Clinical effectiveness of combined whole body hyperthermia and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) versus EBRT alone in patients with painful bony metastases: A phase III clinical trial study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the response rate, pain relief duration, and time it took for pain to decline or resolve after radiation therapy (RT) with or without fever-range Whole Body Hyperthermia (WBH) in bony metastatic patients with mainly primary tumor of prostate and breast cancer leading to bone pain.

MATERIALS & METHODS

Bony metastatic patients with pain score ≥4 on the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) underwent RT of 30 Gy in 10 fractions in combination with WBH with nursing care under medical supervision versus RT-alone. WBH application time was 3-4 h in three fractions with at least 48-h intervals. All patients were stratified primary site, breast or prostate cancer vs others, BPI score, and exclusion criteria. The primary endpoint was complete response (CR) (BPI equal to zero with no increase of analgesics) within two months of follow-up.

RESULTS

Based on this study, the RT-alone group showed the worst pain. The study was terminated after the enrollment of a total of 61 patients, 5 years after the first enrollment (April 2016 to February 2021). Finally, the CR rate in RT + WBH revealed the most significant difference with RT-alone, 47.4% versus 5.3% respectively within 2 months post-treatment (P-value <0.05). The time of complete pain relief was 10 days for RT + WBH, while the endpoint was not reached during the RT-alone arm. Pain progression or stable disease was observed in half of the patients in RT-alone group within 4 weeks after treatment. However, this score was near zero in RT + WBHT patients in two months post-treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

WBH plus RT showed significant increases in pain relief and shorter response time in comparison with RT-alone for patients with bone metastatic lesions.

Simultaneous development of COVID-19 pneumonia and pulmonary metastasis in a known case of chondrosarcoma: a case report

Background

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) started in December 2020, and is a global problem now. There are several sets of established data regarding computed tomography (CT) findings in COVID-19 pneumonia with many differential diagnoses. During the early days of the pandemic, there was little data regarding lung CT features of COVID-19 in a cancer patient. In this paper, we described a rare case of simultaneous presentation of COVID-19 with pulmonary metastasis.

Case presentation

A Persian patient with a history of chondrosarcoma presented to our clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic with a new-onset cough. He had experienced no recurrence during previous follow-up visits. Chest CT scan revealed numerous bilateral small peripheral and perilymphatic pulmonary nodules, unilateral ground-glass patch, and nodular interlobular septal thickening. Biopsy of the pulmonary nodules established pulmonary metastasis of chondrosarcoma origin, and pharyngeal reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was positive for COVID-19.

Conclusion

Pulmonary metastasis should be considered as a differential diagnosis of COVID-19 features in cancer patients in the pandemic era.

Decision on Chemotherapy Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: a Review and a Practical Approach from Iran

To provide a step-by-step approach to chemotherapy (CTx) in the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era. The COVID-19 pandemic is the current global issue resulting in vast health implications. Amid the COVID-19 era, special attention must be paid to at-risk groups, including patients with cancer. To our knowledge, there is a paucity of data on the decision for CTx during the pandemic. We herein provide practical recommendations on the CTx of cancer patients over the pandemic based on our experience in an educational hospital. The decision on CTx should be considered to be individualized based on clinical findings. We hope that our experience provides a practical guide for clinical oncologists to deliver more effective cancer care over the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Troponin-I Release in Patients with Left-Sided Early-Stage Breast Cancer Undergoing Adjuvant Whole Breast Radiotherapy: An Iranian Experience

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women. In line with the survival improvement of patients with cancer, the issue of treatment-induced toxicities becomes more important. Objectives: This study aimed at evaluating acute radiation-induced cardiac damage. Methods: Between 2016 and 2019, women with histologically-confirmed early-stage left-sided breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) without prior chemotherapy, who were candidates for adjuvant whole breast radiotherapy, entered the study. The radiation-induced cardiotoxicity was assessed, using a rise in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hscTnI) over the radiotherapy. Likewise, the association between the percentage of heart receiving at least 25Gy (V25Gy) and the rise in hscTnI was evaluated as the secondary endpoint. Results: A total of 22 women were included in this study. Mean ± standard deviation (SD) hscTnI for the whole study population was 12 ± 2 ng/L before and 15 ± 2 ng/L after radiotherapy. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) V25Gy was 8.05% (6.95% - 8.95%). The difference between hscTnI levels before and after radiotherapy was significant (P = 0.001). There was no correlation between V25Gy and the rise in hscTnI (P = 0.18). Conclusions: hscTnI is a sensitive marker to detect early radiation-induced cardiotoxicity. There is no association between V25Gy and the rise in hscTnI over radiotherapy.

