Context:Sequential induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (PF) along with interferon-alpha2b and concurrent chemoradiation offers superior loco-regional control for locally advanced carcinoma of oral tongue.Aims:The study was designed to evaluate the beneficial role of induction PF chemotherapy and interferon-alpha2b followed by chemoradiation over definitive chemoradiation only for patients with locally advanced carcinoma of oral tongue.Settings and Design:Phase II randomized, prospective, open-labeled, single-institutional study.Methods and Material:Fifty patients were randomized into 2 arms. Arm A patients were treated with induction chemotherapy with PF regimen for 3 cycles and interferon alpha 2b, 3MU biweekly for 6 such followed by chemoradiation with cisplatin 30 mg/ m2/ week and external radiotherapy. Arm B patients received chemoradiation only, in the same dose schedule as in Arm A. Statistical analysis used: Chi-square test was done to find out the statistical correlation between the two arms. For plotting the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) for the two arms, Kaplan-Meier method was used.Results:The loco-regional response rate of patients treated with interferon containing induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation was superior to concurrent chemoradiation only. However the toxicities and treatment interruption were more in patients treated with induction chemotherapy.Conclusions:In locally advanced carcinoma of oral tongue, induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (PF) along with interferon alpha 2b followed by concurrent chemoradiation may produce superior loco-regional control with manageable toxicities that needs to be validated by more randomized trials with adequate number of patients.

Background:The prospective study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Electron beam or HDR 192Ir Interstitial Implant used as a boost in breast Conservation cases after completion of EBRT. The two therapeutic modalities were compared in terms of the following parameters; i.e. cosmesis, optimization of tumor bed boost, local control, toxicity, and DFS.Materials and Methods:The EBRT dose used was 50 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks time. Target delineation of boost treatment was done by CT scan or by high resolution USG. EBRT will be immediately followed by local boost at the primary tumor bearing site of breast with 8 to12 MeV electron beam to a dose of 15 Gy in 6 fractions (Arm A) or with HDR 192Ir interstitial brachytherapy to a dose of 15 Gy in 3 fractions at 6 hours apart (Arm B).Results:The excellent cosmesis achieved with electron beam therapy in Arm A was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.025). Local relapse was absent in both the arms. One distant metastasis occurred in Arm A within 10 months of initiation of treatment and one distant metastasis in Arm B came out within 3 months of starting of therapy.Conclusion:The study has shown good cosmetic result with electron boost and 100% local control with both the technique. However if there is a more number of patients with longer period of follow up we could have got the actual picture to verify our results and assess long term survival data.

Background:The concurrent chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer treatment is well accepted since 1999. This randomized, phase III trial aimed to observe if any improved outcome could be obtained capitalizing on the synergistic activity of gemcitabine, cisplatin, XRT.Materials and Methods:Stage IIB-IIIB, 18-70 years of age, KPS score ≥70, were randomized to control group and study group. Control group received cisplatin 40 mg/m2 weekly with concurrent XRT, followed by brachytherapy and study group received gemcitabine 125 mg/m2 weekly top of the same control group treatment. The primary end point was pathological response and toxicities along with patient compliance to treatment, late reactions, DFS and OS. Fifty patients were randomized between two arms.Results:The complete response in study and control arm was 96% and 88% respectively. Toxicities was significantly high in the study group compared to control group [leucopenia (P=0.015), skin reaction (P=0.03) and bleeding (P=0.019)]. Local recurrence rate: 8% in study arm, none in control arm. The distant failure prevailed in control arm (20% vs. 8%). On a median follow up of 21 months in control arm, the DFS was 73% whereas 83% in study arm in 16 months (P=0.69). OS in the study arm was 100% and 84.5% in the control arm (P=0.14).Conclusions:If the toxicity can be managed adequately in the combination chemo radiation group, it may produce an improvement in response. Survival benefit can also be obtained by introducing gemcitabine to cisplatin as radio sensitizer.

A synovial sarcoma (SS) is a rare form of cancer which usually occurs near the joints of the arm, neck, or leg, but has been documented in most human tissues and organs, including the brain, prostate, and heart. Primary pulmonary SS is an extremely rare tumor. We report a case of primary SS of lung who presented with severe chest pain and a large right lung mass with right-sided pleural effusion in computed tomography (CT) scan of thorax. The diagnosis was made on the basis of CT-guided core biopsy and immunohistochemistry. On immunohistochemistry, tumor cell expressed epithelial membrane antigen, bcl 2, Vimentin and smooth muscle actin and were immunonegative for S100 and cytokeratin. So, the final diagnosis was primary SS.

Carcinoma of thyroid gland is rare in pediatric age group before the age of 15 years. A 11 months old child presented with swelling in midline of neck which showed cold nodule on thyroid scan. On fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAC) papillary carcinoma of thyroid was detected and the patient underwent subtotal thyroidectomy followed by radioiodine ablation and thyroid supplementation. The case is being reported on account of its rarity.