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C Maylin

Publications and source records attributed to C Maylin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Conformal radiotherapy of prostate cancer].

A number of retrospective and prospective studies have demonstrated that radiotherapy of prostate cancer must be actually conformal. Three-dimensional (3D) treatment planning consists in an as accurate as possible definition of target-volume, usually by CT-scan, and design of radiation fields shaped to this target-volume. Several steps are required, each step being important for the overall quality of the treatment. Conformal radiotherapy is better tolerated than conventional irradiation, with significantly less rectal toxicity. It allows dose-escalation up to 80 Gy. It is now possible to go beyond this dose with intensity-modulated radiotherapy. The benefit of these high doses was demonstrated by some large retrospective studies and some prospective dose-escalation trials. Several randomized trials are in progress, preliminary results of two of them have been published, both showing an improvement in disease control with the higher doses. The advantage of higher doses is clearly evident for patients in the intermediate prognostic group, but is still discussed for patients with a low risk tumour or treated in combination with hormone therapy. Late proctitis is the main toxicity of these high doses. Some volume constraints have been defined during the last years and will allow a decrease of the rate of rectal toxicity. Because of these technological improvements, results of radiation therapy are now similar to those of surgery: no direct comparison with a randomized trial is available, but large comparative studies show that long-term disease control are identical with both techniques. Radiation therapy must be proposed to all patients with a prostate carcinoma as an alternative to surgery.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed2004

[Does primary chemotherapy really increase the rate of breast conserving treatments?].

Initially, preoperative chemotherapy had three aims, to improve the overall survival by an early exposure to systemic therapy, to evaluate in vivo the efficacy of chemotherapy and to monitor post-operative treatment, and to increase the rate of breast-conserving treatments. Eight randomised trials have been published. The general consensus about the results of these trials is that neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not improve overall survival, in comparison with an adjuvant treatment. Clinical and especially pathological complete response rates were correlated with the outcome of the patients and could be considered as an independent prognostic factor. Primary chemotherapy is a powerful tool to study the predictive factors, especially biological factors, of chemosensitivity. However, the usefulness of this approach to adjust post-operative treatments remains to be demonstrated. Finally, primary chemotherapy slightly increased the rate of breast conserving treatments, but is accompanied by a small increase in the risk of local recurrence. To propose a conservative treatment to a woman initially not suitable for a lumpectomy needs clear information about this enhanced risk.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed2003

[Endobronchial brachytherapy: technique and indications].

The endobronchial brachytherapy procedure involves the insertion of an afterloading catheter into bronchus in close proximity to an endoluminal lesion, and to perform limited irradiation sparing as much as possible normal health tissues. The catheter is inserted during a classical flexible bronchoscopy. Three types of indications have been discussed: (i) palliative treatment of lung carcinoma, with or without laser desobstruction: an improvement in respiratory symptoms was observed in 60 to 80% of the cases; (ii) curative treatment for localised endobronchial carcinomas, in previously irradiated patients, or in case of contraindication of surgery or external beam irradiation; local control rate range from 60 to 70% at 2 years; (iii) combination of external irradiation and brachytherapy in the first line treatment of lung cancers. Two randomised trials did not show any improvement in survival for this approach; however, they have included advanced diseases. In the opposite, this association seems very effective for early stage lung carcinomas. Two major complications were regularly reported, haemoptysis and radiation bronchitis. Predictive factors for these toxicities are actually better known: haemoptysis could be due to a progressive disease more often than to brachytherapy itself; technical factors (dose, volume, fractionation), however, could explain a number of radiation bronchitis, and their incidence could decrease in the future.

Brachytherapy↗
PubMed2002

[Post-prostatectomy radiotherapy: for which patients and when?].

Biochemical relapse after radical prostatectomy is not exceptional, ranging from 10 to 40% in the literature. To prevent this biochemical failure, adjuvant radiotherapy was proposed to patients with a high risk of relapse. No phase III trial has actually validated this attitude. Best indications for adjuvant irradiation seem to be patients with an extensive extracapsular extension or multiple positive margins. Historical comparisons seems to confer, in these case, a benefit in biochemical control for adjuvant irradiation versus observation. Others authors prefer immediate post-operative irradiation, a delayed treatment, when biochemical relapse has occurred. This attitude has spared some patients irradiation useless. This salvage irradiation lowered the PSA level in 40 to 70% of the cases, but long-term efficiency is obtained only in the case of a low value of the PSA before irradiation. Delayed radiotherapy is, therefore, justified only if a close follow-up is performed, with repeated dosage of PSA. Whatever the case, it is important to differentiate between local and distant relapse: patients with positive nodes at the time of surgery are most likely at risk of distant relapse. It seems that patients with seminal vesicles involvement are also at high risk for distant relapse, but this must be confirmed.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2001

