A case series and review of stereotactic body radiation therapy for contiguous multilevel spine metastases.

Purpose: A majority of published series report on stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for 1-2 contiguous vertebral levels due to concerns regarding setup accuracy and radiation toxicity. This study evaluates patients with metastases spanning ≥ 3 contiguous levels treated with SBRT and augments its findings with a review of other studies investigating multilevel spine SBRT.

Methods: Analysis of a prospectively collected database of 49 patients with 55 metastases spanning ≥ 3 contiguous vertebral levels treated with SBRT at a single institution (2002-2023) was performed.

Immunocompetent murine model of Ewing sarcoma reveals role for TGFβ inhibition to enhance immune infiltrates in Ewing tumors during radiation.

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is an aggressive cancer diagnosed in adolescents and young adults. The fusion oncoprotein (EWSR1::FLI1) that drives Ewing sarcoma is known to downregulate expression (part of the TGFβ receptor). Because is downregulated, it was thought that TGFβ likely plays an inconsequential role in Ewing biology.

Radiation dose, schedule, and novel systemic targets for radio-immunotherapy combinations.

Immunotherapy combinations are being investigated to expand the benefit of immune checkpoint blockade across many cancer types. Radiation combinations, in particular using stereotactic body radiotherapy, are of keen interest because of underlying mechanistic rationale, safety, and availability as a standard of care in certain cancers. In addition to direct tumor cytotoxicity, radiation therapy has immunomodulatory effects such as induction of immunogenic cell death, enhancement of antigen presentation, and expansion of the T-cell receptor repertoire as well as recruitment and increased activity of tumor-specific effector CD8+ cells.

Partial tumor irradiation plus pembrolizumab in treating large advanced solid tumor metastases.

BACKGROUNDWe previously demonstrated the safety of stereotactic body radiotherapy followed by pembrolizumab (SBRT+P) in patients with advanced solid tumors. This phase I clinical trial was expanded to study the safety of partial tumor irradiation (partial-Rx). We assessed irradiated local failure (LF) and clinical outcomes with correlations to biomarkers including CD8+ T cell radiomics score (RS) and circulating cytokines.

Dose-Escalated Radiation Alone or in Combination With Short-Term Total Androgen Suppression for Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer: Patient-Reported Outcomes From NRG/Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 0815 Randomized Trial.

Purpose: To report patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of a phase III trial evaluating total androgen suppression (TAS) combined with dose-escalated radiation therapy (RT) for patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

Methods: Patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer were randomly assigned to dose-escalated RT alone (arm 1) or RT plus TAS (arm 2) consisting of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist/antagonist with oral antiandrogen for 6 months. The primary PRO was the validated Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-50).

Harnessing immunomodulation during DNA damage in Ewing sarcoma.

Ewing sarcoma is a fusion-oncoprotein-driven primary bone tumor most commonly diagnosed in adolescents. Given the continued poor outcomes for patients with metastatic and relapsed Ewing sarcoma, testing innovative therapeutic approaches is essential. Ewing sarcoma has been categorized as a 'BRCAness' tumor with emerging data characterizing a spectrum of DNA damage repair defects within individual Ewing tumors, including the presence of EWSR1::FLI1 itself, recurrent somatic mutations, and rare germline-based defects.

Practice Patterns of Pediatric Total Body Irradiation Techniques: A Children's Oncology Group Survey.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine current practice patterns in pediatric total body irradiation (TBI) techniques among COG member institutions.

Methods And Materials: Between November 2019 and February 2020, a questionnaire containing 52 questions related to the technical aspects of TBI was sent to medical physicists at 152 COG institutions. The questions were designed to obtain technical information on commonly used TBI treatment techniques.

Patterns of Failure After Adjuvant Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer With Close or Positive Margins.

Purpose: There is no consensus on treatment volumes for adjuvant stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for pancreatic cancer. Herein, we report patterns of failure after pancreatic SBRT for close/positive margins, which may inform target volume design.

Methods And Materials: An institutional review board-approved retrospective review of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated with adjuvant SBRT for close/positive margins from 2009 to 2018 was conducted.

Improving the Pediatric Patient Experience During Radiation Therapy-A Children's Oncology Group Study.

Purpose: Treatment with radiation therapy (RT) can cause anxiety and distress for pediatric patients and their families. Radiation oncology teams have developed strategies to reduce the negative psychological impact. This survey study aimed to characterize these methods.

Cancer incidence and treatment utilization patterns at a regional cancer center in Tanzania from 2008-2016: Initial report of 2,772 cases.

Purpose: To describe cancer incidence and treatment utilization patterns at the regional cancer referral center for the Lake Zone of northwestern Tanzania from 2008 to 2016.

Methods: This descriptive, retrospective study reviewed all cancer cases recorded in the Bugando Cancer Registry (BCR), a clinical and pathology based registry at the only cancer referral hospital in the region. Primary tumor site, method of diagnosis, HIV status, and cancer treatment were reported.

Retrospective analysis of safety and efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy and radiation therapy in advanced melanoma: A bi-institutional study.

Background And Purpose: Antibodies against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) are standard treatments for advanced melanoma. Palliative radiation therapy (RT) is commonly administered for this disease. Safety and optimal timing for this combination for melanoma has not been established.

Organ-Specific Toxicities Due to Radiation Therapy in Cancer Patients With or Without HIV Infection: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

To synthesize published literature on the association between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and radiation therapy (RT)-related toxicities. Two electronic databases, MEDLINE and Embase, were searched to identify studies published before November 2016 comparing RT-related toxicities between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients receiving RT or chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for cancer. A qualitative synthesis of included articles and organ-specific toxicities was then performed.

Hippocampal dose from stereotactic radiosurgery for 4 to 10 brain metastases: Risk factors, feasibility of dose reduction via re-optimization, and patient outcomes.

This study aimed to report hippocampal dose from single-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for 4 to 10 brain metastases and determine feasibility of hippocampal-sparing SRS. Patients with 4 to 10 brain metastases receiving single-isocenter, multi-target single-fraction SRS were identified. Hippocampi were contoured using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 0933 atlas.

Radiation Oncology in India: Challenges and Opportunities.

Rising cancer incidence and mortality in India emphasize the need to address the increasing burden of this disease and the stark inequities in access to radiotherapy and other essential medical treatments. State-of-the-art technology is available within the private sector and a few hospitals in the public sector, but 75% of patients in the public sector in India do not have access to timely radiotherapy. This inequity in access to radiotherapy in the public sector is amplified in rural areas, where most of India׳s population lives.

Outcomes and toxicity of stereotactic radiosurgery for melanoma brain metastases in patients receiving ipilimumab.

Purpose: Patients with melanoma treated with ipilimumab and radiosurgery (stereotactic radiosurgery [SRS]) were reviewed for efficacy/safety.

Methods: Patients who received ipilimumab and SRS for brain metastases were analyzed for control of SRS-treated metastasis and overall survival.

Results: We identified 27 patients, 26 were assessable for outcomes.

The Involvement of hybrid cluster protein 4, HCP4, in Anaerobic Metabolism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

The unicellular green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has long been studied for its unique fermentation pathways and has been evaluated as a candidate organism for biofuel production. Fermentation in C. reinhardtii is facilitated by a network of three predominant pathways producing four major byproducts: formate, ethanol, acetate and hydrogen.

Corrigendum: "Training Global Oncologists: Addressing the Global Cancer Control Problem".

[This corrects the article on p. 80 in vol. 5, PMID: 25905040.

Clinical outcomes of reirradiation of brain metastases from small cell lung cancer with Cyberknife stereotactic radiosurgery.

Purpose: To analyze outcomes of reirradiation with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for patients with brain metastases from small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Materials And Methods: We reviewed the clinical outcomes of 27 patients with brain metastases from SCLC treated with CyberKnife® robotic radiosurgery (Accuray Inc., Sunnyvale, CA).