Evrim Metcalfe

Radiotherapy with or without temozolomide in elderly patients aged ≥ 70 years with glioblastoma

Introduction Although the recommended optimal treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, trials in GBM have excluded patients older than 70 years. In this study, we aimed to assess overall survival (OS) and prognostic factors in elderly patients (≥ 70 years) with newly diagnosed GBM treated with radiotherapy (RT) ± concurrent/adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ). Material and methods Inclusion criteria were patients ≥ 70 years, pre-RT Karnofsky performance status (KPS) ≥ 60, and time between diagnosis and start of RT ≤ 2 months. A total of 40 patients aged ≥ 70 years, 12 female and 28 male, treated between January 2004 and December 2012, were evaluated. Median age was 73.5 years (range, 70–83 years). The median RT dose was 60 Gy (range, 30–62 Gy). Twenty-one (52.5%) received concurrent TMZ, and of those 12 (30%) went on to receive adjuvant TMZ. Results The median OS was 7 months (95% CI: 5.45–8.54). One- and two-year OS for the whole cohort was 38% and 16%, respectively. Sex, type of surgery, tumor size, and RT dose did not significantly affect the OS. Presence of concurrent TMZ (p < 0.005) and presence of adjuvant TMZ (p < 0.001) were associated with longer OS in our cohort. Conclusions RT ± TMZ seems to be a well-tolerated treatment in patients ≥ 70 years with GBM. Even though no superiority was found between conventional or hypofractionated RT regimens (p = 0.405), the addition of concurrent and adjuvant TMZ to RT increased the OS in our study.

Early transient radiation-induced brachial plexopathy in locally advanced head and neck cancer

Aim of the study Early transient brachial plexopathy following radiotherapy (RT) in patients with head and neck cancer may be underreported and associated with a dose-response. Our purpose was to determine the incidence of early transient radiation-ınduced brachial plexopathy (RIBP) in patients receiving primary RT (± chemotherapy) for locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC). Material and methods Twenty-seven locally advanced HNC patients who have no finding of brachial plexopathy at the diagnosis were evaluated 3 times by a specifically developed 13-item questionnaire for determining early transient RIBP. The 54 brachial plexus in 27 patients were delineated and dose volume histograms were calculated. Results Median follow-up period was 28 (range: 15–40) months. The mean BP volume was 7.9 ±3.6 cm3, and the mean and maximum doses to the BP were 45.3 (range: 32.3–59.3) Gy, and 59.4 (range: 41.4–70.3) Gy, respectively. Maximum dose to the BP was ≥ 70 Gy only in 2 nasopharyngeal cancer patients. Two (7%) early transient RIBP were reported at 7th and 8th month after RT under maximum 67.17 and 55.37 Gy, and mean 52.95 and 38.60 Gy RT doses. Conclusions Two (7%) early RIBP were seen in the patient group, although brachial plexus maximum doses were ≥ 66 Gy in 75% of patients.

Multiple primary malignant neoplasms: A 10-year experience at a single institution from Turkey

Purpose: The development of improved diagnostic techniques, increased survival, and life expectancy of cancer patients have all contributed to the higher frequency of multiple primary malignant neoplasms (MPMN). MPMN can be divided into two main categories: Synchronous MPMN (sMPMN) and metachronous MPMN (mMPMN). Materials and Methods: 122 patients with MPMN analyzed retrospectively who were admitted to the Radiation Oncology Department of Eskisehir Osmangazi University Medical Faculty from January 2004 to December 2013. The patient characteristics and relation with overall survival (OS) were examined. Results: The overall incidence of MPMN was found 1.2% in our institution. The median age was 59 (range: 29–80) years. Male:female ratio was 54.5:45.5%, and mMPMN:sMPMN ratio was 69.9:30.1%. The most common 3 cancers were head and neck (22%), breast (20%), and gastrointestinal (20%) for first primary; and gastrointestinal (22%), lung (19%), gynecologic tumors (15%) for second primary cancers, respectively. The median OS in patients with sMPMN and mMPMN were 30 (3–105) and 91 (4–493) months. 2, 3, and 5 years OS of patients with sMPMN were 86%, 75%, 63%, and with mMPMN were 92%, 88%, 80%, respectively (P < 0.005). Conclusion: OS was found longer in female patients with sMPMN (P < 0.05), and in all group with mMPMN (P < 0.005).

CD105 (endoglin) expression as a prognostic marker of angiogenesis in squamous cell cervical cancer treated with radical radiotherapy

Introduction: Increased levels of endoglin may represent a new reagent of active neovascularization and angiogenesis process in various cancer types. The prognostic value of tumor CD105 (endoglin) expression in cervical squamous cell cancer (CSCC) patients treated with radical radiotherapy (RT) ± chemotherapy was investigated. Materials and Methods: CD105 (endoglin) expression was assessed by immunohistochemical methods in seventy patients, who were treated with radical RT ± chemotherapy for CSCC. The prognostic effects of CD105 on patient and treatment characteristics, local-regional control, and survival were assessed. Results: The median follow-up was 24 (5–99) months for the whole cohort. The median CD105 microvessel density was 55.5 (range; 12–136). Age (≤61 vs. >:61 years; P = 0.015), lymph node metastasis status (absent vs. present; P = 0.028), International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage (Ib–IIa vs. IIb–IVa; P = 0.036), cycles of concurrent chemotherapy (1–3 vs. 4–6 cycles; P = 0.001), and hemoglobin levels (≤10 g/dL vs. >:10 g/dL; P = 0.006) appeared to associate significantly with overall survival on univariate analysis. Discussion: No correlation was identified between the tumor CD105 (endoglin) expression and survival in CSCC patients treated with radical RT ± chemotherapy.