Advanced imaging applications for locally advanced cervical cancer.

Advanced imaging approaches (computed tomography, CT; magnetic resonance imaging, MRI; 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, FDG PET) have increased roles in cervical cancer staging and management. The recent FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) recommendations encouraged applications to assess the clinical extension of tumors rather than relying on clinical examinations and traditional non-cross sectional investigations. MRI appears to be better than CT for primary tumors and adjacent soft tissue involvement in the pelvis.

CT appearances of post-radiation livers in patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma.

Objective: To characterize the computed tomographic (CT) findings of post-radiation livers and the interval changes in patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma.

Material And Method: Thirteen patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma who received concurrent chemoradiation with conformal radiotherapy technique (50 to 66 Gy, 2 Gy/fraction) were included in the present study. CT at pre-radiation and sequential follow-up at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months were retrospectively reviewed by two abdominal radiologists to identify CT characteristics of post-radiation liver and the interval changes.

Phase III, open-label, randomized study comparing concurrent gemcitabine plus cisplatin and radiation followed by adjuvant gemcitabine and cisplatin versus concurrent cisplatin and radiation in patients with stage IIB to IVA carcinoma of the cervix.

Purpose: To determine whether addition of gemcitabine to concurrent cisplatin chemoradiotherapy and as adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin improves progression-free survival (PFS) at 3 years compared with current standard of care in locally advanced cervical cancer.

Patients And Methods: Eligible chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-naive patients with stage IIB to IVA disease and Karnofsky performance score ≥ 70 were randomly assigned to arm A (cisplatin 40 mg/m(2) and gemcitabine 125 mg/m(2) weekly for 6 weeks with concurrent external-beam radiotherapy [XRT] 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions, followed by brachytherapy [BCT] 30 to 35 Gy in 96 hours, and then two adjuvant 21-day cycles of cisplatin, 50 mg/m(2) on day 1, plus gemcitabine, 1,000 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8) or to arm B (cisplatin and concurrent XRT followed by BCT only; dosing same as for arm A).

Sensorineural hearing loss after concurrent chemoradiotherapy in nasopharyngeal cancer patients.

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is one of the major long term side effects from radiation therapy (RT) in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients. This study aims to review the incidences of SNHL when treating with different radiation techniques. The additional objective is to determine the relationship of the SNHL with the radiation doses delivered to the inner ear.

Accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy for cervical cancer: multi-institutional prospective study of forum for nuclear cooperation in Asia among eight Asian countries.

Purpose: To evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy (RT) for locally advanced cervical cancer.

Methods And Materials: A multi-institutional prospective single-arm study was conducted among eight Asian countries. Between 1999 and 2002, 120 patients (64 with Stage IIB and 56 with Stage IIIB) with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix were treated with accelerated hyperfractionated RT.

l-[METHYL-(11)C] methionine positron emission tomography for target delineation in malignant gliomas: impact on results of carbon ion radiotherapy.

Purpose: To assess the importance of (11)C-methionine (MET)-positron emission tomography (PET) for clinical target volume (CTV) delineation.

Methods And Materials: This retrospective study analyzed 16 patients with malignant glioma (4 patients, anaplastic astrocytoma; 12 patients, glioblastoma multiforme) treated with surgery and carbon ion radiotherapy from April 2002 to Nov 2005. The MET-PET target volume was compared with gross tumor volume and CTV, defined by using computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Angiogenesis in stage IIIB squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix: reproducibility of measurement and preliminary outcome as a prognostic factor.

This study was performed to determine the reliability and replicability of IMD analysis using the Factor VIII immunohistochemical method. The following purpose was determining the relationship between IMD and clinical outcome in individual cervical cancer patient treated with radical radiotherapy. Twenty nine patients with stage IIIB cervical cancer were enrolled.

Hyperthermia in combination with radiation therapy for treatment of advanced inoperable breast cancer.

Twelve breast cancer patients with locally advanced inoperable lesions were studied. Six cases had received chemotherapy, 6 had not. Most of the tumors were ulcerative lesions with an average size of 11.

Concurrent radiation therapy and irinotecan in stage IIIB cervical cancer.

Unlabelled: The present study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of concurrent radiation therapy and irinotecan in patients with stage IIIB cervical cancer. Fifteen patients with no prior radiation therapy and chemotherapy were enrolled in the study. These patients received 50 Gy of external radiation to whole the pelvis, 50 Gy with an additional dose of 6-10 Gy to the parametrium and 1 or 2 sessions of intracavitary Cesium-137.