Protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on radiation induced lung injury in rats

Purpose: The prevention of radiation-induced pulmonary toxicity may help to improve radiation therapy in the cancer patient. The aim of this study was to investigate the pulmonary protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an antioxidant, on radiation-induced lung injury in rats. Methods:30 Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups and treated with saline, Radiation (RT) and RT + CAPE respectively. All rats were treated with CAPE (50 ?mol/kg i.p.) or saline. The first dose of CAPE was injected 24 h before radiation and application continued daily, with radiation in second day and 2 days more after the radiation treatment. Radiation dose was 800 cGy for total body. At 72 hr after the last radiation application, under general anesthesia using ip ketamine, the lungs were removed immediately after decapitation. After sacrification, antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and malondiadehyde (MDA) levels were evaluated in lung tissue. Results: The level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was higher in the RT group (233.4±1.5 nmol/g protein) than in both the control (131.8±0.92) and the RT + CAPE (151.4±1.8) groups (P < 0.001). However, CAT activity was decreased in the RT group (7.26±0.27 Umg protein) compared with control (8.49±0.51) and increased again in the RT + CAPE group (8.31±0.56; P < 0.001). In accord with CAT activity, SOD activity in the RT group (0.42±0.07 nmolMDA/g wet tissue) was different from the control (0.78±0.02) and RT + CAPE (0.86±0.06) groups (P < 0.001). Conclusion: CAPE aplication with radiation therapy attenuated radiation induced pulmonary injury in vivo, possibly by its antioxidant effect

Effect of Serum Selenium Levels on Radiotherapy-related Toxicity in Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer

Aim: To investigate whether there is a difference in selenium levels before and after radiotherapy (RT) and to study the effects of serum selenium levels on RT-related toxicity in patients undergoing RT for head and neck cancer. Patients and Methods: A population of 47 consecutive patients was enrolled in the study. RT was given by conventional fractionation. RT-related acute toxicity was evaluated once a week. Blood samples were obtained before and after RT to evaluate selenium levels. Results: There was no significant difference between the levels of selenium before and after RT (58.09 +/- 1.36 mu g/l and 56.34 +/- 1.11 mu g/l, p-value=0.747, respectively). Grade mucositis, dysphagia, radiodermatitis, and nausea were seen in 6 (12.7%), 32 (68.2%), 24 (51.1%), and 3 (6.4%) patients, respectively. It was found that there was no statistically significant difference in the levels of selenium before and after RT, and no observed diferrences in regard to RT-related toxicities. Conclusion: The serum selenium levels do not affect RT-related toxicities

Aminoguanidine ameliorates radiation-induced oxidative lung damage in rats

Purpose: To investigate the possible protective effects of aminoguanidine (AG ) on lung damage in whole body irradiated rats. Methods: To evaluate the biological damage of radiation on rat lung tissue, lipid peroxidation products were measured using biochemical parameters. Thirty Wistar albino rats were divided into three subgroups: control (C) , irradiation alone (RT), and RT + AG combined. After sacrificing the rats, antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activities and malondiadehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) levels were evaluated in lung tissue. Results: Administration of AG resulted in an increase in the activities of CAT, SOD and GSHPx in the lungs. All were reduced after radiatio. In addition, AG administration resulted in a decrease in both NO and MDA levels in lung compared with the irradiated group. Conclusion: Amnoguanidine increased the endogenous antioxidant defence mechanism in rats and protected the animals from radiation-induced lung toxicity. Moreover, AG may protect against ionizing radiation-induced lung damage because of its antioxidant effect

The effect of being overweight on survival in patients with gastric cancer undergoing adjuvant chemoradiotherapy

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of being overweight on survival in patients with gastric cancer undergoing adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and chemotherapy. In this study 152 patients were evaluated. Radiotherapy dose was 45 Gy given in 5 weeks. 5-FU 425 mg/m(2) and folinic acid 20 mg/m(2) were administered weekly during the radiotherapy and four cycles with 4-week intervals as consolidation chemotherapy after radiotherapy. Patients were assigned into two groups according to their body mass index: overweight (body mass index >= 5 kg/m(2)) and normal weight (body mass index <25.0 kg/m(2)). The median overall survival was 39 months vs. 18 months and median disease-free survival was 27 months vs. 13 months in the overweight and normal-weight groups respectively (P = 0.004 and P = 0.006 respectively). The 5-year survival was better in the patients with overweight than those with normal weight (42% vs. 17%; P = 0.004). The overall survival was significantly better with being overweight and early pathological stage (P = 0.016 and P = 0001 respectively). Overall survival, disease-free survival and long-term survival in patients with gastric cancer undergoing adjuvant treatment were better in overweight than normal-weight patients. Moreover, it was shown that body mass index and pathological stage were associated to survival and prognosis

