Elective Nodal Irradiation for Oligorecurrent Nodal Prostate Cancer: Interobserver Variability in the PEACE V-STORM Randomized Phase 2 Trial.

Purpose: Consistency in delineation of pelvic lymph node regions for prostate cancer elective nodal radiation therapy is still challenging despite current guidelines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interobserver variability in elective lymph node delineation in the PEACE V  STORM randomized phase 2 trial for oligorecurrent nodal prostate cancer.

Methods And Materials: Twenty-three centers were asked to delineate the elective pelvic nodal clinical target volume (CTV) of a postoperative oligorecurrent nodal prostate cancer benchmark case using a modified Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 2009 template (upper limit at the L4/L5 interspace).

Urinary toxicity after salvage re-irradiation for prostate cancer local failure after definitive radiotherapy: a clinical and dosimetric prognostic factors analysis.

Purpose: Predictors of long-term toxicity after prostate cancer re-irradiation are scarce. In this study, we retrospectively assessed the impact of clinical/dosimetric data on late genitourinary (GU) toxicity on fourteen radio-recurrent prostate cancer patients treated with salvage radiotherapy (RT).

Material And Methods: To identify dose parameters and clinical factors potentially associated to severe long-term GU toxicity, study population was stratified in two groups according to toxicity, including one low-grade group (grade ≤ 2, = 6) and one high-grade group (grade ≥ 3, = 8).

Oligorecurrent nodal prostate cancer: Radiotherapy quality assurance of the randomized PEACE V-STORM phase II trial.

Purpose: Aim of this study is to report the results of the radiotherapy quality assurance program of the PEACE V-STORM randomized phase II trial for pelvic nodal oligorecurrent prostate cancer (PCa).

Material And Methods: A benchmark case (BC) consisting of a postoperative case with 2 nodal recurrences was used for both stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT, 30 Gy/3 fx) and whole pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT, 45 Gy/25 fx + SIB boost to 65 Gy).

Results: BC of 24 centers were analyzed.

Combined hyperthermia and radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a systematic review.

Optimization of treatment strategies for prostate cancer patients treated with curative radiation therapy (RT) represents one of the major challenges for the radiation oncologist. Dose escalation or combination of RT with systemic therapies is used to improve tumor control in patients with unfavorable prostate cancer, at the risk of increasing rates and severity of treatment-related toxicities. Elevation of temperature to a supra-physiological level has been shown to both increase tumor oxygenation and reduce DNA repair capabilities.

Prone versus supine free-breathing for right-sided whole breast radiotherapy.

Prone setup has been advocated to improve organ sparing in whole breast radiotherapy without impairing breast coverage. We evaluate the dosimetric advantage of prone setup for the right breast and look for predictors of the gain. Right breast cancer patients treated in 2010-2013 who had a dual supine and prone planning were retrospectively identified.

Bilateral metallic hip implants: Are avoidance sectors necessary for pelvic VMAT treatments?

Purpose: Metallic hip implants (MHI) are common in elderly patients. For pelvic cancers radiotherapy, conventional approaches consist of MHI avoidance during treatment planning, which leads, especially in case of bilateral MHI, to a decreased quality or increased complexity of the treatment plan. The aim of this study is to investigate the necessity of using avoidance sectors (AvSe) using a 2-arcs coplanar pelvic volumetric modulated arc-therapy (VMAT) planning.

Treatment by low-dose brain radiation therapy improves memory performances without changes of the amyloid load in the TgF344-AD rat model.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition affecting memory performance. This pathology is characterized by intracerebral amyloid plaques and tau tangles coupled with neuroinflammation. During the last century, numerous therapeutic trials unfortunately failed highlighting the need to find new therapeutic approaches.

Is prone free breathing better than supine deep inspiration breath-hold for left whole-breast radiotherapy? A dosimetric analysis.

Purpose: The advantage of prone setup compared with supine for left-breast radiotherapy is controversial. We evaluate the dosimetric gain of prone setup and aim to identify predictors of the gain.

Methods: Left-sided breast cancer patients who had dual computed tomography (CT) planning in prone free breathing (FB) and supine deep inspiration breath-hold (DiBH) were retrospectively identified.

Efficacy and Safety of Non-Anesthesiologist Administration of Propofol Sedation in Endoscopic Ultrasound: A Propensity Score Analysis.

In spite of promising preliminary results, evidence supporting the use of non-anesthesiologist-administered propofol sedation (NAAP) in endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) procedures is still limited. The aim of this manuscript was to examine the safety and efficacy of NAAP as compared to anesthesiologist-administered propofol sedation in EUS procedures performed in a referral center. Out of 832 patients referred to our center between 2016 and 2019, after propensity score matching two groups were compared: 305 treated with NAAP and 305 controls who underwent anesthesiologist-administered propofol sedation.

Two-Level Factorial Pre-TomoBreast Pilot Study of Tomotherapy and Conventional Radiotherapy in Breast Cancer: Post Hoc Utility of a Mean Absolute Dose Deviation Penalty Score.

Background: A 2-level factorial pilot study was conducted in 2007 just before starting a randomized clinical trial comparing tomotherapy and conventional radiotherapy (CR) to reduce cardiac and pulmonary adverse effects in breast cancer, considering tumor laterality (left/right), target volume (with/without nodal irradiation), surgery (tumorectomy/mastectomy), and patient position (prone/supine). The study was revisited using a penalty score based on the recently developed mean absolute dose deviation (MADD).

