Almost one year of COVID-19 pandemic: how radiotherapy centers have counteracted its impact on cancer treatment in Lombardy, Italy. CODRAL/AIRO-L study.

Lombardy has represented the Italian and European epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Although most clinical efforts within hospitals were diverted towards the care of virally infected patients, therapies for patients with cancer, including radiotherapy (RT), have continued. During both the first and second pandemic waves, several national and regional organizations provided Italian and Lombardian RT departments with detailed guidelines aimed at ensuring safe treatments during the pandemic.

Back to (new) normality-A CODRAL/AIRO-L survey on cancer radiotherapy in Lombardy during Italian COVID-19 phase 2.

Background: Italy experienced one of the world's severest COVID-19 outbreak, with Lombardy being the most afflicted region. However, the imposed safety measures allowed to flatten the epidemic curve and hence to ease the restrictions and inaugurate, on the 4th of May 2020, the Italian phase (P) 2 of the pandemic. The present survey study, endorsed by CODRAL and AIRO-L, aimed to assess how radiotherapy (RT) departments in Lombardy have dealt with the recovery.

Equipment, staffing, and provision of radiotherapy in Lombardy, Italy: Results of three surveys performed between 2012 and 2016.

Introduction:: Several efforts are being implemented at the European level to measure provision of up-to-date radiation treatments across the continent.

Methods:: A snapshot survey involving all radiation oncology centers within Lombardy, Italy, was performed in 2012 and repeated in 2014 and 2016, in cooperation with regional governmental officers. Centers were asked to provide detailed information concerning all individual patients being treated on the index day, and to report data on available local resources.

Urinary bladder preservation for muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a survey among radiation oncologists of Lombardy, Italy.

Aims And Background: Bladder preservation is a treatment option in muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma. The most investigated approach is a trimodality schedule including maximum transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) followed by chemoradiotherapy. Our aim was to evaluate the use of bladder preservation by radiation oncologists of the Lombardy region in Italy.

Long-term biochemical control of prostate cancer after standard or hyper-fractionation: evidence for different outcomes between low-intermediate and high risk patients.

Background And Purpose: To report the long-term biochemical control of a non-randomized trial comparing standard (STD) and hyper-fractionated (HFX) radiation schedules for prostate cancer treatment.

Materials And Methods: Between 1993 and 2003, 370 patients entered the study; 330/370 (STD: 179; HFX: 151) were evaluable for current analysis. Median doses were 79.

Italian survey in postoperative radiation therapy for prostate carcinoma by the AIRO National Working Group on Prostate Radiotherapy: definitive results.

Aims And Background: The National Working Group on Prostate Radiotherapy of AIRO (Associazione Italiana Radioterapia Oncologica, Italian Association of Radiotherapeutic Oncology) was established in March 2001. A retrospective multi-center survey was performed to analyze the patterns of care for prostate cancer patients treated with postoperative radiotherapy following radical prostatectomy in Italy with regard to the year 2000.

Materials And Methods: A structured questionnaire was mailed to 47 Italian radiotherapy centers to assess patient accrual in the postoperative setting in the interval comprised between period January-December 2000.

Is the alpha-beta ratio of prostate cancer really low? A prospective, non-randomized trial comparing standard and hyperfractionated conformal radiation therapy.

Background And Purpose: The objectives of the current study were to compare genito-urinary (GU) and gastro-intestinal (GI) toxicities as well as biochemical control (bRFS) in prostate cancer, utilizing conventional (2.0 Gy daily) (STD) or hyperfractionated (HFX) conformal irradiation (CRT). HFX (1.