Prognostic impact of semantic MRI features on survival outcomes in molecularly subtyped medulloblastoma.

Purpose: Imaging features are known to reflect inherent disease biology in various cancers including brain tumors. We report on the prognostic impact of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features on survival in patients with medulloblastoma treated between 2007 and 2018 at our institute.

Methods: Sixteen semantic imaging features (with predefined categories) were extracted from pre- and postcontrast T1-weighted and T2-weighted MRI by consensus.

Multidisciplinary Management of Medulloblastoma: Consensus, Challenges, and Controversies.

Medulloblastoma is a highly aggressive "small round blue cell tumor" of the posterior fossa predominantly seen in children. Historically aggressive multimodality regimens have achieved encouraging outcomes with the caveat of severe long-term toxicities. The last decade has unleashed a revolution in terms of evolved understanding of this heterogeneous disease entity in terms of molecular biology.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Contemporary Management of Medulloblastoma: Current and Emerging Applications.

Medulloblastoma, the most common malignant primary brain tumor in children, is now considered to comprise of four distinct molecular subgroups-wingless (WNT), sonic hedgehog (SHH), Group 3, and Group 4 medulloblastoma, each associated with distinct developmental origins, unique transcriptional profiles, diverse phenotypes, and variable clinical behavior. Due to its exquisite anatomic resolution, multiparametric nature, and ability to image the entire craniospinal axis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred and recommended first-line imaging modality for suspected brain tumors including medulloblastoma. Preoperative MRI can reliably differentiate medulloblastoma from other common childhood posterior fossa masses such as ependymoma, pilocytic astrocytoma, and brainstem glioma.

Clinical Audit of Survival Outcomes and Prognostic Factors in Adolescents and Adults with Medulloblastoma.

Medulloblastomas, comprising 20%-25% of all primary brain tumors in children are much rarer in adulthood. Disease biology varies substantially across different age groups; however, owing to rarity, adults with medulloblastoma are traditionally treated using pediatric protocols. This is a retrospective audit of adolescent and adult medulloblastoma from a comprehensive cancer center.

Hippocampal radiotherapy dose constraints for predicting long-term neurocognitive outcomes: mature data from a prospective trial in young patients with brain tumors.

Background: Hippocampus is considered to be the seat for neurocognitive functions. Avoidance of hippocampus during radiotherapy to brain may serve to preserve various domains of neurocognition. We aimed to derive radiotherapy dose constraints to hippocampi for preserving neurocognition in young patients with brain tumors by measuring various neurocognitive parameters.

Extent of re-excision, sequence/timing of salvage re-irradiation, and disease-free interval impact upon clinical outcomes in recurrent/progressive ependymoma.

Purpose: To report clinical outcomes of salvage re-irradiation (re-RT) in recurrent/progressive ependymoma.

Methods: Medical records of patients treated with curative-intent re-RT as multi-modality management for recurrent/progressive ependymoma were analyzed retrospectively. The linear-quadratic model was used to provide estimates of biologically effective dose (BED) of irradiation using an α/β value of 2 for late CNS toxicity for each course of irradiation and summated to derive cumulative BED without correcting for the assumed recovery.

68Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen PETCT-based response to androgen deprivation therapy in patients with prostate cancer.

Objective: To assess the response of castration-naïve prostate cancer to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in Ga-PSMA PETCT, and test the hypothesis of differential response in primary, nodal and metastatic lesions.

Materials/methods: Patients with adenocarcinoma prostate with baseline Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PETCT scan, and response scan after 3-12 months of ADT from 2014 to 2017 were analyzed. Change in radiotracer uptake in the prostate, involved regional nodes and distant metastasis was semiquantitatively assessed in paired scans using maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax).

Outcomes of salvage re-irradiation in recurrent medulloblastoma correlate with age at initial diagnosis, primary risk-stratification, and molecular subgrouping.

Purpose: To report outcomes of salvage re-irradiation (re-RT) in recurrent/progressive medulloblastoma (MB).

Methods: Medical records of patients treated with curative-intent re-RT as multi-modality management for recurrent/progressive MB between 2008 and 2018 were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: A total of 28 patients (median age 18 years at index diagnosis) were included.

Dose-Constraint Model to Predict Neuroendocrine Dysfunction in Young Patients With Brain Tumors: Data From a Prospective Study.

Purpose: We report on a possible dose-constraint model to predict long-term neuroendocrine dysfunction after cranial irradiation in children and young adults with benign and low-grade brain tumors treated with stereotactic conformal radiation therapy (RT) in a prospective clinical trial.

Methods And Materials: Patients treated with stereotactic conformal RT (54 Gy in 30 fractions) were included for analysis if their co-registered planning computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans were available, along with baseline and post-RT endocrine assessment for at least 2 years. The hypothalamus-pituitary axis (HPA) was contoured on the fused computed tomography-magnetic resonance imaging data set.