Publications (30) View all
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Article: Prospective Study of the Efficacy of Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Mammographic Screening in Survivors of Hodgkin Lymphoma.
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ABSTRACT: PURPOSECurrent guidelines recommend breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as an adjunct to mammography for breast cancer screening in female cancer survivors treated with chest irradiation at a young age, beginning 8 to 10 years after treatment. Prospective data evaluating its efficacy in female cancer survivors are lacking. This study sought to compare the sensitivity and specificity of breast MRI with those of mammography in women who received chest irradiation for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). PATIENTS AND METHODS We enrolled 148 women treated with chest irradiation for HL at age ≤ 35 years who were > 8 years beyond treatment. Yearly breast MRI and mammogram were performed over a 3-year period. Sensitivity and specificity of the two screening modalities were compared.ResultsWith the screening, 63 biopsies were performed in 45 women; 18 (29%) showed a malignancy. All but one of the screen-detected malignancies were preinvasive or subcentimeter node-negative breast cancers. After excluding first-screen MRI and mammogram, mammogram sensitivity was 68% as compared with 67% for MRI (P = 1.0). Sensitivity increased to 94% using both screening modalities. The specificities of mammogram alone, MRI alone, and both were 93%, 94%, and 90%, respectively. CONCLUSION In contrast to women with genetic or familial risk, in HL survivors breast MRI was not more sensitive than mammogram for breast cancer detection. However, the two screening modalities complement each other in the detection of early cases of disease. Early diagnosis is particularly important in these patients, given the breast cancer treatment challenges in patients who have received prior cancer therapy.Journal of Clinical Oncology 04/2013; · 18.37 Impact Factor -
Article: Association between radiotherapy vs no radiotherapy based on early response to VAMP chemotherapy and survival among children with favorable-risk Hodgkin lymphoma.
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ABSTRACT: More than 90% of children with favorable-risk Hodgkin lymphoma can achieve long-term survival, yet many will experience toxic effects from radiation therapy. Pediatric oncologists strive for maintaining excellent cure rates while minimizing toxic effects. To evaluate the efficacy of 4 cycles of vinblastine, Adriamycin (doxorubicin), methotrexate, and prednisone (VAMP) in patients with favorable-risk Hodgkin lymphoma who achieve a complete response after 2 cycles and do not receive radiotherapy. Multi-institutional, unblinded, nonrandomized single group phase 2 clinical trial to assess the need for radiotherapy based on early response to chemotherapy. Eighty-eight eligible patients with Hodgkin lymphoma stage I and II (<3 nodal sites, no B symptoms, mediastinal bulk, or extranodal extension) enrolled between March 3, 2000, and December 9, 2008. Follow-up data are current to March 12, 2012. The 47 patients who achieved a complete response after 2 cycles received no radiotherapy, and the 41 with less than a complete response were given 25.5 Gy-involved-field radiotherapy. Two-year event-free survival was the primary outcome measure. A 2-year event-free survival of greater than 90% was desired, and 80% was considered to be unacceptably low. Two-year event-free survival was 90.8% (95% CI, 84.7%-96.9%). For patients who did not require radiotherapy, it was 89.4% (95% CI, 80.8%-98.0%) compared with 92.5% (95% CI, 84.5%-100%) for those who did (P = .61). Most common acute adverse effects were neuropathic pain (2% of patients), nausea or vomiting (3% of patients), neutropenia (32% of cycles), and febrile neutropenia (2% of patients). Nine patients (10%) were hospitalized 11 times (3% of cycles) for febrile neutropenia or nonneutropenic infection. Long-term adverse effects after radiotherapy were asymptomatic compensated hypothyroidism in 9 patients (10%), osteonecrosis and moderate osteopenia in 2 patients each (2%), subclinical pulmonary dysfunction in 12 patients (14%), and asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction in 4 patients (5%). No second malignant neoplasms were observed. Among patients with favorable-risk Hodgkin lymphoma and a complete early response to chemotherapy, the use of limited radiotherapy resulted in a high rate of 2-year event-free survival. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00145600.JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association 06/2012; 307(24):2609-16. · 30.03 Impact Factor -
Article: Sleep dysfunction in long term survivors of craniopharyngioma.
