Estimating the percentage of patients who might benefit from proton beam therapy instead of X-ray radiotherapy.

Objectives: High-energy Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) commenced in England in 2018 and NHS England commissions PBT for 1.5% of patients receiving radical radiotherapy. We sought expert opinion on the level of provision.

Optimizing MR-Guided Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer Patients.

Current research in radiotherapy (RT) for breast cancer is evaluating neoadjuvant as opposed to adjuvant partial breast irradiation (PBI) with the aim of reducing the volume of breast tissue irradiated and therefore the risk of late treatment-related toxicity. The development of magnetic resonance (MR)-guided RT, including dedicated MR-guided RT systems [hybrid machines combining an MR scanner with a linear accelerator (MR-linac) or Co sources], could potentially reduce the irradiated volume even further by improving tumour visibility before and during each RT treatment. In this position paper, we discuss MR guidance in relation to each step of the breast RT planning and treatment pathway, focusing on the application of MR-guided RT to neoadjuvant PBI.

Consensus on Contouring Primary Breast Tumors on MRI in the Setting of Neoadjuvant Partial Breast Irradiation in Trials.

Purpose: Our purpose was to present and evaluate expert consensus on contouring primary breast tumors on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the setting of neoadjuvant partial breast irradiation in trials.

Methods And Materials: Expert consensus on contouring guidelines for target definition of primary breast tumors on contrast-enhanced MRI in trials was developed by an international team of experienced breast radiation oncologists and a dedicated breast radiologist during 3 meetings. At the first meeting, draft guidelines were developed through discussing and contouring 2 cases.

The case for including bowel urgency in toxicity reporting after pelvic cancer treatment.

Bowel toxicity is a major complication of cancer treatment, and its accurate reporting is important for assessing outcomes. The NCI's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) is the preferred method for capturing adverse events after all cancer treatments, particularly within clinical trials. However, the CTCAE version 4 does not include urgency of defecation as an item, despite this being one of the most common and persistent adverse consequences of treatment of pelvic cancers.

Early prostate cancer--which treatment do men prefer and why?

Study Type: Preference (prospective cohort).

Level Of Evidence: 1b. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? In general the literature suggests that there is a need for improvement in aiding men diagnosed with early prostate cancer in their decision making about treatment options and that our understanding of this process is inadequate.