The combined use of radiation therapy (RT) and androgen deprivation for patients with localized high-risk prostate cancer is commonly accepted as the standard treatment among uro-oncologists. Preclinical studies have provided rationale for the use of this combination. Additionally, results of phase 3 studies using conventional doses of RT have supported the combined approach. Other phase 3 studies have also shown a benefit for using higher doses of RT; however, the role of androgen deprivation in this context is not clear. The optimal duration of the androgen deprivation, in both the neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting, is still under investigation. This article critically reviews the data on the use of RT combined with androgen deprivation for the treatment of high-risk prostate cancer with emphasis on the results of phase 3 trials.

Radioterapia é uma importante alternativa de tratamento curativo em pacientes com câncer do pulmão não de pequenas células. Entretanto, pulmões são muito sensíveis à radiação e isto aumenta a importância em se delimitar o volume a ser irradiado com precisão. Ultimamente, a tomografia por emissão de pósitron (PET) e a tomografia computadorizada (TC) são feitas de forma combinada, e a literatura sugere que seu impacto no planejamento da radioterapia é significativo. Ao se utilizar exames de PET/TC no planejamento da radioterapia é importante reconhecer e adaptar-se às diferenças entre os equipamentos de diagnóstico e de tratamento. Este texto discute alguns dos problemas técnicos que devem ser resolvidos quando se incorpora PET no planejamento radioterápico.

Radiation therapy represents an important alternative for curative treatment of patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer. However, an accurate definition of the volume to be irradiated becomes even more important, considering that lungs are highly sensitive to radiation. Most recently, combined FDG-PET/CT scan has been utilized, and the literature reports its significant role in the planning of radiation therapy, since it seems to influence the target-volume delineation in cases of lung cancer. Differences between diagnostic and treatment equipments must be taken into consideration when FDG-PET/CT scan is utilized in the planning of radiation therapy. The present study discusses some of the many technical problems that must be solved when PET is incorporated into the planning of radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJETIVO: Relatar os resultados de tratamento de pacientes com câncer de pulmão de pequenas células com doença limitada (CPPC-DL), num período de dez anos, numa única instituição, para controle de qualidade e comparação com dados de literatura. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Entre janeiro de 1992 e dezembro de 2002, 101 pacientes portadores de CPPC-DL completaram tratamento em nossa instituição. Seus resultados foram revistos e incluíram quimioterapia, radioterapia, a seqüência dos dois tratamentos e o uso de irradiação profilática cerebral (PCI). A radiação foi administrada com dose mediana de 45 Gy em 1,8 a 2 Gy por fração. A dose mediana de PCI foi de 25 Gy em dez frações. RESULTADOS: O seguimento mediano foi de 50,6 meses e a idade mediana dos pacientes foi de 63 anos. Houve 85 mortes confirmadas, 5 pacientes foram perdidos de seguimento e 11 estavam vivos. O tempo de sobrevida mediano foi de 11 meses, a sobrevida global em dois e cinco anos foi de 25,5% e 10%, respectivamente. Não houve diferença significante na sobrevida global em dois ou cinco anos segundo a idade e sexo dos pacientes. Também não houve diferença significante na sobrevida global entre os pacientes que realizaram PCI ou não, ou foram tratados em dois períodos diferentes (1997-2002 vs. 1992-1996). CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados de tratamento dos pacientes portadores de CPPC-DL na nossa instituição refletem as constantes mudanças no manuseio do CPPC. Nossa sobrevida global em dois anos de 25,5% é semelhante a outros resultados uni-institucionais publicados, mas menor que os resultados de 47% a 54% recentemente publicados por grupos cooperativos.

OBJECTIVE: To report the results of the treatment of patients with small-cell lung cancer with limited disease (SCLC-LD) in a single institution during a 10-year period, for quality assurance and comparison with data from the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1992 and December 2002, 101 patients with SCLC-LD completed treatment at our institution. The outcomes were reviewed and included chemotherapy, radiotherapy, the sequence of the two treatments, and the use of prophylactic cranial irradiation. Radiation was delivered with a median dose of 45 Gy in 1.8 to 2 Gy per fraction. The median dose of the prophylactic cranial irradiation was 25 Gy in 10 fractions. RESULTS: Average follow-up was of 50.6 months and the average age of the patients was 63 years. There were 85 confirmed deaths, 5 patients were lost to follow up and 11 patients were alive. The median survival time was 11 months, the overall survival at 2 and 5 years was 25.5% and 10% respectively. There were no significant difference in overall survival at 2 or 5 years according to the age and sex of the patients. In addition, there were no statistical difference in overall survival among patients who had prophylactic cranial irradiation or not, or who were treated in two different periods (1997-2002 vs. 1992-1996). CONCLUSION: The results of the treatment of SCLC-LD patients in our institution reflect the constant changes in the management of SCLC. The 2-year's 25.5% overall survival seen in our institution is similar to reports published from other single institution, but lower than the 47% to 54% recently published results from cooperative groups.

