Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced and Locally Recurrent Colon Cancer.

Aims: While systemic management of high risk colon cancer is well addressed, advances in local management remain incremental. This study aims to identify a group of colon cancer patients where local management remains a challenge, and where intensifying local treatment with radiotherapy is potentially beneficial to minimise the risk of an R1 resection.

Materials And Methods: The patients with select cT4 locally advanced primary colon (LAPC) (n = 40) and locally recurrent colon (LRC) (n = 48) adenocarcinomas who received neoadjuvant radiotherapy from 2005 to 2020 were studied.

Radiation Oncology Training in the Philippines: Bridging Gaps for Improved Cancer Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Purpose: Radiation oncology in the Philippines, a large lower- and middle-income country in Southeast Asia, is facing a critical shortage in manpower, with only 113 radiation oncologists (ROs) over 55 radiotherapy (RT) centers serving 100 million population. Paramount to workforce expansion is ensuring that training programs can produce adequately trained specialists. In this study, we describe the current state of radiation oncology training programs in the Philippines.

Proton therapy in Asia Pacific: current resources, international disparities and steps forward.

The burden of cancer in Asia Pacific, a region home to over four billion people, is growing. Because of sheer demographics alone, the Asia Pacific region arguably has the highest number of patients who can benefit from protons over conventional x-rays. However, only 39 out of 113 proton facilities globally are in Asia Pacific, and 11 of them are in low- and middle-income countries where 95% of the regional population reside.

Teleconsultation Perceptions of Medical and Radiation Oncologists in the COVID-19 and Post-COVID-19 Era: A National Survey in the Philippines.

Purpose: The study reports on the current perception of medical and radiation oncologists regarding teleconsultation in the Philippines. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption of telemedicine was not widespread. With movement restrictions imposed during the pandemic, physicians were compelled to use telemedicine.

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy With or Without Transarterial Chemoembolization Versus Transarterial Chemoembolization Alone in Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: This study aims to review the current evidence on the utility of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), with or without transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (ESHCC) patients not amenable to standard curative treatment options.

Methods: Literature search was conducted using PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Comparative studies reporting oncologic outcomes were included in the review.

Intensification of Local Therapy With High Dose Rate, Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (HDR-IORT) and Extended Resection for Locally Advanced and Recurrent Colorectal Cancer.

Background: We report our long-term experience with high dose rate intraoperative radiotherapy (HDR-IORT) in a single, quaternary institution.

Patients/methods: From 2004 to 2020, 60 HDR-IORT procedures for locally advanced colorectal cancer (LACC) and 81 for locally recurrent colorectal cancer (LRCC) were done in our institution. Preoperative radiotherapy was done prior to majority of the resections (89%, 125/141).

Long-term Patterns of Failure and the Value of Blood Prognostic Markers in Anal Cancers Treated With Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy.

Background: To analyze the long-term outcomes and prognostic value of hematological parameters in anal cancer patients receiving intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).

Materials: Hospital records of consecutive patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma who received curative-intent IMRT according to a standardized contouring protocol between 2010 and 2020 were reviewed. Locoregional failure-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

The Role of postoperative external beam radiotherapy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma: A Systematic review and meta-analysis.

The indications for external beam radiotherapy (RT) in differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTC) are still undefined. The objective of this study was to synthesize current evidence defining the role of postoperative RT in patients with DTC. A systematic review and meta-analysis were done.

Assessing the Effect of Radiotherapy in Addition to Surgery in Colon Adenocarcinomas: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Contemporary Evidence.

Purpose: This study aims to review the contemporary evidence investigating radiotherapy (RT) in addition to surgery for colon adenocarcinomas.

Methods: We searched the following databases: PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, ASCOpubs, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Studies (since January 2005) comparing outcomes of high-risk colon adenocarcinomas who underwent RT in addition to surgery versus no RT were eligible.

Reirradiation for Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinomas: Experience From an Academic Tertiary Center in a Low- to Middle-Income Country.

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to report the oncologic outcomes and the treatment-related toxicities after reirradiation (re-RT) for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (rNPC) at our institution and to apply a recently published prognostic model for survival in rNPC in our cohort.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-two patients with rNPC treated at the authors' institution with re-RT were retrospectively reviewed. Treatment modalities for re-RT were intensity-modulated radiotherapy (n = 14), three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (n = 9), single-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery (n = 6), fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (n = 2), and high dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy (n = 1).

Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy Versus No Radiotherapy for Stage IV Rectal Cancer: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to review the contemporary evidence comparing neoadjuvant radiotherapy (NRT) versus no radiotherapy (no RT) in patients with stage IV rectal cancer.

Methods: Literature was searched for studies using the following databases: Pubmed, EMBASE, Science Direct, Scopus, ASCOpubs, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Studies reporting outcomes for stage IV rectal cancer patients who underwent NRT or no RT were selected.

A novel applicator design for intracavitary brachytherapy of the nasopharynx: Simulated reconstruction, image-guided adaptive brachytherapy planning, and dosimetry.

Purpose: In nasopharyngeal cancer, brachytherapy is given as boost in primary treatment or as salvage for recurrent or persistent disease. The Rotterdam nasopharyngeal applicator (RNA) allows for suboptimal reduction of soft palate radiation dose, based on image-guided brachytherapy plans. Building on the RNA, we propose a novel design, the Benavides nasopharyngeal applicator (BNA).