Reduced-intensity allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation as an immunotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer.

Background: Allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (allo-SCT) can induce curative graft-versus-leukemia reactions for hematologic malignancies through allogeneic immunity. Because the gastrointestinal tract is a target of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), colorectal cancer might be a candidate for allo-SCT.

Methods: Four patients with metastatic colorectal cancer underwent reduced-intensity stem-cell transplantation (RIST) in the National Cancer Center Hospital between July 2002 and February 2003.

Regimen-related toxicity following reduced-intensity stem-cell transplantation (RIST): comparison between Seattle criteria and National Cancer Center Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC) version 2.0.

Acute regimen-related toxicity (RRT) is minimal in reduced-intensity stem-cell transplantation (RIST). However, the Seattle RRT grading (Bearman et al), developed in the context of conventional-intensity transplantation, is frequently applied to RIST. We compared the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC) version 2.

Early central nervous system complications after reduced-intensity stem cell transplantation.

To investigate clinical characteristics of early central nervous system (CNS) complications after reduced-intensity stem cell transplantation (RIST), we reviewed the medical records of 232 patients who had undergone RIST for hematologic diseases at our institutions between September 1999 and June 2003. All patients had received purine analog-based preparative regimens. Stem cell sources comprised granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized blood from HLA-identical or 1 locus-mismatched related donors (n = 151), unrelated bone marrow (n = 44), or unrelated cord blood (n = 37).

Small-field radiotherapy in combination with concomitant chemotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of small-field radiotherapy in combination with concomitant 5-fluorouracil (5FU) or cisplatin for locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: From November 1993 to January 1999, 53 patients underwent continuous 5FU infusion at 200mg/m2 (27 patients) or a 30-min cisplatin infusion at 5mg/m2/day (26 patients) just prior to each irradiation. The radiation field was limited to cover the primary and the paraaortic regions at celiac and supramesenteric axis levels.

[Depth dose characteristics of electron beams released from a scanning type Racetrack Microtron treatment machine].

The Racetrack Microtron MM50 capable of taking out x-rays and electron beams having a high energy of up to 50 MeV was evaluated by a dosimetry of electron beams in comparison with Microtron MM22. The MM50 flattens the intensity of electron beams by using the beam scanning method while the MM22 utilizes the flattening-filter method. A percentage depth dose (PDD) curve was obtained through the dosimetry of electron beams using a water phantom.

Anatomical bases for paravertebral anesthetic block: fluid communication between the thoracic and lumbar paravertebral regions.

An injection of a local anesthetics in the paravertebral region produces an analgesic field on the same side of the body, a paravertebral block. One point in question about this block is whether the local anesthetic spreads from the thoracic to the lumbar level of the paravertebral region. The purpose of this study was to find how the anesthetic fluid traveled to the lumbar paravertebral region, if at all.

A single-injection, multi-segmental paravertebral block-extension of somatosensory and sympathetic block in volunteers.

Background: It is our experience that a deposition of an anesthetic solution in the ventral area of the paravertebral space near the parietal pleura and the sympathetic trunk produces extended unilateral block. Because sympathetic block effects in this extended paravertebral block are not reported yet, we undertook this singly blinded, controlled study on the sympathetic change in volunteers.

Methods: A total of 22 ml 1% lidocaine was injected at the T11 level into the ventral area of the right-sided paravertebral space in 16 volunteers.

Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy of brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) for brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Methods And Materials: From May 1983 to September 1998, 35 patients with brain metastases from RCC underwent radiotherapy at the National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo; 10 patients treated initially with FSRT (FSRT group); 11 with surgery followed by conventional radiotherapy (S/CR group); and 14 with conventional radiotherapy (CR group). Survival and local control rates were determined for patients who had an ECOG performance status of 0-2.

Long-term observations of a patient with choroidal melanoma following fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy: a case report.

A 60-year-old man with choroidal melanoma was treated with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy and followed for 6 years. During this period, the tumor has not changed in size, and the patient has experienced only a slight decrease in visual acuity. In this case, stereotactic radiotherapy appears to have been safe and effective and may also be a cost-effective alternative to particle or plaque therapy.

[Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, with special reference to primary treatment for lung cancer].

From the viewpoint of patients, physicians, and health insurers, the ideal surgical treatment would be based on a precise diagnosis, followed by minimally invasive, high-technology-assisted, potentially curative surgery and the shortest possible period of hospitalization, while incurring the lowest possible medical fees. Such treatment would also be tailored to the medical, social, and employment needs of individual patients. Remarkable advances in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) techniques occurred in the late 20th century, making it minimally invasive compared with conventional thoracotomy.

Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy of small intracranial malignancies.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) in patients with small intracranial malignancies.

Methods And Materials: From July 1991 to March 1997, 80 patients with a total of 121 brain or skull-base tumors were treated with FSRT alone, and were followed for periods ranging from 3 to 62 months (median 9.8).

Reirradiation of brain and skull base tumors with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy.

Purpose: We evaluated the feasibility of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for small intracranial recurrences after conventional radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: Nineteen patients who had initially undergone conventional radiotherapy to intracranial lesions, receiving a median total dose of 50 Gy in 5 weeks, were retreated with stereotactic radiotherapy for their recurrences and received a median total dose of 42 Gy in seven fractions over 2.3 weeks.

Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for choroidal melanoma.

Stereotactic radiotherapy used for the treatment of choroidal melanoma made use of a 6-MeV linac with built-in multileaf collimators and a simple plastic head mold. The latter provided excellent head and ocular immobilization. The system resulted in highly localized dose distributions with a maximum 2-mm targeting error during fractionated treatments.