University of Texas System

About: University of Texas System is a education organization based out in Austin, Texas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Cancer & Population. The organization has 13901 authors who have published 10925 publications receiving 319328 citations. The organization is also known as: UT System.

An analysis of distant metastases from squamous cell carcinoma of the upper respiratory and digestive tracts.

Abstract: The charts of 5,019 previously untreated patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the upper respiratory and digestive tracts who completed treatment for cure from January 1948 through August 1973, were reviewed. These patients had no evidence of distant metastases when initially evaluated. Five hundred and forty-six patients developed clinical evidence of distant metastases. The overall incidence of distant metastases was 10.9%, varying from 3.1% for vocal cord cancers to 28.1% for cancer of the nasopharynx. The lungs and bones were the most common first sites of metastases, accounting for 52% and 20.3% respectively, whereas metastases to the mediastinum (2.9%) were rare. Forty-eight percent of the metastases were detected within nine months after treatment and 80% were detected within two years. The rate of distant metastases increased with the stage (2% for Stage I to 19.5% for Stage IV). The rate also increased with the T and N classification; however, the N stage had greater influence on the rate of metastases than the T stage. The incidence of distant metastases was significantly higher when there was a recurrence above the clavicles (16.7%) than when there was no recurrence (7.9%, less than 0.001). In patients whose primary lesion was treated by radiotherapy or surgery alone, the incidence was essentialy the same. Patients receiving postoperative irradiation had double the incidence of the preoperative group (20.1% vs 9.9%--p less than .005); however, the sequence of modalities was not randomized.

Impact of irradiation technique and tumor extent in tumor control and survival of patients with unresectable non-oat cell carcinoma of the lung: report by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.

Abstract: An analysis of intrathoracic tumor control was carried out in 378 patients with histologically proven unresectable non-oat cell carcinoma of the lung treated with definitive radiotherapy, randomized to one of four treatment regimens: 4000 rad split course (2000 rad in five fractions in one week, two weeks rest and additional 2000 rad in five fractions in one week) or 4000, 5000 or 6000 rad continuous courses, five fractions per week. Between 85 and 101 patients are analyzed in each treatment group. The complete plus partial response was 46-51% in the 4000 rad groups in contrast to 61-66% in the 5000 to 6000 rad groups (P = 0.008). The overall two year survival rate was 10-11% for the patients treated with 4000 rad split or continuous course, and 19% in the patients treated with 5000 to 6000 rad. The complete response in patients with tumors 3 cm or less in diameter was 16% when treated with 4000 rad in contrast to 20-31% in those treated with 5000-6000 rad. In the patients with lesions from 4 to 6 cm in diameter, complete and partial tumor regression was 48% in the 4000 rad group, 67% with 5000 rad, and 71% with 6000 rad.more » Strict quality assurance criteria in radiotherapy are necessary to achieve optimal treatment results and a careful program to evaluate techniques of irradiation and protocol compliance should be maintained in cooperative group studies in order to enhance the validity of clinical trials. (JMT)« less

Granulocytic sarcoma in nonleukemic patients.

Abstract: Sixteen patients presenting with granulocytic sarcoma without evidence of acute leukemia were seen and diagnosed at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute at Houston from 1962 to 1985. Seven of them (44%) did not develop acute leukemia. Of these seven, four are alive with no evidence of disease 3.5 to 16 years after initial presentation; the remaining three patients died of their disease within 2 to 8 months of presentation. Two of 16 patients were diagnosed within the last 15 months and do not have adequate follow-up. The seven remaining patients developed acute leukemia within 1 week to 13 months of the diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma. Six of them died 5 weeks to 16 months after diagnosis; one patient has been in complete remission for 8 years. Twelve of these 16 cases (75%) were initially misdiagnosed, most frequently as large cell lymphoma. The remaining four cases were correctly diagnosed as granulocytic sarcoma. The naphthol-ASD-chloroacetate esterase stain was required to make the correct diagnosis in all cases. Contrary to findings in other series, granulocytic sarcoma arising in nonleukemic patients does not necessarily progress to acute leukemia. At least four of 16 (25%) patients in this series did not develop acute leukemia during the 3.5 to 16 years they have been followed. No prognostic factors were identified in this series to predict which patients would develop acute leukemia and which ones would not.

Method and apparatus for programmable fluidic processing

Abstract: A method and apparatus for microfluidic processing by programmably manipulating a packet. A material is introduced onto a reaction surface and compartmentalized to form a packet. A position of the packet is sensed with a position sensor. A programmable manipulation force is applied to the packet at the position. The programmable manipulation force is adjustable according to packet position by a controller. The packet is programmably moved according to the programmable manipulation force along arbitrarily chosen paths.

Woven intravascular devices and methods for making the same and apparatus for delivery of the same

Abstract: Self-expandable, woven intravascular devices for use as stents (both straight and tapered), filters (both temporary and permanent) and occluders for insertion and implantation into a variety of anatomical structures. The devices may be formed from shape memory metals such as nitinol. The devices may also be formed from biodegradable materials. Delivery systems for the devices include two hollow tubes that operate coaxially. A device is secured to the tubes prior to the implantation and delivery of the device by securing one end of the device to the outside of the inner tube and by securing the other end of the device to the outside of the outer tube. The stents may be partially or completely covered by graft materials, but may also be bare. The devices may be formed from a single wire. The devices may be formed by either hand or machine weaving. The devices may be created by bending shape memory wires around tabs projecting from a template, and weaving the ends of the wires to create the body of the device such that the wires cross each other to form a plurality of angles, at least one of the angles being obtuse. The value of the obtuse angle may be increased by axially compressing the body.