Abstract P2-06-04: Breast cancer after Hodgkin lymphoma: Influence of endogenous and exogenous gonadal hormones on the radiation dose-response relationship

Background

After chest radiotherapy (RT) for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), women experience a dose-dependent increased breast cancer (BC) risk. It is unknown whether endogenous and exogenous gonadal hormones affect the radiation dose-response relationship.

Methods

We conducted a nested case-control study among female 5-year HL survivors treated before 41 years between 1965-2000. Data were collected through medical records and questionnaires for 174 BC cases and 466 matched controls. RT charts, simulation films and mammography reports were used to estimate the radiation dose to the location of the breast tumor.

Results

The median interval between HL and BC diagnosis was 21.9 years. 98% of BC cases had received chest RT, compared to 92% of controls. We observed a linear radiation dose-response curve with an adjusted excess odd ratio (EOR) of 5.4%/Gray (95%CI:1.8%-13.37%). Women with menopause <30 years (caused by high-dose procarbazine or pelvic RT) had a lower BC risk (OR:0.13, 95%CI:0.03-0.54) than women with menopause ≥50 years. BC risk increased with 7.4% for each additional year of intact ovarian function after RT (P<0.001). Among women with an early menopause (<45 years), the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for ≥2 years did not increase BC risk (OR:0.81, 95%CI:0.30-2.21). Endogenous and exogenous hormones did not statistically significantly modify the slope of the radiation dose-response relationship.

Conclusion

HRT use did not appear to increase BC risk in female HL survivors with a therapy-induced early menopause. Moreover, there was no evidence for interaction between RT dose and years with intact ovarian function or HRT use.

Citation Format: Krul IM, Opstal - van Winden AWJ, Aleman BMP, Janus CPM, van Eggermond AM, de Bruin ML, Hauptmann M, Krol ADG, Schaapveld M, Broeks A, Kooijman KR, Fase S, Lybeert ML, Zijlstra JM, van der Maazen RWM, Kesminiene A, Diallo I, de Vathaire F, Russell NS, van Leeuwen FE. Breast cancer after Hodgkin lymphoma: Influence of endogenous and exogenous gonadal hormones on the radiation dose-response relationship [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-06-04.

The morbidity of treatment for patients with Stage I endometrial cancer: results from a randomized trial

PURPOSE

To compare the treatment complications for patients with Stage I endometrial cancer treated with surgery and pelvic radiotherapy (RT) or surgery alone in a multicenter randomized trial.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The Postoperative Radiation Therapy in Endometrial Carcinoma (PORTEC) trial included patients with endometrial cancer confined to the uterine corpus, either Grade 1 or 2 with more than 50% myometrial invasion, or Grade 2 or 3 with less than 50% myometrial invasion. Surgery consisted of an abdominal hysterectomy and oophorectomy, without lymphadenectomy. After surgery, patients were randomized to receive pelvic RT (46 Gy), or no further treatment. A total of 715 patients were randomized. Treatment complications were graded using the French-Italian glossary.

RESULTS

The analysis was done at a median follow-up duration of 60 months. 691 patients were evaluable. Five-year actuarial rates of late complications (Grades 1-4) were 26% in the RT group and 4% in the control group (p < 0.0001). Most were Grade 1 complications, with 5-year rates of 17% in the RT group and 4% in the control group. All severe (Grade 3-4) complications were observed in the RT group (3%). Most complications were of the gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms resolved after some years in 50% of the patients. Grade 1-2 genitourinary complications occurred in 8% of the RT patients, and 4% of the controls. Bone complications occurred in 4 RT patients (1%). Seven patients (2%) discontinued their RT due to acute RT-related symptoms. Patients with acute morbidity had an increased risk of late RT complications (p = 0.001). The 4-field box technique was associated with a lower risk of late complications (p = 0.06).

CONCLUSION

Pelvic RT increases the morbidity of treatment in Stage I endometrial cancer. In the PORTEC trial, severe complications occurred in 3% of treated patients, and over 20% experienced mild (mostly Grade 1) symptoms. Patients with acute RT-related morbidity had an increased risk of late complications. As pelvic RT in Stage I endometrial carcinoma was shown to significantly reduce the rate of locoregional recurrence, but without a survival benefit, its use in the adjuvant setting requires careful patient selection (treating those at increased risk of relapse), and the use of treatment schemes with the lowest risk of morbidity.

