Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Nori

Publications and source records attributed to D Nori.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Intraluminal irradiation in bronchogenic carcinoma.

Endobronchial tumors present a difficult therapeutic problem. Most often these patients have primary lung cancer and present with endobronchial disease following a definitive course of surgery and/or irradiation. The most common methods of treatment include transbronchial excision of tumor or laser coagulation. The improvement obtained from these procedures is usually limited to 2 or 3 months, and repeated treatments become more difficult and less effective. A number of brachytherapy radiation techniques have been developed to deliver localized radiation in higher doses without exceeding surrounding normal tissue tolerance. Intraluminal radiation with brachytherapy techniques consists of implantation of radioactive pellets into the tumor through a rigid or flexible bronchoscope or the use of afterloading removable implants with remote afterloading techniques. These procedures can be combined with laser therapy to obtain effective palliation and long-term tumor control. Initial results appear promising.

Brachytherapy↗

Lung tumors: percutaneous implantation of I-125 sources with CT treatment planning.

Seven patients with lung tumors underwent percutaneous implantation of iodine-125 sources into the tumor. Needle placement and seed implantation were effected with biplane fluoroscopy and a computer planning model based on computed tomography. No complications were encountered. Five of the seven patients underwent the procedure at the outpatient center and were discharged the same day. Follow-up radiologic evaluations were available for six patients; in all six the examination demonstrated tumor shrinkage, and in four tumor shrinkage was essentially complete.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Status of radiotherapy in the management of non-small-cell lung cancer.

In non-small-cell lung cancer, a small percentage of patients is suitable for intensive radiation therapy, and radiation combined with surgery also has been used to treat patients with non-small-cell lung cancer that has spread within the chest. Pre or postoperative radiation therapy is used to improve resectability and to reduce local recurrence.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung↗

The treatment of single brain metastasis from non-oat cell lung carcinoma. Surgery and radiation versus radiation therapy alone.

Between 1978-1980, 104 patients with single brain metastases (SBM) from non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) were treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). These included 35 patients treated with surgical resection and radiation (S + ERT) and 69 patients treated with conventional external beam radiation therapy alone (ERT). Surgical resection was combined with whole brain (WBRT) and focal radiation in 83% and 17% of patients, respectively. In the ERT group, all patients received WBRT. Both treatment groups were similar with regard to age, sex, stage distribution, location and size of SBM, and time to relapse from initial diagnosis of NSCLC. The histologic examination, however, revealed adenocarcinoma predominating in those patients receiving S + ERT and epidermoid carcinoma in those receiving ERT. Follow-up treatment, symptomatic, and CTT response rates were evaluated. With S + ERT, the overall subjective and objective responses were 80% and 87%, respectively, and with ERT, 83% and 72% (of the 47 patients available for follow-up CT scans), respectively. Survival data indicate a significant advantage of S + ERT over ERT with a median survival of 16 months versus 4 months (P less than 0.0001). Three major factors, however, may have contributed to this difference: (1) patients in the S + ERT group generally received more aggressive initial treatment to the primary disease in the lung (72%) compared to the ERT group (36%); (2) in the S + ERT group, extracranial disease was absent at the time of SBM diagnosis in 49% of the S + ERT group compared to 26% in the ERT group; and (3) distant metastases were present in only 6% of the surgical patients yet, they were present in 49% of those treated with radiation alone. In one subset of patients, however--those with a radically treated primary and no extracranial disease--S + ERT resulted in a median survival of 33 months with 33% of the population still alive with no evidence of disease compared to 12 months and 0%, respectively, with ERT alone. Moreover, intracranial relapse was the cause of death in only one S + ERT patient (9%), yet it accounted for 50% of the ERT deaths. These data suggest that an aggressive approach to SBM in such favorable prognostic patients may indeed improve survival.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Limb preservation and tumor control in the treatment of popliteal and antecubital soft tissue sarcomas.

Soft tissue sarcomas of the antecubital and popliteal space often involve the neurovascular bundle and are prone to recurrence after surgical resection. Amputation has frequently been performed for control of these tumors. A multimodality treatment program consisting of limb-sparing resection, tumor-bed radiation using temporary iridium 192 implants, and adjuvant chemotherapy for high-grade lesions, has yielded satisfactory preservation of limb function and no local tumor recurrence in ten patients after a median follow-up time of 5 years. Eight of the ten patients are still alive, five of whom beyond 5 years; six of the eight survivors had high-grade tumors. These results are superior to those of 14 patients with similar tumors treated earlier by surgery alone: seven by amputation and seven by soft part resection; four of the latter resulted in local recurrence and all of the seven who had high-grade sarcoma died of disease. Multimodality treatment including limb-sparing resection merits consideration in the management of antecubital and popliteal soft tissue sarcomas.

