William C. Constable

Pelvic recurrence of rectal cancer. Options for curative resection.

Pelvic recurrence is an ominous event after curative resection of rectal cancer and is rarely amenable to re-resection by conventional methods. A method to permit a composite resection of these using the abdominal sacral approach has been described previously. This report updates that experience with resection of pelvic recurrence of rectal cancer in 28 patients. Of these, 24 were done with curative intent, and four were done for palliation (mainly for infected or fungating tumor). All patients had extensive preoperative evaluation by clinical and radiologic tests, and most patients had a long free interval period of approximately 18 months, after their primary resection. Although 47 patients had exploratory surgery, only 29 had local disease amenable to resection and four had palliative resections. About half the patients had had an abdominoperineal resection, half had had an anterior resection, and one third had had previous efforts to resect the recurrence. All but one patient had been irradiated with 3000-11,000 cGy. All but two patients (of the 24 curative efforts) required a formal abdominosacral resection (through S1-2 in 12, S2-3 in 9, and S4-5 in 1). Over half the patients also required a bladder resection. There were three operative deaths (12%); one patient had a cardiac death immediately after operation and two were septic deaths at 35 and 60 days. The survivors generally had relief of sacral root pain and good motor function; most of those previously employed could return to work. The actuarial 5-year survival rate is 25% and median survival is 36 months. Long-term survival over 48 months was recorded in five of 21 surgical survivors (23.8%). Survival in a historic comparative group of 30 patients treated for local recurrence only (mainly by radiation) was 15 months median, and at 5 years the survival rate was 3% (p less than 0.001). In conclusion, selected patients with pelvic recurrence of rectal cancer may be retrieved by and returned to functional life with the composite abdominosacral resection.

Curative radiotherapy in non-small cell carcinoma of the lung.

Recent reports suggest radiotherapy administered to the 5000-6000 cGy level can result in significant long-term survival in non-small cell carcinoma of the lung. This is particularly true for many cases that are technically operable but for medical or other reasons thoracotomy cannot be performed. Such patients drawn from Southern Appalachia where the principal industry is coal mining are the subject of this report. In this region coal miners pneumoconiosis (black lung) is common as well as other chronic respiratory disorders resulting in poor tolerance for surgery. Three hundred and eleven cases of non-small cell carcinoma were irradiated during the 4 years of 1980 through 1983. This group consisted of 77 patients with clinical Stage T1, T2, T3 all N0, M0 tumors, the majority of which were technically operable but upon whom no thoracotomy was performed because of medical reasons or patient refusal. All are available for 5-year study. Each of these patients was uniformly irradiated to 6000 cGy target dose in 30 fractions over 6 weeks using standard techniques. Absolute or crude survival in these 77 patients is as follows: 1 year, 57%; 2 year, 36%; 3 year, 21%; 4 year, 17%; and 5 year, 17%. Comparison with reported surgical series treated for cure show little difference in survival up to 2 years. Thereafter, the survival curves diverge with radiotherapy patients dying at a somewhat higher rate although by 4 years both survival curves slope similarly. A possible explanation for this difference is the advantage thoracotomy offers in early case selection allowing exclusion of advance cases from surgical reports whereas radiotherapy must include patients with occult local metastasis not identifiable on clinical grounds. This experience, among other reports include evidence that radiotherapy can result in long-term survival or cure with minimal morbidity in lung cancer patients in whom surgery carries excessive risk.

Optimum dose of radiotherapy for chemodectomas of the middle ear

Abstract Forty patients with chemodectomas of the middle ear were seen at the University of Virginia Hospital from 1932 to 1978. Surgery, post-operative radiotherapy or radiotherapy alone were the treatment modalities employed depending on the extent of the disease. These have been reviewed with regard to the clinical presentation and results of treatment with long term follow-up of 1–30 years. An attempt was made to determine the optimum dose of radiotherapy based on our data and reported cases in the literature. The majority of patients complaining of tinnitus, otalgia and pulsation obtained significant if not complete relief of symptoms. Cranial nerve defects, however, often persisted after therapy. Tumor was considered to be controlled if there was no increase in its size or progression of symptoms. Tumor control was obtained in eight of 10 early patients but only in two of seven more patients with advanced disease with total resection. Control rate with post-operative radiotherapy after subtotal resection was 85%. Radiotherapy alone was used for inoperable or recurrent tumors and control was obtained in 88 % of them. In addition to our data, the radiation dose used in over 200 patients reported in the literature were analyzed. There was only a 2% recurrence rate in patients who received 4000 rad/4 weeks or higher. Twenty-two percent of patients treated with less than 4000 rad developed recurrence. The tendency is to use a lower dose of postoperative treatment and a higher dose for gross inoperable tumors. 4000 rad/4 weeks seems to be adequate for control of postoperative residual disease and no more than 5000 rad/5 weeks are required even for advanced inoperable cases. By keeping the dose below 5000 rad/5 weeks, the incidence of complications such as brain necrosis is greatly decreased.

