To establish an in vivo radiation carcinogenesis model using glutathione S-transferase placental form positive (GST-P+) hepatic foci, newborn rats were irradiated once by 0.5 Gy and 2 Gy of gamma ray or 0.15 Gy and 0.6 Gy of neutron with or without 0.05% phenobarbital (PB). When the rats were sacrificed at the 12th or 21st week, the incidence of GST-P+ foci induction by radiation alone was very low. The neutron was more sensitive than the gamma ray at week 12 and the reverse phenomenon was observed in the groups at week 21. PB combination showed an increased incidence of GST-P+ foci in gamma ray irradiated groups. The neutron irradiation combined with PB did not show any significant difference compared with the corresponding PB untreated groups. We also investigated the combined effect of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and 0.75 Gy of gamma ray irradiation. Intraperitoneal injection of 0.15 mumol/g body weight of DEN at 1 hour after gamma ray irradiation showed significantly increased the number and area of GST-P+ foci compared with those of DEN alone or DEN at 1 hour before gamma radiation (P < 0.001). From these data, after more defined experiments, an in vivo radiation carcinogenesis model will be established by radiation alone or a combination of radiation and carcinogens.
Animal ; Body Weight ; Diethylnitrosamine/*adverse effects ; Female ; Gamma Rays/adverse effects ; Glutathione Transferase/*drug effects/*radiation effects ; Liver/*drug effects/pathology/*radiation effects ; Liver Neoplasms/epidemiology/*etiology/pathology ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/epidemiology/*etiology/pathology ; Neutrons/adverse effects ; Organ Weight ; Phenobarbital/*adverse effects ; Placenta/drug effects/radiation effects ; Pregnancy ; Radiation Dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; pathology ; Cicatrix ; pathology ; Hamartoma Syndrome, Multiple ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced ; pathology ; Neoplasms, Second Primary ; pathology ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; adverse effects ; Thymoma ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Thymus Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; surgery

OBJECTIVEPost irradiation osteosarcoma (PIOS) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is rare and a potential late complication of radiation. We investigate its clinicopathological features and prognosis.

METHODS426 cases of bone sarcomas in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University, China between 1964 and 2003 were reviewed retrospectively. Fifteen patients were determined to have PIOS after radiation of NPC. Its prevalence rate, onset time, site, image features, and treatment were described. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to determine the relative prognostic factors.

RESULTSIn 12 patients undertaken radical surgery, one patient had residual tumor and six patients presented tumor recurrence five to 19 months (mean of nine months) after surgery. All patients survived seven to 41 months with a mean of 18 months. The one-year and two-year survival rates were 60% and 24% respectively. Female patients with large area of tumor bone formation in images had better survival than male patients without or few tumor bone formation. Age, radiation dosage, onset time of PIOS, tumor size, and treatment were probably not significant factors to prognosis.

CONCLUSIONSPIOS in patients with NPC is a high malignant disease and often has poor prognosis. Surgery with pre-and post-operative chemotherapy might be a way to improve its survival.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Osteosarcoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the highest morbidity and mortality in the world and it is very important to find an effective anti-tumor method. Microwave hyperthermia, a new treatment technology, has been getting more and more attention. This study was designed to investigate the effects of microwave hyperthermia combined with gemcitabine on the proliferation and apoptosis of human lung squamous cell carcinoma (NCI-H1703 and NCI-H2170) in vitro. METHODS: The proliferation of cells treated with microwave hyperthermia, the effect of gemcitabine on cell proliferation and the proliferation of cells treated with different methods of microwave hyperthermia and gemcitabine were detected by CCK-8 assay. Colony formation assay was used to measure the colony formation of human lung squamous cell carcinoma cells. Flow cytometry assay was used to detect the total apoptosis rates of the treated cells. Caspase-3, Caspase-8 activity assay was used to detect the activity of Caspase-3, Caspase-8 enzyme in each group of cells. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the effect of control group, AC-DEVD (Caspase-3 inhibitor) group, thermalization combined group, and thermal AC-DEVD combined group on cell proliferation. The levels of p53, Caspase-3, Cleaved-Caspase-3, PARP, Bax and BCL-2 protein expression were detected using Western blot assay. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that microwave hyperthermia inhibited the proliferation of lung squamous cell carcinoma. The IC₅₀ values of gemcitabine for the two cells were 8.89 μmol/L and 44.18 μmol/L, respectively. The first chemotherapy after microwave hyperthermia has synergistic effect on the two lung squamous cell carcinoma cells and can significantly inhibit the cell clone formation (P<0.001), promote cell apoptosis (P<0.001) and increase Caspase-3 enzyme activity (P<0.001). However, it has no effect on Caspase-8 enzyme activity (P>0.05). Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that microwave hyperthermia combined with gemcitabine could up-regulate the p53, Caspase-3, Cleaved-Caspase-3, Cleaved-PARP and Bax protein expression. CONCLUSIONS Microwave hyperthermia combined with gemcitabine remarkably inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of human lung squamous cell carcinoma in vitro. This effect may be associated with the activation of p53, cleavage of PARP protein, and induced the Caspase-3 dependent apoptosis.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase 8 ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Deoxycytidine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Microwaves

Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Hemangiosarcoma ; etiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced ; etiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Vascular Diseases ; etiology ; pathology ; surgery

Radiation-induced spinal cord gliomas are extremely rare. Since the first case was reported in 1980, only six additional cases have been reported.; The radiation-induced gliomas were related to the treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma, thyroid cancer, and medullomyoblastoma, and to multiple chest fluoroscopic examinations in pulmonary tuberculosis patient. We report a case of radiation-induced spinal cord glioblastoma developed in a 17-year-old girl after a 13-year latency period following radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal rhabdomyosarcoma. MRI findings of our case are described.
Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Female ; Gadolinium DTPA/diagnostic use ; Glioblastoma/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Humans ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/*radiotherapy ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/*diagnosis/pathology ; Rhabdomyosarcoma/*radiotherapy ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery

BACKGROUNDThe incidence and mortality rate of pancreatic cancer have increased dramatically in China over recent decades. Focused ultrasound (FU) has been somewhat successful in treating pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells induced by FU.

METHODSSuspension of human pancreatic carcinoma cell line PaTu 8988t was radiated by FU, using five doses with different radiation parameters and patterns, including one blank control. Temperature increase of the cell suspension was monitored. Cell apoptosis and death after FU radiation was observed using fluorescence microscopy and was tested by flow cytometer at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after ultrasound radiation.

RESULTSThe maximum cell suspension temperatures following five radiation doses were 28°C, (42.20 ± 2.17)°C, (50.80 ± 0.84)°C, (55.80 ± 2.17)°C, and (65.20 ± 3.11)°C; differences between the doses were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The apoptosis rate peaked at 24 hours after radiation, at (0.56 ± 0.15)%, (1.28 ± 0.16)%, (1.84 ± 0.29)%, (5.74 ± 1.15)%, and (2.00 ± 0.84)% for the five doses; differences between the doses were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Between doses 1 - 4, cell apoptosis rates increased as the T(max) increased. In dose 5, as the T(max) was above 60°C, the apoptosis rate decreased.

CONCLUSIONSub-threshold thermal exposures of FU radiation with a continuous radiation pattern could result in higher percentage of apoptosed cells.

Apoptosis ; physiology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; methods ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Radiation Dosage ; Temperature ; Ultrasonics ; methods

INTRODUCTIONThe development of secondary tumours as a result of radiation therapy is a rare but serious complication.

CLINICAL PICTUREThis is a case report of a 45-year-old Chinese male who developed postirradiation sarcoma of the sphenoid bone in less than 5 years after radiation therapy for Stage T3N1M0 nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

DISCUSSIONIn the literature, the only case of postirradiation osteosarcoma of the sphenoid bone was after radiation therapy for craniopharyngioma. There was no previously reported case of postirradiation sarcoma of the sphenoid bone after radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONThis is the first case of postirradiation malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the sphenoid to be reported. Of about 3000 patients treated with radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma over a 10-year period in Singapore, only 1 patient developed postirradiation tumour of the sphenoid bone.

