Strahlenther Onkol

[3D-Ct-planned interstitial HDR brachytherapy + percutaneous irradiation and chemotherapy in inoperable pancreatic carcinoma. Methods and clinical outcome]

Year 1998
Pfreundner L. Baier K. Schwab F. Willner J. Bratengeier K. Flentje M. Feustel H. Fuchs KH.
Klinik fur Strahlentherapie der Julius-Maximilians-Universitat, Wurzburg.
PURPOSE: Clinical experiences in interstitial 192-iridium HDR brachytherapy for the treatment of unresectable pancreatic carcinoma are presented. Brachytherapy has been used as boost irradiation in a multimodality treatment concept together with external radiotherapy and simultaneous chemotherapy. Practicability during clinical routine, tolerability and toxicity of treatment are investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nineteen patients (9 female, 10 male, median age 67 years) with unresectable carcinoma of the pancreas have been treated with interstitial brachytherapy. Distribution according to UICC stages showed 4, 10 and 5 patients in stage II to IV respectively. In all cases afterloading technique with 192-iridium in HDR-modus was used. A total dose of 10 to 34 Gy to the reference isodose was delivered (single dose 1.88 to 5 Gy, median 2.5 Gy). Brachytherapy was followed by external radiotherapy, delivering an additional dose of 40 to 58 Gy. Nine patients received simultaneous chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin). Treatment planning was performed based on CT scans, allowing spatial correlation of isodose curves to the patient's anatomy. RESULTS: Median survival time was 6 months. A trend of lower survival rates with advanced stage of disease (median survival stage IV 4 months, stage II and III 6.5 months) was seen. Local control rate was 70%. Brachytherapy treatment was well tolerated, severe acute side effects were not observed. One patient developed pancreatic fistulae 4 months and 1 patient a gastric ulcer 7 months after treatment. Pain release was achieved in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: 192-iridium HDR-brachytherapy is an effective tool in the treatment of unresectable pancreatic carcinoma with a high rate of local control and a low rate of side effects and is comparable IORT or seed implantation.

Acute radiation reaction and local control in breast cancer patients treated with postmastectomy radiotherapy.

Year 1998
Kuhnt T. Richter C. Enke H. Dunst J.
Klinik und Poliklinik fur Strahlentherapie, Martin-Luther-Universitat Halle-Wittenberg, Germany.
BACKGROUND: We have investigated the variation of acute radiation reactions in medium-risk patients with postmastectomy radiotherapy with regard to a possible correlation between radiation reaction of normal tissues and local tumor control. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From 1985 through 1991, a total number of 194 patients received postmastectomy radiotherapy for breast cancer pT1-2pN0-2M0 at the University of Halle-Wittenberg. The lymphatics were irradiated by an anterior 9-MV photon field and the chest wall by an individually shaped anterior field with 9-MV electrons. Both fields received single doses of 2 Gy 5 times weekly up to a total dose of 44 Gy to the chest wall and 50 Gy to the lymphatics. All patients were routinely evaluated once weekly during radiotherapy for acute side effects by one examiner. Skin erythema was classified as mild, moderate or severe, esophagitis as being present in form of dysphagia or not and pneumonitis, if present, as asymptomatic (visible only on repeated chest X-rays) or clinically symptomatic. A differential blood count was also carried out once weekly. For this analysis, the records of all patients were retrospectively reviewed. The median follow-up at the time of analysis was 4.2 years. RESULTS: Of the patients, 98 (51%) had a mild, 53 (27%) moderate and 43 (22%) a severe erythema. Furthermore, 38 patients (20%) had signs of esophagitis, 13 (7%) had asymptomatic and 26 (13%) symptomatic pneumonitis. Patients with severe erythema or erythema plus esophagitis and pneumonitis had a more pronounced decrease in lymphocyte count during treatment than patients with mild erythema: the lymphocyte nadir was 0.14 vs 0.73 Gpt/l in patients with severe vs mild erythema, and 0.36 vs 0.69 Gpt/l in patients with erythema plus esophagitis plus pneumonitis vs patients with erythema only, p < 0.05. Of the patients, 44 (22%) developed chronic side effects, mostly arm edema. There was no correlation between acute and late effects. An overall number of seven local recurrences (3.6%) occurred. The risk of developing a local recurrence within 5 years after treatment was 0% in patients with severe erythema or erythema plus esophagitis/pneumonitis vs 7% in patients with mild erythema only; this difference was marginally significant, p = 0.055. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis showed a trend towards better local control in patients with severe acute radiation reaction of normal tissue. The data support a recent publication by Dahl and coworkers showing a linkage between acute radiation reaction of normal tissue and tumor response in patients with preoperative radiotherapy for rectal cancer. The correlation between acute normal tissue reaction and local control might be explained by interindividual variations in the intrinsic, genetically determined radiosensitivity. However, local factors might also be involved, e.g. induction of a cytokin cascade in cases of acute reactions in normal tissues.

[Radiation therapy of chronic pancreatitis. Case report]

Year 1998
Liebermeister E. Sautter-Bihl ML.
Klinik fur Strahlentherapie, Stadtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe.
BACKGROUND: Chronic pancreatitis is a severe inflammatory process leading to destruction of exocrine tissue, fibrosis and a sometimes fatal pancreatic necrosis. Therapeutic options are poor and restricted to an exclusively symptomatic treatment. In this situation any additional treatment option is welcome. CASE REPORT: The present paper reports the successful irradiation of a patient with severe chronic pancreatitis resistant to any pretreatment. Pain relief was stated one week after beginning of the irradiation. Total dose was 7 Gy, applied with opposing ap/pa fields using 8 MV photons. Three years after treatment the patient has remained free from symptoms. He has gained 14 kg of weight and is working regularly.

[Prevention and therapy of acute radiation-related morbidity of the skin and mucosa. II, Recommendations of the literature]

Year 1998
Zimmermann JS. Niehoff P. Wilhelm R. Schneider R. Kovacs G. Kimmig B.
Klinik fur Strahlentherapie (Radioonkologie), Christian-Albrechts-Universitat Kiel. zimmermann@onco.uni-kiel.de
BACKGROUND: In a German multicenter questionnaire, answered by 89 departments, we had examined the strategies to prevent or to treat the acute morbidity of the skin and mucosa associated to radiation therapy. In this work, the recommendations from the literature are compared to the results of the questionnaire. METHODS: An extensive research on common data information systems (Medline, Cancerlit, DIMDI and others) was performed. The criteria included the organ related morbidity and therapeutic strategies for its reduction. The obtained data were compared to the results from the questionnaire. RESULTS: The study data found by the research often demonstrate small patient numbers and little convincing results. However, as in the questionnaire, the joint principle seems to be the reduction of acute inflammatory tissue reaction by evasion of bacterial and mycotic overgrowth and reduction of exo- and endogenous toxins. CONCLUSIONS: Further studies with more convincing results are required.