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Biomedical subjects

V Vitale

Publications and source records attributed to V Vitale.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Laryngeal long-term morbidity after supraglottic laryngectomy and postoperative radiation therapy.

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate factors associated with laryngeal morbidity when postoperative radiation therapy (RT) is added to supraglottic laryngectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1980 to 1994, 56 patients affected with T1 to 4 N0 to 2c supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma selected for standard (59%) or extended (41%) supraglottic laryngectomy at 2 different institutions were retrospectively analyzed. Most of the patients (91%) also underwent neck dissection. Approximately 80% of the patients had stage T4 primary lesions or N2 neck disease. Postoperative RT was added for presumed microscopic disease at the primary site (13 patients), regional nodes (23 patients), or both (20 patients). Median delivered doses to the larynx and to the neck were 50 Gy (range, 40 to 64 Gy) and 46 Gy (range, 40 to 64 Gy), respectively. Median follow-up for living patients is 11 years (range, 2.8 to 16.9 years). Laryngeal complication was defined as the appearance of grade 2 or higher toxicity according to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) scoring systems. RESULTS: Two- and 5-year actuarial locoregional control rates were 85+/-5% and 83+/-5%, respectively. Thirty patients (54%) developed laryngeal complications. However, just one patient experienced grade 4 laryngeal oedema requiring permanent tracheostomy. Estimated actuarial survival without laryngeal complications were 50+/-7%, 43+/-7%, and 39+/-7% at 2, 5, and 10 years, respectively. At univariate analysis, treated volumes (P = .03) and total dose to the larynx (P = .03) were significantly associated with local toxicity. A trend was observed also for the maximum dose to the neck (P = .06) and dose per fraction (P = .09). A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model showed total dose to the larynx to be the only independent predictor of toxicity (P = .03). The hazard ratio of laryngeal toxicity was 2.2 (95% confidence interval: 1.1/4.6), for a total dose to the larynx greater than 50 Gy. CONCLUSION: After supraglottic laryngectomy, postoperative RT to the neck does not affect local morbidity, but careful RT treatment planning is necessary to avoid delivering a total dose to the larynx greater than 50 Gy.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lack of a time-factor in alternating chemoradiotherapy for advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To assess wheiher a radiotherapy time factor exists also for patients affected by head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and receiving combined chemoradiotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: From 1989 to 1997, of 121 patients affected by stage III or IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who underwent alternating chemotherapy and radiotherapy according to the Merlano regimen at our institution, 59 were selected for time factor analysis. Until 1995, if chemotherapy had to be delayed because of bone marrow toxicity, radiotherapy was also delayed accordingly. Since January 1996 in order to avoid treatment-free gaps, radiotherapy was delivered continuously until it was possible to resume chemotherapy. Potential predictive factors of local-regional control were included in univariate and multivariate models. The median follow-up is 26 months (5-121 months). RESULTS: As a result of change in treatment policy, mean radiotherapy duration was shorter for 25 patients treated after 1995 (group A, 8.4 weeks) than for those treated during 1995 or before (group B, 9.4 weeks) (t test, P = 0.0012). In contrast, as expected, mean chemotherapy duration remained relatively unchanged through the years (10.9 vs 10.7 weeks for groups B and A, respectively, t test, P = 0.77). At 2 years, the actuarial local-regional control rate was 53 +/- 7% for the whole population. The estimated rates of local-regional control at 2 years were 49 +/- 10% and 56 +/- 9% for patients belonging to groups A and B, respectively. At univariate and multivariate analyses, treatment group was not predictive of local-regional control. CONCLUSIONS: Our attempt to prospectively limit radiotherapy overall treatment time failed to improve outcome. The data, although obtained on a relatively limited number of patients, suggest that tumor cell repopulation during radiotherapy may not be clinically relevant when chemotherapy is part of the treatment for advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Radiotherapy after high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation in patients with intermediate or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Patients with intermediate or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are rarely cured of their disease after the failure of conventional therapy. Autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) offers such patients a new possibility of cure. Our purpose was to evaluate the usefulness of radiotherapy. In these patients who did not achieve complete remission of disease after high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) followed by ABMT or who had previous bulky disease. In this study we examined 10 patients: after HDCT+ABMT, 9 patients had persistent disease and 1 patient with previous bulky disease was in complete remission. All patients underwent involved-field radiotherapy administered by a 6-18 MV linear accelerator, total mean dose 4000 cGy (range, 3200-5000 cGy). At the end of radiotherapy we observed 6 complete responses and 4 progressions of disease outside the radiotherapy field. No serious side effects were observed. To date, of the 6 complete responses 2 have relapsed (after 9 and 11 months) and 4 are alive and disease free at 24 months (range, 8-39 months) after radiotherapy. In our opinion, radiotherapy is an effective treatment after HDCT+ABMT and may have a role in a prospective multidisciplinary approach.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Introducing quality assurance in radiotherapy.

Introducing a Quality Assurance methodology appears particularly useful in Radiation Oncology due to the complexity of the procedures involved and the heterogeneity of the standards adopted, if any, in the great majority of the Centers. There are two possible ways of evaluating quality in the Health Environment: a formal, Institutional certification, or a voluntary one obtained through a mechanism of peer review. The European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO) started in 1994 with the publication of a methodological Report intended to be adopted by the individual national Societies, and this paper is an invitation to do it.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

On the delineation of the gross tumor volume and clinical target volume for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Gross tumor volume (GTV) and clinical target volume (CTV) delineation on planning computed tomography (pICT) for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas can be troublesome. We highlight the factors which can be crucial for the radiation oncologist in delineating GTV and CTV on pICT and provide some pratical solutions. Regarding GTV, uncertainties are correlated with transfer of information collected by physical examination and diagnostic radiology to pICT. Moreover, reproducibility of delineation can also be highly variable, particularly when diagnostic imaging quality and pICT quality are poor. Once the prescription has been made, clinical target volume identification on pICT is rarely straightforward. Whereas there are some data about the location of major lymph node stations of the neck, there are no reported guidelines on how to draw subclinical extention of primary head and neck tumors on pICT. Such volumes can be derived from those currently included in simulator films or from those addressed by the surgeon. Some examples are provided. A particular situation is represented by the adjuvant setting, when the primary tumor is removed (by surgery) or reduced (by chemotherapy). In conclusion, this paper shows some major problems associated with identification of GTV and CTV on pICT. Apart from selected cases, the use of pICT for target volume delineation (and thus for field shaping) for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is still to be considered investigational.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alternating chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and cisplatin, etoposide followed by prophylactic cranial and thoracic irradiation for small cell lung cancer (SCLC): long-term results.

Both CAV (Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine) and PE (Cisplatin, Etoposide) are effective and non cross-resistant regimens in the treatment of SCLC. We designed a chemotherapeutic scheme including CAV and PE given in an alternating fashion with the following schedule: Cyclophosphamide 1000 mg/sm, Doxorubicin 50 mg/sm, Vincristine 2 mg/sm I.V. on day 1, alternated every 21 days with Cisplatin 20 mg/sm and Etoposide 80 mg/sm I.V. days 1-5 for 6 cycles. Following chemotherapy (CT) chest radiotherapy in patients (pts) with limited disease (LD) in complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) and prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in CRs were given, 32 pts entered the study and 27 were evaluable: 9/27 (33.3%) had CR (8/15 with LD had CR) and 15/27 (55.5%) PR. The overall median survival was 53.71 weeks: 79.85 weeks for LD pts and 32.86 for ED.4 pts with LD were alive after 2 years and 2 of them are still alive without disease at 44 and 46 months. Toxicity was acceptable in all patients. Alternating chemotherapy with CAV and PE followed by chest and brain RT in responding LD pts is an effective induction treatment for SCLC although long-term survival still remains disappointing.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Radiation treatment plus CCNU plus the radiosensitizer lonidamine in malignant gliomas operated.

From June 1988 to January 1990, 28 patients with primary brain tumours were operated and treated with radiotherapy (RT) (50 Gy whole brain + 10 Gy boost to tumour bed) + cyclohexylnitrosourea (CCNU) 130 mg/msq p.o. every 6 weeks + the radiosensitizer Lonidamine (LND) (150 mg T.I.D. for the whole duration of treatment). Myelotoxicity of this regimen was acceptable, with two cases of grade IV leukopenia and thrombocytopenia requiring discontinuation of treatment. LND was discontinued in 6 patients for major toxicity (myalgias and/or testicular pain), and 3 additional patients required dose reduction of this drug. The median follow-up time of the patients on study was 12 months. The median survival time (MST) was 5 months for grade IV astrocytomas (n = 8) and 16 months for grade III lesions (= 20). No correlation was seen between survival of patients and DNA content, measured by flow cytometry, or levels of O6- alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase, an enzyme that repairs the CCNU-induced DNA damage.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The in vivo use of bromodeoxyuridine for the study of cell kinetics in squamous tumors of the neck and head. Implications for the radiotherapist].

