Consolidative active scanning proton therapy for mediastinal lymphoma: selection criteria, treatment implementation and clinical feasibility.

Aims: Proton therapy (PT) represents an advanced form of radiotherapy with unique physical properties which could be of great advantage in reducing long-term radiation morbidity for cancer survivors. Here, we aim to describe the whole process leading to the clinical implementation of consolidative active scanning proton therapy treatment (PT) for mediastinal lymphoma.

Methods: The process included administrative, technical and clinical issues.

Whole breast external beam radiotherapy in elderly patients affected by left-sided early breast cancer: a dosimetric comparison between two simple free-breathing techniques.

Background: Elderly breast cancer patients are frequently affected by significant comorbidities that make sophisticated radiotherapy treatments particularly challenging.

Aims: We dosimetrically analyzed two different simple free-breathing external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) techniques for the hypofractionated treatment of the left breast in elderly patients with a low compliance, to compare target coverage, and heart and left anterior descending coronary artery (LADCA) sparing.

Methods: We developed radiation plans for 24 elderly patients using 3D conformal (3DCRT) field-in-field tangential technique and intensity-modulated (IMRT) tangential beam technique.

Oligometastatic cancer: stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for patients affected by isolated body metastasis.

Background: To evaluate the outcome of patients affected by a single isolated body metastasis treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Material And Methods: Seven-eight patients were treated with SBRT for isolated body metastasis. The most frequent primary tumor was prostate cancer (28.

Technical solutions to reduce mediastinal irradiation in young patients undergoing treatment for lymphomas: Preliminary experience.

This study aims at optimizing treatment planning in young patients affected by lymphoma (Stage II to III) by using an inclined board (IB) that allows reducing doses to the organs at risk. We evaluated 19 young patients affected by stage I to III lymphomas, referred to our Department for consolidation radiotherapy (RT) treatment on the mediastinum. Patients underwent 2 planning computed tomography (CT) scans performed in different positions: flat standard position and inclined position.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy in oligometastatic prostate cancer patients with isolated lymph nodes involvement: a two-institution experience.

Objective: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is emerging as a treatment option in oligometastatic cancer patients. This retrospective study aimed to analyze local control, biochemical progression-free survival (b-PFS), and toxicity in patients affected by isolated prostate cancer lymph node metastases. Finally, we evaluated androgen deprivation therapy-free survival (ADT-FS).

Salvage Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Patients With Prostate Cancer With Isolated Lymph Node Metastasis: A Single-Center Experience.

Objective: The study objective was to evaluate the efficacy of salvage stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) as a treatment modality in patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer.

Methods: A total of 16 patients with 18 isolated lymph nodes with recurrent prostate cancer were treated between 2008 and 2013. All patients underwent [(11)C] choline-positron emission tomography/computed tomography before SBRT.

Acute and late toxicity after three-dimensional conformal image-guided radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer.

We evaluated the clinical impact of a high definition micro-multileaf collimator and a linac-integrated cone-beam computed tomography in 142 patients treated with conformal radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer to a total dose of 76 Gy. Details on treatment toxicity and tumour control were collected. The 3 years biochemical relapse-free survival was 90%.

Standard or hypofractionated radiotherapy in the postoperative treatment of breast cancer: a retrospective analysis of acute skin toxicity and dose inhomogeneities.

Background: To identify predictive factors of radiation-induced skin toxicity in breast cancer patients by the analysis of dosimetric and clinical factors.

Methods: 339 patients treated between January 2007 and December 2010 are included in the present analysis. Whole breast irradiation was delivered with Conventional Fractionation (CF) (50 Gy, 2.

Is the in vivo dosimetry with the OneDosePlusTM system able to detect intra-fraction motion? A retrospective analysis of in vivo data from breast and prostate patients.

Background: The OneDosePlusTM system, based on MOSFET solid-state radiation detectors and a handheld dosimetry reader, has been used to evaluate intra-fraction movements of patients with breast and prostate cancer.

Methods: An Action Threshold (AT), defined as the maximum acceptable discrepancy between measured dose and dose calculated with the Treatment Planning System (TPS) (for each field) has been determined from phantom data. To investigate the sensitivity of the system to direction of the patient movements, fixed displacements have been simulated in phantom.

Cone-beam computed tomography in hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for brain metastases.

Background: To assess interfraction translational and rotational setup errors, in patients treated with image-guded hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy, immobilized by a thermoplastic mask and a bite-block and positioned using stereotactic coordinates.

Methods: 37 patients with 47 brain metastases were treated with hypofractionated stererotactic radiotherapy. All patients were immobilized with a combination of a thermoplastic mask and a bite-block fixed to a stereotactic frame support.

Image-guided-radiotherapy retreatment of spine metastasis: a case report and radiobiological evaluation.

Aims And Background: The present case report describes vertebral metastasis retreatment using kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for setup error correction, in order to improve target irradiation and prevent spinal cord toxicity. We evaluated the feasibility of the second radiation therapy course on the overlapping treatment volume.

Methods And Study Design: A patient with metastatic kidney cancer, previously treated to the tenth dorsal vertebra with conventional radiation planning (21 Gy; 3 x 7 Gy), underwent retreatment.

Retro-orbital granulocytic sarcoma: case report.

Granulocytic sarcomas (chloromas) are rare extra-medullary tumors arising from primitive granulocytic cells. The term "chloroma" is derived from the Greek word chloros (green), and it refers to the frequently greenish color of the tumor, which is due to the presence and oxidation of the myeloperoxidase enzyme. These tumors can arise de novo or can be associated with other myeloid disorders, such as acute or chronic myeloid leukemia, myeloproliferative or myelodysplastic conditions.