INTRODUCTION: Biochemical failure has been defined as 3 consecutive increases in PSA following curative treatment of prostate cancer. The appropriate management in such cases is controversial. The most usual treatment has been early introduction of hormones. Such patients will live for many years and hormone therapy causes important secondary effects and increases costs. The guideline in our Department of Radiotherapy has been to follow up, with no initial therapy, cases with low PSA and short PSA doubling time. The present study reports this experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 528 patients with localized prostate cancer were treated by radical approach between 1992 and 1999, with external radiotherapy, with or without adjuvant hormone therapy. After a median follow-up of 77 months, there were 207 (39%) cases with biochemical failure, 78 of which were followed without therapy after the identification of biochemical failure. All of them were asymptomatic patients and had negative radiographic examinations or did not have imaging exams requested since they presented a favorable outcome. The follow-up included at least 2 annual visits with physical examination and PSA. RESULTS: Of the 78 patients with biochemical failure followed without initial therapy, 7 died from other causes than prostate cancer and the remaining 71 cases were alive and asymptomatic in the last follow-up. Prognostic factors previous to radiotherapy such as stage and Gleason score were not considered when deciding for follow-up without initial therapy in these cases. The most significant aspects considered for this decision were low PSA value (median PSA on the last visit for the 78 cases was only 3.9 ng/mL) and a slow PSA doubling time (in the present experience the median PSA doubling time was 22.5 months). CONCLUSION: There seems to be space for expectant management, without initial hormone therapy, in patients with prostate cancer who present biochemical failure and are asymptomatic after radical external radiotherapy. This decision is important, since early introduction of hormones brings late effects and is expensive. Prospective and randomized studies are required to define this issue.

O artigo faz avaliação de 52 pacientes com metástase cerebral tratados com radiocirurgia estereotática na Universidade McGill, em Montreal. A radiocirurgia foi realizada com a técnica dinâmica em que, ao mesmo tempo, giram a mesa e a cabeça do acelerador linear de 10 MV. Todos os pacientes (56 tratamentos ao todo) foram tratados com um único isocentro e uma dose única mediana de 1800 cGy na periferia da metástase. Em 88% dos casos a radiocirurgia foi usada após falha de tratamento radioterápico fracionado em todo cérebro. Todos os 52 casos tiveram avaliação com CT pós radiocirurgia. O seguimento mediano foi de 6 meses (variou entre 1 e 37 meses) e a taxa de resposta, parcial ou completa, foi de 64%. Apenas 4 pacientes (7%) tiveram algum tipo de complicação tardia relacionada ao tratamento. Estes achados vão de encontro com dados da literatura. A radiocirurgia é tratamento pouco agressivo, bem tolerado e com alta taxa de resposta para lesões locais e pode ser útil para pacientes selecionados. O seu valor definitivo, como tratamento único ou combinado com radioterapia em todo cérebro, está sendo avaliado de forma prospectiva e randomizada.

This is a retrospective review of 52 patients with metastatic brain disease who underwent stereotactic radiosurgery at McGill University in Montreal. The radiosurgical treatment was performed with the dynamic rotation technique in which there is continuous and simultaneous movement of treatment couch and machine gantry of a 10 MV linac. All patients were treated with a single isocenter and a median dose of 1800 cGy was delivered. In 88% of the cases radiosurgery was given after failure from whole brain conventional irradiation. All 52 cases were assessed with brain CT post radiosurgery. The median follow up time was 6 months (range 1 -37 months) and the response rate (partial or complete) was 64%. Only 4 patientes (7%) developed late complications related to the treatment. These findings are similar to the literature. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a well tolerated, effective and minimally invasive treatment technique which has a high response rate in selected patients with small, well delineated metastatic brain lesion. Its definitive value as a single therapy or combined with whole brain conventional radiotherapy is being studied in prospective and randomized trials.