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Biomedical subjects

S Chander

Publications and source records attributed to S Chander.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Carcinoma cervix with metastasis to deltoid muscle.

Skeletal muscles are rare metastatic sites despite their rich blood supply and the fact that the muscular mass of the body accounts for a large percentage of the total body weight. They account for less than 1% of all malignant metastases of haematogenous origin. Menard and Parache, Ann Med Interne Paris 1991;142:423-428. Skeletal muscle metastasis in cervical cancer have been infrequently reported. In this case report, we detail a case of cervical cancer who developed a painful swelling of the right shoulder which on investigation, was found to be skeletal muscle metastases.

Adult↗

Prognostic factors influencing the outcome of thalamic glioma.

Retrospective analysis of 27 patients of thalamic glioma including adults and children treated over a period of 7 years from 1991-1997 was done. The study group included 19 males and 8 females; 9 patients were less than 15 years and 18 patients more than 15 years of age at the time of diagnosis. The commonest symptoms were headache and vomiting. 12 patients underwent VP shunt as an initial procedure and 7 underwent total or partial surgical resection. Confirmed histopathological examination was possible in 16 patients; while 12 had low grade astrocytoma, 4 cases had high grade histology. All patients were treated with radiotherapy to a total dose of 50-60 Gy in 25-30 fractions. Median follow up was 9.63 months. The disease free survival in these patients was 28% at 2 years. Prognostic factors which included age, sex, duration of symptoms, surgical procedures, histology and radiotherapy dose were evaluated for significance. A subtotal resection conferred a better prognosis.

Adolescent↗

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma treated with electron beam irradiation in Indian patients.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a rare occurrence in India. Total skin electron irradiation (TSEI) is a well-accepted therapeutic modality for the treatment of CTCL throughout the world. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze the treatment outcome of TSEI in Indian patients with CTCL and to determine the different parameters affecting the disease-free survival in these patients. METHODS: Fourteen male patients between 27 and 82 years of age with CTCL (duration of disease, 4 months to 2 years) were treated with TSEI between 1985 and 1998. Seven patients had early stage disease, while the other seven had advanced disease. Two patients had lymph node involvement at the time of presentation. The TSEI was performed according to the Stanford technique delivering a total dose in the range 8-36 Gy. RESULTS: Of the 14 patients, 10 showed complete remission following TSEI. The total follow-up period was 4-110 months (median, 52 months). Five patients were disease free at the end of 5 years. Two patients died due to rapid progression of the disease, while the cutaneous lesions relapsed in three patients after 2-27 months and one patient developed visceral metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: TSEI was an effective therapeutic modality for the treatment of CTCL in this group of patients, both as a curative and palliative measure, although the long-term prognosis is poor.

Adult↗

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↗

Medical disorders associated with endometrial carcinoma.

UNLABELLED: From January, 1990 to December, 1995, 113 cases of endometrial carcinoma were registered. Of them, 24 patients (20%) had associated medical disorders. A total of 37 medical disorders were found in these 24 patients. The distribution was as follows: diabetes mellitus in 15 patients, hypertension in 13 patients, coronary artery disease in two, asthma in one, RBBB in one and hypothyroidism in five patients. Age of the patients ranged from 48-76 years (Median 62 years). Fifteen patients underwent surgery and rest nine were inoperable due to medical illnesses. Eleven patients received radiotherapy and four received chemotherapy. Of the two failures, one developed metastasis to lung and another to bone. No local recurrence was observed. Median survival was 20 months. Late radiation morbidity was noticed in four patients (36%), all of them were diabetic. CONCLUSION: Hypothyroidism which was unexpectedly found in five patients may also be a risk factor associated with endometrial carcinoma. This finding has never been reported in the literature and it needs to be curiously studied in future series. The risk of late radiation complications is higher in diabetic patients. Overall prognosis of endometrial carcinoma associated with medical illnesses is not very good.

Aged↗

20. The Case for PET/CT. Experience at the University of Pittsburgh.

Purpose: Whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) with [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is an important tool in the management of patients with cancer. While the sensitivity of FDG PET for tumor localization is most often reported to be >/= 85%, the specificity is frequently found to be lower. One limitation of whole-body PET imaging is the confounding effect of normal physiologic FDG accumulation in kidneys, ureters, bladder, stomach and bowel. Also, highly metabolically active tissues such as brain and muscle can mask detection of adjacent abnormalities. Interpretation of functional PET images can be improved by correlation with anatomic imaging, e.g. CT or MRI. The utility of both visual comparison and retrospective fusion of PET with previously acquired morphologic studies may be, however, limited by the time interval between image acquisition and patient positioning differences.Results: In our experience with over 150 examinations using a unique combined PET/CT scanner, we have frequently found that the direct registered images were critical to correct study interpretation. In this work, we review the beneficial results of a combined PET/CT tomograph for diagnosis/staging and localization of malignancy. We will further present specific examples of clinical questions uniquely addressed by PET/CT, and their impact on patient management.Conclusion: Acquisition of co-registered PET and CT images in the same scanning session may enable physicians to more precisely discriminate physiologic uptake and tumor. Our initial experience suggests that this combined PET/CT device may improve the accuracy of PET, and in so doing, enhance the value of diagnostic PET in oncologic applications.

Journal Article↗

Superphysiologic FDG Uptake in the Non-Paralyzed Vocal Cord. Resolution of a False-Positive PET Result with Combined PET-CT Imaging.

The application of positron emission tomography imaging with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) to the extracranial head and neck has been proven to be effective in the detection and staging of malignancy. The FDG uptake of normal laryngeal tissue is symmetric and low, while benign lesions typically have only slight increases in FDG uptake. We report a case of asymmetric, superphysiologic FDG uptake in the contralateral vocal cord of a patient with a unilateral vocal cord paralysis secondary to sacrifice of the recurrent laryngeal nerve during pneumonectomy for lung cancer. The FDG uptake of the non-paralyzed vocal cord was increased multiple-fold, placing it well within the range of malignancy. Use of unique, combined PET-CT imaging localized the high FDG uptake to the non-paralyzed vocal cord, and laryngoscopy confirmed no evidence of malignancy in the vocal cord. This case demonstrates that a benign cause of false-positive FDG-PET imaging may be encountered during evaluation of the extracranial head and neck for malignancy. We aim to alert the reader to this potential pitfall in the interpretation of FDG-PET imaging, which can be resolved with the use of combined PET-CT imaging and clinical correlation.

Journal Article↗

Combined PET/CT Imaging in Oncology. Impact on Patient Management.

Purpose: In this work, we describe five oncology patients whose clinical management were uniquely benefited by a novel scanner that acquires positron emission tomography (PET) and x-ray computed tomography (CT) in the same imaging session.Procedures: Co-registered 2-[F(18)]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG)-PET and CT images were acquired using a combined PET/CT scanner. Pathology and clinical follow-up data were used to confirm PET/CT scan results.Results: The combined PET/CT scanner demonstrated the ability to distinguish malignant lesions from normal physiologic FDG uptake in the striated muscles of the head and neck as well as excretory and bowel activity in the abdomen and pelvis. Additionally, the technology positively affected patient management through localization for surgical and radiation therapy planning as well as assessment of tumor response.Conclusion: Our experience indicates that simultaneous acquisition of co-registered PET and CT images enabled physicians to more precisely discriminate between physiologic and malignant FDG uptake and more accurately localize lesions, improving the value of diagnostic PET in oncologic applications.

Journal Article↗

Cervical carcinoma recurring in an abdominal wall incision.

Incisional recurrence of carcinoma of the uterine cervix is very rare. We report two patients who developed recurrence in the abdominal wall incision after hysterectomy. The first patient was aged 60 years and had a FIGO Stage IB1 cervical carcinoma treated initially by Wertheim's hysterectomy and postoperative radiotherapy. Nine months after surgery she developed recurrence on the abdominal scar, which was outside the radiation portal. She was treated with electron beam radiation therapy. The second patient developed an incisional recurrence 23 months after surgery and was treated by wide excision of the mass followed by radiotherapy. A survey of the literature identified 12 reported cases to date (eight squamous cell carcinoma and four adenocarcinoma).

Abdominal Muscles↗

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↗

Malignant melanoma presenting as bilateral breast masses.

Malignant melanoma presenting initially with disseminated disease is common. However, bilateral breast masses as the initial symptom of malignant melanoma are rare. One such case is detailed here, together with a review of literature.

Adult↗

Primary radiation therapy in the management of glomus tumours.

The records of five patients who received local irradiation for incompletely excised or inoperable glomus tumour were retrospectively reviewed. Age ranged from 25 to 46 years. There were two female and three male patients. Two patients who were solely treated by radiation therapy remain clinically disease free at 30 and 42 months respectively. Of the remaining three patients, where radiotherapy was delivered post operatively, one achieved complete remission and is well and alive at 60 months, whereas the other two patients were lost to follow up at 22 and 26 months respectively after showing an early clinical improvement. We advocate the efficiency of radiation therapy as primary treatment in the management of primary glomus tumour.

Adult↗

EB1089: a new vitamin D analogue that inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells in vivo and in vitro.

EB1089 is a novel vitamin D analogue which has been tested for its effects on breast cancer cell growth in vitro, using the established human breast cancer cell line MCF-7, and in vivo on the growth of established rat mammary tumours. Both EB1089 and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) inhibited MCF-7 cell proliferation with the synthetic analogue being at least an order of magnitude more potent than the native hormone. In vivo anti-tumour effects were investigated using the N-methyl-nitrosourea-induced rat mammary tumour model. Oral treatment with EB1089 was tested at three doses. With the lower dose, significant inhibition of tumour growth was seen in the absence of a rise in serum calcium. The same dose of 1,25-(OH)2D3 had no effect on tumour growth but caused hypercalcaemia. With the higher dose of EB1089, striking tumour regression was seen although serum calcium rose. This report demonstrates that EB1089 possess enhanced anti-tumour activity coupled with reduced calcaemic effects relative to 1,25-(OH)2D3 and thus may have therapeutic potential as an anti-tumour agent.

Animals↗