Prognostic Value of Pretreatment Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) in Rectal Cancer Treated with Preoperative Short-Course Radiotherapy with Delayed Surgery or Long-Course Radiotherapy.

Purpose: To investigate the prognostic value of the pretreatment serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level in patients with rectal cancer treated by preoperative short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) followed by chemotherapy and delayed surgery.

Patients And Methods: Two hundred and sixty-six consecutive patients with locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma without distant metastasis receiving preoperative radiotherapy were enrolled. Group 1 patients (n=144) received long-course radiotherapy (LCRT) with 50.

Using deep learning models to analyze the cerebral edema complication caused by radiotherapy in patients with intracranial tumor.

Using deep learning models to analyze patients with intracranial tumors, to study the image segmentation and standard results by clinical depiction complications of cerebral edema after receiving radiotherapy. In this study, patients with intracranial tumors receiving computer knife (CyberKnife M6) stereotactic radiosurgery were followed using the treatment planning system (MultiPlan 5.1.

CCL4 Stimulates Cell Migration in Human Osteosarcoma via the mir-3927-3p/Integrin αvβ3 Axis.

Osteosarcoma is the most common type of primary malignant bone cancer, and it is associated with high rates of pulmonary metastasis. Integrin αvβ3 is critical for osteosarcoma cell migratory and invasive abilities. Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 4 (CCL4) has diverse effects on different cancer cells through its interaction with its specific receptor, C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5).

Concurrent Sorafenib and Radiotherapy versus Radiotherapy Alone for Locally Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

Purpose: Evidence is lacking concerning the benefit of the combination of sorafenib and radiotherapy to treat advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To date, no publication has reported the outcomes of radiotherapy alone versus concurrent therapy. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of radiotherapy alone versus concurrent radiotherapy and sorafenib for locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Proton versus photon radiotherapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity-matched analysis.

Background: Proton radiotherapy has a dosimetric advantage over photon radiotherapy. Many retrospective studies have shown promising results with proton radiotherapy in treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, clinical evidence demonstrating the benefit of protons over photons is still limited.

Analysis of prognostic factors and clinical outcomes in uterine cervical carcinoma with isolated para-aortic lymph node recurrence.

To evaluate clinical outcomes and to identify prognostic factors in isolated para-aortic lymph node (PALN) recurrence, we retrospectively reviewed 65 patients who developed PALN recurrence as the first site of tumor progression from a total of 1521 patients who were treated with curative pelvic radiation therapy (RT) for uterine cervical carcinoma between May 1993 and January 2017. Forty-five of the 65 patients received salvage therapy. The median salvage PALN radiation dose was 54 Gy (range: 18 to 62 Gy).

Gender Is a Significant Prognostic Factor for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Large Hospital-Based Cancer Registry Study in an Endemic Area.

Our hospital is a tertiary medical center located in southern Taiwan, which is an endemic area for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) cases. Using a large registry-based surgical database, we examined our cohort of patients with UTUC, and evaluated the treatment outcome and gender-specific differences in this population. A total of 506 patients with localized UTUC undergoing nephroureterectomy from 2004 to 2013 were enrolled.

Carcinoembryonic antigen as a marker of radioresistance in colorectal cancer: a potential role of macrophages.

Background: We sought to identify the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a marker of radioresistance in rectal cancer.

Methods: From July 1997 to January 2008, 104 patients with stage II or III rectal cancer who were treated with post-operative radiotherapy (PORT) were included in this study. The doses of radiotherapy ranged from 45 to 54.

Pretreatment prognostic factors of survival and late toxicities for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated by simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

Background: To scrutinize the pretreatment prognosticators on survival and late toxicities in a homogenous cohort of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients treated by simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiation therapy (SIB-IMRT).

Methods: A total of 219 non-distant metastatic NPC patients consecutively treated by SIB-IMRT at a single institute were collected. The pretreatment factors including the socio-demographic variables, TNM stages, gross tumor volume (GTV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-DNA, and hematologic inflammatory markers were analyzed.

Radiation-induced secondary malignancies for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a pilot study of patients treated via IMRT or VMAT.

Background: Patients treated with radiotherapy are at risk of developing a second cancer during their lifetime, which can directly impact treatment decision-making and patient management. The aim of this study was to qualify and compare the secondary cancer risk (SCR) after intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed the treatment plans of a cohort of 10 NPC patients originally treated with IMRT or VMAT.

Therapeutic outcome of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with cranial nerve palsy: a single institution experience of 104 patients.

Purpose: Cranial nerve (CN) palsy is the main symptom in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic outcome of NPC with CN palsy and to analyze the prognostic factors.

Patients And Methods: A total of 104 NPC patients with CN palsy curatively treated by conventional (n=44) or conformal (n=60) radiotherapy (RT) were enrolled.

Differences in the outcomes and complications between elderly and younger uterine cervical cancer patients treated by definitive radiotherapy - A propensity score-matched study.

Purpose: To evaluate the differences in the treatment outcomes and complications between elderly patients and younger patients with uterine cervical cancer (CxCa).

Methods And Materials: From April 1993 to December 2007, 138 CxCa patients aged ≥75years (Elderly group) and 334 CxCa patients aged <60years (Young group) who underwent definitive radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy at our institution were reviewed. Two propensity score-matched cohorts of patients were selected from both age groups to evaluate the differences in the outcomes and complications.

