Biomedical subjects

R C Kennaugh

Publications and source records attributed to R C Kennaugh.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1995

A radiation overdose incident: initial data.

PURPOSE: To estimate tolerance limits for irradiated human tissues by evaluating reactions observed in 426 patients who had received significant overdoses from an improperly calibrated cobalt unit. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A data file was designed to store essential technical and dosimetric information sufficient to analyze the response, estimate complication rates, and derive dose-response functions, using hierarchical region, system, and organ coding protocols. RESULTS: A total of 795 discrete target tissues had been irradiated in 426 evaluable subjects studied. In 183 patients who survived beyond 1 year, there were 62 (34%) with immediate severe complications in 386 irradiated sites including brain, spinal cord, skin, oropharyngeal mucosa, colon, and rectum. CONCLUSION: This unique data set includes responses to high doses and unusual fractionation beyond the range of conventional clinical experience. It provides a resource for estimating human tissue tolerance limits, for testing clinically relevant radiobiological models and for developing new optimization algorithms.

Cobalt↗

PubMed1989

Lack of clinical benefit after treatment of systemic sclerosis with total lymphoid irradiation.

Six patients with systemic sclerosis and internal organ involvement were randomized to receive total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) or to serve as untreated controls. Despite evidence of profound immunosuppression, we were unable to detect any longlasting clinical benefit in the treated patients, with follow-ups ranging from 1-4 years after TLI. Moreover, the results suggest that this therapy may accelerate pulmonary and gastrointestinal deterioration in scleroderma.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Modified radical neck dissection and postoperative radiotherapy in squamous cell head and neck cancer.

Between 1978 and 1982, 41 patients with clinically staged N1, N2, or N3b disease underwent unilateral or bilateral modified radical neck dissection. Five patients died free from their original disease with less than 24 months follow-up. Twenty-four patients with histologically positive nodes received postoperative radiotherapy with 2 (8 percent) neck recurrences. Another four patients with histologically positive nodes refused postoperative radiotherapy and had two (50 percent) neck recurrences. Three patients did not respond to radiotherapy at the time of their surgery and had no neck recurrences. The final five patients had histologically negative nodes, did not receive radiotherapy, and had no neck recurrences. These results suggest that modified radical neck dissection can be used in lieu of the classical radical dissection in many patients with clinically positive nodes who have squamous cell head and neck cancer without compromising survival.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

PubMed1985

A prospective study of preoperative chemotherapy and split-course irradiation for locally advanced or recurrent oral/pharyngeal squamous carcinoma.

Two courses of preoperative chemotherapy (methotrexate, bleomycin, cisplatin) were combined with split-course irradiation (2,000 rad/10 preop., 4,000 rad/20 postop.) and prospectively compared with standard therapy (surgery and/or irradiation alone) for locally advanced or recurrent oral/pharyngeal squamous cancer. The chemoradiotherapy arm (Ch-XRT) had 31 patients; the standard therapy arm 28 randomized (RC) and 20 concomitantly-treated (CC) patients. Treatment-related mortality was 17% for Ch-XRT; 10% for RC + CC. Number of patients NED at completion of treatment was 74% for Ch-XRT; 83% for RC + CC (NS). Median survival, however, was 17 months for Ch-XRT, 9 months for CC, and 12 months for RC. In addition, survival at 40 + months was 45% for Ch-XRT versus 21-22% for RC and CC (p less than 0.05). Thus, Ch-XRT seems to have promise in advanced oral/pharyngeal cancer, but needs revision to decrease toxicity.

Aged↗

PubMed1975

Carbon tetrachloride overdosage. A case report.

A case is described of a 30-year-old White male who drank 120 ml carbon tetrachloride (CCI4). The patient suffered severe liver damage and oliguria, he developed atrial fibrillation and become confused and irritable. During recovery, his bone marrow became depressed. He was discharged 29 days after admission.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment of refractory chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy with lymphoid irradiation.

Four patients with refractory or poorly responsive chronic progressive demyelinating polyneuropathy (CPDP) were treated with total lymphoid irradiation (total dose, 2000 rad) in an uncontrolled feasibility study. All patients had previously failed conventional therapy for CPDP, as well as other unconventional treatments. During a follow-up period of 7 to 12 months after total lymphoid irradiation, there was a profound and sustained suppression of the absolute lymphocyte count and in vitro lymphocyte function, as well as an increase in the ratio of Leu-2 (suppressor/cytotoxic subset) to Leu-3 (helper/inducer subset) T cells in the blood. Three of the four patients demonstrated improvement in distal muscle strength, and this was associated with increased functional capabilities in two patients. In contrast, no clinical improvement in sensation was noted in any patient. Nerve conduction studies showed patchy improvement in three patients. The results of this preliminary uncontrolled study indicate that radiotherapy deserves further study in the treatment of CPDP.

Chronic Disease↗