In capacitive heating device, which considered efficient for deep heating, parallel arrangement of the electrodes is a serious limiting factor in heating for eccentrically located lesions because it causes overheating of the exposed ipsilateral skin surface, the heating pattern is also frequently inappropriate, arid the arrangement tends to be unstable due to the patient's gravity. Therefore we attempted an angular arrangement of the electordes to achieve more homogenous and efficient heating for such lesions. In phantom study, both the thermal profile and thermogram established the heating pattern in this unusual angular arrangement of the electrodes at 60degree, 90degree and 120degree angles, respectively. An angular arrangement was also clinically applied to 3 patients. The patients' tolerance was good without significant complication and the thermal distribution was satisfactory. In conclusion, this unusual arrangement of electrodes appears to be promising in the clinical application to the eccentrically located lesions.
Electrodes* ; Gravitation ; Heating* ; Hot Temperature* ; Humans ; Skin

Forty one patients with para-aortic node metastases from carcinoma of the uterine cervix treated with radiotherapy at Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University, College of Medicine from January 1982 to December 1987 were retrospectively analyzed. Eleven patients were diagnosed at the time of diagnosis of carcinoma of the cervix (early diagnosis) and 30 patients were diagnosed during follow up period after definitive radiotherapy of primary site (late diagnosis). The most important factors affecting the survival in this study were time of diagnosis and dose of irradiation. Overall 5 year actuarial survival rate of 41 patients was 25.7%. Five year survival rate for early diagnosis was 60.3%, but late diagnosis was 10.9%. And survival rate for high dose (over 4000 cGy) radiation group arid low dose radiation group were 42.2% and 8.9% respectively. The most leading cause of death was para-aortic node failure, so early diagnosis and maximum palliation with full dose radiotherapy (over 4000 cGy) is necessary to improve the survival and the quality of life.
Cause of Death ; Cervix Uteri* ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Quality of Life ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Survival data, prognostic factors, and patterns of failure were retrospectively analyzed for a total of 76 patients with adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix treated between January 1981 and December 1987, which represents 4.1% of all primary cervical carcinomas treated, at Department of Radiation Oncology, Yensei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine. The mean age of the patients was 49years(range, 27~79years) and the peak incidence was in the group 50 to 59years of age. More half of the patients were postmenopausal (46/76=60.5%). Most patients(76%)had abnormal vaginal bleeding either alone or in combination with other symptoms. The proportion of stage Iib was 43.4%. There were 4 major histologic subtypes: pure adenocarcinoma(48/76=63.2%), adenosquamous carcinoma(20/76=26.3%), papillary (5/76=6.6%) and clear cell carcinoma(3/76=3.9%). Of the many clinicopathologic variables evaluated for prognosis, the most significant prognostic factors were stage of disease and the size of tumor. The overall 5-year survival rate was 68%, and the 5-year survival rates for stage Ib, II and III were 90%, 66% and 54%, respectively. Control of pelvic tumors was achieved in 938%, 90.2% and 50.0% of cases of stage Ib, II and III disease, respectively. In present study, treatment modalities (radiation therapy alone/combined operative and radiation therapy) did not affect the local control of tumor and the survival.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Prognosis ; Radiation Oncology ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Hemorrhage

Fourty nine patients with squamous cell carcinoma of oral tongue were reviewed retrospectively for the evaluation of clinical manifestation and for the comparison between therapeutic modalites. The gross shape of the tumor was infiltrative in 22, ulcerative in 12, and ulceroinfiltrative type in 10 patients. Direct extension of the tumor was most commonly to the floor of the mouth. The incidence of nodal metastasis generally increased with tumor stage. 55% of the patients showed neck nodal metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Ipsilateral subdigastric node were most commonly involved, followed by submandibular nodes. The 5-year survival rate of patients treated with surgery and radiotherapy was 58.7% in contrast to 21.6% in radiation alone group. Overall 5-year survival rate was 31%. In radiation alone group, half of the patients in stage I, II were locally controlled. But the local control in stage III, IV was much inferior to early lesions. Especially, of 4 patients combined with implantation tecnhnique, 3 were completely controlled. 5-year survival rate of these implanted patients was 50%, 49.4% of patients treated over 7,000 cGy survived 5 years. This was significant in contrast to 6.4% of the group treated below 7,000 cGy. The most common sites of failures were primary sites. In early lesions primary radiotherapy with implantation would be an appropriate treatment in cancer of oral tongue, operation reserved for radiation failure. Operation and adjuvant radiotherapy is recommended in cases of advanced disease.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mouth ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tongue* ; Ulcer

