title: Clinical experience with interstitial thermoradiotherapy for localized implantable pelvic tumors.
abstract: Twenty-six patients (20 females, 6 males) with localized tumors of the pelvis, including 3 primary advanced (PRIM), 7 persistent (PERS), 10 recurrent (REC), and 6 metastatic (MET) tumors, were treated with a combination of low-dose rate (LDR) iridium 192 interstitial radiotherapy (IRT), interstitial 915 MHz microwave hyperthermia (IHT), and external beam radiotherapy (RT). Histological diagnoses were squamous cell carcinoma in 13 (50%), adenocarcinoma in 12 (46%) and soft tissue sarcoma in 1 (4%) lesion. Tumor sites were cervix in 8 (31%), colorectum in 6 (23%), vagina in 4 (15%), anus in 3 (12%), ovary in 2 (8%), and other sites in 3 (12%) lesions. IHT was administered immediately before iridium 192 was placed and after its removal for 45-60 minutes at 41-44 degrees C. On December 31, 1991 median follow-up was 25 months (mean: 23 months; range: 5-65 months). At 3 months follow-up (FU), complete remission (CR) occurred in 17 (65%), partial remission (PR) in 7 (27%), and no change or progressive disease (NC/PD), in 2 (8%) lesions. At 12 months FU, in 16 of 21 patients (76%) local control (LC) was achieved, with 1 (5%) patient exhibiting a slow tumor regression. After combined IRT-IHT locoregional relapse or tumor regrowth occurred in 8/26 (31%): 5 (19%) outside and 3 (12%), inside the previously treated volume; relapses occurred within 8-30 (mean: 18) months of follow-up. Factors influencing initial (3 months FU) and long-term tumor response (12 months FU) included tumor class, tumor volume, total radiation dose, and thermal parameters with "good quality of heating" (TQ 41 degrees C > or = 75%) and high minimum tumor temperature (Tmin(av) > or = 41 degrees C). Treatment toxicity was acceptable: whereas 8 (31%) patients experienced acute side effects, which subsided within weeks, 7 (27%) developed long-term complications. Thermal damage was associated with IHT treatments exceeding maximum average temperatures of > or = 44 degrees C and maximum peak temperatures of > or = 45 degrees C.
authors.affiliation: Strahlentherapeutische Klinik, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Seegenschmiedt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Chalal
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Brady
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008872:Microwaves; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012074:Remission Induction; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes