Role of Radiation Therapy in the Multidisciplinary Management of Uterine Carcinosarcoma.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of radiation therapy on outcomes for patients with uterine carcinosarcoma (UC).

Methods/materials: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 155 women with stage I (98), II (11), or III (46) UC who underwent total abdominal hysterectomy/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at our institution between 1990 and 2011. Survival rates were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test.

Creation of a Prognostic Index for Spine Metastasis to Stratify Survival in Patients Treated With Spinal Stereotactic Radiosurgery: Secondary Analysis of Mature Prospective Trials.

Purpose: There exists uncertainty in the prognosis of patients following spinal metastasis treatment. We sought to create a scoring system that stratifies patients based on overall survival.

Methods And Materials: Patients enrolled in 2 prospective trials investigating stereotactic spine radiation surgery (SSRS) for spinal metastasis with ≥ 3-year follow-up were analyzed.

Outcomes for Spine Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and an Analysis of Predictors of Local Recurrence.

Purpose: To investigate local control, survival outcomes, and predictors of local relapse for patients treated with spine stereotactic body radiation therapy.

Methods And Materials: We reviewed the records of 332 spinal metastases consecutively treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy between 2002 and 2012. The median follow-up for all living patients was 33 months (range, 0-111 months).

Variable impact of intracavitary brachytherapy fractionation schedule on biologically effective dose to organs at risk in patients with cervical cancer.

Purpose: To determine the effect of intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) fractionation schedule on biologically effective dose to organs at risk.

Methods And Materials: We reviewed records from 26 patients who had CT imaging during ICBT for International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB2-IVA cervical cancer. Using α/β=10, we calculated hypothetical nominal doses to achieve a biologically effective dose at 2 Gy per fraction (EQD2α/β=10) of 40 Gy to Point A for high-dose-rate ICBT with 1-15 fractions.

Improving prostate brachytherapy quality assurance with MRI-CT fusion-based sector analysis in a phase II prospective trial of men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

Purpose: We combined sector analysis with MRI-CT fusion to comprehensively assess postimplant dosimetry after prostate brachytherapy.

Methods And Materials: Subjects were 50 men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer treated with (125)I brachytherapy in a prospective phase II clinical trial. On Day 30 after the implantation, dosimetry was evaluated in the prostate base, midgland, and apex regions on fused MRI-CT scans and CT scans.

Probing the interaction between the coiled coil leucine zipper of cGMP-dependent protein kinase Ialpha and the C terminus of the myosin binding subunit of the myosin light chain phosphatase.

Nitric oxide and nitrovasodilators induce vascular smooth muscle cell relaxation in part by cGMP-dependent protein kinase I (PKG-Ialpha)-mediated activation of myosin phosphatase (MLCP). Mechanistically it has been proposed that protein-protein interactions between the N-terminal leucine zipper (LZ) domain of PKG-Ialpha ((PKG-Ialpha(1-59)) and the LZ and/or coiled coil (CC) domain of the myosin binding subunit (MBS) of MLCP are localized in the C terminus of MBS. Although recent studies have supported these interactions, the critical amino acids responsible for these interactions have not been identified.

Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase Ialpha inhibits thrombin receptor-mediated calcium mobilization in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Vascular smooth muscle contractile state is regulated by intracellular calcium levels. Nitric oxide causes vascular relaxation by stimulating production of cyclic GMP, which activates type I cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKGI) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), inhibiting agonist-induced intracellular Ca2+ mobilization ([Ca2+]i). The relative roles of the two PKGI isozymes, PKGIalpha and PKGIbeta, in cyclic GMP-mediated inhibition of [Ca2+]i in VSMCs are unclear.