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R Fietkau

Publications and source records attributed to R Fietkau.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

[Supportive treatment with megestrol acetate during radio(chemo)therapy in patients with tumors in the head-neck area. A randomized study].

BACKGROUND: The value of megestrol acetate in treating tumor anorexia and cachexia of terminal patients is well known. However, the supportive effect of megestrol acetate during intensive radio-(chemo-)therapy was not investigated up to now. Therefore a randomized trial was performed including patients with advanced tumors in the head and neck region. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From June 1991 to December 1993 a total of 64 patients were admitted to a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study. During and up to 6 weeks following radiotherapy patients received 160 mg/d megestrol acetate or placebo. The nutritional status (anthropometric and laboratory parameters) and the quality-of-life index according to Padilla et al. [24] were determined prior to therapy, 1, 4, 6 weeks later during radiotherapy and 12, 18 weeks after completion. RESULTS: Sixty-one out of 64 patients were evaluable (control group: n = 30; megestrol acetate patients: n = 31). One patient refused further participation after randomization. One patient in each arm was excluded due to side effects (impotence, diarrhoea). Further side effects were not observed. In the control group the nutritional parameters (body weight, triceps skinfold) and the subjective feeling of the patients deteriorated during radiotherapy and did not restore following radiotherapy. By contrast, the patients of the megestrol acetate group were able to stabilize these parameters. This difference was most prominent in the orally nourished patients (weight loss during therapy: control group: -4.1 kg; megestrol acetate group: -0.8 kg; p = 0.004); but not in the patients fed by percutaneous endoscopically guided gastrostomy (weight loss control group: -2.4 kg; megestrol acetate group: -0.8 kg; p = 0.14). CONCLUSION: In patients on radiochemotherapy megestrol acetate prevents patients from further deterioration of the nutritional status and quality of life.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1994

Multivariate analysis of prognostic parameters using interstitial thermoradiotherapy (IHT-IRT): tumor and treatment variables predict outcome.

PURPOSE: From January 1986 to October 1991, 90 patients with localized tumors were treated in a Phase I/II trial using low-dose 192Ir brachytherapy (IRT) plus interstitial 915 MHz microwave (MW) hyperthermia (IHT) and external beam radiotherapy (ERT). Tumors were classified as locally advanced primary (class 1: 27), recurrent (class 2: 40), metastatic (class 3: 10) and persistent (class 4: 13) lesions. The treatment sites included tumors of the head and neck (62), pelvis (26), and others (2). The mean cuboidal tumor volume was 63 cm3 (range: 8-288 cm3). Most recurrent and metastatic lesions (48) had received prior treatment including ERT. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The treatment protocol prescribed two heating sessions (each 60 min) at 41-44 degrees C before and after IRT. One hundred sixty-one IHT sessions were evaluated. Invasive thermal data were recorded at an average of 18 sites throughout the implant volume. Several thermal variables were analyzed (e.g., averaged parameters: Tmaxav, Tmean, Tminav; index parameters: T10, T50, T90). The study was evaluated with a minimum follow up (FU) of one year. Median follow-up was 19 months. RESULTS: At 3 months FU, a complete response (CR) was observed in 59 of 90 (66%) patients. At 12 months FU, local control (LC) was achieved in 54 of 84 (64%) evaluable patients. Ten patients developed a local and 14 a regional recurrence (REC) after achieving a CR and/or LC. At last FU, a total of 31 (34%) patients were still alive and 28 (31%) patients had relapse-free survival. For all 90 patients, the median overall survival was 20 months and the median relapse-free survival was 17 months. Overall and relapse-free survival was significantly longer for primary and persistent lesions as compared to recurrent and metastatic lesions (p = 0.002; p < 0.001). Totally 22 (24%) patients experienced acute or subacute side-effects (Grade 1: 12 patients; Grade 2: eight patients; Grade 3: two patients). CONCLUSION: Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed significant dependencies of CR, LC and REC upon tumor parameters as well as radiation and thermal parameters. The overall and relapse free survival was associated with tumor and radiation parameters. The multivariate analysis revealed two independent predictors of CR: tumor volume and minimum tumor temperature variables. We conclude, that IHT-IRT is a safe and effective treatment. The results provide important implications for planning HT-RT studies and for defining quality assurance (QA) criteria and thermal performance standards in HT studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Therapy of hypopharyngeal cancer. Part IV: Long-term results of transoral laser microsurgery of hypopharyngeal cancer].