COVID19 Prevention & Care; A Cancer Specific Guideline

On March 11th 2020, the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic by the WHO. One of the groups that is considered high risk in this pandemic are cancer patients as they are treated with a variety of immune system suppressor treatment modalities and this puts them in a great risk for infectious disease (including COVID-19). Therefore, cancer patients require higher level measures for preventing and treating infectious diseases. furthermore, cancer patients may bear additional risk due to the restriction of access to the routine diagnostic and therapeutic services during such epidemic. Since most of the attention of health systems is towards patients affected with COVID-19, the need for structured and unified approaches to COVID-19 prevention and care specific to cancer patients and cancer centers is felt more than ever. This article provides the recommendations and possible actions that should be considered by patients, their caregivers and families, physician, nurses, managers and staff of medical centers involved in cancer diagnosis and treatment. We pursued two major goals in our recommendations: first, limiting the exposure of cancer patients to medical environments and second, modifying the treatment modalities in a manner that reduces the probability of myelosuppression such as delaying elective diagnostic and therapeutic services, shortening the treatment course, or prolonging the interval between treatment courses.

Index-Based Dietary Patterns and the Risk of Prostate Cancer among Iranian Men

Background and objective:

The second most common cancer in men after lung cancer is prostate cancer (PC). Previous studies assessed the association between food items or food groups and the risk of PC, but diet quality indices are unique approaches to study any relations between diet and disease. Our objective was to investigate the effect of healthy eating index (HEI-2010) and Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern Score (MSDPS) on PC risk.

Methods:

In this case-control study, we recruited 97 patients with MS and 205 control subjects . Dietary intake was evaluted using a valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire. The HEI and MSDPS were calculated. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between HEI and MSDP scores and PC risk after adjusting the confounders.

Results:

In comparison to controls, cases had lower score on HEI (61 vs. 70.07; P< 0.001), and higher score on MSDP (26.20 vs. 24.49; P= 0.44). After comparing the highest and the lowest tertile of HEI, we observed a significant decreasing trend in the risk of PC (p for trend<0.001).

Conclusion:

Our findings suggested that a high quality diet, according to HEI, may decrease the risk of PC.

Prospective evaluation of the early effects of radiation on the auditory system frequencies of patients with head and neck cancers and brain tumors after radiotherapy

Patients with head and neck cancer after radiotherapy often suffer disability such as hearing disorders. In this study, the effect of radiotherapy (RT) on hearing function of patients with head and neck cancer after RT was determined according to the total dose delivered to specific parts of the auditory system. A total of 66 patients treated with primary or postoperative radiation therapy for various cancers in the head and neck region were selected. All patients had audiologic evaluation with pure tone audiometry for the frequencies of 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 6,000, and 8,000 Hz before and immediately after completion of treatment and again 3 months later. The cochlea dose volume histograms of the patients were derived from their computed-tomography-based treatment plans. At study's end, RT-induced auditory complications developed in 33% of patients. The greatest hearing loss (changes >15 dB) occurred immediately after RT at frequencies of 3,000 (14.5%), 4,000 (12.9%), 6,000 (13.6%), and 8,000 Hz (10.6%), and after 3 months of follow-up, at 3,000 (6.8%), 4,000 (7.7%), 6,000 (10.7%), and 8,000 Hz (12.1%). Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated a positive relationship between dose delivered to the cochlea and hearing loss (p < 0.001, r = 0.484). An increased risk of hearing loss was present for patients receiving ≥40 Gy as their mean dose compared with those receiving <30 Gy. We conclude that radiation dose has negative effects on the auditory system. This effect occurs more in high-frequency hearing. The received dose to the cochlea was the main cause of damage to hearing.

