Objective To evaluate the clinical application, dosimetry and moving penumbra of traversing beam therapy with moving table technique for total spinal cord irradiation (TSCI). Methods Five patients received 60 Co TSCI traversing beam therapy with moving table which was developed by the Zhejiang Cancer Hospital and Zhejiang University. The maximum moving distance of the table was 60 cm. The dose was measured by ionization chamber. The radiation field size was 5 cm?10 cm and the table moved forward and back. Results Traversing beam therapy was able to increase the percentage depth dose with the dose distribution homogeneous and much better than that of multiple field irradiation. None of these 5 patients developed acute nervous system reactions. Conclusion The 60 Co traversing beam therapy is advantageous in dose distribution, more effective and safer than the traditional irradiation in TSCI .

Objective To explore the inter-fraction setup errors and affecting factors from data of daily fan-beam megavoltage computed tomography(MVCT). Methods A total of 37consecutive NPC patients treated with tomotherapy were hospitalized during the period of February 2015 to September 2015. For each patient,one MVCT scan was obtained after conventional positioning ,online correction and tomotherapy delivery daily ,and the scans were put into the planning computed tomography to determine inter-fraction setup errors. The MPTV was calculated with the equation:MPTV=2.5∑+0.7σ(∑:systematic error;σ:random error). Results The average absolute errors of the inter-fraction were(2.102 ± 0.0406)mm,(1.490 ± 0.0348)mm,(1.306 ± 0.335)mm and(1.392 ± 0.0384)° at three dimensions. The total MPTV accounting for inter-error was 3.4675 mm,2.9795 mm,and 2.8885 mm. Gradual increases in both inter-fraction three-dimensional displacement were observed with time and treatment(P < 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed that weight loss and retraction of neck lymph nodes were affecting factors of set-up errors. Conclusions 3 mm margins uniformly expended from clinical target volume to planning target volume may not be suitable. The personalized margin should be adopted for the design of IMRT planning. Displacement increases as a treatment course is prolonged.

Objective:To investigate the effect of hypoxia on the expression of forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells,and to clarify its possible epigenetic mechanism.Methods:Two kinds of OSCC cell lines,FaDu and OECM-1,were cultured under normoxic or hypoxic conditions for 18 h.The relative expression levels of FOXP3 mRNA and protein in the cells were detected by Real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting method.The histone modification levels on the FOXP3 gene promoter,including acetylation of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4ac),trimethylation of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) and lysine 27 (H3K27me3),were analyzed by Chromatin Immunocipitation (ChIP) and quantitative PCR (ChIP-qPCR).The relative expression levels of histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) mRNA and inhibitory rates of FOXP3 mRNA expression in the HDAC3-knockdown FaDu cells were investigated by Real-time qPCR and ChIP-qPCR.Results:Compared with normoxic condition,the relative expression levels of FOXP3 mRNA in FaDu and OECM-1 cells under hypoxic condition were decreased by 65.6% and 75.7% (P<0.01).The Western blotting results indicated that compared with normoxic condition,the expression levels of FOXP3 protein in FaDu and OECM-1 cells under hypoxic condition were decreased.The ChIP experiment results showed that compared with normoxic condition,the levels of H3K4ac and H3K4me3 on FOXP3 gene promoter in FaDu cells were decreased under hypoxic condition (P<0.01),while the H3K27me3 level was not changed.In HDAC3-knockdown FaDu cells,compared with control cells,the inhibitory rates of the expressions of H3K4ac and H3K4me3 on FOXP3 gene promoter under hypoxia condition were decreased (P<0.05),so did expressions the FOXP3 mRNA expression (P<0.05).Conclusion:Hypoxia could suppress the expression of FOXP3 by HDAC3-mediated down-regulation of H3K4ac on FOXP3 gene promoter in the human OSCC cells.

Objective To evaluate the inter-fraction setup error during the treatment with megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) and provide theoretical basis for clinical target volume-planning target volume (CTV-PTV) margins for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients treated with tomotherapy.Methods Thirty-seven consecutive NPC patients treated with tomotherapy were prospectively enrolled for the study between February 2015 and September 2015.For each patient,one MVCT scan was obtained after conventional positioning,online correction and tomotherapy delivery daily,and the scan was registered to the planning CT to determine inter-fraction setup error.The expanding margin for PTV (MPTV) was calculated with the recipe:MPTV =2.5∑ + 0.76 (∑:systematic error;6:random error).Results The average absolute errors of the inter-fraction were (2.102 ± 0.040 6) mm,(1.490 ± 0.034 8) mm,(1.306 ± 0.335) mm and (1.392 ± 0.038 4) ° in the three dimensions.Gradual increases in both inter-fraction three-dimensional displacement were observed with time and treatment (P ＜ 0.05).The total MPTV ac counting for inter-error were 3.467 5 mm,2.979 5 mm and 2.888 5 mm.Conclusions Tomotherapy irradiation technology personalized MPTV should be adopted for the design of tomotherapy plan.Displacement increased as a function of time.

Objective: To investigate the value of planned neck dissection combined with induction chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy in regional control and the outcome of locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study totally enrolled sixty-four patients of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas(include oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx) in stages Ⅳa-Ⅳb with lymph node metastase was were N2-N3. All patients firstly received 2-3 cycles of induction chemotherapy(ICT), then divided into two groups randomly, according to the efficacy of ICT. Group A(the study group) received planned neck dissection(PND) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT). Group B(the control group) received concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT). The differences in clinicopathologic features, local recurrence(LR), regional recurrence(RR), disease-free survival(DFS), and overall survival(OS) between the two groups were estimated. SPSS 19.0 software was used to analyze the data. Results: Group A enrolled twenty-one patients, and group B enrolled forty-three patients.The follow-up of all patients were 4-55 months, median follow-up time was 22 months. In study group, two-year OS and DFS were 80.9% and 68.3%, respectively. In control group, two-year OS and DFS were 90.7% and 67.1%, respectively. There was no significant difference in gender(P=0.215), age(P=0.828), primary tumor site(P=0.927), LR(P=0.126), DFS(P=0.710), and OS(P=0.402) between the two groups, while the RR(χ²=5.640, P<0.05) and distant metastasis(χ²=10.363, P<0.01) showed significant differences between the two groups. Conclusion The ICT+ PND+ CCRT treatment model has benefit on regional control of locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between positive lymph node number, involved region, positive lymph node ratio and the prognosis of patients with hypopharyngeal cancer.

METHODSClinicopatological data of 81 patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent hypopharyngectomy and cervical lymph node dissection from January 2000 to December 2005 in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The relationship between positive lymph node number, involved region, positive lymph node ratio and the prognosis was analyzed.

RESULTSThe rate of lymph node metastasis was 79.0% (64/81) in the 81 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer. Of which, the rates of unilateral metastasis and bilateral metastasis were 82.9% (53/64) and 17.1% (11/64), respectively. The rate of lymph node metastasis was increasing with advancing tumor stage. The median survival times were 81, 51 and 26 months in the patients with 0, 1-3 and ≥ 4 positive lymph nodes, respectively (P < 0.001), 84, 45 and 23 months in patients with 0, 1-2 and ≥ 3 involved regions, respectively (P < 0.001), and 84, 51 and 17 months in patients with positive lymph node ratio of 0, <10% and ≥ 10%, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that positive lymph node ratio, extracapsular infiltration, T classification and treatment modality were independent prognostic factors (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONSPositive lymph node ratio is an independent prognostic factor for hypopharyngeal cancer.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnosis ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; diagnosis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies