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B Cummings

Publications and source records attributed to B Cummings.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Surgical salvage after radiotherapy for advanced laryngopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To comment on the use of surgery after the failure of radiotherapy in patients with advanced laryngeal, oropharyngeal, and hypopharyngeal carcinomas. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, clinical trial, with a mean follow-up period of 3.1 years. SETTING: The Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario. PATIENTS: Patients with advanced laryngopharyngeal carcinoma (T3 or T4 or N+). INTERVENTION: Three hundred thirty-six patients who met the eligibility criteria were enrolled in a randomized, controlled, clinical trial and treated with primary radiotherapy using either the standard fractionation regimen or the hyperfractionation regimen. One hundred eight patients with recurrent disease underwent salvage surgery and were observed prospectively, with careful documentation of surgical and tumor data, complications, recurrences, and survival. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surgical complication rate and survival. RESULTS: Of the 108 patients who underwent surgery, 29 (27%) had complications. One third of these had multiple complications. There was no statistical difference between the surgical complication rates of the 2 radiotherapy groups (16 patients [28%] in the standard fractionation radiotherapy group and 13 [25%] in the hyperfractionation radiotherapy group). Survival after surgery was statistically correlated with the TNM system for the stage of the recurrent tumor, the pathologic nodal status, and the surgical margin status. The overall 3-year survival rate, which was calculated from the date of surgery, for the group of patients who underwent surgery was 22%. CONCLUSIONS: In this patient population, the hyperfractionation regimen was not associated with a higher surgical complication rate. Using the policy of primary radiotherapy and reserving surgery for the management of failures of radiotherapy, 140 patients (71%) at highest risk (laryngeal and hypopharyngeal primary tumor sites) retained an intact larynx until the end of the study or death. Since it is the stage of the recurrent tumor that correlates with survival rather than the stage of the tumor at initial presentation, we suggest that tumors be restaged at the time of recurrence.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Adjuvant postoperative fluorouracil-modulated chemotherapy combined with pelvic radiation therapy for rectal cancer: initial results of intergroup 0114.

PURPOSE: The combination of radiation therapy with fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy is generally accepted as appropriate postoperative therapy for patients with adenocarcinomas of the rectum that extend through the bowel wall or with lymph nodes positive for tumor. We attempted to determine whether the efficacy of this postoperative therapy could be improved by the addition of leucovorin and/or levamisole. METHODS: A total of 1,696 patients were randomized and eligible for treatment with one of four treatment schemes. All patients received two cycles of bolus 5-FU-based systemic chemotherapy followed by pelvic radiation therapy with chemotherapy and two more cycles of the same systemic chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was either 5-FU alone, 5-FU with leucovorin, 5-FU with levamisole, or 5-FU with leucovorin and levamisole. RESULTS: With a median follow-up duration of 48 months, there is no statistically significant advantage to any of the treatment regimens compared with bolus 5-FU alone. There is evidence of increased gastrointestinal toxicity with the three-drug combination compared with bolus 5-FU alone. Statistical analysis suggests it is very unlikely that either levamisole-containing combination will be shown to be of value with further follow-up evaluation. CONCLUSION: There is no evidence at present for a beneficial effect of levamisole in the adjuvant treatment of rectal cancer. Definitive evaluation of the effect of the addition of leucovorin to 5-FU and pelvic radiation will require further follow-up evaluation.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1997

Cleanteam.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Budgets↗
PubMed1996

Chordoma: long-term follow-up after radical photon irradiation.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively analyze the long term results of treatment and the patterns of failure for patients with chordoma of the sacrum, base of skull and mobile spine treated predominantly with postoperative photon irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight adult patients with chordoma of the sacrum (23), base of skull (20) or mobile spine (5), were seen between 1958-1992. Forty-four were referred post operatively with overt disease and 31 of these were irradiated with conventionally fractionated radiation to a median dose of 50 Gy/25 fractions/5 weeks (range 25-60 Gy). Eight received a hyperfractionation protocol of 1 Gy, 4 hourly, 4 times a day (median 40 Gy/44 fractions/14 days), two sacral patients were treated with a hypofractionation protocol and three cases with skull base tumours were referred elsewhere for proton therapy. Endpoints measured were survival from diagnosis, objective response rate, symptomatic response rate and clinical or radiological progression-free survival from radiotherapy. RESULTS: Median survival was 62 months (range 4-240 month) from diagnosis with no difference between clival and non-clival presentations. One complete and no partial responses were identified in 23 assessable patients. A subjective response was recorded for 12/14 (85%) with pain and 10/23 (45%) with neurological signs or symptoms, and the median time to progression for those with overt disease was 35 months (range 5-220 months). There was no survival advantage to patients receiving radiation doses > 50 Gy (median 60 Gy) compared to doses < 50 Gy (median 40 Gy). There was no difference between the conventional or hyperfractionation regimens with respect to the degree or duration of symptomatic response, or in progression-free survival. Fourteen patients who progressed after irradiation were retreated with surgery (6), irradiation (7) or both modalities (1). Median survival after retreatment was 18 months, and the only two symptomatic responses seen were with reirradiation, and after failure of relatively low dose initial therapy. At last follow-up, 35 were dead of or with disease, seven are alive with disease, and two are disease-free. Thirty-eight had local disease persistence as the sole site of failure, and four developed distant metastases initially or subsequently. DISCUSSION: Overt residual chordoma is rarely cured with conventional external beam irradiation, but treatment does provide useful and prolonged palliation of pain for most patients. Chordoma is a disease with low metastatic potential, and better local control may improve survival. Complete resection rates may be improved for patients with sacral disease by using planned excisions in centres experienced in treating this rare disease. Because radiation therapy may prove to be more successful in controlling microscopic disease, it should be considered as a pre- or postoperative adjuvant to a macroscopically complete resection. Patients with skull base disease should also be resected in centres specializing in this surgery, but complete excision is unlikely. These patients will not obtain local control with conventional photon irradiation, and suitable patients should be considered for irradiation with stereotactic photon or particle beam therapy. For patients who progress after irradiation, there is limited symptomatic benefit to retreatment with surgery or reirradiation, and this should be limited to treating life-threatening complications.

Chordoma↗
PubMed1996

The absence of an adverse effect of prolongation of radiation treatment of primary rectal adenocarcinoma.

Many reports have shown a deleterious effect from the prolongation of radiation treatment duration on local control of squamous cell carcinomas in a variety of sites. To study whether a similar effect was found in adenocarcinoma of the rectum, a retrospective review was performed of 353 patients treated by external beam radiation therapy for primary adenocarcinoma of the rectum. At 4 years, the local control rate for mobile tumours was 25 percent; for fixed tumours it was 7 percent. By multiple Cox regression analysis, the only factor statistically significant for local control was tumour fixation (P=0.02). Neither treatment length (P=0.44), nor the presence of an interruption in treatment (P=0.41) was significant. The possible explanations for these observations are discussed.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1996

Enzyme therapy of xeroderma pigmentosum: safety and efficacy testing of T4N5 liposome lotion containing a prokaryotic DNA repair enzyme.

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare genetic disease in which patients are defective in DNA repair and are extremely sensitive to solar UV radiation exposure. A new treatment approach was tested in these patients, in which a prokaryotic DNA repair enzyme specific for UV-induced DNA damage was delivered into the skin by means of topically applied liposomes to supplement the deficient activity. Acute and chronic safety testing in both mice and humans showed neither adverse reactions nor significant changes in serum chemistry or in skin histology. The skin of XP patients treated with the DNA repair liposomes had fewer cyclobutylpyrimidine dimers in DNA and showed less erythema than did control sites. The results encourage further clinical testing of this new enzyme therapy approach.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

The role of radiotherapy in the management of pelvic recurrence of rectal cancer.

