherapy (TRT). In this study, the outcome of 70 patients who had received TRT at a dose of median 50 Gy (range, 46-60 Gy) with a second or third cycle of chemotherapy (CHT) either concurrently (n=41) or sequentially (n=29) were analyzed retrospectively.

Cases of glioblastoma multiforme metastasizing to spinal cord.

Cases of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) metastasizing to the leptomeninx or the intramedullary spine are quite rare and prognoses are relatively poor. We present three cases of GBM with spinal metastasis, one of which also had leptomeningeal dissemination. Three patients with GBM were admitted to our clinic for postoperative radiotherapy after surgery.

Prevalence of Factor V 1691 G-A (Leiden) and prothrombin G20210A polymorphisms and the risk of venous thrombosis among cancer patients.

Aims: Cancer patients have an increased risk for thromboembolism (TE). Factor V 1691 G-A(Leiden) (FVL) and prothrombin (PT) G20210A mutation are common inherited risk factor for TE. The aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of FVL and PT G20210A polymorphism in cancer patients with and without TE as compared to patients with TE without malignancy and healthy control.

Ghrelin may reduce radiation-induced mucositis and anorexia in head-neck cancer.

Body weight loss is common in cancer patients, and is often associated with poor prognosis, it greatly impairs quality of life (QOL). Radiation therapy (RT) is used in head and neck cancers (HNC) either as a primary treatment or as an adjuvant therapy to surgery. Patients with HNC are most susceptible to malnutrition especially due to anorexia, which is aggravated by RT.

Carnosine may reduce lung injury caused by radiation therapy.

Ionising radiation is known one of the most effective tools in the therapy of cancer but in many thoracic cancers, the total prescribed dose of radiation that can be safely administered to the target volume is limited by the risk of complications arising in the normal lung tissue. One of the major reasons for cellular injury after radiation is the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Radiation pneumonitis is an acute phase side-effect which generally subsides after a few weeks and is followed by a chronic phase characterized by inflammation and fibrosis, that can develop months or years after irradiation.

Treatment outcome of nasal and paranasal sinus carcinoma.

Purpose: Most authors recommend aggressive management for sinonasal carcinoma treatment. In an attempt to determine the optimal treatment, we assessed the treatment results of our patients with nasal cavity and paranasal sinus carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: From January 1980 to December 2001, 40 patients with malignant tumours of the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses were treated.

In vivo study to evaluate the protective effects of amifostine on radiation-induced damage of testis tissue.

Objective: To investigate the early protective effects of amifostine against radiation-induced damage on rat testis tissue.

Methods: Eighty adult male Wistar rats were randomized to 4 groups: Saline solution was given to group A for control, 200 mg/kg amifostine (WR-2721) to group B, a single fraction of 6 Gy local irradiation to testes in group C and 200 mg/kg amifostine 15-30 min before 6 Gy testicular irradiation to group D. Animals were sacrificed 3 weeks after treatment and their testes were removed for macroscopic, microscopic and ultrastructural histopathological examination.

Intraluminal brachytherapy with metallic stenting in the palliative treatment of malignant obstruction of the bile duct.

Purpose: To describe the outcome of intraluminal high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy with metallic stenting in patients with obstructing extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Materials And Methods: Eight patients with inoperable and/or unresectable extrahepatic bile duct carcinomas were treated with intraluminal brachytherapy (ILBT) followed by self-expandable metallic stent placement. Following percutaneous transhepatic drainage, ILBT was delivered by an HDR-Ir-192 source using the Micro-Selectron afterloading device.

The myeloprotective effect of medroxyprogesterone acetate in an irradiated animal model.

Background: In this study we evaluated the effect of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and its major ingredients on protection of the hematopoietic organs against radiation damage.

Method: One group of mice was given saline as placebo and the other groups were given MPA. Mice were injected with MPA (10 mg/kg) or saline 10 days before or after a single 8 Gy whole body cobalt irradiation.

High dose rate endobronchial brachytherapy effectively palliates symptoms due to inoperable lung cancer.

Background: Intraluminal brachytherapy has become an established treatment for major airway occlusion by relapsed or persistent inoperable endobronchial tumors. The aim of this study was to compare the palliation improvement pre- and post-radiotherapy.

Methods: The study group was 95 patients with the diagnosis of inoperable lung cancer who were eligible for HDR brachytherapy.