Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D A Fein

Publications and source records attributed to D A Fein.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Oropharyngeal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy: a 30-year experience.

PURPOSE: This study was done to determine the outcome in patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma treated at the University of Florida with radiotherapy alone to the primary site, for comparison with reported results of other types of treatment. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Of a consecutive cohort of 785 patients with biopsy-proven, previously untreated, invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, this report is based on the 490 patients who had continuous-course irradiation with curative intent at the University of Florida between October 1964 and January 1991. All patients had a minimum 2-year follow-up. Forty-eight percent had Stage T3 or T4 disease, and 64% had clinically apparent neck node metastases. The median radiation dose was 68 Gy for once-a-day treatment and 76.8 Gy for twice-a-day treatment. Patients with advanced neck node disease had planned neck dissection(s) after radiotherapy. RESULTS: The overall local control rate after radiotherapy alone was 73%. The ultimate local control rate (including surgical salvage) was 78%. At 5 years, the probability of control of neck disease was 85%; control above the clavicles, 67%; absolute survival, 44%; cause-specific survival, 77%; distant metastasis (as the first or only site of failure), 11%. Thirteen patients (2.6%) experienced severe treatment complications. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy results in tumor control and survival rates comparable with rates achieved with combined irradiation and surgery, with less morbidity.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

Phase I/II study of concomitant irradiation and carboplatin for locally advanced carcinoma of the uterine cervix: an interim report.

The outcome of women treated with either definitive irradiation alone or in combination with cisplatin-based chemotherapy for locally advanced (>IIb) squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix has been disappointing. To improve upon our reported results with irradiation alone, a trial using irradiation plus carboplatin chemotherapy was designed for these patients. Twenty-seven women with unresectable squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were referred to our institution between July 1991 and September 1994. Seven of these patients were enrolled in a phase I/II protocol combining concurrent irradiation and carboplatin chemotherapy. Megavoltage irradiation was used to deliver 45-50.4 Gy to the pelvis (and paraaortic chain when nodes were involved) through a multiple-field technique followed by the application of Fletcher-Suit-Delclos tandem and ovoids to boost the point A dose to 85 Gy. Chemotherapy consisted of intravenous carboplatin (60 mg/m2) administered in conjunction with irradiation to a total dose of 300 mg/m2. The enrolled patients consisted of six women with stage IIIb disease and one with stage IIa with concomitant paraaortic adenopathy. All seven patients enrolled in the study completed the planned course of treatment and tolerated the treatment without severe acute morbidities. No dose modifications were required for the radiation therapy regimen. For one patient, a dose of carboplatin was withheld to allow recovery from thrombocytopenia. The overall response rate was 100% (four complete response, three partial response). The combination of concurrent irradiation (pelvic or pelvic + paraaortic fields) and carboplatin chemotherapy can be safely administered to patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. The treatment is well tolerated and is associated with a high rate of response. Longer follow-up will be necessary to assess the durability of response. In the meantime, we have elected to escalate the dose of carboplatin (90 mg/m2) in the hope of increasing the rate of complete response without incurring unacceptable toxicity.

Adult↗

Management of extremity soft tissue sarcomas with limb-sparing surgery and postoperative irradiation: do total dose, overall treatment time, and the surgery-radiotherapy interval impact on local control?

