The role of the radiation therapy breast boost in the 2020s.

Given that most local relapses of breast cancer occur proximal to the original location of the primary, the delivery of additional radiation dose to breast tissue that contained the original primary cancer (known as a "boost") has been a standard of care for some decades. In the context of falling relapse rates, however, it is an appropriate time to re-evaluate the role of the boost. This article reviews the evolution of the radiotherapy boost in breast cancer, discussing who to boost and how to boost in the 2020s, and arguing that, in both cases, less is more.

National societies' needs as assessed by the ESTRO National Societies Committee survey: A European perspective.

Purpose: To determine how ESTRO can collaborate with Radiation Oncology National Societies (NS) according to its mission and values, and to define the new roadmap to strengthen the NS network role in the forthcoming years.

Materials And Methods: The ESTRO NS committee launched a survey addressed to all European National Societies, available online from June 5th to October 30th 2018. Questions were divided into three main sections: (1) general information about NS; (2) relevant activities (to understand the landscape of each NS context of action); (3) relevant needs (to understand how ESTRO can support the NS).

Multicomponent nutritional supplement Oncoxin and its influence on quality of life and therapy toxicity in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy.

Treatment of cancer often requires the use of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT). In real clinical practice, numerous patients suffer from severe toxicity and reduced quality of life (QoL). Hence, there is a need to maintain QoL and to reduce therapy toxicity to comply with recommended chemotherapy (CT) regimens.

Role of genetic polymorphisms in NFKB-mediated inflammatory pathways in response to primary chemoradiation therapy for rectal cancer.

Purpose: To investigate whether polymorphisms of genes related to inflammation are associated with pathologic response (primary endpoint) in patients with rectal cancer treated with primary chemoradiation therapy (PCRT).

Methods And Materials: Genomic DNA of 159 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated with PCRT was genotyped for polymorphisms rs28362491 (NFKB1), rs1213266/rs5789 (PTGS1), rs5275 (PTGS2), and rs16944/rs1143627 (IL1B) using TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assays. The association between each genotype and pathologic response (poor response vs complete or partial response) was analyzed using logistic regression models.

3D-conformal accelerated partial breast irradiation treatment planning: the value of surgical clips in the delineation of the lumpectomy cavity.

Background: Accurate localisation of the lumpectomy cavity (LC) volume is one of the most critical points in 3D-conformal Partial breast irradiation (3D-APBI) treatment planning because the irradiated volume is restricted to a small breast volume. Here, we studied the role of the placement of surgical clips at the 4 cardinal points of the lumpectomy cavity in target delineation.

Methods: Forty CT-based 3D-APBI plans were retrieved on which a total of 4 radiation oncologists, two trainee and two experienced physicians, outlined the lumpectomy cavity.