Effect of Processed Honey and Royal Jelly on Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is experienced by 50% to 90% of cancer patients and can severely affect their quality of life and functional capacity. Several randomized trials have recommended various ways to alleviate the symptoms of CRF with or without recourse to medications.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of processed honey and royal jelly on the symptoms of CRF in cancer patients who are undergoing hormone therapy, chemotherapy, chemo-radiation, or radiotherapy.

METHODS

Fifty-two participants from the patients who visited the oncology clinic of Shohada-e-Tajrish hospital in Tehran (Iran) between May 2013 and August 2014 were selected and divided into two groups. The study group (26 patients) received processed honey and royal jelly, while the control group received pure honey. Both groups were instructed to consume their 5mL supplement twice daily for 4 weeks. Both groups were assessed at the beginning of the study, after 2 weeks, and then at the end of 4 weeks of treatment. Fatigue was measured using a visual analogue fatigue scale (VAFS) and fatigue severity scale (FSS). The results were compared between the two arms of study, and equality of probability distributions was assessed using a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.

RESULTS

The mean age of the 52 patients was 54.84. After two and four weeks of treatment with processed honey and royal jelly, VAFS and FSS due to treatment was better in the study group than in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, our study provided support for the use of processed honey and royal jelly to ameliorate CRF. The positive results of this study warrant further studies in this field.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was registered in the Iranian Clinical Trial Registry Center (http://www.irct.ir) with the registration code: IRCT2015081423426N1.

FUNDING

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Biochemical progression-free survival in localized prostate cancer patients treated with definitive external beam radiotherapy

Introduction

Prostate cancer is now the third most frequent noncutaneous malignancy in Iranian men and the fifth most common cancer worldwide. Measurement of total serum prostate specific antigens (PSAs) has been one of the strongest predictors of biochemical progression and overall survival in determining the efficacy of definitive external beam radiation therapy in patients with localized prostate cancer. The aim of this research was to identify the 5-year biochemical progression-free survival (BFS) and related prognostic and predictive factors of localized prostate cancer patients who were treated with definitive external beam radiotherapy.

Methods

This study analyzed 192 localized prostate cancer patients from stage T1aN0M0 to stage T3N0M0; they were treated with definitive radiation therapy and followed up in the radiation-oncology ward of Shohada-e-Tajrish Hospital in Tehran (Iran) between 2006 and 2013. The 5-year BFS was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier estimate. For multivariate analysis, the Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the strengths of various factors for 5-year BFS.

Results

The follow-up period was between 14–81 months, with a median of 31 months. The median cumulative prostate dose in our series was 64 Gray (Gy) (range 62 to 78 Gy). The 5-year BFS for all patients was 65.1%, and 5-year BFS in low-risk, intermediate-risk and high-risk groups were 100%, 86.5%, and 54.9% respectively. Multivariate analysis found statistically significant relation between 5-year BFS and initial PSA>20, Gleason score 8–10, high risk group, TNM stage≥T2cN0M0, radiotherapy dose<70 Gy, radiotherapy with 2D technique and hormonal therapy in high-risk group (p=0.003, p=0.032, p=0.014, p=0.001, p=0.035, p=0.035, p=0.022 respectively).

Conclusion

Our seven years’ experience of follow-up with PSA showed that PSA was the strongest predictor of biochemical progression survival in patients with prostate cancer who were treated with definitive external beam radiation therapy.

First Experience of Intraoperative Radiation Therapy in Cerebral High Grade Glioma in Iran: A Report of Three Cases and Literature Review

Introduction:

Among the high grade cerebral gliomas, Glioblastoma multiform for instance, would be the main pattern of local recurrence causes clinical deterioration and deaths. This has observed 2 - 3 cm upon the initial lesion. During the period of 2 - 4 weeks post-surgery, remaining tumor cells have re-grown until radiochemotherapy has initiated. So it has seemed clear that improved local control could hopefully translate into improved survival. As a matter of fact, mass reduction has insufficiently achieved in almost every case of GBM as that the tumor cell number has not fallen below a “threshold” that tumor control might achieve by the host immune system.

Intraoperative Radiation therapy has been one of those add-on therapies, which has performed during or directly after resection and cleared the tumor cavity from microscopically remaining cells.

