Marc Poupart

T1-T2 NO oropharyngeal cancers treated with surgery alone. A GETTEC study.

The aim of this study is to show that surgical treatment of early-stage squamous cell carcinomas of the oropharynx gives identical, if not better, oncological results than the classic radiotherapy treatment in terms of locoregional control and survival. Fifty-three patients (32 T1, 21 T2, all N0) were operated on during the years 1995–2000. Surgical treatment consisted in a resection by the transoral approach in 43 patients (81.13%); ten patients (18.87%) benefited from a pharyngectomy with (seven) or without (three) mandibular resection. A level I to V selective neck dissection was performed on 35 patients, and 5 patients underwent a level II to V selective neck dissection. The 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 100, 94.6 and 73%, respectively. There was no significant difference concerning the tumor stage (P=0.69), the initial localization (P=0.64), the macroscopic aspect (P=0.65) and the management undertaken in the different centers (P=0.19). The 5-year rate of specific survival was 100%. The 1-, 3- and 5-year locoregional control rates were 96.22, 92.45 and 88.68, respectively. The oncological occurrences observed were 2 persistent diseases, 5 local recurrences, 11 second primary cancers and 0 nodal recurrences. Seven local failures were observed, all of which were controlled after a second treatment. Eleven patients presented second primary cancers; three died, two are alive with an extension of this second localization, and six are alive and free of disease. The locoregional control provided by surgery alone on T1-T2 N0 oropharyngeal cancers is as good as radiotherapy. Moreover surgery alone makes it possible to spare patients the complications and aftereffects of radiotherapy. It also makes it possible during the recurrences to operate on patients in non-irradiated areas with lower morbidity and mortality. It is all the more beneficial since it will be possible to resort to radiotherapy after surgery if need be.

Conformal radiotherapy for paranasal sinus and nasal cavity tumors: three-dimensional treatment planning and preliminary results in 40 patients

PURPOSE To assess the possibility to deliver a high and homogeneous irradiation with respect to maximal tolerated dose to the visual pathways for paranasal sinus and nasal cavity tumors. METHODS AND MATERIALS Forty patients with advanced stage malignant tumors were treated with postoperative (30) or primary (10 patients) conformal radiotherapy (CRT). Five patients were previously irradiated. Six to 15 individually shaped isocentric noncoplanar field arrangements, using a multileaf collimator were designed. Dose-volume histograms (DVH) for the planning target volumes (PTV) and the optic pathways were analyzed in 31 cases. RESULTS Median and maximal delivered doses to the PTV were 60 (+/-3) and 66 (+/-4) Gy. Dose distributions for critical organs are detailed. Median follow-up was 19 months (3 to 48). Local, nodal, and metastatic recurrences occurred in 8, 2, and 7 cases, respectively. Major prognostic factor for local recurrences was central nervous system (CNS) involvement. One patient died of meningitis. Two patients developed cataract, and 1 patient ipsilateral blindness due to vascular glaucoma. CONCLUSION CRT for locally advanced paranasal sinus and nasal cavity tumors enables the delivery of high homogeneous doses to the PTV with respect to critical organs, with a low toxicity and a high local control.

Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for paranasal sinus carcinoma: Clinical results for 25 patients

PURPOSE To assess local control, survival, and clinical and dosimetric prognostic factors in 25 patients with locally advanced maxillary or ethmoid sinus carcinoma treated by three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (RT). MATERIALS AND METHODS Surgery was performed in 22 patients and was macroscopically complete in 16. Seven patients received chemotherapy (concomitant with RT in four). The following quality indexes were defined for the 95% and 90% isodoses: tumor conformity index, normal tissue conformity index, and global conformity index. RESULTS The median radiation dose to the planned treatment volume was 63 Gy, with a minimal dose of 60 Gy, except in 2 patients whose cancer progressed during RT. The maximal doses tolerated by the structures involved in vision were respected, except for tumors that involved the optic nerve. After a median follow-up of 25 months, 14 local tumor recurrences developed. The major prognostic factors were central nervous system involvement by disease and the presence of nonresectable tumors. The radiation dose and tumor conformity index value were not significant prognostic indicators. Two patients died of acute infectious toxicity, and two developed late ipsilateral ocular toxicity. CONCLUSIONS Improving local control remains the main challenge in RT for paranasal tumors.

