Design of experiments to assess the effect of culture parameters on the osteogenic differentiation of human adipose stromal cells.

Background: Human adipose-derived stromal cells (hASCs) have been gaining increasing popularity in regenerative medicine thanks to their multipotency, ease of collection, and efficient culture. Similarly to other stromal cells, their function is particularly sensitive to the culture conditions, including the composition of the culture medium. Given the large number of parameters that can play a role in their specification, the rapid assessment would be beneficial to allow the optimization of their culture parameters.

Randomized clinical trial of post-operative radiotherapy versus concomitant carboplatin and radiotherapy for head and neck cancers with lymph node involvement.

Background And Purpose: Post-operative radiotherapy is indicated for the treatment of head and neck cancers. In vitro, chemotherapy potentiates the cytotoxic effects of radiation. We report the results of a randomized trial testing post-operative radiotherapy alone versus concomitant carboplatin and radiotherapy for head and neck cancers with lymph node involvement.

Linac stereotactic radiosurgery: an effective and safe treatment for elderly patients with brain metastases.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of radiosurgery for brain metastases in patients 65 years or older.

Patients And Methods: Between January 1994 and January 2003, 117 patients (47 women, 70 men), median age 71 years (range, 65-86 years), received radiosurgery for 227 metastases. Sixty-one patients (55%) presented symptoms in relation to the brain metastases.

Chondrosarcomas of the base of the skull in Ollier's disease or Maffucci's syndrome--three case reports and review of the literature.

Ollier's disease is a rare disease characterized by constitutional bone dysplasia with multiple enchondromas. The combination of haemangioma and chondromatoses is known as Maffucci's syndrome. Malignant degeneration of bone dysplasia into chondrosarcoma is a well-known complication, but a lesion of the base of the skull is exceptional.

[Results of salvage stereotactic radiosurgery in 14 patients with grade III or IV gliomas].

Aims: To determine local control and overall survival rates of 14 patients treated for a grade III or IV glioma relapsing in a previously irradiated area and re-irradiated by stereotactic radiosurgery.

Patients And Methods: From January 1997 to October 2001, 14 patients (median age 52 Years, age range 49-58 Years, Karnofski performance score 80 to 100) received radiosurgery for a relapse of grade III (3 patients) and or grade IV (10 patients) malignant gliomas. Before relapse, all patients had undergone surgery and had been given with a classical radiation protocol.