Between 1979 and 1986, 74 patients with hypopharyngeal carcinomas were operated using transoral laser microsurgery by the first author. 32 of the patients were subdivided into 5 subgroups and considered separately because of pretreatment for head and neck tumors, simultaneous multiple tumors etc. (excluding criterias). Survival times were not significantly prolonged and lasted 1-27 months (median, 11 months), but the quality of life was improved due to preservation or restoration of natural laryngopharyngeal functions. Forty-two patients were operated with curative intention. This group primarily underwent transoral laser microsurgery, aiming at complete locoregional tumor resection with function preservation (pT1, 5; pT2, 31; pT3, 4; pT4, 2). In 29 patients 31 necks were operated, mostly as a regionally limited functional neck dissection (or "selective" neck dissection). In 90% of the cases neck metastases (pN+) were found, mostly in levels II and III; pN1, 6; pN2a, 1; pN2b, 18; pN2c, 1. Altogether, stages III and IV were found in 71.4% of the patients. A temporary tracheotomy was required in four patients. There was no secondary laryngectomy, even though it was indicated in one case. Post-treatment oncological followup (median observation time, 104 months) demonstrated loco-regional recurrences (n = 1), late or recurrent metastases (n = 4), persisting metastases in the neck with cerebral metastasis (n = 1), distant metastases (n = 4), secondary tumors (n = 9, 5 of which occurred in the head and neck). Through March 1993, 24 patients (57%) have died. Causes were TNM-related (7), second primary tumor with or without distant metastases (8) and intercurrent disease with no evidence of disease (9). Within 5 years 17% of the patients died of TNM-related tumors, 9.5% due to a second primary with or without distant metastases, as well as 9.5% with intercurrent disease. The 5-year overall survival rate was 64% and was 83% (adjusted survival rate) if only TNM-related deaths were considered.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Radiotherapy of esophageal cancer. Results following radiotherapy alone and simultaneous radiochemotherapy and intracavitary irradiation].

PURPOSE: The records of 52 patients with inoperable but localized squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus were reviewed to determine the influence of different treatment modalities on survival, dysphagia and sites of recurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 22 patients were treated by concurrent radio-chemotherapy with cis-platin/5-FU or carboplatin/5-FU; 19 patients by radiotherapy alone; six patients by chemotherapy followed by irradiation and five patients by concurrent radio-chemotherapy with various drugs. External beam radiotherapy consisted of treating the primary lesion (mean dose 53 Gy) and the lymphatic areas (mean dose 31 +/- 26 Gy) at the rate of 2 Gy/day for five days/week. Additional intraluminal high-dose-rate radiotherapy was performed in 13 patients with single fractions of 6 Gy as a boost. Minimum follow-up was twelve months, median follow-up 4.3 years. RESULTS: For the whole population a remission rate of 65% (34/52 patients) was achieved (complete remission 18/52 patients = 35%; partial remission 16/52 patients = 31%). Relief of dysphagia accompanied tumor regression. Median survival was eleven months; three-year survival rate 23%; five-year survival rate 7.6%. The analysis of recurrence revealed a high rate of local failures (26/52 patients = 50%) and distant metastases (9/52 patients = 18%). Comparing the different modalities the best results were achieved by concurrent radio-chemotherapy with cis-platin/5-FU or carboplatin/5-FU: Complete remission could be determined in 46% and median survival was 14.9 months. Additional intracavitary radiotherapy resulted in a slightly better local control rate (54% vs. 46%) and three-year-survival rate (30% vs. 20%) compared to external beam irradiation alone. CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent radio-chemotherapy with cis-platin/5-FU is superior to other treatment modalities in inoperable carcinoma of the esophagus. Additional intraluminal radiotherapy may increase local control rate.

Brachytherapy↗
PubMed1994

Use of surface markers for MR radiotherapy planning.

