Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Haie-Meder

Publications and source records attributed to C Haie-Meder.

83 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Feasibility of measuring oxygen tension in uterine cervix carcinoma.

Cellular hypoxia is a cause of radioresistance. The oxygen tension (pO2) in normal tissues and in tumours can be measured by polarography. In this feasibility study we have measured the tissue pO2 of 10 patients suffering from uterine cervix carcinoma, using the Eppendorf histograph. The measurements were performed at the time of the brachytherapy after external radiotherapy. The machine was found to be reliable and no adverse effect was noted. The mean pO2 values in tumours were lower than those of normal tissues.

Adult↗

[Contribution of expert systems in clinical practice: apropos of the Penelope experience, an expert system in assisted diagnosis and therapy of ovarian adenocarcinoma].

An expert system (ES) for Diagnosis and Therapy of ovarian adenocarcinoma has been developed at the Institut Gustave-Roussy. From surgical and histological results, clinical examination and additional investigative reports, the system presents a synthesis and then determines the stage of the disease. The system than proposes therapeutic indications adapted to the characteristics of the illness and of the patient, and edits a report at the end of the ES consultation. This experience allowed us to specify the field of ES applications in oncology. As tools for diagnosis and therapy, they cannot act as a substitute for the know-how of the physician, as too many medical decisions remain difficult to formalize in the ES. On the other hand the use of artificial intelligence techniques appears to be useful for establishing coherent data bases, which are necessary pre-requisites for clinical research in oncology. The integration of the system in the Hospital Information System is the guarantee of its use in current clinical practice.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Conformal radiotherapy of brain tumors].

Conformal irradiation of brain tumours is based on the three-dimensional reconstruction of the targeted volumes and at-risk organ images, the three-dimensional calculation of the dose distribution and a treatment device (immobilisation, beam energy, collimation, etc.) adapted to the high precision required by the procedure. Each step requires an appropriate methodology and a quality insurance program. Specific difficulties in brain tumour management are related to GTV and CTV definition depending upon the histological type, the quality of the surgical resection and the medical team. Clinical studies have reported dose escalation trials, mostly in high-grade gliomas and tumours at the base of the skull. Clinical data are now providing a better knowledge of the tolerance of normal tissues. As for small tumours, the implementation of beam intensity modulation is likely to narrow the gap between conformal and stereotaxic radiotherapy.

Brain Neoplasms↗

[Radiotherapy using a combination of photons and protons for locally aggressive intracranial tumors. Preliminary results of protocol CPO 94-C1].

PURPOSE: From October 1993 through July 1998, 48 assessable adult patients with non-resectable aggressive intracranial tumors were treated by a combination of high dose photon + proton therapy at the Centre de Protonthérapie d'Orsay. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Grade 1 and 4 gliomas were excluded. Patients benefited from a 3D dose calculation based on high-definition CT and MRI, a stereotactic positioning using implanted fiducial markers and a thermoplastic mask. Mean tumor dose ranged between 63 and 67 Gy delivered in five weekly sessions of 1.8 Gy in most patients, according to the histological types (doses in Co Gy Equivalent, with a mean proton-RBE of 1.1). RESULTS: With a median 18-month follow-up (range: four-58 months), local control in tumors located in the envelopes and in the skull base was 97% (33/34), and in parenchymal tumors, 43% (6/14) only. Two patients (5%) presented with a clinically severe radiation-induced necrosis (temporal lobe and chiasm). CONCLUSION: In our experience, high-dose radiation combining photons and protons is a safe and highly efficient procedure in selected malignancies of the skull base and envelopes.

Adult↗

[Concomitant radiochemotherapy for cancer of the cervix: critical analysis based on the Standards, Options and Recommendations methodology].

INTRODUCTION: The "Standards, Options and Recommendations" (SOR) project, started in 1993, is a collaboration between the National Federation of the French Cancer Centres (FNCLCC), the 20 French Cancer Centres (CRLCC) and specialists from French public universities, general hospitals and private clinics. The main objective is the development of clinical practice guidelines to improve the quality of health care and outcome for cancer patients. The methodology is based on literature review and critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts, with feedback from specialists in cancer care delivery. OBJECTIVES: To update, according to the methodology of SOR, the Standards, Options and Recommendations for the management of patients with cancer of the cervix, and in particular, the place of concomitant radiochemotherapy. METHODS: Data have been identified by a literature search using Medline (to April 1999) and the personal reference lists of experts. Once the guidelines were defined, the document was submitted for review to independent national and international reviewers and to the medical committees of the CRCC. RESULTS: The principle recommendations concerning the place of radiochemotherapy in the treatment of cancer of the cervix are 1/ the available data shows a significant increase in local control (level of evidence A) and of overall survival (level of evidence B1) following concomitant radiochemotherapy as compared to radiotherapy alone or the combination of radiotherapy-hydroxyurea. For stages IB, IIA, proximal IIB with bad prognostic factors (tumour size greater than 4 cm and/or invasion of pelvic nodes and/or microscopic invasion of the parametrium) and without lumbo-aortic nodal invasion, concomitant radiochemotherapy can be considered as standard treatment. This benefit is less clear for stages distal IIB, III and IVA without para-aortic nodal invasion (level of evidence C) and must be confirmed (expert agreement). 2/ the toxicity of radiochemotherapy is essentially haematologic and gastrointestinal (level of evidence B1) and is greater than that of radiotherapy alone (level of evidence B1). 3/ these results have been obtained by the combination of chemotherapy based oncisplatin alone, or in combination with 5-FU. Although of equal benefit, the toxicity of the cisplatin/5-FU/ hydroxyurea combination was greater than that of cisplatin alone in a trial comparing the two protocols. A significantly longer survival have also been obtained by the combination of chemoradiation and adjuvant chemotherapy with epirubicin (level of evidence C). These results must be confirmed. 4/ the exact means of delivering the chemotherapy has not been clearly established. In fact, in these trials, some protocols use cisplatin weekly at a dose of 40 mg/m2 and others every three or four weeks at doses ranging from 50 to 75 mg/m2. Subsequent randomised studies are likely to establish optimal schema for the delivery of chemotherapy when combined with external radiotherapy and brachytherapy.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

[Curietherapy in uterine cervix cancers: what therapeutic trends?].

Brachytherapy is a fundamental step in the treatment of patients with cervical cancer. Brachytherapy allows a significant increase in the local control rate as well as the survival rate. Brachytherapy has to be performed as soon as possible after external irradiation in order to maintain the overall treatment time below 53 days. Technical and dosimetric data characterizing low dose-rate brachytherapy using ICRU 38 recommendations have led to an improvement in local control and a decrease in complications. Data are less well known for other dose rates. The role of interstitial brachytherapy is not clearly defined and its potential benefit is probably balanced by an increase in severe complications. Concomitant brachy-chemotherapy requires further clinical investigations, even if concomitant radio-chemotherapy has become a standard in advanced cervical cancers.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

[Radiochemotherapy of uterine cervix cancers. Recent data].

Low-stage uterine cervix carcinoma can be treated by either surgery, radiation therapy or combined treatments with high cure rates ranging from 90 to 95% for stage IB1 tumors. However, the standard treatment, combining external beam plus intracavitary radiation, fails to control the progression of the disease in 35 to 90% of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. No substantial improvements have been made in the treatment of these tumors in the past two decades. The addition of concurrent 5-FU in a phase III study failed to improve the results in the overall patient population, but the five-year DFS was significantly better in a subset of patients (tumor > 5 cm and IB/IIA or medial parametrial IIB disease). Concurrent chemoradiation and adjuvant chemotherapy with epirubicin showed, in a phase III study, a significantly longer DFS in patients treated with chemotherapy despite the same long-term local tumor control. After many phase II studies, five phase III studies have recently demonstrated a 40 to 60% reduction in the relative risk of recurrence with cisplatin-containing chemoradiation. Across these studies, the risk of death was reduced by 30 to 50%. The benefit was less clear in patients with stages III-IV tumors than in patients with lower stages associated with poor prognostic factors. Haematologic and gastrointestinal toxicity of chemoradiation was greater than that of radiotherapy alone. However, late side effects were similar in the different treatment groups. These results must be confirmed with a longer follow-up. The importance of concurrent chemotherapy during the brachytherapy procedure should be analyzed. It has yet to be determined which chemotherapy regimen achieves the most favorable therapeutic ratio.

Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic↗

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimen (DECAV) for uterine sarcomas.

Uterine sarcomas are an extremely rare event. There is no standard therapy for cases of relapse, although chemotherapy is commonly used. We studied the use of a cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimen for uterine sarcomas with an unusually long follow-up. Thirty-nine women with a median age of 50 years (32-71) entered the study. Histologically, leiomyosarcomas (26), carcinosarcomas (8), and stromal sarcomas (5) were represented. Group 1 consisted of patients undergoing adjuvant therapy (for initial disease, eight patients; for pelvic recurrence, two patients); Group 2 consisted of patients with advanced disease (locoregional after initial local therapy, five patients; local recurrence, six patients) or metastatic disease (stage IV, four patients; recurrence, 14 patients). DECAV therapy consisted of doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 d1, dacarbazine (DTIC) 200 mg/m2/d d1-3, vindesine 2 mg/day d1-2, cisplatin 100 mg/m2 d3, and either cyclophosphamide (CPM) 200 mg/m2/d d1-3 (n = 21), or ifosfamide (IFM) 2 g/m2/d d1-3 with mesna every 4 weeks Toxicity included 18 hospital stays for cytopenia (nine patients), including 13 cases of febrile neutropenia. Twenty blood transfusions in 10 patients and 12 platelet transfusions in seven patients were required. One toxicity-related death (hemorrhage) occurred. The overall response rate was 54% (3 complete response, 11 partial response) with a median duration of 13 months (4-36). Median overall survival was 14 month overall, 45 months for Group 1 and 13 months for Group 2. We conclude that the DECAV regimen is clearly active in uterine sarcomas but is too toxic to be recommended routinely.

Adult↗

Adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin, ifosfamide, and doxorubicin followed by radiotherapy in localized uterine sarcomas: results of a case-control study with radiotherapy alone.

UNLABELLED: Uterine sarcoma is a poor prognosis disease, with a high risk of metastatic relapse. We conducted a study of adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin, ifosfamide, and doxorubicin followed by radiotherapy (n=18). The results were then compared in a matched case-controlled study to radiotherapy alone (n=16) or no therapy at all (n=2). Chemotherapy consisted in three cycles of adriamyein-platinum-ifosfamide (API) (doxorubicin 60 mg /m2 on day 1; cisplatin 100 mg /m2 on day 2; ifosfamide 5 g /m2 on day 1+mesna 5 g /m2 on day 1+granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; q 3 weeks). Drug doses were reduced (20% for ifosfamide and cisplatin) four times (four patients) due to hematologic toxicity. Compared to a case-control study of adjuvant radiotherapy alone, results were not decreased by the addition of a toxic chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant API chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy is a feasible protocol; a multicenter phase III study comparing radiotherapy alone versus API chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy just began in France.

Adult↗