Postoperative radiotherapy in breast cancer--long-term results from the Oslo study

The long-term results of a randomized clinical trial evaluating the effect of postoperative radiotherapy as an adjuvant to radical mastectomy are presented. There were 1115 patients including 27 protocol deviants. The follow-up time is 11-20 years. In the first part a conventional roentgen unit was used, and in the second part a 60Co unit, with considerably increased dosage and altered treatment plan. Both types of radiation techniques lowered the incidence of loco-regional recurrences significantly, but had no significant influence on the overall survival. The relapse-free survival was significantly improved by 60Co radiation in Stage II patients, but was unaffected by radiation in the other subgroups. Regarding survival, Stage II patients with medially located tumors seemed to benefit more from 60Co radiation than those with lateral tumors. A significant increase in the number of deaths caused by myocardial infarction was observed in Stage I patients having 60Co radiation, indicating that the radiation dose to the heart is of significance.

Radiation Retinopathy After Orbital Irradiation for Graves' Ophthalmopathy

Recent reports indicate that orbital irradiation for Graves' ophthalmopathy is sometimes beneficial, particularly for dysthyroid optic neuropathy, and is not associated with serious complications. We are aware, however, of four patients who were found to have radiation retinopathy after orbital irradiation for Grave's ophthalmopathy. All four patients have decreased central acuity, and three of the four are legally blind in one or both eyes. Computer reconstruction of the dosimetry, based on computed tomography and beam profiles, shows that errors in dosage calculations and radiotherapy technique probably account for the radiation retinopathy in three of the four patients. Radiotherapy for Graves' ophthalmopathy should be administered only by competent radiotherapists who are experienced in the treatment of this disease. Similar errors in dosage calculations and treatment techniques may account for other reports of radiation retinopathy after reportedly safe dosages.

Supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma: an analysis of dose-time-volume factors in 410 patients

Four hundred and ten patients with supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma treated with moderate dose radical radiotherapy with surgery for salvage (RRSS) were analyzed in detail to determine optimal dose-time-volume parameters to be used in the treatment of each stage of supraglottic carcinoma. In the RRSS group 41% are alive and well at 5 years, 38% died of their tumor and 21% of intercurrent disease. Presence or absence of nodal disease has a major impact on survival. Local control is approximately 70% in T1, T2N0 patients and approximately 50% in T3 and T4N0 patients. Seventeen percent of T1 and T2N0 patients failed in the initially negative neck. Ten major complications (2.4%) have been seen. Local control by irradiation was not influenced by dose or field size. Regional control in the initially negative neck was markedly increased with the use of larger irradiation field sizes. Field sizes of less than 7 X 7 cm resulted in an 18% neck failure rate as compared to 3% with larger field sizes (p = 0.00005). This particularly applied to early stage disease. As a result of the use of larger irradiation field sizes giving reduced neck failure rates, improvement in survival has been seen in early stage supraglottic patients. The results are compared with published results. There is no statistically significant dose response curve in any stage of supraglottic cancer over the dose range 1650-2300 ret. Optimal treatment factors for supraglottic cancer are discussed.

Second primary tumors after radiotherapy for malignancies. Treatment-related parameters

PURPOSE

The aim of the present analysis was to identify radiotherapy-related parameters that influence the development of second malignancies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between 1969 and 1989, about 31,000 patients were treated in Dresden with low voltage (< or = 180 kV X-rays) or telecobalt radiotherapy or a combination of both. Of these 203 were readmitted after earlier radiotherapy, for radiotherapy of a newly developed malignancy. Based on definitive diagnosis of a secondary tumor and completeness of documentation 53 patients were selected for further analysis. This included the spatial relation between the new tumor and the primary treatment fields, and the incidence in relation to the dose at the site of origin. The material does not allow for risk estimation.

RESULTS

Primary malignancies comprised breast and gynecological tumors in female, and tumors of prostate, head and neck and lymphomas in male patients. Second tumors developed mainly in corpus uteri, respiratory, gastrointestinal and urinary tract. The high incidence of 9.9% second primary corpus/cervix uteri tumors in patients with primary breast cancers suggests a common etiology. The majority of second tumors was observed within the margin of the planning target volume (PTV), which was defined as the volume 2.5 cm inside to 5 cm outside the field margin proper. Inside the PTV developed < 10%, outside 11% of the second tumors. With regard to dose the majority of second tumors was observed in the region receiving < 6 Gy.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant number of second primary tumors is found in the volume receiving < or = 6 Gy, i.e. at the margins of the PTV. This should be considered for multiple field radiotherapy and IMRT, where the relevant volumes may be substantially increased.

Can internal mammary chain treatment decrease the risk of death for patients with medial breast cancers and positive axillary lymph nodes?

The effect of internal mammary chain treatment on each type of malignant death-related event was analyzed in 1195 patients with operable breast cancer and histologically involved axillary lymph nodes. A group of 135 patients who had no internal mammary chain treatment was compared with a control group of 1060 patients who were treated by surgery and/or postoperative radiation therapy. In a multivariate analysis taking into account age, clinical size of the tumor, histoprognostic grading, and the number of positive axillary lymph nodes, quantitative interaction tests were used to determine whether the effects of internal mammary chain treatment on each type of malignant event were significantly different for patients with a lateral tumor compared with those with a medial tumor. The authors found that the effects of this treatment on the risks of distant metastases and of secondary breast cancer were not the same for the patients with a medial tumor as for those with a lateral tumor. For the untreated patients with a medial tumor, the risks of distant metastases and second breast cancer were, respectively, 1.6 (P = 0.02) and 2.9 (P = 0.02), compared with the treated patients. Conversely, for women with lateral tumor, no difference between the two treatment groups was observed. Thus, internal mammary chain treatment may improve long-term survival rate in patients with a medial tumor and positive axillary lymph nodes essentially by decreasing the risk of development of distant metastases (mainly brain, distant lymph nodes, multiple simultaneous metastases) and/or a secondary breast cancer.

Plaque radiotherapy for the management of uveal metastasis

BACKGROUND

Radiotherapy is effective for the management of most uveal metastases, and standard external beam radiotherapy is generally administered during a 3-to 4-week period. For those patients in whom external beam radiotherapy or other methods fail or those patients with solitary uveal metastases, plaque radiotherapy may be an alternative method.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effectiveness of plaque radiotherapy for the management of uveal metastasis.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 36 patients with uveal metastases who were examined at the Oncology Service at Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa, and treated with plaque radiotherapy. The clinical findings and follow-up data of the primary tumor and the uveal metastasis were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 36 patients, 27 (75%) received plaque treatment as primary therapy for the uveal metastasis and 9 (25%) received plaque treatment as secondary therapy after failure of the uveal tumor to respond to external beam radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or hormonal therapy. During treatment, 22 patients (61%) had no other systemic metastasis and 14 (39%) had controlled systemic metastasis. No patients had active metastasis elsewhere. The uveal metastasis was solitary and well circumscribed in all but 1 patient; it measured a mean of 11 mm in basal dimension and 4 mm in thickness. The mean time for treatment was 86 hours, and the mean therapeutic dose was 68.80 Gy to the tumor apex and 235.64 Gy to the tumor base. Regression of the uveal metastasis was documented in 34 patients (94%) during a mean follow-up of 11 months. As early as 3 months after treatment, the mean tumor thickness had decreased to 2 mm. Plaque radiotherapy salvaged 5 of the 6 eyes that had failed prior external beam radiotherapy. Radiation retinopathy, radiation papillopathy, or both were found in 3 patients (8%) and occurred at a mean of 8 months after treatment. At the last examination, 18 patients (50%) were alive (11 with and 7 without active systemic metastasis) and 18 (50%) were dead from systemic metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

Plaque radiotherapy is an effective method for treating selected solitary uveal metastasis. It offers a high degree of tumor control, especially for those eyes in which other methods have failed. Plaque treatment is provided during a short period, minimizing the time demand for these patients with a limited life expectancy.

