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Biomedical subjects

G K Rath

Publications and source records attributed to G K Rath.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Interstitial brachytherapy with or without external beam irradiation in head and neck cancer: Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital experience.

Iridium-192 interstitial brachytherapy is practiced infrequently in developing countries, even where head and neck cancer is a major neoplasm and the technique could provide good results. This report from India is presented as an audit to validate the benefit of brachytherapy. One hundred and six head and neck cancer patients were treated by interstitial brachytherapy alone (n = 29) or combined with external irradiation (n = 77). The oral cavity and the oropharynx together constituted 82% of the sites of implanted tumours; 75% were T(1-2)N0 status. Brachytherapy was carried out using afterloaded plastic catheters and the Paris dose prescription system was followed. External cobalt-60 beam portals covered the primary and the neck. The median duration of follow-up was 22 months. The median dose of brachytherapy used alone was 60 Gy. With combined treatment, the median external radiotherapy and brachytherapy doses were 50 Gy and 25 Gy respectively. The median brachytherapy dose rate was 0.5 Gy/h. Primary and nodal recurrences were recorded in 41/106 (38.7%) and 18/106 (17.0%) patients at median intervals of 15 and 13 months respectively. Implant site failure was more common after combined treatment than with brachytherapy alone (42.8% versus 27.5%), but it did not reach statistical significance in this analysis (P = 0.15). Kaplan-Meier actuarial 5-year estimates showed 52% and 87% disease-free and overall survivals. Iridium-192 interstitial implants in suitably selected head and neck cancer patients can improve the radiotherapeutic results, with the promise of organ conservation in 50%. In India, the practice should be established in more radiotherapy centres and could be utilized in 10,000-25,000 head and neck cancer patients annually.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Factors influencing early complications following Gamma Knife radiosurgery. A prospective study.

PURPOSE: The factors influencing early complications following Gamma Knife radiosurgery have not been definitely established. We report a prospective study evaluating the incidence of early complications (occurring within 3 months of radiosurgery) and various factors associated with early complications following stereotactic Gamma Knife radiosurgery for intracranial lesions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-nine previously unirradiated consecutive adult patients (82 lesions: arteriovenous malformations 35, benign tumors 43, metastases 4) treated by Gamma Knife radiosurgery were studied between May 1997 and August 1998. The median target volume was 4.8 cm(3). The median dose of 15 Gy was prescribed to the 50% isodose. Patients were evaluated clinically and radiologically (with CT/MRI/SPECT) at 3-month intervals for the 1st year and 6 monthly thereafter. Complications were further divided as immediate (occurring within 24 h) or acute (occurring from 1 day to 3 months). RESULTS: Early complications were observed in 19/79 (24.0%) patients. These included immediate in 10 (12.7%) and acute complications in 9 (11.3%) patients and were characterized by headache, nausea/vomiting, vertigo and seizures. No severe early complications were observed. Radiological changes in the form of perilesional edema were seen in 8/82 (9.8%) lesions. Maximum target diameter >25 mm was the only factor significantly associated with early complications by univariate analysis (p = 0.0335). Multivariate analysis revealed maximum target diameter >25 mm and prescribed dose >20 Gy to be significantly associated with early complications (p = 0.0442 and p = 0.0083, respectively). CONCLUSION: Up to one fourth of the patients undergoing Gamma Knife radiosurgery for intracranial lesions can experience self-limiting early toxicity. The selection of targets with small diameter and volume may reduce the risk of early complications following Gamma Knife radiosurgery.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Management of retinoblastoma with radiation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of radiation therapy in the management of retinoblastoma. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. METHOD: From January 1993 to March 1994, one hundred and eleven children (150 eyes) of retinoblastoma were referred for radiotherapy. The diagnosis was based on clinical examination and ocular ultrasonogram for both the eyes. The radiation treatment policy involved 40 Gy in 20 fractions over 4 weeks delivered with sedation for children under 1 year of age, 36 Gy in 9 fractions over 3 weeks under ketamine anesthesia for 1-4 years of age and for >4 years of age, a dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks. The initial tumor regression was evaluated by A and B mode ultrasonography and/or CT scan. RESULTS: The age distribution ranged from two months to six years (median - 20 months). Bilaterality was observed in 39 out of 111 cases (35%). The male to female ratio was 1.8:1. Eighty two of the 111 children were treated by definitive external beam radiation to one or both eyes. Fifteen cases received adjuvant radiotherapy after enucleation, and 14 had extensive disease for which palliative radiotherapy was offered. We observed a complete response in 54% of cases, partial response in 32%, and none in 14% of cases. Forty per cent (40%) eye survival was documented at the end of 28 months. The complication rate encountered was about 15%. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy is an effective modality of treatment in significant number of patients with retinoblastoma. However, it requires appropriate fractionation, precise colimation and careful immobilization with general anesthesia.

