Barriers to mental health service use and preferences for addressing emotional concerns among lung cancer patients.

Objective: This study examined barriers to mental health service use and preferences for addressing emotional concerns among lung cancer patients (N=165) at two medical centers in the Midwestern United States.

Methods: Lung cancer patients completed an assessment of anxiety and depressive symptoms, mental health service use, barriers to using these services, and preferences for addressing emotional concerns.

Results: Only 45% of distressed patients received mental health care since their lung cancer diagnosis.

Support service use and interest in support services among lung cancer patients.

Objectives: This study examined support service use and interest in support services among lung cancer patients (N = 165) at two comprehensive medical centers in the midwestern United States.

Materials And Methods: Patients completed an assessment of support service use (i.e.

Matched-pair and propensity score comparisons of outcomes of patients with clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer treated with resection or stereotactic radiosurgery.

Background: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is an alternative to surgery for clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but comparing its effectiveness is difficult because of differences in patient selection and staging.

Methods: Two databases were combined which contained patients treated from 1999 to 2008 by lobectomy (LR, n = 132), sublobar resection (SLR, n = 48), and SBRT (n = 137) after negative staging. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed for survival (OS), total recurrence control (TRC comprises local-regional and distant control), and locoregional control (LRC) in our entire population.

Economic and social changes among distressed family caregivers of lung cancer patients.

Purpose: Although costs of lung cancer care have been documented, economic and social changes among lung cancer patients' family caregivers have yet to be fully examined. In addition, research has not focused on caregivers with greater need for support services. This study examined various economic and social changes among distressed family caregivers of lung cancer patients during the initial months of cancer care in the USA.

Support service use and interest in support services among distressed family caregivers of lung cancer patients.

Objective: This study examined support service use and interest in support services among distressed family caregivers of patients recently entering comprehensive cancer care facilities.

Methods: Primary family caregivers of lung cancer patients (N=83) were recruited from three medical centers within 12 weeks of the patient's new visit to the oncology clinic. All family caregivers were screened for psychological distress, and those reporting significant anxiety or depressive symptoms were eligible for this study.

Chest wall toxicity after stereotactic body radiotherapy for malignant lesions of the lung and liver.

Purpose: To quantify the frequency of rib fracture and chest wall (CW) pain and identify the dose-volume parameters that predict CW toxicity after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Methods And Materials: The records of patients treated with SBRT between 2000 and 2008 were reviewed, and toxicity was scored according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v3.0 for pain and rib fracture.

Phosphorus-32 therapy for cystic craniopharyngiomas.

Background And Purpose: To examine control rates for predominantly cystic craniopharyngiomas treated with intracavitary phosphorus-32 (P-32).

Material And Methods: 22 patients with predominantly cystic craniopharyngiomas were treated at Indiana University between October 1997 and December 2006. Nineteen patients with follow-up of at least 6 months were evaluated.

A dose-volume analysis of radiation pneumonitis in non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy.

Purpose: To examine the rates and risk factors of radiation pneumonitis (RP) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Methods And Materials: Dosimetry records for 251 patients with lymph node-negative Stage I-IIB NSCLC and no prior chest radiation therapy (RT) treated with SBRT were reviewed. Patients were coded on the basis of the presence of at least Grade (G) 2 RP using the Common Toxicity Criteria version 2 criteria.

Quantifying the benefit of a pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of esophageal cancer.

Purpose: To better define the benefit of a pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of esophageal and gastroesophageal cancer, we undertook a comprehensive review of the literature to derive a pooled analysis of crude survival data and quantify the survival benefit of pCR vs. residual disease at esophagectomy.

Methods And Materials: In all, 22 articles were reviewed.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy for inoperable early stage lung cancer.

Context: Patients with early stage but medically inoperable lung cancer have a poor rate of primary tumor control (30%-40%) and a high rate of mortality (3-year survival, 20%-35%) with current management.

Objective: To evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of stereotactic body radiation therapy in a high-risk population of patients with early stage but medically inoperable lung cancer.

Design, Setting, And Patients: Phase 2 North American multicenter study of patients aged 18 years or older with biopsy-proven peripheral T1-T2N0M0 non-small cell tumors (measuring <5 cm in diameter) and medical conditions precluding surgical treatment.

Dose-volume analysis of radiation pneumonitis in non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with concurrent cisplatinum and etoposide with or without consolidation docetaxel.

Purpose: To examine the rates and risk factors for radiation pneumonitis (RP) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with chemoradiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: We reviewed dosimetry records from Stage III NSCLC patients treated on a prospective randomized trial. Patients received concurrent cisplatinum/etoposide with radiation therapy to 59.

Intraperitoneal radioactive phosphorus (32P) and vaginal brachytherapy as adjuvant treatment for uterine papillary serous carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma: the Indiana University experience.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of surgically staged patients with Stage I-IIIA uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) and clear cell carcinoma (CCC) of the uterus treated at Indiana University with intraperitoneal (32)P and vaginal brachytherapy.

Methods: Between 1997 and 2004, a total of 28 patients with Stage I-IIIA UPSC and CCC were treated with a standardized adjuvant therapy. All patients underwent comprehensive surgical staging with negative pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes and no gross residual disease.

