Comparative Analysis of Photon Stereotactic Radiotherapy and Carbon-Ion Radiotherapy for Elderly Patients with Stage I Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

The emergence of an aging society and technological advances have made radiotherapy, especially stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), a common alternative to surgery for elderly patients with early stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) is also an attractive treatment option with potentially lower toxicity for elderly patients with comorbidities. We compared the clinical outcomes of the two modalities using Japanese multicenter data.

Proton therapy for patients with esophageal cancer: History, characteristics, clinical outcome and future direction of proton beam therapy.

After the second war, Wilson who participated in development of the atomic bomb in Los Alamos studied peaceful use of atomic energy and proposed a property of proton beam that has potential to treat cancer. According to his proposal, the first patient was treated with proton beam therapy at the University of California Berkley in 1954. The first series of proton beam therapy for patients with esophageal cancer was reported from Japan in 1993.

Transvaginal artificial ascites infusion as a spacer in gynecological brachytherapy: a novel technique.

This is a first paper to report on artificial ascites infusion via vaginal wall for pelvic interstitial brachytherapy. Artificial ascites is commonly used for treating liver tumors, with radiofrequency ablation and percutaneous artificial ascites infusion through the abdominal wall for pelvic brachytherapy has been previously reported by our group. However, the trans-abdominal needle approach under ultrasound guidance is unreliable due to poor visualization resulting in fluid injection into the abdominal wall or mesenterium and the rate of successful artificial ascites infusion was low.

Prevention of calpain-dependent degradation of STK38 by MEKK2-mediated phosphorylation.

Serine-threonine kinase 38 (STK38) is a member of the protein kinase A (PKA)/PKG/PKC-family implicated in the regulation of cell division and morphogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying STK38 stability remain largely unknown. Here, we show that treatment of cells with either heat or the calcium ionophore A23187 induced STK38 degradation.

Feasibility of carbon-ion radiotherapy for re-irradiation of locoregionally recurrent, metastatic, or secondary lung tumors.

Intrathoracic recurrence after carbon-ion radiotherapy for primary or metastatic lung tumors remains a major cause of cancer-related deaths. However, treatment options are limited. Herein, we report on the toxicity and efficacy of re-irradiation with carbon-ion radiotherapy for locoregionally recurrent, metastatic, or secondary lung tumors.

Carbon-ion radiotherapy for patients with advanced stage non-small-cell lung cancer at multicenters.

Carbon-ion radiation therapy (CIRT) for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been well studied to date. This paper aimed to analyze a retrospective multicenter survey for detecting problems with the use of CIRT for Stage II and III NSCLC (7th UICC TNM Staging System). Inclusion was restricted to patients with Stage II and III NSCLC who received CIRT from November 2003 to December 2014.

Carbon-ion radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer with interstitial lung disease: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Lung cancer is frequently complicated by interstitial lung disease (ILD). Treatment protocols for lung cancer patients with ILD have not been established; surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy can all cause acute exacerbation of ILD. This study evaluated the toxicity and efficacy of carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and ILD.

Carbon-ion re-irradiation for recurrences after initial treatment of stage I non-small cell lung cancer with carbon-ion radiotherapy.

Purpose: To investigate carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) for in-field recurrence of stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) initially treated with CIRT.

Materials And Methods: From January 2007 to March 2014, patients initially treated for stage I NSCLC with CIRT and relapsed in-field were candidates. Overall survival (OS) rate, local control (LC) rate, progressive free survival (PFS) rate, dose to the lungs and skin, and adverse effects were analyzed.

Prognostic analysis of radiation pneumonitis: carbon-ion radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced lung cancer.

Background: Carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) is a promising treatment for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, especially for patients with inoperable lung cancer. Although the incidence of CIRT-induced radiation pneumonitis (RP) ≥ grade 2 ranges from 2.5 to 9.

Gating window dependency on scanned carbon-ion beam dose distribution and imaging dose for thoracoabdominal treatment.

Objective: To explore the trade-off between dose assessment and imaging dose in respiratory gating with radiographic fluoroscopic imaging, we evaluated the relationship between dose assessment and fluoroscopic imaging dose in various gating windows, retrospectively.

Methods: Four-dimensional (4D) CT images acquired for 10 patients with lung and liver tumours were used for 4D treatment planning for scanned carbon ion beam. Imaging dose from two oblique directions was calculated by the number of images multiplied by the air kerma per image.

A Dose Escalation Clinical Trial of Single-Fraction Carbon Ion Radiotherapy for Peripheral Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Objectives: Our objective was to report initial results of a dose escalation trial of single-fraction carbon ion radiotherapy for peripheral stage I NSCLC.

Methods: Between April 2003 and February 2012, a total of 218 patients were treated. The total dose was raised from 28 to 50 Gy (relative biological effectiveness [RBE]).

Carbon-ion pencil beam scanning for thoracic treatment - initiation report and dose metrics evaluation.

Carbon-ion beam scanning has not previously been used for moving tumor treatments. We have commenced respiratory-gated carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) in the thoracic and abdominal regions under free-breathing conditions as a clinical trial. This study aimed to investigate this treatment in the lungs in comparison with passive scattering CIRT.

Dosimetric impact of 4DCT artifact in carbon-ion scanning beam treatment: Worst case analysis in lung and liver treatments.

Introduction: We evaluated the impact of 4DCT artifacts on carbon-ion pencil beam scanning dose distributions in lung and liver treatment.

Methods & Materials: 4DCT was performed in 20 liver and lung patients using area-detector CT (original 4DCT). 4DCT acquisition by multi-detector row CT was simulated using original 4DCT by selecting other phases randomly (plus/minus 20% phases).

Carbon-Ion Pencil Beam Scanning Treatment With Gated Markerless Tumor Tracking: An Analysis of Positional Accuracy.

Purpose: Having implemented amplitude-based respiratory gating for scanned carbon-ion beam therapy, we sought to evaluate its effect on positional accuracy and throughput.

Methods And Materials: A total of 10 patients with tumors of the lung and liver participated in the first clinical trials at our center. Treatment planning was conducted with 4-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) under free-breathing conditions.

Single-Fraction Carbon-Ion Radiation Therapy for Patients 80 Years of Age and Older With Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Purpose: In an aging society, many senior citizens want less invasive treatment because of potential medical complications. The National Institute of Radiological Sciences has started to treat stage I lung cancer with single-fraction carbon-ion radiation therapy (CIRT) as a dose escalation prospective phase 1/2 trial. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of CIRT for patients 80 years of age and older, undergoing single-fraction CIRT.