Bilateral metastases to extraocular muscles from lobular breast carcinoma.

Background: Metastastic carcinoma to extraocular muscles is extremely rare, but even more so is the case of a bilateral one.

Case Report: A 50-year-old woman with a history of mastectomy for a T4N1M0 right breast carcinoma was referred to us with diplopia due to bilateral extraocular muscle metastases, 5 years post mastectomy. Multiple metastases to the whole body were also present.

Phase II study of temozolomide and concomitant whole-brain radiotherapy in patients with brain metastases from solid tumors.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and possible toxicity of the combination of temozolomide (TMZ) with whole-brain irradiation (WBI) in the treatment of brain metastases from solid tumors.

Patients And Methods: 33 patients with brain metastases were included in the study and treated with TMZ 60 mg/m2/day (days 1-16) concomitantly with WBI (36 Gy/12 fractions given in 16 days). One month after the end of radiotherapy, 6 cycles of TMZ were administered as adjuvant treatment (200 mg/m2/day for 5 consecutive days every 28 days).

Solitary brain metastasis from classic biphasic pulmonary blastoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Classic biphasic pulmonary blastoma (CBPB) is a rare and aggressive primary malignancy, brain metastases of this type of tumor are even rarer.

Case Report: A 51-year-old male patient with a solitary cerebral metastasis, diagnosed ten months after left pneumonectomy for a CBPB, was treated by surgery and accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy.

Results: The patient died 15 months after partial removal of the brain metastasis.

Patient-specific dosimetry calculations using mathematic models of different anatomic sizes during therapy with 111In-DTPA-D-Phe1-octreotide infusions after catheterization of the hepatic artery.

Unlabelled: The aim of the study was to provide dosimetric data on intrahepatic (111)In-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-D-Phe(1)-octreotide therapy for neuroendocrine tumors with overexpression of somatostatin receptors.

Methods: A dosimetric protocol was designed to estimate the absorbed dose to the tumor and healthy tissue in a course of 48 treatments for 12 patients, who received a mean activity of 5.4 +/- 1.

Phase II multicenter randomized study of amifostine for prevention of acute radiation rectal toxicity: topical intrarectal versus subcutaneous application.

Purpose: To investigate the cytoprotective effect of subcutaneous vs. intrarectal administration of amifostine against acute radiation toxicity.

Methods And Materials: Patients were randomized to receive amifostine either intrarectally (Group A, n = 27) or a 500-mg flat dose subcutaneously (Group B, n = 26) before irradiation.

Isolated talus metastasis from breast carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Acrometastases are very rare and have been identified in only a few cases on the foot. At the onset, they might be misdiagnosed as arthritis.

Case Report: A 59-year-old woman with isolated metastasis to the talus, originating from breast carcinoma was treated by radiotherapy, letrazole, and intravenous bisphosphonates.

Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms during routine lumbar CT scan: modification of the standard technique.

Introduction: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are often incidental findings in patients undergoing US, CT or MRI studies. The recommended field of view (FOV) for standard CT examinations of the spine is 14 cm. This FOV does not allow full visualization of the abdominal aorta.

A phase II randomized study of topical intrarectal administration of amifostine for the prevention of acute radiation-induced rectal toxicity.

Purpose: To investigate the cytoprotective effect of intrarectal amifostine administration on acute radiation-induced rectal toxicity.

Patients And Methods: 67 patients with T1b-2 N0 M0 prostate cancer were randomized to receive amifostine intrarectally (group A, n = 33) or not (group B, n = 34) before irradiation. Therapy was delivered using a four-field technique with three-dimensional conformal planning.

Impact on cytoprotective efficacy of intermediate interval between amifostine administration and radiotherapy: a retrospective analysis.

Purpose: To evaluate the cytoprotective impact of the interval between amifostine administration and radiotherapy (RT).

Methods And Materials: In a nonrandomized study, we reviewed the records of 177 patients with tumors localized in the pelvis (prostate, bladder, or gynecologic cancer), upper abdomen (pancreas, stomach, kidney), thorax (lung and breast cancer), head and neck (nasopharynx), soft tissue (sarcomas), and central nervous system. The patient records were stratified according to whether the patients had undergone RT either 25-40 min (Group 1, 96 subjects) or 10-15 min (Group 2, 81 subjects) after i.

Duration of bisphosphonate treatment: results of a non-randomised study in patients previously treated with local irradiation for bone metastases from breast cancer.

Purpose: To assess whether disodium pamidronate (DP) once started should be given life-long in women with lytic bone metastases.

Patients And Methods: One hundred and three women with breast cancer who had at least one osteolytic lesion received 180 mg of DP as a 2-h intravenous infusion given every 4 weeks for a life-time, following local radiotherapy. After six cycles, 26 out of 103 patients (25%) refused to continue their bisphosphonate-treatment.

Re-irradiation in conjunction with liposomal doxorubicin for the treatment of skin metastases of recurrent breast cancer: a radiobiological approach and 2 year of follow-up.

Thirty patients with local relapses after radical mastectomy and radiotherapy and undergoing infusion of liposomal doxorubicin (40 mg/m(2) monthly for 6 months) were randomized to receive re-irradiation. Radiotherapy was with either 17 fractions of 1.8 Gy, 5 days a week (N=15, group A) or 4 Gy plus two fractions of 3 Gy the 1st week and six fractions of 3 Gy given every second day (N=15, group B).

Use of image processing techniques to assess effect of disodium pamidronate in conjunction with radiotherapy in patients with bone metastases.

The aim of this study was radiographically to monitor the effect of disodium pamidronate on metastatic bone disease, using image-processing techniques. Eighteen patients with osteolytic metastases from breast cancer received an intravenous infusion of 180 mg disodium pamidronate every 4 weeks for a period of 6 months. The first session of intravenous infusions was given concurrently with external beam radiotherapy with a 6 MV linear accelerator (total dose 30 Gy in 10 fractions).

Liposomal doxorubicin in conjunction with reirradiation and local hyperthermia treatment in recurrent breast cancer: a phase I/II trial.

Purpose: This is the first study to evaluate the tolerability and activity of liposomal doxorubicin (Caelyx; Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals) < or =60 mg/km(2) in patients with locally recurrent breast cancer, when administered in conjunction with reirradiation and local hyperthermia treatment.

Experimental Design: Fifteen female patients, who had undergone a radical mastectomy and conventional radiotherapy (60 Gy) in the front chest wall, were entered on a multimodal protocol consisting of initial treatment with radiotherapy and a monthly infusion of liposomal doxorubicin < or =60 mg/m(2) in conjunction with local hyperthermia treatment. All patients received reirradiation up to a total dose of 30.