Ulcerating skin lesions from blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm responding to low-dose radiotherapy-a case report and literature review.

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare hematologic malignancy that can manifest with skin nodules and erythematous plaques. In most cases BPDCN progresses rapidly, causing multiple skin lesions and also affecting internal organs and bone marrow, warranting initiation of systemic therapies or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). Although not curative, radiotherapy for isolated lesions might be indicated in case of (imminent) ulceration and large or symptomatic lesions.

The Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Radiation Therapy Treatment Simulation and Planning.

Ever since its introduction as a diagnostic imaging tool the potential of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in radiation therapy (RT) treatment simulation and planning has been recognized. Recent technical advances have addressed many of the impediments to use of this technology and as a result have resulted in rapid and growing adoption of MRI in RT. The purpose of this article is to provide a broad review of the multiple uses of MR in the RT treatment simulation and planning process, identify several of the most used clinical scenarios in which MR is integral to the simulation and planning process, highlight existing limitations and provide multiple unmet needs thereby highlighting opportunities for the diagnostic MR imaging community to contribute and collaborate with our oncology colleagues.

Pulmonary magnetic resonance-guided online adaptive radiotherapy of locally advanced: the PUMA trial.

Background: Patients with locally-advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) are often ineligible for surgery, so that definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) represents the treatment of choice. Nevertheless, long-term tumor control is often not achieved. Intensification of radiotherapy (RT) to improve locoregional tumor control is limited by the detrimental effect of higher radiation exposure of thoracic organs-at-risk (OAR).

Is consolidative thoracic radiotherapy of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer still beneficial in the era of immunotherapy? A retrospective analysis.

Purpose: Extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) carries a dismal prognosis. The benefit of consolidative thoracic radiotherapy (TR) after first-line chemoimmunotherapy with PD-L1 inhibitors in this setting remains unclear. As TR can improve overall survival (OS) after conventional chemotherapy, we retrospectively analyzed OS of an inhouse cohort treated either with TR or with chemoimmunotherapy alone.

Radiotherapy and hyperthermia for breast cancer patients at high risk of recurrence.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of combined radiotherapy (RT) and hyperthermia (HT) in a large mono-institutional cohort of breast cancer (BC) patients affected by recurrent, newly diagnosed non-resectable or high risk resected tumor.

Materials And Methods: Records of BC patients treated with RT + HT between 1995 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. RT doses of 50-70 Gy concurrent to a twice per week superficial HT were applied.

Biomarker signatures for primary radiochemotherapy of locally advanced HNSCC - Hypothesis generation on a multicentre cohort of the DKTK-ROG.

Purpose: To develop prognostic biomarker signatures for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated by primary radiochemotherapy (RCTx) based on previously published molecular analyses of the retrospective biomarker study of the German Cancer Consortium - Radiation Oncology Group (DKTK-ROG).

Material And Methods: In previous studies on the retrospective DKTK-ROG HNSCC cohort treated with primary RCTx, the following clinical parameters and biomarkers were evaluated and found to be significantly associated with loco-regional tumour control (LRC) or overall survival (OS): tumour volume, p16 status, expression of cancer stem cell markers CD44 and SLC3A2, expressions of hypoxia-associated gene signatures, tumour mutational burden (TMB), single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ERCC2 gene (rs1799793, rs13181) and ERCC5 gene (rs17655) as well as the expression of CXCR4, SDF-1 and CD8. These biomarkers were combined in multivariable modelling using Cox-regression with backward variable selection.

γH2AX foci assay in glioblastoma: Surgical specimen versus corresponding stem cell culture.

Aim: To assess radiation response using γH2AX assay in surgical specimens from glioblastoma (GB) patients and their corresponding primary gliosphere culture. To test the hypothesis that gliospheres (stem cell enriched) are more resistant than specimens (bulky cell dominated) but that the interpatient heterogeneity is similar.

Material And Methods: Ten pairs of specimens and corresponding gliospheres derived from patients with IDH-wildtype GB were studied.

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.

ERCC2 gene single-nucleotide polymorphism as a prognostic factor for locally advanced head and neck carcinomas after definitive cisplatin-based radiochemotherapy.

