Survival in relation to radiotherapeutic modality for brain metastasis: whole brain irradiation vs. gamma knife radiosurgery.

The purpose of this report is to evaluate and compare the survival of patients with brain metastasis (BRM) treated by whole brain irradiation (WBI) using linear energy accelerator (LINAC) and by stereotactic radiosurgery using gamma knife. This study consists of a series of 67 patients with BRM treated with WBI between 1998 and 1999 and 53 patients with BRM treated with gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) between 2000 and 2001. A retrospective study of the data was performed and the overall survival between these 2 groups was analyzed.

Gamma knife radiosurgery for brain metastases: do patients benefit from adjuvant external-beam radiotherapy? An 18-month comparative analysis.

Objective: To analyze 18 months of results of gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery in the treatment of brain metastases and determine factors affecting outcome by examining the effectiveness of additional external-beam radiotherapy (XRT).

Materials And Methods: Between January 2000 and September 2001, 61 patients with 103 tumors diagnosed as cerebral metastases were treated with gamma knife. Mean patient age was 57 years (range = 36-81).

Amides from Piper brachystachyum and Piper retrofractum.

Three unsaturated amides, designated brachystamides-C, D and E have been characterised from Piper brachystachyum Wall. Brachystamide-C, shown to be N-isobutyl-15-(3',4'-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2E,4E,13E-pentadecatrienamide, was unusual in having a non-conjugated double bond. Piper retrofractum Vahl.