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T Habeshaw

Publications and source records attributed to T Habeshaw.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

No correlation between ras, c-myc and c-jun proto-oncogene expression and prognosis in advanced carcinoma of cervix.

55 patients suffering from stage III or IV carcinoma of cervix were treated with two pulses of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy prior to radical radiotherapy. 51% (26/51) had a partial response. The initial response to chemotherapy is associated with significantly better long-term survival. The 3-year survival of chemotherapy responders is 62% against 21% for non-responders (P = 0.009 log-rank test). To detect possible differences in oncogene expression in biopsy specimens taken from responding and non-responding patients, paraffin-fixed material was immunocytochemically stained for the expression of the protein products of ras, c-myc and c-jun proto-oncogenes. The frequency of oncogene expression was ras 80.4%, c-myc 45.1% and c-jun 39.2%. There was no statistically significant association between oncogene expression, time to local recurrence or development of metastases or survival.

Adult

Carboplatin-based combination chemotherapy for advanced carcinoma of the cervix.

A combination of carboplatin, vincristine, methotrexate and bleomycin (COMB) was given to 29 patients with locally advanced, metastatic or recurrent cervical carcinoma. A total of 85 cycles of chemotherapy were given, with half of the patients receiving greater than 3 cycles. Both the response rate (32.1%) and the median duration of response (30 weeks) were relatively disappointing. Renal toxicity was minimal, but one-third of our patients experienced severe (WHO grades 3 and 4) nausea and vomiting. This combination showed little advantage over carboplatin used as a single agent.

Adult

Epirubicin at two dose levels with prednisolone as treatment for advanced breast cancer: the results of a randomized trial.

Two hundred eleven patients with advanced breast cancer were randomized to receive either epirubicin (E) 50 mg/m2 and prednisolone (LEP) or E 100 mg/m2 and prednisolone (HEP). The intended treatment consisted of 16 courses of LEP or eight courses of HEP given at 3-weekly intervals. Reasons for stopping treatment early included progressive disease, stable disease without symptomatic improvement, or severe toxicity deemed intolerable by either the patient or physician. Toxicity was recorded at 3-weekly and response at 9-weekly intervals using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria of response and toxicity. Two hundred nine patients were eligible for analysis, 98% of whom have been followed for more than a year. One hundred four patients received LEP and 105 HEP. Significantly worse myelosuppression, alopecia, nausea and vomiting, and mucositis were seen in the high-dose arm (P less than or equal to .001). More patients in the LEP arm stopped treatment before the fourth course than in the HEP arm, and the commonest reason for stopping was progressive disease. A similar median number of courses was given in each arm. There was a significantly higher response in the HEP arm (HEP - complete response [CR] + partial response [PR] = 41%, LEP - CR + PR = 23%). Despite this, no statistically significant differences was seen in overall survival or progression-free interval. The median survival for HEP and LEP was 44 and 46 weeks, respectively.

Adult

A comparison of remote afterloading and manually inserted caesium in the treatment of carcinoma of cervix.

Between 1982 and 1985, 240 patients with carcinoma of cervix were treated by radical radiotherapy, 140 using the selectron at the Royal Beatson Memorial Hospital (RBMH) and 100 with conventional caesium at the Western Infirmary. To allow for the increased dose rate to point A (1.2-1.4 Gy/h) during selectron treatment the overall intracavity dose was reduced by a mean value of 25%. Local recurrence rates were similar: 15% (selectron) against 14% (conventional). Three-year survival with local control was somewhat worse in the selectron group (77% against 81%) mainly because of an increased frequency of metastatic disease with local control (19.3% against 12.0%. The use of remote afterloading has not increased late morbidity (15.7% selectron, 15.0% conventional). The introduction of the selectron has brought about a marked reduction in staff radiation exposure. At the RBMH the mean recorded dose to nurses fell from 19 mSv in 1981 to 2.4 mSv in 1985.

Brachytherapy

Oestrogen and progesterone receptors in carcinoma of the cervix.

Oestrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors have been measured in 102 cervical carcinomas. With positive levels defined as concentrations exceeding 20 fmol/mg protein for cytoplasmic receptor and/or 200 fmol/mg DNA for nuclear receptor, 24% of tumours were dual receptor positive and 51% were dual receptor negative. The majority of adenocarcinomas (81%: 13/16) expressed ER (P less than 0.001) though only 54% (7/13) of these tumours co-expressed PR. There was a significant correlation between tumours positive for ER and those arising in premenopausal women (P = 0.011), with good or moderate differentiation (P = 0.027) and of smaller size (P = 0.025). Median follow-up is 19 months. Apart from advanced stage, tumour bulk (greater than 5 cm) was the only parameter associated with inferior progression-free survival, and most larger tumours were of advanced stage. No prognostic significance could be detected for receptor status.

Adenocarcinoma

Assessment of factors influencing the outcome of radiotherapy for bladder cancer.

The results of treatment of 709 patients with carcinoma of the bladder are reported. Inclusion of the pelvic lymph nodes in the treatment volume failed to lead to any improvement in survival. The factors influencing survival were stage, tumour histology and differentiation. The presence of tumour at follow-up cystoscopy at 3 months was of great prognostic significance.

Aged

The prognostic value of a response to chemotherapy given before radiotherapy in advanced cancer of cervix.

Forty patients with stage III and 15 patients with stage IVa carcinoma of cervix have been treated with two pulses of cisplatin, vincristine and bleomycin combination chemotherapy before full dose radical radiotherapy. Twenty-seven of 51 (53%, 95% confidence interval 40-67%) had an objective response to chemotherapy and all chemotherapy responders had a complete response to radiotherapy. The actuarial survival at 24 months of responders to chemotherapy is 71% against 37% for non-responders. The responding patients had an estimated reduction in mortality to 36% (P = 0.014, 95% CI 15-81%) of that of the non-responders to chemotherapy. The incidence of tumour recurrence or distant metastases showed a similar reduction to 34% (P = 0.006, 95% CI 14-73%) of that of the non-responders. The data strongly suggest that response to chemotherapy in the initial treatment of advanced cervical cancer is associated with an improvement in survival following subsequent radical radiotherapy.

Adult

Combination chemotherapy prior to radical radiotherapy for stage III and IV carcinoma of the cervix.

Twenty-three patients with Stage III and seven patients with Stage IVa carcinoma of cervix were treated with two pulses of cisplatin, vincristine and bleomycin combination chemotherapy prior to radical radiotherapy. Seventeen of the 30 patients (57%) had a partial response to chemotherapy; 25 had a complete response following radiotherapy. Currently, 16 patients are tumour-free 6 to 31 months after treatment, eight are dead and six are alive, with tumour. The actuarial survival at 30 months is 66%. Acute and late effects of radiation upon normal tissue have not been increased. Pelvic tumour was eliminated in 21 of the 30 patients (70%). The high local control rate may be due to the initial tumour shrinkage after chemotherapy.

Adult

A randomised trial of tamoxifen versus tamoxifen with aminoglutethimide in post-menopausal women with advanced breast cancer.

Sixty-six post-menopausal women with metastatic breast cancer were randomised to receive tamoxifen or tamoxifen with aminoglutethimide. The women in the tamoxifen group were virtually free of toxicity, whilst 45% of patients in the aminoglutethimide group had toxicity and 13% discontinued the drug because of this. Responses were seen in 19% of patients receiving tamoxifen alone and 23% of those receiving both drugs. There is no indication that the increased toxicity seen with the addition of aminoglutethimide to tamoxifen in this situation is justified by an increased response rate.

Aged

Carcinoma of the penis: a review of 42 cases.

A retrospective survey was made of 42 cases of carcinoma of the penis presenting over 14 years. Cases for attempted cure of the primary lesion were treated by either radiotherapy or surgery. It is recommended that radiotherapy should be the primary treatment as it is non-mutilative, allows secondary surgical salvage where necessary and has no greater occurrence of post-treatment lymph node metastases than surgery.

Adult