Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Mesothelioma - Epidemiology And Management, Patricia Tai, Edward Yu, Avi Assouline, Kurian Joseph

Edward Yu

Mesothelioma is an uncommon tumor. It has a latency period of 20-40 years. The most important risk factor is asbestos exposure. Prognosis of mesothelioma is generally poor with high case-fatality rate, and research to improve the outcome of this disease is on-going worldwide. Due to its rarity, management by a multidisciplinary team with experience is recommended. Carefully selected patients may benefit from tri-modality (surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy) treatment. The management of pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma is summarized in this review. Recent advances in chemotherapy and biologic response modifiers are promising.

Strategies For Reducing The Impact Of Tumour Motion During Helical Tomotherapy, Bryan Kim

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Tumour motion presents a significant limitation for effective radiotherapy of lung cancer, and more specifically for helical tomotherapy. The simultaneous and continuous movements of tomotherapy subsystems (gantry, couch, and binary multi-leaf collimator) can lead to inaccurate dose delivery, when combined with tumour motion. In this thesis, we have investigated the impact of tumour motion and strategies to reduce the resulting dose discrepancies for helical tomotherapy, through computer simulations and film measurements performed in a dynamic body phantom. Three distinctively different types of dose discrepancies have been isolated: dose rounding, dose rippling, and the intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) asynchronization effect. Each …

Oncolog, Volume 56, Number 06, June 2011, John H. Mccool, Sunni Hoseman

OncoLog MD Anderson's Report to Physicians (All issues)

• MD Anderson Celebrates 70th Anniversary: Its first clinical facility was a converted Army barracks, its first headquarters was renovated residential estate near downtown Houston, and its first cancer research was conducted by four scientists in a former horse stable
• Compass: Stage II or III Soft Tissue Sarcoma-Chemotherapy and radiation therapy before or after surgery benefit patients

Early Toxicity Predicts Long-Term Survival In High-Grade Glioma., Y. R. Lawrence, M Wang, Adam Dicker, David W Andrews, Walter J Curran, J M Michalski, L Souhami, W-Ka Yung, M Mehta

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Patients with high-grade gliomas are treated with surgery followed by chemoradiation. The risk factors and implications of neurological side effects are not known.

METHODS: Acute and late ≥ grade 3 neurological toxicities (NTs) were analysed among 2761 patients from 14 RTOG trials accrued from 1983 to 2003. The association between acute and late toxicity was analysed using a stepwise logistic regression model. The association between the occurrence of acute NT and survival was analysed as an independent variable.

RESULTS: There were 2610 analysable patients (86% glioblastoma, 10% anaplastic astrocytoma). All received a systemic agent during radiation (83% chemotherapy, 17% …

The Impact Of Post-Mastectomy Radiation Therapy On Male Breast Cancer Patients--A Case Series, Edward Yu, Hiromichi Suzuki, Jawaid Younus, Tarek Elfiki, Larry Stitt, Gary Yau, Olga Vujovic, Francisco Perera, Michael Lock, Patricia Tai

Edward Yu

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of radiation management on male breast cancer (MBC) at London Regional Cancer Program (LRCP). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Men with a diagnosis of breast cancer referred to LRCP were reviewed. The seventh American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system was used. Patients treated with and without post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) were analyzed. Disease-free survival (DFS) was defined as time duration from diagnosis to first recurrence. Overall survival (OS) was defined as time duration from pathologic diagnosis to death or last follow-up with any death defined as an event. Survival estimates were obtained using Kaplan-Meier methodology. RESULTS: …

Oncolog, Volume 56, Number 03, March 2011, Bryan Tutt, Joe Munch

OncoLog MD Anderson's Report to Physicians (All issues)

• Glioblastoma Cure Remains Elusive Despite Treatment Advances: Aggressive surgery followed by radiation therapy and chemo-therapy offers hope of long-term survival for some patients with glioblastoma, but for most glioblastoma patients, the prognosis is poor
• Assessing and Addressing the Biological Effects of Stress in Cancer Patients: Stress has long been linked to cancer progression. But the precise mechanisms by which stress exacts its pro-tumor effects are not fully understood
• MD Anderson One of Four Centers to Test Cancer Cell Detection Chip: A new test that could monitor the effectiveness of cancer treatment
• HOUSE CALL: Yoga and Tai Chi: Two distinct disciplines …

Oncolog, Volume 56, Number 02, February 2011, Joe Munch, John Lebas

OncoLog MD Anderson's Report to Physicians (All issues)

• Risk-Based Cancer Screening: M.D. Anderson's revised guidelines offer more precise individualized recommendations on screening for common cancers.
• Screen Guidelines in Brief
• Electronic Navigation Biopsy for Peripheral Lung Lesion Diagnosis
• House Call: Couples and Cancer: Cancer-Related Issues Can Disrupt Relationships
• in Brief: Researchers Find Glioblastoma's Resistance to Treatment Rooted in Immunosuppression