Adolescent↗

Role of brachytherapy in the management of desmoid tumors.

From 1977 to 1982, fourteen patients with desmoid tumors underwent surgery and brachytherapy. Surgery ranged from biopsy to complete or partial excision of the tumor. Most of these patients had locally advanced tumor or positive margins. A high recurrence rate is expected in such a group if treated by surgery alone. In twelve out of fourteen patients the treatment was considered curative when all disease sites could be encompassed. In the remaining two patients the treatment was considered palliative because the tumor encroaching on to the spinal cord was left untreated. Ten out of twelve curatively treated patients have remained free of recurrence at a minimum of 2 year follow-up. Five of them were followed from 4-6 years. In the palliatively treated group, one patient is alive with active disease at 18 months. Three patients developed complications with wound healing. This experience suggests that surgery and brachytherapy treatment for desmoid tumor results in higher local control than expected from surgery alone in this selected group of patients.

Adolescent↗

Combined surgery, intraoperative brachytherapy, and postoperative external radiation in stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

From March 1977 to December 1980, 318 patients with Stage III non-small cell lung cancer underwent thoracotomy at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. One hundred of these patients, considered for this study, were treated by a multimodality approach consisting of resection and/or intraoperative brachytherapy followed by postoperative external irradiation. The criteria for utilizing intraoperative brachytherapy and postoperative external irradiation were either the presence of residual gross disease (47%) or close resection margins suspected to be involved by the tumor (53%). The intraoperative brachytherapy consisted of a temporary iridium 192 implant for subclinical disease in the mediastinum (median dose, 30 Gy in 3-5 days) and a permanent iodine 125 implant for residual gross disease usually at the primary site (median dose, 160 Gy). All patients received postoperative external beam irradiation consisting of 30 to 40 Gy in 2 to 4 weeks. Seven patients (7%) experienced mild to severe complications after these treatments. The local control, when all gross disease had been removed, was influenced by the presence or absence of tumor at the margins of resection (53% and 89%, respectively). The local control in the patients with gross residual disease treated by brachytherapy and postoperative external irradiation, (40 Gy in 4 weeks) was 72%. The actuarial overall 5-year survival was 22%. The 5-year survival was better in patients who had all gross disease removed as compared with patients who had gross residual disease (30% versus 13%). The disease-free survival in these two groups was 27% and 12%, respectively. This review shows that complete resection and moderate doses of postoperative external irradiation achieves a satisfactory local control and improves survival. When all gross disease cannot be removed, then brachytherapy and postoperative external irradiation may achieve similar local control. Distant metastases still remain a major problem in these patients.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Recurrent stage I endometrial carcinoma: results of treatment and prognostic factors.

Recurrences of clinical Stage I endometrial carcinoma after initial treatment are rare. They are nonetheless a serious complication, uniformly associated with poor survival outcome. Between 1969-1980, 20 patients with clinical Stage I endometrial carcinoma were treated for recurrent tumor at the time of first relapse. Nonpapillary adenocarcinoma represented 70% of the primary tumors (pure adenocarcinoma, 50%; adenosquamous, 15%, clear cell, 5%) and papillary adenocarcinoma, 30%. The most common presenting symptom was vaginal bleeding, occurring in 95% of patients. The median time to recurrence after completion of primary treatment was 9.5 mo: Adenocarcinoma relapsed at a median time of 33 mo, adenosquamous, 6 mo and papillary adenocarcinoma, 4 mo. The vagina was the site of relapse in 65% of patients, the abdomen in 20%, the pelvis in 10% and the lung in 5%. Ninety-five percent of recurrences were treated with curative intent. Complications were seen in three patients, small bowel obstruction (2 pts) and vaginal vault necrosis (1 pt); however, these patients responded effectively to conservative treatment. Minimum follow-up of 4 years was available in 18 pts (90%). Actuarial 4 yr overall and NED survival was 50%, respectively, with a median survival of 39 mo to date. There have been no deaths from further recurrence of endometrial cancer beyond 39 mo. Significant prognostic factors for 4 year survival were 1) recurrence site--vagina, 82% (9/11 pts) vs extravagina, 0% (0/7 pts; median survival: 8 mo) [p = .0001]; and 2) histologic cell type--non-papillary carcinoma, 75% (9/12 pts) vs papillary adenocarcinoma, 0% (0/6 pts; median survival: 8 mo) [p = .002]. Our review suggests that: (1) Histology and site of relapse are important prognosticators of treatment outcome; (2) Long term survival may be achieved in vaginal recurrences with aggressive local treatment; and (3) There may be a role for multimodality ovarian type treatment in overall management of recurrent papillary adenocarcinoma, a cell type that appears to exhibit a tendency towards extrapelvic spread refractory to definitive loco-regional treatment.

