Daphne Tong

The palliation of symptomatic osseous metastases final results of the study by the radiation therapy oncology group

Different dose fractionation irradiation schedules have been evaluated in a randomized Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) study to determine their palliative effectiveness in patients with osseous metastases. The frequency, promptness and duration of pain relief were utilized as measures of response. Ninety percent of patients experienced some relief of pain and 54% achieved eventual complete pain relief. Important prognosticators included the initial pain score and the site of the primary lesions. Administration of steroid or chemotherapy during the one‐month on‐study period did not influence the frequency of pain relief. The low‐dose, short‐course schedules were as effective as the high‐dose protracted programs.

Adenocarcinoma of the proximal colon sites of initial dissemination and patterns of recurrence following surgery alone

Seven hundred ninety‐five patients were adenocarcinomas of the proximal colon were reviewed. Two hundred forty‐five patients presented with disseminated disease at the time of diagnosis, and were analyzed to identify mechanisms and sites of disease spread. Five hundred fifty patients underwent radical resection, and were followed for a minimum of 48 months or until time of documented relapse. One hundred eightysix patients (34%) manifested recurrent carcinoma, 64 (34.5%) of whom underwent second laparotomy at the time of initial recurrence. In 139 patients (74.5%), the distribution of clinical recurrence was confined to the abdomen, retroperitoneum, and liver. Prognostic influence of initial stage and tumor grade are analyzed, and possible implications for surgical staging and adjuvant therapy are discussed.

Pineal region tumors: results of radiation therapy and indications for elective spinal irradiation

Abstract Eighteen patients with pineal region tumors seen from November 1960 to November 1978 were reviewed. Thirteen patients treated with radiation therapy received tumor doses in the 4000–5500 rad range. The five year survival and five year disease-free survival were 73 and 63% respectively. Spinal cord metastasis occurred in 2 of 13 (15%) patients. Attempts at salvage radiotherapy for these patients were unsuccessful. Computerized tomography (CT scan provides an excellent method of evaluating the response of pineal region tumors to radiation. Rapid regression of the tumor mass on CT scan reflects the highly radioresponsive nature of germinomas, the tumor type most likely to disseminate throughout the neuraxis. This principle can be exploited to select unbiopsied patients with a high risk of spinal cord metastasis for prophylactic spinal radiation at an early stage of treatment.

Adenocarcinoma of the colon an autopsy study with implications for new therapeutic strategies

Clinical, pathologic, and autopsy records of 53 patients who had localized adenocarcinoma of the proximal colon and had undergone potentially curative surgery were analyzed to define ultimate patterns of recurrence and final patterns of dissemination. Ten patients (19%) died with locoregional recurrence alone (operative bed and retroperitoneal nodes). Liver metastases were present in 31 patients, accompanied by other sites of infradiaphragmatic failure in 29 patients (94%). Twenty‐three patients (43%) died with cancer confined to the abdomen, retroperitoneum, and liver. The distribution of involved sites points to potential refinements in the surgical staging of this cancer and suggests a rational strategy for planning adjuvant therapy designed to address all the principal early mechanisms of disease dissemination.

Second laparotomy for proximal colon cancer: Sites of recurrence and implications for adjuvant therapy

Sixty-four patients with primary adenocarcinomas of the colon proximal to the peritoneal reflection underwent exploratory laparotomy at the time of first recurrence of their cancers. Local recurrence, retroperitoneal lymph node metastases, parenchymal liver metastases, and diffuse peritoneal seeding were identified as frequent components of the overall pattern of recurrence. The significance of these findings has been discussed herein, relative to refinements of operative technique and selection of appropriate adjuvant therapy.

Adenocarcinoma of the retroperitoneal ascending and descending colon: Sites of initial dissemination and clinical patterns of recurrence following surgery alone

One hundred twenty-seven patients with previously untreated primary carcinomas of proximal, retroperitoneal large bowel were retrospectively analyzed. Sites of involvement in 33 patients with surgically incurable (disseminated) disease were analyzed to define patterns of initial spread. Ninety-four patients were analyzed following attempted curative resection to determine anatomical distribution of initial clinical recurrences. Thirty-one patients recurred (33%). Twenty-four of these patients (77.5%) demonstrated an initial pattern of relapse clinically confined to the abdomen and retroperitoneum. Analysis was performed to identify factors of prognostic significance. Implications for adjuvant therapy are discussed.

Adjuvant postoperative pelvic radiation for carcinoma of the uterine cervix: pattern of cancer recurrence in patients undergoing elective radiation following radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy

Thirty-seven patients with invasive cervical cancer have been referred to the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Washington following radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. Patients at high-risk for tumor recurrence were selected for adjuvant pelvic irradiation because of adverse risk factors identified on pathological study of the hysterectomy specimen. All patients were treated because of possible residual, microscopic carcinoma. Fourteen patients (38%) developed recurrent cancer, of whom 10 (27%) manifested initial failure within the irradiated volume. Possible explanations for this observation are discussed.

Adenocarcinoma of the cecum: Natural history and clinical patterns of recurrence following radical surgery

One hundred and forty-three patients with previously untreated primary adenocarcinomas of the cecum were analyzed. Fifty-three patients manifesting disseminated disease at diagnosis were analyzed to define mechanisms of disease spread. Ninety patients were analyzed following attempted curative resection to determine anatomical distribution of initial clinical recurrences. Twenty-eight patients recurred (31%), of whom 9 underwent a second laparotomy. Nineteen of the 28 patients who recurred (68%) demonstrated an initial pattern of relapse clinically confined to the abdomen, liver, and retroperitoneum. Analysis was performed to determine the influence of stage and grade of the primary tumor on prognosis. Implications for adjuvant therapy are discussed.

Cervical lymph node metastases in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary antrum: The role of elective irradiation of the clinically negative neck

Abstract A retrospective analysis of 63 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary antrum revealed that cervical lymph node metastases were present on admission in 13 patients (21%) and later became clinically evident in 9 others (14%). Treatment failure solely because of subsequent appearance of nodal metastases was extremely uncommon. Of the various factors analyzed to search for subgroups of patients at higher risk for subsequent nodal metastases, none were shown to be of statistical significance. Based on these results, we find that elective irradiation of the clinically negative neck is of little benefit for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary antrum.

Carcinoma of the tonsillar region. Results of external irradiation

A retrospective analysis is made of 104 patients treated with photon megavoltage radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsillar region during the period 1965–1975. Moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma was the most common histological grade. Fifty‐three per cent of the cases presented with cervical lymphadenopathy with three cases of bilateral involvement. The three year local control rate was 100% for Stage I, 74% Stage II, 49% Stage III, and 33% Stage IV. Two Stage III cases and one Stage IV case developed subsequent contralateral neck disease. No patient with either T1N0 or T2N0 tumor failed in the ipsilateral or contralateral neck despite the fact that 42% of the T1N0 cases and 37% of the T2N0 cases were treated with unilateral portals. The prognostic significance of the T and N stages, treatment techniques, as well as dose response relationships are analyzed and the literature is reviewed.