Strahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Röntgengesellschaft ... [et al]
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Review Comparative Study
Radiation therapy in the multimodal treatment approach of pituitary adenoma.
Pituitary tumors are relatively uncommon, comprising 10-12% of all intracranial tumors. The treatment consisting of surgery, radiotherapy and drug therapy or a combination of these modalities is aimed at the control of tumor cell proliferation and--in endocrine active tumors--the reduction of hormone secretion. However, the slow proliferation characteristics of pituitary tumors necessitate long-term studies for the evaluation of the treatment results. In the last decade there has been continuous improvement in surgical procedures, radiotherapy techniques and drug generation. In this paper, literature will be reviewed to assess the role of modern radiotherapy and radiosurgery in the management of pituitary adenomas. ⋯ Conventional radiation therapy of pituitary adenoma is highly effective. It is recommended after subtotal resection of primary tumors such as macroadenomas, after gross total resection from endocrine active adenomas with postsurgical hormone secretion and for recurrent tumors. Radiosurgery seems to be a possible treatment alternative in experienced centers, and only in patients with adenomas smaller than 25-30 mm with a minimum distance of 2-3 mm to the chiasm.
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Review Case Reports Comparative Study
[Recall dermatitis caused by re-exposure to docetaxel following irradiation of the brain. Case report and review of the literature].
Together with radiation therapy the taxanes Paclitaxel and Docetaxel are more and more integrated into multimodal therapy regimens concerning breast- and lung cancer as well as squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Especially in palliative situations we have to be aware of increasing side effects caused by interaction of the different treatment components. Therefore we report on a severe recall dermatitis that occurred in two breast-cancer patients following irradiation of the brain and reexposition to Docetaxel. ⋯ The dermatitis related to irradiation and reexposition to Docetaxel observed in our two cases is interpreted as a recall reaction. The basic initiating pathologic mechanism has not been solved completely. Further investigation is needed to find out how the taxanes can be used in combination radiochemotherapy regimens without causing severe toxicity to the irradiated skin or mucosa.
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