PURPOSE: For the precise planning of radiotherapy treatment ports, the delineation and control of their borders has to be performed with X-ray and other imaging procedures before and during the therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Conventional planned therapy ports are checked with the help of MR-imaging with new gel-markers, as a further development to formerly used fluid filled tubes, on the skin of the patient in different regions. We describe the essentials of these gels and report about their first practical use. RESULTS: Principal considerations to the technique and practical applications are given with imaging examples. The essential physical qualities of the gels are introduced with separate NMR experiments. It turns out, that multiplanar MR-imaging in combination with field markers on the skin is a fast simple and useful help for the control and the improvement of treatment planning. CONCLUSION: MR-imaging with gel-markers on the skin in many cases can show the tumor and the field-ports in one picture. Thus the therapy planning is refined with simple means. On the one hand the target volume can be seized completely and on the other hand sensitive organs can better be protected.

Humans↗
PubMed1994

Prognostic value of S-phase fraction in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and nodal negative breast carcinomas.

PURPOSE: The prognostic value of proliferative activity (percentage of S-phase cells = SPF) was determined in head and neck and nodal negative breast carcinomas and correlated with treatment outcome and analysis of recurrence. METHODS AND MATERIAL: SPF of 171 primary squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck and 183 nodal negative breast carcinomas was determined by one-dimensional flow cytometry. RESULTS: For the whole population of head and neck carcinomas slowly proliferating tumors (SPF < median) had a better five-year survival rate (28%) than fast proliferating tumors (S-phase > median; 20% p < 0.05). Failure analysis revealed that the better survival of slowly proliferating tumors was due to the higher loco-regional control rate (62%) compared to fast proliferating tumors (43%; p < 0.05). Stepwise multivariate analysis revealed treatment modality (p = 0.107), SPF (p = 0.026) and UICC stage (p = 0.044) as independent prognostic factors for loco-regional recurrences and SPF (p = 0.0143) for three-year overall survival. In nodal negative breast cancer slowly proliferating tumors (SPF < median) had a better NED survival (92%) compared to fast proliferating tumors (SPF > median; NED survival 63%). The analysis of recurrence revealed a higher rate of distant metastases (15.7%) and of loco-regional recurrences (21%) for fast proliferating tumors as compared to slowly proliferating tumors (distant metastases: 1.1%; loco-regional recurrences 4.5%). Stepwise multivariate analysis showed that SPF (p = 0.001) was the only independent prognostic factor for NED survival; grading (p = 0.022), age (p = 0.003) and SPF (p = 0.007) for freedom from distant metastases; SPF (p = 0.0039), grading (p = 0.0956) and method of surgical treatment (p = 0.0715) for loco-regional recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: SPF has a relevant prognostic power for squamous cell head and neck cancer and nodal negative breast cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The influence of supportive nutritional therapy via percutaneous endoscopically guided gastrostomy on the quality of life of cancer patients.

Between April 1987 and May 1990 a total of 212 consecutive patients with tumours in the head and neck region were admitted to a prospective study comparing planned prospective enteral nutrition via percutaneous endoscopically guided gastrostomy (PEG; n = 47) and oral nutrition (n = 134). The nutritional status (anthropometric and laboratory chemical parameters) and the quality-of-life index according to Padilla et al. [Res Nurs Health 6:117-126 (1983)] were determined prior to radiotherapy, 2, 4, 6 weeks later during radiotherapy and 6, 12 and 18 weeks after completion of radiotherapy. The quality-of-life score of the orally nourished patients decreased quickly during radiotherapy and improved only slowly afterwards. Although PEG patients had a worse starting score, their quality-of-life index did not deteriorate during therapy (statistically significant difference between the two groups). The same applies to the nutritional status. These results show that an early and constant enteral nutrition by PEG can stabilize the nutritional state and the quality of life of patients with tumours of the head and neck area during radiotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

New bougie applicator system for intraluminal "high dose rate" afterloading radiotherapy of esophageal carcinoma.

