Identifying core MRI sequences for reliable automatic brain metastasis segmentation.

Background: Many automatic approaches to brain tumor segmentation employ multiple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences. The goal of this project was to compare different combinations of input sequences to determine which MRI sequences are needed for effective automated brain metastasis (BM) segmentation.

Methods: We analyzed preoperative imaging (T1-weighted sequence ± contrast-enhancement (T1/T1-CE), T2-weighted sequence (T2), and T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2-FLAIR) sequence) from 339 patients with BMs from seven centers.

Development and external validation of an MRI-based neural network for brain metastasis segmentation in the AURORA multicenter study.

Background: Stereotactic radiotherapy is a standard treatment option for patients with brain metastases. The planning target volume is based on gross tumor volume (GTV) segmentation. The aim of this work is to develop and validate a neural network for automatic GTV segmentation to accelerate clinical daily routine practice and minimize interobserver variability.

Adjuvant radiotherapy versus wait-and-see after radical prostatectomy: 10-year follow-up of the ARO 96-02/AUO AP 09/95 trial.

Background: Local failure after radical prostatectomy (RP) is common in patients with cancer extending beyond the capsule. Three prospectively randomized trials demonstrated an advantage for adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) compared with a wait-and-see (WS) policy.

Objective: To determine the efficiency of ART after a 10-yr follow-up in the ARO 96-02 study.

Phase III postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy compared with radical prostatectomy alone in pT3 prostate cancer with postoperative undetectable prostate-specific antigen: ARO 96-02/AUO AP 09/95.

Purpose: Local failure after radical prostatectomy (RP) is common in patients with cancer extending beyond the capsule. Two randomized trials demonstrated an advantage for adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) compared with a wait-and-see policy. We conducted a randomized, controlled clinical trial to compare RP followed by immediate RT with RP alone for patients with pT3 prostate cancer and an undetectable prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level after RP.

Moderate risk-adapted dose escalation with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy of localized prostate cancer from 70 to 74 Gy. First report on 5-year morbidity and biochemical control from a prospective Austrian-German multicenter phase II trial.

Purpose: Evaluation of late side effects and biochemical control (bNED) 5 years after three-dimensional radiotherapy with moderate, risk-adapted dose escalation.

Patients And Methods: From 03/1999 to 07/2002, 486 patients have been registered in the prospective Austrian-German multicenter phase II trial (AUGE). 399 (82%) localized prostate cancer patients (T1-3 Nx/N0 M0) were evaluated.

Genomic evolution of the proteasome system among hemiascomycetous yeasts.

Components of the proteasome-ubiquitin pathway are highly conserved throughout eukaryotic organisms. In S. cerevisiae, the expression of proteasomal genes is subject to concerted control by a transcriptional regulator, Rpn4p, interacting with a highly conserved cis-regulatory element, PACE, located in the upstream regions of these genes.

Proctitis after external-beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer classified by Vienna Rectoscopy Score and correlated with EORTC/RTOG score for late rectal toxicity: results of a prospective multicenter study of 166 patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the Vienna Rectoscopy Score (VRS) as a feasible and effective tool for detecting and classifying pathologic changes in the rectal mucosa after radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer, and, also, to correlate its findings with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)/Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) score for late rectal toxicity.

Methods And Materials: A total of 486 patients with localized prostate cancer underwent external-beam RT up to 70 or 74 Gy within an Austrian-German prospective multicenter trial. In 166 patients, voluntary rectal sigmoidoscopy was performed before and at 12 and/or 24 months after RT.

3-D Conformal radiotherapy of localized prostate cancer within an Austrian-German multicenter trial: a prospective study of patients' acceptance of the rectal balloon during treatment.

Purpose: Patients with localized prostate cancer are treated with 3D radiotherapy using a rectal balloon catheter for internal immobilization of the prostate, thereby reducing the radiation dose to the dorsal rectal wall. The purpose of the study was to investigate clinical feasibility and the influence of acute rectal side effects and pre-existing hemorrhoids on patients' acceptance of the rectal balloon catheter.

Methods And Materials: 442 patients who underwent primary radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer were included in this prospective Austrian-German multicenter trial.

3-D conformal radiotherapy of localized prostate cancer: a subgroup analysis of rectoscopic findings prior to radiotherapy and acute/late rectal side effects.

Background And Purpose: To identify endoscopic pathological findings prior to radiotherapy and a possible correlation with acute or chronic rectal side effects after three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) for prostate cancer.

Patients And Methods: Between 03/99 and 07/02, a total of 298 patients, who consented in a voluntary rectoscopy prior to radiotherapy were included into the analysis. Patients were treated with a total dose of either 70 or 74 Gy.

Happy birthday: forty years of FEBS.

The 2004 Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) Congress in Warsaw marks the 40th Anniversary of FEBS. To celebrate this event, the Executive Committee decided to publish a memoir, which chronicles the foundation of FEBS and its early development as well as presents an overview of FEBS activities and contributions that support the ever growing disciplines of biochemistry, molecular cell biology and molecular biophysics throughout Europe [Forty Years of FEBS Horst Feldmann (Ed.), Blackwell Publishers, Oxford 2003, on behalf of FEBS].

Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) membrane expression on head-and-neck cancer biopsy-a target for natural killer (NK) cells.

Purpose: Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) was detected on the cell membrane of human tumor cell lines, but not on normal cells. Here we studied Hsp70 membrane expression as a target for natural killer (NK) cells on tumor material and control tissues of head-and-neck cancer patients.

Methods And Materials: Membrane-bound Hsp70 was determined by flow cytometry on single-cell suspensions of tumors and the corresponding normal tissues of head-and-neck cancer patients.

Prolonged infusional topotecan and accelerated hyperfractionated 3d-conformal radiation in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma--a phase I study.

Purpose: Topotecan has demonstrated exceptional central nervous system penetration as well as radiosensitizing properties in glioblastoma xenografts [Chastagner et al., Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phy 50: 777-782, 2001]. This phase I trial was performed to determine the maximum tolerated dose and the recommended dose of topotecan continuous infusion administered together with concomitant radiotherapy in patients with glioblastoma.

Implications of IMT-SPECT for postoperative radiotherapy planning in patients with gliomas.

Purpose: Using MRI, residual tumor cannot be differentiated from nonspecific postoperative changes in patients with brain gliomas after surgical resection. The goal of this study was to analyze the value of 123I-alpha-methyl-tyrosine-single photon emission CT (IMT-SPECT) in radiotherapy planning of patients with brain gliomas after surgical resection.

Methods And Materials: In 66 patients with surgically resected brain gliomas (33 glioblastomas, 20 anaplastic astrocytomas, 7 anaplastic oligodendrogliomas, and 6 low-grade astrocytomas), IMT-SPECT and MRI were performed for radiotherapy planning.

[Biochemical control after conformal, 3 dimensional radiotherapy of prostatic carcinoma].

Background: To evaluate biochemical control after 3-D radiation therapy of prostate cancer.

Patients And Methods: 180 patients with a median follow-up of 30.5 months (12-67 months) were evaluated.

Genomic evolution of the long terminal repeat retrotransposons in hemiascomycetous yeasts.

We identified putative long terminal repeat- (LTR) retrotransposon sequences among the 50,000 random sequence tags (RSTs) obtained by the Génolevures project from genomic libraries of 13 Hemiascomycetes species. In most cases additional sequencing enabled us to assemble the whole sequences of these retrotransposons. These approaches identified 17 distinct families, 10 of which are defined by full-length elements.