Radiotherapy OR (radiation therapy)

Pancoast or superior pulmonary sulcus tumour is a subset of lung carcinoma that invades the structures of the thoracic inlet - first ribs, distal roots of the brachial plexus, stellate ganglion, vertebrae, and subclavian vessels. The first symptom is usually shoulder pain; consequently, most patients are initially treated for osteoarthritis. Late diagnosis is common. Success of therapy depends on an accurate staging: standard imaging with CT scan of the chest, PET-CT scan, brain MRI are needed to rule out distant metastases, endobronchial ultrasound-guided needle biopsy (EBUS-TBNA) or mediastinoscopy are mandatory for reliable nodal staging...

BACKGROUND: The outcomes of so called "salvage" resections after definitive chemoradiation vs. curative resections after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (IT-resection) in patients with stage IIIA/B locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer have rarely been compared. The aim of our study was to compare perioperative results, postoperative and recurrence-free survival and to identify relevant prognostic survival factors for both therapy strategies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between June 2008 and May 2017, 43 patients underwent pulmonary resection following induction therapy (group 1) and 14 patients underwent salvage resection after definitive chemoradiation (group 2)...

PURPOSE: To review the in vitro and in vivo studies supporting a role of selenium for the treatment of mild Graves orbitopathy. METHODS: Review of the current literature on the role of selenium in the management of Graves orbitopathy. RESULTS: Graves orbitopathy (GO) is a disfiguring and disabling disorder usually observed in patients with Graves hyperthyroidism, and more rarely in patients with hypothyroid autoimmune thyroiditis or in the absence of overt thyroid dysfunction...

BACKGROUND: Upper extremity lymphedema is a complication that often occurs in women with breast cancer as a result of surgery and/or radiotherapy. Some studies report that a boating activity known as the "dragon boat" sport can benefit these women. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess whether this type of sport prevents or reduces lymphedema, its impact on quality of life (QoL), and the possible predictors of this condition. METHODS: This was an observational study of 2 groups: group A (women who participated in dragon boat racing for at least 6 months) and group B (women who participated in other forms of physical exercise biweekly)...

Stroke-like migraine attacks after radiation therapy (SMART) is a late-onset complication of cerebral irradiation, clinically characterized by headache, seizures and focal deficits. We describe two patients with SMART presenting with focal status epilepticus and headache. We believe that SMART is a misnomer that misjudge seizures among clinical features and we suggest to rename this entity as " Seizure with Migraine-like Attacks after Radiation Therapy". The new acronym, modified in its meaning but not in its form (SMART), better reflects the main clinical features and may allow neurologists to recognize this condition more easily...

Malignant craniopharyngioma or anaplastic craniopharyngioma was first reported in 1987 by Akachi. It has a malignant clinical and histological feature; remarkably rapid progression, atypical pathology like squamous cell carcinoma and poor prognosis. To date seventeen cases of malignant craniopharyngioma have been reported and of these cases, most were of secondary malignant tumor in nature. With respect to traditional benign craniopharyngioma, adjunctive treatment after gross total removal is not necessary, but in the case of malignant types of the tumor, adjunctive treatment is important...

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most aggressive type of primary solid tumor that develops in bone. Whilst conventional chemotherapy can improve survival rates, the outcome for patients with metastatic or recurrent OS remains poor, so novel treatment agents and strategies are required. Research into new anticancer therapies has paved the way for the utilisation of natural compounds as they are typically less expensive and less toxic compared to conventional chemotherapeutics. Previously published works indicate that Agave exhibits anticancer properties, however potential molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood...

We report on patient-specific quantitative changes in longitudinal sulfur colloid SPECT/CT as a function of regional radiation dose distributions to normal liver in a cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Dose-response thresholds and slopes varied with baseline liver function metrics, and extreme values were found in patients with fatal hepatotoxicity. Dose-response modeling of normal liver in individual HCC patients has potential to characterize in vivo radiosensitivity, identify high risk subgroups, and personalize treatment planning dose constraints...

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In this study, we investigated whether ZnO coating on Ag nanoparticles tunes electron flux and hole figuration at Metal-semiconductor interface under UV radiation. This effect triggers photo activity and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from Ag@ZnO nanoparticles which results in enhanced cytotoxic effects and apoptotic cell death in human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB231). In this context, up-regulation of apoptotic cascade proteins (i.e. Bax/Bcl2 association, p53, Cytochrome C and caspase-3) along with activation of oxidative stress proteins suggested occurrence of apoptosis by Ag@ZnO NPs in cancer cells through mitochondrial pathway...

