Pre- and post-radiotherapy MRI results as a predictive model for response in laryngeal carcinoma

The purpose was to determine if pre-radiotherapy (RT) and/or post-radiotherapy magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can predict response in patients with laryngeal carcinoma treated with RT. Pre- and post-RT MR examinations of 80 patients were retrospectively reviewed and associated with regard to local control. Pre-RT MR imaging parameters such as tumor involvement of specific laryngeal anatomic subsites including laryngeal cartilages and post-RT changes, i.e., complete resolution of the tumor or focal mass/asymmetric obliteration of laryngeal tissue and signal pattern on T2-weighted images, were evaluated. Local control was defined as absence of a recurrence at the primary site for 2 years. Local control rates based on pretreatment MR findings were 73% for low pre- RT risk-profile and 29% for high pre- RT risk-profile patients (p=0.0001). Based on posttreatment MR findings, local control rates were 100% score 1, 64% score 2, and 4% score 3 (p< 0.0001). Using post-RT T2-weighted images, significant association was found between differences in signal pattern and local control: 77% hypointense, 54% isointense and 15% hyperintense lesions (p<0.001). Differences between means of delay of post-MRI examination were significantly associated with regard to local control (p=0.003); recurrent tumors followed 5 months after RT were more easily detectable on MRI than recurrent tumors within 4 months after RT. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, negative and positive predictive values of post-RT score 3 were 96%, 76%, 83%, 98% and 66%. Pre- and post-RT MRI evaluation of the larynx can identify patients at high risk for developing local failure

Veranderingen in de TNM-classificatie van het hoofd-halscarcinoom

The TNM-classification of the UICC is used for staging malignant tumours worldwide. From 2003 the new revised sixth edition must be used. In comparison with the fifth edition there are some general and some head and neck carcinoma specific alterations. Some designations are introduced if sentinel lymph node procedure or immunohistochemistry or molecular methods have been used. In the revised version some definitions for advanced tumour stages at several head and neck sites are changed. In the new classification of the primary tumour the terms erosion and invasion of cartilage or bone are used. At most head and neck sites T4 is divided in T4a and T4b

The Incidence of Trilateral Retinoblastoma : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PURPOSE: To estimate the incidence of trilateral retinoblastoma in patients with retinoblastoma. " DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: We searched Medline and Embase for scientific literature published between January 1966 and July 2015 that assessed trilateral retinoblastoma incidence. We used a random-effects model for the statistical analyses. " RESULTS: We included 23 retinoblastoma cohorts from 26 studies. For patients with bilateral retinoblastoma the unadjusted chance of developing trilateral retinoblastoma across all cohorts was 5.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.3%-7.7%); the chance of pineal trilateral retinoblastoma was 4.2% (95% CI: 2.6%-6.2%) and the chance of nonpineal trilateral retinoblastoma was 0.8% (95% CI: 0.4%-1.3%). In patients with hereditary retinoblastoma (all bilateral cases, and the unilateral cases with a family history or germline RB1 mutation) we found a trilateral retinoblastoma incidence of 4.1% (95% CI: 1.9%-7.1%) and a pineal trilateral retinoblastoma incidence of 3.7% (95% CI: 1.8%-6.2%). To reduce the risk of overestimation bias we restricted analysis to retinoblastoma cohorts with a minimum size of 100 patients, resulting in adjusted incidences of 3.8% (95% CI: 2.4%-5.4%), 2.9% (95% CI: 1.9%-4.2%), and 0.7% (95% CI: 0.3%-1.2%) for any, pineal, and nonpineal trilateral retinoblastoma, respectively, among patients with bilateral retinoblastoma. Among hereditary retinoblastoma we found an adjusted trilateral retinoblastoma incidence of 3.5% (95% CI: 1.2%-6.7%) and a pineal trilateral retinoblastoma incidence of 3.2% (95% CI: 1.4%-5.6%). CONCLUSION: The estimated incidence of trilateral retinoblastoma is lower than what is reported in previous literature, especially after exclusion of small cohorts that were subject to overestimation bias in this context. (C) 2015 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)Peer reviewe

Fermion zero modes at the boundary of superfluid 3He-B

Superfluid 3He-B belongs to the important special class of time-reversal invariant topological superfluids. It has Majorana fermions as edge states on the surface of bulk 3He-B. On the rough wall these fermion zero modes have finite density of states at E=0. It is possible that Lancaster experiments with a wire vibrating in 3He-B have already probed Majorana fermions living on the surface of the wire.Comment: 4 pages, no Figures, JETP Letters style, version to be published in JETP Letter

Critical Velocity in 3He-B Vibrating Wire Experiments as Analog of Vacuum Instability in a Slowly Oscillating Electric Field

The Lancaster experiments with a cylindrical wire moving in superfluid 3He-B are discussed, where the measured critical velocity of pair creation is much below the Landau critical velocity. The phenomenon is shown to be analogous to the instability of the electron-positron vacuum in an adiabatically alternating strong electric potential of both signs, where the positive- and negative-root levels cross and thus the instability treshold is twice less than in the conventional case of a single static potential well.Comment: RevTex file, 6 pages, 4 figure

Screening for pineal trilateral retinoblastoma revisited: a meta-analysis

Topic To determine until what age children are at risk for pineal trilateral retinoblastoma (TRb), whether its onset is linked to the age at which intraocular retinoblastomas develop, and the lead time from a detectable pineal TRb to symptoms. Clinical relevance About 45% of patients with retinoblastoma – those with a germline RB1 pathogenic variant – are at risk for pineal TRb. Early detection and treatment is essential for survival. Current evidence is unclear on the usefulness of screening for pineal TRb and, if useful, until what age screening should be continued. Methods We conducted a study according to the MOOSE guideline for reporting meta-analyses of observational studies. We searched PubMed and Embase between January 1, 1966, and February 27, 2019, for published literature. We considered articles reporting patients with TRb with survival and follow-up data. Inclusion of articles was performed separately and independently by two authors, and two authors also independently extracted the relevant data. They resolved discrepancies by consensus. Results One hundred thirty-eight patients with pineal TRb were included. Of 22 asymptomatic patients, 21 (95%) were diagnosed before the age of 40 months (median 16, interquartile range 9–29). Age at diagnosis of pineal TRb in patients diagnosed with retinoblastoma at ≤6 months versus >6 months of age were comparable (P=0.44), suggesting independency between the ages at diagnosis of intraocular retinoblastoma and pineal TRb. The laterality of intraocular retinoblastoma and its treatment were unassociated with the age when the pineal TRb was diagnosed. The lead time from an asymptomatic to a symptomatic pineal TRb was approximately 1 year. By performing a screening magnetic resonance imaging scan every 6 months after the diagnosis of heritable retinoblastoma (median age 6 months) until the age of 36 months, at least 311 and 776 scans would be required to detect one asymptomatic pineal TRb and to save one life, respectively. Conclusion Patients with retinoblastoma are at risk for pineal trilateral retinoblastoma for a shorter period than previously assumed and the age at diagnosis of pineal trilateral retinoblastoma is independent of the age at diagnosis of retinoblastoma. The GRADE level of evidence for these conclusions remains low.Peer reviewe

Mjerenje s dobrom statistikom emisije dvaju fotona i dileptona pri proton-proton raspršenju na 190 MeV

The first high-statistics measurement of double-photon and dilepton yields in proton-proton scattering below the pion threshold has been performed. The data obtained will allow a detailed study of the proton-proton interaction.Izveli smo prvo mjerenje s dobrom statistikom emisije dvaju fotona i dileptona pri proton-proton raspršenju na energiji ispod praga za produkciju piona. Dobiveni podaci omogućuju dodatno proučavanje svojstava međudjelovanja protona

Mjerenje s dobrom statistikom emisije dvaju fotona i dileptona pri proton-proton raspršenju na 190 MeV

The first high-statistics measurement of double-photon and dilepton yields in proton-proton scattering below the pion threshold has been performed. The data obtained will allow a detailed study of the proton-proton interaction.Izveli smo prvo mjerenje s dobrom statistikom emisije dvaju fotona i dileptona pri proton-proton raspršenju na energiji ispod praga za produkciju piona. Dobiveni podaci omogućuju dodatno proučavanje svojstava međudjelovanja protona