Comparison of intratumor and intraluminal temperatures during locoregional deep hyperthermia of pelvic tumors

Purpose: To investigate whether intraluminal thermometry provides sufficient information to apply high quality deep hyperthermia in pelvic tumors. Patients and Methods: The intratumor and intraluminal temperatures of 48 patients were analyzed per cancer type: rectum (21 male, 14 female), cervix (n = 8), and bladder (n = 5). Temperature-dose parameters were calculated, temperature curves within each treatment session were compared, and correlation between intratumor and intraluminal temperatures was analyzed. Results: Intratumor and intraluminal temperatures at the same time points during individual treatments were highly correlated (mean correlation coefficient: 0.93). However, the quantitative level differed from 0.1 to 1.1 degrees C and the differences of the timetemperature graphs varied per tumor group. Average intratumor and intraluminal temperatures were not different in the four groups. Intratumor thermometry was found not superior over intraluminal thermometry to improve tumor temperature level and homogeneity by SAR steering. Conclusion: Intraluminal thermometry provides sufficient information to apply deep hyperthermia to individual patients with centrally located rectum, cervix or bladder cancer

Weekly systemic cisplatin plus locoregional hyperthermia: An effective treatment for patients with recurrent cervical carcinoma in a previously irradiated area

Purpose: Patients with recurrent cervical carcinoma within a previously irradiated area respond poorly to chemotherapy. We have treated these patients with simultaneous cisplatin and hyperthermia ( CDDP+HT) and investigated response, toxicity, palliative effect and survival. Materials and methods: Between 1992 and 2005 47 patients received CDDP+HT. Response was evaluated by gynaecologic examination and CT-scan. The Common Toxicity Criteria ( CTC) were used for evaluation of toxicity and palliative effect. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival, and Cox regression analysis to evaluate the influence of prognostic factors. Results: The objective response rate was 55%, palliation was achieved in 74% and operability in 19% of patients. Two patients are currently disease free at 9 years and 18+months following treatment and 2 remained disease free until death by other causes. The median survival was 8 months and was influenced by duration of disease free interval and tumour diameter. Grade 3-4 haematological toxicity was observed in 36% of patients and renal toxicity was maximum grade 2. Conclusion: CDDP+HT results in a high response rate and acceptable toxicity in patients with recurrent cervical cancer

Intensified 12-week CHOP (I-CHOP) plus G-CSF compared with standard 24-week CHOP (CHOP-21) for patients with intermediate-risk aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A phase 3 trial of the Dutch-Belgian Hemato-Oncology Cooperative Group (HOVON)

Optimal dose and timing of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) chemotherapy for aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is still an unresolved issue. We assessed whether dose intensifications with cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin mi

Model based clustering of large data sets: Tracing the development of spelling ability

Bayesian computational statistics, data expunction, developmental stages, latent class analysis, model based clustering, spelling,