Clival lesions are still considered surgically complex due to their anatomical location. Critical structures, such as the internal carotid arteries (ICAs), cavernous sinuses, cranial nerves, and brainstem, may be encased within the lesion. Although advances in endoscopic endonasal approaches have provided new routes to these lesions, exposure and resection of clival tumors through the endonasal route remain a technical challenge. Here, the authors report a left-sided endoscopic transmaxillary approach to access the right aspect of the clivus and the hypoglossal canal...

AIM: Improved systemic treatment has improved the prognosis of metastatic melanoma (MM). However, brain metastases (BMs) are a frequent complication. We aimed to explore the outcome of these patients with modern therapeutic options. METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed 142 patients diagnosed with BM from MM at two institutions in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia during 2009-2016. Basic clinico-pathological parameters, treatments used and mortality data were collected...

AIM: Complementary medicine (CAM) use in the cancer population is higher than the general population: some studies estimate up to 70%. Our Medicines Information Centre, in a tertiary cancer institution, receives many enquiries regarding use and safety of CAM with conventional cancer therapies (chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery). This project aims to review the CAM most commonly enquired about with an emphasis on potential interactions with conventional cancer therapies. METHODS: An audit and review of CAM enquiries from patients or medical professionals at our center, over a 2-year period (July 2011-June 2013), was conducted...

AIM: Second primary tumor (SPT) is a serious late complication after definitive radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We evaluated the incidence, pattern, risk factors and survival impact of SPT in NPC patients following definitive intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). METHODS: A retrospective review of 780 consecutive IMRT-treated NPC patients between February 2003 and September 2011 was conducted. Cumulative SPT incidence and overall survival after SPT diagnosis were estimated...

PURPOSE: To determine the benefit of adding radiotherapy (RT) to chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAUPC). METHODS: We searched MEDLINE for comparative studies comparing chemoradiotherapy with chemotherapy for patients with LAUPC. We performed the meta-analysis with random effects model. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS); secondary outcomes include progression-free survival (PFS) and adverse events (AE). RESULTS: We found five randomized (RCT) and three observational studies (OBS) including 830 patients...

HIV-associated lymphoma was first classified as an AIDS-defining disease by the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1985. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) are frequent malignancies in AIDS patients. The risk of NHL in the case of an underlying HIV infection is estimated to be 100 times greater than in the general population, and it increases with the progression of the retrovirus-related immunosuppression. Cases of HIV-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are widely documented in the literature...

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) arises from extranodal organs in about 30% of cases. Its prognosis and risk of recurrence in the central nervous system (CNS) vary according to the primary site of origin. Recent studies begin to clarify these differences using molecular classification. Testicular, breast, and uterine DLBCL (as well as possibly primary cutaneous DLBCL, leg-type) share a high prevalence of the non-germinal center B cell (non-GCB) phenotype and the MYD88/CD79B-mutated (MCD) genotype. These biologic features, which resemble primary CNS lymphoma, may underlie their stage-independent propensity for CNS involvement...

Surgical resection ± chemotherapy ± radiation or stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) are established treatment modalities for resectable stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and concurrent chemotherapy with radiation is the therapy of choice for unresectable locally advanced disease. Despite treatment with curative intent, most patients subsequently relapse and develop distant disease. Treatment with checkpoint inhibitors represents a major advancement in the treatment of metastatic NSCLC. Therapy against programed cell death-1/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) is associated with a significant improvement in overall survival in stage IV disease, and these results have led to a great interest in evaluating these agents in earlier-stage NSCLC...

The signing of the National Cancer Act in 1971, was designed to take laboratory discoveries rapidly from the bench to the bedside. A "war on cancer" had been declared. Combination cytotoxic chemotherapy was predicted to cure all cancers based on the stunning success in treating childhood leukemia. Breast cancer treatments were primitive; radical mastectomy and radiation was standard of care for disease that had not spread. Ablative endocrine surgery (oophorectomy, hypophysectomy, and adrenalectomy) was a palliative last option for metastatic breast cancer...

Background: Gliosarcoma is a rare high-grade malignant tumor and a variant of glioblastoma characterized by biphasic glial and mesenchymal components. Gliosarcomas occur most commonly in the fifth or sixth decade of life and have a temporal lobe predilection. Occurrence in the pediatric population is extremely rare. Case Description: Here, we report the case of an 8-year-old child with histologically confirmed gliosarcoma at the parieto-occipital lobe. Only a subtotal resection of the tumor mass could be performed in view of massive bleeding from the tumor bed; and despite postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the tumor recurred in a short span of time...