Concomitant chemoradiotherapy with docetaxel and cisplatin followed by consolidation chemotherapy in locally advanced unresectable non-small cell lung cancer

Objectives: To evaluate treatment results and toxicities in patients who received concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by consolidation with docetaxel and cisplatin in locally advanced unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Ninety three patients were included in this retrospective study. The patients received 66 Gy radiotherapy and weekly 20 mg/m 2 docetaxel and 20 mg/m 2 cisplatin chemotherapy concomitantly. One month later than the end of CRT, consolidation chemotherapy with four cycles of docetaxel 75 mg/m 2 and cisplatin 75 mg/m 2 were administered at each 21 days. Results: Median age of the patients was 57 (range, 30-74). Following concomitant CRT, 14 patients (15%) showed complete and 50 patients (54%) showed partial response (total response rate was 69%). The median follow-up was 13 months (range: 2-51 months). The median overall survival was 18 months (95% confidential interval [CI]: 13.8-22.1 months); local control was 15 months (95% CI: 9.3-20.6 months); progression-free survival was 9 months (95% CI: 6.5-11.4 months). Esophagitis in eight (9%) patients, neutropenia in seven (8%) patients and pneumonitis in eight (9%) patients developed as grade III-IV toxicity due to concomitant CRT. Conclusion: Concomitant CRT with docetaxel and cisplatin followed by docetaxel and cisplatin consolidation chemotherapy might be considered as a feasible, and well tolerated treatment modality with high response rates despite the fact that it has not a survival advantage in patients with locally advanced unresectable NSCLC

THE TREATMENT RESULTS OF MALIGN PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA. PATIENTS: A SINGLE CENTRE EXPERIENCE

Objective: The aim of this study is to asses the treatment results of our malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients

Whole Abdominal Field versus Standard Field Radiotherapy plus Concomitant and Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Patients with Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer

Whole abdomen irradiation/Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy/Gastric cancer

Preliminary results of a phase II study of weekly paclitaxel (PTX) and carboplatin (CBDCA) administered concurrently with Thoracic Radiation Therapy (TRT) followed by consolidation chemotherapy with PTX/CBDCA for stage III unresectable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of unresectable NSCLC. This phase II study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of paclitaxel (PTX) and carboplatin (CBDCA) at a recommended dose, based on other previous phase I studies. Twenty-two unresectable stage III NSCLC patients participated in this trial. Of those 22 patients, 19 were evaluable, with a median age of 57 (with ages ranging between 42 and 74), in stages IIIA/IIIB: 6/13. Every patient displayed adequate organ functions. Treatment consisted of a 1-hour i.v. infusion of 50 mg/m2 of PTX followed by a half-hour infusion of CBDCA AUC 2 administered weekly concurrently with radiation treatment, every first day of those weeks in which the patient underwent radiotherapy. Concurrent thoracic radiation therapy was performed in daily doses of 2 Gy to a total dose of 66 Gy over a period of 6.5 weeks. After completion of chemoradiotherapy, consolidation chemotherapy was administered via a 3-hour i.v. infusion of 175 mg/2 PTX on days 1 and 22, in combination with a 1-hour i.v. infusion of CBDCA AUC 6 on days 1 and 22, q 4 weeks for 4 cycles. The overall response rate was 78.9% (95% CI: 62-87.7) with 5 CR (26.3%), 10 PR (52.6%), 2 SD (15.8%), and 1 PD (5.3%). The median survival rate of the patients was 13.9 months, and the 1-year survival rate was 65.1%. Toxicity was moderate: grade 2 neutropenia was seen in 8, and grade 3 neutropenia in 5 patients. Grade 2 thrombocytopenia was seen in 3 patients, and grade 3 thrombocytopenia was not observed. Non-hematologic toxicities were moderate: esophagitis was the most common, and significant toxicity was noted in this study (89.4%). Grade 1 asthenia/fatigue was observed in 5, and grade 2 asthenia/ fatigue in 3 patients; furthermore, grade 1 peripheral neuropathy was seen in 4 of the cases and grade 2 peripheral neuropathy in 3 of the cases. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly PTX/CBDCA, followed by consolidation chemotherapy with the same regimen in patients with stage III unresectable NSCLC is feasible and well tolerated

An Acute Transverse Myelitis Attack after Total Body Irradiation: A Rare Case

Total body irradiation (TBI) combined with chemotherapy is widely used as a pretreatment regimen of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in hematologic disorders. Late complications related to TBI as part of the conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation have been revealed. Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) is a neurological syndrome characterized by disorder of motor, sensorial, and autonomic nerves, and tracts at medulla spinalis, which is resulted from involvement of spinal cord. In this paper, we presented an ATM attack developed after TBI in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as it is a rarely seen case