Pattern of relapse and outcome of non-metastatic germinoma patients treated with chemotherapy and limited field radiation: the SFOP experience.

Over the last two decades, chemotherapy has been introduced in protocols for patients with intracranial germinoma with the objective of reducing the volume and the dose of irradiation without compromising survival rates. The aim of this work is to critically analyze the pattern of relapse in a cohort of patients with nonmetastatic germinoma prospectively treated with chemotherapy followed by focal field radiation. Data of all germinoma patients registered in the French protocol for intracranial germ cell tumors between 1990 and 1999 were reviewed.

[Future perspectives. From basic research to the development of new therapies aimed at the inhibition of the different stages of signal transduction: applications in breast cancer].

The mechanism implicated in the carcinogenesis are better understood and the transduction of signal is a potential target for new agents. In this review, we describe the different pathways implicated in the transduction of signal and the potential target for new agents in breast cancer.

Preliminary results for prone-position breast irradiation.

Purpose: To evaluate an alternative prone-position technique for breast irradiation after conservative surgery.

Methods And Materials: A plexiglas platform with a circular opening for the breast and a double 30 degrees craniocaudal and 10 degrees transverse (left-right for the right breast and right-left for the left breast) slope was evaluated for positioning, the possible use of CT, and dosimetric study in 35 patients with large pendulous breasts who were likely to benefit from irradiation of the breast alone after conservative surgery.

Results: The positioning was excellent for all but 3 obese patients who could not achieve adequate prolonged immobilization.

Long-term complications of total body irradiation in adults.

Purpose: To report long-term pulmonary, thyroid, and ocular complications in patients who had conditioning regimens including total body irradiation (TBI) before bone marrow transplantation (BMT).

Methods And Materials: Between June 1986 and December 1995, 478 patients received TBI in our institution. The present study includes 186 adult patients who had complete remission lasting one year or more after BMT.

Salvage extended-field irradiation in follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after failure of chemotherapy.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of total abdominopelvic (TAI) and total body irradiation (TBI) in heavily pretreated follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Patients And Methods: From 1983 to 1998, 34 patients received TAI (n = 22) or TBI (n = 12). All had Stage III or IV, Class B, C, D NHL in the working formulation and failed after receiving 1-5 regimens of chemotherapy.