Methods: Eight patients with a unique combination of laterality, nodal coverage, and surgery underwent dual tomotherapy and CR treatment planning in both prone and supine positions, providing 32 distinct combinations.

3D printing for dosimetric optimization and quality assurance in small animal irradiations using megavoltage X-rays.

Purpose: New therapeutic options in radiotherapy (RT) are often explored in preclinical in-vivo studies using small animals. We report here on the feasibility of modern megavoltage (MV) linear accelerator (LINAC)-based RT for small animals using easy-to-use consumer 3D printing technology for dosimetric optimization and quality assurance (QA).

Methods: In this study we aimed to deliver 5×2Gy to the half-brain of a rat using a 4MV direct hemi-field X-ray beam.

Atlas Sampling for Prone Breast Automatic Segmentation of Organs at Risk: The Importance of Patients' Body Mass Index and Breast Cup Size for an Optimized Contouring of the Heart and the Coronary Vessels.

Objective: Delineation of organs at risk is a time-consuming task. This study evaluates the benefits of using single-subject atlas-based automatic segmentation of organs at risk in patients with breast cancer treated in prone position, with 2 different criteria for choosing the atlas subject. Together with laterality (left/right), the criteria used were either (1) breast volume or (2) body mass index and breast cup size.

Electromagnetic Transponder Localization and Real-Time Tracking for Prostate Cancer Radiation Therapy: Clinical Impact of Metallic Hip Prostheses.

Purpose: Our purpose was to assess the ability of electromagnetic transponders (EMTs) to localize and track movements in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) with metallic hip prostheses (MHPs) treated with curative radiation therapy (RT).

Methods And Materials: Data sets of 8 PCa patients with MHPs (3 bilateral and 5 unilateral) treated between 2016 and 2018 with RT and EMT tracking were retrospectively assessed. The distances between the 3 EMTs (apex to left, left to right, right to apex) and the isocenter were calculated both on planning computed tomography (CT) and cone beam CT (CBCT) at the first treatment fraction and compared with data reported by Calypso.

Image-guided total-body irradiation with a movable electronic portal imaging device for bone marrow transplant conditioning.

Introduction: To prevent radiation pneumonitis following total body irradiation (TBI) clinicians usually use lung shield blocks. The correct position of these shields relative to the patient's lungs is usually verified via mega-voltage imaging and computed radiographic (CR) films. In order to improve this time-consuming procedure, we developed in our department a dedicated, movable, real-time imaging system for image-guided TBI.

Clinical experience with lung-specific electromagnetic transponders for real-time tumor tracking in lung stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Background And Purposes: Motion management is crucial for optimal stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) of moving targets. We aimed to describe our clinical experience with real-time tracking of lung-specific electromagnetic transponders (EMTs) for SBRT of early stage non-small cell lung cancer in free-breathing (FB) or deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH).

Material And Methods: Seven patients were implanted with EMTs.

The mean absolute dose deviation-A common metric for the evaluation of dose-volume histograms in radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy needs to balance between delivering a high dose to targets and the lowest possible dose to the organs at risk. Dose-volume histograms (DVHs) summarize the distribution of radiation doses in the irradiated structures. The interpretation can however be a challenge when the number of structures is high.

Salvage reirradiation for local failure of prostate cancer after curative radiation therapy: Association of rectal toxicity with dose distribution and normal-tissue complication probability models.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the impact of radiation dose on rectal toxicity after salvage external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with or without a brachytherapy boost for exclusive local failures after the primary EBRT for prostate cancer.

Methods And Materials: Fourteen patients with no severe residual late toxicity after primary EBRT ± brachytherapy were reirradiated after a median time interval of 6.1 years.

Improving 3D-printing of megavoltage X-rays radiotherapy bolus with surface-scanner.

Background: Computed tomography (CT) data used for patient radiotherapy planning can nowadays be used to create 3D-printed boluses. Nevertheless, this methodology requires a second CT scan and planning process when immobilization masks are used in order to fit the bolus under it for treatment. This study investigates the use of a high-grade surface-scanner to produce, prior to the planning CT scan, a 3D-printed bolus in order to increase the workflow efficiency, improve treatment quality and avoid extra radiation dose to the patient.

Contouring workload in adjuvant breast cancer radiotherapy.

Purpose: To measure the impact of contouring on worktime in the adjuvant radiation treatment of breast cancer, and to identify factors that might affect the measurements.

Material And Methods: The dates and times of contouring clinical target volumes and organs at risk were recorded by a senior and by two junior radiation oncologists. Outcome measurements were contour times and the time from start to approval.

Interleukin-12 and Interleukin-23 Blockade in Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency Type 1.

A patient with leukocyte adhesion deficiency type 1 (LAD1) had severe periodontitis and an intractable, deep, nonhealing sacral wound. We had previously found a dominant interleukin-23-interleukin-17 signature at inflamed sites in humans with LAD1 and in mouse models of the disorder. Blockade of this pathway in mouse models has resulted in resolution of the immunopathologic condition.

Reirradiation of Prostate Cancer Local Failures After Previous Curative Radiation Therapy: Long-Term Outcome and Tolerance.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety, feasibility, side-effect profile, and proof of concept of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with or without a brachytherapy (BT) boost for salvage of exclusive local failure after primary EBRT for prostate cancer.

Methods And Materials: Fourteen patients with presumed exclusive local recurrence after primary EBRT with or without BT were considered eligible for reirradiation. The median normalized total dose in 2-Gy fractions (NTD2Gy, α/β ratio = 1.