Unresectable pelvic recurrence from carcinoma of the rectum becomes invariably symptomatic. While radiotherapy remains the most common antineoplastic modality used for palliation of symptoms, the optimal radiation dose and fractionation remains undefined. A systematic review of the literature was performed to determine the most effective dose fractionation schedule for the relief of symptoms in patients with pelvic recurrence. An expert panel reviewed and interpreted the data, with a special focus on indications, effectiveness, optimal dose fractionation, and toxicity of radiotherapy in this context. Only retrospective data (level V evidence) were available on this issue and were reviewed. Pain relief was the major indication for treatment, although bleeding and mucous discharge were also seen as indications for radiotherapy. Initial pain relief appeared to be achievable in 70-90% of patients. The median duration of pain relief was approximately three months, 23-50% of patients had symptom control at six months. The value of "local control" as a meaningful additional endpoint was discussed. There were no significant differences observable in initial symptom response and the proportion maintaining a response at six months, within the range of doses employed, comparing "lower" versus "higher" doses (using 45-50 Gy as the dividing dose). Toxicity was usually evaluated qualitatively and was deemed acceptable. The expert panel agreed that pelvic radiotherapy has a definite value in the relief of symptoms in patients with pelvic recurrence from rectal carcinoma. The optimal dose fractionation in this context could not be determined in view of the quality of the data available. Well designed, randomized studies with clinically relevant study arms and endpoints are necessary to define an optimal dose fractionation against which alternative strategies can be compared.

Humans↗
PubMed1995

Outcome following radiotherapy in verrucous carcinoma of the larynx.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of patients with verrucous carcinoma of the larynx treated at the Princess Margaret Hospital with respect to control rates with radiotherapy, the salvage of local failure, the risk of regional lymph node metastasis following radiation therapy, and the risk of anaplastic transformation following radiotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Forty-eight patients underwent primary treatment for verrucous carcinoma of the larynx in the period between January 1961 and December 1990. This represented 1.1% of cases of laryngeal cancer seen in this time period. Forty-three received radiotherapy and 5 had surgery as the primary treatment. Several radiation dose-fractionation schedules were used, the most frequent being 50 Gy in 20 fractions in 4 weeks (31 cases), while eight patients were treated with 55 Gy over 5 weeks. RESULTS: The 5-year rate of local control was 59% for the 43 patients treated with radiotherapy. Surgical salvage was universally successful in all cases where it was attempted. The five cases treated with surgery alone did not experience relapse. Only one patient died of verrucous carcinoma. He had been medically unfit for surgical intervention at the time of initial treatment and at the time of relapse. He underwent a truncated course of radiotherapy (24 Gy in 3 fractions over three weeks in 1975). There was no evidence of increased neck relapse compared to other forms of laryngeal carcinoma following radiation treatment. No evidence to support anaplastic transformation of tumors treated with radiotherapy was evident in this series. CONCLUSIONS: Local control using radiation treatment is less successful than with ordinary invasive and in situ squamous carcinomas of the larynx. Nevertheless, the treatment is effective and provides an appropriate option for laryngeal conservation, especially in advanced lesions where total laryngectomy may be the only treatment alternative. Surgical salvage of radiation failures contributes to very high rates of cure for verrucous carcinoma of the larynx. Anaplastic transformation of cases treated with radiotherapy was not observed in any case in this series.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Outcome following radiation treatment for high-risk pigmented villonodular synovitis.

