Clinical oncologists have been focusing their efforts on attempting to define risk groups of patients with unusual biological reactions to the recommended therapy regimens using molecular biology techniques. The aims of our study were: (i) to find a design and validate a method for fast and reliable analysis of the D1853N (5557G>A) genetic polymorphism in the ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated) gene; (ii) to use side-directed mutagenesis to generate ATM 5557A-positive DNA (reference ATM5557A DNA); and (iii) to analyze a group of patients suffering from cervical carcinoma with adverse responses to radiotherapy. The 5557A variant was found in three of twenty women (15%). Our data show that the prevalence of the 5557A allelic variant in cervical cancer subjects with adverse responses after irradiation probably does not differ from the prevalence common in Caucasians. A larger population study should confirm these preliminary results., Martin Beránek, Monika Drastíková, Simona Paulíková, Igor Sirák, Milan Vošmik, Jiří Petera, and Literatura 31
Východisko a cíl: Prognóza inoperabilního karcinomu jícnu je velmi závažná, léčba těchto pacientů je paliativní. Cílem sdělení je retrospektivní hodnocení intraluminální brachyterapie vysokým dávkovým příkonem nádorové stenózy inoperabilního karcinomu jícnu. Pacienti a metody: Od února 1996 do června 2011 bylo intraluminální brachyterapií léčeno 41 pacientů s karcinomem jícnu, z toho v 19 případech se jednalo o dlaždicobuněčný karcinom a ve 22 případech o adenokarcinom. U všech pacientů byla před zahájením brachyterapie přítomna dysfagie. Výsledky: U většiny pacientů došlo po brachyterapii k úlevě polykacích obtíží. Medián doby přežití činil 396 dní (95 % CI: 270–492 dní). Nebyla pozorována mechanická komplikace zavedení brachyterapeutického aplikátoru. Závěr: Intraluminální brachyterapie je účinná a bezpečná paliativní metoda léčby dysfagie způsobené nádorovou stenózou jícnu. Background and purpose: The prognosis of inoperable carcinomas of esophagus is poor, and therapeutic efforts are generally limited to palliation. The aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy in the palliative treatment of tumorous esophageal stenoses. Patients and methods: Between February 1996 and June 2011 intraluminal brachytherapy was performed in 41 patients with esophageal carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma in 19 cases and adenocarcinoma in 22 cases). All patients had dysphagia at presentation. Brachytherapy was performed using high dose rate afterloading system. Results: Dysphagia was improved in majority of patients. The median survival was 396 days (95 % CI: 270–492 days). No mechanical complication was observed during introduction of the applicator. Conclusion: Our experience indicates that intraluminal brachytherapy is an effective and safe method of palliation of dysphagia caused by malignant esophageal stenosis., Background and purpose: The prognosis of inoperable carcinomas of esophagus is poor, and therapeutic efforts are generally limited to palliation. The aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy in the palliative treatment of tumorous esophageal stenoses. Patients and methods: Between February 1996 and June 2011 intraluminal brachytherapy was performed in 41 patients with esophageal carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma in 19 cases and adenocarcinoma in 22 cases). All patients had dysphagia at presentation. Brachytherapy was performed using high dose rate afterloading system. Results: Dysphagia was improved in majority of patients. The median survival was 396 days (95 % CI: 270–492 days). No mechanical complication was observed during introduction of the applicator. Conclusion: Our experience indicates that intraluminal brachytherapy is an effective and safe method of palliation of dysphagia caused by malignant esophageal stenosis., David Buka, Josef Dvořák, Jiří Petera, Linda Kašaová, Jana Bedrošová, Milan Zouhar, Petr Paluska, Igor Sirák, Igor Richter, Milan Vošmik, Zdeněk Zoul, and Literatura