Target volume motion during anal cancer image guided radiotherapy using cone-beam computed tomography.

Objective: Literature regarding image-guidance and interfractional motion of the anal canal (AC) during anal cancer radiotherapy is sparse. This study investigates interfractional AC motion during anal cancer radiotherapy.

Methods: Bone matched cone beam CT (CBCT) images were acquired for 20 patients receiving anal cancer radiotherapy allowing population systematic and random error calculations.

Magnetic resonance imaging defined mucinous rectal carcinoma is an independent imaging biomarker for poor prognosis and poor response to preoperative chemoradiotherapy.

Introduction: Mucinous adenocarcinomas represent a potentially poor prognostic subgroup identifiable by imaging. We compared outcomes between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected rectal mucinous carcinoma and adenocarcinomas. The diagnostic performance of MRI compared with initial biopsy in detecting mucinous adenocarcinoma was also assessed.

Chemoradiotherapy response in recurrent rectal cancer.

The efficacy of response to preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in recurrent versus primary rectal cancer has not been investigated. We compared radiological downsizing between primary and recurrent rectal cancers following CRT and determined the optimal size reduction threshold for response validated by survival outcomes. The proportional change in tumor length for primary and recurrent rectal cancers following CRT was compared using the independent sample t-test.

Cone beam CT verification for oesophageal cancer - impact of volume selected for image registration.

Purpose: Oesophageal cancers are difficult to visualise on volumetric imaging and reliable surrogate are needed for accurate tumour registration. The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the effect of a user defined volume with automated registration techniques using commercially available software with the on-board volumetric imaging for treatment verification of oesophageal cancer and determine the optimum location of this volume.

Material And Methods: In 20 patients four 'clipbox'(C) volumes were defined: C-planning target volume (PTV), C-carina, C-vertebrae, C-thorax.

Set-up errors in radiotherapy for oesophageal cancers--is electronic portal imaging or conebeam more accurate?

Purpose: To compare kV computed tomography (CBCT) with electronic portal imaging (EPI) and evaluate set-up variations in the anterior-posterior (AP), right-left (LR) and cranio-caudal (CC) directions and rotational variations: pitch, roll, and yaw, for oesophageal cancer patients treated with radical radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: Twenty patients with locally advanced oesophageal cancer treated with chemoradiation were consented for this prospective ethics approved protocol. Patients were positioned using skin marks/tattoos, kV-CBCT scans (XVI) and EPI's were performed prior to treatment and registered to the planning CT scans and digitally reconstructed radiographs, respectively.

Cone beam computed tomography-derived adaptive radiotherapy for radical treatment of esophageal cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the potential for reduction in normal tissue irradiation by creating a patient specific planning target volume (PTV) using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging acquired in the first week of radiotherapy for patients receiving radical radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: Patients receiving radical RT for carcinoma of the esophagus were investigated. The PTV is defined as CTV(tumor, nodes) plus esophagus outlined 3 to 5 cm cranio-caudally and a 1.

Non-operative treatment after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer.

The past decade has seen pronounced changes in the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer. Historically, the standard of care involved surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. More recently, the emergence of neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy has fundamentally changed the management of patients with locally advanced disease.

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer reduces volume of bowel treated to high dose levels.

Purpose: To investigate the potential for intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) to spare the bowel in rectal tumors.

Methods And Materials: The targets (pelvic nodal and rectal volumes), bowel, and bladder were outlined in 5 patients. All had conventional, three-dimensional conformal RT and forward-planned multisegment three-field IMRT plans compared with inverse-planned simultaneous integrated boost nine-field equally spaced IMRT plans.

Impact of radiotherapy parameters on outcome in the International Society of Paediatric Oncology/United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group PNET-3 study of preradiotherapy chemotherapy for M0-M1 medulloblastoma.

Purpose: To analyze the impact of radiotherapy (RT) parameters on outcome in a randomized study of pre-RT chemotherapy for M0-M1 medulloblastoma.

Methods And Materials: Patients were randomized to RT alone or RT preceded by chemotherapy with vincristine, etoposide, carboplatin, and cyclophosphamide. RT consisted of craniospinal RT, 35 Gy in 21 fractions, followed by a posterior fossa (PF) boost of 20 Gy in 12 fractions.

Can the irradiated uterus sustain a pregnancy? A literature review.

A significant number of adult pre- menopausal women are offered pelvic radical radiotherapy as part of the management of their malignancy. Advances in human reproductive research are making pregnancy a possibility for these women, but ovarian function, however, is not the only requirement for establishing and maintaining a pregnancy that will result in the delivery of a normal infant. The processes of implantation, fetal and placental development and labour require normal cervical structure and function.

Molecular pharmacology of cancer therapy in human colorectal cancer by gene expression profiling.

Global gene expression profiling has potential for elucidating the complex cellular effects and mechanisms of action of novel targeted anticancer agents or existing chemotherapeutics for which the precise molecular mechanism of action may be unclear. In this study, decreased expression of genes required for RNA and protein synthesis, and for metabolism were detected in rectal cancer biopsies taken from patients during a 5-fluorouracil infusion. Our observations demonstrate that this approach is feasible and can detect responses that may have otherwise been missed by conventional methods.

Results of a randomized study of preradiation chemotherapy versus radiotherapy alone for nonmetastatic medulloblastoma: The International Society of Paediatric Oncology/United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group PNET-3 Study.

Purpose: To determine whether preradiotherapy (RT) chemotherapy would improve outcome for Chang stage M0-1 medulloblastoma when compared with RT alone. Chemotherapy comprised vincristine 1.5 mg/m2 weekly for 10 weeks and four cycles of etoposide 100 mg/m2 daily for 3 days, and carboplatin 500 mg/m2 daily for 2 days alternating with cyclophosphamide 1.