Assessment of patient-reported measures of bowel function before and after pelvic radiotherapy: an ancillary study of the North Central Cancer Treatment Group study N00CA.

Purpose: The Bowel Function Questionnaire (BFQ) has been used in clinical trials to assess symptoms during and after pelvic radiotherapy (RT). This study evaluated the importance of symptoms in the BFQ from a patient perspective.

Methods: Patients reported presence or absence of symptoms and rated importance of symptoms at baseline, 4 weeks after completion of pelvic RT, and 12 and 24 months after RT.

Outcomes after percutaneous surgery for patients with multiple sclerosis-related trigeminal neuralgia.

Background: Approximately 1% to 2% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) develop trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Percutaneous surgery is commonly performed in medically refractory cases.

Objective: To analyze the pain outcomes and complications of patients with MS-related trigeminal neuralgia (MS-TN) having percutaneous surgery.

Posterior fossa exploration for trigeminal neuralgia patients older than 70 years of age.

Background: Patients with medically unresponsive trigeminal neuralgia (TN) who are >70 years of age often undergo operations that typically provide pain relief for <5 years despite having a life expectancy that can exceed 15 years.

Objective: To review the safety and efficacy of posterior fossa exploration (PFE) for TN patients > 70 years of age.

Methods: From 1999 to 2009, 67 TN patients >70 years of age (median, 74 years) underwent a PFE.

Phase III, double-blind study of depot octreotide versus placebo in the prevention of acute diarrhea in patients receiving pelvic radiation therapy: results of North Central Cancer Treatment Group N00CA.

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of depot octreotide for the prevention of diarrhea during pelvic radiation therapy.

Patients And Methods: Patients receiving pelvic radiation therapy (planned minimum dose, 45 Gy; 1.7 to 2.