Publications by authors named "Mani Akhtari"

First-order radiomic features, such as metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG), are associated with disease progression in early-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). We hypothesized that a model incorporating first- and second-order radiomic features would more accurately predict outcome than MTV or TLG alone. We assessed whether radiomic features extracted from baseline PET scans predicted relapsed or refractory disease status in a cohort of 251 patients with stage I-II HL who were managed at a tertiary cancer center.

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Dose-adjusted rituximab plus etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin (DA-R-EPOCH) has produced good outcomes in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), but predictors of resistance to this treatment are unclear. We investigated whether [F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) findings could identify patients with PMBCL who would not respond completely to DA-R-EPOCH. We performed a retrospective analysis of 65 patients with newly diagnosed stage I to IV PMBCL treated at 2 tertiary cancer centers who had PET-CT scans available before and after frontline therapy with DA-R-EPOCH.

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To determine whether pre-treatment neutrophil/lymphocyte (NLR) or platelet/lymphocyte ratios (PLR) are predictive for progression in early-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), we derived NLR and PLR values for 338 stage I/II cHL patients and appropriate cut-off point values to define progression. Two-year freedom from progression (FFP) for patients with NLR ≥6·4 was 82·2% vs. 95·7% with NLR <6·4 (P < 0·001).

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The presence of bulky disease in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), traditionally defined with a 1-dimensional measurement, can change a patient's risk grouping and thus the treatment approach. We hypothesized that 3-dimensional measurements of disease burden obtained from baseline F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scans, such as metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG), would more accurately risk-stratify patients. To test this hypothesis, we reviewed pretreatment PET-CT scans of patients with stage I-II HL treated at our institution between 2003 and 2013.

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Early-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients are evaluated by an end-of-chemotherapy positron emission tomography-computed tomography (eoc-PET-CT) after doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine (ABVD) and before radiation therapy (RT). We determined freedom from progression (FFP) in patients treated with ABVD and RT according to the eoc-PET-CT 5-point score (5PS). Secondarily, we assessed whether patients with a positive eoc-PET-CT (5PS of 4-5) can be cured with RT alone.

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Purpose: Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) using a single-lumen device is associated with better cosmetic outcomes if the spacing between the applicator and skin is > 7 mm. However, there are no reports addressing the late toxicity and clinical outcomes in patients treated with single-entry multi-lumen/catheter applicators who had close skin spacing (7 mm or less). We undertook this study to report clinical outcome, acute and late toxicity as well as cosmesis of early stage breast cancer patients with close skin spacing treated with APBI using multi-lumen or multi-catheter devices.

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Purpose: In early-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) scans are performed routinely after chemotherapy, and the 5-point Deauville score is used to report the disease response. We hypothesized that other PET-CT parameters, considered in combination with Deauville score, would improve risk stratification.

Methods And Materials: Patients treated for stage I to II Hodgkin lymphoma from 2003 to 2013, who were aged ≥18 years and had analyzable PET-CT scans performed before and after chemotherapy, were eligible.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Out of 123 patients, 25.2% developed BPT, and 13.8% experienced RP, but there was no significant correlation between BPT and the development of RP.
  • * The findings indicate that radiation therapy does not need to be postponed due to BPT, except for recovery from symptoms or completion of steroid treatment.
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Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) continues to be a challenging disease to treat. With high rates of both local and distant failures, there is significant interest in finding more biologically active chemotherapy regimens that can contribute to reduce both failures. The phase III PROCLAIM trial, recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology entitled "PROCLAIM: randomized phase III trial of pemetrexed-cisplatin or etoposide-cisplatin plus thoracic radiation therapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy in locally advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer", compared two different chemotherapy regimens given concurrently with radiotherapy in patients with stage III non-squamous lung cancer: pemetrexed plus cisplatin versus cisplatin plus etoposide.

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Purpose: The German Hodgkin Study Group HD11 trial validated 4 cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy followed by involved field radiation therapy (IFRT) for early unfavorable Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients. However, practitioners often recommend 6 cycles followed by RT, especially for bulky disease. We compared patient outcomes after treatment with 4 or 6 cycles of ABVD followed by RT (IFRT and involved site RT [ISRT]).

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The management of localized breast cancer has changed dramatically over the past three to four decades. Breast-conserving therapy, which involved lumpectomy followed by adjuvant irradiation, is now widely considered the standard of care in women with early-stage breast cancer. Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI), which involves focal irradiation of the lumpectomy cavity over a short period of time, has developed over the past two decades as an alternative to whole breast irradiation (WBI).

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Purpose: Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) is an accepted treatment option in breast-conserving therapy for early stage breast cancer. However, data regarding outcomes of patients treated with multi-lumen catheter systems who have existing breast implants is limited. The purpose of this study was to report treatment parameters, outcomes, and possible dosimetric correlation with cosmetic outcome for this population of patients at our institution.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to investigate the risk of developing Lhermitte's sign (LS) in lymphoma patients treated with chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy.
  • Researchers interviewed 106 patients who received radiation to the mediastinum, finding that 29% developed LS; however, no significant correlations were found with radiation dose or treatment variations.
  • The conclusion emphasizes that LS occurrence appears to be an idiosyncratic reaction to treatment rather than influenced by radiation dosage, potentially highlighting the effectiveness of structured interviews in assessing symptoms.
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Background: Treatment of stage IIB bulky Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is controversial, with treatment varying by institution. We evaluated patients with IIB bulky disease treated with combined-modality therapy at our institution by describing their long-term outcomes.

Patients And Methods: We identified 149 consecutive patients with stage IIB bulky HL treated between 1971 and 2012.

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Purpose: Few studies to date have evaluated factors associated with the development of radiation pneumonitis (RP) in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), especially in patients treated with contemporary radiation techniques. These patients represent a unique group owing to the often large radiation target volumes within the mediastinum and to the potential to receive several lines of chemotherapy that add to pulmonary toxicity for relapsed or refractory disease. Our objective was to determine the incidence and clinical and dosimetric risk factors associated with RP in lymphoma patients treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) at a single institution.

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Primary cutaneous B cell lymphomas (PCBCL) are rare; although data on outcomes and treatment are limited, traditionally they have been treated with radiation doses in excess of 24 Gy. We retrospectively identified and reviewed all cases of PCBCL treated at our institution from 2002-2014. Thirty-nine patients with PCBCL (42 lesions) were identified.

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Purpose: Accelerated partial breast irradiation is now an accepted component of breast-conserving therapy. However, data regarding long-term outcomes of patients treated with multilumen catheter systems who have existing breast implants are limited.

Methods And Materials: We report the treatment and outcome of our patient who had existing bilateral silicone subpectoral implants at the time of presentation.

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Leukocytosis is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk in humans and develops in hypercholesterolemic atherosclerotic animal models. Leukocytosis is associated with the proliferation of hematopoietic stem and multipotential progenitor cells (HSPCs) in mice with deficiencies of the cholesterol efflux-promoting ABC transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1 in BM cells. Here, we have determined the role of endogenous apolipoprotein-mediated cholesterol efflux pathways in these processes.

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