Adenocarcinoma↗

The effects of permanent I-125 interstitial implantation on cortical bone.

From 1973 to 1980, 1,427 cancer patients were treated by the Brachytherapy Service, Radiation Oncology Department of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) with I-125 permanent interstitial implantation. Concern has been expressed with regard to the possible toxic effects of the low average photon energy (28 kev) of I-125 on bone, secondary to its increased absorption in these tissues because of the photoelectric effect. In an attempt to address this concern with respect to cortical bone, we reviewed pertinent data on those patients whose site of implant was at close proximity to osseous tissue in the pelvic, chest wall and head and neck regions. The review included 74 sites in 58 patients having no prior history or clinical evidence of any pathologic or metabolic bony disorder. Long term (greater than 1 year) follow-up was available in over 50% of the cases, with 10 patients followed more than 4 years. Local control rate for the 74 implanted sites was 93%. The implanted activity ranged from 1.6 to 48.8 mCi and the implanted volume from 0.5 to 152 cm3. At this follow-up range, there appears to be no excessive osseous toxicity either clinically or radiologically with I-125 permanent implantation.

Adult↗

Postoperative vaginal radiation in endometrial cancer using a remote afterloading technique.

Carcinoma of the endometrium is the most common malignancy of the female genital tract. In early stage endometrial cancer, surgery remains the primary mode of treatment while radiation therapy plays an adjuvant role. Prophylactic vaginal radiation has been shown to reduce significantly the incidence of vaginal recurrences. Between the years 1969-1976, 330 patients with FIGO Stages I and II endometrial cancer were treated according to a standard departmental policy in which 40 Gy of external radiation was given to high risk Stage I and all Stage II patients in combination with surgery and intravaginal radiation. Stage I was considered high risk if the tumor was of high grade or exhibited deep myometrial invasion. Vault radiation was delivered with a remote afterloading technique to a point .5 cm from the surface of the applicator; a total dose of 21 Gy was delivered in three fractions spaced two weeks apart over four elapsed weeks. With this regimen, the mucosal surface received a total equivalent dose of 40 Gy. These treatments were given on an outpatient basis without the need for any sedation or analgesics. All patients, regardless of stage, grade, or depth of myometrial invasion received adjuvant post-operative vaginal radiation. The minimum follow-up was 5 years, with a median follow-up of 8.5 years. The overall pelvic and/or vaginal recurrence rate was 2.7%. The incidence of vaginal complications was 3.7%. It appears that the remote afterloading treatment (RAT) for vaginal radiation is a very cost-effective therapeutic alternative, which produces minimal early or late complications and gives complete protection from radiation exposure to the medical staff. The advantages of a remote afterloading technique in delivering vaginal vault radiation in endometrial cancer are discussed in this paper.

Brachytherapy↗

Computation of radiation dose distributions for shielded cervical applicators.

While cervical applicators with shielded ovoids are used widely in brachytherapy, we know of no system for calculating dose distributions for them. For shielded sources, because of a lack of symmetry and because of a rapid variation of dose as a function of position relative to the source, extensive measured data in three dimensions are required. In the method we have developed, the dose at a given point from a source in a shielded ovoid is calculated by multiplying the dose from an unshielded source by the "effective attenuation factor" of the shields. The latter quantity is obtained by linear-interpolation in a three-dimensional table generated from measurements described in an earlier paper. The unshielded-source dose is calculated as the product of source strength, time of implant, distance-dependent geometry factor and a tabulated quantity called the "relative dose rate factor". Relative dose rate factor is obtained by dividing measured dose rate by the product of geometry factor and source strength. Division by the geometry factor reduces the amount of data required with respect to accuracy in linear-interpolation. Input localization data must include not only the position of the end points defining the source but also a third reference point to define the orientation of the shields.

