Effectiveness of Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography as a Guide for Palliative Radiation Therapy for Spinal Metastases.

Objective: As back pain is the presenting symptom in 95% of patients with epidural spinal metastases, appropriately identifying and treating the most symptomatic levels can provide significant palliation. The purpose of this study was to analyze the ability of combined positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) to identify spinal metastases with high metabolic activity and guide radiotherapy. We sought to correlate improvement in back pain with reduction in standard uptake value (SUV) after treatment.

Cumulative volumetric analysis as a key criterion for the treatment of brain metastases.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated diminished cognitive function, worse quality of life, and no overall survival benefit from the addition of adjuvant whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) to stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the management of brain metastases. This study analyzes the treatment outcome of SRS, specifically CyberKnife Radiosurgery, based on the total tumor volume compared to the absolute number of lesions.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of hospital records at Virginia Hospital Center for patients with brain metastases who underwent CyberKnife Radiosurgery between June 2008 and June 2014 was performed.

Sexual, irritative, and voiding outcomes, following stereotactic body radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Background: Urinary symptoms and sexual dysfunction are the two most common complaints following prostate radiotherapy. The impact of hypofractionated treatment on sexual function, irritative symptoms, and voiding symptoms has not been determined within the same patient population. Here we present our institutional data on sexual function, voiding function, irritative symptoms, and treatment response following SBRT.

Comparative dosimetric findings using accelerated partial breast irradiation across five catheter subtypes.

Purpose: Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) with balloon and strut adjusted volume implants (SAVI) show promising results with excellent tumor control and minimal toxicity. Knowing the factors that contribute to a high skin dose, rib dose, and D95 coverage may reduce toxicity, improve tumor control, and help properly predict patient outcomes following APBI.

Methods And Materials: A retrospective analysis of 594 patients treated with brachytherapy based APBI at a single institution from May 2008 to September 2014 was grouped by applicator subtype.

Hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy for elderly patients with stage IIB-IV nonsmall cell lung cancer who are ineligible for or refuse other treatment modalities.

Objective: In elderly patients with stage IIB-IV nonsmall cell lung cancer who cannot tolerate chemotherapy, conventionally fractionated radiotherapy is the treatment of choice. We present our experience with hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in the treatment of this patient population.

Methods: Thirty-three patients with a median age of 80 years treated with fractionated SBRT were retrospectively analyzed.

Robotic stereotactic body radiation therapy for elderly medically inoperable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is being increasingly applied in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) because of its high local efficacy. This study aims to examine survival outcomes in elderly patients with inoperable stage I NSCLC treated with SBRT.

Methods: A total of 31 patients with single lesions treated with fractionated SBRT from 2008 to 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.

Dose escalation with stereotactic body radiation therapy boost for locally advanced non small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: Low survival outcomes have been reported for the treatment of locally advanced non small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) with the standard of care treatment of concurrent chemoradiation (cCRT). We present our experience of dose escalation using stereotactic body radiosurgery (SBRT) following conventional cCRT for patients with LA-NSCLC.

Methods: Sixteen patients with a median age of 67.

Malignant melanoma and radiotherapy: past myths, excellent local control in 146 studied lesions at Georgetown University, and improving future management.

Introduction: Once thought to be radioresistant, emerging cellular and clinical evidence now suggests melanoma can respond to large radiation doses per fraction.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of all patients treated with stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiotherapy at Georgetown University Hospital from May 2002 through November 2008 and studied the classic extrapolated total dose corrected for volume (ETD(vol)) model for predicting melanoma tumor response. Region-specific tumor outcomes were categorized by RECIST criteria and local control curves were estimated and analyzed when stratified by ETD(vol) thresholds by use of the Kaplan-Meier method.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy for reirradiation of localized adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

Background: Local control rates are poor in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. We investigated the role of hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for salvage or boost treatment after conventional doses of external beam radiation therapy.

Methods: All patients treated with SBRT for pancreatic adenocarcinoma at Georgetown University from June 2002 through July 2007 were examined.

Treatment of spinal tumors using cyberknife fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery: pain and quality-of-life assessment after treatment in 200 patients.

Objective: Benign and malignant tumors of the spine significantly impair the function and quality of life of many patients. Standard treatment options, including conventional radiotherapy and surgery, are often limited by anatomic constraints and previous treatment. Image-guided stereotactic radiosurgery using the CyberKnife system (Accuray, Inc.