• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1885-1887
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• 2014

Skin metastases of breast cancer are usually late events in the course of tumor progression and signify a poor prognosis. They may remain as a therapeutic challenge especially after failure of standard treatments. Topical interventions, together with or without radiotherapy, may only palliate the symptoms temporarily. However, there may be alternative treatment modalities for unresectable breast cancer skin metastases resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. There are various genetic alterations in tumors and therapeutic potential of expression patterns for factors like epidermal growth factor receptor may have important clinical implications in case of disease refractory to the conventional treatments. Here, we clarified the therapeutic options and genetic alterations in skin metastatic breast cancer patients refractory to standard chemotherapeutics.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.3945-3951
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• 2016

Background: Whether concurrent chemotherapy treatment is superior to radiotherapy alone as an adjuvant regimen for postoperative cervical carcinoma with risk factors remains controversial. Materials and Methods: A literature search strategy examined Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Internet Web, the Chinese Biomedical Database and the Wanfang Database. Article reference lists and scientific meeting abstracts were also screened. Controlled trials comparing concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in postoperative cervical cancer were included. The methodological quality of non-randomized controlled trials was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Randomized controlled studies were evaluated with the Cochrane handbook. A meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.3. Results: A total of 1,073 patients from 11 clinical trials were analysed, with 582 patients in the concurrent chemoradiotherapy group and 491 patients in the radiotherapy group. Hazard ratios (HR) of 0.47 (95% CI 0.31-0.72) and 0.50 (95% CI 0.35-0.72) were observed for overall survival and progression-free survival, indicating a benefit from the additional use of concurrent chemotherapy. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that cervical cancer with high risk factors significantly benefitted from concurrent chemotherapy when examining overall survival (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.28-0.67) and progression-free survival (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.33-0.70), but patients with intermediate risk factors showed no benefit from concurrent chemotherapy in overall survival (HR 1.72, 95% CI 0.28-10.41) and progression-free survival (HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.19-6.14). No significant differences were observed for grade 3-4 anaemia (risk ratio (RR) 3.87, 95% CI 0.69-21.84), grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia (RR 3.04, 95% CI 0.88-10.58), grade 3-4 vomiting or nausea (RR 1.71, 95% CI 0.27-10.96), or grade 3-4 diarrhoea (RR 1.40, 95% CI 0.69-2.83). Significant differences were observed for grade 3-4 neutropenia in favour of the radiotherapy group (RR 7.23, 95% CI 3.94-13.26). Conclusions: In conclusion, concurrent chemoradiotherapy improves survival in postoperative cervical cancer with high risk factors but not in those with intermediate risk factors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.5075-5079
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• 2015

Background: Adverse effects of treatment prolongation beyond 8 weeks with radiotherapy for cervical cancer have been established. Clinical data also show that cisplatin increases the biologically effective dose of radiotherapy. However, there are no data on the effect of overall treatment time in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with concomitant chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT) in an Indian population. The present study concerned the feasibility of concurrent chemotherapy and interspacing brachytherapy during the course of external radiotherapy to reduce the overall treatment time and compare the normal tissue toxicity and loco-regional control with a conventional schedule. Materials and Methods: Between January 2009 and March 2012 fifty patients registered in the Gynaecologic Oncology Clinic of Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital with locally advanced cervical cancer (FIGO stage IIB-IIIB) were enrolled. The patients were randomly allocated to treatment arms based on a computer generated random number. Arm I (n=25) treatment consisted of irradiation of the whole pelvis to a dose of 50 Gy in 27 fractions, and weekly cisplatin $40mg/m^2$. High dose rate intra-cavitary brachytherapy (HDR-ICBT) was performed after one week of completion of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). The prescribed dose for each session was 7Gy to point A for three insertions at one week intervals. Arm II (n=25) treatment consisted of irradiation of the whole pelvis to a dose of 50 Gy in 27 fractions. Mention HDR-ICBT ICRT was performed after 40Gy and 7Gy was delivered to point A for three insertions (days 23, 30, 37) at one week intervals. Cisplatin $20mg/m^2/day$ was administered from D1-5 and D24-28. Overall treatment time was taken from first day of EBRT to last day of HDR brachytherapy. The overall loco-regional response rate (ORR) was determined at 3 and 6 months. Results: A total of 46 patients completed the planned treatment. The overall treatment times in arm I and arm II were $65{\pm}12$ and $48{\pm}4$ days, respectively (p=0.001). At three and six months of follow-up the ORR for arm I was 96% while that for arm II was 88%. No statistically significant difference was apparent between the two arms. The overall rate of grade ${\geq}3$ toxicity was numerically higher in arm I (n=7) than in arm II (n=4) though statistical significance was not reached. None of the predefined prognostic factors like age, performance status, baseline haemoglobin level, tumour size, lymph node involvement, stage or histopathological subtype showed any impact on outcome. Conclusions: In the setting of concurrent chemoradiotherapy a shorter treatment schedule of 48 days may be feasible by interspacing brachytherapy during external irradiation. The response rates and toxicities were comparable.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10899-10903
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• 2015

Background: In this study, we aimed to investigate the benefits of 18F-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FGD-PET/CT) imaging for staging and radiotherapy planning in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing definitive radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Thirty-seven head and neck cancer patients who had undergone definitive radiotherapy and PET/CT at the Uludag University Medical Faculty Department of Radiation Oncology were investigated in order to determine the role of PET/CT in staging and radiotherapy planning. Results: The median age of this patient group of 32 males and 5 females was 57 years (13-84years). The stage remained the same in 18 cases, decreased in 5 cases and increased in 14 cases with PET/CT imaging. Total gross tumor volume (GTV) determined by CT (GTVCT-Total) was increased in 32 cases (86.5%) when compared to total GTV determined by PET/CT (GTVPET/CT-Total). The GTV of the primary tumor determined by PET/CT (GTVPET/CT) was larger in 3 cases and smaller in 34 cases compared to that determined by CT (GTVCT). The GTV of lymph nodes determined by PET/CT (GTVLNPET/CT) was larger in 20 cases (54%) and smaller in 12 cases (32.5%) when compared to GTV values determined by CT (GTVLNCT). No pathological lymph nodes were observed in the remaining five cases with both CT and PET/CT. Conclusions: We can conclude that PET/CT can significantly affect both pretreatment staging and assessed target tumor volume in patients with head and neck cancer. We therefore recommend examining such cases with PEC/CT before treatment.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.99-102
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• 2014

We present a case of unresectable cancer of the base of tongue treated with hypofractionated 3D conformal radiotherapy and concomitant chemotherapy. Based on the excellent tumour response in this radiotherapy regimen and international experience in short course treatments we shortly reviewed, we propose that this therapeutic approach could be considered in a curative setting for patients unsuitable for the a standard long course radiochemotherapy schedule.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.227-231
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• 1993

The role of ascorbate as an antioxidant in the prevention and cure of disease that result from free radicals has been of considerable interest and controversy lately. As an antioxidant, we can expect it to protect against radiation damage caused by free radicals that are produced when radiation, especially sparsely ionizing radiation, interacts with living tissues. The plasma and whole blood concentration of ascorbate was analyzed before and just after the radiation therapy for the purpose of estimating the consumption amount of ascorbate during radiotherapy. Whole blood ascorbate was decreased from 1.82 mg/dl to 1.58 mg/dl, plasma ascorbate was decreased from 1.13 mg/dl to 1.08 mg/dl, and urine ascorbate was decreased from 9.33 mg/dl to 6.96 mg/dl after radiotherapy. Although the difference was not significant statistically, further human study should be followed to define the role of ascorbate as a radioprotector.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2018

Radiation-induced second malignancies (RISM) is one of the important late side effects of radiation therapy and has an impact on optimal treatment decision-making. Many factors contribute to the development of RISM such as age at radiation, dose and volume of irradiated area, type of irradiated organ and tissue, radiation technique and individual and family history of cancer. Exact mechanism of RISM is unknown. But nowadays, it is a growing concern in oncology because of the increased number of cancer survivors and efforts are being made to prevent or decrease the incidence of RISM. The primary search for articles was carried via Google Scholar and PubMed with keywords included 'radiation induced malignancies, second malignancies, and chemotherapy induced malignancies'. Additional papers were found through references from relevant articles. In this review article, we have discussed about the pathogenesis, factors contributing to RISM, screening and prevention strategies of RISM.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.38-46
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• 1996

The traditional methodology in Ewing's sarcoma was chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Recently surgery is reemerging as an important therapeutic tool and some paper report increased survival with it. The purpose of this nonrandomized study is to evaluate our result of Ewing's sarcoma with surgery, retrospectively. We experienced 30 cases for seven years and among them 6 were extraskeletal. In location, axial was 10 cases and peripheral was 20. By Enneking's classification, state IIB was 26 cases and IIIB was 4. Eighteen patients took operation, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, and remaining twelve took chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy only. Type of operation was limb salvage in 16 cases and amputation 2. Average dosage of radiation was 45.1Gy. Six kinds of chemotherapeutic regimen were used, but among them main protocols were Ifosfamide-Adriamycin(17 cases) and IESS(Cytoxan, Adriamycin, Methotrexate, Vincristine:8 cases). Complications were as follows. In operation group, there were 3 local recurrence and one case of nonunion. In nonoperated group, one local recurrence and one pancytopenia resulting in death. Average follow up was 29.7 months. Kaplan-Meier's ten year actuarial survival rate for the whole 30 cases was 26.8%. Significant difference in survival exists between central and peripheral lesions(p=0.05, by log rank test). Types of chemotherapy and surgery itself showed no significance. But surgery is important in function and local control. More intensive chemotherapeutic regimen to prevent distant metastasis and combined surgery and radiotherapy may be needed in Ewing's sarcoma.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7401-7405
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• 2014

Background: Postoperative chemoradiotherapy is accepted as standard treatment for stage IB-IV, M0 gastric cancer. Radiotherapy (RT) planning of gastric cancer is important because of the low radiation tolerance of surrounding critical organs. The purpose of this study was to compare the dosimetric aspects of 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) treatment plans, with the twin aims of evaluating the adequacy of 2D planning fields on coverage of planning target volume (PTV) and 3D conformal plans for both covering PTV and reducing the normal tissue doses. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six patients with stage II-IV gastric adenocarcinoma were treated with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy using 3DRT. For each patient, a second 2D treatment plan was generated. The two techniques were compared for target volume coverage and dose to normal tissues using dose volume histogram (DVH) analysis. Results: 3DRT provides more adequate coverage of the target volume. Comparative DVHs for the left kidney and spinal cord demonstrate lower radiation doses with the 3D technique. Conclusions: 3DRT produced better dose distributions and reduced radiation doses to left kidney and spinal cord compared to the 2D technique. For this reason it can be predicted that 3DRT will result in better tumor control and less normal tissue complications.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.201-205
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• 1996

Early detection of glottic cancer, facilitated by rigid telescopes or flexible fiberoptic laryngoscope in addition to sparse true vocal cord lymphatics, makes this a highly curable tumor in its early stage. Early glottic cancer has a high cure rate with only radiotherapy or conservative surgery. However complications such as mucositis with radiotherapy and voice complications with conservative surgery has raised recent interest in endolaryngeal laser cordectomy. Laser cordectomy can preserve phonatory function and avoid the complications such as mucositis of radiotherapy. To determine the effectiveness of laser cordectomy, the authors made a two year retrospective study of 23 early glottic cancer cases. Fourteen cases(60.9%) who underwent 1 to 3 endoscopic laser cordectomy with KTP-532 laser were cured with this procedure alone. Seven cases needed an additional radiotherapy and three cases needed therapy with salvage operation. We conclude that the endoscopic laser surgery is a good strategy for the properly selected glottic cancer.