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Purpose: Low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR-BT) is a well-established treatment for lip cancer. High-dose-rate (HDR)-BT is a promising alternative to LDR-BT, but data are limited. In this context, we retrospectively evaluated treatment outcomes in a series of patients who underwent HDR-BT for lip carcinoma between 2003 and 2021., Materials and Methods: A total of 32 patients were included in this study, with a median age of 73.5 years (range, 61 - 88). The indications for HDR-BT were as follows: primary treatment (n = 17), adjuvant treatment (n = 3), and recurrent disease after surgery (n = 12). The prescribed dose was 18 fractions of 3 Gy administered twice daily., Results: At a median followup of 45 months (range, 12 -232), the 5-year local recurrence-free interval was 96.9% (95% CI: 90.9-100%), the disease-free interval was 85% (95% CI: 70.9-99.1), and 5-year overall survival was 64.7% (95% CI: 44.7-84.8). Eleven patients died, all on age related comorbidities. Acute toxicity manifested as G1 dry desquamation in 6 patients (18.8%), G2 erythema in 10 patients (31.2%) and G3 confluent moist desquamation in 16 patients (50%). Late complications included G1 fibrosis (100% of cases). G1 and G2 depigmentation was observed in 8 (25%) and 6 (18%) patients, G1 telangiectasia occurred in 5 patients (16%)., Conclusions: These data support the use of HDR-BT for lip cancer. The dose and fractionation schedule used in this study (18 fractions x 3 Gy twice daily) seems to be effective and safe., (Copyright © 2023 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the study was detailed clinicopathological investigation of SMARCB1/INI1-deficient sinonasal carcinomas, including molecular genetic analysis of mutational status and DNA methylation of selected protooncogenes and tumor suppressor genes by means of next generation sequencing (NGS) and methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MS-MLPA). A total of 4/56 (7%) cases of SMARCB1/INI1-deficient carcinomas were detected among 56 sinonasal carcinomas diagnosed over a 19year period using immunohistochemical screening. The series comprised 3 males and 1 female, aged 27-76 years (median 64 years). All tumors arose in the nasal cavity. Three neoplasms were diagnosed in advanced stage pT4. During the follow-up period (range 14-111 months (median 72 months)), three tumors recurred locally, but none of the patients developed regional or distant metastases. Ultimately, two patients died due to the tumor. Microscopically, all tumors consisted of infiltrating nests of polygonal basaloid cells with a variable component of rhabdoid cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm. Immunohistochemically, there was almost diffuse expression of cytokeratins (CK), p16, p40 and p63 in all cases, while expression of CK5/6, CK7 and vimentin was only focal or absent. The detection of NUT gave negative results. In three cases, the absence of SMARCB1/INI1 expression was due to deletion of SMARCB1/INI1 gene. Methylation of SMARCB1/INI1 gene was not found. One tumor harbored HPV18 E6/E7 mRNA. All 12 genes (BRAF, BRCA1, BRCA2, KIT, EGFR, KRAS, NRAS, PDGFRA, PIK3CA, PTEN, RET, and ROS1) tested for mutations using NGS were wild-type. Regarding DNA methylation, all four SMARCB1/INI1-deficient tumors showed methylation of RASSF1 gene by means of MS-MLPA. There was a statistically significant difference in RASSF1 gene methylation between SMARCB1/INI1-deficient and SMARCB1/INI1-positive tumors (p=0.0095). All other examined genes (ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, CADM1, CASP8, CD44, CDKN1B, CDKN2A, CDKN2B, CHFR, DAPK1, ESR1, FHIT, GSTP1, HIC1, KLLN, MLH1a, MLH1b, RARB, and VLH) were unmethylated. In summary, we described four cases of SMARCB1/INI1-deficient sinonasal carcinoma with detailed clinicopathological data indicating that these tumors can be regarded as a distinct entity with aggressive behaviour. For the first time, we performed analysis of DNA methylation in SMARCB1/INI1-deficient sinonasal carcinomas, reporting on significantly higher methylation of RASSF1 gene in this neoplasm., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Evaluation of results of extended field radiotherapy and high-dose rate brachytherapy combined with chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma., Type of the Study: A retrospective study., Setting: Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, University Hospital Hradec Králové., Methods: Forty five patients with stage IIB - IVA cervical cancer and radiologically suspicious pelvic and/or paraaortic lymph nodes were treated at the Dept. of Oncology and Radiotherapy Hradec Králové with pelvic and paraaortic radiotherapy, high-dose rate brachytherapy and concomitant chemotherapy with cisplatin or cisplatin and paclitaxel., Results: The 3-years disease free survival estimate was 64%. Hematological toxicity was the most limiting factor of concomitant chemotherapy. Late toxicity grade III and IV was observed in 7 patients. One patient underwent surgery due to ileus caused by lymphoma., Conclusions: Concomitant chemoradiotherapy with paraaortic fields results in high tumor control but also significant acute and late toxicity. New techniques of radiotherapy, such as intensity modulated radiotherapy, may improve the therapeutic ratio.

Objective: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly cisplatin became a standard procedure in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the therapy toleration and the survival of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly cisplatin of 40mg/m2., Subject and Method: From January 2000 to December 2004, 40 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly cisplatin of 40mg/m2. Radical radiotherapy consisted of external beam radiotherapy 25 x 2 Gy to the pelvis, high-dose rate brachytherapy 6 x 4 Gy to the tumor, boost 7 x 2 Gy to the pelvic walls. 21 patients also recieved 22 x 2 Gy to the para-aortic lymphatic nodes., Results: Only 16 patients recieved full five doses of cisplatin. Causes of discontinuance of the chemotherapy: acute hematological toxicity with leukopenia (10), thrombocytopenia (1), anaemia (1), increased levels of creatinine (2), profuse vomiting (1), haematemesis (1). Stage dependent two-year overall survival (OS) was 72% (IIB) against 64% (III, IVA). Two-year disease-free survival (DFS) dependent on the number of cisplatin doses was 77% (> or = 3 doses) against 56% (<3 doses) in patients with IIB stage., Conclusion: Acute hematological toxicity with leukopenia was the most frequent cause of discontinuance of the chemotherapy. The results of two-year OS and DFS show difference in dependence on the number of applied doses of chemotherapy. However, the difference was not significant due to a low number of patients subject to the study.