Strategic Reduction of Package Time in Head and Neck Cancer.

Purpose: Total package time, or the time from diagnosis to completion of definitive treatment, has been associated with outcomes for a variety of tumor sites, but especially to head and neck (HN) cancer. Patients with HN cancer often undergo a complex diagnosis and treatment process involving multiple disciplines both within and outside of oncology. This complexity can lead to longer package times, and each involved discipline has the responsibility to maintain an efficient and effective process.

The Impact of a Postmastectomy Chest Wall Scar Boost on Local Recurrence-free Survival in High-risk Patients.

Introduction: A scar boost following postmastectomy radiation to a total dose of > 50 Gy can be considered in cases of invasive breast cancer with high-risk features including advanced tumor stage, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), and positive margins. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a scar boost on 5-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 140 patients with invasive breast cancer treated with mastectomy and postmastectomy radiation at a single institution between 2007 and 2016.