PURPOSE: Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a rare proliferative process involving synovial membranes. It has a variable course, and while usually benign, may be destructive, resulting in major symptoms and loss of function leading to amputation. Optimum treatment is not always clear, and little information exists with respect to the role of radiotherapy. The purpose was to review our experience with radiotherapy in cases at high risk for recurrence with functional loss including instances where amputation was the sole alternative for symptomatic disease. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The records of all patients registered between 1972 and 1992 with a diagnosis of PVNS were identified (21 cases). The records of 14 cases who received radiotherapy after referral were reviewed retrospectively for demographic information, radiotherapy treatment parameters, and tumor outcome. RESULTS: All cases had confirmation of pathologic diagnosis. Six patients had primary and eight had recurrent disease (with a mean of 2.5 prior surgical procedures). All cases had both intra- and extraarticular disease and, without exception, the poorer prognosis diffuse subtype of the disease. The majority had one or more additional risk factors including skin, bone, tendon, neurovascular, or muscle group extension. With a mean follow-up time of 69 months (range 13-250 months), only one patient has shown persistence of disease. With the exception of that single case, all those with measurable disease had obvious disease until at least 12 months and, subsequently, manifested complete responses. The single case was lost from the clinic after 8 months from the initiation of radiotherapy to a dose of 30 Gy in 15 fractions and had a palpable mass at the time. He subsequently was noted to have a persisting mass and an excisional biopsy 9 years later showed PVNS. He remains well 21 years after treatment with good function. Eleven patients enjoyed excellent or good function from the affected limb and three had fair function. All patients had greater use of limb than at the time of treatment. No patient required amputation, and none had evidence of serious radiotherapy complications. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that moderate dose radiotherapy is an effective modality in the treatment of a subset of cases with this rare condition. Its use has permitted avoidance of amputation in very advanced cases with acceptable function preservation. When treatment is indicated we currently recommend gross total removal of PVNS. This is followed by moderate dose radiotherapy (35 Gy in 15 fractions) for residual disease where salvage of subsequent recurrence may compromise function.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Aggressive fibromatosis: optimisation of local management with a retrospective failure analysis.

The records of 40 consecutive patients treated at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) between 1979 and 1988 for aggressive fibromatosis were reviewed. The median follow-up was 86 months (range 21-167 months). All surgery was performed at the referring hospitals. Thirty-six underwent an attempt at excision, four were biopsied. Thirty-one had no overt disease after surgery and 26 of these received adjuvant irradiation. Eight were treated with radiotherapy alone, and another was treated with azathioprine and prednisone. Twenty-four (60%) presented with recurrent disease. The overall relapse free rate was 63% at 5 and 10 years. Combined surgery and irradiation had a higher relapse rate than irradiation alone (46% vs. 25%), and a high proportion of failures in the combined group were marginal failures (36%). Relapses following surgery alone were 1/5 (20%), and chemotherapy 0/1. Tumour size greater than 8 cm predicted for relapse (p = 0.002), but tumour site, status of surgical margins, and presence or absence of a history of relapse were not statistically significant. Twelve with subsequent treatment failure underwent successful salvage surgery, and 37/40 (92%) were disease free at last follow-up. A functional assessment (modified Johnstone scale) revealed 11/24 patients (46%) with poor functional outcomes (grade 2 or less) after all treatment compared with 6/24 (25%) at referral. Ten of 11 (91%) with grade of 2 or less had a history of recurrence, and 4/5 amputations were for treatment of a painful recurrence. Treatment planning in this study was hampered by inadequate information on tumour location since few patients had clinically apparent disease when seen by the radiation oncologist (only 35% of cases) and fewer had preoperative cross-sectional imaging available (12% of cases).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Radiation treatment of cervical lymph node metastases from an unknown primary: an analysis of outcome by treatment volume and other prognostic factors.

One hundred and forty-four patients with diagnosis of carcinoma involving cervical lymph nodes from an unknown primary site were seen at the Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto between 1970 and 1986. This paper addresses the outcome of two treatment approaches using radiation treatment as potentially curative therapy. The treatment approaches compared in a retrospective analysis are radiation to the involved node regions alone (85 cases), and radiation to both the nodes and to potential primary sites in the head and neck (59 cases). The overall 5-year survival rate of the entire group of 144 cases was 41%. There was a trend to increased survival in favour of the group receiving radiation to the nodes and potential primary sites (p = 0.07), however, when differences in extent of nodal involvement were considered and adjusted for using the Cox Proportional Hazard Model, no difference in survival, or cause-specific survival was found between the two treatment groups (p = 0.18 and 0.22, respectively). A total of seven head and neck primary cancers were subsequently discovered, six in the group receiving radiation only to the nodes and one in the group receiving radiation to the nodes and primary sites. The results of this retrospective analysis need to be interpreted with caution but suggest that, for some patients with this diagnosis, radiation to the involved node region alone is adequate. A discussion of the literature is presented with attention to the effect of extent of treatment on outcome.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1994