Esthesioneuroblastoma: A comparison of two treatment eras

This paper is a retrospective review of 30 patients with esthesioneuroblastoma, an uncommon malignancy of the upper nasal cavity, treated at a single institution from 1959 through 1986. Over the period of study, there has been a gradual evolution of treatment policy and technique with the introduction of craniofacial resections and complex field megavoltage radiation, as well as for Stage C disease, the addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy and surgery. The 25 patients with a 2 year minimum follow-up are divided into 2 groups depending upon treatment era to determine the impact of modern aggressive therapy upon treatment results. Two-year survival for Group I (1959-1975) was 70% as compared with 87% for Group II (1976-85). For Stage C disease, there was a definite improvement in survival in the later era (88% versus 50%), although relapses did not appear to be circumvented. Salvage therapy has an important role in prolonging survival in this disease.

Glomus jugulare tumors long‐term control by radiation therapy

The records of 49 patients with glomus jugulare tumor seen at the University of Virginia from 1932 to 1985 were retrospectively reviewed with the objective of assessing long‐term results of treatment. Follow‐up ranged from 5 to 31 years, with a minimum of 10 years in 36 patients (73%). According to McCabes classification, 17 patients (35%) were Group I, 11 patients (22%) were Group II, and 21 patients (43%) were Group III. Analysis by therapeutic technique revealed that 20 patients received surgery alone (41%), 15 patients received radiation therapy alone (31%), and 14 patients received combined therapy (28%). Only 7 patients (14%) have had clinical or radiologic evidence of disease progression. Three of these patients were treated by surgery alone and three by a combination of surgery and radiation, but the dose was less than 4000 cGy. Only one patient treated by radiation therapy alone or with surgery and radiation to a dose in excess of 4000 cGy demonstrated disease progression. Salvage radiation therapy was given to three of the seven patients when progressive disease was detected. Radiation therapy is an effective treatment for glomus jugulare tumor with minimal late progression of disease in adequately treated patients and no significant long‐term complications.

Concomitant 5-fluorouracil, Mitomycin-C, and radiotherapy for advanced gynecologic malignancies

Advanced gynecologic neoplasms continue to pose major therapeutic problems; 22,500 deaths were estimated for 1987. Between December 1983 and October 1985, there were 25 patients evaluated at our institution who on joint evaluation by the radiation oncologist and gynecologic oncologists were found to have extensive disease not amenable to standard therapy. Patients were to be treated by a combined modality approach with Mitomycin-C and 5-Fluorouracil given concomitantly with radiotherapy. Nineteen patients were treated definitively and six patients were treated with palliative intent (24 primary, 1 recurrent). The patients ranged in age from 27 to 90 years with a mean of 57.3 and a median of 57. Primary sites at presentation were: cervix--14 patients, vagina--7 patients, and vulva--4 patients. The initial FIGO stages at time of the initial diagnosis were: Stage I--1 (recurrent), Stage II--4, Stage III--15, and Stage IV--5. Chemotherapy consisted of 5-fluorouracil 1 gm/m2 given continuous infusion for 4 days with Mitomycin-C 10 mg/m2 IV push on day 1. Radiation therapy was started on day 1. Only 2 of 25 patients (8%) required chemotherapy reductions. All 25 patients received mega-voltage irradiation. The external beam dose range was 2000-6500 cGy and 14/25 patients received intracavitary or interstitial therapy. In the definitive patient group, there was no reduction in the therapeutic dose. Only four patients underwent surgical therapy. With a minimum follow-up of 8 months and a median follow-up of 28 months, the survival for the entire population was 56%. Fourteen of the 19 patients (74%) treated definitively are surviving with 12 patients having no evidence of disease. Survival by site in the definitive therapy group was cervix--70%, vulva--100%, and vagina--66%. The overall response rate was 84% at 3 and 9 months (3 months; CR--36%, PR--48%, and 9 months; CR--60%, PR--24%). There were no local recurrences in the 12 patients who achieved a complete response. Three patients died of metastatic disease alone and the overall local control was 60%. Evaluation of therapeutic side effects was performed. Hematologic analysis by the Southeastern Oncology Group criteria showed neutropenia in 14 patients (1--life-threatening, 2--severe, and 11 patients--mild/moderate) and thrombocytopenia was observed in 11 patients (all mild or moderate). All hematologic complications resolved. Acute complications did not appear increased except for the addition of mild oral mucositis (12 patients). Six patients demonstrated late effects with only 2 patients felt to have severe complications.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Primary central nervous system germ cell tumors. Effect of histologic confirmation on radiotherapy.

Primary malignant intracranial germ cell tumors are rare lesions responsible for only 0.5% of all central nervous system (CNS) malignancy. With stereotactic localization these lesions can be safely biopsied, and histologic confirmation will affect the ultimate prognosis. This report is a multi‐institutional retrospective analysis of 33 patients diagnosed with a primary CNS germ cell tumor. Tumors in 14 patients (42%) were histologically confirmed (13 germinoma and one embryonal cell carcinoma); 19 patients were treated with a presumptive diagnosis. All patients were irradiated with a dose range of 3950 cGy to 6000 cGy to the primary lesions. Eight patients received craniospinal irradiation, and 25 patients were locally treated. The 5‐year actuarial survival for the entire population was 64%. The survival rate in patients with histologic confirmation was 79% versus 53% in the unbiopsied population. Radiation doses greater than 5000 cGy, radiotherapy volume, and age were prognostic factors in determining survival.

Radiotherapeutic management of cancer of the supraglottis

One hundred eighty‐five patients with cancer of the supraglottis were treated with curative intent by radiotherapy alone or combined with surgery over a 14‐year period. Minimum follow‐up was 3 years. Sixty‐eight percent had Stage III or IV disease. Moderate‐dose radiotherapywith surgery in reservewas the policy for the early lesionsand yielded a 3‐year locoregional control rate of 76% for T1 N0/N1T2 N0/N1and T3 N0/N1 lesions combined. In this group84% of patients with locoregional control retained laryngeal function. The major complication rate was 4%. Patients with advanced disease were treated with preoperative radiotherapy and surgeryresulting in an overall 3‐year no evidence of disease rate of 72%. Adverse prognostic factors in supraglottic cancer were the extent of the primary lesion and the presence of N2 or N3 nodes. Neither vocal cord fixation nor N1 nodes had a negative influence on survival in T3 and T4 disease.

Definitive Radiotherapy in the Management of Stage I and II Carcinomas of the Glottis

Definitive radiotherapy for early glottic carcinoma continues to offer excellent control and the advantage of voice preservation. In the 13 years from January 1972 through December 1984, there were 187 patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the glottis at the University of Virginia Medical Center. One hundred forty-eight patients were treated with definitive radiotherapy as the initial management. The 3-year disease-free survival for the irradiated population was 93.6% in stage I and 75.5% in stage II. Twenty patients had recurrences following radiotherapy, and 13 of 20 were successfully surgically salvaged for an overall determinate survival of 100% in stage I and 85.7% in stage II at 3 years. These statistics are comparable to those from our previous 16-year review of 147 patients from 1956 through 1971. Factors of prognostic significance were persistent hoarseness after radiotherapy, impaired cord mobility, subglottic extension, and multiple sites of involvement in stage I. We conclude that definitive radiotherapy offers excellent survival and that a majority of the small number of treatment failures can be managed with surgical salvage.

Partial Laryngectomy and Radiotherapy for Supraglottic Cancer: A Conservative Approach

This is a retrospective study of 33 patients with supraglottic cancer treated with partial laryngectomy and moderate-dose radiotherapy at the University of Virginia from 1967 through 1986. All patients had a 2-year minimum follow-up. Ten patients received preoperative radiotherapy, and 23, postoperative radiotherapy. The 2-year adjusted survival rate was impressive at 97%. Local control at 2 years was 96%, including one patient who was salvaged with total laryngectomy. Control of the neck was 90% at 2 years. Ninety percent of the patients alive at 2 years had a functional voice. One patient required a completion laryngectomy for chronic aspiration. Conservation surgery with radiotherapy provides excellent survival as well as locoregional control rates with preservation of function in selected patients with supraglottic cancer. This approach may be especially helpful in the management of bulky T2 lesions as well as T4 lesions with minimal vallecula or base of tongue involvement.