Bone Neoplasms ; etiology ; secondary ; Fatal Outcome ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; etiology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced ; etiology ; Sphenoid Bone ; pathology ; Spinal Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; secondary

Following improvements in therapy for childhood malignancies, the striking increase in survival rate over the past 30 years has led to the increase risk of developing second malignant neoplasms (SMNs). We report a case of colorectal carcinoma as a SMN, following treatment for rhabdomyosarcoma. The patient was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma of the urinary bladder at his age of three years, and developed adenocarcinoma in the colon 13 years later. Histologic examination of the surgical specimen revealed adenocarcinoma involving the rectosigmoid area with radiation colitis in its background. The tumor cells showed strong immunoreactivity for p53 protein, suggesting the role of irradiation and p53 mutation in carcinogenesis. This case emphasizes the need for dose observation in survivors of early childhood malignancies treated with radiation and multiagent chemotherapy.
Adenocarcinoma/pathology ; Adenocarcinoma/genetics ; Adenocarcinoma/etiology+ACo- ; Adolescence ; Antineoplastic Agents, Combined/therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents, Combined/adverse effects+ACo- ; Bladder Neoplasms+ACo-/radiotherapy ; Bladder Neoplasms+ACo-/drug therapy ; Case Report ; Colitis/pathology ; Colitis/etiology ; Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics ; Colorectal Neoplasms/etiology+ACo- ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cyclophosphamide/adverse effects ; Cyclophosphamide/administration +ACY- dosage ; Doxorubicin/adverse effects ; Doxorubicin/administration +ACY- dosage ; Genes, p53 ; Human ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins/analysis ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/pathology ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/genetics ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/etiology+ACo- ; Neoplasms, Second Primary/etiology+ACo- ; Protein p53/analysis ; Radiation Injuries/pathology ; Radiation Injuries/etiology ; Radiotherapy/adverse effects+ACo- ; Rhabdomyosarcoma+ACo-/radiotherapy ; Rhabdomyosarcoma+ACo-/drug therapy ; Sigmoid Neoplasms/pathology ; Sigmoid Neoplasms/genetics ; Sigmoid Neoplasms/etiology ; Time Factors ; Vincristine/adverse effects ; Vincristine/administration +ACY- dosage

Following improvements in therapy for childhood malignancies, the striking increase in survival rate over the past 30 years has led to the increase risk of developing second malignant neoplasms (SMNs). We report a case of colorectal carcinoma as a SMN, following treatment for rhabdomyosarcoma. The patient was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma of the urinary bladder at his age of three years, and developed adenocarcinoma in the colon 13 years later. Histologic examination of the surgical specimen revealed adenocarcinoma involving the rectosigmoid area with radiation colitis in its background. The tumor cells showed strong immunoreactivity for p53 protein, suggesting the role of irradiation and p53 mutation in carcinogenesis. This case emphasizes the need for dose observation in survivors of early childhood malignancies treated with radiation and multiagent chemotherapy.
Adenocarcinoma/pathology ; Adenocarcinoma/genetics ; Adenocarcinoma/etiology+ACo- ; Adolescence ; Antineoplastic Agents, Combined/therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents, Combined/adverse effects+ACo- ; Bladder Neoplasms+ACo-/radiotherapy ; Bladder Neoplasms+ACo-/drug therapy ; Case Report ; Colitis/pathology ; Colitis/etiology ; Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics ; Colorectal Neoplasms/etiology+ACo- ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cyclophosphamide/adverse effects ; Cyclophosphamide/administration +ACY- dosage ; Doxorubicin/adverse effects ; Doxorubicin/administration +ACY- dosage ; Genes, p53 ; Human ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins/analysis ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/pathology ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/genetics ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/etiology+ACo- ; Neoplasms, Second Primary/etiology+ACo- ; Protein p53/analysis ; Radiation Injuries/pathology ; Radiation Injuries/etiology ; Radiotherapy/adverse effects+ACo- ; Rhabdomyosarcoma+ACo-/radiotherapy ; Rhabdomyosarcoma+ACo-/drug therapy ; Sigmoid Neoplasms/pathology ; Sigmoid Neoplasms/genetics ; Sigmoid Neoplasms/etiology ; Time Factors ; Vincristine/adverse effects ; Vincristine/administration +ACY- dosage