Impact on survival of surgery after concomitant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced cancers of the esophagus.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the results of chemoradiotherapy with or without surgery in locally-advanced esophageal carcinomas (T3 and/or nodal involvement). METHODS: One hundred twelve patients with locally-advanced carcinoma of the esophagus without histologically proven invasion of the tracheobronchial tree or distant visceral metastases were treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy followed by re-evaluation; surgery was performed or chemoradiotherapy continued, based on tumor regression and the patient's general status. Chemoradiotherapy consisted of concomitant 5-fluorouracil (5FU)(1 g/m(2) day 1-3), cisplatinum (50 mg/m(2) day 1 and 2), and external beam irradiation up to a dose of 40 or 43.2 Gy. After a 4-week rest period, radical esophagectomy or a new cycle of chemoradiotherapy (up to a total dose of 65 Gy) was performed. RESULTS: A complete clinical response was obtained in 25.7% of the patients and a partial response in 45.9%. Fifty patients underwent surgery, but only 38 patients had an esophagectomy. Post-esophagectomy mortality was 5.3%. A complete histologic response rate of 23.7% was obtained. Two- and 5-year survival rates were, respectively, 41.5% and 28.6% for the whole population. According to multivariate analysis, prognostic factors for survival were Karnofsky index, esophagectomy, and response to chemoradiotherapy. Five-year survival for patients who experienced a partial response to radiation and chemotherapy was 49.1% for those who had surgery and 23.5% for those treated without surgery (p = 0.003). There was no obvious benefit for the small number of patients treated surgically after complete response to radiation and chemotherapy. Toxicity, essentially hematologic, was moderate. CONCLUSION: For locally-advanced esophageal carcinomas, esophagectomy, after concomitant chemoradiotherapy, could improve the survival rate, especially for patients who responded partially to the latter.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Chemotherapy with cisplatinum, carboplatin and 5FU-folinic acid, followed by concomitant chemo-radiotherapy in unresectable esophageal carcinomas].

UNLABELLED: The best chemotherapeutic regimen for advanced carcinoma of the esophagus remains to be determined. We have evaluated a combination of carboplatin, cisplatin and 5FU modulated by folinic acid. Patients. Twenty-seven patients (median age 57 yrs) with an unresectable carcinoma of the esophagus were included in this trial: 9 patients with a local relapse after surgery, 6 patients with a locally advanced (T4) tumor, and 12 patients with metastasis. Treatment schedule. Initial chemotherapy : carboplatine IV d1, AUC4; 5FU: bolus injection of 400 mg/m2 d1, followed by a continuous infusion of 600 mg/m2/24 h, d1 and d2; folinic acid (200 mg/m2) IV, before the 5FU bolus, d1 and d2; cisplatine 80 mg/m2, d3; on d15 and d16, 5FU and folinic acid were repeated with the same schedule. The second cycle began on d28. Concomitant chemo-radiotherapy with 5FU (1,000 mg/m2 d1 to d3), cisplatine (50 mg/m2 d1 and d2) and external irradiation (20 Gy in 10 fractions from d1 to d12) was then performed, for three cycles (until a total dose of 60 Gy). Results. TOXICITY: neutropenia grade 3-4 (32%), thrombopenia grade 3-4 (18%). More important, a lymphopenia (< 500/mm3) was noted in 12 patients (43%). Accordingly, 4 serious infectious complications were observed, with three toxic deaths. Objective response rate: 44% after initial chemotherapy; 75% after chemoradiotherapy, with 8 complete responses (38%). Median survival was 7.4 months, with a one- and two-year survival of 33% and 17,8%, respectively. Conclusion. This association of cisplatin, carboplatin, and 5FU did not offer a better response rate than the classical 5FU-cisplatinum association. But serious infectious complications occurred during the trial. We do not recommended further evaluation of this biplatinum therapy with 5FU in advanced esophageal carcinomas.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

High-dose-rate brachytherapy for early breast cancer: an ambulatory technique.

PURPOSE: To evaluate tolerance and efficiency of a boost dose delivered by high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRB) in conservative treatment of breast cancer. To evaluate the feasibility of brachytherapy on an out-patient basis. METHODS: One hundred and six patients with T1-T2, N0-N1 breast cancers (108 breasts) have been treated with lumpectomy, external irradiation (45 Gy in 5 weeks), and a boost dose on the tumor bed with HDR iridium brachytherapy. Two fractions of 5 Gy were delivered 6 or 24 hours apart. Implantation was done during the lumpectomy (group A: 24 cases) or 3 to 4 weeks after the end of external irradiation (group B: 84 cases). For group B, the application was performed on local anesthesia, and did not require hospitalization. Characteristics of the population were as follows: T1: 77 (71.3%); T2: 31 (28.7%); median tumor size: 1.5 cm; histology: intraductal carcinomas (DCIS): 14 (13%); infiltrative ductal carcinomas (IDC): 84 (77.8%); others: 10 (9.2%). For IDC, surgical margins were found positive in 15 cases, and an extensive intraductal component was present in 22 cases. RESULTS: All ambulatory HDR implants were performed as planned. No immediate toxicity was noticed, except 5 local hematomas. With a median follow-up of 45 months, 5 local relapses were observed (5-year local relapse rate: 5.1%). Only histological grade III was significantly correlated with local relapse. The 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival were respectively 93.8% and 93.3%. Cosmetic result was evaluated in 87 cases, and was good or excellent in 48 cases (63.2%), acceptable in 27 cases, and poor in 5 cases. CONCLUSION: HDRB allows the boost dose to be performed on an out-patient basis. It seems to offer the same local control as other boost techniques for localized breast cancer with acceptable cosmetic results.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Continuous radiosensitizing chemotherapy].

Concomitant use of radiation therapy and chemotherapy is increasing steadily in the treatment of locally-advanced epithelial tumors. This approach has been proved effective in head and neck, esophageal, and canal and nonsmall-cell lung cancers. One of the best radiation sensitizers known to date is 5FU. In vitro cell model have demonstrated the importance of continuous exposure to the drug during 12 to 24 hours after the radiation session. These biological data have been confirmed by a randomized study in rectal cancer comparing 5FU bolus therapy versus 5FU given continuously during irradiation. Disease-free survival and overall survival were longer in the continuous infusion group. Cisplatin is being increasingly used in moderate but repeated doses, a regimen that requires central venous access. Similarly, etoposide, whose venotoxicity is well known, is an excellent radiation sensitizer that is gaining ground, most notably in the treatment of lung cancer. Nutritional support is a key component of all radiochemotherapy regimens used to treat digestive tract cancers and usually requires parenteral nutrition via a central venous access.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1998

Predictive factors for late toxicity after endobronchial brachytherapy: a multivariate analysis.

PURPOSE: To determine the predictive factors associated with hemoptysis and radiation bronchitis after endobronchial brachytherapy by univariate and multivariate analyses METHODS AND MATERIALS: One hundred forty-nine patients underwent endobronchial brachytherapy and were divided into three therapeutic groups: group 1: patients treated with palliative intent (n=47); group 2: patients treated with curative intent (small endobronchial tumors without mediastinal or general dissemination: n=73); group 3: patients also receiving external irradiation (n=29). One hundred twelve patients had previously received external irradiation. Brachytherapy was delivered with a dose per fraction ranging from 4 to 7 Gy and a prescription point between 0.5 and 1.5 cm, usually 1 cm from the source center. Two to six fractions were delivered according to the therapeutic group and clinical situation. The influence of the following variables on the incidence of hemoptysis or radiation bronchitis was studied: age, sex, Karnofsky score, therapeutic group, histologic type, endoscopic tumor length, dose per fraction, total brachytherapy dose, total external beam irradiation dose, total dose (brachytherapy dose plus external irradiation dose), volumes of the 100% and 200% isodoses, and volumes of the 7 and 14 Gy isodoses. RESULTS: We observed 11 hemoptyses (7.4%), 10 were lethal. All but one occurred in patients with progressive disease. Two clinical factors were significantly associated with hemoptysis by univariate analysis: palliative group (p=0.009) and endobronchial tumor length (p=0.004). No technical factors seem to be implicated in the occurrence of hemoptysis. Only endobronchial tumor length remained in the multivariate model (p=0.02). Radiation bronchitis was observed in 13 cases (8.7%). By univariate analysis, a good Karnofsky score (p=0.02), curative treatment (p=0.02), and tumor location on trachea and main stem bronchus (p=0.002) were significantly associated with this complication. Two technical factors were also incriminated: the total dose (p=0.04) and the 100% isodose volume (p=0.02). By multivariate analysis, only the tumor location retained statistical significance (p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Hemoptysis is most likely due to disease progression, with the bleeding being facilitated by brachytherapy. Some rare cases could be a direct complication of brachytherapy itself, particularly when tumors are located in the upper lobes. In contrast, radiation bronchitis occurred more frequently in patients with controlled disease, and was significantly influenced by tumor location and technical factors (dose and volumes treated). Technical improvements should increase the therapeutic ratio.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1997

[Concomitant radiochemotherapy in inoperable non-small cell lung cancer].

PURPOSE: As locally advanced and inoperable non-small cell lung cancers still have a poor prognosis, the present phase II study focused on the administration of concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy and was aimed at increasing both local and metastatic controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine patients (36 male and three female patients, mean age, 56 years) were included into the study. Ninety five percent of them had a good performance status (OMS status 0 or 1). The histopathological analysis showed the existence of squamous cell in 64% of the cases. There was one stage I tumor, nine stage IIIA tumors and 24 stage IIIB tumors. In two cases, the tumor stage was unknown. The duration of each cycle of the protocol was 3 weeks and included the administration of cisplatin (50 mg/m2 at d1 and d2) and fluorouracil (5-FU) (1 gr/m2 in continuous infusion at d1, d2, and d3), and external beam irradiation (20 Gy subdivided into 2 Gy-fractions that were administered from d1 to d12); the 3rd week was a resting period. RESULTS: The tolerance to the treatment was good. Fifteen per cent grade 3-4 leucopenia, 3% grade 3-4 thrombopenia and 15% grade 3-4 nausea with vomiting were observed. No serious esophagitis was recorded. Chemotherapy was completed in more than 90% of the cycles. An objective response was described in 56% of the cases, with only 3% of complete responses. However, evaluation was done on average 6 weeks after radiotherapy, at a time where post-irradiation fibrosis could hamper radiological assessment. Median survival and 2- and 3-year survivals were 11.4 months, 27% and 14%, respectively. The only significant prognostic factor was the OMS performance status index, while the radiological response was particularly non-predictive of survival. Failure patterns were analyzed in 20 patients and consisted of the following: local relapse only, six cases; metastatic relapse only, 13 cases; both local and metastatic relapse, one case. CONCLUSION: The concomitant administration of 5-FU, cisplatin and external irradiation seems feasible in current clinical practice. Survival but not radiological response should be the only criteria to evaluate this type of association. Improvement in local control is not unlikely with this type of association.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1997

[Endobronchial brachytherapy: the Saint-Louis Hospital experience].

PURPOSE: During the evolution of lung cancer, bronchial obstruction is often noticed and is sometimes responsible for serious symptoms. Several methods of desobstruction can be proposed, including brachytherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred forty-nine patients presenting with endobronchial brachytherapy were included into the study. Seventy-three were treated with curative intent, 47 with palliative intent and 29 with a combination of external irradiation and brachytherapy. We usually delivered a series of two 7-Gy fractions (1 cm from the catheter), the treatment being repeated one, two or three times. RESULTS: When all symptoms were taken into account, respiratory function improvement was present in 79% of the patients. Among the 132 tumors that could be evaluated via a new endoscopy 2 months after treatment, 64 (48.5%) were in complete histological remission. The median survival was 14.4 months for the patients treated with curative intent. Eleven massive hemoptysies and 13 radiation bronchitis were observed. CONCLUSION: These results confirm the feasibility and good results related to endobronchial brachytherapy, though controlled studies are needed to better define its place in the therapeutic strategy of bronchial carcinomas.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Lack of correlation between the location of choroidal melanoma and ultraviolet-radiation dose distribution.

Ocular melanomas arise from the choroid. The results of our study of a total of 92 ocular melanomas would indicate that there is no preferential location for tumors on the eye. We estimated the ultraviolet (UV) radiation dose distribution using data available in the literature. We then compared tumor location and UV-radiation dose distribution. UVC and UVB do not reach the choroid, and UVA is filtered by the cornea and the lens. Only a small percentage of the incoming rays reach the posterior and inferior part of the retina, but none reach the superior and anterior part of the eye. We concluded that it is therefore very unlikely that UV-radiation exposure is responsible for choroidal melanoma.

Choroid Neoplasms↗
PubMed1997

[Intrabronchial curietherapy. Experiences at Hôpital Saint-Louis after the treatment of 149 patients].

Endobronchial tumour obstruction threatens to occur in cases of carcinoma of the bronchus throughout the course of the disease. Such patients can benefit from relief of the bronchial obstruction by several techniques which are currently available. We have treated 149 patients with endobronchial radiotherapy. Seventy three patients were treated with a view to cure, 47 with a palliative dose and 29 received endobronchial radiation in complement with external irradiation. The treatment was carried out in series repeated every 15 days until a maximum of three treatments, consisting of two sessions at 24 hour intervals delivering at each session and irradiating of 7 Gy with a 1 cm catheter. All the clinical signs were relieved and in 79% of patients there was a symptomatic benefit. One hundred and thirty two patients were evaluated by control endoscopy two months after the treatment and 64 had a complete histological remission. The median survival was 14.4 months for patients treated with intent to cure. Obtaining a histological remission was a gauge for prolonged survival (median survival 26.5 months), 11 (7.4%) had massive hemoptysis and 13 (8%) irradiation pneumonitis, all of which occurred some time after the therapeutic procedure. The results confirm the feasibility and the good results of endobronchial irradiation in this field and encourage the idea of controlled multi-centre trials in order to assess a placed of endobronchial radiotherapy in the therapeutic strategy of bronchial cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1996

[Concomitant radiochemotherapy in locally advanced ORL cancers: a prospective study of 68 cases].

From January 1988 to July 1992, 68 patients presenting with a locally advanced and unresectable carcinoma of the head and neck region were given 3 to 5 courses of chemotherapy (5-FU 1 g/m2, day 1 to 3, cisplatin 4 mg/m2, day 1 and 2, 15 mg/m2 day 8) combined with simultaneous radiotherapy. Patients were enrolled in two protocols. In the initial one a 70 Gy total dose was delivered in 105 days, and in the latter the same dose was given in only 63 days. Toxicity was moderate and acceptable. In the 62 evaluable patients, a complete response was observed in 62%, and partial response in 24%. The complete response rate was higher (80%) in the population enrolled in the second protocol. Overall the median survival is 18 months. At 2 and 3 years, the overall survival is 48% and 30% respectively. These results suggest an influence of overall treatment duration on complete response rate and survival.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1994

Prolonged survival after high-dose rate endobronchial radiation for malignant airway obstruction.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To show that prolonged survival can be observed after high-dose rate (HDR) endobronchial brachytherapy as the sole treatment for some selected patients presenting with an endobronchial malignant obstruction. PATIENTS: Twenty-nine patients (group 1) who presented with an endoluminal localized tumor without metastatic extension were treated by HDR endobronchial brachytherapy and are compared with 22 subjects who presented with extraluminal dissemination and were palliatively treated (group 2). TREATMENT PROTOCOL: Treatment consisted of sessions of two exposures, delivering 7 Grays at a 10-mm radius from the center of the applicator each, and repeated every 15 days, to a maximum of six exposures. Endoscopic response and survival are the main criteria of assessment. RESULTS: Follow-up bronchoscopies, performed 2 months after the end of the procedure, showed tumor regressions: macroscopic complete responses (CR) were observed in 21 of 25 patients evaluable in group 1, and 6 of 22 in group 2, with histologic CR in 18 and 2 patients, respectively. Median overall survival was not reached in group 1 after 23 months of follow-up; it was 5 months for group 2. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm that HDR brachytherapy can be used as a monotherapy for carefully selected patients who have small tumors to all appearances limited to the bronchial lumen and bronchial wall without adjacent parenchymal extension or metastatic disease.

Airway Obstruction↗
PubMed1994

[Radio-chemotherapy combinations: from biology to clinics].

Combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy (CRC) is actually one important way of research in oncology. Theoretical advantages are: 1) Spatial cooperation; 2) Additivity, which is only obtained if the toxicity of each modality are different; 3) Supra-additivity, which needs a rigorous in vitro definition; the only way to prove it is to make an isobologram analysis. This model has however, some limitations: qualitative variable could not be used, results could be different, depending on the cell line and isoeffect chosen... In fact, a supra-additivity was only demonstrated for cisplatinum and etoposide. Interactions mechanisms were: 1) at the molecular level, creation of new lesions or inhibition of radiation lesions repair; 2) At the cellular level, either cytokinetic cooperation with S-phase dependent drugs, or synchronisation for the drugs which blocked the cells in M-phase; 3) At the tissular level, reoxygenation, cycle redistribution... In clinical practice, three mains schedules have been described: sequential, alternating and concomitant. Only the latter try to use the supra-additivity phenomena. Aims of CRC could be: improvement or in survival or in local control, preservation of an functional organ... Depending on the tumor site and aim of the CRC, some schedules had to be preferred. For head and neck cancers, alternating or concomitant schedules offer a better local control. In bronchial carcinomas, sequential administration of the two modalities reduce the metastatic rate, but not the local control. Concomitant schedule improve the local control rate only. In some conservative protocol of bladder cancers, sequential and concomitant administration were used. In conclusion, CRC begins to be the usual clinical practice. The present schedules could be improved with the help of laboratory findings, which are now more and more precise.

Antineoplastic Agents↗