Adjuvant postoperative high-dose radiotherapy for atypical and malignant meningioma: A phase-II parallel non-randomized and observation study (EORTC 22042-26042).

Purpose: The therapeutic strategy for non-benign meningiomas is controversial. The objective of this study was to prospectively investigate the impact of high dose radiation therapy (RT) on the progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 3 years in WHO grade II and III meningioma patients.

Materials And Methods: In this multi-cohorts non-randomized phase II and observational study, non-benign meningioma patients were treated according to their WHO grade and Simpson's grade.

Rapidly Growing Pulmonary Metastasis from Anaplastic Meningioma with Lethal Outcome: A Case Report.

Anaplastic meningioma is seldom encountered. Moreover, distant metastasis is extremely rare, with only a handful cases reported. Here, we report the case of a 74-year-old female patient who underwent a combined cranial and endonasal approach for an extensive spheno-orbital anaplastic meningioma (WHO grade III), followed by adjuvant radiotherapy.

Pencil beam scanning proton therapy for pediatric intracranial ependymoma.

To assess the clinical outcome and late side effect profile of pencil beam scanning proton therapy (PT) delivered to children with intracranial ependymoma. Between July-2004 and March-2013, 50 patients with intracranial ependymoma (n = 46, grade 3) received involved-field PT at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). Median age at time of PT was 2.

Pencil Beam Scanning Proton Therapy for Pediatric Parameningeal Rhabdomyosarcomas: Clinical Outcome of Patients Treated at the Paul Scherrer Institute.

Background: Parameningeal rhabdomyosarcomas (PM-RMSs) represent approximately 25% of all rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cases. These tumors are associated with early recurrence and poor prognosis. This study assessed the clinical outcome and late toxicity of pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy (PT) in the treatment of children with PM-RMS.

Is there a role for conventional MRI and MR diffusion-weighted imaging for distinction of skull base chordoma and chondrosarcoma?

Background: Chordoma and chondrosarcoma are locally invasive skull base tumors with similar clinical symptoms and anatomic imaging features as reported in the literature.

Purpose: To determine differentiation of chordoma and chondrosarcoma of the skull base with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) and diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) in comparison to histopathological diagnosis.

Material And Methods: This retrospective study comprised 96 (chordoma, n = 64; chondrosarcoma, n = 32) patients with skull base tumors referred to the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) for proton therapy.

The effect of surgical titanium rods on proton therapy delivered for cervical bone tumors: experimental validation using an anthropomorphic phantom.

To investigate the effect of metal implants in proton radiotherapy, dose distributions of different, clinically relevant treatment plans have been measured in an anthropomorphic phantom and compared to treatment planning predictions. The anthropomorphic phantom, which is sliced into four segments in the cranio-caudal direction, is composed of tissue equivalent materials and contains a titanium implant in a vertebral body in the cervical region. GafChromic® films were laid between the different segments to measure the 2D delivered dose.

Tumor control and QoL outcomes of very young children with atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor treated with focal only chemo-radiation therapy using pencil beam scanning proton therapy.

The aim of this analysis was to assess the early clinical results of pencil beam scanning proton therapy (PT) in the treatment of young children with non-metastatic atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) of the CNS. Fifteen children (male, n = 8, 53 %) were treated with PT between May 2008 and January 2013. Mean age at diagnosis was 17.

Spot-scanning proton radiation therapy for pediatric chordoma and chondrosarcoma: clinical outcome of 26 patients treated at paul scherrer institute.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical results of fractionated spot-scanning proton radiation therapy (PT) in 26 pediatric patients treated at Paul Scherrer Institute for chordoma (CH) or chondrosarcoma (CS) of the skull base or axial skeleton.

Methods And Materials: Between June 2000 and June 2010, 19 CH and 7 CS patients with tumors originating from the skull base (17) and the axial skeleton (9) were treated with PT. Mean age at the time of PT was 13.

Dose to the developing dentition during therapeutic irradiation: organ at risk determination and clinical implications.

Purpose: Irradiation of pediatric facial structures can cause severe impairment of permanent teeth later in life. We therefore focused on primary and permanent teeth as organs at risk, investigating the ability to identify individual teeth in children and infants and to correlate dose distributions with subsequent dental toxicity.

