Tumor proliferation and apoptosis in human uterine cervix carcinoma I: correlations between variables.

Purpose: Parameters for tumor proliferation and apoptosis were studied prospectively in 84 previously untreated patients with a diagnosis of carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Materials And Methods: Tumor proliferation was assessed by in vivo labeling with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), followed by a biopsy of the tumor 4-10 h thereafter during an examination under anesthesia. The potential doubling time (Tpot) was obtained by deriving the BrdU labeling index (LI) and S-phase duration (Ts) using flow cytometry.

Male breast carcinoma: a review of 229 patients who presented to the Princess Margaret Hospital during 40 years: 1955-1996.

Background: A single-institution review of clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome of male breast carcinoma was conducted.

Methods: Data obtained by chart review of 229 cases were analyzed with respect to clinical presentation, treatment choice, significant prognostic factors, and survival. The patients were analyzed both as a single cohort and as four cohorts grouped according to decade of diagnosis.

Cervix cancer oxygenation measured following external radiation therapy.

Purpose: Tumor hypoxia may be an important factor predicting relapse following radiation therapy. This study was designed to determine the relationship between the oxygenation parameters measured using a polarographic oxygen electrode, prior to and during treatment in patients with cervix cancer, and to assess these results with regard to patient survival.

Materials And Methods: Forty-three patients had pretreatment oxygen assays performed and measurements repeated following external beam radiation to a median dose of 50 Gy (range 26-52 Gy).

Outcome in breast cancer managed without an initial axillary lymph node dissection.

Purpose: The role of an elective axillary lymph node dissection (AxLND) in the initial management of patients with early stage breast cancer has recently become controversial. The objective of this current study is to review the reasons as to why patients from a single institution were managed without an initial AxLND and their outcome in terms of survival and recurrence rates.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 126 women referred to the Princess Margaret Hospital with the diagnosis of breast cancer who did not undergo an initial AxLND.

Oxygenation predicts radiation response and survival in patients with cervix cancer.

Background And Purpose: Hypoxia appears to be an important factor in predicting tumor relapse following radiation therapy. This study measured oxygenation prior to treatment in patients with cervix cancer using a polarographic oxygen electrode to determine if oxygenation was an important prognostic factor with regard to tumor control and survival.

Materials And Methods: Between May 1994 and June 1997, 74 eligible patients with cervix cancer were entered into an ongoing prospective study of tumor oxygenation prior to primary radiation therapy.

The role of adjuvant radiotherapy in carcinoma of the endometrium-results in 550 patients with pathologic stage I disease.

Objectives: A retrospective analysis of 550 women with pathological stage I carcinoma of the endometrium who were seen between January 1984 and December 1988 was performed in order to assess the value of adjuvant radiation therapy.

Methods: Two-hundred twenty-eight patients were treated with surgery alone (S); 97 received adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (S + EXT); 217 received external beam radiotherapy and colpostats (S + EXT + IC); and 8 patients received only colpostats (S + IC). Pelvic radiation therapy, usually 40 Gy in 20 fractions, was administered to 94% of patients whose tumors showed greater than 50% myometrial invasion and to 89% of patients with FIGO grade 3 tumors.

Randomized study of brachytherapy in the initial management of patients with malignant astrocytoma.

Purpose: A randomized study was undertaken to assess the role of brachytherapy as a boost to external beam radiation therapy in the initial management of patients with malignant astrocytomas.

Methods And Materials: Inclusion criteria included the following: biopsy-proven supratentorial malignant astrocytoma of brain < or =6 cm in size, not crossing midline or involving corpus callosum, age 18-70, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) > or =70. Patients were randomized to external radiation therapy only delivering 50 Gray (Gy) in 25 fractions over 5 weeks or external radiation therapy plus a temporary stereotactic iodine-125 implants delivering a minimum peripheral tumor dose of 60 Gy.

Interstitial fluid pressure in cervical carcinoma: within tumor heterogeneity, and relation to oxygen tension.

Background: Interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) is elevated in many animal and human tumors. The authors assessed tumor IFP and its relation to tumor oxygenation in a prospective clinical study of patients with cervical carcinoma.

Methods: Measurements were made in 77 patients with cervical carcinoma prior to treatment.

A randomized study of two doses of abdominopelvic radiation therapy for patients with optimally debulked Stage I, II, and III ovarian cancer.

Purpose: To determine whether an increased dose of abdominal radiation therapy results in improved disease control and survival in patients with early ovarian cancer.

Methods And Patients: Between 1981 and 1990, 125 patients with optimally debulked Stage I, II, and III ovarian cancer were entered into a prospective randomized clinical trial of abdominopelvic radiation therapy. Patients were stratified and randomized to either the control arm, treated with an abdominal dose of 22.

Late effects of treatment for early-stage Hodgkin's disease.

