The value of oxaliplatin in the systemic treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer.

Background: To evaluate, in a context of innovative multidisciplinary clinical practice, the efficacy of oxaliplatin in adjuvant administration (chemotherapy, CT) in relation to the total administered dose, in terms of prognosis with other clinical and therapeutic factors, in the heterogeneous model of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), which is characterized by a risk pattern of dominant systemic progression.

Methods: Observational-analytical, retrospective, unicentric, non-randomized study of two cohorts of patients receiving FOLFOX-4 induction CT in neoadjuvancy, radiochemotherapy and surgery, differing in that one cohort did not receive any adjuvant post-surgical treatment and the other one received adjuvant CT with FOLFOX-4 cycles. A total of 212 patients from the Radiotherapy Oncology Service at the University Hospital Gregorio Marañon were studied: the neoadjuvant CT treatment group with oxaliplatin consisted of 110 patients and adjuvant CT treatment group with oxaliplatin consisted of 102 patients.

Neurological complications after gamma-knife radiosurgery for hypothalamic hamartoma.

Background: The Gamma-knife technique is a safe and effective option for the treatment of hypothalamic hamartomas that produce epileptic seizures refractory to medical treatment and/or serious behavioral disorders. After this type of radiosurgery, an adequate symptomatic control is normally achieved, with notable decrease or even disappearance of the seizures. Radiological changes, such as a decrease in the size of the tumor or adjacent edema secondary to non-necrotizing radioinduced inflammatory reaction are unusual consequences.

intraoperative radiation therapy part 2. Clinical results.

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) has been used for over 30 years in Asia, Europe and America as a supplementary activity in the treatment of cancer patients with promising results. Modern IORT is carried out with electron beams (IOERT) produced by a linear accelerator generally used for external beam irradiation (EBRT) or a specialized mobile electron accelerator. HDR brachytherapy (HDR-IORT) has also been applied on selected locations.

Intraoperative radiation therapy first part: rationale and techniques.

Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) is a technique where a high, single-fraction radiation dose is delivered during a surgical procedure to macroscopic tumours or tumour beds with minimal exposure of surroundings tissues which are displaced and shielded during the procedure. In this paper, the rationale for and use of IORT, both with electron beams (IOERT) and high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-IORT) are discussed. For most tumours, the likelihood of obtaining local control (LC) improves when increasing doses can be administered.