Brachytherapy↗

Measurements of radiation dose distributions for shielded cervical applicators.

Cervical applicators with shielded ovoids are employed to reduce dose to the rectum and bladder. Because of asymmetries introduced by the shields, dose distribution calculations for individual patients will require extensive computer reference data for the ovoid sources. Requisite 3-D dose distributions were measured for an unshielded and a shielded ovoid containing a Cs-137 source, using a computerized system employing a diode in a water phantom. The probe stops at each measurement point and accumulates dose for several seconds. The system automates horizontal positioning of the detector and angular motion of the ovoid to obtain dose in one plane. The detector is moved manually to other planes for a complete three dimensional set of measurements. In order to suppress the energy and directional dependence of the diode, final dose distributions are calculated from ratios of shielded to unshielded data in conjunction with independently measured TLD data for unshielded sources.

Brachytherapy↗

The role of paraaortic node irradiation in the treatment of cancer of the cervix.

One hundred and twenty-seven patients with previously untreated carcinoma of the uterine cervix underwent pretreatment laparotomy between 1971 and 1980. Thirty-one were found to have paraaortic metastasis. Twenty-seven patients received paraaortic node external supervoltage radiation to the entire paraaortic chain, 4400 cGy, over 4 1/2 weeks, with 600-800 cGy, boost over 1 week, limited to the area of metastasis as marked at laparotomy. Twenty-nine percent (8/27) of the patients with paraaortic node metastases who were irradiated have survived 5 years or more. These patients have FIGO stages IB, IIA, or IIB; all have epidermoid carcinoma. Three of five patients (60%) with microscopic metastasis and five of twenty-two patients (23%) with gross metastasis in the paraaortic lymph nodes are long-term survivors. None of our long-term survivors have suffered late complications. There have been no fatalities from treatment related complications. We present a radiation technique for paraaortic radiation in these patients, and discuss the indications for paraaortic node radiation in cancer of the cervix.

Aorta↗

A pilot study of adjuvant therapy in patients with cervical cancer at high risk of recurrence after radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy.

The prognosis after surgical therapy (radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy) of stages IB and IIA carcinoma of the cervix is affected by several histopathologic findings within the resected specimen. Patients at high risk of recurrence include those with involved pelvic lymph nodes, lymphatic or vascular invasion in the cervix, tumor size greater than 4 cm, grade 3 lesions, adenosquamous histology, parametrial invasion, and evidence of locally metastatic (noncontiguous) disease. We report the results of adjuvant chemotherapy (cisplatin and bleomycin) and pelvic radiotherapy in 32 patients with cervix cancer deemed to be at high risk of recurrence after radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. The continuous disease-free survival rate for the 32 evaluable patients in 84% at a mean and median follow-up time of 28 months. Three patients are dead of disease and two patients are alive after treatment of local recurrences giving a survival rate of 91%. The two patients who are alive after disease recurrence demonstrated only locally recurrent disease while the three patients who have died with recurrent disease relapsed both locally and systemically. Complications of this treatment program were not significantly greater than those observed in prior studies using the combination of surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy without chemotherapy. When compared with the results from historical controls in a large series of similar patients at the same institution, the results in this pilot study are encouraging and would seem to justify a randomized prospective clinical trial.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Control of locally advanced extremity soft tissue sarcomas by function-saving resection and brachytherapy.

Amputation has often been advised for the treatment of deep-seated or bulky soft tissue sarcomas of the limb because of proneness to local recurrence after conservative resection. The authors evaluated the efficacy of local control by means of function-preserving resection and high-dose brachytherapy of the tumor bed using Iridium-192 implants in 33 patients with locally advanced sarcomas, 17 without prior therapy and 16 with locally recurrent tumors. Local control was achieved in 100% of the previously untreated group, and 62.5% of the previously treated, recurrent group after a median follow-up time of 36 months (range, 19 months-7.5 years). Serious wound complications developed in nine patients, two of whom required amputation. Prehensile or walking function was preserved in 31 of the 33 treated limbs. These results indicate that conservative resection and brachytherapy can successfully control locally advanced limb sarcomas with good preservation of limb function.

Adolescent↗