Cell kinetics in 22 human epidermoid head and neck tumors were studied in vivo using bromodeoxyuridine (BUrD). Patients were infused with 250 mg/m2 of intravenous BUrD in a variety of sites (oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and lip) four/five hours prior to biopsy. BUrD incorporating cells were detected by flow-cytometry using anti-BUrD monoclonal antibodies. Ploidy (DNA index) labelling index (LI%), duration of S-phase (Ts) and potential doubling time (Tpot) could be measured within 12-24 hours from sampling in 77%, 72%, 63 and 63% of cases, respectively. Six failures (few viable cells in biopsy specimen and difficulties in BUrD cell analysis and DNA staining) were recorded. Labelling index values in this study ranged from 2.2% to 28% with a median value of 11%. The median total LI% of diploid tumor (n = 7) was 5% compared to 13% in aneuploid tumors (n = 7). Ts measurement ranged from 6.5 hours to 12 hours, median value being 10.5 hours (euploid tumors: 6.5, aneuploid 12). The calculated potential doubling time ranged from 2.6 to 15 days and the median Tpot was shorter at 5.0 days (euploid tumors: 7 days, aneuploid 4 days). 70% of the tumors had potential doubling time of 5 days or less. Potential doubling time did not correlate with ploidy and tumor or neck nodes status while shorter Tpots were observed in moderate or poorly differentiated tumors. Our data strongly suggest BUrD technique as a useful tool for studying the proliferative behavior of human tumors: the pre-treatment knowledge of individualized potential doubling times for the tumors scheduled for irradiation could help the radiotherapist to choose the more effective fractionation regimen (i.e.: accelerated fractionation for tumors with Tpot less than or equal to 6 days and standard fractionation for tumors with higher values.

Bromodeoxyuridine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Immunosuppressive role of radiotherapy in bone marrow transplant in patients with aplastic anemia].

From April 1976 through August 1989, 66 patients with aplastic anemia were treated on either of two immunosuppressive regimens in preparation for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from matched donor. Seventeen patients were treated with cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg for 3 days) followed by thoracoabdominal irradiation (TAI), 6 Gy/1 fr and 2 patients, receiving marrow graft from partially matched family donors, were treated with cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg for 3 days), TAI (6 Gy/1 fr) and Ara-C (4 g/mq for 2 days). Forty-seven more patients were treated with cyclophosphamide alone (50 mg/kg for 4 days). All patients received prophylactic treatment with methotrexate (15) or cyclosporine A (51) to avoid graft-versus-host disease. Mean time to engraftment was 12 days after chemotherapy and TAI and 15 days after cyclophosphamide (Cy) alone. No marrow rejections were observed in the TAI group: the two infants that received partially matched marrow allografted and are alive and well. Two patients treated with cyclophosphamide alone rejected allogeneic marrow. Long-term overall survivals are similar: 64% for TAI + Cy group and 56% for Cy alone group. In spite of the immunosuppressive regimen employed, young patients (under 20 years) do better than older ones (survival: 65% vs 45%, respectively). Thus, patient's age seems to be the main factor determining overall survival after allogeneic BMT. We conclude that the use of irradiation does not add significantly to the survival of aplastic patients; given the possible toxic long-term effects of irradiation, it would probably be wise to restrict the combined use of cyclophosphamide and irradiation to the patients sensitized to their donors, to those receiving partially matched marrow from family donors or in programs involving T-cell depletion.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Total body irradiation in the preparation of leukemic patients for bone marrow transplantation].

Total body irradiation is today the main conditioning method for patients who have bone marrow transplantation. The most diffuse procedure, as proposed at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center of Seattle, has been employed in this study. Our clinical material comprises 16 patients; 5 with acute lymphoid leukemia; 5 with acute myeloid leukemia; 4 with chronic myeloid leukemia in accelerated fase; and 2 in blastic crisis. Clinical results and toxicity are discussed, with emphasis to interstitial pneumonia.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