Clinical feasibility of a high-resolution thermal monitoring sheet for superficial hyperthermia in breast cancer patients

Background: Accurate monitoring of skin surface temperatures is necessary to ensure treatment quality during superficial hyperthermia. A high-resolution thermal monitoring sheet (TMS) was developed to monitor the skin surface temperature distribution. The influence of the TMS on applicator performance was investigated, feasibility and ability to reliably monitor the temperature distribution were evaluated in a clinical study. Methods: Phantom experiments were performed to determine the influence of the TMS on power deposition patterns, applicator efficiency, and heat transfer of the water bolus for 434 and 915 MHz applicators. Clinical feasibility was evaluated in 10 women with locoregional recurrent breast cancer. Skin surface temperatures during consecutive treatments were monitored alternatingly with either standard Amsterdam UMC thermometry or TMS. Treatments were compared using (generalized) linear mixed models. Results: The TMS did not significantly affect power deposition patterns and applicator efficiency (1–2%), the reduced heat transfer of the water boluses (51–56%) could be compensated by adjusting the water bolus flow. Skin surface temperatures were monitored reliably, and no alteration of thermal toxicity was observed compared to standard Amsterdam UMC thermometry. Conclusion: Clinical application of the TMS is feasible. Power deposition patterns and applicator efficiency were not affected. Surface temperatures were monitored reliably

Hyperthermia treatment planning for cervical cancer patients based on electrical conductivity tissue properties acquired in vivo with EPT at 3 T MRI

Introduction The reliability of hyperthermia treatment planning (HTP) is strongly dependent on the accuracy of the electric properties of each tissue. The values currently used are mostly based on ex vivo measurements. In this study, in vivo conductivity of human muscle, bladder content and cervical tumours, acquired with magnetic resonance-based electric properties tomography (MR-EPT), are exploited to investigate the effect on HTP for cervical cancer patients. Methods Temperature-based optimisation of five different patients was performed using literature-based conductivity values yielding certain antenna settings, which are then used to compute the temperature distribution of the patient models with EPT-based conductivity values. Furthermore, the effects of altered bladder and muscle conductivity were studied separately. Finally, the temperature-based optimisation was performed with patient models based on EPT conductivity values. Results The tumour temperatures for all EPT-based dielectric patient models were lower compared to the optimal tumour temperatures based on literature values. The largest deviation was observed for patient 1 with ΔT90 = -1.37 °C. A negative impact was also observed when the treatment was optimised based on the EPT values. For four patients ΔT90 was less than 0.6 °C; for one patient it was 1.5 °C. Conclusions Electric conductivity values acquired by EPT are higher than commonly used from literature. This difference has a substantial impact on cervical tumour temperatures achieved during hyperthermia. A higher conductivity in the bladder and in the muscle tissue surrounding the tumour leads to higher power dissipation in the bladder and muscle, and therefore to lower tumour temperatures

Long-term consumption of isoflavone-enriched foods does not affect bone mineral density, bone metabolism, or hormonal status in early postmenopausal women : A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study

This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00301353 and supported by the European Commission : Phytos QLRT-2000-00431 The PHYTOS investigators were : Alwine Kardinaal, Ineke Klöpping-Ketelaars, Linda Kok, Henriette Fick, Linda van den Bosch, Diane ter Doest, Susanne Westenbrink, Henry Brants, Petra van Aken, Carina Rubingh, Cor Kistemaker, Lizeth Vendrig, Truus Meijers, Fred Brouns, Paola D’Acapito, Lorenza Mistura, Valentina Di Mattei, Annalisa Corsi, Marika Ferrari, Paola D’Errigo, Silvia Valtueña, Vincenzo Toscano, Stefano Cianfarani, Mariarosa Giovagnoli, Stefania Sette, Kevin Cashman, Brigitte Chanteranne, Marie-Jeanne Davicco, Patrice Lebecque, Martine Advenier, Marion Brandolini, François Duboeuf, Adile Samaletdin, Stephane Doat, Veronique Braesco, Noelie Joqueviel, Philippe Ladroitte, and Duncan TalbotInternational audienceBACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a major health problem. It was hypothesized that isoflavone-containing products may be a potential alternative to hormone replacement therapy for preventing bone loss during the menopausal transition. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to investigate whether the consumption of isoflavone-enriched foods for 1 y affects bone mineral density, bone metabolism, and hormonal status in early postmenopausal women. DESIGN: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel, multicenter trial. Two hundred thirty-seven healthy early postmenopausal women [mean (+/-SD) age of 53 +/- 3 y and time since last menses of 33 +/- 15 mo] consumed isoflavone-enriched foods providing a mean daily intake of 110 mg isoflavone aglycones or control products for 1 y while continuing their habitual diet and lifestyle. Outcome measures included bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and total body, markers of bone formation and bone resorption, hormones, isoflavones in plasma and urine, safety variables, and adverse events. RESULTS: Consumption of isoflavone-enriched products did not alter bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and total body or markers of bone formation and bone resorption. Hormone concentrations did not differ between the isoflavone and control groups. Consumption of isoflavone-enriched products resulted in increased isoflavone concentrations in plasma and urine, whereas control products did not. This finding indicated good compliance with treatment. Subgroup analysis did not support an effect of equol phenotype on bone density. The intervention had no effect on a range of safety variables and reported adverse events. CONCLUSION: Consumption of foods containing 110 mg/d of soy isoflavone aglycone equivalents for 1 y did not prevent postmenopausal bone loss and did not affect bone turnover in apparently healthy early postmenopausal white women