Publications by authors named "Biu Chan"

Purpose: Advanced practice (AP) in radiation therapy (RT) is being implemented around the globe. In an effort to advance the understanding of the similarities and differences in APRT roles in Ontario, Canada, a community of practice (CoP) sought ways to provide quantitative data on the nature of APRT clinical activities and the frequency with which these activities were being executed.

Methods: In 2017, a consensus building project involving 20 APRTs and 14 radiation therapy (RT) department managers in Ontario was completed to establish a mechanism to quantify APRTs' clinical impact.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study evaluates how pre- and post-radiotherapy lymph node characteristics can predict outcomes in HPV-positive and HPV-negative oropharyngeal carcinoma patients.
  • Pre-RT lymph node calcification heightens the risk of regional failure specifically in HPV-negative patients, while certain features like extranodal extension increase the risk of distant metastasis and death for both types.
  • Minimal reduction in lymph node size post-radiotherapy is linked to higher risks of regional failure for both HPV-positive and negative patients, but post-RT lymph node calcification does not influence outcomes.
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Objectives: Sexual health problems have been identified as an unmet need in head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors. In particular, little is known about such outcomes in survivors of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC).

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study of NPC survivors with ≥4y follow-up was undertaken.

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A major challenge in radiomics is assembling data from multiple centers. Sharing data between hospitals is restricted by legal and ethical regulations. Distributed learning is a technique, enabling training models on multicenter data without data leaving the hospitals ("privacy-preserving" distributed learning).

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Purpose/objectives: To determine neurocognitive and neurobehavioral impairment in long-term nasopharyngeal cancer survivors (NPC) treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

Materials/methods: A cross-sectional cohort of NPC ≥4 years (y) following IMRT was assessed. Objective cognitive function was measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and patient-reported memory was assessed with the MDASI-HN problems remembering item.

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Purpose: To report long-term (>4 years) toxicity and quality of life (QoL) among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in a nonendemic center.

Methods And Materials: A cross-sectional cohort study enrolled patients with NPC who were disease-free and ≥4 years after IMRT ± chemotherapy. Physician-reported adverse events (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.

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Purpose: To assess the impact of the radiation therapy (RT) regimen and image guidance (image guided radiation therapy [IGRT]) protocol on local control (LC) for T2N0 glottic cancer treated with partial laryngeal intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).

Methods And Materials: All patients with T2N0 glottic cancer treated with IMRT from 2006 to 2013 at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. The gross tumor volume (GTV), delineated from endoscopic and/or radiologic findings, was expanded 0.

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Purpose: Distant metastasis (DM) is the main cause of death for patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs); yet, there are few reliable predictors of DM in this disease. The role of quantitative imaging (ie, radiomic) analysis was examined to determine whether there are primary tumor features discernible on imaging studies that are associated with a higher risk of DM developing.

Methods And Materials: Radiation therapy planning computed tomography scans were retrieved for all nonmetastatic p16-positive OPC patients treated with radiation therapy or chemoradiation therapy at a single institution between 2005 and 2010.

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Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) positive oropharyngeal cancer (oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, OPSCC) is biologically and clinically different from HPV negative OPSCC. Here, we evaluate the use of a radiomic approach to identify the HPV status of OPSCC.

Methods: Four independent cohorts, totaling 778 OPSCC patients with HPV determined by p16 were collected.

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Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical outcomes of T4 laryngeal cancers.

Methods: T4 laryngeal cancers treated with curative intent from January 2003 to December 2010 were analyzed. Outcomes were evaluated in both primary radiotherapy (+/- chemotherapy) (RT/CRT) and primary surgery cohorts.

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Purpose: To report outcomes of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for major salivary gland carcinoma (SGC) and identify patients at high risk of distant metastases (DM).

Methods And Materials: Patients with major SGC treated between 2000-2012 were identified. All patients underwent initial primary resection, with neck dissection (ND) therapeutically (if N+) or electively in high risk N0 patients.

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Background: The purpose of this article was to report outcomes of reirradiation for locoregionally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of all patients with locoregionally recurrent NPC who received reirradiation between 2001 and 2012. Overall survival (OS), local control, regional control, distant control, and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grades 3 to 4 late toxicity were examined.

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Background: Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is one of the fastest growing disease sites of head and neck cancers. A recently described radiomic signature, based exclusively on pre-treatment computed tomography (CT) imaging of the primary tumor volume, was found to be prognostic in independent cohorts of lung and head and neck cancer patients treated in the Netherlands. Here, we further validate this signature in a large and independent North American cohort of OPSCC patients, also considering CT artifacts.

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