1,720,994 research outputs found
Does low-dose X-irradiation promote mineralization of fracture callus in a rat model?
No full text[Abstract Not Available
The importance of weight loss during definitive radiotherapy in patients with laryngeal carcinoma
No full textBackground: The aim of this study is to determine the prognostic significance of weight loss (WL) on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with locally advanced unresectable laryngeal carcinoma undergoing definitive radiotherapy (RT) or chemo-RT (CRT) in a single institution. Patients and Methods: One hundred and thirty-two patients with newly diagnosed locally advanced laryngeal carcinoma were included in this study retrospectively. All patients were treated with definitive RT or CRT. The tumor and metastatic lymph nodes received 70 Gy. Subclinical disease (low-risk and high-risk area) was irradiated 50-60 Gy prophylactically. Unintentional WL >= 5% was defined as the critical level. Bodyweight was evaluated on the 1st day of RT and once a week during RT. Caloric needs were calculated as 25-30 kcal/kg/day. Results: Median follow-up was 17.8 months (range: 2.35-85 months). During treatment, there was a statistically significant WL in patients (P = 0.004). WL was >= 5% in 62 (47%) of the patients. There was a statistically significant relationship between WL and tumor differentiation (P = 0.004), completion of treatment (P = 0.004), WHO performance status (P < 0.0001), T stage (P = 0.003), N stage (P = 0.049), and supraglottic tumor location (P = 0.005). In the univariate analysis, WL, WHO performance status, T stage, N stage, tumor localization, and tumor differentiation, were seen to affect OS. Additionally, WL, WHO performance status, N stage, and tumor differentiation were prognostic factors for PFS. In the multivariate analysis, it was observed that only WL and WHO performance status were significant factors for both OS (P = 0.001, and P < 0.01) and PFS (P < 0.001, and P < 0.001), respectively. Three-year OS and PFS was 50.3% and 19.5% for patients with WL versus 77.8% and 49.0% for patients without WL. Conclusions: It is clear that WL has prognostic significance in patients who have undergone definitive RT or CRT due to locally advanced laryngeal carcinoma. In particular, it should be taken into consideration that patients with supraglottic tumor, lymph node involvement, and poor performance status are at greater risk for WL
Treatment of anemia by recombinant human erythropoietin in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy
No full textAnemia is a deficiency in red blood cells or in the hemoglobin (Hb) levels that leads to a decrease in the transport capacity of oxygen in the blood, which can reduce tolerance in radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy. The relationship between anemia and hypoxia, however, is complex and influenced by multiple variables. Although the blood Hb values that might develop hypoxia in tumors were not described clearly, optimal oxygen pressure was accepted in patients with an Hb value of 12-14 g/dL. Erythropoietin is a glycoprotein, which acts via EPOR to stimulate the growth, to prevent apoptosis, and to induce differentiation of red blood cell precursors. RhuEPO-alpha and -beta are classically administered subcutaneously three times per week at doses ranging from 150 to 300 IU/kg. Darbepoetin-alpha has been shown to exhibit a longer elimination half-life, thus allowing a once-weekly administration at the dose of 2.25 mu g/kg. Side-effects related to rhuEPO include hypertension and thromboembolic events. RhuEPO can be used effectively in the treatment of anemia in patients with solid tumor being treated by RT or chemoradiotherapy. Furthermore, the use of rhuEPO has been demonstrated to have a sustained beneficial impact on quality of life in cancer patients. However, the role of combination of rhuEPO with external RT still remains inconclusive and several clinical trials have been pointed increased mortality in patients treated with rhuEPO. In this paper, the probable radiobiological effects of anemia in patients treated with RT, the beneficial and adverse effects of rhuEPO, and related studies are reviewed. Future directions for the use of rhuEPO are proposed
Pre-treatment Hemoglobin Levels are Important for Bladder Carcinoma Patients with Extravesical Extension undergoing Definitive Radiotherapy
No full textPurpose: To evaluate prognostic factors affecting local control (LC), distant metastases-free survival (DMFS) and overall survival (OS) in bladder carcinoma patients undergoing extravesical extension. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 61 consecutive patients with T3 or T4 bladder carcinoma, treated with definitive radiotherapy from 1999 through 2007. Results: Median age was 69 years and follow-up was 29 months. The LC rate was 33% at 4 years and was increased in patients with a Hb >= 12 g/dl (p=0.003) or a LDH<180 U/L (p=0.021) and in those who received concurrent chemotherapy (p=0.022) on univariate analysis. DMFS was affected by anemia (Hb<12 g/dl) (p=0.039), the absence of chemotherapy (p=0.034) and the presence of newlydiagnosed disease (p=0.01). The OS rate was 19% at 4 years. Non-pure transitional cell carcinoma histological type (p=0.024), anemia (p=0.004), elevated LDH (p=0.003), and newly diagnosed disease (p=0.011) were poor prognostic factors on univariate analyses for OS. Anemia was the only negative prognostic factor for LC (p=0.03), DMFS (p=0.002) and OS (p<0.0001) on multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Pre-treatment Hb level is the most important prognostic factor in patients treated with definitive radiotherapy, so that anemia may act as a surrogate biological marker for aggressive disease
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Histopathological Comparison of The Effects of Amifostine and L-Carnitine on Radiation-induced Acute Bladder Toxicity in Rats
No full textOBJECTIVE Modern radiotherapy (RT) techniques aim to preserve normal tissues as much as possible, though some normal tissue may inevitably be included in the target volume. The study aimed to evaluate the potential protective role of amifostine and L-carnitine against radiation-induced bladder toxicity and compare their effects. METHODS Experiments were conducted on 30 male Wistar Albino rats, divided into four groups: Control, AMI + RT, LC + RT, and RT alone. All groups received a 20 Gy dose of radiation, and histopathological evaluations were performed. RESULTS Statistically significant differences were found in epithelial desquamation, stromal edema, and vessel wall thickness in irradiated rats. Amifostine significantly decreased epithelial desquamation and vessel wall thickness changes but had no effect on stromal edema. L-carnitine had no statistically significant protective effect on epithelial desquamation, vessel wall thickness, and stromal edema. CONCLUSION This study is the first to demonstrate amifostine's protective effect against radiation-induced bladder toxicity in a preclinical setting and to compare it with L-carnitine. Findings suggest that amifostine is more effective than L-carnitine in protecting against radiation-induced bladder damage
The importance of pretreatment performance status and LDH level in patients with stage III-IV nasopharyngeal carcinoma
No full textOBJECTIVES To evaluate the prognostic factors in patients treated with radiotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS Forty-eight patients (37 males, 11 females) treated between September 1999 and September 2007 were assessed retrospectively. RESULTS Ten patients (21%) recurred loco-regionally. Gender (p=0.022), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) (p<0.0001), hemoglobin (Hb) (p=0.0035), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (p=0.032) were prognostic for loco-regional control. On multivariate analysis, only PS (p<0.003) remained significant. Eighteen (38%) patients had distant metastases. On univariate analysis, PS (p=0.022), Hb (p=0.002), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p=0.004), LDH (p=0.007), and completion of radiotherapy (p=0.014) were prognostic for distant metastasis. On Cox regression analysis, only LDH (p=0.001) remained significant. There were 27 deaths at the time of analysis. On logrank analysis, PS (p=0.012), completion of radiotherapy (p<0.0001), metastasis (p=0.018), and LDH (p=0.018) were prognostic for overall survival. On Cox regression analysis, only LDH (p=0.026) remained significant. CONCLUSION The pre-treatment LDH was prognostic for distant metastasis and overall survival while PS was prognostic for loco-regional control
MARJOLIN'S ULCER IN SCALP: CASE REPORT AND LITERATURE REVIEW
No full textMarjolin's ulcer is a rare skin cancer that originates in areas of chronic wounds and scar tissues. It has more aggressive nature than other primary skin cancers. The exact mechanism of tumor development has not yet been identified. It could be seen on the skin of whole body surface. The most common histopathologic type of this malignancy is squamous cell carcinoma. It could develop in early and late period of time after trauma. Although surgery is still the main treatment, radiotherapy and chemotherapy could be other options in appropriate circumstances. In the present case report we described a patient who had lost her scalp in a work accident 25 years ago and developed skin cancer on scar tissue in late period, with a literature review
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