Identifying patients with locally advanced head and neck carcinoma on high risk of recurrence after definitive concurrent radiochemotherapy is of key importance for the selection for consolidation therapy and for individualized treatment intensification. In this multicenter study we analyzed recurrence-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA repair genes in tumor DNA from 132 patients with locally advanced head and neck carcinoma (LadHnSCC). Patients were treated with definitive radiotherapy and simultaneous cisplatin-based chemotherapy at six partner sites of the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Radiation Oncology Group from 2005 to 2011.

Partial breast irradiation with the 1.5 T MR-Linac: First patient treatment and analysis of electron return and stream effects.

Introduction: External beam partial breast irradiation (PBI) provides equal oncological outcomes compared to whole breast irradiation when applied to patients with low risk tumours. Recently, linacs with an integrated magnetic resonance image-guidance system have become clinically available. Here we report the first-in-human PBI performed at the 1.

SDF-1/CXCR4 expression in head and neck cancer and outcome after postoperative radiochemotherapy.

Introduction: Outcome after postoperative radiochemotherapy (RT-CT) for patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) remains unsatisfactory, especially among those with HPV negative tumours. Therefore, new biomarkers are needed to further define subgroups for individualised therapeutic approaches. Preclinical and first clinical observations showed that the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand SDF-1 (CXCL12) play an important role in tumour cell proliferation, survival, cancer progression, metastasis and treatment resistance.

SDF-1/CXCR4 expression is an independent negative prognostic biomarker in patients with head and neck cancer after primary radiochemotherapy.

Introduction: Preclinical and clinical data suggest that the chemokine pathway governed by SDF-1 and CXCR4 contributes to a resistant phenotype. This retrospective biomarker study aims to explore the specific prognostic value of SDF-1 and CXCR4 expression in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) treated with primary radiochemotherapy (RT-CT).

Material And Methods: Biopsies from 141 HNSCC tumours of the oral cavity, oropharynx and hypopharynx were evaluated for SDF-1 and CXCR4 expression by immunofluorescence.

Ex vivo γH2AX radiation sensitivity assay in prostate cancer: Inter-patient and intra-patient heterogeneity.

Introduction: The aim of the study is to assess inter-patient and intra-patient heterogeneity in tumour cell radiosensitivity using the ex vivo γH2AX assay in prostate cancer specimens.

Methods: Excised specimens from untreated prostate cancer patients were cultivated 24h in media, irradiated ex vivo and fixed after 24h. Residual γH2AX foci were counted and the slope of the dose response was calculated.

Hypofractionation with no boost after breast conservation in early-stage breast cancer patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate local control, survival and toxicity profile of a consecutive cohort of early-stage breast cancer (EBC) patients treated with adjuvant hypofractionated radiotherapy (HF) with no boost delivered to the lumpectomy cavity, after breast-conserving surgery (BCS). Between 2005 and 2015, a total of 493 women affected with EBC were treated with HF (46 Gy/20 fractions or 40.05 Gy/15 fractions) to the whole breast without boost to tumor bed, because of age and/or favorable tumor characteristics.

Residual γH2AX foci after ex vivo irradiation of patient samples with known tumour-type specific differences in radio-responsiveness.

Purpose: To apply our previously published residual ex vivo γH2AX foci method to patient-derived tumour specimens covering a spectrum of tumour-types with known differences in radiation response. In addition, the data were used to simulate different experimental scenarios to simplify the method.

Materials And Methods: Evaluation of residual γH2AX foci in well-oxygenated tumour areas of ex vivo irradiated patient-derived tumour specimens with graded single doses was performed.

Once-Weekly Hypofractionated Whole-Breast Radiotherapy After Breast-Conserving Surgery in Older Patients: A Potential Alternative Treatment Schedule to Daily 3-Week Hypofractionation.

Background: The purpose of this study was to retrospectively report clinical outcomes on a consecutive series of older early breast cancer patients treated with once-weekly adjuvant whole-breast radiation therapy (WBRT) after breast-conserving surgery (BCS).

Patients And Methods: A total of 291 patients (298 breasts) were treated with WBRT between 2007 and 2013. Patients were given 6 to 6.