Outcome and prognosis in retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively evaluate the outcome of treatment and identify factors prognostic for survival and locoregional and distant disease control for patients with retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The records of 104 patients with retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma (RSTS) managed with surgery and irradiation at Princess Margaret Hospital between 1975 and 1988 were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate log-rank analysis was used to evaluate potential prognostic factors. RESULTS: Presentation was new primary disease, 74; primary recurrence, 20; metastases, 10. Pathology was liposarcoma for 42, leiomyosarcoma for 22, malignant fibrous histiocytoma for 19, and 21 with other histologies. Grade was low for 36, high for 35, and 33 were not graded. Median tumor size was 17 cm. Grossly complete surgical excision was achieved for 45 (43%), of whom 6 (6%) also had clear surgical margins. Adjuvant postoperative irradiation was administered to 36 patients to a median dose of 40 Gy/20 fractions/4 weeks and 16 received adjuvant chemotherapy. Nine patients received no adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy. Gross residual tumor was present postoperatively in 57 patients. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates were 36% and 14%, respectively. The locoregional relapse free rate (RFR) was 28% at 5 years and 9% at 10 years, and the distant RFR was 76% at 5 years and 60% at 10 years. For the 45 patients treated with complete excision, survival was 55% and 22% at 5 and 10 years, and locoregional RFR was 50% and 18% at 5 and 10 years. Univariate analysis demonstrated that complete surgical removal was the only factor significant for improved survival, locoregional RFR, and distant RFR. Liposarcoma histology predicted for improved survival (p = 0.02), and leiomyosarcoma histology for a lower distant RFR, compared to other histologies (p = 0.003). Patients under 62 years had an improved survival (p = 0.002) and local RFR (p = 0.02), and patients presenting with recurrent disease had improved survival (p = 0.03). Sex, tumor size, or grade, or the use of adjuvant chemotherapy were not predictive for any of the endpoints tested. Those who received adjuvant irradiation following gross surgical clearance experienced a prolonged median locoregional RFR over those who did not, and this approached statistical significance for those receiving radiation doses > 35 Gy. (103 months vs. 30 months, p = 0.06). Statistical significance was reached (p = 0.02) if only the infield RFR was considered. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that failure to achieve local control is the primary cause of treatment failure for patients with RSTS, and that postoperative irradiation in doses > 35 Gy after complete surgery delayed, but did not prevent local recurrence. Improvements in outcome for patients with RSTS will require alternate treatment strategies, and preoperative irradiation with an aggressive surgical attempt at complete excision is currently under investigation.

Combined Modality Therapy↗
PubMed1994

Blue Hill's odyssey. Our goal: to be a prototype for rural primary care. Interview by Kevin Lumsdon.

When Bruce Cummings was recruited for the CEO post at Blue Hill (ME) Memorial Hospital, the organization was still reeling from a dispute that had led the medical staff to declare a vote of no confidence in the former administration and board of directors. Cummings has since guided the medical staff and board through discussions that culminated in a new vision: forming an integrated primary care system. That redirection earned Blue Hill honors as a finalist earlier this year in the American Hospital Association's first NOVA awards for collaboration. Cummings spoke recently with senior editor Kevin Lumsdon about the hospital's plans.

Foundations↗
PubMed1994

An assessment of prognostic factors in soft-tissue sarcoma of the head and neck.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the outcome, patterns of failure, and prognostic factors in head and neck soft-tissue sarcoma in the adult. DESIGN: A retrospective evaluation of 73 patients treated recently for this rare disease. The minimum follow-up for all patients was 3 years with the living patients having a mean follow-up of 4.6 years. SETTING: All patients were treated between January 1980 and December 1988, at the Princess Margaret Hospital-Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto, the major sarcoma referral center for a population in excess of 3 million. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Fifty-two patients were treated with curative intent: 10 by surgery without radiotherapy and 42 with surgery and radiotherapy. Twelve patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. OUTCOME MEASURES: Five-year cause-specific survival, local relapse, and distant failure rates were calculated by the product limit method. Comparisons between survival curves were carried out by the log-rank statistic and Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the influence of prognostic factors. RESULTS: The 5-year cause-specific survival was 62%, with a local relapse rate of 41% and distant relapse rate of 31%. Extension to adjacent structures, high grade, and large lesion size were associated with poorer survival. Gross residual tumor also was associated with high local failure (75% failure) despite the addition of radiation therapy. Those with clear surgical margins or only microscopic involvement fared much more favorably and had similar local control rates (26% and 30% failure, respectively) provided adjuvant radiotherapy was given. However, 68% of patients dying as a result of their sarcoma had uncontrolled local disease because of the high incidence (27%) of gross residuum following surgery in this series. CONCLUSIONS: This series highlights the absolute necessity for resection of all overt disease with planned adjunctive radiotherapy and appropriate reconstruction in most cases. This is achieved more easily in the setting of a specialized sarcoma treatment unit.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Using homeopathy in midwifery practice.

Homeopathy (from the Greek homois 'similar' and pathos 'suffering') is based on the Law of Similars which states that the symptoms caused by too much of a substance are the symptoms that can be cured by a small dose of the same substance. Appropriately trained, and working within the Scope of Professional Practice midwives could use homeopathic remedies for acute situations and indeed for some of the conditions for which they would normally summon medical aid. Midwives need to know when to refer mothers to a fully qualified homeopath rather than attempting to treat a condition themselves. Short homeopathy courses designed specifically for midwives are now being developed by some colleges.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Outcome and prognostic factors in soft tissue sarcoma in the adult.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome, patterns of failure and prognostic factors in this rare disease in adult patients treated at a single institution in the modern era. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The records of all patients (389 cases) with soft tissue sarcoma in the extremities, torso (excluding retroperitoneum), and head and neck managed between 1980 and 1988 were reviewed. A curative (radical) approach was used in 321 patients of whom 10% were recurrent lesions. The local management consisted of surgery alone in 54 cases, surgery and radiotherapy in 250 and radiotherapy alone in 17. Adjuvant chemotherapy was used as a policy for high grade lesions in the initial five years of the study (98 cases), but was omitted subsequently. RESULTS: Extremity lesions fared more favourably compared to head and neck and torso lesions (p = 0.02) with respect to survival. Extremity and torso lesions had significantly better local control (p < 0.0001) than in the head and neck where local failure was a common cause of death. A multiple Cox regression analysis revealed that resection margins, local extension of tumor, age at diagnosis, and grade correlated with local relapse and distant relapse was also associated with local extension, high grade and in addition, large lesions. Size appeared especially predictive for distant failure, the most common cause of death. Distant failure was not influenced by the use of adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients treated for recurrence in this series had significantly worse survival due to increased distant failure despite similar local control to primary cases. CONCLUSION: This series highlights the overall problem of distant failure in this disease. It also reaffirms the importance of obtaining local control both in the head and neck, where uncontrolled local disease is the major cause of death, and in general since local relapse appears to increase the risk of distant failure. It appears that the current staging systems should be reviewed in the light of the apparent effect of different prognostic factors.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1991

Wound healing complications in soft tissue sarcoma management: comparison of three treatment protocols.

A prospective, nonrandomized comparison of three treatment protocols was undertaken in 45 patients with soft tissue sarcoma designated preoperatively as being at high risk of wound healing complications. All patients underwent complete resection of the gross tumour mass (5 with positive and 40 with negative microscopic margins). Fourteen patients received postoperative adjuvant irradiation (group I), 16 preoperative irradiation (group II), and 15 preoperative irradiation and vascularized tissue transfer to the surgical bed after resection (group III). Major wound healing complications (defined as complications requiring at least 1 further surgical procedure) were lower in group III patients (chi-square = 5.57, P less than 0.03), as was the mean postoperative hospital stay (P less than 0.02, analysis of variance), and the mean number of secondary surgical procedures. Multivariate analysis showed that the only variable influencing length of stay was the use of tissue transfer. Careful intraoperative assessment of the adequacy of resection is essential prior to performing vascularized tissue transfer to ensure that tumour contamination of the donor site is avoided. Since this study is a nonrandomized clinical trial using sequential distribution of patients to the treatment groups, the data should be considered as preliminary, rather than definitive, evidence of the efficacy of vascularized tissue transfer.

Combined Modality Therapy↗