Applicators used to date in endoluminal "high dose rate" (HDR) afterloading (AL) radiotherapy of esophageal carcinoma consist of hollow plastic probes with an average thickness of 4 mm (1.8-5.0 mm), the diameter of which, however, often strongly deviates from that of the lumen of the tumor stenosis. Consequently, the probe can occupy an eccentric position in the esophagus. Exact dosimetry in the tumor region thus becomes virtually impossible, since the dose of the iridium emitter drops significantly with increasing distance (> 60% at a distance of 5 mm from the surface of the 4 mm probe). The bougie-type afterloading applicators developed by our group, however, offer a number of distinct advantages in comparison to conventional applicator probes: 1. Precise positioning of the applicator in the stenosis with simultaneous bougie effect. 2. Exact centering of the radiation source in the lumen of the esophagus. 3. Individual adaptation of the applicator size to the diameter of the residual lumen resulting from the tumor. 4. Upon patient-specific adaptation of the radiation exposure period, a distinct reduction of the surface (mucosa) dose is achieved together with simultaneous enhancement of the depth effect of radiotherapy treatment. Using these new afterloading bougies in over 150 treatment sessions involving 55 patients, no complications were thus far observed.

Brachytherapy↗
PubMed1993

[Medulloblastomas--the results after postoperative radiotherapy with and without adjuvant chemotherapy].

Between 1975 and 1991, 40 patients with newly diagnosed medulloblastoma were treated at the authors' institutions. After aggressive surgical resection 39/40 (98%) received craniospinal radiation therapy with a local boost to the posterior fossa and other macroscopically involved areas. A group of 29 patients was treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. The five-year actuarial survival and event-free survival were 75% and 65%, respectively. Survival was significantly better for patients treated after 1981 as compared to those treated between 1975 and 1980 (p = .02). Younger age (two to four years) was associated with a better prognosis (p = .02). The extend of resection, Chang-stage, radiation dose to posterior fossa and the use of chemotherapy did not significantly impact on survival and relapse-free survival.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1992

Interstitial thermal radiation therapy: five-year experience with head and neck tumors.

Sixty-two patients with 24 primary advanced, six persistent, 28 locally recurrent, and four metastatic tumors of the head and neck were treated with combined interstitial low-dose iridium-192 radiation therapy, interstitial 915-MHz microwave hyperthermia (IHT), and external-beam radiation therapy. Diagnoses were squamous cell carcinoma in 56, adenocarcinoma in three, and soft-tissue sarcoma in three lesions. IHT was applied immediately before Ir-192 was placed and after its removal for 45-60 minutes at 41 degrees C-44 degrees C. At 3 months, complete remission had occurred in 39 lesions; partial remission, in 18; and no change or progressive disease, in five. At 12-month follow-up, local control was achieved in 29 of 50 patients; seven other patients had slow ongoing tumor regression with an unclear residual mass at computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Lesion type, tumor volume, total radiation dose, and thermal parameters with "good quality of heating" at high minimum tumor temperature were identified as statistically significant (P less than .05) prognostic factors influencing initial and long-term tumor response. There was no prognostic factor for acute or late thermal damage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[The potentials and limits of the radiotherapy of laryngeal carcinoma].

Early stage glottic carcinoma can be treated with primary radiotherapy reaching equally good results compared to primary surgery; for supraglottic carcinoma surgery offers only slight advantages over primary radiotherapy. Tumor control for recurrences is considerably improved by salvage surgery. The use of primary radiotherapy allows improved or at least preserved voice and reduced rates of acute complications and late treatment sequelae. However, treatment duration is longer and probably more expensive compared to function preservation microlaryngoscopic surgery. Which treatment approach is chosen, depends on individual patient factors and specific conditions in the clinical setting. In any case, primary radiotherapy deserves a stronger say in the early stage tumor situation. In our institution early stage supraglottic carcinomas undergo primary surgery. Advanced carcinomas (T2b and more) are rarely suited for primary radiotherapy with the exception of some very confined T3 tumors. Surgical approaches should be favoured, since they provide a detailed pathohistological tumor staging including R-classification, which would be lacking using primary radiotherapy. There are clear reasons to treat the lymph nodes for glottic carcinomas stage T2b and more and for all supraglottic carcinomas with radiotherapy. Specific risk factors are: tumor at the margins of the incision (R1), infiltration of the cartilage and pre-epiglottic space, paratracheal and subglottic extension of more than 1 cm, perineural invasion, grade III and IV as well as emergency tracheostomy. Postoperative radiotherapy should be given to the lymph nodes for all positive neck-dissections. New therapeutic approaches are on the horizon, which may improve the results of radiotherapy even for advanced larynx carcinomas, like hyperfractionation radiotherapy and simultaneous radio-chemotherapy combined enoral resection and postoperative radiotherapy may yield larynx preservation even for advanced stages. New imaging techniques allow an improved staging and predictive radiobiological assays may play a major role in tumor prognosis.

Carcinoma↗
PubMed1991

Percutaneous endoscopically guided gastrostomy in patients with head and neck cancer.

In 212 patients with tumors in the head and neck region the nutritional status prior to, during, and following radiotherapy, was determined by body measurements and biochemical and immunological parameters. In 165 orally fed patients the nutritional parameters deteriorated rapidly under radiation and afterwards recovered only slowly and incompletely, 31 patients requiring PEG during radiotherapy. By contrast, 47 patients with a poor initial status who had a prospectively performed percutaneous endoscopically guided gastrostomy (PEG) experienced an amelioration of their nutritional status even before radiotherapy ended. The subjective status of the patients was assessed using the Padilla quality of life index. Here, too, the PEG patients had significantly worse initial values than the orally fed patients. As with the objective indicators of nutritional status a significant deterioration was seen in the orally fed patients during radiotherapy, while the scores of the PEG patients remained constant. We consider early institution of a carefully monitored enteral feeding by PEG useful for stabilizing the nutritional status of patients with tumors in the head and neck region, and therefore recommend, when aggressive multimodal therapy is planned-and particularly if primary malnutrition is already obvious-prophylactic performance of PEG prior to the start of therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Future prospects of radiotherapy in pancreatic cancer.

To clarify the role of radiation therapy in the treatment of carcinoma of the pancreas studies with radiotherapy alone, combined interventional or concurrent radio-chemotherapy are reviewed. It is shown that in the case of inoperable tumour radiotherapy alone is inadequate, but by the means of a combination of chemotherapy, external beam or interventional (intra-operative, interstitial) irradiation, improvements in local control rates and median survival can be achieved. Following so-called curative resection, a number of studies have shown that adjuvant radio-chemotherapy or interventional treatments possibly prolong survival.

Combined Modality Therapy↗
PubMed1991

[Simultaneous radiotherapy and chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in advanced head and neck tumors].

Between 1.1. 1987 and 31.12. 1988 47 patients with locally advanced head- and neck tumours (UICC-stage II: one patient, stage III: 16 patients, stage IV: 30 patients) were treated with simultaneous radio-chemotherapy. Localisations were hypopharynx (23 = 49%), oropharynx (16 = 34%) and other sites (8 = 17%). Radiation therapy consisted of 60 Gy (primary region, N+) or 50 Gy (N0) in daily fractions of 2 Gy each over six weeks. During week 1 and 5 of radiotherapy two courses of chemotherapy with 5-FU (600 mg/m2/day, i.v. continuous infusion for five days) and cis-platin (25 mg/m2/day i.v. bolus for five days) were administered. 43/47 patients (91%) responded to therapy. 34/47 (72%) patients achieved a complete remission, 9/47 (19%) a partial remission, and 4/47 (9%) no change. With a minimum follow-up of 26 months 17/47 patients (36%) are alive and NED, 4/47 (9%) are alive with tumour. 18 patients (38%) died of cancer, eight patients (17%) died of second tumours, intercurrent diseases and of unknown reasons. Actuarial four-year survival is 45% (stage III: 56%, stage IV: 42%), four-year NED survival is 35% (stage III: 68%, stage IV: 18%). There were no loco-regional recurrences after additional surgical treatment of the primary and the neck following complete remission. In contrast after RCT alone and complete remission local recurrences in 6/21 patients (29%) and regional recurrences in 5/24 patients (21%) occurred. We conclude that simultaneous RCT is a new very effective treatment modality of locally advanced head and neck tumours producing superior loco-regional control compared to conventional management.

Adult↗