PURPOSE: To evaluate potential prognostic factors in the treatment of extremity soft tissue sarcomas that may influence local control, distant metastases, and overall survival. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Sixty-seven patients with extremity soft tissue sarcomas were treated with curative intent by limb-sparing surgery and postoperative radiation therapy at the Fox Chase Cancer Center or the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, between October 1970 and March 1991. Follow-up ranged from 4-218 months. The median external beam dose was 60.4 Gy. In 13 patients, interstitial brachytherapy was used as a component of treatment. RESULTS: The 5-year local control rate for all patients was 87%. The 5-year local control rate for patients who received < or = 62.5 Gy was 78% compared to 95% for patients who received > 62.5 Gy had larger tumors (p = 0.008) and a higher percentage of Grade 3 tumors and positive margins than patients who received < or = 62.5 Gy. The 5-year local control rate for patients with negative or close margins was 100% vs. 56% in patients with positive margins (p = 0.002). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed using the following variables as covariates: tumor dose, overall treatment time, interval from surgery to initiation of radiation therapy, margin status, grade, and tumor size. Total dose (p = 0.04) and margin status (p = 0.02) were found to significantly influence local control. Only tumor size significantly influenced distant metastasis (p = 0.01) or survival (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Postoperative radiation therapy doses > 62.5 Gy were noted to significantly improve local control in patients with extremity soft tissue sarcomas. This is the first analysis in the literature to demonstrate the independent influence of total dose on local control of extremity soft tissue sarcomas treated with adjuvant postoperative irradiation.

Adolescent↗

Management of retroperitoneal sarcomas: does dose escalation impact on locoregional control?

PURPOSE: Only 50% of patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas undergo complete resection and of these, 47% develop local tumor recurrence. To determine whether irradiation with dose escalation improves locoregional control, we reviewed the experience with adjuvant radiotherapy in the treatment of retroperitoneal sarcomas at the Fox Chase Cancer Center and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Twenty-one patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas were treated with curative intent with surgical resection and radiation therapy at Fox Chase Cancer Center or the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania between May 1965 and July 1992. Follow-up ranged from 14-340 months. Nineteen patients were treated postoperatively and 2 preoperatively. Radiation doses were between 36.0 Gy and 90.0 Gy (median 54.0 Gy). RESULTS: The 2-year rates of local control and survival were 72% and 69%, respectively. Tumor size, stage, grade, and histology did not influence local control. Two of eight patients (25%) who received a total dose of > 55.2 Gy experienced local failure compared to 5 of 13 (38%) who received < or = 55.2 Gy. One patient experienced a small bowel obstruction that required surgical intervention. There were no other severe complications. CONCLUSION: Postoperative treatment with radiotherapy using a dose > 55.0 Gy is recommended for patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas following surgical resection due to the significant likelihood of local recurrence. Innovative adjuvant radiation techniques to escalate doses to greater than 55.0 Gy including intraoperative radiation therapy, brachytherapy, or use of small bowel exclusion devices to reduce small bowel toxicity should be considered for retroperitoneal sarcomas.

Adult↗

Picture archiving and communications systems in radiation oncology (PACSRO): tools for a physician-based digital image review system.

Digital imaging is becoming more and more important in the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of patients in radiation oncology. In order to facilitate the most efficient interface of this technology to physicians and other users of this information, a medical image display system (MID) has been developed at the Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC). The system runs on 20 personal computers situated in physicians offices as well as a modified system located in the radiation oncology conference room. Access to CT, MRI, and EPID information is achieved through an Ethernet connection to the hospital picture archiving and communications system (PACS). Over a 1-year period a total of 503 patients and 3845 images have been stored on the system. Physician approval using the MID system (without conventional films) was performed on 106 patients. Of these, 22%, 16%, 11%, 10%, and 9% consisted of breast, prostate, pelvic, lung, and head and neck patients, respectively. Digital images sent from a variety of image sources to the MID system take up to 15 s to process and format while image access and display can take 2-5 s, dependent upon image size and speed of the host computer.

Adult↗

Use of multiplanar reformatted radiographic and digitally reconstructed radiographic images for planning conformal radiation therapy.

A three-dimensional treatment planning system capable of gantry, collimator, and table rotations is required for a noncoplanar conformal therapy. Unfortunately, such a system is not widely available. A method in which multiplanar reformatted radiographic (MPR) and digitally reconstructed radiographic (DRR) images are used is presented for conformal treatment of brain tumors. A head phantom containing a target volume was scanned on a computed tomographic (CT) simulator. The coronal MPR images were digitized on a treatment planning system to create a conformal block of the planned treatment field. The DRR images were generated on the CT simulator with the setup parameters calculated from the treatment planning system. A second set of conformal blocks was generated based on DRR images of the fields. The accuracy of the MPR- and DRR-generated blocks was verified on the vertex field. The differences between the actual planning target volume and the field edges of the MPR and DRR blocks were within +/- 4 mm and +/- 2 mm, respectively. The authors conclude that the MPR and DRR images could be successfully used to generate conformal blocks and for treatment planning of noncoplanar beams in radiation therapy.

