Stability of metabolic tumor volume may enable radiotherapy dose painting in anal cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the variability of the 18F-FDG-PET/CT-based metabolic tumor volume (MTV) in anal cancers during fractionated chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and assess the impact of this variability on dosimetric accuracy in MTV-targeted dose painting.

Methods: Eleven patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma who received fractionated chemoradiotherapy with curative intent were included. 18F-FDG PET/CT images were acquired at pre- and mid-treatment.

Re-irradiation for recurrent rectal cancer - a single-center experience.

There is no clear consensus on the use of re-irradiation (reRT) in the management of locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC). The aim of the present study was to investigate all reRT administered for rectal cancer at a large referral institution and to evaluate patient outcomes and toxicity. All patients with rectal cancer were identified who had received previous pelvic radiotherapy (RT) and underwent reRT during 2006-2016.

Fundus Autofluorescence Change as an Early Indicator of Treatment Effect of Brachytherapy for Choroidal Melanomas.

Background: Early confirmation of the effect of brachytherapy for choroidal melanoma showing that tumour coverage is valuable. The irradiated retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) commonly develops atrophy. This study compares the fundus autofluorescence (AF) changes to the development of RPE atrophy following brachytherapy.

Anal cancer chemoradiotherapy outcome prediction using F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and clinicopathological factors.

Objective: To assess the role of [F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET), obtained before and during chemoradiotherapy, in predicting locoregional failure relative to clinicopathological factors for patients with anal cancer.

Methods: 93 patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma treated with chemoradiotherapy were included in a prospective observational study (NCT01937780). FDG-PET/CT was performed for all patients before treatment, and for a subgroup ( = 39) also 2 weeks into treatment.

Target volume delineation of anal cancer based on magnetic resonance imaging or positron emission tomography.

Purpose: To compare target volume delineation of anal cancer using positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with respect to inter-observer and inter-modality variability.

Methods: Nineteen patients with anal cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy were prospectively included. Planning computed tomography (CT) images were co-registered with 18F-fluorodexocyglucose (FDG) PET/CT images and T2 and diffusion weighted (DW) MR images.

Short-course PET based simultaneous integrated boost for locally advanced cervical cancer.

Background: Patients with large, locally advanced cervical cancers (LACC) are challenging to treat. The purpose of this work is to use 18F-FDG PET as planning basis for a short-course simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) in external beam radiotherapy of LACC in order to increase tumour shrinkage and likelihood of local control.

Methods: Ten previously treated patients with LACC were included, all with pre-treatment FDG PET/CT images available.

Validation of dose painting of lung tumours using alanine/EPR dosimetry.

Biologic image guided radiotherapy (RT) with escalated doses to tumour sub volumes challenges today's RT dose planning and delivery systems. In this phantom study, we verify the capability of a clinical dose planning and delivery system to deliver an 18F-FDG-PET based dose painted treatment plan to a lung tumour. Furthermore, we estimate the uncertainties of the dose painted treatment compared to conventional RT plans.

Dose painting by numbers in a standard treatment planning system using inverted dose prescription maps.

Background: Dose painting by numbers (DPBN) is a method to deliver an inhomogeneous tumor dose voxel-by-voxel with a prescription based on biological medical images. However, planning of DPBN is not supported by commercial treatment planning systems (TPS) today. Here, a straightforward method for DPBN with a standard TPS is presented.

Reirradiation of locally recurrent rectal cancer: a systematic review.

Background: Many patients with rectal cancer receive radiotherapy as a component of primary multimodality treatment. Although local recurrence is infrequent, reirradiation may be needed to improve resectability and outcomes. This systematic review investigated the effects of reirradiation in terms of feasibility, toxicity, and long-term outcomes.