Outcomes of treatment of unresectable esophageal carcinoma treated with chemoradiotherapy and oral metronomic chemotherapy: An experience from a rural cancer center

Introduction: Esophageal carcinoma is the eight most common cancer in the world. The management of locally advancedcarcinoma esophagus is mainly palliative with chemoradiotherapy. The outcome data of such a modality along with oralmetronomic chemotherapy after treatment completion are sparse. Here, we present the outcomes of treatment of locally advancedunresectable esophageal cancer after palliative chemoradiotherapy and oral metronomic therapy from a rural setting in India.Methods: Retrospective analysis of all patients of locally advanced unresectable nonmetastatic esophageal carcinoma treatedwith short course of induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy and oral metronomic chemotherapywas performed. The primary aim was estimation of progression free-survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: A total of45 patients were analyzed. Mean age was 55 years (30-85 years). A total of 32 patients had tumors in upper and middle esophagus,with the most common histology being squamous cell carcinoma (N-41). The estimated 2 year PFS is 47.2% and the estimated2 years OS is 57.8%. Conclusion: Combined modality therapy with adjuvant oral metronomic therapy shows promising results inthe management and should be the basis of further trials

Skull metastasis of follicular thyroid carcinoma: a rare case report

Abstract: Follicular thyroid carcinoma is a malignant epithelial tumor arising in both eutopic thyroid gland and/or heterotopic thyroid tissue. Follicular cancer accounts for 5-15% of all thyroid cancers in iodine sufficient areas i.e. is the second commonest form of differentiated thyroid malignancy. It spreads via haematogenous routes. So it spreads to lungs and bones. In thyroid cancer only 2.5 % cases shows skull metastases. Here, presenting a 61 year old female with a swelling in the skull left frontotemporal region for 4 years duration with proptosis. She also had thyroid swelling of 20 years duration which is asymptomatic. Cytological confirmation was done to diagnose follicular carcinoma with skull bone metastasis. After total thyroidectomy external beam radiotherapy was given to skull metastases in view of threatened vision. Radioiodine therapy was given afterwards