Self‐expanding metal stents for the management of bronchial stenosis and bronchomalacia after lung transplantation

Background: Airway stenosis or malacia after lung transplantation, usually as a result of anastomotic ischemia, remains a major problem. Methods: The authors report their experience with the Gianturco expandable stent for the management of 23 bronchial stenoses in 18 patients following lung transplantation. Stent placement occurred an average of 5.6 months after transplantation. Results: Stents were well tolerated and produced immediate symptomatic and functional improvement. The mean follow‐up after implantation was 21 months (range, 4 to 48 mo). The authors removed five stents by endoscopy and replaced them, and removed one stent entirely. Laser resection was used to control granulomas or partial fibrosis stenosis that occurred in four stents (14.3%) after an average of 4 months. One stent broke but was still in place and effective 32 months later. One patient died of hemorrhage 4 months after stenting. Conclusion: Although it can still be improved, this expandable metal stent is suitable for the treatment of posttransplantation proximal bronchial stenosis.

Cartilaginous tumors of the larynx: Endoscopic laser management using YAG/KTP

The objective of this study was to analyze results of endoscopic YAG laser management as a treatment of chondroma and/or low‐grade laryngeal chondrosarcoma.

Salvage brachytherapy of posterior pharyngeal wall squamous cell carcinoma in a previously irradiated area

PURPOSE Brachytherapy performed in patients with posterior pharyngeal wall carcinoma in a previously irradiated area is evaluated in terms of local control, survival, and complications. METHODS AND MATERIALS Between January 1982 and July 1993, 14 patients were treated with interstitial low dose rate brachytherapy alone for posterior pharyngeal wall squamous cell carcinoma in a previously irradiated area (local recurrences in five cases and second tumors in nine cases). Tumor size ranged from 1 to 4 cm. No patient had a macroscopic nodal involvement or metastase at the time of diagnosis. Median dose delivered was 55 Gy (39 to 60 Gy). RESULTS Thirteen patients were assessed for local control. Twelve of them achieved complete macroscopic response within 2 months after brachytherapy. Local relapse occurred in five patients, from 5 to 29 months after brachytherapy. One patient developed distant metastatis without loco-regional relapse. Disease free survival was 69, 59, and 37% at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively; overall survival was 78, 50, and 21% at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. Three patients were still alive without recurrence (8, 8, and 10 years after treatment). We did not observe any severe acute or delayed toxicity. CONCLUSION Based on these results, interstitial brachytherapy should be considered as a potentially curative treatment for selected patients with posterior pharyngeal wall squamous cell carcinoma in a previously irradiated area. There are no reports in the literature on this subject.

Management of Tracheobronchial Stenoses With Endoprostheses: Experience With 103 Patients and 11 Models

Objective: To describe in a retrospective study our experience in endoscopic management of tracheobronchial stenosis with 145 stents (11 different models).

