Postgraduate teaching-learning pattern for radiation oncology students in India - A survey-based analysis.

Context: Teaching and training in Radiation Oncology is only at postgraduate level with 8-10 hours of theory sessions during undergraduate course. Uniform training during the post-graduation course across the country is a major challenge as many new concepts are introduced.

Aim: This study is an effort to look into various aspects of training in terms of teaching-learning and assessment.

Safety and efficacy of Oro-T oral rinse in oral mucositis during cancer radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy: Cumulative analysis of two studies.

Introduction: Oral mucositis is inflammation of the mucosa of the mouth which ranges from redness to severe ulceration. It results from the local effects of radiation to the oral mucosa.

Objectives: The study is cumulative analysis of two studies (one comparative and the other open labeled) evaluated in individuals with oral mucositis during cancer radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy for the safety and efficacy of Oro-T mouthwash in a comparative design with normal saline.

Interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy using cobalt-60 source for cervical cancer: dosimetric and clinical outcomes from a single institute.

Purpose: To record and report dosimetric and clinical outcomes of interstitial brachytherapy using cobalt-60 (Co) source in cervical cancer.

Material And Methods: Seventy patients who underwent external beam radiotherapy with dose of 45 Gy in 25 fractions, followed by interstitial brachytherapy (ISBT) 6.5 Gy × 4 fractions were included into this study.

Brachytherapy for Oral Cavity Cancers in the Era of Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy: Save it or Shelve it.

Head and neck cancer treatment includes a multidisciplinary approach involving all specialties. Surgery and radiotherapy are equally effective in controlling small tumors. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and interstitial brachytherapy (ISBT) play an important role in the treatment of head and neck cancers.

Tolerance of Radical Radiotherapy Among Elderly Head and Neck Cancer Patients.

Head and neck cancers usually occur in the elderly age group and about half of the cases occur at the age > 60 years with majority detected in an advanced stage with increased morbidity and decreasing compliance to therapy. Since there are limited data available for the adequate treatment of elderly head and neck cancer patients, we proposed a study to analyze tolerance and response based on age, site, modality of treatment received, and implication of nutrition vs weight loss during treatment. Fifty-five patients were enrolled in this study, which was conducted between November 2015 and April 2017, and those who met the eligibility criteria were evaluated with a detailed history and physical examination, and biochemical, pathological, and radiological investigations.

Indian Brachytherapy Society Guidelines for radiotherapeutic management of cervical cancer with special emphasis on high-dose-rate brachytherapy.

Brachytherapy (BT) for locally advanced cervical cancer is vital for optimal outcomes. There is heterogeneity in brachytherapy treatment practice for cervical cancer across India. In an attempt to standardize various processes involved in cervical cancer brachytherapy, the expert members of the Indian Brachytherapy Society (IBS) developed a document related to radiation therapy treatment of cervical cancer with special emphasis on brachytherapy.

Adjuvant radiotherapy in carcinoma buccal mucosa; more conformal the best: Is it so?

Introduction: Since 1980s, computerization has made improvements in radiation therapy delivery from conventional two-dimensional to three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (2DCRT to 3DCRT) to intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and its newer versions. This small study is aimed to compare the existing techniques for planning target volume (PTV) and organ at risk (OAR) dose distribution parameters in postoperative buccal mucosa cases.

Materials And Methods: Ten post operative cases of early stage carcinoma buccal mucosa in whom only post operative bed irradiation was indicated was enrolled and was planned with conventional, 3DCRT and IMRT techniques to get 95% PTV coverage and dose received by organs at risk were recorded and evaluated.

Optimal technique of radiotherapy for carcinoma cervix in developing countries: Dosimetric and logistic comparison.

Purpose: Carcinoma cervix is the most common malignancy affecting women in developing countries. Radical radiotherapy is the mainstay of treatment in more than 90% of patients. The present study is a dosimetric and logistic comparison of various techniques of radiotherapy, namely two-dimensional conventional radiotherapy (2DCRT), three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

Carcinoma esophagus with xeroderma pigmentosa: Case report on a rare association.

Radiation in patients with diseases such as xeroderma pigmentosa (XP), systemic lupus erythematosus, and other connective diseases is a matter of concern because of higher incidence of toxicities. Here with, we are reporting a case of carcinoma esophagus with XP, who tolerated the treatment well with sufficiently prolonged palliation of symptoms, after treatment with external beam radiotherapy. This might be attributed to the different mechanisms of DNA damage and repair mechanisms for ultraviolet (UV) rays and X-rays.

Accelerated Radiation Therapy Using Weekend Boost with Concurrent Cisplatin in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancers: An Indian Institutional Experience.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of an accelerated radiotherapy schedule using weekend boost in terms of tumor response, compliance, and acute toxicities for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and to report long-term clinical outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-six patients with stages III-IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma receiving radical chemoradiotherapy were accrued prospectively into the study. External beam radiation therapy to a total dose of 66-70 Gy in 33-35 fractions, 1.

Quantification of Dose-Volume and Dose-Length Parameters for Cervical Esophageal Stricture in Head and Neck Irradiation with the 3DCRT and IMRT Technique.

Purpose: To quantify and compare dose-volume and dose-length parameters of cervical esophagus between three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and to correlate with incidence of cervical strictures in head and neck cancer irradiation with radical intent.

Materials And Methods: Forty consecutive head and neck cancer patients who received radical radiation therapy, either with 3DCRT (n = 20) or IMRT (n = 20), between December 2011 and August 2012 were retrospectively analyzed and followed up for at least 4 years post-treatment completion.