Although IORT has presented a novel and feasible principle, the method faced a number of technical and geometrical errors and limitations, which has decreased its potential in the reports of previous studies. Examples could be mentioned as incomplete target volume coverage that seemed as the greatest influence on survival, due to irradiation with an inadequate electron cone size, due to angle errors, or inadequately low energies. In contrast to the previously used forward-beaming electron cones, spherical irradiation sources were specifically attractive in brain tumor IORT, even in post resection cavities with normal complex shapes.

Case Presentation:

We have been reporting 3 cases of high grade gliomas, one recurrent GBM, one primary glioma grade III, and the last one recurrent Rhabdoid GBM, which have been fulfilling our entrance criteria of IORT procedure, by using spherical applicators, which has been increasingly discussed in recent studies.

Conclusions:

It was the first experience of intraoperative radiation therapy for cerebral malignant tumours in Iran. Finally, we had a brief overview on the past and present IORT strategies in the treatment of GBM.

Preventive effect of Malva on urinary toxicity after radiation therapy in prostate cancer patients: A multi-centric, double-blind, randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

For patients receiving external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) after radical prostatectomy as adjuvant treatment or patients receiving EBRT as definitive treatment, partial irradiation of the urinary bladder is common. Many of such patients experience some degree of radiation-induced cystitis during or after EBRT. There is currently no efficient treatment for preventing radiation cystitis.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of one of the safe mucilaginous herbs (Malva) in preventing radiation-induced dysuria in patients who are undergoing EBRT for prostate cancer.

METHODS

From April 2013 to August 2014, 68 patients were randomized into two groups using four block randomization, 34 to the drug (Malva) group and 34 to the placebo group. Of the 68 patients who began the study, 60 completed it. They were instructed to use the medication, i.e., Malva or the placebo, three times a day for six weeks. They were followed by a physician every two weeks for eight weeks, and urinary function was assessed in each visit by asking questions based on the Visual Prostate Symptom Score (VPSS) and a dysuria severity score. The changes in the VPSS and dysuria severity score between baseline and each follow-up visit were compared between the two groups in the study using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-tests.

RESULTS

The median age of the 68 patients was 66. Twenty-one of 27 patients in the control group (77.7%) suffered from dysuria, while dysuria was detected in 23 of 33 patients (69.6%) who received Malva (odds ratio=2.70 for dysuria). After two weeks, four weeks, and six weeks of treatment with Malva, dysuria due to EBRT was milder in the treatment group than in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (p = 0.005, p = 0.004, p = 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first study to assess the protective effect of a mucilaginous herb (Malva) against urinary toxicity induced by EBRT. The positive results of this study warrant further studies in this field.

Evaluation of Survival and Treatment Toxicity With High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy With Cobalt 60 in Carcinoma of Cervix

Background:

Cervical cancer remains to be a major health problem and cancer-related cause of death among women in developing countries such as Iran where the most cases are diagnosed in locally advanced stage.

Objectives:

This cross sectional-analytic study aims to report outcome 154 patients with carcinoma of cervix were treated with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy with cobalt 60 (Co-6o) remote after loading system.

Patients and Methods:

A total of 154 patients with the international federation of gynecologist and oncologist (FIGO) stages I-IVA with histopathologically confirmed carcinoma of cervix, followed by the radiation-oncology ward of Shohada-e-Tajrish Hospital in Tehran, Iran, between February 2008 and March 2015. They were completed their scheduled EBRT and HDR brachytherapy with Co-60 remote after loading system. Out of this, 132 patients completed their standard follow up protocol. They were analyzed for 3-year disease-free survival (DFS), 3-year overall survival (OS) incidence of acute and late complications for HDR brachytherapy.

Results:

Fourteen patients (9.1 %) were in stage I (FIGO classification), 8 (5.2%) were in stage IIA, 26 (16.9%) were in stage IIB, 100 (64.9%) were in stage III, and 6 (3.9 %) were in stage IVA. The follow up duration was between 6 - 60 months with a median of 38 months. Overall rectal and bladder treatment toxicity rates were 33.7%. The 3-year DFS rate was 85.7%, 70.7 %, 41% and 16.6% for stages I, II, III, IVA respectively. Favorable prognostic factors in univariate and multivariate analysis were early stage, tumor size < 4 cm (after adjusting for the residual disease after radiation), no pelvic lymph node involvement and 1 week Gap between EBRT and HDR brachytherapy in 3-year DFS (P = 0.001, P = 0.012, P = 0.005, P = 0.005, respectively). The 3-year OS rate was 85.7%, 76.4%, 42%, and 33.3% for stages I, II, III, and IVA, respectively. Favorable prognostic factors in univariate and multivariate analysis were early stage, tumor size < 4 cm, no pelvic lymph node involvement, 1 week gap between EBRT and HDR brachytherapy and no distant metastasis (during the follow up) in 3-year OS (P = 0.001, P = 0.002, P = 0.002, P = 0.002, P = 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions:

HDR brachytherapy with Co-60 remote after loading system was successful and it showed HDR brachytherapy in treating patients with carcinoma of cervix was effective after EBRT with acceptable rectal and bladder complications.

Overall survival in adult patients with low-grade, supratentorial glioma: Ten years' follow up at a single institution

Background:

Low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are the second most prevalent type of primary brain tumors in adults. The prognosis for LGGs can differ according to the clinical-pathological prognostic factors determined during diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this study was to identify 10-year, disease-free survival (DFS), 10-year overall survival (OS), and related clinical-pathological prognostic factors of adult patients with supratentorial, low-grade gliomas who were treated with or without surgery and radiation therapy.

Methods:

The study included 110 patients who were confirmed to have low-grade, supratentorial gliomas and who had received surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy or salvage radiotherapy as part of their treatment. These patients were followed by the radiation-oncology ward at Shohada-e-Tajrish Hospital in Tehran, Iran, between 2002 and 2012. The log-rank test (univariate) and the Cox proportional hazards model (multivariate) were used to examine the 10-year DFS and OS and to assess the strengths of various histo-clinical factors relative to 10-year DFS and OS.

Results:

The study included 110 patients for whom 10-year DFS and OS were found to be 23 and 28%, respectively. Favorable prognostic factors in the univariate analysis using the Kaplan-Meier 10-year OS analysis were the following: age below 40, karnofsky performance status (KPS) more than 70, the presence of oligodendroglioma, tumor size of < 5 cm, and gross-total resection (p=0.02, p=0.01, p=0.03, p=0.01, p=0.02, respectively). Good prognostic factors in multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model were as follows: age below 40, the presence of oligodendroglioma, tumor size< 5 cm, and gross total resection in10-year OS (p=0.01, p=0.03, p=0.00, p=0.02, respectively).

Conclusions:

Gross-total resection, tumor size < 5 cm, age below 40, and the presence of oligodendroglioma had better 10-year DFS and OS rates. We recommend that all patients with LGG tumors be referred to neuro-oncology centers that have sufficient experience to achieve the best results of treatment.

Regional lymph node radiotherapy in breast cancer: single anterior supraclavicular field vs. two anterior and posterior opposed supraclavicular fields

Background:

The treatment of lymph nodes engaged in breast cancer with radiotherapy leads to improved locoregional control and enhanced survival rates in patients after surgery. The aim of this study was to compare two treatment techniques, namely single anterior posterior (AP) supraclavicular field with plan depth and two anterior and posterior opposed (AP/PA) supraclavicular fields. In the study, we also examined the relationships between the depth of supraclavicular lymph nodes (SCLNs) and the diameter of the wall of the chest and body mass index (BMI).

Methods:

Forty patients with breast cancer were analyzed using computed tomography (CT) scans. In planning target volume (PTV), the SCLNs and axillary lymph nodes (AXLNs) were contoured, and, with the attention to PTV, supraclavicular (SC) depth was measured. The dosage that reached the aforementioned lymph nodes and the level of hot spots were investigated using two treatment methods, i.e., 1) AP/PA and 2) AP with three-dimensional (3D) planning. Each of these methods was analyzed using the program Isogray for the 6 MV compact accelerator, and the diameter of the wall of the chest was measured using the CT scan at the center of the SC field.