Prognostic factors and treatment outcome for patients with locally recurrent endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

Women who do not receive adjuvant irradiation after hysterectomy for endometrial carcinoma (EC) are at risk for developing a pelvic recurrence. Disease- and treatment-related factors were examined for their impact on disease-specific survival (DSS) and pelvic control (PC) in patients with locoregional recurrences to whom salvage radiotherapy was administered.

METHODS

Forty-five patients with pelvic/vaginal recurrences of EC were treated at a single institution between 1973 and 1991. The median follow-up period was 89 months. Multiple patient-, disease-, and treatment-related factors were examined with univariate and multivariate analysis for their impact on DSS and PC. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate outcomes.

RESULTS

Overall DSS and PC was 51 and 54% at 5 years, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed the following factors to impact on outcome (P < or = 0.05): age (DSS, PC), vaginal stage of recurrence (DSS, PC), size of recurrence (DSS, PC), time interval from hysterectomy (DSS, PC), initial grade (DSS), location of recurrence (PC), and radiation boost technique (PC).

CONCLUSION

Women in whom endometrial cancer recurrences develop can be salvaged with aggressive radiotherapy consisting of external beam therapy followed by a radiation boost. Close follow-up after the initial hysterectomy is important because patients with low-volume recurrence limited to the vagina have the best outcome.

Plaque radiotherapy for juxtapapillary choroidal melanoma. Visual acuity and survival outcome

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effect of plaque radiotherapy on the visual acuity of patients with juxtapapillary choroidal melanoma and to determine the clinical predictive factors for radiation retinopathy, radiation papillopathy, local tumor recurrence, and distant metastasis.

DESIGN

A retrospective review of the medical records of 93 patients with juxtapapillary choroidal melanoma who were treated initially with plaque radiotherapy.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up of 78 months, radiation retinopathy developed in 81 patients (87%) and radiation papillopathy developed in 48 patients (52%) after a mean interval of 21 and 27 months, respectively. The univariate variables that were significant predictors of radiation retinopathy were history of diabetes mellitus (P = .05) and use of a notched radioactive plaque (P = .04). The factors predictive of radiation papillopathy were age (> 45 years; P = .01), history of diabetes mellitus (P = .05), mushroom-shaped tumor configuration (P = .006), and nasal location of the tumor (P = .04). By using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, we found that the proportion of the 93 patients with radiation retinopathy was 87 (94%) at 5 years and with radiation papillopathy was 53 (57%) at 5 years. By using life-table analysis, we found that the proportion of the 93 patients who experienced a decrement of at least 3 lines of visual acuity was 67 (72%) by 50 to 60 months. Local tumor recurrence was documented in 14 patients (15%) after a mean interval of 41 months. The age of the patient (< 35 years; P = .02) and the superior (P = .004) and inferior (P = .05) locations of the tumor were predictive of local tumor recurrence. Distant metastasis developed in 11 patients (12%) after a mean interval of 44 months. The factors predictive of distant metastasis were a tumor with a basal diameter larger than 6.0 mm (P = .05), the superior location of the tumor (P = .01), and local tumor recurrence (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Based on these observations, plaque radiotherapy remains a potential option vs enucleation for the management of juxtapapillary choroidal melanoma.

A revised boron-neutron capture therapy for malignant brain tumors. II. Interim clinical result with the patients excluding previous treatments

Fifteen brain tumor patients were treated with slow neutron. It proved to extend life span of terminal glioblastoma patients irresponsive to Co-60, to 2 years, but quality of survival is poor due to complications of previous treatments. Two glioblastoma patients excluding other treatments, the only genuine Boron-neutron capture therapy cases, have been living for 39+ and 34+ months working full-scale without neurological deficit.

An accelerated technique for irradiation of malignant canine nasal and paranasal sinus tumors

Tumor and normal tissue response was assessed in 21 dogs with malignant nasal tumors given 42 Gy cobalt radiation in 9 or 10 fractions over 11 to 13 days. Local tumor/clinical relapse recurred in 68% of dogs, with a median relapse free interval (RFI) of 270 days. Median survival was 428 days. One year survival for all dogs was 60%. RFI and survival times are better than, or similar to, previous reports of dogs treated with radiotherapy only. Acute radiation effects were severe in one dog. Late effects were severe in six of 15 dogs (40%) with durable tumor control. Late effects included bilateral blindness (3), osteoradionecrosis (3), and seizures (1). These six dogs had a median survival of 705 days. Loss of vision occurred in at least one eye in nine dogs (47%). Tumor staging based on CT findings was predictive for survival duration. Tumor histology was not predictive of outcome. Labrador Retrievers were significantly over-represented. Despite comparable or improved tumor control and survival times provided by this accelerated protocol, relative to other radiotherapy reports, local failure remains the major cause of death, and late radiation effects can be severe in dogs with durable tumor control.

An experimental study of the stability of irradiated teeth in the region of the dentinoenamel junction

In this in vitro study we investigated the influence of ionizing gamma rays on the stability in the region of the dentinoenamel junction. We removed the enamel on the labial surface of 30 incisors of bovines up to the dentinoenamel junction, so that a circular area of enamel with a diameter of 2.0 +/- 0.1 mm was left and an enamel cylinder was created. 15 teeth were irradiated by a cobalt-60-source (energy dose 70 Gy). The other 15 teeth were used as controls. Using a material testing apparatus the shear bond strengths were measured by breaking off the enamel cylinders. Furthermore, the breaking modes were investigated in SEM. Comparing the results of the shear bond strength experiments, it was obvious that the stability in the region of the dentinoenamel junction was significantly less among the irradiated teeth than among the non-irradiated teeth. The median value of the gamma ray treated teeth was x = 19.1 MPa and that of the non-ray-treated teeth was x = 37.4 MPa. The non-irradiated teeth showed fractured surfaces only in dentin in 10 cases and in 5 cases in both dentin and enamel. In contrast to that, the irradiated teeth had fractured surfaces in 12 cases exclusively in dentin and only in 3 cases the enamel was also fractured. These results lead us to conclude that changes of biophysical property of teeth can be caused by the influence of ionizing rays.

Bladder cancer: long-term follow-up results of patients treated with radical radiation

Carcinoma of the bladder is commonly treated for cure with external beam radiation. Whilst short-term results are associated with a good chance of disease control there is little information about the long-term results of such therapy. We present a retrospective review of the Princess Margaret Hospital experience in treating transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and emphasis on the long-term follow-up of patients treated with radiotherapy (XRT). Between 1972 and 1980, 355 patients were treated with a radical course of external beam radiation. The overall survival was 20% at 10 years and the cause-specific survival was 32%. Radiation treatment resulted in a long-term bladder preservation in at least 25% of patients. The majority of long-term survivors without evidence of relapse were patients with T1 (solitary tumours), T2 and T3a tumours. This subgroup represents patients with disease favourable for treatment with radiation. Factors affecting response to the XRT and survival included T stage and tumour bulk. Radiation complications were frequent and were usually associated with local disease recurrence.

Radiation-related pericarditis

To determine the incidence of pericardial effusion in patients undergoing upper mantle radiation therapy, 81 patients with Hodgkin's disease, stages I to IIIB, were selected from a protocol series of 98 patients. Twenty-four patients (29.6 percent) met X-ray criteria for the presence of pericardial effusion. Eleven of the 24 also underwent right heart catheterization to confirm the presence of pericardial effusion and to define any hemodynamic abnormality. Fourteen patients were found to have transient effusion. Five of the 11 patients have had partial pericardiectomy for symptoms and signs of cardiac tamponade. There has been no evidence of recurrent Hodgkin's disease in these surgically treated patients. Ninety-two percent of the pericardial effusions occurred in the first 12 months after the end of radiation therapy. Therapeutic implications depend on elucidation of the natural history of this process. At present close follow-up is necessary with surgical intervention for signs or symptoms of cardiac tamponade.