Conformality study for stereotactic radiosurgery of the lung.

The purpose of this study is to compare two techniques of developing highly conformal plans for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) that target a high ablative dose to the center of the tumor while dropping off rapidly in normal tissues to determine which technique produced a more desirable treatment plan. The techniques used for comparison are "field in field" (FIF) and "non field in field" (NFIF). Twelve case studies were used, all of which had been treated using the FIF technique.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy: a novel treatment modality.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) involves the delivery of a small number of ultra-high doses of radiation to a target volume using very advanced technology and has emerged as a novel treatment modality for cancer. The role of SBRT is most important at two cancer stages-in early primary cancer and in oligometastatic disease. This modality has been used in the treatment of early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, renal-cell carcinoma, and liver cancer, and in the treatment of oligometastases in the lung, liver, and spine.

Treatment options for stage I non-small-cell lung carcinoma patients not suitable for lobectomy.

The standard of care for stage I non-small-cell lung carcinoma is generally accepted to be lobectomy. In patients who are deemed not to be candidates for lobectomy, various treatment strategies are available, including observation, sublobar resection, conventional fractionated radiotherapy, stereotactic body radiotherapy and radiofrequency ablation. However, there is no standardized, clearly established therapy to offer patients in this situation.

A pilot trial of serial 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in patients with medically inoperable stage I non-small-cell lung cancer treated with hypofractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Purpose: Routine assessment was made of tumor metabolic activity as measured by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in Stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This report describes PET correlates prospectively collected after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for patients with medically inoperable NSCLC.

Methods And Materials: 14 consecutive patients with medically inoperable Stage I NSCLC were enrolled.

Brachial plexopathy from stereotactic body radiotherapy in early-stage NSCLC: dose-limiting toxicity in apical tumor sites.

Background And Purpose: We report frequency of brachial plexopathy in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: 276 T1-T2, N0 or peripheral T3, N0 lesions were treated in 253 patients with stereotactic radiotherapy at Indiana University and Richard L. Roudebush VAMC from 1998 to 2007.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy for oligometastases.

The standard treatment for metastatic cancer is systemic therapy. However, in a subset of patients with limited extracranial metastases or oligometastases, local ablative therapy in combination with systemic therapy may improve treatment outcomes. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has emerged as a novel approach for local ablation of extracranial oligometastases.

Postoperative radiotherapy after surgical resection of thymoma: differing roles in localized and regional disease.

Purpose: To analyze the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry data to determine the impact of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for thymoma and thymic carcinoma (T/TC).

Methods And Materials: Patients with surgically resected localized (LOC) or regional (REG) malignant T/TC with or without PORT were analyzed for overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS) by querying the SEER database from 1973-2005. Patients dying within the first 3 months after surgery were excluded.

Gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery for low-grade astrocytomas.

Patients with low-grade astrocytoma (LGA; 8 pilocytic astrocytomas, 2 subependymal giant cell astrocytomas, 2 fibrillary astrocytomas) were selected for treatment with gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GKSRS) based on having a demarcated appearance on CT or MRI and the possibility of dose sparing of adjacent eloquent structures. A median dose of 13 Gy was prescribed to the 50% isodose line, which covered the gross tumor. The median patient age was 17.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy for early-stage non-small-cell lung carcinoma: four-year results of a prospective phase II study.

Purpose: The 50-month results of a prospective Phase II trial of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in medically inoperable patients are reported.

Methods And Materials: A total of 70 medically inoperable patients had clinically staged T1 (34 patients) or T2 (36 patients) (< or =7 cm), N0, M0, biopsy-confirmed non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and received SBRT as per our previously published reports. The SBRT treatment dose of 60-66 Gy was prescribed to the 80% isodose volume in three fractions.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy for nonpulmonary primary tumors.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) represents a novel treatment modality for cancer and has been used to treat various types of primary cancer with curative intent. Data on the use of SBRT for various primary sites are emerging. While the largest body of data is concerned with early-stage lung cancer, there is also a fair amount of experience in the treatment of nonpulmonary primary sites with SBRT.

Endocrine response after gamma knife-based stereotactic radiosurgery for secretory pituitary adenoma.

Purpose: To examine treatment outcomes of Gamma Knife-based stereotactic radiosurgery (GK-based SRS) for secretory pituitary adenomas.

Materials And Methods: 25 patients were treated with GK-based SRS for secretory pituitary adenomas with >or=12 months of follow-up.

Results: For prolactinomas, 2 of 4 patients (50%) showed normalization of serum prolactin at a mean time of 18 months.

Baseline pulmonary function as a predictor for survival and decline in pulmonary function over time in patients undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy for the treatment of stage I non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: To examine the effect of baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (Dl(co)) on posttreatment survival and pulmonary function decrease after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods And Materials: Seventy medically inoperable patients with Stage I NSCLC were treated with definitive SBRT to a dose of 6,000 (Stage IA) or 6,600 cGy (Stage IB), given in three equal fractions. Baseline and serial posttreatment pulmonary function data were collected.