A retrospective analysis has been made of 40 patients with pineal region tumors and CNS germ cell tumors who were treated at Yonsei University Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology between 1971 and 1985. A tissue diagnosis was obtained before radiotherapy in 19 patients and 21 patients were irradiated without histological diagnosis. Among 19 biopsy-proven cases, 14 were germinomas, 2 were teratomas, and the others were two pineocytomas and one pineoblastoma. In the earlier period, every attempt was made to obtain a tissue pathology by either stereotaxic biopsy or open craniotomy before irradiation. However, in recent years, with the advent of CT scan, a trial radiotherapy with a modest dose of 20 Gy in 2 weeks was attempted in cases of highly suspected germinomas by CT scan findings. Further management after trial radiation depended on the radiation response shown on the follow-up CT scan and tumor marker study. Radiation fields varied from a small local field to whole brain or entire neuroaxis irradiation. Most patients received 40-50 Gy to the primary tumor site and 20-30 Gy to the neuroaxis. Twenty-nine of the total 40 patients are alive without of disease 22-144 months after treatment and the overall 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 74.4%, Univariate analysis of prognostic factors at presentation showed that tumor type was highly correlated with outcome. Two of fourteen biopsy-proven germinomas and none of nine presumed germinomas by trial radiation recurred. On the other hand, five of six patients who showed poor response to trial radiation died of uncontrolled disease and only one patient with elevated AFP in serum and CSF was salvaged by chemotherapy. On the basis of the results of this study, application of trial radiation therapy without tissue biopsy is well justified as a treatment modality in a suspected germinoma by CT scan finding. Aggressive combined modality approaches with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy need to be investigated to improve results in radioresistant tumors.
Biopsy ; Brain ; Craniotomy ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Germ Cells* ; Germinoma ; Hand ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* ; Pathology ; Pinealoma ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Teratoma ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Thirty Patients with nonresectable hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) doe to either locally advanced lesion or association with liver cirrhosis, treated with combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia between April 1988 and July 1988, at Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei university College of medicine, were analysed. External radiotherapy of a total dose of 3060 cGy/3.5 wks was given. Hyperthermia was given twice a week with a total of 6 treatment sessions using 8 MHz radiofrequency capacitive type heating device, i.e., Thermotron RF-8 and Cancermia. In all cases hyperthermia was given within 30 minutes after radiotherapy for 30~60 min. Temperature was measured by inserting thermocouple into the tumor mass under the ultrasonographic guidance only for those who had not bleeding tendency. As a result, partial response(PR) was achieved in 12 patients (40%), and symptomatic improvement was observe in 22 patients (78.0%) among 28 patients who had suffered from abdominal pain. The most significant factor affecting the tumor response rate was the type of tumor (single massive: 10/14, 71.4%; diffuse infiltrative: 2/10, 20%; multinodular: 0/0.6%;p<0.005). There were not any significant side effects relating to combined treatment. The overall 1 year survival rate was 34%, with 50% in the PR group and 22% in the no response group(NR), respectively. Median survival was 6.5 months and longer for those of PR than of NR (11 mos. vs 5, p<0.05). In conclusion, combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia appeared to be effective in local control and symptomatic palliation of HCC. Further study including a larger number of the patients to confirm its effect in survival and detrimental side effect should be urged.
Abdominal Pain ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Fever* ; Heating ; Hemorrhage ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy* ; Survival Rate

