Impact of Pretreatment Weight Loss on Radiotherapy Utilization and Clinical Outcomes in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: Cancer cachexia is a syndrome of unintentional weight loss resulting in progressive functional impairment. Knowledge of radiation therapy utilization in patients with cancer cachexia is limited. We evaluated the use of curative and palliative-intent radiation for the management of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with cachexia to determine whether tumor-directed therapy affected cachexia-associated outcomes.

Intramedullary brachytherapy for the treatment of long bone metastatic disease: A case report.

Case: A 56-year-old woman with metastatic melanoma and femoral lesions with impending pathologic fracture was indicated for intramedullary brachytherapy (IMBT) and intramedullary nail.

Conclusions: IMBT + intramedullary nail is a new technique for the treatment of long bone metastases. IMBT maximizes radiation to the tumor and minimizes radiation to surrounding tissues.

A preponderance of gastrointestinal cancer patients transition into cachexia syndrome.

Background: Cancer cachexia is frequently documented by self-reported, single time-point weight histories. This approach lacks the granularity needed to fully elucidate the progression of cachexia syndrome. This study aimed to longitudinally assess body weight changes pre- and post-cancer diagnosis in gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients.

Primary Tumor Fluorine-18 Fluorodeoxydglucose (F-FDG) Is Associated With Cancer-Associated Weight Loss in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) and Portends Worse Survival.

Aim: To investigate the diagnostic potential of and associations between tumor F-FDG uptake on PET imaging and cancer-associated weight loss.

Methods: 774 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with pre-treatment PET evaluated between 2006 and 2014 were identified. Using the international validated definition of cachexia, the presence of clinically significant pretreatment cancer-associated weight loss (WL) was retrospectively determined.

Associations of Prior Chronic Use of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and Glucocorticoids With Cachexia Incidence and Survival.

Background: Cachexia is an inflammatory and metabolic syndrome of unintentional weight loss through depletion of muscle and adipose tissue. There is limited knowledge of how chronic use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and glucocorticoids affect cachexia development. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between prior long-term use of NSAIDs or glucocorticoids with cachexia incidence and post-diagnosis weight loss progression in a retrospective cancer patient cohort.

The influence of tumour fluorodeoxyglucose avidity and cachexia development on patient survival in oesophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer.

Background And Aims: Cancer cachexia is manifested by loss in muscle, adipose, weight, and appetite. PET F-FDG uptake identifies tumor metabolic and inflammatory changes, potentially associated with cachexia development. We examined if primary gastroesophageal tumor F-FDG uptake correlates with cachexia development and survival in cancer patients.

Dose-Intensified Stereotactic Ablative Radiation for Localized Prostate Cancer.

Purpose: Stereotactic ablative radiation (SAbR) has been increasingly used in prostate cancer (PCa) given its convenience and cost efficacy. Optimal doses remain poorly defined with limited prospective comparative trials and long-term safety/efficacy data at higher dose levels. We analyzed toxicity and outcomes for SAbR in men with localized PCa at escalated 45 Gy in 5 fractions.

Upfront radiotherapy with brachytherapy for medically inoperable and unresectable patients with high-risk endometrial cancer.

Objectives: Comprehensive surgery with adjuvant therapy is standard of care for high-risk endometrial cancers, whereas upfront radiotherapy with brachytherapy is indicated for inoperable/unresectable patients, irrespective of risk. We evaluated outcomes for inoperable/unresectable patients with high-risk endometrial cancer (HREC: stage III and/or grade 3) and low-risk endometrial cancer (LREC: stage I/II and grade 1/2) treated with upfront radiotherapy.

Methods: Twenty-nine patients with inoperable/unresectable endometrial cancer were treated with upfront radiotherapy at an academic medical center from 2012 to 2019.

Addition of Iodinated Contrast to Rectal Hydrogel Spacer to Facilitate MRI-Independent Target Delineation and Treatment Planning for Prostate Cancer.

Purpose: Hydrogel spacers reduce rectal dose toxicity during prostate cancer radiation therapy. Current products require magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for visualization during treatment planning, but MRI incompatibility and cost have prompted alternatives using computed tomography (CT). This case series evaluates the addition of iodinated contrast to hydrogel as such an alternative.

Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Pretreatment Weight Loss and Survival in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Purpose: Socioeconomic status (SES) influences health care outcomes, but the influence of primary payer on cancer-associated wasting is unknown. We hypothesized that primary payer as an indicator of SES would influence pretreatment cancer-associated weight loss and treatment outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective review of medical records identified 1,366 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) consecutively treated at a tertiary care health system between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2013.

Prevalence and Survival Impact of Pretreatment Cancer-Associated Weight Loss: A Tool for Guiding Early Palliative Care.

Purpose: Cancer-associated weight loss is associated with poor prognosis in advanced malignancy; however, its pretreatment prevalence and survival impact are inadequately described in large cohorts. Such data, stratified by tumor type and stage, may facilitate the optimal and timely allocation of complementary care, leading to improvements in patient survival and quality of life.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 3,180 consecutively treated adult patients with lung or GI (including colorectal, liver, and pancreatic) cancer.