Response-adapted consolidation therapy strategy for patients with metastatic high-risk neuroblastoma: Results of the SMC NB-2014 study.

Background: Tandem high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (HDCT/auto-SCT) and incorporation of I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (I-MIBG) treatment have shown positive outcomes in high-risk neuroblastoma. However, more optimized treatment strategies are still needed.

Procedure: The NB-2014 study was a nonrandomized, prospective trial that examined survival outcomes in metastatic high-risk neuroblastoma patients using response-adapted consolidation therapy.

Nomogram for radiation-induced lymphopenia in patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy based-chemoradiation therapy for newly diagnosed glioblastoma: A multi-institutional study.

Purpose: Severe lymphopenia (SLP) has emerged as a significant prognostic factor in glioblastoma. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)-based radiation therapy (RT) is suggested to minimize the risk of SLP. This study aimed to evaluate SLP incidence based on multi-institutional database in patients with GBM treated with IMRT and develop a predictive nomogram.

Long-term effects of local radiotherapy on growth and vertebral features in children with high-risk neuroblastoma.

Background: To evaluate the effects of local radiotherapy (RT) on growth, we evaluated the chronological growth profiles and vertebral features of children with high-risk neuroblastoma.

Methods: Thirty-eight children who received local photon or proton beam therapy to the abdomen or retroperitoneum between January 2014 and September 2019 were included. Simple radiography of the thoracolumbar spine was performed before and every year after RT.

Optimizing Recurrent Glioblastoma Salvage Treatment: A Multicenter Study Integrating Genetic Biomarkers From the Korean Radiation Oncology Group (21-02).

Background And Objectives: Few studies have used real-world patient data to compare overall treatment patterns and survival outcomes for recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM). This study aimed to evaluate postprogression survival (PPS) according to the treatment strategy for rGBM by incorporating biomarker analysis.

Methods: We assessed 468 adult patients with rGBM who underwent standard temozolomide-based chemoradiation.

Treatment Outcomes after Dose-Escalated Moderately Hypofractionated Radiotherapy for Frail Patients with High-Grade Glioma.

For high-grade glioma (HGG) patients with old age or poor performance status, hypofractionated radiotherapy (hypoRT) in 10-15 fractions is recommended. Also, limited data exist on the impact of salvage treatment after progression in frail patients. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of dose-escalated hypoRT in 40 frail HGG patients who were treated with hypoRT between 2013 and 2021.

Tandem High-Dose Chemotherapy Increases the Risk of Secondary Malignant Neoplasm in Pediatric Solid Tumors.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors for secondary malignant neoplasms (SMN) in pediatric solid tumors, focusing on the effects of tandem high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT).

Materials And Methods: Patients (aged < 19 years) diagnosed with or treated for pediatric solid tumors between 1994 and 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The cumulative incidence of SMN was estimated using competing risk methods by considering death as a competing risk.

Impact of boost sequence in concurrent chemo-radiotherapy on newly diagnosed IDH-wildtype glioblastoma multiforme.

Background: The standard of care for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is maximal surgical resection followed by conventional fractionated concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with a total dose of 60 Gy. However, there is currently no consensus on the optimal boost technique for CCRT in GBM.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 398 patients treated with CCRT between 2016 and 2021, using data from two institutional databases.

The utility of the perfusion index as an indicator of anesthetic depth for repeated propofol sedation in children: An observational study.

Background: Children receiving proton therapy require repeated sedation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the utility of the perfusion index (PI) for evaluating consciousness level during repeated propofol sedation.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, children aged from birth to 19 years old scheduled for proton therapy under repeated propofol sedation were enrolled.

The Korean Society for Neuro-Oncology (KSNO) Guideline for the Management of Brain Tumor Patients During the Crisis Period: A Consensus Survey About Specific Clinical Scenarios (Version 2023.1).

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there was a shortage of medical resources and the need for proper treatment guidelines for brain tumor patients became more pressing. Thus, the Korean Society for Neuro-Oncology (KSNO), a multidisciplinary academic society, has undertaken efforts to develop a guideline that is tailored to the domestic situation and that can be used in similar crisis situations in the future. As part II of the guideline, this consensus survey is to suggest management options in specific clinical scenarios during the crisis period.