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ABSTRACT: Craniopharyngiomas are slow growing tumors of the sellar and parasellar region and may also involve the hypothalamus. Treatment involves maximal surgical excision or subtotal resection followed by focal radiation therapy. Late effects of treatment include endocrinopathies, cognitive deficits, behavioral changes, obesity and sleep dysfunction. We conducted a retrospective review of all patients with craniopharyngioma more than 2 years off treatment and who were evaluated in the neuro-oncology survivorship clinic between 2003 and 2007. Clinical data, extent of resection, treatment modalities, endocrine status, patient symptom report and sleep study results were collected to evaluate the presence of patient reported daytime sleepiness and sleep disturbance and to determine possible risk factors. 28 patients were identified (25 %) female. 19/28 self-reported daytime fatigue or sleep disturbance; this included 4/6 patients with gross total resection and 15/22 with subtotal resection. 16/22 patients treated with cranial irradiation reported sleep-related abnormalities, compared to 3/6 patients who did not receive radiation. All but one patient had pituitary dysfunction requiring hormonal replacement. Patients with more than ≥2 sleep related complaints had a higher BMI (44.6 vs. 32.6, p = 0.0192). 8 patients underwent formal sleep evaluation. 3 patients had documented central or obstructive sleep apnea. The mean arousal index was 11.0/h (normal <5). Two patients were treated with melatonin for sleep disturbance and 2 were treated with stimulants for excessive daytime sleepiness. A majority of patients with craniopharyngioma have self-reported daytime fatigue and/or sleep dysfunction after treatment. Extent of resection did not increase the likelihood of patient-reported daytime sleepiness and/sleep dysfunction; however, patients who received radiation more frequently reported daytime sleepiness and/or sleep dysfunction. Patients with a higher BMI were more likely to experience sleep disturbance. Formal sleep evaluations should be considered in all patients with craniopharyngioma.Journal of Neuro-Oncology 04/2012; 108(3):543-9. · 3.21 Impact Factor -
Article: Proton radiotherapy for pediatric Ewing's sarcoma: initial clinical outcomes.
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ABSTRACT: Proton radiotherapy (PT) has been prescribed similarly to photon radiotherapy to achieve comparable disease control rates at comparable doses. The chief advantage of protons in this setting is to reduce acute and late toxicities by decreasing the amount of normal tissue irradiated. We report the preliminary clinical outcomes including late effects on our pediatric Ewing's sarcoma patients treated with PT at the Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA). This was a retrospective review of the medical records of 30 children with Ewing's sarcoma who were treated with PT between April 2003 and April 2009. A total of 14 male and 16 female patients with tumors in several anatomic sites were treated with PT at a median age of 10 years. The median dose was 54 Gy (relative biological effectiveness) with a median follow-up of 38.4 months. The 3-year actuarial rates of event-free survival, local control, and overall survival were 60%, 86%, and 89%, respectively. PT was acutely well tolerated, with mostly mild-to-moderate skin reactions. At the time of writing, the only serious late effects have been four hematologic malignancies, which are known risks of topoisomerase and anthracyline exposure. Proton radiotherapy was well tolerated, with few adverse events. Longer follow-up is needed to more fully assess tumor control and late effects, but the preliminary results are encouraging.International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics 08/2011; 82(3):1142-8. · 4.59 Impact Factor -
Article: Long-term clinical outcomes following treatment of childhood craniopharyngioma.
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ABSTRACT: To review our institution's experience with treatment of craniopharyngioma in children, and to report long-term treatment outcomes stratified by treatment era to assess whether modern treatment techniques result in improvements in local control and survival. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 100 children who underwent surgery for craniopharygioma at Children's Hospital Boston (CHB) from August 1976 to March 2003. Of these, 79 children (median age 8.5 years) had initial treatment at CHB and sufficient follow-up data to be included in this analysis. We report their treatment course, recurrence rates, and treatment-related morbidity. We compared the results in two different treatment eras based on changes in surgical approach at CHB. Thirty-six patients underwent initial treatment with surgery alone; 63% treated prior to 1988 recurred and 36% treated after 1988 recurred. Recurrence rates following combined modality therapy (CMT) with limited surgery followed by radiation were 21 and 5% in the pre- and post-1988 eras, respectively. Accounting for treatment era, patients treated with surgery alone were 7.7 times as likely to recur as those treated with CMT (95%CI: 2.0, 28.7). In the Cox regression model, there was no significant difference in local control or overall survival based on treatment era; initial treatment remained the only statistically significant variable (P = 0.02). Advancements in treatment techniques have improved local control in children diagnosed with craniopharyngioma. The excellent survival rates necessitate long-term patient follow-up to identify and manage any treatment-related effects, including second tumors, vascular abnormalities, and endocrinopathies.Pediatric Blood & Cancer 07/2011; 56(7):1120-6. · 1.89 Impact Factor
