[Use of fast neutrons in the treatment of tumors of the salivary glands: rationale, review of the literature and experience in Orleans].

If low LET radiation therapy (photons, electrons), following radical microscopically and complete surgery can improve results in term of local control from 34 to 74% for salivary gland tumors, local control is more difficult to achieve in advanced tumors and only palliative treatment is usually attempted. In this survey, all the patient series treated worldwide were reviewed. They show an overall control rate of 31% with photon vs 64% with neutron therapy.

Quality of life in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast treated with conservative surgery and postoperative irradiation.

Aim Of The Study: To evaluate the quality of life (QL) in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast treated with conservative surgery and postoperative irradiation.

Material And Methods: A self-completed questionnaire covering many disease-, symptom-, and treatment-specific issues was administered to 106 conservatively treated patients affected by non-infiltrating breast cancer. The questionnaire was based on a series of 34 items assessing five main fields of post-treatment adjustment: physical well being, sexual adaptation, aesthetic outcome, emotional/psychological well being, relational behaviour.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with continuous infusion of cisplatin and fluorouracil in stage II-IV, M0 squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Aims And Background: The aim of the study was to assess the activity and the toxicity of cisplatin (DDP) and fluorouracil (FU) administered by continuous infusion as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with stage II-IV, M0 squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Methods: Thirty previously untreated patients were submitted to chemotherapy with DDP (20 mg/m2) and FU (1000 mg/m2), both in continuous infusion for 5 days, repeated every 21 days, for a maximum of 5 cycles. Following completion of chemotherapy, the patients underwent radiotherapy; in some patients surgery was performed immediately after chemotherapy.

[Radiotherapy of the breast: changes in the volume of the lung covered in the treatment fields and resulting changes in dose distribution].

In breast cancer adjuvant therapy, respiratory movements continuously modify the irradiated volumes and the anatomical shape of this body region. Fifteen patients were submitted to 3 Computed Tomography (CT) sequences for treatment planning: the first one without any indications to the patient (the standard sequence) and the second and the third one with spontaneous stopped inspiration and expiration, respectively; the patient was always in the same position. The treatment was planned on standard CT images and then applied to the other sequences, maintaining all parameters unvaried, including isocenter position and treatment time.