Surgery and postoperative radiotherapy versus surgery alone for patients with stage-1 endometrial carcinoma: multicentre randomised trial. PORTEC Study Group. Post Operative Radiation Therapy in Endometrial Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Postoperative radiotherapy for International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage-1 endometrial carcinoma is a subject of controversy due to the low relapse rate and the lack of data from randomised trials. We did a multicentre prospective randomised trial to find whether postoperative pelvic radiotherapy improves locoregional control and survival for patients with stage-1 endometrial carcinoma.

METHODS

Patients with stage-1 endometrial carcinoma (grade 1 with deep [> or =50%] myometrial invasion, grade 2 with any invasion, or grade 3 with superficial [<50%] invasion) were enrolled. After total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, without lymphadenectomy, 715 patients from 19 radiation oncology centres were randomised to pelvic radiotherapy (46 Gy) or no further treatment. The primary study endpoints were locoregional recurrence and death, with treatment-related morbidity and survival after relapse as secondary endpoints.

FINDINGS

Analysis was done according to the intention-to-treat principle. Of the 715 patients, 714 could be evaluated. The median duration of follow-up was 52 months. 5-year actuarial locoregional recurrence rates were 4% in the radiotherapy group and 14% in the control group (p<0.001). Actuarial 5-year overall survival rates were similar in the two groups: 81% (radiotherapy) and 85% (controls), p=0.31. Endometrial-cancer-related death rates were 9% in the radiotherapy group and 6% in the control group (p=0.37). Treatment-related complications occurred in 25% of radiotherapy patients, and in 6% of the controls (p<0.0001). Two-thirds of the complications were grade 1. Grade 3-4 complications were seen in eight patients, of which seven were in the radiotherapy group (2%). 2-year survival after vaginal recurrence was 79%, in contrast to 21% after pelvic recurrence or distant metastases. Survival after relapse was significantly (p=0.02) better for patients in the control group. Multivariate analysis showed that for locoregional recurrence, radiotherapy and age below 60 years were significant favourable prognostic factors.

INTERPRETATION

Postoperative radiotherapy in stage-1 endometrial carcinoma reduces locoregional recurrence but has no impact on overall survival. Radiotherapy increases treatment-related morbidity. Postoperative radiotherapy is not indicated in patients with stage-1 endometrial carcinoma below 60 years and patients with grade-2 tumours with superficial invasion.

[Pulmonary damage after radiotherapy for breast cancer]

Radiation therapy for breast cancer can cause pulmonary damage. This was diagnosed in two patients aged 75 and 57 years respectively. They had different types of radiation pneumonitis. The first patient presented with a so-called bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP), four months after radiation therapy. Characteristic in BOOP are the bilateral and migrating lung infiltrates that are distributed predominantly in the middle and lower lung zones. The second patient developed a pneumonitis that classically was confined to the area of irradiation four months after radiation therapy. The two types of radiation pneumonitis can be treated successfully with corticosteroids. If symptomatic radiation pneumonitis is diagnosed early it can be treated well and than has a good prognosis.

Postoperative radiotherapy for endometrial carcinoma. Stage I. Wide variation in referral patterns but no effect on long-term survival in a retrospective study in the southeast Netherlands

The aim of this study was to assess the referral pattern and the impact on long-term survival of postoperative radiotherapy in patients with adenocarcinoma of the endometrium stage I. This was a retrospective study performed in a regional cancer registry which covers a population of approximately 1,000,000 persons. All 724 patients registered between 1975 and 1992 in the Comprehensive Cancer Centre South, Eastern Section, The Netherlands, were analysed. All patients had received surgery as primary treatment which was performed in one of the seven community hospitals of the region. Radiotherapy was given in one regional department. All pathology reports were checked for data on tumour differentiation and myometrial invasion. Almost half the patients (45%) were referred for postoperative radiotherapy. The depth of myometrial invasion and the degree of tumour differentiation were the main factors (P < 0.0001) influencing referral for postoperative radiotherapy. The referral pattern varied between the different hospitals, but became more similar during 1985-1988, to diverge again in recent years. In patients younger than 60 years, the depth of myometrial invasion was significantly (P = 0.01) correlated with survival. In patients older than 60 years, tumour differentiation (P = 0.05) and age (P < 0.001) were correlated with survival, but not the depth of myometrial invasion. After adjustment for known prognostic factors, a survival benefit of postoperative radiotherapy could not be established. The studied group had an excess death rate over the normal Dutch female population. This excess death rate did not decrease during follow-up, as even after 10 years an excess death rate was found. A prospective randomised trial is ongoing in The Netherlands.