Brain Neoplasms↗

Pretreatment hemoglobin level influences local control and survival of T1-T2 squamous cell carcinomas of the glottic larynx.

PURPOSE: A number of reports have documented the relationship between pretreatment hemoglobin level and local control and/or survival in the treatment of cervix, bladder, and advanced head and neck tumors. Consideration of correcting anemia before initiation of radiation therapy may prove increasingly important as clinical trials use intensive induction chemotherapy in the treatment of head and neck carcinomas. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy may produce anemia, which in turn may reduce the effectiveness of subsequent irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred nine patients with T1-2N0 squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx were treated with definitive radiotherapy at the Fox Chase Cancer Center between June 1980 and November 1990. Follow-up times ranged from 26 to 165 months (median, 82). RESULTS: The 2-year local control rate for patients who presented with a hemoglobin level < or = 13 g/dL was 66%, compared with 95% for patients with a hemoglobin level more than 13 g/dL (P = .0018). The 2-year survival rate for patients with a hemoglobin level < or = 13 g/dL was 46%, compared with 88% for patients with a hemoglobin level more than 13 g/dL (P < .001). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that hemoglobin level (P = .0016) was the only variable that significantly influenced local control (P = .0016) and survival (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: Patients who presented with hemoglobin levels more than 13 g/dL had significantly higher local control and survival rates. The strong apparent correlation between hemoglobin level, local control, and survival supports consideration of correcting anemia before initiation of radiation therapy.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Stage III ovarian carcinoma: an analysis of treatment results and complications following hyperfractionated abdominopelvic irradiation for salvage.

PURPOSE: Patients with persistent disease found at laparotomy following platinum-based chemotherapy for Stage III ovarian carcinoma have a remote chance of cure with second-line chemotherapy or conventional radiotherapy. To decrease relapse rates and improve tolerance, we have used twice-daily radiotherapy in 28 such patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Twenty-eight patients with Stage III epithelial ovarian carcinoma were treated with curative intent at the University of Florida with hyperfractionated, continuous-course radiotherapy for persistent disease at laparotomy after administration of platinum-based chemotherapy. All patients received .8 Gy per fraction, twice daily, to a mean total dose of 30.2 Gy to the whole abdomen and pelvis; 20 patients had additional radiotherapy to the pelvis (mean, 14.54 Gy). All patients had undergone two to four (mean, 2.6) laparotomies for ovarian carcinoma and had received 6-28 (mean, 12) cycles of chemotherapy before irradiation. RESULTS: With a 2-year minimum follow-up, survival rates at 1, 2, and 5 years were as follows: absolute survival, 79%, 50%, 21%; relapse-free survival, 52%, 36%, 19%. For the 11 patients with no evidence of gross residual disease after the second-look laparotomy, the absolute survival rates were 100%, 73%, and 27%. This was superior to the rates of 65%, 34%, and 18% for the 17 patients who had gross residual disease. Only two patients required treatment breaks. Four patients required surgical intervention for small-bowel obstruction, which in two cases revealed recurrent disease. Two patients died of treatment-related complications. Twenty-two of 23 failures occurred in the abdomen and/or pelvis. CONCLUSION: Although most patients eventually relapse, a small percentage have had a prolonged disease-free interval. Since treatment was relatively well tolerated, escalation of the dose of hyperfractionated abdominopelvic irradiation is being investigated.

Carcinoma↗

Results of multimodality therapy for inflammatory breast cancer: an analysis of clinical and treatment factors affecting outcome.

