<b>Myelodysplasia Medical Journal Abstracts</b>
[Edited abstracts]

Neth J Med 1989 Jun;34(5-6):251-7
<b>Myelodysplastic syndrome and acute leukaemia following treatment of soft tissue sarcoma.</b>
de Graeff A, Vendrik CP, Pinedo HM.

"The incidence of secondary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute leukaemias (AL) after chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is increasing. ...We report 2 patients with secondary MDS and acute myeloblastic leukaemia after combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma. Five more cases have been described in the literature. .... The occurrence of secondary MDS/AL in patients with soft tissue sarcoma may become a problem ... after combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy." 
&&url PMID: 2671758


Oncology (Huntingt) 1997 Apr;11(4):505-12, 515-6; discussion 517-8
<b>Current role of protective agents in cancer treatment.</b>
Schuchter LM. University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center, Philadelphia, USA.

"The administration of intensive chemotherapy according to a rigid schedule improves response rates and duration of response. However, dose-limiting toxicities and resulting delays in therapy often interfere with therapy intensification. In recent years, cytoprotective agents have been developed that can protect normal cells, but not tumor cells, from chemotherapeutic or radiation damage. Amifostine (Ethyol), dexrazoxane (Zinecard), and mesna (Mesnex) are true cytoprotectors administered shortly before chemotherapy. Colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) are administered after chemotherapy to rescue the bone marrow and stimulate hematologic recovery. In the appropriate settings, use of these agents has facilitated the intensification of chemotherapy and has significantly attenuated the impact of chemotherapy on normal cells." 
&&url PMID: 9130273


Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) 1995;7(2):123-6
<b>Hip complications following chemoradiotherapy.</b>
Jenkins PJ, Montefiore DJ, Arnott SJ. St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.

"Chemoradiotherapy protocols are a recent development in the management of tumours where preservation of organ function is important. <b>It is now recognized that such combined treatment may produce adverse effects below the accepted dose thresholds for either modality. This enhancement of toxicity is generally thought to reflect depletion of stem cells within the tissue concerned.</b> We report four patients who have developed avascular necrosis or fractures of the hip following chemoradiotherapy for carcinoma of the vulva or anus. These complications developed after a radiation dose of 4500 cGy in 20 fractions. The possible role of cytotoxic agents in sensitizing bone to radiation damage is discussed, and a novel mechanism is proposed to account for this phenomenon." 
&&url PMID: 7619762