Primary gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma stage IE and IIE

The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the different treatment approaches and outcome of patients with stage IE and IIE gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a cancer registry. Between 1982 and 1992, the Comprehensive Cancer Centre South (CCCS), Eastern Section, The Netherlands, registered, in a population of 1 million people, a total of 81 cases of gastric lymphoma stage IE and IIE (43 men and 38 women). Median age was 69.7 years (range 30.4-88.1). According to the Working Formulation, the malignancy grade was: 9 low, 55 intermediate and 14 high. According to the MALT classification, the malignancy grade was: 38 low and 40 high. Grade was unknown in 3 patients. Patients received the following treatment modalities: surgery alone (n = 22), locoregional radiotherapy without (n = 12) or with (n = 13) surgery; or systemic chemotherapy alone (n = 10) or with radiotherapy and/or surgery (n = 18). No treatment was given or recorded in 6 patients. For stage IE, 5-year actuarial survival and relapse-free survival rates were, respectively, 76 and 64% in 18 patients who received only surgery; 70 and 67% in 17 patients given locoregional treatment (radiotherapy with or without surgery), and 76 and 62% in 13 patients given systemic treatment (chemotherapy alone or with radiotherapy and/or surgery). Radiotherapy as sole treatment seemed to be as effective as other treatment modalities in achieving local and abdominal control. For stage IIE, none of the 4 patients who were treated with surgery alone survived 5 years. The 5-year actuarial survival and relapse-free survival rates of 8 patients who received radiotherapy with or without surgery were, respectively, 25 and 17% and 49 and 33%, for 14 patients given systemic therapy (chemotherapy alone and/or radiotherapy/surgery). In stage IIE, local, abdominal as well as distant relapse were more common, irrespective of treatment modality. In the multivariate analyses, stage (P = 0.002), grade (P = 0.02), age (P = 0.04) and gender (P = 0.04) were significant prognostic factors. This report on a limited number of patients shows that the outcome of patients with stage IIE gastric lymphoma is much worse than for patients with stage IE. Grade, age, gender and particularly stage are much stronger indicators for survival than different modes of treatment. Systemic therapy might improve outcome for stage IIE, but not for stage IE, for which radiotherapy alone seems a good option.

Radiotherapy for T2 and T3 carcinoma of the bladder: the influence of overall treatment time

The influence of overall treatment time on local control rate was studied on a group of 147 patients with muscle invasive T2 or T3 transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. All patients received external radiotherapy at the Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands between January 1974 and December 1984. Patients treated with overall treatment times shorter than 75 days (n = 92) were irradiated during a continuous course; all but one patient, with overall treatment times of 75 days or more (n = 55), received split-course radiotherapy. Actuarial local relapse-free probability at 3 years (LRFP3) was computed from the onset of radiotherapy. LRFP3 proved to be dependent on overall treatment time. For T2 stage, LRFP3 was 80 +/- 18% (n = 5) and 54 +/- 13% (n = 13) for overall times between 15-44 and 45-74 days, respectively, 36 +/- 14% (n = 11) for overall times between 75 and 104 days and 64 +/- 15% (n = 11) for overall times longer than 105 days. For T3 stage, LRFP3 was 33 +/- 19% (n = 6) and 48 +/- 10% (n = 25) for overall times between 15-44 and 45-74 days, respectively, 25 +/- 14% (n = 12) for overall times between 75 and 104 days and 22 +/- 14% (n = 9) for overall times longer than 105 days. The figures between brackets are numbers of patients relapsing within 3 years or at risk of relapse during at least 3 years. Patients who died without local relapse before 3 years were censored. We have reasons to believe that patient selection bias leads to overestimation of LRFP3 for the split-course radiotherapy in retrospective studies where the 'intention to treat' cannot be recalled. This retrospective study suggests that prolonging overall time of radiotherapy has an effect on local control in T2 and T3 transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Local control was the worst for patients treated by split-course radiotherapy with a gap of approximately one month. Local control was not further decreased (and seemed even improved) by longer gaps, but this observation is possibly biased as explained in the discussion section. For patients treated by continuous course radiotherapy we could not find a difference in local control rates between patients treated with overall times of 44 days or less and those treated with overall times of 45-74 days.

Adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy for adenocarcinoma of the rectum and rectosigmoid. A retrospective analysis of locoregional control, survival, and prognostic factors on 178 patients

Results are presented of a retrospective study on 178 patients receiving adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy after curative surgery for adenocarcinoma of the rectum and rectosigmoid. Tumorstages according to Gunderson-Sosin were B2: 67, B3: 5, C1: 9, C2: 94, and C3: 3. Median total dosage was 50 Gy (range: 10-66 Gy), with a median dose per fraction of 2.0 Gy, 5 fractions per week. The censored overall 5-year survival rate was 42%, and 5-year disease-free survival rate was 37%. The respective rates for stage B2 patients (n = 67) were 59% and 53%, and for stage C2 patients (n = 94), 25% and 25%. Recurrences occurred in 89% within 3 years, 8% in the fourth, and 1% in the fifth year of follow-up. Five-year local relapse rates were 27% for the stage B2 tumors and 40% for the stage C2 tumors. For survival, stage (P = .006), grade (P = .02), fixation at surgery (P = .03), and gender (P = .03) were independent prognostic factors. With local relapse-free probability (LRFP) as endpoint, grade (P < .02) was an independent prognostic factor. Dose of radiation was not of prognostic significance, neither for survival (P = .63) nor for LRFP (P = .61). Since improvement should be made in locoregional control, initiatives are taken to start preoperative radiotherapy; furthermore, the key role of surgery is emphasized.

[Adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy in patients with endometrial carcinoma; no effect on length of survival in retrospective study in the Southeastern Netherlands]

OBJECTIVE

To assess the use of postoperative radiotherapy in patients with adenocarcinoma of the endometrium.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

METHOD

An assessment was made of referral, survival in relation to patient factors and postoperative radiotherapy treatment, in 422 patients registered in the Eindhoven Cancer Registry between January 1975 and December 1984 with carcinoma of the endometrium.

RESULTS

Half the patients (54%) were referred for postoperative radiotherapy, patients over 70 years old less frequently (p = 0.004), patients with deeply infiltrating tumours (p < 0.001) or tumours with poor grade of differentiation (p = 0.03) more frequently. The referral percentages varied between 36% for patients with well differentiated superficial tumours and 83% for patients with poorly differentiated tumours with deep infiltration. Age, postoperative tumour stage and depth of infiltration for patients under 60 showed a statistically significant association with overall survival. A benefit from postoperative radiotherapy with respect to survival could not be established.

CONCLUSION

It appears that the variation in referral is also due to differences of opinion concerning appropriate treatment between the referring gynaecologists. This study did not demonstrate a beneficial effect from postoperative radiotherapy. This should be confirmed in a prospective study.

T1 and T2 carcinoma of the urinary bladder: long term results with external, preoperative, or interstitial radiotherapy

Between January 1974 and December 1984, 273 consecutive patients with cancer of the urinary bladder, Stages T1 or T2, any N, M0, were referred to the radiotherapy department of the Catharina Hospital at Eindhoven, The Netherlands and 265 were treated in a non-randomized fashion according to one of the three following schedules: 137 patients (67 T1, 70 T2) received radiotherapy only; 96 (44 T1, 52 T2) had preoperative radiotherapy followed by cystectomy and diversion according to the Bricker technique in 94/96; 32 patients (13 T1, 19 T2) had low total dose (12 Gy median) external radiotherapy followed by an interstitial cesium implant. The external radiotherapy fields included the pelvic structures. Total dose was 64 Gy median in the radiotherapy-only group and 40 Gy median in the preoperative irradiated group. The median follow-up in survivors was 81 months (range: 15-203). Locoregional relapse was observed in 50% in the group treated by external radiotherapy alone versus 17% in the group treated by preoperative radiation plus surgery and 28% of the patients who received cesium implant. During follow-up, 106/137 (77%), 67/96 (70%) and 13/32 (41%) patients died. In the radiotherapy-alone group, 38 died from intercurrent diseases, 36 from bladder cancer, two from therapy-related complications and cause of death was unknown in 30 patients. In the preoperative radiation group, the figures were 17 for intercurrent deaths, 26 related to progressive bladder cancer, 14 died due to perioperative complications and cause of death was unknown in 10. Cause of death was intercurrent in six and due to bladder cancer in seven patients treated by cesium implant. Probability of survival (calculated from the date of histological diagnosis) for the whole group, with censoring death to intercurrent disease was 53% at 5 years (56% for T1; 51% for T2) and 41% (40% for T1; 43% for T2) at 10 years. No significant difference was observed between T1 and T2 (p = 0.76). Survival in the treatment subgroups was, for patients treated by external radiotherapy only: 50% at 5 years and 33% at 10 years; for patients treated by external radiotherapy and surgery: 49% at 5 years and 42% at 10 years; for patients treated by cesium implant: 76% at 5 years and 76% at 10 years. Survival of patients in the cesium implant group was significantly better than in the other groups (p = 0.0001). Following variables were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model: age, gender, T1 or T2 stage, grade, cesium implant or not, and surgery or not.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Radiotherapy for locoregional relapses of rectal carcinoma after initial radical surgery: definite but limited influence on relapse-free survival and survival

A group of 95 patients, treated with irradiation for relapse after radical surgery as only initial treatment modality for a rectal carcinoma was studied. The term locoregional relapse relates to evidence of tumor recurrent in the pelvis or the perineal area. Seventy-six patients presented with locoregional relapse only, and 19 patients presented with locoregional relapse and concomitant distant metastases. All patients were irradiated at the site of locoregional relapse. Total dose of irradiation was resp. 44 Gy median (range 6-66 Gy) and 40 Gy median (range 6-50 Gy). In the group of patients with locoregional relapse only, recurrence-free survival and survival after radiotherapy were, respectively, 23% and 61% at 1 year, and 6% and 13% at 3 years. In the group of patients with concomitant distant metastases, survival after radiotherapy was even worse, 33% at one year, and nihil at 3 years. Recurrences after radiotherapy occurred early during follow-up with 75% of the recurrences being recorded during the first year of follow-up. Recurrent or persistent disease inside the irradiation volume was the most important clinical problem in both groups, being documented in, respectively, 43/76 and 7/19 (7/13 if six patients were excluded with a survival of less than 3 months from onset of therapy). In the group of patients with locoregional relapse only, using recurrence-free survival as the endpoint, dose of irradiation (p = 0.01) was a significant multivariate prognostic factor and using survival as the endpoint, dose of irradiation (p = 0.005) and grade of tumor differentiation (p = 0.002) were significant. Potentials of current radiotherapy regimes are limited. Therefore, maximal initial treatment is warranted. In the event of a relapse after initial radical surgery, one should opt for either more aggressive standard therapy, or either new combined modalities approaches should be studied.

Low-dose total body irradiation in non-Hodgkin lymphoma: short- and long-term toxicity and prognostic factor

The toxicity of low-dose total body irradiation (LTBI), the prognostic factors related to survival and relapse-free survival, and the efficacy of treatment given for relapse after LTBI were analyzed in 68 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) treated at the Rotterdamsch Radiotherapeutisch Instituut. All patients received LTBI between 1973 and 1979. The patient material was heterogeneous with respect to malignancy grade, stage, age, and therapy given before or after LTBI; the unifying principle was that all patients received LTBI and had symptomatic NHL. Analysis of prognostic variables with Cox's model revealed grade (p less than 0.001) and age (p = 0.004) as predictors for survival and grade (p less than 0.001) and dose of LTBI (p = 0.056) as predictors for relapse-free survival after LTBI. No subjective toxicity was observed during or after LTBI treatment. Hematologic toxicity was dose-limiting and was increased if patients had received cytotoxic treatment before LTBI. LTBI-related hematologic toxicity was lower in patients with low-grade NHL than in those with intermediate or high-grade NHL, was limited in time, and recovered in all patients. Patients relapsing after LTBI received a variety of therapies. Response rates were high, but of short duration, especially in intermediate or high-grade NHL. Duration of response was progressively shorter after multiple relapses.

Endometrial carcinoma: high dose-rate brachytherapy in combination with external irradiation; a multivariate analysis of relapses

From June 1974 to June 1984, 347 women with endometrial carcinoma were referred to the radiotherapy department of the Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Of this total number, 327 patients were considered eligible for analysis; 36 being referred for recurrences of previous surgically treated endometrial carcinoma, and 291 being referred for radiotherapy as part of the initial treatment. The 28% 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) of the group of 36 patients demonstrated that endometrial carcinoma may behave as a radiosensitive tumour. The remaining 291 had all undergone surgery, except 10. Radiotherapy consisted of high dose-rate brachytherapy applied to the vaginal vault for pathological stage I tumours, well differentiated, and with superficial myometrial invasion. All other patients received external beam irradiation to a pelvic dose of 40 Gy in 4 weeks, followed by brachytherapy (4 fractions of 5 Gy each). The 5-year RFS for pathologically staged patients was: stage I (232 patients) 88%, stage II (27 patients) 68%, stage III and IV (22 patients) 50%. Treatment-related complications were minimal. In-field recurrences were rare: 5% locoregional, 2.2% both loco-regional and distant, versus 9.3% distant failures. Multivariate RFS analysis demonstrated age, stage and tumour differentiation as independent prognostic factors, tumour differentiation being the most important factor.