This is a retrospective analysis of 50 patients with a minimum 2-year follow-up who had clinical signs and/or histologic evidence of inflammatory breast cancer and were treated with curative intent between October 1964 and March 1989. The 5-year relapse-free, absolute, and cause-specific survival rates for the overall group of 50 patients were 36, 39, and 45 per cent, respectively. Patients who received treatment with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery (n = 33) had a 5-year relapse-free survival rate of 50 per cent, compared with 7 per cent for those patients (n = 17) who received less treatment (P = 0.0002). The only clinical factor with a negative impact on relapse-free survival was mass size > 5 cm (P = 0.07). No advantage could be demonstrated for preoperative chemotherapy over postoperative chemotherapy or for doxorubicin-containing regimens over cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil. There was no difference in the incidence of distant metastases for patients receiving preoperative rather than postoperative chemotherapy, but there were more local recurrences in patients in whom local-regional treatment was delayed. A higher rate of arm edema was associated with more extensive surgery.

Adult↗

Lhermitte's sign: incidence and treatment variables influencing risk after irradiation of the cervical spinal cord.

PURPOSE: Lhermitte's sign is a relatively infrequent sequela of irradiation of the cervical spinal cord. In this study, we sought to determine whether various treatment parameters influenced the likelihood of developing Lhermitte's sign. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between October 1964 and December 1987, 2901 patients with malignancies of the upper respiratory tract were treated at the University of Florida. The dose of radiation to the cervical spinal cord was calculated for those patients who had a minimum 1-year follow-up. A total of 1112 patients who received a minimum of 3000 cGy to at least 2 cm of cervical spinal cord were included in this analysis. RESULTS: Forty patients (3.6%) developed Lhermitte's sign. The mean time to development of Lhermitte's sign after irradiation was 3 months, and the mean duration of symptoms was 6 months. No patient with Lhermitte's sign developed transverse myelitis. Several variables were examined in a univariate analysis, including total dose to the cervical spinal cord, length of cervical spinal cord irradiated, dose per fraction, continuous-course compared with split-course radiotherapy, and once-daily compared with twice-daily irradiation. Only two variables proved to be significant. Six (8%) of 75 patients who received > or = 5000 cGy to the cervical spinal cord developed Lhermitte's sign compared with 34 (3.3%) of 1037 patients who received < 5000 cGy (p = .04). For patients treated with once-daily fractionation, 28 (3.4%) of 821 patients who received < 200 cGy per fraction developed Lhermitte's sign compared with 6 (10%) of 58 patients who received > or = 200 cGy (p = .02). CONCLUSION: An increased risk of developing Lhermitte's sign was demonstrated for patients who received either > or = 200 cGy per fraction (one fraction per day) or > or = 5000 cGy total dose to the cervical spinal cord.

Carcinoma↗

Carcinoma in situ of the glottic larynx: the role of radiotherapy.

PURPOSE: To examine the University of Florida experience with radiotherapy of carcinoma in situ of the true vocal cord and compare our results with those reported in other series using various treatment modalities. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Nineteen patients with carcinoma in situ of the true vocal cord were treated with curative intent with radiation therapy at the University of Florida between October 1964 and September 1990. All patients had a minimum 2-year follow-up. Before the radiotherapy, four patients had undergone a biopsy only, 11 patients had undergone one stripping procedure, and four patients had undergone 2 to 5 strippings. Radiation doses were between 5625 cGy and 6300 cGY (median, 5625 cGy). RESULTS: The 5-year rates of local control, ultimate local control, and local control with voice preservation were 93%, 100%, and 93%, respectively. A literature review revealed that local control rates after primary treatment with radiotherapy, laser resection, and vocal cord stripping were 84%, 68%, and 66%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Primary treatment with radiotherapy should be strongly considered for patients with carcinoma in situ of the true-vocal cord who have a recurrence after vocal cord stripping or who cannot have close follow-up after treatment.

Aged↗

Pharyngeal wall carcinoma treated with radiotherapy: impact of treatment technique and fractionation.

