The role of definitive radiation therapy in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue

Article Abstract:

Squamous cell carcinoma, a form of cancer, only infrequently affects the portion of the tongue located within the mouth. However, when it does, the disease may have particularly severe functional, social, and cosmetic effects. Therefore, there is much concern over the best way to treat this cancer while at the same time retaining as much of the tongue's function as possible. A review of the records of 114 tongue cancer patients was undertaken to determine the relative merits of various forms of treatment. Cancer specialists often classify the primary cancer using a numerical scale which extends from T1 for small, early cancer, to T4 for cancer which has grown significantly and invaded local tissues. In the group of patients described, 28 patients were regarded as incurable while 86 were treated with the hope of curing their cancer. Of the latter, 17 had T1 cancer, 40 had T2, 27 had T3, and two had advanced T4 cancer. After three years, 38 percent of the patients were alive without signs of cancer. For tongue cancer in the earlier T1 and T2 stages, the cure rate was essentially the same whether the patients received surgical treatment in addition to radiotherapy or not. Therefore, for these early-stage cancers, radiotherapy would seem to be adequate. Although the number of patients with T3-stage tongue cancer was not quite large enough to achieve statistical significance, the indications are that radiation alone or radiation prior to surgery results in three-year survival of about half the patients, while the use of radiation after surgery resulted in a survival rate of 100 percent. The study also found that the implantation of radioactive pellets to achieve high levels of local radiation around the cancer provided no advantage beyond that achieved with external beam irradiation. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Mouth cancer

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A Phase I-II trial of multimodality management of bulky gynecologic malignancy: combined chemoradiosensitization and radiotherapy

Article Abstract:

Fourteen percent of all cancers in women are malignancies of the reproductive tract. Although early stage disease is highly curable, the chances for a favorable outcome fall off rapidly with advancing stages of disease. Radiotherapy has been the treatment most commonly used to treat advanced malignancies which are beyond excision; the generally poor outcome of this therapy has prompted the evaluation of potential improvements to standard radiation. A frequently used chemotherapeutic agent, 5-fluorouracil, has been reported to sensitize tumors to radiation damage, although the effect is not universally accepted. In addition, some theoretical notions suggest that mitomycin C, another chemotherapeutic agent, might also help sensitize tissues to radiation damage. The use of these two agents in combination with radiotherapy was evaluated in 44 patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the female reproductive tract. In such combination therapy, toxic side effects can be a major problem. In general, the side effects from this therapy did not increase the incidence of side effects normally expected for radiotherapy, although two patients required hospitalization for life-threatening reductions in white blood cell counts. In both patients this condition resolved spontaneously. There were no side effects that required a reduction in the radiation dose given to these patients. At the 2-year follow-up, which was possible for 29 patients, survival was 61 percent and survival without disease was 51 percent. The response rates to this chemosensitization radiotherapy seem promising, although the group of treated patients must be observed for a longer period before conclusions about the success of the protocol may be drawn. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Methods, Genital cancer, Urogenital cancer, Radiation-sensitizing agents, Radiation sensitizing agents

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Cytologic diagnosis of ovarian tumors: factors influencing accuracy in previously undiagnosed cases

Article Abstract:

Fine needle biopsies and fluid aspiration of ovarian cysts may not provide accurate enough diagnosis of ovarian tumors. Seventy-four women had needle biopsies or aspiration of suspicious ovarian masses that were followed by surgical procedures to obtain tissue samples. Results of the fine needle procedure were compared to microscopic analysis of tissue samples. Overall, 32% of the women had malignant tumors, including nonaggressive types. In five cases the needle biopsy or aspiration was falsely negative for cancer. One woman with cancer metastasized to the ovary developed bleeding at the aspiration site that required transfusion and emergency surgery. Another patient with ovarian cancer was found to have peritonitis when follow-up surgery was performed for the cancer.

Evaluation, Diagnosis, Cytodiagnosis, Ovarian tumors, Biopsy, Needle, Needle biopsy

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