New methodology of TMB assessment from tissue and liquid biopsy in NSCLC.

Immunotherapy has dramatically influenced and changed therapeutical approach in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in recent five years. Even though we can reach long-term response to this treatment in approximately 20% of patients with NSCLC, we are still not able to identify this cohort of patients based on predictive biomarkers. In our study we have focused on tumor mutation burden (TMB), one of the potential biomarkers which could predict effectiveness of check-point inhibitors, but has several limitations, especially in multiple approaches to TMB quantification and ununiform threshold.

Stereotactic radiotherapy for spinal hemangioblastoma - disease control and volume analysis in long-term follow up.

Background: This retrospective analysis evaluated the long-term outcome of spinal stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) treatment for hemangioblastomas.

Materials And Methods: Between 2010 and 2018, 5 patients with 18 Von-Hippel Lindau-related pial-based spinal hemangioblastomas were treated with fractionated SBRT. After precisely registering images of all relevant datasets, we delineated the gross tumor volume, spinal cord (including intramedullary cysts and/or syrinxes), and past radiotherapy regions.

Stereotactic radiosurgery for ablation of ventricular tachycardia.

Aims: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for ventricular tachycardias (VTs) could be an option after failed catheter ablation. In this study, we analysed the long-term efficacy and toxicity of SBRT applied as a bail-out procedure.

Methods And Results: Patients with structural heart disease and unsuccessful catheter ablations for VTs underwent SBRT.

[Intensity Modulated Hyperfractionated Accelerated Radiotherapy to Treat Advanced Head and Neck Cancer - Predictive Factors of Overall Survival].

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate overall survival (OS) and prognostic factors in patients ineligible for chemotherapy who were treated with a hyperfractionated accelerated schedule with simultaneous integrated boost.

Material And Methods: From May, 2008, to April, 2013, 122 patients with locally advanced nonmetastatic squamous laryngeal (14%), hypopharyngeal (30%), oropharyngeal (30%), and oral cavity (27%) cancer were treated at our institution. The median age, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), and gross tumor volume (GTV) of the patients were 63 years (range, 46-87 years), 80% (range, 50-100%), and 46 ml (range, 5-250 ml), resp.

[Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy of Prostate Cancer - Effectiveness and Toxicity].

Background: Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer in males and its incidence is steadily increasing. Most cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed during the early asymptomatic period, in which case the prognosis is very good. Therapies differ widely in their efficacies and toxicities, and this is an important consideration when it comes to deciding which treatment is optimal for a particular patient.

PM10 Air Pollution and Acute Hospital Admissions for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Causes in Ostrava.

Background And Aim: The city of Ostrava and its surroundings belong to the most long-therm polluted areas in the Czech Republic and Europe. For identification of health risk, the World Health Organization recommends a theoretical estimation of increased short-term PM concentrations effect on hospital admissions for cardiac complaints based on a 0.6% increase per 10 µg.

Analysis of Lung Tumor Motion in a Large Sample: Patterns and Factors Influencing Precise Delineation of Internal Target Volume.

Purpose/objective: To evaluate lung tumor motion during respiration and to describe factors affecting the range and variability of motion in patients treated with stereotactic ablative radiation therapy.

Methods And Materials: Log file analysis from online respiratory tumor tracking was performed in 145 patients. Geometric tumor location in the lungs, tumor volume and origin (primary or metastatic), sex, and tumor motion amplitudes in the superior-inferior (SI), latero-lateral (LL), and anterior-posterior (AP) directions were recorded.

A single reference measurement can predict liver tumor motion during respiration.

Aim: To evaluate liver tumor motion and how well reference measurement predicts motion during treatment.

Material And Methods: This retrospective study included 20 patients with colorectal cancer that had metastasized to the liver who were treated with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy. An online respiratory tumor tracking system was used.

Assessing needs of family members of inpatients with advanced cancer.

To provide high-quality and effective cancer care, problems and unmet needs of family members during their relatives' hospitalisation have to be identified as well. The aims were to determine how needs of family members of patients with terminal cancer are met and to analyse factors that influence them. The needs were assessed with the Family Inventory of Needs.

Fulvestrant 500 mg Versus Anastrozole 1 mg for the First-Line Treatment of Advanced Breast Cancer: Overall Survival Analysis From the Phase II FIRST Study.

Purpose: To compare overall survival (OS) for fulvestrant 500 mg versus anastrozole as first-line endocrine therapy for advanced breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: The Fulvestrant First-Line Study Comparing Endocrine Treatments (FIRST) was a phase II, randomized, open-label, multicenter trial. Postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive, locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer who had no previous therapy for advanced disease received either fulvestrant 500 mg (days 0, 14, 28, and every 28 days thereafter) or anastrozole 1 mg (daily).

Hyperfractionated stereotactic reirradiation for recurrent head and neck cancer.

Purpose: The goal of this work was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of hyperfractionated stereotactic reirradiation (re-RT) as a treatment for inoperable, recurrent, or second primary head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) that is not suitable for systemic treatment.

Patients And Materials: Forty patients with recurrent or second primary HNSCC were included in this study. The patients had a median gross tumor volume of 76 ml (range 14-193 ml) and a previous radiotherapy dose greater than 60 Gy.

[Assessment of the spiritual needs of patients in palliative care].

The appraisal and the right diagnostics of all needs and problems of patients, including the spiritual needs, are unavoidable for increase of the quality of the all-embracing nursing care. In the case of satisfying of the needs of the patients, it is important to have view the person as a unity of thebody and the soul. Identification and satisfying of the spiritual needs are not uncomplicated; moreover, spirituality does not have a target--ed and clear definition.

