Leksell Gamma Knife for pediatric and adolescent cerebral arteriovenous malformations: results of 100 cases followed up for at least 36 months.

Object: The goal of this study was to evaluate advantages, risks, and failures of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) in a large series of pediatric and adolescent patients with cerebral arteriovenous malformations (cAVMs) who were followed up for at least 36 months.

Methods: Since February 1993, 100 pediatric and adolescent patients (≤ 18 years of age) with cAVMs have undergone GKRS at the authors' institution and were followed up for at least 36 months. Forty-six patients were boys and 54 were girls; the mean age was 12.

Intraoperative Electron Radiotherapy (IOERT) as an Alternative to Standard Whole Breast Irradiation: Only for Low-Risk Subgroups?

Background: Intraoperative radiotherapy during breast-conserving surgery is being studied as an alternative to 6 weeks of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for low-risk women; it can be delivered using electrons (intraoperative electron radiotherapy, IOERT) or 50-kV X-rays.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed both single institutional and randomized studies involving single-fraction IOERT treatments. Rates for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences, disease-specific survival, and overall survival were obtained.

Accelerated partial breast irradiation using only intraoperative electron radiation therapy in early stage breast cancer.

Background: We report the results of a single-institution, phase II trial of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) using a single dose of intraoperative electron radiation therapy (IOERT) in patients with low-risk early stage breast cancer.

Methods And Materials: A cohort of 226 patients with low-risk, early stage breast cancer were treated with local excision and axillary management (sentinel node biopsy with or without axillary node dissection). After the surgeon temporarily reapproximated the excision cavity, a dose of 21 Gy using IOERT was delivered to the tumor bed, with a margin of 2 cm laterally.

Radiotherapy and temozolomide in anaplastic astrocytoma: a retrospective multicenter study by the Central Nervous System Study Group of AIRO (Italian Association of Radiation Oncology).

Although the evidence for the benefit of adding temozolomide (TMZ) to radiotherapy (RT) is limited to glioblastoma patients, there is currently a trend toward treating anaplastic astrocytomas (AAs) with combined RT + TMZ. The aim of the present study was to describe the patterns of care of patients affected by AA and, particularly, to compare the outcome of patients treated exclusively with RT with those treated with RT + TMZ. Data of 295 newly diagnosed AAs treated with postoperative RT ± TMZ in the period from 2002 to 2007 were reviewed.

Regional hyperthermia combined with chemoradiotherapy in primary or recurrent locally advanced pancreatic cancer : an open-label comparative cohort trial.

Purpose: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of delivering regional hyperthermia (HT) plus chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients suffering from locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC).

Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2008, 68 patients affected by primary (56/68) or recurrent (12/68) LAPC were treated either with CRT alone or CRT plus HT. Radiotherapy (RT) consisted of 3D conformal irradiation of tumor and regional lymph nodes (dose ranged from 30 Gy/10 fractions to 66 Gy/33 fractions).

Patterns of postoperative radiotherapy for head and neck cancer in Italy: a prospective, observational study by the head and neck group of the Italian Association for Radiation Oncology (AIRO).

Aims And Background: Our previous survey showed that the patterns of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for head and neck cancer (HNC) in Italy might be suboptimal. A prospective observational study was therefore designed to evaluate this issue in greater detail.

Methods: All radiotherapy centers involved in the HNC Working Group of the Italian Radiation Oncology Association were asked to enter into the study all patients treated with PORT during a 6-month period.

The role of hyperthermia in the battle against cancer.

Aims And Background: Hyperthermia, the heating of tumors to 41.5-43 degrees C, could be today considered the fourth pillar of the treatment of cancer. Employed for 20 years in Europe, the U.

Treatment for intermediate and high-risk prostate cancer: controversial issues and the role of hyperthermia.

For patients affected by intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer, a single local therapy is not enough, and a more aggressive treatment, such as androgen suppression therapy (AST) and pelvic irradiation, is indicated. Biochemical disease-free survival (bDFS) and overall survival (OS) improve in intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer using radiotherapy (RT) combined with AST as compared with the RT alone. Hyperthermia (HT), combined with RT for the treatment of prostate cancer with intermediate- and high-risk, has been defined as "promising".

A case of relapsed medulloblastoma treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy and temozolomide.

We report a case of relapsed high-risk non-metastatic medulloblastoma in a 14-year-old boy, which was treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and temozolomide (TMZ). At the age of 11, the patient underwent an MRI-confirmed incomplete resection of a fourth-ventricle medulloblastoma, followed by conventional chemotherapy, craniospinal irradiation (55.8 Gy, 1.

Regional hyperthermia added to intensified preoperative chemo-radiation in locally advanced adenocarcinoma of middle and lower rectum.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety of delivering pre-operative regional hyperthermia (HT) plus an intensified chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) regimen in patients suffering from locally advanced rectal cancer.

Methods: Between June 2000 and April 2006, 76 patients with locally advanced (cT3-4 N0/+) rectal adenocarcinoma were treated with HT plus CRT. HT was given once a week, to a total of five treatments, 1 to 4 h after radiotherapy (50 Gy with 2-Gy fractions for 5 weeks, plus a 10-Gy boost on the tumour bed, with the same fractionation schedule).

Dose-intensity temozolomide after concurrent chemoradiotherapy in operated high-grade gliomas.

Purpose: We performed a new phase II trial enrolling patients with newly diagnosed high-grade glioma (HGG) to test the efficacy of a weekly alternating temozolomide (TMZ) schedule after surgery and concomitant chemoradiotherapy.

Methods: From January 2005 to January 2007, 34 patients (21 men, 13 women; age range 30-70, mean age 53) were enrolled. There were 32 glioblastoma multiforme and two anaplastic astrocytoma.