Influence of Ga-DOTATOC on sparing of normal tissue for radiation therapy of skull base meningioma: differential impact of photon and proton radiotherapy.

Background: To evaluate the impact of Ga-DOTATOC-PET on treatment planning and sparing of normal tissue in the treatment of skull base meningioma with advanced photons and protons.

Methods: From the institutional database consisting of 507 skull base meningiomas 10 patients were chosen randomly for the present analysis. Target volume definition was performed based on CT and MRI only, as well as with additional Ga-DOTATOC-PET.

First intraindividual comparison of contrast-enhanced MRI, FET- and DOTATOC- PET in patients with intracranial meningiomas.

Background: For irradiation treatment planning of meningiomas the use of PET-scans is well established. The most frequently used tracers are either based on amino acids or the somatostatin receptor ligand DOTATOC. Since up to now no inter-institutionally accepted standard PET-tracer has been defined, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of these different types of PET-tracers on the GTV-definition.

Volumetric response of intracranial meningioma after photon or particle irradiation.

Background: Meningiomas are usually slow growing, well circumscribed intracranial tumors. In symptom-free cases observation with close follow-up imaging could be performed. Symptomatic meningiomas could be surgically removed and/or treated with radiotherapy.

Integrin-based meningioma cell migration is promoted by photon but not by carbon-ion irradiation.

Purpose: Sublethal doses of photon irradiation (IR) are suspected to increase tumor cell migration and support locoregional recurrence of disease, which has already been shown in other cell lines. This manuscript describes the effect of photon and carbon-ion IR on WHO class I meningioma cell migration and provides an approach to the underlying cellular mechanisms.

Materials And Methods: Meningioma cells were gained operatively at the university hospital in Homburg/Saar, Germany.

Photon-induced cell migration and integrin expression promoted by DNA integration of HPV16 genome.

Background: Persistent human papilloma virus 16 (HPV16) infections are a major cause of cervical cancer. The integration of the viral DNA into the host genome causes E2 gene disruption which prevents apoptosis and increases host cell motility. In cervical cancer patients, survival is limited by local infiltration and systemic dissemination.

Prospective evaluation of early treatment outcome in patients with meningiomas treated with particle therapy based on target volume definition with MRI and 68Ga-DOTATOC-PET.

Purpose: To evaluate early treatment results and toxicity in patients with meningiomas treated with particle therapy.

Material And Methods: Seventy patients with meningiomas were treated with protons (n = 38) or carbon ion radiotherapy (n = 26). Median age was 49 years.

Early treatment response of a rare papillary tumor of the pineal region after primary proton-beam therapy using the raster-scanning technique at HIT.

Pineocytomas are rare intracranial tumors occurring in the pineal gland region. The curative therapy of choice is gross total resection, which cannot be performed in all patients because of the frequent eloquent location of these tumors. Percutaneous fractionated radiotherapy is an alternative treatment approach that may result in high local control rates.

Skull base meningiomas: Long-term results and patient self-reported outcome in 507 patients treated with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) or intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

Purpose: To evaluate long-term outcome of high-precision photon radiotherapy in 507 patients with skull base meningiomas.

Methods And Materials: At the time of radiation therapy, most patients presented with clinical symptoms including double vision, headache, nausea, trigeminal or facial nerve dysfunction or exophthalmus. In general tumors extended into several regions of the skull base.

Efficacy and toxicity of whole brain radiotherapy in patients with multiple cerebral metastases from malignant melanoma.

Background: To retrospectively access outcome and toxicity of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) in patients with multiple brain metastases (BM) from malignant melanoma (MM).

Patients And Methods: Results of 87 patients (median age 58 years; 35 female, 52 male) treated by WBRT for BM of MM between 2000 and 2011 were reviewed. Total dose applied was either 30 Gy in 10 fractions (n = 56) or 40 Gy in 20 fractions (n = 31).

Peripheral amplification of sweating--a role for calcitonin gene-related peptide.

Neuropeptides are the mediators of neurogenic inflammation. Some pain disorders, e.g.