Radium-223 in the treatment of osteoblastic metastases: a critical clinical review.

The element radium (Ra) was discovered by the Curies in 1898 and within a decade was in broad scientific testing for the management of several forms of cancer. The compound was known to give rise to a series of both high-energy particulate and penetrating γ-emissions. The latter found an important role in early 20th century brachytherapy applications, but the short-range α-particles seemed much less useful.

Surface levels of CD20 determine anti-CD20 antibodies mediated cell death in vitro.

Background: The sensitivity of human Burkitt's lymphoma cells to rituximab (Rtx) and tositumomab (Tst) was assessed on cells expressing different levels of CD20 on surface. Cells that harbor low CD20 levels may resists against therapeutics response to CD20-specific antibodies. We postulated that, radiation-induced modulation of CD20 surface levels may play a crucial and central role in determining the relative efficacy of rituximab and tositumomab in treating Burkitt's lymphoma disease.

Clinical characteristics of 95 patients with ocular adnexal and uveal lymphoma: treatment outcomes in extranodal marginal zone subtype.

Background: Lymphoma rarely presents in the ocular adnexa but is usually extranodal marginal zone (ENMZ) lymphoma when it does. Involved-field radiotherapy (IFRT) is the standard of care for unilateral disease, but the optimal management of more extensive disease is unclear.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of 95 patients with ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL) or uveal lymphoma treated or diagnosed at our institution.

Radiation therapy: orbital tumors.

Orbital tumors are rare overall, comprising 0.1% of all tumors and less than 20% of all orbital diseases. Tumors may be benign, locally aggressive, or malignant.

Brachytherapy.

Brachytherapy is the preferred radiation treatment modality for various intraocular tumors, most commonly, uveal melanoma. Radioactive sources are placed directly onto or around the tumor with the aid of episcleral plaques, whereby the employed sources exhibit an extremely sharp fall-off of dosage outside the few millimeters around the tumor. With such high focality, radiation dose to vision critical structures is minimized.