Real-time definition of single seed placement sensitivity in low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy.

Purpose: In low-dose-rate brachytherapy, iodine-125 seeds are implanted based on a treatment plan, generated with respect to different dose constraints. The quality of the dose distribution depends on a precise seed placement, however, during treatment planning the impact on the dose parameters when certain seeds fail to be placed precisely is not clear.

Methods And Materials: We developed a method using automatic differentiation to calculate gradients of dose parameters with regard to the seeds' positions.

Decrease of radiation-induced skin reactions in breast cancer patients by preventive application of film dressings-a systematic review.

Purpose: Radiation-induced skin reactions remain one of the most frequent side effects of adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer, which is the most common global malignancy. In individual cases, we observed a decrease in radiation dermatitis under film dressings used for skin marking purposes. Therefore, we decided to revise the available evidence regarding the prophylactic use of film dressings to reduce radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients.

Do breast cancer patients adapt CAM methods according to the therapeutic situation?

Background: and purpose: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used among cancer patients. It is unclear whether and how far patients adapt CAM to the treatment situation. The objective is to assess the changes of CAM use between radiotherapy for breast cancer and the follow-up.

Quality of life after pulmonary stereotactic fractionated radiotherapy (SBRT): Results of the phase II STRIPE trial.

Background And Purpose: Preserving health related quality of life (HRQOL) plays an important role in considering stereotactic body fractionated radiotherapy (SBRT). The prospective monocenter phase II STRIPE trial investigated long-term HRQOL after SBRT, efficacy and toxicity.

Materials And Methods: Patients with ≤2 pulmonary lesions ≤5 cm were treated with 4DPET/CT-based SBRT (3 × 12.

Vitamin D and selenium blood levels and acute skin toxicity during radiotherapy for breast cancer.

Objectives: Vitamin D blood levels have been shown to influence acute chemotherapy toxicities. Therefore, it was investigated whether it is an intrinsic factor influencing acute skin toxicity in patients receiving radiotherapy for breast cancer.

Design/setting: In a total of 107 patients receiving radiotherapy for resected breast cancer, vitamin D and selenium blood levels were determined.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy dose and its impact on local control and overall survival of patients for locally advanced intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Purpose: Non-resectable cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) is a significant therapeutic challenge because of bad prognosis. This study analyzed the outcome after SBRT for intra- and extrahepatic CCC.

Material And Methods: Sixty-four patients with 82 CCC lesions from a retrospective multicenter database were analyzed.

Honey in the management of side effects of radiotherapy- or radio/chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis. A systematic review.

Background: and purpose: In spite of several trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, honey is not considered as a viable candidate for the prophylaxis and treatment of radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in the practice guidelines for supportive care. The purpose of this study was to analyse the value of honey in this treatment situation based on randomized trials acknowledging the fact that manuka honey which is used in some trials distinguishes itself from other honey due to the presence of methylglyoxal.

Methods: On the basis of a literature search, we identified and analysed 17 randomized trials on the topic.

Early Impact of Pulmonary Fractionated Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy on Quality of Life:Benefit for Patients With Low Initial Scores (STRIPE Trial).

Introduction: Quality of life (QoL) of comorbid patients with pulmonary malignancies is a key issue in considering fractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) indication. This study investigates the early impact of SBRT on QoL.

Methods: One hundred patients with pulmonary lesions were treated with SBRT from February 2011 to December 2014 within the prospective, monocenter, phase II STRIPE trial.

Tidying rooms and tending hearts: An explorative, mixed-methods study of hospital cleaning staff's experiences with seriously ill and dying patients.

Background/aim: Palliative care is based on multi-professional team work. In this study, we investigated how cleaning staff communicate and interact with seriously ill and dying patients as well as how cleaning staff cope with the situation of death and dying.

Design: Sequential mixed methods, consisting of semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and a questionnaire.

Limitations of N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide in the Diagnosis of Heart Disease among Cancer Patients Who Present with Cardiac or Pulmonary Symptoms.

Objectives: Recognizing heart disease is relevant to oncologists because cancer patients are at an increased risk of cardiac mortality due to shared risk factors and the adverse effects of cancer therapy. This study assessed the extent to which the measurement of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) aids in the diagnosis of heart disease in addition to a history of coronary artery disease and the presence of atrial fibrillation (composite test). The NT- proBNP cutoff value was 100 pg/ml.

Venous thromboembolism and persistent pulmonary hypertension in cancer patients: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Cancer patients are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Objective: This monocenter cross-sectional study prospectively assessed the association between a history of ≥1 VTE episode and the presence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) among cancer patients presenting with pulmonary or cardiac symptoms.

Methods: A consecutive series of 583 patients underwent a diagnostic work-up for heart and lung disease.

Radiation recall dermatitis after docetaxel chemotherapy. Treatment by antioxidant ointment.

Radiation recall dermatitis (RRD) is an acute skin toxicity caused by different anticancer or antibiotic drugs within a former completely healed irradiation field. Predictive factors for RRD are not known and its mechanisms are not completely understood. A case of RRD induced by docetaxel and successfully treated by an antioxidant ointment (Mapisal(®)) is presented here.

Measuring individual quality of life in patients receiving radiation therapy: the SEIQoL-Questionnaire.

Purpose: Quality of life (QoL) is one of the most important outcomes in cancer care. Although a number of instruments to measure health-related QoL (HRQoL) exist, there are few suitable instruments to measure individual QoL. The best established instrument is the Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life (SEIQoL).

Cardiotoxicity and cancer therapy: treatment-related cardiac morbidity in patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of heart or lung disease.

Objectives: Cardiac injury is one of the complications of cancer treatment. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between the types of radiotherapy of the chest (RT), chemotherapy (CT), cancer surgery (CS) and endocrine therapy (ET), and the presence of heart disease, and their associations with the serum level of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP).

Methods: A consecutive series of 374 patients with cancer who were referred because of symptoms suggestive of heart or lung disease prospectively underwent a diagnostic workup.

Radiotherapy for prevention and therapy of gynecomastia due to antiandrogen treatment in prostate cancer patients: a patterns-of-care study.

Background: Gynecomastia is a frequent side effect of antiandrogen therapy for prostate cancer and may compromise quality of life. Although it has been successfully treated with radiotherapy (RT) for decades, the priority of RT as a preferred treatment option has recently been disputed as tamoxifen was also demonstrated to be effective. The aim of the present paper is to provide an overview of indications, frequency, and technique of RT in daily practice in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.

[Survey of potential improvements during the course of the radiotherapy treatment--a patient questionnaire].

Introduction And Background: In the context of quality assurance, increasing demands are placed on the whole radiotherapy treatment process. The patients directly concerned generally do not realize most aspects of the quality assurance program (e.g.

Determination of major boswellic acids in plasma by high-pressure liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Until now, dexamethasone is the medication of choice to reduce peritumoral edema associated with primary and secondary brain tumors. Because of the severe side effects accompanying such a treatment the interest in alternative agents that may be co-administered with glucocorticoids and help to reduce the required dose is constantly increasing. Boswellia serrata gum resin extracts (BSE), which have been designated an orphan drug status by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2002 for the treatment of peritumoral edema, may represent a promising supplemental herbal remedy.

Boswellia serrata acts on cerebral edema in patients irradiated for brain tumors: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind pilot trial.

Background: Patients irradiated for brain tumors often suffer from cerebral edema and are usually treated with dexamethasone, which has various side effects. To investigate the activity of Boswellia serrata (BS) in radiotherapy-related edema, we conducted a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, pilot trial.

Methods: Forty-four patients with primary or secondary malignant cerebral tumors were randomly assigned to radiotherapy plus either BS 4200 mg/day or placebo.

Palliative cancer care: an epidemiologic study.

Purpose: To analyze the need for palliative care in hospital patients who have cancer. Palliative care is an essential component of comprehensive cancer care and identification of palliative care needs (PCNs) of patients with cancer is a topic that has not been thoroughly studied.

Patients And Methods: Data were collected prospectively from inpatients of University Medical Center Freiburg in Freiburg, Germany, with 982 hospital beds included in the study.

Xerostomia after radiotherapy in the head & neck area: long-term observations.

To investigate the development of xerostomia more than 5 years after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, a prospective longitudinal study was done. A xerostomia questionnaire was answered by 42 patients 41 and 90 months after radiotherapy: xerostomia at rest did not change significantly over time whereas the difficulties with speaking improved and the difficulties with eating worsened. Subjective xerostomia does not reach a steady state even more than 5 years after radiotherapy.

Dose escalation of gemcitabine concomitant with radiation and cisplatin for nonsmall cell lung cancer: a phase 1-2 study.

Background: The current study was conducted to evaluate the maximum tolerable dose of weekly gemcitabine administered simultaneously with radiation and cisplatin in patients with locally advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Patients with stage IIIA/B NSCLC received concurrently 63 grays radiation and 20 mg/m² cisplatin Day 1 to 3 in Weeks 1 and 5, plus weekly gemcitabine at escalating doses (150-700 mg/m²) on Fridays after radiation to avoid radiosensitization. The authors assessed dose-limiting toxicities according to Common Toxicity Criteria.

Planning training seminars in palliative care: a cross-sectional survey on the preferences of general practitioners and nurses in Austria.

Background: Training in palliative care is frequently requested by health care professionals. However, little is known in detail about the subject matters and the educational preferences of physicians and staff or assistant nurses in this field.

Methods: All 897 registered GPs and all 933 registered home care nurses in the district of Steiermark/Austria were sent postal questionnaires.

[The situation of radiation oncology patients' relatives. A stocktaking].

Background And Purpose: Recent studies have shown a very high importance of relatives in decisions about medical interventions. Therefore, the situation of this group was investigated in the sense of a stocktaking by interviewing the closest relatives of radiotherapy patients. INTERVIEWED PERSONS AND METHODS: In a defined span of time (6 weeks), a total of 470 relatives (evaluable: n = 287, 61%) of radiotherapy patients were interviewed by a newly developed questionnaire about their contentment with their inclusion in the therapy course.