PURPOSE: To determine whether a modification in treatment technique and the routine use of twice-daily fractionation have influenced the likelihood of local control in carcinomas of the hypopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal wall. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between October 1964 and July 1990, 99 patients with invasive, previously untreated T1-T4 squamous cell carcinoma of the pharyngeal wall were treated with continuous-course, external-beam radio-therapy with curative intent at the University of Florida. All patients had a minimum 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: The 2-year local control rates for patients treated with once-daily vs. twice-daily fractionation were T1, 100% each; T2, 67% vs. 92%; T3, 43% vs. 80%; and T4, 17% vs. 50%. The 2-year local control rates for patients treated with our former technique (posterior border placed at middle of the vertebral body when the portals were reduced off the spinal cord) vs. our current, modified technique (posterior border placed at posterior edge of the vertebral body) were T1, 100% each; T2, 57% vs. 100%; T3, 46% vs. 73%; and T4, 29% vs. 75%. The parameters of T stage, fractionation schedule, primary site, (oropharynx vs. hypopharynx) treatment technique, and lateral vs. posterior pharyngeal wall location were evaluated in a multivariate analysis for the end point of local control. T stage (p = .003), fractionation schedule (p = .001), and primary site (p = .028) were of independent prognostic significance. CONCLUSION: Twice-daily fractionation was the most important treatment-related variable in this patient population.

Aged↗

T1-T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx treated with radiotherapy: a multivariate analysis of variables potentially influencing local control.

PURPOSE: To examine various parameters that might influence the probability of local control of T1-T2 glottic carcinoma treated with radiotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Two hundred forty-seven patients with invasive, previously untreated T1-T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx were treated with radiotherapy between May 1977 and December 1989. All patients had a minimum 2-year follow-up. To minimize treatment-related variables, only patients with T1 lesions treated once daily at 225 cGy per fraction and patients with T2 lesions treated once daily at 225 cGy per fraction or twice daily at 120 cGy per fraction were included. Surgical alternative, thickness of the neck at the posterior edge of the lateral fields, vocal cord mobility, anterior commissure involvement, gender, and T stage were evaluated in a multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The 5-year local control rates, calculated by the product-limit method, were T1a, 95%; T1b, 96%; T2a, 87%; and T2b, 76%. The 5-year local control rate for patients with T2 lesions treated with once-daily fractionation was 81% compared with 91% for those who received twice-a-day radiotherapy. For the endpoint of local control with irradiation, the surgical alternative (p = .020) and cord mobility (p = .001) were of independent prognostic significance. CONCLUSION: Of the variables analyzed, only vocal cord mobility and surgical alternative significantly influenced local control. Specifically, anterior commissure involvement and neck thickness did not affect local control.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

Brucellosis as a world problem.

Brucellosis is one of the most widespread and economically the most ravaging of zoonoses. The occurrence of the acute, often incapacitating infection in man caused by Brucella melitensis usually coincides with occurrence of the infection in sheep and goats. Well-known foci of this infection have been identified in the Mediterranean basin, Central Asia and Latin America. Recent investigations in parts of Africa and India have shown that the infection is much more widespread than was previously suspected and that more foci remain to be discovered by the application of laboratory methods in epidemiological investigations. Bovine infection has a wider distribution and is more important than infection of sheep and goats as far as economic losses are concerned. Although the infection has been reduced by control measures to a low level of incidence in some countries of Europe and North America, its incidence in other parts of the world has actually increased because of emphasis on increased animal production and aggregation under poor hygienic conditions. This is particularly the case with dairy production units which have developed around rapidly growing urban centres in many developing countries. Although human infection with B. abortus may be mild, it can cause troublesome and intractable illness. The economic ravages of bovine brucellosis are tremendous and the losses in Latin America and the USA alone have been estimated by their respective governments to be 700 million dollars annually. The world figure must be truly staggering. Swine brucellosis is largely a problem of the Americas although a few foci have recently been discovered in other parts of the world, notably in Europe and Southern Asia. In the Americas, swine infection is second only to bovine brucellosis in its economic importance. A large number of human cases of B. suis infection are detected every year in the endemic areas. Other forms of brucellosis, e.g. B. canis in dogs and B. suis, biotype 4 in reindeer, have a limited distribution and are responsible for only sporadic human infections. B. ovis of sheep is more widespread but is generally confined to sheep. Annexes 1 and 2 show the reported incidence of brucellosis in man and animals. However, the officially reported data are generally incomplete and the actual incidence must in most cases be much higher than is shown in these tables. FAO and WHO have been assisting countries in which brucellosis is endemic by organizing control measures, providing training and reference materials, and by focusing coordinated research on problems which arise in these programmes. Some of the highlights of this work are outlined in the following paragraphs.

