Clinical utilization of radiation therapy in Korea between 2017 and 2019.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical infrastructure and utilization of radiotherapy (RT) services in Korea between 2017 and 2019.

Materials And Methods: We extracted the data of patients who underwent RT between 2017 and 2019 from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. We further analyzed this data according to the diagnosis and treatment modalities of patients diagnosed with International Classification of Disease 10 (ICD-10) diagnostic codes C00-C97 and D00-D48.

Chromosome aberration dynamics in breast cancer patients treated with radiotherapy: Implications for radiation biodosimetry.

Although radiological accidents often result in partial-body radiation exposure, most biodosimetry studies focus on estimating whole-body exposure doses. We have evaluated time-dependent changes in chromosomal aberrations before, during, and after localized fractionated radiotherapy. Twelve patients with carcinoma in situ of the breast who underwent identical adjuvant radiation therapy (50 Gy in 25 fractions) were included in the study.

Clinical utilization of radiation therapy in Korea, 2016.

Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the primary cancer treatment modalities. To estimate the actual utilization of RT and infrastructure in Korea, the current study was performed. Data from 2012 to 2016 were extracted from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.

Prediction of Response to Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases Using Convolutional Neural Networks.

Background: It is unclear whether radiomic phenotypes of brain metastases (BM) are related to radiation therapy prognosis. This study assessed whether a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based radiomics model which learned computer tomography (CT) image features with minimal preprocessing, could predict early response of BM to radiosurgery.

Materials And Methods: Tumor images of 110 BM post stereotactic-radiosurgery (SRS) (within 3 months) were assessed (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor, version 1.

Feasibility of using stereotactic body radiation therapy for unresectable soft tissue tumors of the trunk.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for unresectable soft tissue tumors of the trunk.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2002 and December 2008, 23 patients with 36 lesions of soft tissue tumors, which were located in the trunk and not suitable for resection, underwent SBRT. Among the 36 lesions, 31 were malignant and 5 were benign.

Feasibility of split-course stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for oligometastases.

Background: There is growing interest in the use of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for oligometastases. However, extreme caution should be exercised in treating tumors closely located to organs at risk (OARs) with SABR. To reduce complications, we have applied split-course SABR to oligometastases closely located to OARs or to those being retreated with radiotherapy.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy for liver oligo-recurrence and oligo-progression from various tumors.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for patients with liver oligo-recurrence and oligo-progression from various primary tumors.

Materials And Methods: Between 2002 and 2013, 72 patients with liver oligo-recurrence (oligo-metastasis with a controlled primary tumor) and oligo-progression (contradictory progression of a few sites of disease despite an overall tumor burden response to therapy) underwent SBRT. Of these, 9 and 8 patients with uncontrollable distant metastases and patients immediate loss to follow-up, respectively, were excluded.

The Clinical Utilization of Radiation Therapy in Korea between 2011 and 2015.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the clinical utilization of radiation therapy (RT) in Korea between 2011 and 2015.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed the claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service to estimate the clinical utilization of RT. The source population consisted of all patients who had any of the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision cancer diagnoses (C00-C97) and those with diagnostic codes D00-D48, who were also associated with at least one of the procedure codes related to RT.

Association between metformin use and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and localized resectable pancreatic cancer: a nationwide population-based study in korea.

Background: Preclinical studies support an antitumor effect of metformin. However, clinical studies have conflicting results and metformin's effect remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate metformin's effect on clinical outcomes in diabetic patients with pancreatic cancer treated with curative resection.

Radiofrequency ablation versus stereotactic body radiotherapy for small hepatocellular carcinoma: a Markov model-based analysis.

The aim of this study is to compare radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) smaller than 3 cm. A Markov cohort model was developed to simulate a cohort of patients aged 60-65 years with small HCCs who had undergone either RFA or SBRT and were followed up over their remaining life expectancy. The inclusion criteria were: (1) HCC ≤3 cm in diameter with ≤ 3 nodules; (2) absence of extrahepatic metastasis or portal/hepatic vein invasion; (3) Child-Pugh Class A or B.

The clinical utilization of radiation therapy in Korea between 2009 and 2013.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the clinical utilization of radiation therapy (RT) in Korea between 2009 and 2013.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed open claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The subjects were patients who had diagnostic codes C00-C97 or D00-D48 according to the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, with procedure codes indicating RT treatment.

Benefits of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy combined with incomplete transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) after incomplete transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Methods: The study enrolled 178 HCC patients initially treated with TACE between 2006 and 2011. Patients were included if they had Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage 0 or A, ≤3 nodules with a total sum of longest diameter ≤10 cm, Child-Turcotte-Pugh score of ≤7, no major vessel invasion, and no extra-hepatic metastases.

The Clinical Status of Radiation Therapy in Korea in 2009 and 2013.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to estimate the clinical status of radiation therapy (RT) in Korea.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed open claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA). The subjects were patients with malignant neoplasms who had procedure codes concerning RT in 2009 and 2013.