Long-term effects on carotid intima-media thickness after radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Vascular abnormalities are the predominant histologic changes associated with radiation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study examined if the duration after radiotherapy correlates with the progression of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and investigated its relationship with inflammatory markers.

Methods: One hundred and five NPC patients post-radiotherapy for more than one year and 25 healthy control subjects were examined by B-mode ultrasound for IMT measurement at the far wall of the common carotid artery (CCA).

Prognostic factors associated with radiotherapy for cervical cancer with computed tomography-detected para-aortic lymph node metastasis.

Patients with cervical cancer diagnosed with a para-aortic lymph node (PALN) metastasis by computed tomography (CT) scan were analyzed to identify associated prognostic factors. A total of 55 patients were reviewed, and 27 of these patients underwent extended-field radiotherapy (EFRT). The median PALN dose in patients receiving EFRT was 45 Gy (range, 27-57.

Long-term effects of neck irradiation on cardiovascular autonomic function: a study in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy.

Introduction: Baroreflex failure has been reported as a late sequalum of neck radiotherapy. In this study we investigated cardiovascular autonomic function in patients after neck radiotherapy to determine predictive factors associated with outcome.

Methods: Eighty-nine patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were evaluated ≥6 months after radiotherapy for cardiovascular autonomic function and compared with 48 control subjects.

Surgical resection improves the survival of selected hepatocellular carcinoma patients in Barcelona clinic liver cancer stage C.

Background: Sorafenib is the only approved agent recommended by the American Association Study of Liver Disease guidelines for hepatocellular carcinoma patients in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C.

Aims: To calculate and compare overall survival rates in hepatocellular carcinoma patients in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C treated with various therapies or supportive care alone.

Methods: This was a retrospective study, in which medical data from 411 newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma patients in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C and Child-Pugh class A were analyzed and compared.

Normal tissue complication probability model parameter estimation for xerostomia in head and neck cancer patients based on scintigraphy and quality of life assessments.

Background: With advances in modern radiotherapy (RT), many patients with head and neck (HN) cancer can be effectively cured. However, xerostomia is a common complication in patients after RT for HN cancer. The purpose of this study was to use the Lyman-Kutcher-Burman (LKB) model to derive parameters for the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) for xerostomia based on scintigraphy assessments and quality of life (QoL) questionnaires.

Concurrent metastatic thymic carcinoma and postirradiation sarcoma.

We present a case of concurrent metastatic thymic carcinoma and postirradiation sarcoma in the same lobe of the lung in a woman who had received partial resection of thymic carcinoma with chemoradiotherapy 11 years ago. One tumor showed similar histology to the previous carcinoma. The other tumor was a pleomorphic sarcoma, suggestive of a postirradiation sarcoma.

Pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen level is a risk factor for para-aortic lymph node recurrence in addition to squamous cell carcinoma antigen following definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Background: To identify pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels as a risk factor for para-aortic lymph node (PALN) recurrence following concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for cervical cancer.

Methods: From March 1995 to January 2008, 188 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the uterine cervix were analyzed retrospectively. No patient received PALN irradiation as the initial treatment.

Postoperative low pelvic radiotherapy and chemotherapy for stage II and III rectal cancer.

Objectives: To evaluate whether postoperative low pelvic radiotherapy (RT) combined with chemotherapy is an appropriate treatment for stage II and III rectal cancer.

Methods: Between November 1997 and May 2006, 104 patients with stage II and III rectal cancer underwent surgery as the primary treatment followed by postoperative RT combined with chemotherapy in our institute and were reviewed retrospectively. Sixty-nine patients received low pelvic RT only (upper margin at 1 cm above the low end of the sacroiliac joint; median dose 54 Gy) (low pelvic RT group) and the other 35 patients received whole pelvic RT (upper margin at the mid L5; median dose 43.

Prognostic value of pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen after definitive radiotherapy with or without concurrent chemotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Purpose: To evaluate whether pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels have a prognostic role in patients after definitive radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the uterine cervix.

Methods And Materials: A retrospective study of 550 patients was performed. The SCC antigen (SCC-Ag) and CEA levels were regarded as elevated when they were ≥2 and ≥5 ng/mL, respectively.

Multivariate analysis of quality of life outcome for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after treatment.

Purpose: The study analyzed the prognostic factors of quality of life (QoL) for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after treatment, with focusing on the therapeutic benefits of the technological advances in radiotherapy (RT).

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional investigation was conducted to assess the QoL of 356 NPC patients with cancer-free survival of more than 2 years. Among them, 106 patients were treated by two-dimensional RT (2DRT), 108 by 2DRT plus three-dimensional conformal RT (3DCRT) boost, 58 by 3DCRT alone, and 84 by intensity-modulated RT (IMRT).

Pretreatment quality of life as a predictor of distant metastasis and survival for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the prognostic value of pretreatment quality of life (QoL) data on locoregional control (LRC), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Patients And Methods: A total of 347 new patients with NPC, who were curatively treated by conformal radiotherapy from March 2003 to December 2007, were recruited. The Taiwan Chinese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 was completed before treatment.

Helical tomotherapy for single and multiple liver tumours.

Purpose: Dosimetric evaluations of single and multiple liver tumours performed using intensity-modulated helical tomotherapy (HT) were quantitatively investigated. Step-and-shoot intensity-modulated radiotherapy (SaS-IMRT) was used as a benchmark.

Methods: Sixteen patients separated into two groups with primary hepatocellular carcinomas or metastatic liver tumours previously treated using SaS-IMRT were examined and re-planned by HT.