TP53 regulates human AlkB homologue 2 expression in glioma resistance to Photofrin-mediated photodynamic therapy

2010-2011 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journa

Primary treatment results of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

INTRODUCTION Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) is a major health problem in southern and eastern Asia. In Indonesia NPC is the most frequent cancer in the head and neck area. NPC is very sensitive to radiotherapy resulting in 3-year disease-free and overall survival of approximately 70% and 80%, respectively. Here we present routine treatment results in a prospective study on NPC in a top referral; university hospital in Indonesia. METHODS All NPC patients presenting from September 2008 till January 2011 at the ear, nose and throat (ENT) department of the Dr. Sardjito General Hospital, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, were possible candidates. Patients were included if the biopsy was a histological proven NPC without distant metastasis and were assessed during counselling sessions prior to treatment, as being able to complete the entire treatment. RESULTS In total 78 patients were included for treatment analysis. The median time between diagnosis and start of radiotherapy is 120 days. Forty-eight (62%) patients eventually finished all fractions of radiotherapy. The median duration of the radiotherapy is 62 days for 66 Gy. Median overall survival is 21 months (95% CI 18–35) from day of diagnosis. CONCLUSION The results presented here reveal that currently the treatment of NPC at an Indonesian hospital is not sufficient and cannot be compared to the treatment results in literature. Main reasons for these poor treatment results are (1) a long waiting time prior to the start of radiotherapy, (2) the extended overall duration of radiotherapy and (3) the advanced stage of disease at presentation.Maarten A. Wildeman, Renske Fles, Camelia Herdini, Rai S. Indrasari, Andrew D. Vincent, Maesadji Tjokronagoro, Sharon Stoker, Johan Kurnianda, Baris Karakullukcu, Kartika W. Taroeno- Hariadi, Olga Hamming-Vrieze, Jaap M. Middeldorp, Bambang Hariwiyanto, Sofia M. Haryana, I. Bing Ta

Early diagnosis of anastomotic recurrence after surgery for rectal cancer: usefulness of E.U.S.

Le staging préopératoire des adénocarcinomes rectaux par endoscopie, radiologie ou CT scan est généralement très décevant à la fois dans la détermination du degré d'infiltration pariétale et dans la détection des adénopaties. De même, le diagnostic de récidive locale par les mêmes méthodes est bien souvent tardif et les chances de réintervention à visée curative sont très minces. Le but de la présente étude est de déterminer l'apport de l'échoendoscopie dans le diagnostic précoce des récidives locales. Durant une période de 40 mois, nous avons réalisé 136 échoendoscopies rectales (nous avons utilisé les échoendoscopes GF-UM2, GF-UM3 et CF-UM3) chez 81 patients dans le cadre d'un suivi après résection antérieure du rectum pour adénocarcinom

Performance of a dedicated light delivery and Dosimetry device for photodynamic therapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Phantom and volunteer experiments

The objective of this study was to develop a light delivery and measurement device for photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the nasopharyngeal cavity, which achieves a homogeneous and reproducible fluence rate distribution to a target area and provides proper shielding of predefined risk areas. Materials and Methods: A flexible silicone applicator was developed, incorporating light delivery and dosimetry fibers. The applicator can be inserted through the mouth and fixed in the nasopharyngeal cavity. Tissue optical phantoms were prepared on the basis of optical properties measured in vivo using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The fluence rate over the length of the applicator surface was measured in air, in tissue optical phantoms and in five healthy volunteers. Results: The fluence rate distribution over the applicator surface in air and tissue optical phantom was found to be more homogeneous (SD/mean 3.8% and 18.3%, respectively) than the fluence rate distribution in five volunteers (SD/mean ranging from 19% up to 52%). The maximum observed fluence rate build-up in the nasopharynx varied between subjects and ranged from a factor of 4.1-6.9. Shielding of the risk area such as the soft palate and tongue was effective. Conclusions: In air and in tissue optical phantoms the fluence rate distribution of the device was highly homogeneous. The observed inter-subject and intra-subject variations in fluence rate in healthy volunteers originated from differences in optical properties and nasopharyngeal geometry. Light delivery based on a single tissue surface measurement will not be adequate. In situ dosimetric measurements are required to determine the light fluence delivered to a geometrically complex site such as the nasopharynx. These observations should be taken in consideration when developing light applicators for PDT of the nasopharynx and other non-uniform surface

Temoporfin mediated photodynamic therapy in patients with local persistent and recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma after curative radiotherapy: A feasibility study

Background: The treatment of persistent and recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains a challenge, especially in Indonesia. We investigated the safety and efficacy of temoporfin mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) for patients with local persistent and recurrent NPC. Material and methods: Twenty-two patients with persistent and recurrent NPC (maximum tumor depth <10 mm) underwent PDT under local anesthesia with use of a nasopharyngeal light applicator. Three different drug doses and light intervals have been administered: treatment arm A: 0.15 mg/kg Foscan (R); 96 h drug-light interval; B: drug dose of 0.10 mg/, 48 h drug-light interval; C: drug dose of 0.075 mg/kg, 24 h drug-light interval. Toxicity was measured by using the CTCAE 3.1 scale. Results: Arm A consisted of eight patients, arms B and C consisted of seven patients. The treatment procedure was well tolerable under local anesthesia. The most common grade III toxicities for all groups is headache (n=7; 33%). No grade IV toxicity was seen. One patient died 2 days after treatment due to a misdiagnosed pneumonia. In 17 of the 22 patients a biopsy was performed after 40 weeks and showed no tumor in all biopsies. Arm A seems, in addition to comparable toxicity, clinically more effective than arms B and C. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that temoporfin mediated photodynamic therapy is a relatively simple technique that can be utilized to treat residual or recurrent nasopharyngeal cancer, restricted locally to the nasopharynx. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserve