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Background&Objective: The proper treatment for early-stage Hodgkin’s disease is controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic outcomes of various treatment strategies in supradiaphragmatic clinical early-stage Hodgkin’s disease. Materials&Methods: This retrospective study reviewed the medical records of 105 eligible patients (49 stage I, 59 stage II) who were treated at radiotherapy- oncology departments of Qaem and Omid hospitals in Mashhad (Iran) from April 1995 to April 2000. 26 patients had B symptoms and 5 had large mediastinal mass. Treatment of patients consisted of chemotherapy alone (43 cases), radiotherapy alone (46 cases, 40 mantle and 6 Total nodal irradiation) and combined modality (16 cases). Survival rates were calculated by Kaplan- Meier model. Log-rank test was used to compare the survival profile between groups. Results: The median age of patients was 25 years with a male to female ratio of 1.56: 1. In comparison with radiotherapy only group, Primary chemotherapy and combined modality groups had significantly more cases with unfavorable factors such as B symptoms, Large mediastinal mass, ESR>40 and stage II. For chemotherapy, combined modality and radiotherapy groups the 5-year progression free survival was 72.5%, 82.5% and 56.2% (P<0.05) and the 5-year disease specific survival was 82.9%, 91.6% and 82.5% respectively. Conclusion: Despite having more cases with unfavorable factors, patients who underwent chemotherapy or combined treatment had lower relapse rates compared to radiotherapy only group. However, there was not a significant difference in 5-year disease specific survival rates between these groups.

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Background & Objective: Surgery and /or radiotherapy are major local treatments for esophageal carcinoma. The results of radiotherapy alone have been unsatisfactory. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment outcome of definitive chemoradiotherapy for patients with esophageal SCC.

 

Materials & Methods: This prospective histological descriptive study was done on 190 nonmetastatic esophageal SCC patients which received definitive chemoradiotherapy (55-64 Gy, Cisplatin 80-100 mg/m2 day 1-5FU 750-1000 mg/m2, 24h infusion days 1-4) with curative intent in cancer research center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences between Jan 2000-Jan 2004. At least one course of chemotherapy was prescribed concurrently with radiotherapy.

 

Results: There were 99 male and 91female patients with the median age of 65 (range, 25-87). The median radiation dose prescribed was 60 Gy (range, 55-64) and median chemotherapy courses was 4 (range, 1-8). With a median follow-up time of 12 months (range, 3-60), one, two and three-year survival rates were 67.8%, 48.7% and 36.3% respectively and median survival was 22 months. Reduction of symptoms was shown in 84% of patients with dysphagia. 109 patients remained disease free with a median follow-up of 14 months (range, 3-60), among which 34 were followed more than 24 months. We found 81 cases (42.6%) with treatment failure during the follow-up (34 locoregional failure, 14 distant metastases, 33 distant metastases accompanied with locoreginal failure).

 

Conclusion: Although definitive chemoradiotherapy can result in long term disease free survival and even cure in a subset of patients with SCC of esophagus, locoregional failure and distant metastasis has remained the main causes of treatment failure.

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Background and Objective: Previous studies have shown that vitamin D is involved in host immune response toward Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). The aim of this study was to determine if administration of vitamin D can improve treatment outcome and whether is able to increase the rate of sputum clearance of MTB in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 96 patients with lung tuberculosis in Ahvaz, Iran during 2008-09. The patients were 18>=years old with sputum positive for acid fast bacillus. Patients were placed in two equal groups as cases and controls. Cases were treated by standard anti TB regimen plus 800 IU/day vit D orally. Controls were treated only by standard anti TB regimen. Follow up sputum examination for presence AFB was performed at the end of month 1, 2, 3, 4 and treatment period. Data were analyzed in SPSS-16 by using descriptive statistics test, chi square and fisher exact test. Results: Mean±SD age of cases and controls was 39.1±17.8 and 38.3±17.6 years, respectively. Overall cure rate in case and control was 93.8% and 95.8% respectively, with no significant difference. The rate of negative sputum of cases in the end of months 1, 2, 3, 4 and treatment period was 66.7%, 78.5%, 93.8% and 93.8% respectively, and for controls was 35.4%, 66.7%, 91.7% and 95.8% respectively. There was significant difference between two groups in the end of first and second month (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that vitamin D as a supplemental drug does not improve the overall treatment outcome among lung TB patients, but it may be able to increase the rate of sputum clearance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

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Catalase is the one of the most important antioxidant enzymes that is found abundantly in liver and kidney. The alteration in activity and function this latter enzyme are widely investigated in various types of cancer to understand the cancer mechanism and its treatment. The changes in the catalase activity levels in a variety of cancer cells is as a specific property of tumor tissues due to the reducting catalase activity at mRNA level. In this review, various reports that examined the alterations in catalase activity and resistance to chemotherapy and its complications in the literature are summarized and discussed. Due to the important role of hydrogen peroxide in various stages of cancer process, catalase alters this process by detoxification of hydrogen peroxide. Chemotherapy increase free radicals to destroy the tumor cells, then, catalase activity reduced their impact on cancer cells. On the other hand, it might be concluded that production of drug resistance in chemotherapy is resulted due to increasing catalase activity. Therefor it seems catalase has contradictory influence on the treatment and development of cancer.

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Background and Objective: Squamous carcinoma accounts for the majority of esophageal carcinoma worldwide. This study was done to evaluate the survival rate of patients with esophageal cancer in Iran.

Methods: This historical cohort study was carried outon 105 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma whom admitted to Firoozgar hospital in Tehran, Iran during 2009-14. Patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were treated with chemoradiation either with or without surgery.

Results: The mean age of patients was 63 years. Frequency of esophageal cancer in both sexes in the age group 51-60 years was higher than other groups. 5-year survival in patients with esophageal cancer treated with chemoradiation without surgery was 9.5% and in patients treated with chemoradiation with surgery was 31.7 % (P<0.05). One-year, three-year and five-year survival rate in patients were treated with chemoradiation with or without surgery was 68.5%, 38% and 22.8%, respectively.

Conclusion: The survival rate of patients with esophageal cancer is very low, but the treatment with chemoradiation with surgery can increase life expectancy of patients.

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Background and Objective: Breast cancer has a high prevalence and mortality rate in the world and also in Iran. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is one of the treatment methods to improve patient survival. This study aimed to determine the response rate to NAC in patients with locally advanced breast cancer based on common molecular receptors.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 100 patients with breast cancer (mean age= 41.14±10.06 years) referring to the surgical clinic of the Fifth Azar Educational and Therapeutic Center in Gorgan, Iran during 2013-18. Patients without distant metastasis underwent NAC treatment regimen followed by surgery. Demographic characteristics, types of drugs, and molecular receptor characteristics, and their response to treatment were recorded in a checklist. Treatment response and overall patient survival were evaluated.
Results: The mean tumor size before NAC was 3.01±2.47 cm (range= 0-8, median= 2) and 16% were determined to be grade one, 52% were determined to be grade 2, and 32% were determined to be grade 3. Thirty-six percent of patients had a positive family history. Forty-six percent were estrogen receptor (ER) positive, 40% were PR positive, 22% were human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her-2) positive, and 78% were Her-2 negative. Thirty-six percent had a Ki-67 index greater than 30%. Eighteen percent of patients had a complete pathological response, and 82% had a partial or negative response. In terms of family history of breast cancer, Her2, ER, progestrone receptor (PR), Ki-67 receptor status, histological grade, tumor size, and axillary lymph nodes, there was a significant statistical difference between the two groups with and without complete pathological response (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The rate of complete pathological response to NAC in patients with locally advanced breast cancer was 18%.