Animals↗

Salvage surgery after radiotherapy failure in T1-T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx.

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to analyze the clinical course of patients who developed local (primary) recurrence after high-dose irradiation of T1 -T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx. METHODS: Between May 1977 and December 1989, 247 patients with previously untreated T1 and T2 invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx were treated for curative intent with radiotherapy. Local recurrence occurred in 26 of 247 patients (11%). Successful surgical salvage was defined as no evidence of recurrent cancer for at least 2 years after salvage surgery and continuously thereafter. RESULTS: Two patients refused to undergo salvage surgery and one patient had unresectable disease. Of 23 patients who underwent salvage surgery, 19 had a total laryngectomy and 4 had a voice-sparing procedure. One patient who was continuously free of disease, died less than 24 months after salvage surgery; this patient was excluded from all local control and survival analyses, leaving 22 patients available for analysis. Successful salvage was achieved initially in 13 (59%) of the 22 patients. Two patients with local failure after voice-sparing salvage surgery underwent completion laryngectomy; one was salvaged, so that 14 of 22 (64%) were ultimately salvaged. The rate of successful salvage did not correlate with preirradiation T stage, time to failure after irradiation, or time from clinical suspicion of recurrence to histologic proof. In a subgroup of patients (those with positive margins, tumor extension into the soft tissues of the neck, or two or more adverse histologic features), the risk of local-regional recurrence after salvage laryngectomy was 80%. CONCLUSION: There are few data in the literature regarding the clinical outcome of patients whose tumors are not controlled by initial radiotherapy. This series and previous publications from other institutions indicate that most patients who develop primary failure undergo salvage surgery, which is successful in approximately 50-80% of the patients. The rate of surgical complications is acceptable and is related to radiotherapy dose. At our institution, most patients who had recurrence after radiotherapy underwent total laryngectomy. More than 50% of the patients who experienced recurrence after irradiation originally had tumors of such extent that they would have required total laryngectomy if surgery had been recommended instead of radiotherapy for the initial treatment. It is reasonable to consider reirradiation in patients with a very high risk of local-regional recurrence after salvage laryngectomy.

Biopsy↗

Carcinoma of the oral tongue: a comparison of results and complications of treatment with radiotherapy and/or surgery.

BACKGROUND: Oral tongue cancer may be treated primarily with radiotherapy or with surgery alone or combined with adjuvant radiotherapy; the choice between these two approaches is controversial. METHODS: To evaluate the results of a shift in treatment policy in 1985 in favor of primary surgical treatment for carcinoma of the oral tongue, the results of radiotherapy (with or without neck dissection, 105 patients) were compared with those for surgery (with or without radiotherapy, 65 patients). RESULTS: Local control rates were improved for T3 (p = .03) and 14 (p = .08) patients treated surgically but were similar for T1-T2 patients. Local-regional control and survival rates were not significantly different. The rate of severe complications was significantly higher (p = .01) for T3 patients treated with surgery, particularly in the subset of patients who received postoperative radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: We generally recommend surgical treatment for T1-T2 patients with the addition of postoperative twice-a-day radiotherapy in selected cases. For selected T3-T4 patients we are investigating split-course twice-a-day preoperative radiotherapy in the hope that the extent of the surgical procedure, and hence the rate of severe complications, will be reduced.

Adult↗