Results:

Placing the plan such that 95% of the target volume with 95% or greater of the prescribed dose of 50 Gy (V95) had ≥95% concordance in both treatment techniques. According to the PTV, the depth of SCLNs and the diameter of the wall of the chest were 3–7 and 12–21cm, respectively. Regression analysis showed that the mean SC depth (the mean Plan depth) and the mean diameter of the wall of the chest were related directly to BMI (p<0.0001, adjusted R²=0.67) and (p<0.0001, adjusted R²=0.71), respectively.

Conclusion:

The AP/PA treatment technique was a more suitable choice of treatment than the AP field, especially for overweight and obese breast cancer patients. However, in the AP/PA technique, the use of a single-photon, low energy (6 MV) caused more hot spots than usual.

A Comparative Study of Survival Rate in High Grade Glioma Tumors Being Treated by Radiotherapy Alone Versus Chemoradiation With Nitrosourea

Background:

In adults, malignant glioma (high-grade glioma) is one of the most common brain tumors. In spite of different types of treatment, the outcome is still not likely to be favorable. The aim of this study was to determine the difference between survival rate in adult patients with high grade glioma treated by radiotherapy only and those treated by a combination of radiotherapy and nitrosurea-based chemotherapy.

Methods:

This study was conducted using the records of 48 patients with grade 3 or 4 of glial brain tumor referred to the radiation-oncology ward of Shohada-e-Tajrish Hospital in Tehran, Iran from 2005 to 2012. The patients had undergone radiotherapy alone or adjuvant chemoradiation with nitrosourea. The median survival of patients after receiving the different types of treatment were evaluated using the Kaplan –Meier method and the log –rank exam. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis for median survival regarding to the patients’ age, gender, extent of surgery, Karnofsky performance status (KPS) with the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank exam. We used the Cox-model for multivariate analysis.

Results:

Records of 48 patients were studied (34 men and 14 women). The mean survival were 18 months for men and 15.2 months for women (P = 0.05). Around 58% (28 patients) were more than 50 years old, and 42% (20 patients) were less than 50, and mean survival for the two age groups were 13 and 20 months, respectively (P < 0.001). Then, the patients were divided into three groups according to the extent of surgery, i.e., excisional biopsy (11 patients), stereotactic biopsy (22 patients), and resection (15 patients), and the mean survival for the three groups were 14.7, 17.3, and 18.8 months, respectively. There was no significant statistical difference for mean survival between the three groups (P = 0.23). The KPS was greater than 70% in 23 patients and less than 70% in 21 patients, and the mean survival for the former and latter groups were 17.6 and 16 months, respectively (P = 0.67), four patients had unknown KPS. Twenty patients received only radiotherapy, and chemoradiation was done for 28 patients, and the mean survival for the former and latter patients were 14.5 and 19 months, respectively (P = 0.15).

Conclusion:

In this study, we concluded that age was the only effective factor in the survival of the patients and that chemotherapy had no significant effect on the survival of the patients.

An overview of neuro-oncology research and practice in Iran, three years with the NOSC initiative

Research and practice of neuro-oncology compiles clinical neuroscience expertise from neurosurgery, radiation oncology, neuroradiology, medical oncology, neuropathology and related disciplines to optimize planning and therapy in central nervous system malignancies. Such an interdisciplinary context prompted health-care providers from all related disciplines to establish the Neuro-Oncology Scientific Club (NOSC) in Iran and let it flourish since 3 years ago. With the advent of advanced technologies and through continued share of experience, NOSC members have tried to provide more integrated diagnoses and therapeutic care to brain tumor patients across the country. NOSC activities revolve around some key tenets including dissemination of education and updates, facilitation of institutional collaborations; data registry and patients' awareness. By virtue of recent insights on molecular characterization of brain tumors such as codeletion of chromosomes 1p and 19q in anaplastic gliomas and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation in glioblastoma, a range of translational research is being followed within NOSC. The most recent NOSC meeting which was held in Tehran, recapitulated main advances and dealt with the current debates on functional neurosurgery, biological markers and neuroimaging, risk prediction models in high grade gliomas and clinical issues in pediatric neuro-oncology. This article gives an overview of current hotspots in neuro-oncology research and practice which are pursued within NOSC.