Dosimetric comparison of MRI-based HDR brachytherapy and stereotactic radiotherapy in patients with advanced cervical cancer: A virtual brachytherapy study.

Aim: To evaluate the treatment plans of 3D image-guided brachytherapy (BT) and stereotactic robotic radiotherapy with online image guidance - CyberKnife (CK) in patients with locally advanced cervix cancer.

Methods And Materials: Ten pairs of plans for patients with locally advanced inoperable cervical cancer were created using MR based 3D brachytherapy and stereotaxis CK. The dose that covers 98% of the target volume (HR CTV D98) was taken as a reference and other parameters were compared.

Is there an intermediate-risk non-seminoma? long-term treatment results from a single center.

Purpose: We retrospectively assessed the treatment results of patients with testicular non-seminoma to evaluate possible predictive and prognostic factors.

Methods: 189 patients with testicular non-seminoma treated between 2000 and 2012 were retrospectively evaluated. Treatment was based on orchiectomy plus chemotherapy (bleomycin/etoposide/cisplatin and vinblastine/ifosfamide/ cisplatin); retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy was only performed for residual disease after chemotherapy.

The analysis of respiration-induced pancreatic tumor motion based on reference measurement.

Background: To evaluate pancreatic tumor motion and its dynamics during respiration.

Methods And Materials: This retrospective study includes 20 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer who were treated with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy. An online respiratory tumor tracking system was used.

[The assessment of quality of life of patients at oncological clinic - pilot study].

Background: In oncological care the main emphasis should not be put only on prolonging a patients life, but also on its quality. The aim of the study was to assess the quality of life of patients hospitalized at the oncology clinic of the University Hospital of Ostrava (UHO), who exhausted all the anticancer treatment options. PATIENTS (SAMPLE) AND METHODS: In a pilot study the sample consisted of 93 patients from the oncological clinic of UHO with Karnofsky score < 60.

[The role of radiotherapy in the treatment of malignant lymphomas - recommendations of the Czech Lymphoma Study Group].

Background: Indication of radiotherapy in lymphoma treatment is an important strategic decision requiring comprehensive expertise. It also calls for a better definition of the position of radiotherapy in clinical practice.

Design: This position paper represents a consensus between hematooncologists and radiation oncologists on the role of RT in treatment of different histological types and stages of malignant lymphomas.

Chromoendoscopy to detect early synchronous second primary esophageal carcinoma in patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck?

Objective. To evaluate the use of flexible esophagoscopy and chromoendoscopy with Lugol's solution in the detection of early esophageal carcinomas (second primary carcinomas) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC). Methods.

Fulvestrant 500 mg versus anastrozole 1 mg for the first-line treatment of advanced breast cancer: follow-up analysis from the randomized 'FIRST' study.

Fulvestrant fIRst-line Study comparing endocrine Treatments is a phase II, randomized, open-label study comparing fulvestrant 500 mg with anastrozole 1 mg as first-line endocrine therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) advanced breast cancer. At data cut-off, only 36 % of patients had progressed and the median time to progression (TTP) had not been reached for fulvestrant. Here, we report follow-up data for TTP for fulvestrant 500 mg versus anastrozole 1 mg.

[HARDROCK project: parametric data collection and analysis of patients with head and neck cancer in the comprehensive cancer centre of Ostrava - role of fractionation and target volume definition in radiotherapy].

Background: The HARDROCK project has been designed as a retrospective data collection study in a locally run database system, which fulfils the requirements on the basic version of electronic medical records of cancer patients. The diagnostic category of head and neck tumors has been selected on purpose, as it presents a major problem in the Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Ostrava, and it is relevant given the high incidence and mortality in the Moravian-Silesian Region. The target parameters of the assessment include short-term as well as long-term treatment results in patients with head and neck tumors, evaluated with standard indicators of treatment response and survival.

Hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy with concomitant integrated boost of 70-75 Gy in 5 weeks for advanced head and neck cancer. A phase I dose escalation study.

Background And Purpose: The present study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of a new, 5-week regimen of 70-75 Gy hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy with concomitant integrated boost (HARTCIB) for locally advanced, inoperable head and neck cancer.

Methods And Materials: A total of 39 patients with very advanced, stage IV nonmetastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (median gross tumor volume 72 ml) were included in this phase I dose escalation study. A total of 50 fractions intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) were administered twice daily over 5 weeks.

Estimating the number of colorectal cancer patients treated with anti-tumour therapy in 2015: the analysis of the Czech National Cancer Registry.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a serious health care problem in the Czech Republic, introducing a need for a prospective modelling of the incidence and prevalence rates. The prevalence of patients requiring anti-tumour therapy is also of great importance, as it is directly associated with planning of health care resources.

Methods: This work proposes a population-based model for the estimation of stage-specific prevalence of CRC patients who will require active anti-tumour therapy in a given year.

Accelerated radiotherapy with concomitant boost technique (69.5 Gy/5 weeks) : an alternative in the treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Background And Purpose: To present the feasibility and results of accelerated radiotherapy with concomitant boost technique (69.5 Gy/5 weeks) in the treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Patients And Methods: A total of 65 patients were treated between June 2006 and August 2009.

Final results of the randomized phase III CHARTWEL-trial (ARO 97-1) comparing hyperfractionated-accelerated versus conventionally fractionated radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Background: Continuous hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy (CHART) counteracts repopulation and may significantly improve outcome of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nevertheless high local failure rates call for radiation dose escalation. We report here the final results of the multicentric CHARTWEL trial (CHART weekend less, ARO 97-1).