n Abstract: We examined the effect of delaying radiation treatment after conservative surgery on the risk of breast cancer local recurrence (LR). From January 1997 to December 2001, 969 women with early-stage breast cancer were treated at the Radiation Oncology Department in Chieti. We analyzed 802 of them who underwent conservative surgery followed by whole-breast radiotherapy. The patients were divided into two groups: women who did not receive chemotherapy and women who received chemotherapy. The time intervals from surgery to breast irradiation used for the analysis were <16 or more weeks for no-chemotherapy-treated women, and <25 and 25 or more weeks for chemotherapy-treated women. The relationship between LR and factors such as age, tumor size, margin status, and surgery-radiotherapy time interval was evaluated. The 8-year LR risk was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. LR was observed in 33 (4.1%) of the 802 patients. The overall 8-year LR risk was 6.5% (±1.51). In the no-chemotherapy group, the risk of LR was associated with a younger age and a positive margin status. In the chemotherapy group LR was associated with a younger age and a tumor size >3 cm. Surgery-radiotherapy interval was not associated with LR in both groups of patients. Delay in the start of radiotherapy does not increase the risk of LR in patients with early breast cancer treated or not treated with chemotherapy. n

Age and tumor size were the most important and statistically significant factors that correlated independently with higher rates of LR. Women <50 years old and with a tumor size >3 cm had a higher risk of LR. Also margin status and systemic therapy could influence LR risk.

This significant variability confirms the need to apply specific guidelines to improve contouring uniformity in Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) usually presents in the extremities or retroperitoneum. Cases involving the kidney are rare and portend a poor prognosis. Although radical nephrectomy is the most beneficial curative choice for this neoplasm, patients are often treated with adjuvant chemotherapy due to high risk of local recurrence and distant metastases. We describe a case of a 68-year-old woman affected by MFH, treated with both nephrectomy and radiotherapy without systemic therapy showing an unexpected twenty-four-month postsurgery survival outcome.

Our retrospective study showed a good 5-year local control. Factors such as individual pT4, pN1, pN2, age > or = 70 years, abdominal-perineal resection, stages IIIB-IIIC versus II-IIIA and extraperitoneal tumor location negatively influenced disease-free survival, distant metastases and cancer-specific survival. Differences exist between stages II and III rectal cancer and treatment modulation and intensification are required in order to offer the most appropriate and effective adjuvant treatment and to improve survival of rectal cancer patients.