The value of prognostic factors for uterine cervical cancer patients treated with irradiation alone

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of our study was to investigate and evaluate the prognostic value of and correlations between preclinical and clinical factors such as the stage of the disease, blood Hb level before treatment, size of cervix and lymph nodes evaluated by CT, age, dose of irradiation and duration of radiotherapy related to overall survival, disease-free survival, local control and metastases-free survival in cervical cancer patients receiving radiotherapy alone.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>162 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IIA-IIIB cervical carcinoma treated with irradiation were analysed. Univariate and multivariate analyses using the Cox regression model were performed to determine statistical significance of some tumor-related factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The Hb level before treatment showed significant influence on overall survival (p = 0.001), desease free survival (p = 0.040) and local control (p = 0.038). The lymph node status (>10 mm) assessed on CT had impact on overall survival (p = 0,030) and local control (p = 0,036). The dose at point A had impact on disease free survival (p = 0,028) and local control (p = 0,021) and the radiotherapy duration had showed significant influence on overall survival (p = 0,045), disease free survival (p = 0,006) and local control (p = 0,033).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Anemia is a significant and independent prognostic factor of overall survival, disease-free survival and local control in cervical cancer patients treated with irradiation. The size of lymph nodes in CT is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival and local control in cervical cancer patients. The size of cervix uteri evaluated by CT has no prognostic significance in cervical cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. The prognostic value of FIGO stage of cervical cancer is influenced by other factors, analyzed in this study and is not an independent prognostic factor.</p

Clinical features and treatment outcomes of progressive uveal melanoma /

Uveal melanoma (UM) is a rare malignant tumor that differs from cutaneous melanoma in terms of pathogenesis, clinical behavior, and treatment response. Despite treatment for the primary tumor, 50% of UM patients develop metastatic disease, with the liver being the most affected organ. Furthermore, UM responds poorly to chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors. We present a clinical case of a 58-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with right eye choroidal melanoma cT2aN0M0. For the treatment of the initial tumor, the patient received stereotactic radiotherapy. However, 11 months after the initial diagnosis, the disease had progressed to the liver. The patient underwent radiofrequency ablation of liver metastases, then as the UM progressed - anti-PD-1 immunotherapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab were prescribed for the first-line palliative systemic treatment, later chemotherapy with dacarbazine (5 cycles) as the second-line systemic treatment. Based on the FoundationOne®CDx findings and an overview of clinical trials data, the MEK inhibitor trametinib was prescribed as a third-line palliative treatment. The patient died due to cancerous intoxication, with overall survival (OS) of 28 months (∼2.33 years) and a progression-free survival (PFS) of 11 months (∼0.92 years) since the initial diagnosis. Treatment-related adverse events could have an impact on the general health condition of the patient

Transanalinė endoskopinė mikrochirurgija: pirmųjų 50 atvejų rezultatai

The aim of the study was to share the experience and first results of implementation of transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) technique for the removal of rectal adenomas, early rectal cancer or rectal stricture in the Center of Oncosurgery, Oncology Institute of Vilnius University. Materials and methods. From October 2009 to October 2011, a total of 50 patients underwent TEM for rectal adenomas, early rectal cancer or rectal stricture. The patients were 25 women and 25 men, 31 to 87 years of age (average 65 years). Rectal lesions were from 0.9 to 7.0 cm in diameter, 3–13 cm from the anal verge. Full thickness excision with 1 cm safety margin was achieved in all cases except two (mucosal excision), followed by closing of the rectal wall defect in one-layer running monocryl 3.0 suture using silver clips. In one case (TEM was performed for T2 rectal cancer), abdominal cavity was penetrated and two-layer closure was preferred. Results. In these series of 50 patients there was 1 (2%) complication (cystitis). No postoperative exitus occurred. The hospitalisation period ranged from 2 to 13 days (average 6 days). Final histology revealed 30 (60%) tubular or villous adenomas, 6 (12%) carcinomas in situ (pTis), 7 (14%) T1, 4 (8%) T2 cancers, and well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors in 3 (6%) were diagnosed. One patient underwent open partial TME in pT1 group; the tumor was in the upper third of rectum and preoperatively evaluated as pTis disease. In two cases (pT1 group) lymphovascular invasion was present on final pathology, so they were offered a postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Other 4 patients in T1 group are under surveillance. All 4 patients with T2 lesions were offered adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, one patient refused further treatment. Conclusions. TEM is an alternative for transanal excision of rectal adenomas and early rectal cancer. Further follow-up is necessary to evaluate thr recurrence rate of cancer in invasive cancer patients group

Targeted Therapy in Patients With Non–small Cell Lung Cancer Previously Treated With Chemotherapy

A case of successful and prolonged treatment of metastatic non–small cell lung cancer with the epidermal growth factor receptor antagonist erlotinib is presented. A never-smoker female was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in December 2005. A chest CT scan showed soft tissue mass 35×34 mm in size in the right lung with metastases in the lymph nodes and in the left lung. A biopsy revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. The disease showed poor response to the first-line and second-line chemotherapy. Targeted therapy with erlotinib was started in February 2007. The most severe adverse event observed was grade 3 skin rash. The disease was stable until February 2009 when brain metastases were detected. Erlotinib was continued until May 2009 when disease progression in the lungs was confi rmed. The patient died due to ongoing disease progression in December 2009. Retrospective genetic analysis of a tumor specimen was performed, and no mutations in EGFR exons 18–21 were detected. The patient had a significant clinical benefit for the period of 24 months. These results are consistent with previous reports in literature that clinical characteristics such as female gender, nonsmoker, adenocarcinoma histology, and severe cutaneous toxicity seem to predict good response to erlotinib. In the present case, erlotinib proved to be effective even in heavily pretreated, chemotherapy- resistant lung adenocarcinoma. So far, no exact predictive biomarkers of erlotinib effectiveness have been determined; and their further analyses are essential