Preoperative imaging of rectal carcinoma involves accurate assessment of the primary tumor as well as distant metastatic disease. Preoperative imaging of nonrectal colon cancer is most beneficial in identifying distant metastases, regardless of primary T or N stage. Surgical treatment remains the definitive treatment for colon cancer, while organ-sparing approach may be considered in some rectal cancer patients based on imaging obtained before and after neoadjuvant treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Our purpose was to compare dosimetric parameters and late gastrointestinal outcomes between patients treated with proton beam therapy (PBT) for localized prostate cancer with rectal balloon immobilization versus a hydrogel rectal spacer.
Methods And Materials: Patients with localized, clinical stage T1-4 prostate adenocarcinoma were treated at a single institution using conventionally fractionated, dose-escalated PBT from 2013 to 2018. Patient-reported gastrointestinal toxicity was prospectively collected, and the incidence of rectal bleeding was retrospectively reviewed from patient records.
Purpose: We characterized both physician- and patient-reported rates of gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity in patients treated with proton beam therapy (PBT) at our institution for prostate adenocarcinoma and identified factors associated with toxicity.
Methods And Materials: We treated 192 patients with PBT between July 2013 and July 2016. Included patients had ≥1 year of follow-up.
The original version of this Article contained an error in the author affiliations. The affiliation of Kevin P. White with Tempus Labs, Inc.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a treatment modality that is frequently used as salvage therapy for small nodular recurrent high-grade gliomas (HGG). Due to the infiltrative nature of HGG, it is unclear if this highly focused technique provides a durable local control benefit.
Objective: To determine how demographic or clinical factors influence the pattern of failure following SRS for recurrent high-grade gliomas.
Machine learning for image segmentation could provide expedited clinic workflow and better standardization of contour delineation. We evaluated a new model using deep decision forests of image features in order to contour pelvic anatomy on treatment planning CTs. 193 CT scans from one UK and two US institutions for patients undergoing radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer from 2012-2016 were anonymized.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose Studies have shown that radiation dose to the heart may be associated with worse outcomes in patients receiving chemoradiation for lung cancer. As esophageal cancer radiation treatment can result in relatively high cardiac doses, we evaluated a single-institution database of patients treated for esophageal cancer for heart dose and outcomes. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 59 patients with stage IIA-IIIB esophageal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation to 50.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: We propose a novel compensator-based IMRT system designed to provide a simple, reliable, and cost-effective adjunct technology, with the goal of expanding global access to advanced radiotherapy techniques. The system would employ easily reusable tungsten bead compensators that operate independent of a gantry (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe describe the first reported use of neutron radiation therapy for successful palliation of treatment refractory Merkel cell carcinoma. The patient was a 78-year-old man with Merkel cell carcinoma involving the scalp and bilateral cervical lymph nodes. The extensive coalescing scalp lesions were locally destructive, painful, and highly detrimental to his overall quality of life, and he had previously progressed through 3 courses of conventional x-ray-based radiation therapy and multiple immunotherapy regimens.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: In preterm infants, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) is widely used for treatment of respiratory distress syndrome. However, the strategies for successfully weaning infants off NCPAP are still not well defined and there remains considerable variation between the methods. The objective of this study is to determine whether gradual weaning of NCPAP pressure is more successful than sudden weaning off NCPAP to room air.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHerpes zoster, a viral disease that is characterized by a painful and blistering eruption in the skin, represents reactivation of latent varicella zoster (chickenpox) virus infection. In high-risk groups such as elderly or immunocompromised patients, the incidence of zoster can be as high as 50%. Radiation oncologists are likely to see zoster because cancer, and cancer therapy, can adversely affect immune function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Throughout the United States numerous models of local programs, including student-run clinics, exist to address the issue of access to care. The role of these clinics in serving the local community and contributing to medical education has been documented only in limited detail, however. The purpose of this article is to describe the clinic models, patient demographics, and services provided by four student-run clinics in New Orleans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSuperabsorbent polyacrylate (SAP) is an important industrial chemical manufactured primarily as sodium polyacrylate but occasionally as potassium salt. It has many applications owing to its intrinsic physical property of very high water absorption, which can be more than 100 times it own weight. SAP is commonly used in disposable diapers and feminine hygiene products and is known by a number of synonyms-sodium polyacrylate, superabsorbent polyacrylate (SAP), polyacrylate absorbent (PA), and superabsorbent material (SAM).
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