Browsing by Author "Arsenijevic, Tatjana (6508074168)"

Introduction: The outbreak of COVID-19 has had an impact on global healthcare as well as on radiotherapy practice in many countries. This study aimed to identify clinical characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infected cancer inpatients, as well as what impact this infection had on radiation treatment of the patients. Methodology: In this retrospective study, we included cancer inpatients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 infection during the radiotherapy or chemoradiation in April 2020 in National Cancer Research Center in Serbia. Data were obtained from the medical records between 1 April and 1 July 2020. Results: A total of 49 COVID-19 infected cancer inpatients were included. The most frequently reported cancers were head and neck cancers, in twenty-three patients (46.8%). Lymphopenia was present in 77.5% of the patients. Red blood cells, haemoglobin and platelets were significantly lower during incubation or diagnosis of COVID-19. Twenty-seven (55.1%) patients did not finish radiotherapy. The age of patients who finished radiotherapy after COVID-19 infection was significantly lower compared to the patients who did not finish radiotherapy (60.5 ± 7.8 vs. 68.6 ± 11.2; p < 0.005). Conclusions: COVID-19 infected cancer patients in radiotherapy practice show similar symptoms and demographic characteristics as the general population infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus. Patients with head and neck cancers may be susceptible to infection with COVID-19. Old age and male gender may be risk factors for discontinuation of radiotherapy in COVID-19 infected cancer patients. © 2021 Stepanovic et al.

Introduction: The outbreak of COVID-19 has had an impact on global healthcare as well as on radiotherapy practice in many countries. This study aimed to identify clinical characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infected cancer inpatients, as well as what impact this infection had on radiation treatment of the patients. Methodology: In this retrospective study, we included cancer inpatients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 infection during the radiotherapy or chemoradiation in April 2020 in National Cancer Research Center in Serbia. Data were obtained from the medical records between 1 April and 1 July 2020. Results: A total of 49 COVID-19 infected cancer inpatients were included. The most frequently reported cancers were head and neck cancers, in twenty-three patients (46.8%). Lymphopenia was present in 77.5% of the patients. Red blood cells, haemoglobin and platelets were significantly lower during incubation or diagnosis of COVID-19. Twenty-seven (55.1%) patients did not finish radiotherapy. The age of patients who finished radiotherapy after COVID-19 infection was significantly lower compared to the patients who did not finish radiotherapy (60.5 ± 7.8 vs. 68.6 ± 11.2; p < 0.005). Conclusions: COVID-19 infected cancer patients in radiotherapy practice show similar symptoms and demographic characteristics as the general population infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus. Patients with head and neck cancers may be susceptible to infection with COVID-19. Old age and male gender may be risk factors for discontinuation of radiotherapy in COVID-19 infected cancer patients. © 2021 Stepanovic et al.

Purpose: To analyse the overall survival (OS) of patients with locally advanced, unresectable esophageal cancer treated with chemoradiation (CRT) with or without surgery. Methods: CRT was administered to 63 patients with locally advanced (T3-4, N0-1), initially unresectable squamous cell esophageal cancer. After the assessment of tumor response to treatment, medically fit patients converted to operable stage were subjected to surgery. Regular follow-up was performed every 3 months during first 2 years, and then every 6 months. Results: All 63 patients completed the whole radiotherapy course. Forty patients (63%) received complete 4 cycles of chemotherapy. In the remaining 23 patients (37%) chemotherapy was interrupted due to toxicity. Clinical response to CRT was: complete response (CR) in 4 patients (6%), partial response (PR) in 27 (43%), stable disease (SD) in 22 (35%) patients, and 10 patients (16%) had disease progression (PD). After reevaluation, 23 patients (15 PR and 8 SD after CRT) underwent surgery (37%), all with R0 resection. OS in the whole group was 53% at one year, and 36% at two years. OS was significantly better in the operated group of patients than in the non-operated group. No statistically significant difference in OS was observed comparing operated to CR patients with no surgery (70 vs 50%). In the non-operated group of patients there was no difference in OS between CR, PR, and SD patients. Conclusions: With appropriate selection, patients with advanced squamous cell esophageal cancer should be considered for potentially effective treatment. © 2017 Zerbinis Publications. All rights reserved.