Child↗
PubMed2001

Effect of amifostine on toxicities associated with salvage combination chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of amifostine on the safety and efficacy of chemotherapy in heavily pretreated patients and to study the side effects of amifostine delivered to patients receiving chemotherapy at a dose of 740 mg/m2. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients of histologically proven (recurrent) malignancy who had previously received > or = 6 cycles of chemotherapy and developed grade II or grade III toxicities during treatment with salvage chemotherapy were eligible. These patients were given Injection Amifostine 740 mg/m2 as a 15 min. i.v. infusion 30 min. prior to combination chemotherapy. RESULTS: A total of 85 cycles were administered with amifostine and 46 cycles without amifostine. The side effects during amifostine infusion were hypotension (9.6% cycles), vomiting (20% cycles), somnolence (33% cycles), sneezing (8% cycles), and flushing (19% cycles). The chemotherapy toxicities were reduced from 47.7% to 30.6% for grade II and from 28% to 9.4% for grade III in case of gastrointestinal toxicity. Similarly there was improvement in the mean hemoglobin level from 8.2 gm% to 10.01 gm%, mean total leucocyte count from 2,280/mm3 to 3,600/mm3. CONCLUSION: Amifostine has an excellent safety profile and is well tolerated by the patients. Pretreatment with Amifostine resulted in fewer treatment related delays and dose reduction resulting in better tolerance to salvage chemotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

A study of concurrent radiochemotherapy with paclitaxel in glioblastoma multiforme.

Despite advances in neurosurgery and radiotherapy, the prognosis of patients with glioblastoma multiforme remains poor. Reports in the literature about the radiosensitizing properties of paclitaxel stimulated the authors to conduct a study using paclitaxel concurrently with radiation in a group of 18 patients who had residual disease postoperatively. Paclitaxel was delivered weekly as an intravenous infusion in a dose of 60 mg/m2 along with radiation to the primary lesion. A total of 108 cycles of paclitaxel was given. All the patients tolerated the treatment well. The main side effects were haematological, and neuropathy which was self-limiting. The overall 1-year survival rate was 70%, with 12 patients alive at 13 months. The median survival has not yet been reached although it is more than 13 months. Thus, paclitaxel can be safely delivered concomitantly with radiation in patients with glioblastoma multiforme. Larger, randomized trials are required to establish the comparative efficacy of paclitaxel as a radiosensitizer in glioblastoma multiforme.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed2000

Palliative treatment of advanced non small cell lung cancer with weekly fraction radiotherapy.

Various hypofractionated radiotherapy schedules of radiotherapy have been tried in patients of advanced NSCLC with no conclusive superiority of either a more protracted low dose per fraction schedule or a rapid course of large fraction size. Present study evaluates the role of weekly high dose radiotherapy for the palliation of various intrathoracic symptoms like cough, chest pain, hemoptysis, dyspnoea. A total of 47 patients of advanced non-small cell lung cancer were treated with four weekly fraction of 5 Gy to a total dose of 20 Gy. Mean age at presentation was 53 years. Majority of patients had stage III disease. Pain relief was seen in 77% (23/30) patients with complete relief in 57%; haemoptysis was completely relieved in 77% patients (17/22); and cough was relieved in 68% (19/28) patients. Complete relief from dyspnoea was seen in only 5/12 (42%) patients whereas 2/12 (17%) patients had partial response. The present regime of 20 Gy in four weekly fractions was well tolerated by the patients without any identifiable acute toxicity and was simple and convenient to the patients, who traverse a long distance for radiotherapy in India. To conclude, weekly schedule af EBRT provide effective palliation of various intrathoracic symptoms in the patients with advanced NSCLC.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Laryngeal preservation by treatment with induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy protocol for stage III & IV carcinoma larynx--results of a pilot study.

Total laryngectomy for advanced carcinoma of the larynx is effective but functionally disabling. In an effort at laryngeal preservation, 33 patients of stage III/IV carcinoma larynx were treated between 1987 and 1991 with induction chemotherapy followed by definitive radiation. Two chemotherapy protocols were administered. Group I patients received one to three cycles of cisplatin 100 mg/m2 (day 1), bleomycin 15 U/m2 (day 1), and 5-fluorouracil 1000 mg/m2/day (day 2 to 5) at three weekly intervals. This was then followed by radiotherapy. Group II received one to six weekly injections of single agent methotrexate 50 mg/m2 with or without leucocovorin rescue followed by radiotherapy. Any recurrence was salvaged by surgery. Midway through the study, Group II protocol was discontinued as the initial results were not comparable with Group I or standard treatment. The Group I protocol, however, yielded an initial locoregional control rate of 83.3 per cent With the addition of surgical salvage the locoregional control rate was 94.4 per cent and the control rate with laryngeal preservation was 88.8 per cent. The Kaplan-Meier probability of two years and five years disease-free survival was 81.9 per cent and 61.4 per cent respectively. For disease-free survival with laryngeal preservation the corresponding figures for two years and five years were 58.3 per cent and 41.7 per cent. The control group of 51 patients treated with radical surgery followed by radiotherapy yielded survival figures at two years and five years of 64.3 per cent and 57.2 per cent. The difference in the survival of Group I and the control group was not statistically significant (p value = 0.280). These initial results indicate that for stage III and for surgically resectable stage IV laryngeal carcinomas, a protocol of induction combination chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin, bleomycin and 5-fluorouracil followed by radiotherapy and combined with surgical salvage whenever required, can lead to comparable cure rates. In addition, a large proportion of patients are spared the morbidity of a total laryngectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Temporal assessment of quality of life of head and neck cancer patients receiving radical radiotherapy.

The study was undertaken to evaluate physical, psychological and functional aspects in quality of life (QoL) assessment prospectively in biopsy-proven head and neck cancer patients receiving radical radiotherapy. Fifty male patients were assessed using Karnofsky's Performance Status (KPS), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Functional Living Index-Cancer (FLIC). Patient questionnaires were completed before radiotherapy, during 3-4 weeks of radiotherapy and 3 months after radiotherapy. Before the start of radiotherapy, KPS was 91 +/- 10.26, FLIC was 129.98 +/- 33.41 and BDI was 7.10 +/- 4.57. This indicated good performance and functional status with lower depression. In weeks 3-4 of radiotherapy, KPS (71.00 +/- 20.12) and FLIC (81.34 +/- 45.23) decreased, while BDI (16.56 +/- 9.01) increased, indicating impairment in QoL. Three months after radiotherapy, KPS (78.37 +/- 23.0), FLIC (119.51 +/- 43.62) and BDI (9.02 +/- 7.81) improved but were not restored to pre-treatment levels. When patients were scheduled for radical radiotherapy, maximum deterioration in QoL was seen in weeks 3-4. This is the time when maximum supportive care and psychologic counselling is required.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1999

Variation in the isocentre of a Philips linear accelerator (SL-20) used for stereotactic radiosurgery/stereotactic radiotherapy.

Stereotactic irradiation, either in the form of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) of brain lesions requires high precision and submillimetre accuracy in the isocentre, the main determinants being gantry and couch rotations. It is thus necessary to evaluate the isocentre variation due to gantry and couch rotations in the particular setup for SRS/SRT. This paper describes variation in the isocentre of a Philips (now Elekta) SL-20 linear accelerator modified for adapting a couch-mounted radiosurgery system. By considering the isocentre as defined by a mechanical index as the standard, the variations in the isocentre of the linear accelerator were independently measured for the gantry and for couch rotations. The variation in the isocentre for gantry rotation was found to be between 0.1 mm and 0.9 mm, conforming to the submillimetre accuracy required for SRS/SRT. However, the isocentre variation due to couch rotation varied considerably, possibly because the couch is of the RAM type. The isocentre variation due to couch rotation is rectified by microadjusting the couch mount at the time of treatment using a laser target localizing frame. It is our conclusion that a modified linear accelerator can be used for performing SRS/SRT after careful and separate evaluation of the isocentre stability due to gantry and couch rotations.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1999

Paclitaxel-epirubicin in advanced breast cancer.

Breast cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and early death in women worldwide. Despite the responsiveness of advanced breast cancer to a number of chemotherapeutic and hormonal agents, long term outcome remains poor. The introduction of paclitaxel with a novel mechanism of action has kindled a ray of hope. Combination of paclitaxel with anthracyclines are being tried, with varying degree of success. Twenty patients with metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer were treated with Paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) and Epirubicin (80 mg/m2) administered sequentially. Each patient received 3 to 6 such cycles at 3 weekly intervals. A response rate of 85% (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 69%-100%) was observed in these patients with 25% (95% CI 6%-44%) achieving complete response. A response rate of 100% was observed in the six patients with locally advanced disease who had not received any chemotherapy earlier. Grade III neutropenia occurred in 5 patients and was reversible in all the cases. This combination is well tolerated. Its efficacy is being compared in a randomised trial with CAF regime in advanced breast cancer in our center.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Radiation therapy in skeletal metastases.

From June 1993 to September 1995, 132 case files of patients who received palliative radiotherapy (RT) for skeletal metastases were reviewed. Majority of the patients (75/132) was in the age range of 41-60 years. Common sites of metastases were the vertebrae (86 patients) and the pelvic bones (40 patients). The major primary tumors encountered were as follows: multiple myeloma (30), breast cancer (25) and prostate cancer (20). Pain was the commonest symptom of presentation. Doses of palliative RT ranged from 8-40 Gy in different fractionation schedules. Ninety-four patients showed more than 50% symptomatic response, 26 had no response and 12 were lost to follow up immediately after the treatment. Single fraction treatments resulted in almost similar responses compared to various multiple fraction treatments. To conclude, short course radiation therapy regimes are optimum in our local circumstances where RT resources are limited and patients have to travel long distances to attend hospital.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Volume localized in vivo proton MR spectroscopy of breast carcinoma: variation of water-fat ratio in patients receiving chemotherapy.

Results are reported on in vivo volume localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of patients (n = 44) suffering from carcinoma of the breast, using a bilateral breast surface coil. Localized proton MR spectra of the unaffected contralateral breast of these patients are dominated by resonances arising from fat and are similar to the breast tissue from normal volunteers (controls, n = 13), while in the malignant breast tissues the water resonance dominates. On the other hand, the water suppressed proton MR spectra of malignant breast tissue reveal several metabolites of low concentration including the choline peak around 3.2 ppm and other resonances attributable to purine and pyrimidine nucleotides, in the 8.5 ppm region. Elevated water- fat (W-F) ratios are measured in the malignant tissues, compared with the normal breast tissue of controls and from the contralateral unaffected breast tissue of the patients (n = 11). In the case of patients receiving chemotherapy resulting in the reduction of primary tumor size, the W-F ratio shows a statistically significant (P < 0.01) decrease compared with the pre-therapy value, thus providing a non-invasive indicator of favourable clinical outcome of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced breast cancer. The method provides the potential for non-invasively monitoring and assessing the response of breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer: two randomised studies.

Between August 1990 and January 1992, 184 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, FIGO stage II B IV A were randomised (study 1) to receive either two cycles of bleomycin, ifosfamide-mesna and cisplatin (BIP) chemotherapy (CT) followed by radiotherapy (RT) 'CT-RT Group' n = 94 or RT alone, RT Group n = 90. In the 'CT-RT Group', of evaluable 89 patients, 64 responded: complete response (CR) four (4.5%) and partial response (PR) 60 (67.5%). Of the remaining 25 patients 23 had stable disease and two progressed. Eighty of 89 patients completed RT as planned. Following RT 56 (70%) achieved CR, 19 (23.7%) had residual disease and five (6.3%) had progressed. Patients aged > 45 and those with Hb > 10 gm/dL had significantly better response to CT. Further, CT responders had a better response to RT; 83% (49/59) vs 33.3% (seven/21), p < 0.01. In the 'RT Group' 88 patients were evaluable; 61 (69.3%) patients achieved CR, 25 had residual disease and two progressed. The estimated overall survival at 48 months in the 'CT-RT Group' and the 'RT Group' is 38% +2.01 (SE) and 36% +1.85 (SE), p = 0.59 respectively. In a subsequent randomised study (study 2) 36 patients with stage III B cervical cancer received three cycles of BIP (as above) followed by RT vs 36 patients who received RT alone. In the 'CT-RT Group' 29 patients responded; CR-8 (22.2%), PR-21 (58.3%). Six patients had no response to CT and one patient died of CT toxicity. Following RT-24 of 35 (68-6%) patients achieved CR, eight had residual disease and three patients progressed while on RT. In the 'RT Group'-21 of 36 (58.4%) achieved CR, 12 had residual disease and three progressed. Estimated survival was 71% in the 'CT-RT Group' and 69% in the 'RT Group', p = ns. Nausea/vomiting, alopecia, grade I-II myelosuppression, diarrhoea and mucositis were the major side effects of CT. Three patients died of CT toxicity-two in study 1 and one in study 2. Cystitis, proctitis and local skin reaction after RT occurred equally in the two groups in both the studies. BIP CT prior to RT in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer results in a high response rate. Response to CT predicts response to RT. There is no increase in the toxicity to subsequent RT. Our studies have failed to demonstrate any significant difference in overall and disease-free survival when neoadjuvant CT is added prior to the standard RT regimen.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Single agent versus combination chemotherapy in recurrent cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Cisplatin and ifosfamide are two most active agents in patients with recurrent and metastatic cervical cancer. Combination of bleomycin, ifosfamide and cisplatinum (BIP) was compared with cisplatinum alone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and six patients with recurrent/persistent and metastatic cervical cancer received either a combination of bleomycin, ifosfamide and cisplatinum, (Group A, n = 50) or cisplatinum alone (Group B, n = 56) every 3 weeks for up to 6 courses. Ninety-seven patients were evaluable and were analysed for response and survival. RESULTS: Patients receiving BIP (Group A) had a higher response rate (complete and partial responses), 52.2% vs 29.4%, p < 0.01 with overall median survival, 8 months (1 to 92+ months) vs 6 months (1 to 40+ months), p = 0.18. Chemotherapy responders had a significantly higher survival in both groups compared to the non-responders (Group A: 17 vs 6 months, p < 0.001, Group B: 20.5 months vs 5 months, p < 0.001). Patients in good performance status (ECOG, 0-2) had a significantly higher response rate to chemotherapy (Group A: 70.3% vs 26.3%, p < 0.01, Group B: 38.2% vs 11.7%, p < 0.05). In Group A, patients with extrapelvic disease responded better compared to pelvic disease (83.3% vs 34.5%, p < 0.01). Chemotherapy side effects were mainly nausea/vomiting, alopecia, myelosuppression, reversible encephalopathy (in Group A), and impaired renal functions. Chemotherapy toxicity was higher for patients receiving BIP, 2 patients died of BIP toxicity. Currently, in 'Group A' 8 patients are alive, 7 disease-free and one with disease at a median interval of 51 months after chemotherapy treatment. While in Group B, 3 patients are alive, 2 disease-free and one with disease. CONCLUSIONS: Bleomycin, ifosfamide and cisplatin improved the response rate in recurrent and metastatic cervical cancer compared with cisplatinum alone. However, the toxicity was moderate and survival was not significantly improved. These results need to be confirmed in a phase III, randomized study in larger number of patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Radiotherapy in locally advanced cancer of the cervix.

Radical radiotherapy is considered as the treatment of choice in locally advanced cancer cervix. In late stages radiotherapy produce optimum palliation and to some extent cure. Three hundred cases of cancer cervix (stage I-IV) comprising stage-I (7), stage-II (144), stage-III (145) and stage IV (4) were evaluated and treated with radiotherapy between April 1990 to July 1994. FIGO stage IB, IIA and IIB (early), were treated with predominant intracavitary radiotherapy (34 Gy X 2 fractions; within one week) followed by external pelvic radiotherapy to a dose of 36 Gy in 18 fractions; treating 200 cGy per fraction, 5 days a week. The late stage (stage-IIB, IIIA and IIIB, IVA) of disease were managed with initial external radiotherapy to a dose of 50 Gy, followed by a single intracavitary dose of 30 Gy to point-A. The median follow up was 33 months (range 12-72 months). The tumor volume less than 100 cc were associated with better survival than volume more than 100 cc (p < 0.05). The five year actuarial survival was 83%, 68% and 58% respectively in FIGO stage I-III disease. There were 0.33% and 2.6% late grade-III bladder and rectal complications. Our experience shows effectiveness of radiotherapy in the management of locally advanced cancer of the cervix.

Adult↗