Predictors of prolonged treatment time intervals in oral cavity cancer.

Objectives: Delays in treatment time intervals have been associated with overall survival in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). The aim of this study was to identify bottlenecks leading to prolonged treatment intervals.

Material And Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using a cohort of OCSCC patients who underwent surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy.

Bullous Pemphigoid-Associated Mortality Rate in a Canadian Tertiary Referral Centre.

Background: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common autoimmune blistering disorder in adults. Most individuals with BP are over the age of 60. Its worldwide incidence has been increasing owing to population aging.

Frameless Stereotactic Radiosurgery With Linear Accelerator (LINAC)-Based Technology for Brain Metastases: Outcomes Analysis in 141 Patients.

Objectives Brain metastases (BM) are the most common intracranial tumors in adults. Surgery and frame-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) are well-described treatment options. Frameless SRS is an emerging BM treatment option offering fewer side effects.

Are radiation oncologists following guidelines? An audit of practice in patients with uncomplicated bone metastases.

Background: Best-practice guidelines recommend single-fraction (SFRT) instead of multi-fraction radiation therapy (MFRT) for uncomplicated symptomatic bone metastases. SFRT is comparable to MFRT in relieving pain, convenient for patients, and cost-effective. Patterns of practice in Canada reveal that SFRT is underused, with significant variability across the country.

Comparison of survival and prognostic factors in patients treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy for oligometastases or oligoprogression.

Background And Purpose: Clinical challenges arise in the oligoprogressive (OP) state with little evidence to support the use of ablative strategies. Our aim is to report on outcomes and prognostic variables following stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for OP and oligometastases (OM).

Material And Methods: Overall (OS) and progression-free survivals (PFS) were calculated for 163 patients for 209 lesions (106 OM and 57 OP) treated with SBRT over 9 years.

Severe radiation pneumonitis after lung stereotactic ablative radiation therapy in patients with interstitial lung disease.

Purpose: To investigate the incidence and predictive factors of severe radiation pneumonitis (RP) after stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) in early-stage lung cancer patients with preexisting radiological interstitial lung disease (ILD).

Methods And Materials: A retrospective analysis of patients with stage I lung cancer treated with SABR from 2009 to 2014 was conducted. Interstitial lung disease diagnosis and grading was based on pretreatment high-resolution computed tomography imaging.

Palliative Radiation Therapy for Advanced Head and Neck Carcinomas: A Phase 2 Study.

Purpose: Incurable head and neck cancer is hard to manage with usual palliative care. Radiation therapy (RT) in this setting is sometimes omitted because there is an apprehension that the side effects in the head and neck region might counterbalance the benefits. The objective of this phase 2 study was to evaluate whether highly conformal RT could improve the therapeutic ratio with this comprehensive Quality of Life (QOL) and toxicity evaluation.

Peer effects, fast food consumption and adolescent weight gain.

This paper aims at opening the black box of peer effects in adolescent weight gain. Using Add Health data on secondary schools in the U.S.

Predictive factors of survival and treatment tolerance in older patients treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Purpose: To report outcomes and predictive factors of overall survival, hospitalization and treatment completion rates in elderly patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Material And Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients aged 70years or older treated with concurrent CRT for locally advanced head and neck cancer was conducted. Univariate and multivariate analysis as well as competing risk survival analysis were used to determine predictors of mortality.

Long-term quality of life in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with robotic stereotactic ablative radiation therapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the quality of life (QoL) and pulmonary function of patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer treated with robotic stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR).

Methods And Materials: Eligible patients all had histologically confirmed stage I non-small cell lung cancer and were not surgical candidates because of poor pulmonary function, comorbidities, or refusal of surgery. SABR was delivered at a median dose of 60 Gy in 3 fractions for peripheral tumors and 50 Gy in 4 or 5 fractions for central tumors.

Physician payment mechanisms, hospital length of stay and risk of readmission: evidence from a natural experiment.

We provide an analysis of the effect of physician payment methods on their hospital patients' length of stay and risk of readmission. To do so, we exploit a major reform implemented in Quebec (Canada) in 1999. The Quebec Government introduced an optional mixed compensation (MC) scheme for specialist physicians working in hospital.

Hypofractionated radiation therapy for breast ductal carcinoma in situ.

Purpose: Conventional radiation therapy (RT) administered in 25 fractions after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is the standard treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast. Although accelerated hypofractionated regimens in 16 fractions have been shown to be equivalent to conventional RT for invasive breast cancer, few studies have reported results of using hypofractionated RT in DCIS.

Methods And Materials: In this multicenter collaborative effort, we retrospectively reviewed the records of all women with DCIS at 3 institutions treated with BCS followed by hypofractionated whole-breast RT (WBRT) delivered in 16 fractions.

Xerostomia in patients treated for oropharyngeal carcinoma: comparing linear accelerator-based intensity-modulated radiation therapy with helical tomotherapy.

Background: In comparison to sliding-window intensity-modulated radiation therapy (sw-IMRT), we hypothesized that helical tomotherapy (HT) would achieve similar locoregional control and, at the same time, decrease the parotid gland dose, thus leading to a xerostomia reduction.

Methods: The association between radiation techniques, mean parotid dose, and xerostomia incidence, was reviewed in 119 patients with advanced oropharyngeal carcinoma treated with concurrent chemoradiation using sw-IMRT (n = 59) or HT (n = 60).