Purpose: To analyse the overall survival (OS) of patients with locally advanced, unresectable esophageal cancer treated with chemoradiation (CRT) with or without surgery. Methods: CRT was administered to 63 patients with locally advanced (T3-4, N0-1), initially unresectable squamous cell esophageal cancer. After the assessment of tumor response to treatment, medically fit patients converted to operable stage were subjected to surgery. Regular follow-up was performed every 3 months during first 2 years, and then every 6 months. Results: All 63 patients completed the whole radiotherapy course. Forty patients (63%) received complete 4 cycles of chemotherapy. In the remaining 23 patients (37%) chemotherapy was interrupted due to toxicity. Clinical response to CRT was: complete response (CR) in 4 patients (6%), partial response (PR) in 27 (43%), stable disease (SD) in 22 (35%) patients, and 10 patients (16%) had disease progression (PD). After reevaluation, 23 patients (15 PR and 8 SD after CRT) underwent surgery (37%), all with R0 resection. OS in the whole group was 53% at one year, and 36% at two years. OS was significantly better in the operated group of patients than in the non-operated group. No statistically significant difference in OS was observed comparing operated to CR patients with no surgery (70 vs 50%). In the non-operated group of patients there was no difference in OS between CR, PR, and SD patients. Conclusions: With appropriate selection, patients with advanced squamous cell esophageal cancer should be considered for potentially effective treatment. © 2017 Zerbinis Publications. All rights reserved.

Purpose: To evaluate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), p53, p21 and thymidylate synthase (TS) in a pretherapy biopsy specimen of locally advanced squamous cell esophageal cancer and correlate these markers with response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Methods: Sixty-two patients with histopathologically proven locally advanced (T3 or greater) squamous cell esophageal cancer were enrolled. The expression of EGRF, p53, p21 and TS markers was assessed with immunohistochemistry. Semiquantitative assessment of expression of these markers was performed based on the percent of the stained cells. Radiotherapy (45-50.4 Gy) was delivered concomitantly with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/leucovorin (LV)/cisplatin (CIS) chemotherapy. Five to 6 weeks after chemoradiation, response to treatment was assessed. Medically fit and operable patients were operated. The resected material under went histopathological evaluation of tumor expansion, histological classification after initial multimodality treatment (yp TNM), residual status and tumor regression grade (TRG). Results: Out of 62 patients enrolled, 41 (66%) were evaluated for molecular markers. Clinical response rate was 43.9%. Out of 41 patients, 12 (29%) underwent surgery. TRG 1 was noted in 58% of the patients. In a pretherapy tumor specimen, positive expression was noted in 80, 90, 80 and 71% for EGFR, p53, p21 and TS, respectively. We noted no statistically significant difference neither between tumor marker expression and clinical response to chemoradiation, nor between tumor marker expression and TRG. Conclusion: We registered no difference in response to treatment between EGFR, TS, p21 and p53 positive and negative staining. © 2012 Zerbinis Medical Publications.