Role of Radiotherapy in Patients With Relapsed Medulloblastoma.

During the last three decades, the management of medulloblastoma (MBL) has made enormous progress with a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating surgery, radiotherapy (RT), and chemotherapy. Despite this improvement, 20%-30% of patients with MBL remain at risk of disease recurrence, with its relapse being possibly fatal. To date, the salvage treatment for relapse remains challenging, and various approaches have been suggested for the retreatment.

Clinical Outcomes of Moderately Hypofractionated Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma.

Purpose: Hypofractionated radiotherapy (HypoRT) has recently been implemented in patients with glioblastoma (GBM) receiving concurrent temozolomide. Lymphopenia during treatment (LDT) is considered an important prognostic factor of clinical outcomes for GBM. We aimed to investigate the outcomes of HypoRT.

Postchemotherapy gross residual tumor in non-high-risk neuroblastoma: Clinical significance and the role of adjuvant therapy.

Background: Although survival rate among patients with non-high-risk neuroblastoma is excellent, a gross residual tumor (GRT) is often present at the end of treatment. However, reliable data do not exist on the relevance of a GRT for the risk of progression and the role of adjuvant therapy for patients with GRT.

Methods: A retrospective review of 131 patients with non-high-risk neuroblastoma who underwent chemotherapy was performed.

Recent Updates on Radiation Therapy for Pediatric Optic Pathway Glioma.

Optic pathway glioma (OPG) is a rare tumor located in optic nerve, optic tract, or optic chiasm. Treatment options for OPG include surgery, radiation therapy (RT), and chemotherapy. Although RT may provide favorable long-term outcomes in manner of either adjuvant or salvage aim, chemotherapy-first approach is increasingly performed due to possible late effects of RT.

The Overview of Practical Guidelines for Gliomas by KSNO, NCCN, and EANO.

Gliomas have been histologically diagnosed as the third most common primary tumor of the central nervous system (CNS) in a relatively small portion of Korea. Despite the rarity of gliomas, the disease entity is very dynamic due to its various molecular characteristics, compared with other CNS tumors. The practice of managing glioma patients is not globally established as a precise standard guideline because of the different socio-medical environments of individual countries.

Current trend of radiotherapy for glioblastoma in the elderly: a survey study by the brain tumor Committee of the Korean Radiation Oncology Group (KROG 21-05).

Background: To investigate the current variability in radiotherapy practice for elderly glioblastoma patients.

Methods: A questionnaire comprising general information on elderly glioblastoma, treatment selection, radiotherapy and 16 clinical case-scenario-based questions (based on age, performance, extent of resection and MGMT promoter methylation) was sent to brain tumor radiation oncologists.

Results: Twenty-one responses were recorded.

Suggestions for Escaping the Dark Ages for Pediatric Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma Treated with Radiotherapy: Analysis of Prognostic Factors from the National Multicenter Study.

Purpose: This multicenter retrospective study aimed to investigate clinical, radiologic, and treatment-related factors affecting survival in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) treated with radiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Patients aged <30 years who underwent radiotherapy as an initial treatment for DIPG between 2000 and 2018 were included; patients who did not undergo magnetic resonance imaging at diagnosis and those with pathologically diagnosed grade I glioma were excluded. We examined medical records of 162 patients collected from 10 participating centers in Korea.

Risk Stratification of Childhood Medulloblastoma Using Integrated Diagnosis: Discrepancies with Clinical Risk Stratification.

Background: Recent genomic studies identified four discrete molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma (MB), and the risk stratification of childhood MB in the context of subgroups was refined in 2015. In this study, we investigated the effect of molecular subgroups on the risk stratification of childhood MB.

Methods: The nCounter® system and a customized cancer panel were used for molecular subgrouping and risk stratification in archived tissues.

Selective salvage radiotherapy could provide favorable outcomes in patients with refractory or relapsed primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Introduction: To date, there is no relevant data supporting the role of salvage radiotherapy (sRT) in patients with refractory or relapsed primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). Herein, we aimed to investigate the impact of sRT in patients with refractory or relapsed PCNSL following upfront HD-MTX.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 89 patients who had refractory (n = 16) or recurrent disease after an initial favorable response (n = 73); among them, 41 were treated with sRT and 48 were treated without sRT (nRT).