Radiotherapy potentiation with weekly cisplatin compared to standard every 3 weeks cisplatin chemotherapy for locoregionally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Background Despite its toxicity, cisplatin every 3 weeks (q3w) is the standard potentiation of chemo-radiotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. This study aimed to determine whether weekly cisplatin (q1w) could be a safe and effective alternative. Patients and methods Two hundred and sixty-two patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, irradiated in our institution with cisplatin (q1w or q3w) between January 2004 and December 2008, were retrospectively included. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated. Survival distributions were estimated by Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Prognostic effect of chemo-radiotherapy was explored using Cox model. Results A total of 165 and 97 patients received q1w and q3w cisplatin, respectively. Median age, stage at diagnosis, alcohol consumption, intensity-modulated radiation therapy use, median weight, and renal failure before radiotherapy were significantly different, showing lower risk in the q3w group. Q3w cisplatin was found to be more toxic in terms of weight loss, renal failure, worse chemotherapy plan completion, and grade 3/4 mucositis and dermatitis, with more patients requiring analgesics, secondary hospitalization, and radiotherapy interruption (≥3 days), and patients affected by long-term toxicities. With a median follow-up of 73 months (95% confidence interval [CI] [68.9–76.2]), OS was found to be significantly better with q3w (5 years OS: 62.3%; 95% CI [51.6–71.3]) than with q1w cisplatin (5 years OS: 52.6%; 95% CI [44.5–60.0]) (log-rank P=0.0146). More number of patients treated according to the q1w schedule experienced a recurrence: 47.3% vs 30.9% (P=0.009). Thus, the PFS for q3w schedule was found to be globally better (5 years PFS: 55.8%; 95% CI [45.0–65.3]) than for q1w schedule (5 years PFS: 43.6%; 95% CI [35.9–51.0]) (log-rank P=0.0161). However, both multivariate analyses, OS and PFS, produce no significant hazard ratio for chemo-radiotherapy modality once adjusted on unbalanced covariates according to the descriptive analysis. Conclusion Though q1w seemed to be safer than q3w according to the descriptive analysis, multivariate analyses failed to conclude about its efficiency. Therefore, we conclude that the q3w schedule should remain the standard and prospective comparisons are needed.

Management of the Neck in the Setting of Definitive Chemoradiation: Is There a Consensus? A GETTEC Study

BackgroundThe management of the neck remains controversial in the definitive chemoradiation setting of advanced N2–3 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Most published data favor omission of neck dissection (ND) after complete response for N2–3 or selective ND for residual diseaseMethodsWe studied the patterns of care in the French-Belgian Groupe d’Etude des Tumeurs de la Tête Et du Cou (GETTEC) through a questionnaire-based survey.ResultsEighteen percent of institutions never performed up-front ND, 20% rarely, 40% sometimes, 14% often, and 8% systematically. Induction chemotherapy was indicated in 30% of the cases, and most ND were performed either between induction and radiation or after chemoradiation for residual disease. Response to chemoradiation was assessed by computed tomographic scan and positron emission tomography in 72% of cases. Selective ND was more common than radical ND.ConclusionsOmission of ND based on computed tomographic scan and positron emission tomography–based complete response to chemoradiation is the most common strategy for advanced nodal disease among centers. However, neck management strategies vary among institutions, and some institutions continue advocating systematic ND before irradiation. The new treatment options and the changing epidemiology, namely docetaxel-based induction chemotherapy and human papilloma virus–related head and neck squamous cell carcinoma having better response profiles and prognosis, are adding to the nonconsensual approach. The best therapeutic index in terms of neck management remains to be defined in this evolving context.

Neoadjuvant TPF in locally advanced head and neck cancer can be followed by radiotherapy combined with cisplatin or cetuximab: a study of 157 patients.

Neoadjuvant TPF (docetaxel, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil), followed by radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy with weekly carboplatin, increases overall survival and organ preservation. We assessed whether TPF could be used in routine practice and whether radiotherapy potentiated with cisplatin or cetuximab was feasible and could increase survival. We retrospectively reviewed 157 patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with TPF in four French institutions between May 2005 and March 2009. After induction, operable patients had undergone surgery and were irradiated, and potentiated in some cases with cetuximab or cisplatin. Most patients (79%) had been treated with organ preservation strategies. The two most common sites were the hypopharynx (34%) and the oropharynx (30%). The response rate to TPF was 84%, including 26% with a complete response. Radiotherapy had been provided to 144 (92%) patients (of whom 17 had received radiotherapy alone, 46 had received q3w cisplatin, 30 had received q1w cisplatin, and 37 had received cetuximab). Potentiation had been achieved as planned in 59, 63, and 62% of patients treated with q3w cisplatin, q1w cisplatin, and cetuximab, respectively. After a median follow-up of 39.9 months, the median overall survival was 43 months. No significant difference was observed in progression-free survival or overall survival according to the type of potentiation. This study confirms the efficacy and tolerability of TPF induction, followed by chemoradiation, with outcomes similar to those for patients irradiated without induction. The best potentiation of radiotherapy after induction has not yet been determined.