A comprehensive survey of late effects (physical, social and reproductive) following treatment at a single institution for early stage Hodgkin's disease (HD) was performed. A total of 611 patients with stage I and II HD treated between 1973 and 1984 were reviewed; 460 were alive and were mailed a self-reported questionnaire. A total of 363 (79%) replies were received.

Heterogeneity of polarographic oxygen tension measurements in cervix cancer: an evaluation of within and between tumor variability, probe position, and track depth.

Purpose: To evaluate the heterogeneity of cervix cancer oxygenation as measured using the Eppendorf polarographic electrode and define the optimal number of measurements required to adequately sample a cervix cancer.

Methods And Materials: Two to 6 tracks with 20-30 measurements per track were obtained in each of the 44 patients evaluated. One hundred sixty-eight tracks and 4719 measurements formed the basis of this analysis.

Relationship between thermal dose and outcome in thermoradiotherapy treatments for superficial recurrences of breast cancer: data from a phase III trial.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine whether the thermal dose delivered during hyperthermia treatments and other thermal factors correlate with outcome after combined radiation and hyperthermia of breast carcinoma recurrences. Data were from the combined hyperthermia and radiation treatment arms of four Phase III trials, which when pooled together, demonstrated a positive effect of hyperthermia.

Methods And Materials: Four Phase III trials addressing the question of whether hyperthermia could improve the local response of superficial recurrent breast cancer to radiation therapy were combined into a single analysis.

Role of mitomycin C in the development of late bowel toxicity following chemoradiation for locally advanced carcinoma of the cervix.

Purpose: To determine if the inclusion of mitomycin C (MMC) in chemoradiation protocols for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) significantly enhances the development of serious (Grade 3) late bowel toxicity (SLBT).

Methods And Materials: The incidence of SLBT in 154 patients with LACC entered in six consecutive chemoradiotherapy protocols between February 1982 and June 1987 was determined. Fifty-four patients who were treated with MMC, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and radiation were compared to 100 patients who received similar treatment without MMC.

Surgical salvage after radiotherapy for advanced laryngopharyngeal carcinoma.

Objective: To comment on the use of surgery after the failure of radiotherapy in patients with advanced laryngeal, oropharyngeal, and hypopharyngeal carcinomas.

Design: Randomized, controlled, clinical trial, with a mean follow-up period of 3.1 years.

Resource implications of palliative chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.

Purpose: To describe the costs and outcomes of palliative chemotherapy in women with recurrent and refractory ovarian cancer from the perspective of a health care provider.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective study of 40 consecutive women who started second- or third-line chemotherapy for recurrent or refractory ovarian cancer between 1989 and 1992. Resource utilization from the commencement of second- or third-line chemotherapy until death or last follow-up evaluation was determined from a detailed chart review.

The potential role of HSP70 as an indicator of response to radiation and hyperthermia treatments for recurrent breast cancer.

Twenty-three patients with recurrent breast cancer participating in a Phase III trial evaluating radiotherapy (XRT) with or without hyperthermia (HT) were included in a parallel study of heat shock protein (hsp) expression. The patients had core biopsies and/or fine needle aspirates (FNA) performed on their tumours, before and after treatment. These were analysed for hsp content using immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody to the inducible form of hsp 70.

Male breast cancer: an 11 year review of 66 patients.

A review was conducted of 66 men with carcinoma of the breast seen at this institution between 1981 and 1992. The results of the study suggest that there are many similarities between breast cancer in men and women. The most common clinical presentation was a lump in the breast.

Proliferation measurements with flow cytometry Tpot in cancer of the uterine cervix: correlation between two laboratories and preliminary clinical results.

Purpose: To assess the prognostic value of the pretreatment potential doubling time (Tpot) in carcinoma of the uterine cervix, relative to other established clinical factors.

Methods And Materials: Fifty-two patients with cervical cancer were studied prospectively from March 1991 to October 1993. Pretreatment evaluation included examination under anesthesia and tumor biopsy 6 h following the intravenous administration of bromodeoxyuridine (200 mg).

Medulloblastoma in adults.

Purpose: To assess the outcome and prognostic factors for adult patients with medulloblastoma managed by postoperative radiotherapy between 1958 and 1988 at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Methods And Materials: A retrospective review was undertaken of 48 patients age 16 years or older who received radiotherapy for medulloblastoma. The median age at diagnosis was 25 years, with 36 male and 12 female patients.

Benign parotid adenomas: a review of the Princess Margaret Hospital experience.

Background: The morbidity of treating benign parotid tumors is an important issue because the majority of patients are young. We therefore undertook this study to evaluate the outcome for these patients treated at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on all patients registered with benign parotid tumors between 1970 and 1987.

Prognostic factors in patients with cervix cancer treated by radiation therapy: results of a multiple regression analysis.

A retrospective analysis of 965 patients with invasive cervix cancer treated by radiation therapy between 1976 and 1981 was performed in order to evaluate prognostic factors for disease-free survival (DFS) and pelvic control. FIGO stage was the most powerful prognostic factor followed by radiation dose and treatment duration (P values = 0.0001).