Twelve patients with primary lymphomas of the central nervous system were treated in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, between 1976 and 1987. There were seven males and five females ranging from 19 to 63 years of age. They had single (6 cases) or multiple (6 cases) discrete intracerebral nodules. All patients were treated with radiation therapy. Surgical resection was performed in five cases and intrathecal chemotherapy with methotrexate was performed in seven cases after radiotherapy. All patients except one had received whole brain irradiation with a median dose of 4000 cGy. The radiation dose for a primary tumor was 4800-6000 cGy (median 5560 cGy). Initial response to radiation was excellent with a 91.7% complete response rate, but late recurrences were noted and the median survival was 42.3 months. Intracranial recurrences were observed in two patients who received less than 4000 cGy to the whole brain without intrathecal chemotherapy. Although intracranial recurrence was not seen in the patients receiving intrathecal chemotherapy after radiation, a high incidence of necrotizing leukoencephalopathy was noted. High dose irradiation with a minimum of 4000 cGy to the whole brain and more than 5000 cGy to the primary tumor is recommended for the treatment of primary CNS lymphomas. Combined use of chemotherapy should be carefully attempted because of the increased toxicity.
Adult ; Central Nervous System Diseases/radiography/*radiotherapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Human ; Lymphoma/radiography/*radiotherapy ; Male ; Middle Age ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Between August 1988 and December 1991, 24 patients with intracranial tumors were treated with stereotactic radiosurgery(RS) using a 10 MV linear accelerator at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine. There were 5 meningiomas, 3 craniopharyngiomas, 9 glial tumors, 2 solitary metastases, 2 acoustic neurinomas, 2 pineal tumors, and 1 non-Hodgkin's Iymphoma. Ten patients were treated as primary treatment after diagnosis with stereotactic biopsy or neuroimaging study. Nine patients underwent RS for post-op. residual tumors and three patients as a salvage treatment for recurrence after external irradiation. Two patients received RS as a boost followed by fractionated conventional radiotherapy. Among sixteen patients who were followed more than 6 months with neuroimage, seven patients (2 meningiomas, 4 benign glial tumors, one non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) showed complete response on neuroimage after RS and nine patients showed decreased tumor size. There was no acute treatment related side reaction. Late complications include three patients with symptomatic peritumoral braid edema and one craniopharyngioma with optic chiasmal injury. Through this early experience, we conclude that stereotactically directed single high doses of irradiation to the small intracranial tumors is effective for tumor control. However, in order to define the role of radiosurgery in the management of intracranial tumors, we should get the long-term results available to demonstrate the benefits versus potential complications of this therapeutic modality.
Biopsy ; Craniopharyngioma ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Humans ; Meningioma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Neuroimaging ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Optic Chiasm ; Particle Accelerators* ; Pinealoma ; Radiosurgery* ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence

Between January 1971 and December 1987, 113 patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) were treated by radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy in the department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University Hospital. There were 19 patients under thirty years of age. The histology was undifferentiated carcinoma in 68% of the younger patients as compared to 47% of the older patients. Sex, stage, initial symptoms and treatment modalities differed little from those of older patients. In younger patients, the initial complete response rate was 79% as compared to older patients with 54%, distant metastases were more common and the overall five year survival rate was not significantly different between the two age groups (33.7% for the young vs. 37.4% for the old). The five year survival rates for stage III and IV were 60.0% and 24.5%, respectively. Histologic subtype was not correlated with survival. The best survival was found only in patients who obtained a complete clearance of disease after radiation therapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy is suggested as an important target for further study.
Carcinoma ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiation Oncology ; Survival Rate

The development of drug resistance is the major limiting factor influencing the survival of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We have thus examined the activity of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and vincristine (CAV) alternating with etoposide and cisplatin (EP) in 35 patients with SCLC. The treatment courses were alternated every 3 or 4 weeks. After induction chemotherapy, patients with limited disease (LD) received thoracic radiotherapy (5000 cGy), prophylactic cranial irradiation (3000 cGy) and maintenance chemotherapy and patients with extensive disease (ED) received maintenance chemotherapy only. In this group of 35 patients, 13 had limited disease (LD) and 22 had extensive disease (ED). After completion of the therapy, 100% of the patients with LD achieved complete plus partial remission (CR + PR) and 68% of the patients with ED achieved CR + PR. The median survival time was 66 weeks (15.3 months) in patients with LD and 44 weeks (10.2 months) in patients with ED. The over all survival for patients with LD was superior to that for patients with ED (p less than 0.05). Also, median response duration for patients with LD (35 wks) was longer than that for patients with ED (17 weeks) (p less than 0.05). The primary site was the most vulnerable site to relapse (18 patients). Toxicity was mild to moderate and acceptable, and there were no treatment-related deaths. These results suggest that the alternation of CAV and EP is effective treatment strategy in the management of SCLC. A randomized controlled study will be required to discriminate the actual effect of this alternating regimen.
Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Small Cell/drug therapy/*radiotherapy ; Cisplatin/*therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cyclophosphamide/therapeutic use ; Doxorubicin/therapeutic use ; Drug Evaluation ; Female ; Human ; Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy/*radiotherapy ; Male ; Middle Age ; Vincristine/therapeutic use