[Complex treatment of breast cancer patients with brain metastases].

Brain metastases in breast cancer develop for 24-32 months after the detection of the primary tumor. The study included patients with brain metastases who were divided into three groups: the first group--with early chemoradiotherapy (CRT) without induction chemotherapy (IC) by capecitabine; the second group--with delayed CRT with 4 or 8 courses of IC by capecitabine; the third group (a historical control) who received only whole brain radiation therapy. The median time to progression of intracranial metastases was 15.

[Effectiveness of treatment of single cerebral metastasis depending on prognostic groups (RPA RTOG)].

Our investigation was aimed at establishing a relationship between single metastases in the brain and a set of prognostic factors. It involved 278 patients treated at the Center in 1983-2003. The whole brain was irradiated in 273 while 159 of them (58.

[Conservative therapy for early-stage breast cancer].

An evaluation of the data on the treatment of 298 cases of breast cancer (stages IIa and IIb) showed that a reduced frequency of loco-regional recurrences, after post-operative irradiation as a component of conservative therapy, was followed by improvement in quality of life. This was particularly apparent in patients with pT2pN1 tumors. It was also found that after extended dissection of axillary lymph nodes at all three levels, a dose of 50 Gy was sufficient without additional irradiation of the cicatrix.

[Role of radiotherapy in the combined treatment of uterine choriocarcinoma with brain metastasis].

A retrospective analysis of data on 27 patients with uterine choriocarcinoma metastatic to the brain and other distant sites treated at the Center's Clinic (1980-1996) has been undertaken. Advantages offered by combined treatment (irradiation of the brain + combination chemotherapy) of 15 patients are discussed and practical advice is given.

[Quantitative method of assessing the effectiveness of radiotherapy of malignant neoplasms based on computerized tomography data].

Computed tomography assesses the linear coefficient of X-ray radiation decrease in the tissue and hence determines changes in its density thus allowing one to control the destruction of tumor cells and tissues during treatment. The paper proposes a procedure for determining the sizes and density of a tumor along the chosen linear direction crossing the image of a pathological focus. The whole procedure is performed by the special computer programme "Diaglmag".

[Quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of radiotherapy].

The paper proposes a procedure for processing computed tomograms, which records changes in the density and size of the tissue portion exposed to radiation within the preset cross section of layers. Examples of management of 4 patients with various tumorous processes on radiation therapy are presented. The procedure of computed diagnostic processing of computed tomograms gives rather new quantitative information on the changes occurring in the pathological focus and its adjacent healthy tissues, which may lead to the efficiency of radiation therapy.

VAB-6 and cisplatin-cyclophosphamide combinations in the treatment of metastatic seminoma patients: the U.S.S.R. experience.

In a non-randomized study the treatment results of 59 patients with disseminated seminoma were evaluated: 21 patients were treated with a VAB-6 combination and 38 with a CP (cyclophosphamide and cisplatin) combination. After VAB-6 CR was observed in 8 patients and 6 achieved CR with additional treatment: 1 with chemotherapy (PVB) and 5 with radiotherapy (RT). The final CR rate was 67%.

[Surgical and combined treatment of esophageal cancer].

The authors analyse 37-year experience in the treatment of patients with esophageal carcinoma by various methods at the All-Union Cancer Research Center. The immediate and long-term results of radiotherapy and surgical and combined treatment of 1,850 patients are shown. Bearing in mind the considerable extension of the neoplastic process by the time of the operation, the authors substantiate the expediency of one-stage operations with the formation of intrapleural esophagogastric anastomoses.

[Tactics in treating patients with small cell cancer of the lung with superior vena cava obstruction syndrome].

A non-randomized study was carried out to evaluate the immediate and end results of chemo-radiation therapy of 44 cases of small-cell lung cancer aggravated with superior vena cava obstruction syndrome. Both radiation and chemotherapy proved effective in urgent combatting said syndrome. The best results were reliably secured when chemotherapy was supported with radiotherapy at an earlier possible stage.

[The effectiveness of 2 systems of chemoradiation treatment in inoperable small-cell lung cancer].

A comparative evaluation of treatment results was carried out in two groups of patients with small-cell lung cancer; in group 1, patients received radiation and chemotherapy simultaneously (68 cases) while in group 2 chemotherapy was followed by radiation (67 cases). Complete remission was observed in 62% in group 1. In group 2, it was 7% immediately after chemotherapy to soar up to 46% following radiation treatment.

[Causes of death after the first sessions of irradiation of the brain in metastatic involvement].

Of 240 patients irradiated for metastatic brain tumors 4 died 4.5-60 h after the first session of irradiation at doses of 1.7-6 Gy.

[Chemoradiation treatment of the superior vena cava compression syndrome in small-cell lung cancer].

The superior vena cava compression syndrome (SVCCS) was detected in 340 patients with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC): in 44--during establishing primary diagnosis (the primary syndrome), in 10--after courses of chemo- or radiotherapy (the secondary syndrome). In 32 patients with the primary SVCCS therapy was started with chemotherapy courses, a complete clinical effect was noted in 20 (62.5%) of them, on an average, in 11.

[Radiation therapy of choriocarcinoma metastatic to the brain].

Brain irradiation for metastases was performed in 3 cases of choriocarcinoma of pregnancy and 1 patient with testicular choriocarcinoma of embryonal origin. Treatment failed in 2 cases due to tumor advancement, while the other 2 patients showed marked response. Early diagnosis and proper treatment of intracranial metastases may significantly increase survival.

[Radiotherapy and combined chemo- and radiotherapy of patients with squamous cell lung cancer (randomized study)].

A randomized study on the results of treatment of 76 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung was conducted at the Center in 1976-1981. Radiation and chemoradiation procedures were studied in two groups of patients. The immediate results of chemoradiation therapy were somewhat better as compared with radiation treatment alone.

[Prophylactic brain irradiation and radiotherapy of brain metastases of small cell lung cancer].

The report presents the results of cranial irradiation of 44 small cell lung cancer patients with clinically-identified intracranial metastases and 40 patients for metastatic spread prevention. Whole brain irradiation was carried out with single doses of 2-4 Gy (total dose--30-40 Gy) in both groups 5 times weekly. Patients irradiated for metastasis prevention revealed a 3.

[Radiation treatment results in metastases of small-cell lung cancer to the brain].

Altogether 31 patients aged 36-66 were given gamma-beam therapy for metastases of small cell pulmonary carcinoma to the brain. Before irradiation 12 patients received chemotherapy alone, 17 chemotherapy and irradiation of a primary focus and 2 surgery followed by chemotherapy. Simultaneously with a primary tumor brain metastases were found in 6 out of 7 patients.

[Irradiation of the brain in the combined treatment of small-cell lung cancer].

A study on the advantages offered by a "prophylactic" cranial irradiation in cases of localized small cell cancer of the lung has been conducted at the Center since April of 1981. The report deals with preliminary results on tolerance and immediate reactions of the brain obtained on the basis of 25 cases. A good tolerance of doses ranging 25-30 Gy was recorded.