Results: Ipsilateral and contralateral parotid mean doses were significantly lower for patients treated with HT versus sw-IMRT: 24 Gy versus 32 Gy ipsilaterally and 20 Gy versus 25 Gy contralaterally.

Predictive parameters of CyberKnife fiducial-less (XSight Lung) applicability for treatment of early non-small cell lung cancer: a single-center experience.

Purpose: To determine which parameters allow for CyberKnife fiducial-less tumor tracking in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods And Materials: A total of 133 lung SBRT patients were preselected for direct soft-tissue tracking based on manufacturer recommendations (peripherally located tumors ≥1.5 cm with a dense appearance) and staff experience.

Prevalence of K-RAS Codons 12 and 13 Mutations in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Impact on Clinical Outcomes.

Background. RAS gene mutations have an impact on treatment response and overall prognosis for certain types of cancer. Objectives.

Long-term results of radiosurgery for cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

Background: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is known to safely result in a high obliteration rate for small and medium sized arteriovenous malformations (AVM).

Objective: To evaluate the long-term outcome of patients treated with SRS, with special emphasis given to obliteration and toxicity rates.

Methods: We performed a review of 43 cerebral AVM patients, treated from 1998 to 2008 with a single SRS dose ranging from 21-25 Gy.

Toxicity report of once weekly radiation therapy for low-risk prostate adenocarcinoma: preliminary results of a phase I/II trial.

Background: Increasing clinical data supports a low α/β ratio for prostate adenocarcinoma, potentially lower than that of surrounding normal tissues. A hypofractionated, weekly radiation therapy (RT) schedule should result in improved tumour control, reduced acute toxicity, and similar or decreased late effects. We report the toxicity profile of such treatment.

Cervical lymph node metastases from unknown primary cancer: a single-institution experience with intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness and rate of complications of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in the treatment of cervical lymph node metastases from unknown primary cancer.

Methods And Materials: Between February 2005 and November 2008, 25 patients with an unknown primary cancer underwent IMRT, with a median radiation dose of 70 Gy. The bilateral neck and ipsilateral putative pharyngeal mucosa were included in the target volume.

The role of computed tomography in the management of the neck after chemoradiotherapy in patients with head-and-neck cancer.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the outcome in patients with head-and neck-squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) followed up without neck dissection (ND) after concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) based on computed tomography (CT) response. The second objective was to establish CT characteristics that can predict which patients can safely avoid ND.

Methods And Materials: Between 1998 and 2007, 369 patients with node-positive HNSCC were treated with primary CRT at our institution.

Simultaneous integrated boost using intensity-modulated radiotherapy compared with conventional radiotherapy in patients treated with concurrent carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil for locally advanced oropharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: To compare, in a retrospective study, the toxicity and efficacy of simultaneous integrated boost using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) vs. conventional radiotherapy (CRT) in patients treated with concomitant carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil for locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer.

Methods And Materials: Between January 2000 and December 2007, 249 patients were treated with definitive chemoradiation.

Enteral feeding during chemoradiotherapy for advanced head-and-neck cancer: a single-institution experience using a reactive approach.

Purpose: The optimal method for providing enteral nutrition to patients with head-and-neck cancer is unclear. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of our reactive policy, which consists of the installation of a nasogastric (NG) feeding tube only when required by the patient's nutritional status.

Methods And Materials: The records of all patients with Stage III and IV head-and-neck cancer treated with concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy between January 2003 and December 2006 were reviewed.

Quality of life and tumor control after short split-course chemoradiation for anal canal carcinoma.

Purpose: To evaluate quality of life (QOL) and outcome of patients with anal carcinoma treated with short split-course chemoradiation (CRT).

Methods: From 1991 to 2005, 58 patients with anal cancer were curatively treated with CRT. External beam radiotherapy (52 Gy/26 fractions) with elective groin irradiation (24 Gy) was applied in 2 series divided by a median gap of 12 days.

Outcome with neck dissection after chemoradiation for N3 head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the role of neck dissection (ND) after chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with N3 disease.

Methods And Materials: From March 1998 to September 2006, 70 patients with HNSCC and N3 neck disease were treated with concomitant CRT as primary therapy. Response to treatment was assessed using clinical examination and computed tomography 6 to 8 weeks posttreatment.

Concurrent chemoradiation with carboplatin-5-fluorouracil versus cisplatin in locally advanced oropharyngeal cancers: is more always better?

Purpose: The optimal chemotherapy regimen remains undefined in the treatment of locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer by concomitant chemoradiation. This article compares two platinum-based chemotherapy regimens.

Methods And Materials: In this retrospective study, we reviewed all consecutive patients treated for Stage III or IVA-B oropharyngeal cancer using either a combination of carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5FU) every 3 weeks or high-dose cisplatin every 3 weeks concomitant with definitive radiation therapy.

Organ preservation with concurrent chemoradiation for advanced laryngeal cancer: are we succeeding?

Purpose: To determine the rates of organ preservation and function in patients with advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Methods And Materials: Between April 1999 and September 2005, 82 patients with advanced laryngeal (67%) and hypopharyngeal carcinomas (33%) underwent conventional radiotherapy and concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy with curative intent. Sixty-two patients were male (75.