[en] In 63 patients with mammary or bronchial carcinoma, 88 painful bone metastases were randomly irradiated with one of two schedules to find out wether a short treatment would give the same palliative effect as a longer scheme does. After evaluation of the reaction of the pain to the irradiation and assesment of the side effects, it was found that a shorter schedule can be equally effective without an increase in the incidence and degree of side effects

[en] The prevalence of bone metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) is quite low and the presence of isolated osseous metastases at the time of diagnosis or the onset of bone metastases without other organ involvement during follow-up is even lower. Here, we present an interesting case of diffuse skeletal metastases from CRC in which both the atypical presentation of the metastatic spread and the presence of infective comorbidities created some troubles in getting the final diagnosis

No abstract available

[en] Factors affecting the success of treatment are outlined, and the authors' experience in the radiotherapy of prostate carcinoma are summarized. (P.A.)

[en] The authors report an extremely rare occurrence of a massive aneurysm of a major pulmonary artery branch vessel caused by adjacent necrotizing aggressive squamous cell carcinoma metastatic mediastinal nodes. Despite the huge size, there was no hemoptysis due to the walling off effect by the necrotic nodes

[en] Malignancies of the aortic wall represent a rare condition, and only a few reports have covered cases of sarcomas arising at the site of a prosthesis made of Dacron. A coincidence with endovascular repair has only been reported in one case to date. We report a patient with epithelioid angiosarcoma and metastatic disease, which was found in an aneurysmal sac after endovascular aortic repair for abdominal aortic aneurysm.

[en] Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is mainly a disease of elderly, however, geriatric population is underrepresented in clinical trials. Patient registries represent a tool to assess and follow treatment outcomes in this patient population. The aim of the study was with the help of the patients’ register to determine the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab plus chemotherapy in elderly patients who had previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer. The registry of patients with mCRC was designed to prospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy as well as selection of patients in routine clinical practice. Patient baseline clinical characteristics, pre-specified bevacizumab-related adverse events, and efficacy data were collected, evaluated and compared according to the age categories. Between January 2008 and December 2010, 210 patients with mCRC (median age 63, male 61.4%) started bevacizumab-containing therapy in the 1"s"t line setting. Majority of the 210 patients received irinotecan-based chemotherapy (68%) as 1"s"t line treatment and 105 patients (50%) received bevacizumab maintenance therapy. Elderly (≥ 70 years) patients presented 22.9% of all patients and they had worse performance status (PS 1/2, 62.4%) than patients in < 70 years group (PS 1/2, 35.8%). Difference in disease control rate was mainly due to inability to assess response in elderly group (64.6% in elderly and 77.8% in < 70 years group, p = 0.066). The median progression free survival was 10.2 (95% CI, 6.7–16.2) and 11.3 (95% CI, 10.2–12.6) months in elderly and < 70 years group, respectively (p = 0.58). The median overall survival was 18.5 (95% CI, 12.4–28.9) and 27.4 (95% CI, 22.7–31.9) months for elderly and < 70 years group, respectively (p = 0.03). Three-year survival rate was 26% and 37.6% in elderly vs. < 70 years group (p = 0.03). Overall rates of bevacizumab-related adverse events were similar in both groups: proteinuria 21/22 %, hypertension 25/19 %, haemorrhage 2/4 % and thromboembolic events 10/6 %, for elderly and < 70 years group, respectively. In routine clinical practice, the combination of bevacizumab and chemotherapy is effective and well-tolerated regimen in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

[en] The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of the initial and salvage treatment for hypopharyngeal carcinoma. The study was conducted in 1963 to 1991 and included 138 patients (38 females and 100 males). Most of the tumours originated in the piriform sinus (86%). Tumour stage distribution was T1: 20%, T2: 27%, T3: 37% and T4: 17% and nodal stage distribution was N0: 45%, N1: 25%, N2: 10%, and N3: 20%. Primary treatment was delivered with curative intent in 124 out of 138 cases. Treatment failure was noted in 98 patients, with 55% recurrence in T-position, 39% in N-position, and 14% at distant metastases sites. Salvage surgery was successful in 9 out of 32 patients. The overall 5-year locoregional tumour control, cause-specific and overall survival rates were 20%, 25% and 19%, respectively. Univariate actuarial analysis showed that T- and N-stage, clinical stage, tumour size and well-differentiated tumours were significant prognostic parameters. A Cox multivariate analysis showed that only the T- and N-stages were independent prognostic factors. In conclusion, the prognosis for advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma is extremely poor and the meagre results with conventional radiotherapy alone indicate that other treatment modalities should be introduced in the management of this disease

[en] Stereotactic radiosurgery (RS) and surgery have proved to be effective treatment modalities for brain metastasis. We followed 133 patients whose treatment for intracranial disease was either RS or a single surgical resection at the University of Vienna from. August 1992 through October 1996. All patients who received additional Whole Brain Radiotherapy were included. This was a retrospective, case-control study comparing these treatment modalities. Sixty-seven patients were treated by RS and 66 patients were treated by microsurgery. The median size of the treated lesions for RS patients was 7800 mm³, and 12500 mm³ for microsurgery patients, respectively. The median dose delivered to the tumour margin for RS patients was 17 gray. The median survival for patients after RS, was 12 months, and 9 months for patients after microsurgery. This difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.19). Comparison of local tumour control, defined as absence of regrowth of a treated lesion, showed that tumours following RS had a preferred local control rate (p < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that this fact was due to a greater response rate of 'radioresistant' metastasis to RS (p < 0.005). Postradiosurgical complications included the onset of peritumoral oedema (n = 5) and radiation necrosis (n = 1). Two patients after microsurgery experienced local wound infection. One postoperative death occurred due to pulmonary embolism in this group. On the basis of our data we conclude that RS and microsurgery combined with Whole Brain Radiotherapy are comparable modalities in treating single brain metastasis. Concerning morbidity and local tumour control, in particular in cases of 'radioresistant' primary tumours, RS is superior. Therefore we advocate RS except for cases of large tumours (> 3 cm in maximum diameter) and for those with mass effect. (author)

[en] Purpose: The incidence of painful bone metastases increases with longer survival times. Although external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is an effective palliative treatment, it often requires several days from the start of treatment to produce a measurable reduction in pain scores and a qualitative amelioration of patient pain levels. Meanwhile, the use of analgesics remains the best approach early on in the treatment course. We investigated the role of radiation therapists as key personnel for collecting daily pain scores to supplement assessments by physician and oncology nursing staff and manage pain more effectively during radiation treatment. Methods and Materials: Daily pain scores were obtained by the radiation therapists for 89 patients undertaking a total of 124 courses of EBRT for bone metastases and compared with pretreatment pain scores. The majority of patients (71%) were treated to 30 Gy (range, 20-37.5) in 10 fractions (range, 8-15 fractions). Results: One hundred nineteen treatment courses (96%) were completed. Pain scores declined rapidly to 37.5%, 50%, and 75% of the pretreatment levels by Days 2, 4, and 10, respectively. Pain was improved in 91% of patients with only 4% of worse pain at the end of treatment. Improved pain scores were maintained in 83% of patients at 1-month follow-up, but in 35% of them, the pain was worse than at the end of treatment. Conclusions: Collection of daily pain scores by radiation therapists was associated with an effective reduction in pain scores early on during EBRT of painful osseous metastases.