Methods And Materials: We retrospectively reviewed 14 pediatric patients who received a maximum dose >20 Gy(relative biological effectiveness, RBE) to 1 or more primary or permanent teeth between 2003 and 2009.

Pediatric papillary tumors of the pineal region: to observe or to treat following gross total resection?

Introduction: Papillary tumors of the pineal region (PTPR) are rare brain tumors characterized by frequent local recurrences. Standardized treatment strategies are not yet defined.

Case Report: We present the case of a 3-year-old girl diagnosed with PTPR.

Temporal lobe toxicity analysis after proton radiation therapy for skull base tumors.

Purpose: Temporal lobe (TL) parenchyma toxicity constitutes one of the most frequent late adverse event in high-dose proton therapy (PT) for tumors of the skull base. We analyzed clinical events with dosimetric parameters in our patients treated for skull base tumors with spot-scanning PT.

Methods And Materials: Between 1998 and 2005, a total of 62 patients received PT to a median dose of 71.

Spot scanning-based proton therapy for intracranial meningioma: long-term results from the Paul Scherrer Institute.

Background: To assess the long-term clinical results of spot scanning proton therapy (PT) in the treatment of intracranial meningiomas.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-nine patients with meningioma (histologically proven 34/39) were treated with PT between July 1997 and January 2010. Thirty-two (82.

Spot-scanning-based proton therapy for extracranial chordoma.

Purpose: To evaluate effectiveness and safety of spot-scanning-based proton-radiotherapy (PT) for extracranial chordomas (ECC).

Methods And Material: Between 1999-2006, 40 patients with chordoma of C-, T-, and L-spine and sacrum were treated at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) with PT using spot-scanning. Median patient age was 58 years (range, 10-81 years); 63% were male, and 36% were female.

Incidental detection of synchronous primary tumours during staging workup for prostate cancer.

Questions Under Study: To assess the prevalence of incidental synchronous primary cancers discovered by abdominal CT scan among prostate cancer patients.

Methods: Patients with prostate cancer in Geneva, Switzerland, were retrospectively analysed regarding incidental diagnosis of synchronous second primary malignancies, including a cohort of 398 patients treated from 1991 through 2001 with radical radiotherapy (RT) and a second cohort of 419 patients treated from 1991 through 2001 by radical prostatectomy (RP) in order to analyse the differences between RT and RP patients. Both cohorts were evaluated regarding incidence of synchronous second primary cancers, compared with that expected in the general population (Standardized Incidence Ratio, SIR).

Hypofractionated boost to the dominant tumor region with intensity modulated stereotactic radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a sequential dose escalation pilot study.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility, tolerability, and preliminary outcomes in patients with prostate cancer treated according to a hypofractionated dose escalation protocol to boost the dominant tumor-bearing region of the prostate.

Methods And Materials: After conventional fractionated external radiotherapy to 64 to 64.4 Gy, 50 patients with nonmetastatic prostate cancer were treated with an intensity-modulated radiotherapy hypofractionated boost under stereotactic conditions to a reduced prostate volume to the dominant tumor region.

External radiotherapy for prostate cancer with or without androgen deprivation: Geneva, 1991 to 2004.

Questions Under Study/principles: A retrospective assessment of long-term results on a single centre, single author experience in treating prostate cancer with high dose curative radiotherapy (RT) with or without androgen deprivation (AD).

Methods: Between 1991 and 2004, 408 patients with clinically localised prostate cancer were treated with RT (+/-AD) at the University Hospital of Geneva. RT alone was delivered to 229 patients whereas AD associated to RT was given to 179 patients.

Postoperative proton radiotherapy for localized and locoregional breast cancer: potential for clinically relevant improvements?

Purpose: To study the potential reduction of dose to organs at risk (OARs) with intensity-modulated proton radiotherapy (IMPT) compared with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) photon radiotherapy for left-sided breast cancer patients.

Methods And Materials: Comparative treatment-planning was performed using planning computed tomography scans of 20 left-sided breast cancer patients. For each patient, three increasingly complex locoregional volumes (planning target volumes [PTVs]) were defined: whole breast (WB) or chest wall (CW) = (PTV1), WB/CW plus medial-supraclavicular (MSC), lateral-supraclavicular (LSC), and level III axillary (AxIII) nodes = (PTV2) and WB/CW+MSC+LSC+AxIII plus internal mammary chain = (PTV3).

Effectiveness and safety of spot scanning proton radiation therapy for chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the skull base: first long-term report.

Purpose: To evaluate effectiveness and safety of spot-scanning-based proton radiotherapy (PT) in skull-base chordomas and chondrosarcomas.

Methods And Materials: Between October 1998 and November 2005, 64 patients with skull-base chordomas (n = 42) and chondrosarcomas (n = 22) were treated at Paul Scherrer Institute with PT using spot-scanning technique. Median total dose for chordomas was 73.

Hypofractionated boost with high-dose-rate brachytherapy and open magnetic resonance imaging-guided implants for locally aggressive prostate cancer: a sequential dose-escalation pilot study.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility, tolerance, and preliminary outcome of an open MRI-guided prostate partial-volume high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) schedule in a group of selected patients with nonmetastatic, locally aggressive prostatic tumors.

Methods And Materials: After conventional fractionated three-dimensional conformal external radiotherapy to 64-64.4 Gy, 77 patients with nonmetastatic, locally aggressive (e.

Postoperative spot-scanning proton radiation therapy for chordoma and chondrosarcoma in children and adolescents: initial experience at paul scherrer institute.

Purpose: To evaluate postoperative spot-scanning proton radiation therapy (PT) and intensity-modulated PT (IMPT) for chordoma and chondrosarcoma in pediatric patients.

Methods And Materials: Between 2000 and 2005, 10 patients (six male patients, four female patients; six chordomas, four chondrosarcomas), aged 10-20 years (median, 16 years), were treated at our institute. Tumor sites were in the brain (one case), skull base (five cases), cervical (three cases), and lumbar spine (one case).

Radiation therapy planning with photons and protons for early and advanced breast cancer: an overview.

Postoperative radiation therapy substantially decreases local relapse and moderately reduces breast cancer mortality, but can be associated with increased late mortality due to cardiovascular morbidity and secondary malignancies. Sophistication of breast irradiation techniques, including conformal radiotherapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy, has been shown to markedly reduce cardiac and lung irradiation. The delivery of more conformal treatment can also be achieved with particle beam therapy using protons.

Long-term complete remission of laryngeal Kaposi's sarcoma after palliative radiotherapy.

Background: A 43-year-old Caucasian man presented with enlarged right laterocervical lymph nodes, and a 6-month history of diarrhea and 9 kg weight loss. His previous medical history was unremarkable. Physical examination and a cervical CT scan showed several indistinct necrotic right laterocervical lymph nodes of 4 cm maximal diameter, but with no lesions of the respiratory or digestive tracts.

EB-D fibronectin expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

ED-B fibronectin (ED-B FN), a glycoprotein involved in cell adhesion and migration, is expressed in fetal and neoplastic tissues and absent in their normal counterparts. The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression of this glycoprotein in relation to the histological and clinical data and to determine whether it has a prognostic value in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Ninety-five cases were assessed for ED-B FN expression using immunohistochemistry.

Kinetics and immunophenotypic characterization of circulating hematopoietic progenitor cells after peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

Background And Objectives: Hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) circulate in the peripheral blood (PB) before and after engraftment following autologous or allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT), although the characteristics of these cells are not known. CD34 protein is a reliable marker for identifying the fraction of hematopoietic cells in which HPC are contained. The CD34(+) cells represent a heterogeneous cell population consisting of both primitive uncommitted as well as pluripotent committed progenitors.

Epidermal growth factor receptor is a predictor of tumor response in locally advanced rectal cancer patients treated with preoperative radiotherapy.

Purpose: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression is observed in 50%-70% of colorectal carcinomas and is associated with poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to determine the EGFR expression rate in locally advanced rectal cancer and to analyze whether EGFR expression predicts tumor response to preoperative radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: Between December 1997 and October 2000, 45 patients were included.