Purpose: To evaluate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), p53, p21 and thymidylate synthase (TS) in a pretherapy biopsy specimen of locally advanced squamous cell esophageal cancer and correlate these markers with response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Methods: Sixty-two patients with histopathologically proven locally advanced (T3 or greater) squamous cell esophageal cancer were enrolled. The expression of EGRF, p53, p21 and TS markers was assessed with immunohistochemistry. Semiquantitative assessment of expression of these markers was performed based on the percent of the stained cells. Radiotherapy (45-50.4 Gy) was delivered concomitantly with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/leucovorin (LV)/cisplatin (CIS) chemotherapy. Five to 6 weeks after chemoradiation, response to treatment was assessed. Medically fit and operable patients were operated. The resected material under went histopathological evaluation of tumor expansion, histological classification after initial multimodality treatment (yp TNM), residual status and tumor regression grade (TRG). Results: Out of 62 patients enrolled, 41 (66%) were evaluated for molecular markers. Clinical response rate was 43.9%. Out of 41 patients, 12 (29%) underwent surgery. TRG 1 was noted in 58% of the patients. In a pretherapy tumor specimen, positive expression was noted in 80, 90, 80 and 71% for EGFR, p53, p21 and TS, respectively. We noted no statistically significant difference neither between tumor marker expression and clinical response to chemoradiation, nor between tumor marker expression and TRG. Conclusion: We registered no difference in response to treatment between EGFR, TS, p21 and p53 positive and negative staining. © 2012 Zerbinis Medical Publications.

Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is considered the stan dard of care for non keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NK NPC) worldwide, with improved overall survival, local recurrence free survival and distant metastasis free survival rates compared with radiotherapy alone. However, CRT is associated with late toxicities that can diminish a patient's quality of life and increase morbidity and mortality rates. Following the geographical distribution of NK NPC, research has predominantly been performed on the endemic Asian population of patients. To extrapolate these results, more inves tigations in non Asian populations are needed. The present study aimed to analyze the occurrence and severity of late toxicities following CRT strictly in patients with non endemic NK NPC. The clinical retrospective study included 36 patients >18 years of age with pathohistologically confirmed NK NPC who were treated in the Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia (Begrade, Serbia) with CRT during a 5 year period (January 2015 to December 2020). After completing combined treatment with a mean tumor dose of 68.64Gy and a median of 4 cycles of weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m2), late sequelae were routinely assessed during regular follow ups and graded according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer ‘Late Radiation Morbidity Scoring Schema’. Overall late toxicities were registered in 83.3% of the patients, mostly at grade ≤2. Neck fibrosis was observed in 69.44% and xero stomia in 58.33% of patients. Late dysphagia was experienced by 2 patients, secondary hypothyroidism by 4 patients and neuropathy by 3 patients. In conclusion, based on the results of the present study, late toxicities can be expected in the majority of patients with non endemic NK NPC following CRT. However, late sequelae are of lower grade, with neck fibrosis and xerostomia being the most predominant. Copyright © 2025 Ristivojevic et al.

Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is considered the stan dard of care for non keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NK NPC) worldwide, with improved overall survival, local recurrence free survival and distant metastasis free survival rates compared with radiotherapy alone. However, CRT is associated with late toxicities that can diminish a patient's quality of life and increase morbidity and mortality rates. Following the geographical distribution of NK NPC, research has predominantly been performed on the endemic Asian population of patients. To extrapolate these results, more inves tigations in non Asian populations are needed. The present study aimed to analyze the occurrence and severity of late toxicities following CRT strictly in patients with non endemic NK NPC. The clinical retrospective study included 36 patients >18 years of age with pathohistologically confirmed NK NPC who were treated in the Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia (Begrade, Serbia) with CRT during a 5 year period (January 2015 to December 2020). After completing combined treatment with a mean tumor dose of 68.64Gy and a median of 4 cycles of weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m2), late sequelae were routinely assessed during regular follow ups and graded according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer ‘Late Radiation Morbidity Scoring Schema’. Overall late toxicities were registered in 83.3% of the patients, mostly at grade ≤2. Neck fibrosis was observed in 69.44% and xero stomia in 58.33% of patients. Late dysphagia was experienced by 2 patients, secondary hypothyroidism by 4 patients and neuropathy by 3 patients. In conclusion, based on the results of the present study, late toxicities can be expected in the majority of patients with non endemic NK NPC following CRT. However, late sequelae are of lower grade, with neck fibrosis and xerostomia being the most predominant. Copyright © 2025 Ristivojevic et al.