Concomitant chemotherapy and external radiotherapy plus brachytherapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer: results of a retrospective multicenter study.

Aims And Background: In October 1995, the Piedmont AIRO (Italian Society of Radiation Oncology) Group started a multi-institutional study of radiochemotherapy on locally advanced esophageal cancer, characterized by external radiotherapy followed by an intraluminal high dose-rate brachytherapy boost. Most patients were re-evaluated for surgery at the end of the program. The primary aim of the study was to assess efficacy of curative radiochemotherapy regarding overall survival and local control rates.

Hypoxia and tumor response to irradiation.

In radiobiology, the hypoxic cells have been shown to be more resistant to irradiation as compared to cells irradiated in conditions of normal oxygenation. Moreover, most solid tumors contain foci of clonogenic cells able to cause the failure of radiotherapy and the development of more aggressive phenotypes. To-date, numerous techniques allow the detection and quantitation of tumor hypoxia in many tumors and to correlate it with the clinical course.

Total skin electron beam therapy in mycosis fungoides. Our experience from 1985 to 1999.

Purpose: The specific goal of this retrospective study is to evaluate the role of total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT) in the treatment of Mycosis Fungoides (MF) and to assess the most significant prognostic factors in univariate and multivariate analyses.

Material And Methods: From January 1985 to December 1999, 92 TSEBT (Stanford Standing technique) were performed on a total of 86 patients (63 with Mycosis Fungoides, 6 with Sezary Syndrome and 17 with Cutaneous Lymphomas). This study considers only the Mycosis Fungoides group, which consisted of 60 cases evaluable for response, survival and toxicity.