Prognostic and predictive value of copy number alterations in invasive breast cancer as determined by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. About 70 % of breast cancers are estrogen receptor (ER) positive. Blocking estrogen action by tamoxifen has been the treatment of choice in ER positive breast cancers for more than 30 years. In the past, several studies have revealed associations between gene copy number alterations and responsiveness to tamoxifen therapy, but so far no single gene copy number alteration could completely explain the response variation observed between individual breast cancer patients. Here, we set out to perform a simultaneous analysis of copy number alterations of several genes involved in the prognosis and response to therapy by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA).

METHODS

A case-control study was designed encompassing 170 non-metastatic ER positive breast cancer patients (case group = 85, control group = 85). All patients in the control group had received standard adjuvant tamoxifen treatment for 5 years without any evidence of recurrence. Patients in the case group had experienced early recurrences while receiving tamoxifen treatment. 76 % of the patients of the case group and 73 % of the patients of the control group had received anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy. Gene copy number alterations detected by MLPA in both groups were compared.

RESULTS

Amplification of CCND1 (OR = 3.13; 95 % CI = 1.35 to 7.26; p = 0.006) and TOP2A (OR = 3.05; 95 % CI = 1.13 to 8.24; p = 0.022) were significantly more prevalent in the case group, compared to the control group. In a multivariate analysis CCND1 (p = 0.01) and TOP2A (p = 0.041) amplifications remained significant predictors of recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that CCND1 amplification may serve as a useful biomarker for hormone responsiveness, and that TOP2A amplification may serve as a useful prognostic biomarker.

Interventricular low-grade oligodendroglioma with multiple parenchymal relapse

Oligodendrogliomas can be found anywhere oligodendrocytes exist; however, they mostly occur in frontal lobes. Although intra- and extra central nervous system dissemination of anaplastic oligodendroglioma is a well-known property of this tumour, low-grade oligodendroglioma with intracranial relapse is a very uncommon finding. In this case report, a 37-year-old man with grade II oligodendroglioma relapsed after 18 months with multiple parenchymal masses is presented.

Survival of colorectal cancer in Iran

OBJECTIVE

Colorectal cancer is the fourth cause of cancer after stomach, bladder, prostate in men and second cause after breast in women in Iran. It is estimated that 4,000 new cases occur each year with 1,150 deaths annually. The present study aimed to determine survival of colorectal cancers in Iran in a national manner.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The data from national cancer registry department of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOH and ME) were used as the main source of incident colorectal cancer information in Iran from March 2000 to March 2005. One and five year survival proportions were 88% and 45% for females versus 86% and 39% for men. The median overall survival for colorectal cancer in Iran was 3.5 years with a 95 % confidence interval of 3.2-3.8 years. The worst survival status was found for patients less than 20 and more than 80 years old.

CONCLUSION

The overall 5 year survival for colorectal cancer in Iran (41%) is comparable even with some developed countries but it is far from those with advanced health care systems, or community based screening programs. Thus at the policy level, application of an appropriate national cancer control program and management guidelines should be under consideration.

Relation between HER-2 gene expression and Gleason score in patients with prostate cancer

INTRODUCTION

HER-2 is a proto-oncogene of the tyrosine kinase receptor family on chromosome 17. Overexpression of this gene affects the growth and prognosis of some tumors. This study was performed to evaluate the expression of the HER-2 gene in patients with prostate cancer and its relation with the Gleason score.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pathology specimens of all men with prostate cancer who had undergone radical prostatectomy without any supportive treatment were studied. The Gleason scores of the specimens and the expression of HER-2 gene were examined. The expression of HER-2 was scored between zero and 3+ in accordance with the HercepTest method. Patients with scores of 2+ and 3+ were considered to be positive for HER-2 overexpression.

RESULTS

Of 150 cancerous prostate specimens evaluated, 20 (13.3%) were positive for HER-2 gene overexpression. A weakly positive HER-2 overexpression (2+) was seen in 15 of them (75%) and the remaining 5 (25%) were strongly positive. The Gleason score was not different between the HER-2-positive and HER-2-negative patients (P = .08). Fourteen out of 97 patients (14.4%) with a Gleason score less than 7 and 6 out of 53 (11.3%) with scores of 7 or greater were positive for HER-2 overexpression.

CONCLUSION

The frequency of HER-2 gene overexpression is not very high in our patients with prostate cancer, and we failed to show any association of HER-2 expression and the Gleason score.