Clinical features of nodular paragranuloma (Hodgkin's disease, lymphocyte predominance type, nodular)

Clinical aspects of 145 cases of nodular paragranuloma (nodular subtype of lymphocyte predominance type of Hodgkin's disease) were investigated. There was a marked male predominance, and the age curve showed a peak in the 4th decade. In a majority of cases lymphadenopathy developed within 1 year. General (B) symptoms were observed in only 15 patients. The most frequent sites of primary involvement were cervical, axillary, and inguinal lymph nodes. Other organs were rarely involved. At the time of diagnosis 50% of patients were in stage I, 21% in stage II, 22% in stage III, and 7% in stage IV. The prognosis was usually favorable or very favorable and depended on the stage of disease at diagnosis and on the age of the patient. Patients with stage I or III disease without splenic involvement had about the same probability of survival as the normal population. Stage III patients with splenic involvement had a lower probability of survival. The prognosis for stage II was also less favorable. Patients in stage IV had the lowest probability of survival. Closer analysis of the ten stage IV cases revealed two groups with different outcomes. Four cases showed progressive disease that did not respond to treatment and led to death within 12 months. The second, more favorable form (6 patients) responded well to chemotherapy. Nine patients in stage I who were not treated after lymph node biopsy were free of disease even after periods of up to 14 years. A total of 52 patients had one or more relapses. The recurrent tumors developed locally in a majority of cases. There was transformation of nodular paragranuloma into another subtype of Hodgkin's disease in only four cases. Five cases showed transformation into large-cell tumors that resembled immunoblastic lymphoma and require further immunological study.

Radiation-induced bladder tumors

A recent 25-year experience with patients treated for carcinoma of the uterine cervix who subsequently had bladder tumors is presented. Of the 3,091 patients treated 2,674 had received radiotherapy and 8 suffered vesical malignancies of varied histopathological type 6 months to 20 years after irradiation. This incidence rate is 299.9 per 100,000, which is 57.6 times that of the general female population. Benign radiation reactions of the bladder and the possible etiology of radiation-induced bladder cancers are discussed.

Angiosarcoma arising in an irradiated breast. A case report and review of the literature

The authors discuss an angiosarcoma that developed in a 50-year-old woman's breast 10 years after she underwent conventional postoperative irradiation with cobalt 60 teletherapy. Although angiosarcoma developing in a lymphedematous arm after radical mastectomy is a well-known phenomenon, and several cases of angiosarcoma are known to have occurred in the chest wall after mastectomy with or without irradiation, only one other case of angiosarcoma in an irradiated breast has been reported. The possible role of therapeutic irradiation in inducing this malignancy is discussed.

Optic atrophy following prophylactic chemotherapy and cranial radiation for acute lymphocytic leukemia

Two patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia developed progressive optic nerve and chiasmal lesions eight to nine months after the initiation of identical chemotherapy protocols that included intrathecal medication and prophylactic radiation of only 2,400 rads to the central nervous system. Both patients eventually lost all vision despite additional radiotherapy, and there was no evidence of leukemia involving the central nervous system after acute lymphocytic leukemia was diagnosed. Optic nerve biopsy in one case showed changes consistent with radiation necrosis.

Repair in the mouse lung during low dose-rate irradiation

The thorax of CBA mice was exposed to 60Co gamma-rays at dose rates ranging from 100 to 2 cGy/min. Iso-effect doses (ED50) were calculated for early and late lung damage from dose-response curves for breathing rate and lethality. A continuous increase in tolerance for early radiation pneumonitis was seen as the dose rate was reduced, reaching a dose recovery factor (DRF) of 2.6 at 2 cGy/min. There was significantly less dose sparing with 2 cGy/min for the rise in breathing rate during expression of late damage (DRF = 2.1). The lower DRF compared well with that obtained from late measurements of pleural fluid levels. Comparison with fractionation experiments indicated incomplete repair at 2 cGy/min with further dose recovery expected at even lower dose rates or at doses per fraction below 200 cGy. Since the dose-rate dependence of damage to haemopoietic tissue is less marked, this study predicts an advantage of employing low dose-rate total-body irradiation (TBI) in the treatment of bone-marrow transplant patients. A further gain in the therapeutic index may be expected using a hyperfractionated regime with small doses per fraction.