Results: The volumes of cervical esophagus receiving ≥54 Gy (V54) and ≥60 Gy (V60) and lengths receiving circumferential dose of ≥50 Gy (L50) and ≥54 Gy (L54) were significantly higher in patients treated with IMRT as compared to 3DCRT (P ≤ .

Impact of Molecular Predictors on the Response Rates in Head and Neck Cancer Patients - an Observational Study.

Squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck region account for more than 25 % of male and more than 10 % of female cancers in India (1). Head and neck cancer treatment includes a multidisciplinary approach involving all specialties. Concurrent chemo-radiation is the standard of care in most of the subsites (2).

Implication of Bifurcation of Abdominal Aorta for Radiotherapy Planning for Cervical Cancers.

Introduction: External Beam Radiotherapy plays a major role in the management of Carcinoma Cervix. The Radiotherapy treatment portals are designed to adequately cover the gross disease and areas of microscopic spread. The upper border of Radiotherapy field is traditionally placed at the level of L4-L5 intervertebral space to cover the common iliac nodal area.

A prospective dosimetric and clinical comparison of acute hematological toxicities in three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy with concurrent chemotherapy in carcinoma cervix.

Background And Objectives: Acute hematological toxicities are an important cause of morbidity in patients receiving concurrent chemoradiation to pelvis in carcinoma cervix. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in reducing the dose to the bone marrow as compared with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) and hence its impact on reducing the acute hematological toxicities.

Materials And Methods: Eleven consecutive patients treated with IMRT and 12 patients treated with 3DCRT to the whole pelvis along with concurrent chemotherapy were selected.

How common is hypothyroidism after external radiotherapy to neck in head and neck cancer patients?

Purpose: To identify the occurrence of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism among head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation to the neck and to justify routine performing of thyroid function tests during follow-up.

Materials And Methods: This is a prospective nonrandomized study of 45 patients of head and neck cancer, receiving radiotherapy (RT). Thyroid stimulating hormone and T4 estimations were done at baseline and at 4 months and 9 months following RT.

A rare case of papillary carcinoma of choroids plexus: Its management and review of literature.

Papillary carcinoma of choroids plexus is very rare. Only a few cases have been described in the literature, and it is most commonly found in the pediatric population. A further observation is added now.

Aggressive approach in a case of cancer cervix with uremia.

Carcinoma of cervix is the most common cancer in developing countries. Majority of them present in locally advanced stages. A 36-year-old lady presented with bleeding and white discharge per vagina since four months, vomiting and reduced urine output since two weeks.

Positional variation of applicators during low dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy for cervical cancer: a prospective study.

Purpose: In order to know the effect of variation in position of applicators to the dose received by the tumor volume, critical organs such as rectum and bladder and the correlation of variation on the clinical outcome.

Material And Methods: 36 patients with histologically proven cervical cancer, undergoing intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) from October 2005 to December 2006 were the subjects of the study. Two pairs of orthogonal X-ray films were taken: one prior to loading of sources and the other after removal of sources.

Palliative Benefits of the Multimodality Approach in the Re-treatment of Recurrent Malignant Glioma: Two Case Reports.

Two young male patients treated seven and four years back, for malignant glioma, returned with recurrence at the same site, with a World Health Organization (WHO) Performance Score of four and two. Both underwent resurgery and received postoperative reirradiation of 5040 cGy in 28 fractions and concurrent Temozolomide 75 mg/m(2) body surface area (BSA) daily, and one patient received additional adjuvant Temozolomide 250 mg (150 mg/m(2) BSA). Both patients tolerated the treatment well with 16 and 14 months follow-up from the time of recurrence.

Magnitude of fatigue in cancer patients receiving radiotherapy and its short term effect on quality of life.

Background: Fatigue is one of the most common, ongoing symptoms reported by patients undergoing radiotherapy and has profound effects on the quality of life.

Aims: This study attempts to identify the magnitude of fatigue and its implication on the quality of life during radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: A prospective study was conducted from March 2004 to September 2005, on 90 patients with histologically proven cancer, receiving radiotherapy.

Invasive thymoma with intraorbital metastases.

Thymomas are epithelial neoplasm of thymus and most common primary neoplasm of anterior and superior mediastinum affecting males and females equally. It occurs usually in the fifth to seventh decade. Approximately one-third of thymomas are invasive.

Role of palliative radiotherapy in brain metastases.

Background: Brain metastases are a common manifestation of systemic cancer and exceed primary brain tumors in number and are a significant cause of neurologic problems. They affect 20-40% of all cancer patients. Aggressive management of brain metastases is effective in both symptom palliation and prolonging the life.

Unilateral solitary choroid metastasis from breast cancer: rewarding results of external radiotherapy.

Intraocular metastatic tumor is the commonest intraocular malignancy in adults, with uveal tract the commonest site. In nearly 85% of cases the choroid is the afflicted site due to its vascularity. Breast and lung are the common primaries.

Epidural analgesia during brachytherapy for cervical cancer patients.

Aims: To find out the efficacy of epidural analgesia in providing continuous pain relief for patients undergoing brachytherapy for cervical cancer.

Settings: Teaching Hospital.

Design: Retrospective Study.

Nasopharyngeal angiofibroma treated with radiotherapy.

Nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a rare, highly vascular, benign, locally aggressive tumor, affecting boys of adolescent age. The aggressiveness and high vascularity makes surgery and even a biopsy difficult in majority of cases. Although surgery is the treatment of choice in early cases, considerable debate exists regarding the treatment of advanced disease with intracranial extension.