MRI morphological characteristics of lymph nodes in anal squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives: Pre-treatment staging of anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) includes pelvic MRI and [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with computed tomography (PET-CT). MRI criteria to define lymph node metastases (LNMs) in ASCC are currently lacking. The aim of this study was to describe the morphological characteristics of lymph nodes (LNs) on MRI in ASCC patients with PET-CT-positive LNs.

Abdominal compression as motion management for stereotactic radiotherapy of ventricular tachycardia.

Background And Purpose: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has emerged as a promising treatment for patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) who do not respond to standard treatments. However, the management of respiratory motion during treatment remains a challenge. This study aimed to investigate the effect of abdominal compression (AC) on respiratory induced motion in the heart.

Complications after proton radiotherapy in children, focusing on severe late complications. A complete Swedish cohort 2008-2019.

Background: Proton radiotherapy (RT) is an attractive tool to deliver local therapy with minimal dose to uninvolved tissue, however, not suitable for all patients. The aim was to explore complications, especially severe late complications (grades 3-4), following proton RT delivered to a complete Swedish cohort of paediatric patients aged <18 years treated 2008-2019.

Material And Methods: Data was downloaded from a national registry.

Nordic anal cancer (NOAC) group consensus guidelines for risk-adapted delineation of the elective clinical target volume in anal cancer.

To date, anal cancer patients are treated with radiotherapy to similar volumes despite a marked difference in risk profile based on tumor location and stage. A more individualized approach to delineation of the elective clinical target volume (CTVe) could potentially provide better oncological outcomes as well as improved quality of life. The aim of the present work was to establish Nordic Anal Cancer (NOAC) group guidelines for delineation of the CTVe in anal cancer.

Development of a consensus-based delineation guideline for locally recurrent rectal cancer.

Background And Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) is used in locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC) to increase chances of a radical surgical resection. Delineation in LRRC is hampered by complex disease presentation and limited clinical exposure. Within the PelvEx II trial, evaluating the benefit of chemotherapy preceding nCRT for LRRC, a delineation guideline was developed by an expert LRRC team.

Pelvic U-Net: multi-label semantic segmentation of pelvic organs at risk for radiation therapy anal cancer patients using a deeply supervised shuffle attention convolutional neural network.

Background: Delineation of organs at risk (OAR) for anal cancer radiation therapy treatment planning is a manual and time-consuming process. Deep learning-based methods can accelerate and partially automate this task. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a deep learning model for automated and improved segmentations of OAR in the pelvic region.

Anal cancer in Sweden 2015-2019. Implementation of guidelines, structural changes, national registry and early results.

Background: Squamous cell cancer of the anus is an uncommon malignancy, usually caused by human papilloma virus (HPV). Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the recommended treatment in localized disease with cure rates of 60-80%. Local failures should be considered for salvage surgery.

Sarcopenia and dosimetric parameters in relation to treatment-related leukopenia and survival in anal cancer.

Background: Treatment-related white blood cell (WBC) toxicity has been associated with an inferior prognosis in different malignancies, including anal cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate predictors of WBC grade ≥ 3 (G3+) toxicity during chemoradiotherapy (CRT) of anal cancer.

Methods: Consecutive patients with locally advanced (T2 ≥ 4 cm-T4 or N+) anal cancer scheduled for two cycles of concomitant 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin C chemotherapy were selected from an institutional database (n = 106).

Breast cancer survival in Nordic BRCA2 mutation carriers-unconventional association with oestrogen receptor status.

Background: The natural history of breast cancer among BRCA2 carriers has not been clearly established. In a previous study from Iceland, positive ER status was a negative prognostic factor. We sought to identify factors that predicted survival after invasive breast cancer in an expanded cohort of BRCA2 carriers.

Patterns of recurrence in anal cancer: a detailed analysis.

Background: Anal cancer is a rare disease, which might be the reason for the "one size fits all" approach still used for radiotherapy target contouring. To refine and individualize future guidelines, detailed and contemporary pattern of recurrence studies are needed.

Methods: Consecutive anal cancer patients, all treated with curative intent intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), were retrospectively studied (n = 170).

High patient satisfaction with a simplified BRCA1/2 testing procedure: long-term results of a prospective study.

Purpose: In the BRCAsearch study, unselected breast cancer patients were prospectively offered germline BRCA1/2 mutation testing through a simplified testing procedure. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate satisfaction with the BRCAsearch testing procedure and, furthermore, to report on uptake rates of prophylactic surgeries among mutation carriers.

Methods: Pre-test information was provided by a standardized invitation letter instead of in-person genetic counseling.

Written pretest information and germline BRCA1/2 pathogenic variant testing in unselected breast cancer patients: predictors of testing uptake.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate predictors of testing uptake among unselected breast cancer patients who were offered germline BRCA1/2 testing in a prospective study.

Methods: Pretest information was provided by a standardized invitation letter instead of in-person counseling. Data was abstracted from medical records.

BRCAsearch: written pre-test information and BRCA1/2 germline mutation testing in unselected patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate a simplified method of pre-test information and germline BRCA1/2 mutation testing.

Methods: In a prospective, single-arm study, comprehensive BRCA1/2 testing was offered to unselected patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer at three hospitals in south Sweden (BRCAsearch, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02557776).

Efficacy versus effectiveness of clinical genetic testing criteria for BRCA1 and BRCA2 hereditary mutations in incident breast cancer.

Increasing evidence supports the benefit of identifying BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutations in early breast cancer. Selection of patients for genetic testing is based on defined criteria taking individual and family history related factors into account. It is important to make a distinction between efficacy and effectiveness of BRCA testing criteria.

Comparison of doses and NTCP to risk organs with enhanced inspiration gating and free breathing for left-sided breast cancer radiotherapy using the AAA algorithm.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential dose reduction to the heart, left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery and the ipsilateral lung for patients treated with tangential and locoregional radiotherapy for left-sided breast cancer with enhanced inspiration gating (EIG) compared to free breathing (FB) using the AAA algorithm. The radiobiological implication of such dose sparing was also investigated.

Methods: Thirty-two patients, who received tangential or locoregional adjuvant radiotherapy with EIG for left-sided breast cancer, were retrospectively enrolled in this study.

High risk of in-breast tumor recurrence after BRCA1/2-associated breast cancer.

The purpose of the study was to compare breast-conserving therapy (BCT) and mastectomy (M) in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. Women with invasive breast cancer and a pathogenic mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 were included in the study (n = 162). Patients treated with BCT (n = 45) were compared with patients treated with M (n = 118).

Long-term prognosis of early-onset breast cancer in a population-based cohort with a known BRCA1/2 mutation status.

All women in the South Sweden Health Care Region with breast cancer diagnosed aged less than 41 during the period between 1990 and 1995 were contacted in 1996 and offered germline mutation analysis of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Mutation carriers (n = 20) were compared with noncarriers (n = 201) for overall survival (OS) and risk of contralateral breast cancer (CBC). Mutation carriers were younger at diagnosis and more likely to have ER-negative, PgR-negative and grade III tumors.