Suppression of babesiosis in BCG-infected mice and its correlation with tumor inhibition

Infection of mice with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) provided good protection against Babesia species. The intensity and duration of this protection was similar to that established after natural recovery from babesiosis. It developed too soon after the first exposure to the parasite, and was too radioresistant, to be attributable to specific antibody production. In addition, the parasites degenerated within circulating erythrocytes. This phenomenon is inconsistent with phagocytosis or lysis of parasites or parasitized cells, or prevention of entry of parasites into erythrocytes, causing the observed protection. Hence the phenomenon is best explained by the release of a nonspecific mediator that can limit multiplication of parasites within erythrocytes. These results not only throw light on mechanisms of immunity against hemoprotozoa. There are many points of similarity between the nonspecific protection BCG and Corynebactium parvum provide against Babesia species and inhibition of tumor growth by these agents. Therefore, babesiosis in mice may be a convenient experimental model for assessing stimulation of the mononuclear phagocyte system, which appears to be the basis of nonspecific immunity against bacteria, parasites, and tumors.

Early-response biomarkers for assessment of radiation exposure in a mouse total-body irradiation model

Nuclear accidents or terrorist attacks could expose large numbers of people to ionizing radiation. Early biomarkers of radiation injury will be critical for triage, treatment, and follow-up of such individuals. The authors evaluated the utility of multiple blood biomarkers for early-response assessment of radiation exposure using a murine (CD2F1, males) total-body irradiation (TBI) model exposed to ⁶⁰Co γ rays (0.6 Gy min⁻¹) over a broad dose range (0-14 Gy) and timepoints (4 h-5 d). Results demonstrate: 1) dose-dependent changes in hematopoietic cytokines: Flt-3 ligand (Flt3L), interleukin 6 (IL-6), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), thrombopoietin (TPO), erythropoietin (EPO), and acute phase protein serum amyloid A (SAA); 2) dose-dependent changes in blood cell counts: lymphocytes, neutrophils, platelets, and ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes; 3) protein results coupled with peripheral blood cell counts established very successful separation of groups irradiated to different doses; and 4) enhanced separation of dose was observed as the number of biomarkers increased. Results show that the dynamic changes in the levels of SAA, IL-6, G-CSF, and Flt3L reflect the time course and severity of acute radiation syndrome (ARS) and may function as prognostic indicators of ARS outcome. These results also demonstrate proof-in-concept that plasma proteins show promise as a complimentary approach to conventional biodosimetry for early assessment of radiation exposures and, coupled with peripheral blood cell counts, provide early diagnostic information to manage radiation casualty incidents effectively, closing a gap in capabilities to rapidly and effectively assess radiation exposure early, especially needed in case of a mass-casualty radiological incident.

Advanced stage IIIB cancer of the cervix treatment by hyperthermia and radiation

Treatment records of patients with primary untreated Stage IIIB carcinoma of the cervix treated at Indiana University Department of Radiation Oncology from November 1964 through January 1979 were reviewed. During this period, 79 patients were treated; 46 received external therapy using cobalt-60, 15 received a 25-MV photon beam, and 18 received a 25-MV photon beam followed by 45 min of 434-MHz microwave hyperthermia producing central tumor core temperatures of 39.5 to 41.5 degrees C. All patients received similar doses of radiation using combination intracavitary radioactive isotopes and external therapy. Patients who received heat therapy in combination with radiation therapy did not have increased acute or chronic complications of normal tissues. Local tumor control was superior when regional heat therapy was given; however, long-term absolute survival rates were not affected as the survival rate at 5 years was not statistically different in any of the three treatment groups.