Survival Advantage Associated with Metformin Usage in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Receiving Radiotherapy: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of metformin on the clinical outcomes of patients receiving radiotherapy for inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Patients And Methods: The medical records of 217 patients treated with stereotactic body or hypofractionated radiotherapy for inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma were reviewed. Patients were divided into the metformin group (n=19) and the non-metformin group (n=198), including those with diabetes (n=29), and those without (n=169).

Low Hepatic Toxicity in Primary and Metastatic Liver Cancers after Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy Using 3 Fractions.

This study evaluated the incidence of hepatic toxicity after stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) using 3 fractions to the liver, and identified the predictors for hepatic toxicity. We retrospectively reviewed 78 patients with primary and metastatic liver cancers, who underwent SABR using 3 fractions between 2003 and 2011. To examine the incidence of hepatic toxicity, we defined newly developed hepatic toxicity≥grade 2 according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy for oligometastases confined to the para-aortic region: clinical outcomes and the significance of radiotherapy field and dose.

We retrospectively reviewed 88 patients with oligometases in the para-aortic region from any controlled primary tumor site who were treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). The 5-year local control, disease-free survival, and overall survival rates were 83%, 31%, and 41%, respectively. A 90% tumor-control probability was predicted at a biological effective dose of 90 Gy.

Outcomes of stereotactic body radiotherapy for unresectable primary or recurrent cholangiocarcinoma.

Purpose: To report the results of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for unresectable primary or recurrent cholangiocarcinoma.

Materials And Methods: From January 2005 through August 2013, 58 patients with unresectable primary (n = 28) or recurrent (n = 30) cholangiocarcinoma treated by SBRT were retrospectively analyzed. The median prescribed dose was 45 Gy in 3 fractions (range, 15 to 60 Gy in 1-5 fractions).

Salvage stereotactic body radiotherapy for locally recurrent uterine cervix cancer at the pelvic sidewall: Feasibility and complication.

Aims: To determine the feasibility of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with pelvic sidewall recurrence of uterine cervical cancer after radical hysterectomy or definitive radiotherapy.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 23 patients with locally recurrent uterine cervical cancer limited to the pelvic sidewall who were treated with SBRT at our institution between January 2003 and May 2010. The SBRT dose ranged from 27 to 45 Gy (median, 39 Gy) in three fractions, and the fractional SBRT dose ranged from 9 to 15 Gy (median, 13 Gy).

Stereotactic body radiotherapy for oligo-recurrence within the nodal area from colorectal cancer.

Recurrence of colorectal cancer (CRC) often presents as solitary metastases, oligometastases or oligo-recurrence. Surgical resection became the preferred treatment for patients with CRC lung and hepatic metastases. However, surgical treatment for oligo-recurrence within nodal area is not a widely accepted treatment due to due to their relative rarity and high postoperative morbidity.

High-dose stereotactic body radiotherapy correlates increased local control and overall survival in patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Recent studies using stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have reported high tumor response and local control. However, the optimal SBRT dose remains unknown, and it is still not clear whether a dose response relationship for local control (LC) and overall survival (OS) exist or not. We performed this study to determine whether a dose response relationship for LC and OS is observed in SBRT for inoperable HCC.

Severe intestinal toxicity after stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for abdominopelvic malignancies.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the predictors for severe intestinal toxicity (IT) in patients with abdominopelvic malignancies treated with three fractions of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR).

Methods: From 2001 to 2011, 202 patients with abdominopelvic malignancies were treated with curative-intent SABR. Among these, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 55 patients with the presence of the intestine that received a dose ≥20 % of the prescribed dose.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy for inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma as a local salvage treatment after incomplete transarterial chemoembolization.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) as a local salvage treatment after incomplete transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: The main eligibility criteria were a greatest tumor dimension (LD sum) <10 cm, inoperable HCC, and incomplete response after TACE. Prescribed SBRT doses were up to 60 gray (Gy) in 3 fractions, but doses were reduced until normal tissue constraints were allowed.

Nomogram prediction of overall survival after curative irradiation for uterine cervical cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a nomogram capable of predicting the probability of 5-year survival after radical radiotherapy (RT) without chemotherapy for uterine cervical cancer.

Methods And Materials: We retrospectively analyzed 549 patients that underwent radical RT for uterine cervical cancer between March 1994 and April 2002 at our institution. Multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards regression was performed and this Cox model was used as the basis for the devised nomogram.

Oligometastases confined one organ from colorectal cancer treated by SBRT.

To determine the feasibility and efficacy of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for oligometastases from colorectal cancer (CRC). Total of 59 patients with 78 lesions confined to one organ and treated from 2001 to 2006 were involved in this retrospective review. These patients presented with 1-4 metastatic lesions of largest diameter of <7 cm, progressed after chemotherapy, and were amenable to local treatment.

Trends for the past 10 years and international comparisons of the structure of Korean radiation oncology.

Objective: Study aims include determination of nationwide structural characteristics of radiation oncology facilities, types of radiation therapy equipment, availability of human resources and trends and comparisons with previous surveys.

Methods: An annual nationwide survey was conducted to collect the statistics of infrastructure since 1997. All requested questionnaires have been identical for 10 years.