Adjuvant external beam therapy for pathologic stage I and occult stage II endometrial carcinoma

Article Abstract:

Early-stage cancer of the endometrium (lining) of the uterus is treated surgically. Often, radiotherapy is used to destroy small numbers of cancer cells which may have traveled from the original tumor into surrounding lymph nodes. However, little evidence has accumulated to confirm that this actually results in improved survival. Furthermore, there are few data to indicate the optimum radiation dose for this purpose. A study was undertaken to evaluate three different radiation doses in the adjuvant treatment of patients with early-stage endometrial cancer. A total of 86 patients were surgically treated by removing the uterus, the ovaries, and the associated tissues. The patients were divided into three groups which received adjuvant radiotherapy in doses of 4,250, 4,500, or 5,100 cGy. (A Gy, or Gray, is a dose of radiation equivalent to one joule of energy absorbed per kilogram of tissue. It is equal to 100 rads.) In addition, 17 patients also received brachytherapy, a technique in which a radioactive pellet is implanted in the affected area to provide a strong local dose of radiation. In the present study, brachytherapy was found to cause more side effects without contributing significantly to survival. The most important factor affecting survival in these patients was the degree to which the endometrial cancer had invaded the underlying uterine muscle. Microscopic features of the early-stage cancers did not seem to affect survival, and no differences in survival distinguished the three different dose levels evaluated. The results suggest that a dose of 4,250 cGy will produce fewer side effects and will probably be sufficient to prevent recurrence in cases of early-stage endometrial cancer. The best radiation dose and best treatment schedule for this purpose remain to be determined. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Endometrial cancer

---

Radiotherapy as an adjunct in the management of Merkel cell carcinoma

Article Abstract:

Merkel cells are sensory cells found in the skin. Cancers of the Merkel cells are uncommon, and occur primarily among elderly patients. The relative infrequency of this cancer, and the difficulty in obtaining an accurate diagnosis, has led to a situation in which the most effective course of treatment is not clear. Some authorities have suggested that surgical excision of the primary tumor and affected lymph nodes is adequate. However, four case histories indicate that the Merkel cell carcinoma, which is also called primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin or trabecular skin carcinoma, is an aggressive malignancy and that radiotherapy is an appropriate adjunct to surgical treatment. Three of the four cases had poor outcomes, which may be attributed to delayed diagnosis and incomplete surgical removal of the tumor. The observations suggest that heightened awareness of Merkel cell carcinoma would result in more accurate diagnosis, and that prompt surgical intervention should be coupled with radiotherapy for the majority of tumors which cannot be resected with an adequate margin. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

---

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Postoperative adjuvant external-beam radiotherapy in surgical stage I endometrial carcinoma. Determination of cellular oncogene rearrangement or amplification in ovarian adenocarcinomas
• Abstracts: Undifferentiated (embryonal) sarcoma of the liver: pathological findings and long-term survival after complete surgical resection
• Abstracts: Treatment of patients with isolated axillary nodal metastases from an occult primary carcinoma consistent with breast origin
• Abstracts: Fibrinolytic therapy for idiopathic subclavian-axillary vein thrombosis. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty versus surgery for subclavian artery occlusive disease
• Abstracts: Neutropenic enterocolitis: clinical diagnosis and treatment. Cisplatin-associated hemolytic-uremic syndrome: successful treatment with a staphylococcal protein A column

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.