Lenticular opacities in populations exposed to chronic low-dose-rate gamma radiation from radiocontaminated buildings in Taiwan

Chen, W-L., Hwang, J-S., Hu, T-H., Chen, M-S. and Chang, W. P. Lenticular Opacities in Populations Exposed to Chronic Low-Dose-Rate Gamma Radiation from Radiocontaminated Buildings in Taiwan. Radiat. Res. 156, 71-77 (2001). Epidemiological and experimental studies have revealed the cataractogenic potential of large acute doses of radiation. However, studies on the dose-response effect and the incidence of lenticular changes after exposure to chronic low doses of radiation have seldom been conducted. To evaluate quantitatively the lenticular changes in a population exposed to chronic low-dose-rate gamma radiation in their daily living or school environment in steel buildings contaminated with (60)Co in Taiwan, a total of 114 exposed individuals participated in a thorough ophthalmological examination in 1998. The lenticular opacities were evaluated by slit-lamp biomicroscopy after full pupil dilatation and were scored by the Lens Opacities Classification System III (LOCS III) and a modified subclinical minor lenticular focal defects system. These individuals were further divided into those less than 20 years old, those between 20 and 40 years old, and those more than 40 years old to evaluate the effects of age. The cumulative doses were assessed for each individual using the Taiwan Cumulative Dose (TCD) estimation system. A significant dose-dependent increase in the numbers of focal lens defects in those less than 20 years old was demonstrated, while less significant changes were observed in the other two age groups or by the LOCS III scoring. Results suggested that chronic low-dose-rate irradiation might induce minor lenticular changes, especially in lenses of young subjects. The delayed clinical changes in these young exposed subjects warrants further long-term follow-up.

Analysis of complications of cervix carcinoma treated by radiotherapy using the Franco-Italian glossary

We analysed the complications of 215 patients with uterine cervix cancer, treated by radiotherapy (RT) alone. It was done according to the rules of the Franco-Italian glossary, presented at the 7th ESTRO meeting, held in The Hague on September 1988. They were ranked by organ sites and by degrees of gravity. The analysis was done on the total number of complications and they were scored at the highest reached grade of gravity. Seventy one complications were found in 55 patients; they were studied by patient, degree of severity, time of onset, organ system and grade, time of onset and grade, time of onset and organ sites, stage and RT doses and brachytherapy volumes. The importance of the study of complications is stressed, particularly when treatment combines external RT and brachytherapy; some guidelines are given to avoid severe complications.

Radical radiotherapy for T4 carcinoma of the skin of the head and neck: a multivariate analysis

Sixty-seven patients with 68 stage T4 carcinomas of the skin of the head and neck were treated with radical radiotherapy at the University of Florida between October 1964 and November 1989. Thirty-three lesions were previously untreated and 35 were recurrent. Twenty-nine lesions were squamous cell carcinomas, 37 were basal cell carcinomas, and 2 were basosquamous carcinomas. Minimum follow-up was 2 years. The 5-year local control, local control including surgical salvage, and cause-specific survival probabilities were 53%, 74%, and 75%, respectively. Local control rates with radiotherapy alone were poorer in patients with recurrent lesions (41% vs. 67%, p = .07) or bone involvement (40% vs. 62%, p = .08). Results were analyzed by multivariate methods using local control, local control with surgical salvage, and cause-specific survival as endpoints. The parameters analyzed were histology; size of primary lesion; previous treatment (previously untreated vs. recurrent); involvement of bone, nerve, or cartilage; and skeletal muscle invasion. Three important prognostic factors were identified, each predictive of poorer ultimate local control and cause-specific survival rates: (a) bone involvement (p < .01); (b) recurrent lesions (p < .01); and (c) nerve involvement (p < .02). Radiotherapy alone can control advanced carcinomas of the skin of the head and neck, although lesions that have recurred after prior treatment and those with involvement of bone or nerve are associated with a lower likelihood of cure.