Long-term results of low dose total body irradiation for advanced non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Sixty-eight patients received fractionated low dose total body irradiation (LTBI) as treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) at the Rotterdamsch Radio-Therapeutisch Instituut (RRTI) in the period 1973-1979. Ninety percent (61/68) of these patients had advanced disease (Stage III + IV). According to current malignancy grade classifications, 34 patients had low grade NHL, 10 intermediate, and 19 high grade. In 5 cases no exact grading was possible. LTBI was given 3 times a week, midline dose 0.1 Gy, using 6 or 25 MeV photons to a mean total dose of 1.78 Gy. Initial response rate for low, intermediate, and high grade NHL was resp. 84, 42, and 40%. The main prognostic factor for survival and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was malignancy grade. Probability of uncorrected survival at 10 years for low, intermediate, and high grade was resp. 34, 0 and 0%. Probability of RFS at 10 years was resp. 19, 0, and 0%. Neither stage nor sex had any influence on survival. Age was reversely correlated with survival, but was not correlated with RFS. Influence of prior therapy (18 patients) on survival and RFS was separately analyzed. Neither survival nor RFS of unfavorable histologic type NHL (high and intermediate grade) was influenced. On the other hand patients with a favorable histologic type NHL (low grade) had a significantly (p less than 0.05) better RFS if they received LTBI as initial treatment, but survival was not significantly influenced. RFS at 5 and 10 years of patients who received LTBI as first treatment was respectively 32% and 27%. No treatment related complications were noted. Subsequent chemotherapy in case of relapse was not hampered by previous LTBI. The high response rate and extended RFS, without maintenance therapy, makes LTBI a preferable first line treatment for patients with advanced stage low grade NHL.

Age as a prognostic factor in carcinoma of the cervix

To investigate whether age is a prognostic factor in patients with carcinoma of the cervix, a retrospective study was undertaken of 261 patients, aged 45 years or less, who were referred to the Rotterdamsch Radio-Therapeutisch Instituut (RRTI) between 1973 and 1982. Patients were referred for either primary treatment--surgery or radiotherapy--or for adjuvant radiotherapy. Overall 5-year survival figures were rather low, which may be explained by negative patient selection as the RRTI is a referral hospital: stage IB, 72%; stage IIA; 61%; stage IIB; 52%; stage III; 29%. A particular poor survival was noted for patients (n = 22) aged 28 or less. Overall 5-year survival of these patients was only 39% in contrast to 67% 5-year survival of older patients. This difference was highly significant (p less than 0.002). Even if corrected for stage, very young patients had a poorer prognosis (stage IB: 45% versus 75% 5-year survival of older patients). Within the older age group, no trend towards a better prognosis with increasing age could be identified. As a treatment was similar for all patients, no explanation is available for this observation.

Chordoma. Report on treatment results in eighteen cases

Eighteen patients with a proven histologic diagnosis of chordoma were treated between 1949 and 1982. Four patients received only surgery, 4 patients only radiation therapy, and 10 patients received surgery and postoperative radiation therapy to a varying dose. The results suggest that a higher radiation dose gives longer recurrence-free survival, and that the best long term results can be achieved by combining surgery--as radically as possible--with radiation therapy to a dose level of 60 to 65 Gy. In view of the number of marginal recurrences (2 out of the 14 patients who received radiation therapy), the importance of choosing the right treatment volume is stressed.

Radiotherapy of paragangliomas

From 1964 to 1980 28 patients with extensive paragangliomas were treated with radiation therapy. Nine patients had a carotid body tumour and 19 had a temporal bone tumour. During the 16 year period the radiation dose was gradually reduced from 60 Gy in 6 weeks to 40 Gy in 4 weeks. Continuous tumour control was achieved in all patients (follow-up 1.5-18 years) with no difference between glomus caroticum tumours and glomus tympanicum tumours, and complications were few, certainly when 40-50 Gy was given in 4-5 weeks.