Patterns-of-care disparities among uninsured versus insured patients with anorectal carcinoma referred for radiotherapy at an Urban Safety-Net Hospital.

Background: To compare patterns-of-care and clinical outcomes among uninsured versus insured patients (IPs) with anorectal malignancies referred for radiotherapy at an urban safety-net hospital. This topic is important because uninsured patients (UPs) in the US often have limited access to health care, which can result in worse health outcomes.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 59 patients with biopsy-proven, non-metastatic anal and rectal cancers who received curative-intent primary or neoadjuvant/adjuvant radiotherapy between May 2002 and August 2012.

Adjuvant I-131 therapy for T0-3 N1b M0 differentiated thyroid cancer with many (≥ 5) positive nodes.

Background: In patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer, there is controversy about the prognostic importance of a large number of positive neck nodes and the potential value of radioiodine therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this issue in the group of patients for whom it is most clinically important - those with classic histology and favorable T and M stage.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-five patients met the following inclusion criteria: classic histology of papillary or follicular thyroid carcinoma treated with total thyroidectomy and neck dissection followed by adjuvant I-131 treatment in our department between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2013; adult age of > 21 years; and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC ) stage (8 edition) of T0-3, N1b with ≥ 5 positive nodes, and M0.

Practical Considerations for Single Isocenter LINAC Radiosurgery of Multiple Brain Metastases.

The purpose of this paper is to summarize treatment guidelines for the performance of single isocenter LINAC radiosurgery of multiple brain metastases developed and used by 3 experienced centers. This article is not meant to provide consensus guidelines. Rather, this is a practical, "how we do it" reference without substantial discussion.

Postoperative or Salvage Proton Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer After Radical Prostatectomy.

Purpose: Postprostatectomy radiation improves disease control, but limited data exist regarding outcomes, toxicities, and patient-reported quality of life with proton therapy.

Method And Materials: The first 102 patients who were enrolled on an outcome tracking protocol between 2006 and 2017 and treated with double-scattered proton therapy after prostatectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Eleven (11%) received adjuvant radiation, while 91 (89%) received salvage radiation.

Proton therapy for skull-base chondrosarcoma, a single-institution outcomes study.

Background: We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of definitive or adjuvant external-beam proton therapy on local control and survival in patients with skull-base chondrosarcoma.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 43 patients with a median age of 49 years (range, 23-80 years) treated with double-scattered 3D conformal proton therapy for skull-base chondrosarcomas between January 2007 and February 2016. Proton therapy-related toxicities were scored using CTCAE v4.

Proton therapy for thymic malignancies: multi-institutional patterns-of-care and early clinical outcomes from the proton collaborative group and the university of Florida prospective registries.

Thymic malignancies (TM) are rare tumors with long-term survivorship, causing concerns for radiotherapy-related late side effects. Proton therapy (PT) reduces the radiation dose to organs at risk, potentially decreasing long-term toxicities while preserving disease control. We report patterns-of-care and early clinical outcomes after PT for thymoma and thymic carcinoma.

Cetuximab-associated pulmonary toxicity in concurrent chemoradiation for the treatment of a squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Background: Cetuximab is a common EGFR monoclonal antibody used with radiotherapy to treat head-and-neck cancer. Severe pulmonary toxicity, including interstitial lung disease (ILD), caused by cetuximab is rare.

Methods: We describe a patient who developed ILD and acute respiratory failure after concurrent chemoradiation with cetuximab for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and review the literature.

Proton therapy for skull base tumors: A review of clinical outcomes for chordomas and chondrosarcomas.

Background: Skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas are rare tumors traditionally treated by surgical resection and adjuvant radiation therapy (RT). We will discuss data evaluating clinical outcomes of proton therapy in the treatment of skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas.

Methods: A literature review was performed using a MEDLINE search from January 1990 to January 2017.

Radiotherapy for extranodal classic Hodgkin lymphoma of the maxillary sinus: Case report and literature review.

Background: Classic Hodgkin lymphoma is a malignant neoplasm of the lymphatic system that commonly presents with cervical and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Primary extranodal disease of the head and neck is rare, with only a few cases reported in the literature. In this case report, we describe the presentation, treatment, and clinical outcome of a patient who presented with extranodal Hodgkin lymphoma of the maxillary sinus.

Rationale and early outcomes for the management of thymoma with proton therapy.

Background: Radiotherapy for thymic malignancies is technically challenging due to their close proximity to the heart, lungs, esophagus, and breasts, raising concerns about significant acute and late toxicities from conventional photon radiotherapy. Proton therapy (PT) may reduce the radiation dose to these vital organs, leading to less toxicity. We reviewed the dosimetry and outcomes among patients treated with PT for thymic malignancies at our institution.

Positive Surgical Margins in Favorable-Stage Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

Objective: The significance of positive margin in favorable-stage well-differentiated thyroid cancer is controversial. We report outcomes of positive-margin patients with a matched-pair comparison to a negative-margin group.

Materials And Methods: A total of 25 patients with classic-histology papillary or follicular carcinoma, total thyroidectomy +/- node dissection, stage T1-3N0-1bM0, positive surgical margin at primary site, adjuvant radioactive iodine (I-131), and age older than 18 years were treated between 2003 and 2013.

Tailored, interactive text messages for enhancing weight loss among African American adults: the TRIMM randomized controlled trial.

Background: Helping patients control obesity remains a clinical challenge for internists, and African Americans experience obesity rates higher than other racial/ethnic groups.

Purpose: To investigate whether a behavioral theory-based mobile health intervention would enhance weight loss when added to standard care among overweight/obese African American adults.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial of 124 adults recruited from Baltimore-area African American churches.

Mandibular condyle erosion and sclerosis in pediatric patients treated with radiotherapy to the head and neck region.

Head and neck radiotherapy in children is associated with significant acute and late morbidities. Temporomandibular joint dysfunction and trismus has been widely reported in patients receiving radiotherapy for sarcomas and nasopharyngeal carcinoma; however, erosion of the mandibular condyle is a rare sequela of modern radiotherapy techniques. In this report, we present three cases of erosion of the temporomandibular joint amongst pediatric patients treated with radiotherapy for distinct head, neck and brain malignancies.