Factors Associated with Long-Term Prostate Cancer Survival after Palliative Radiotherapy to a Bone Metastasis and Contemporary Palliative Systemic Therapy: A Retrospective, Population-Based Study.

Background: Radiation therapy (RT) is an established palliative treatment for bone metastases; however, little is known about post-radiation survival and factors which impact it. The aim of this study was to assess a population-based sample of metastatic prostate cancer patients receiving palliative radiation therapy to bone metastases and contemporary palliative systemic therapy and identify factors that impact long-term survival.

Materials/methods: This retrospective, population-based, cohort study assessed all prostate cancer patients receiving palliative RT for bone metastases at a Canadian provincial Cancer program during a contemporary time period.

Do Sustainable Palliative Single Fraction Radiotherapy Practices Proliferate or Perish 2 Years after a Knowledge Translation Campaign?

In early 2017, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and CancerCare Manitoba undertook a comprehensive knowledge translation (KT) campaign to improve the utilization of single fraction radiotherapy (SFRT) over multiple fraction radiotherapy (MFRT) for palliative management of bone metastases. The campaign significantly increased short-term SFRT utilization. We assess the time-dependent effects of KT-derived SFRT utilization 12-24 months removed from the KT campaign in a Provincial Cancer Program.

A retrospective study on clinical factors influencing intra-fraction motion using volumetric imaging for spine stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Objectives: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for the spine is challenging due to high-dose gradients sparing the cord in the treatment plans. We present our findings of initial setup error and intrafraction motion from Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging.

Materials And Methods: A total of 47 patients treated with spine SBRT with a total of 154 fractions following a fractionation schedule of 16 Gy in 1, 24 Gy in 2, and 30 Gy in 5 fractions were part of this study.

Adaptive radiation therapy strategies in the treatment of prostate cancer patients using hypofractionated VMAT.

Purpose: To perform a comprehensive evaluation of eight adaptive radiation therapy strategies in the treatment of prostate cancer patients who underwent hypofractionated volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment.

Material And Methods: The retrospective study included 20 prostate cancer patients treated with 40 Gy total dose over five fractions (8 Gy/fraction) using VMAT. Daily cone beam computed tomography images were acquired before the delivery of every fraction and then, with the application of deformable image registration used for the estimation of daily dose, contouring and plan re-optimization.

Do Coordinated Knowledge Translation Campaigns Persuade Radiation Oncologists to Use Single-Fraction Radiation Therapy Compared With Multiple-Fraction Radiation Therapy for Bone Metastases?

Purpose: Although level 1 evidence supports the use of single-fraction radiation therapy (SFRT) compared with multiple-fraction radiation therapy (MFRT) for the palliative management of bone metastases, SFRT is underused. In early 2017, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and CancerCare Manitoba undertook a comprehensive knowledge translation campaign in Manitoba, Canada featuring educational outreach visits, local consensus meetings, and audit and feedback interventions to encourage greater use of SFRT. This study assessed the impact of this campaign on SFRT use and identified variables associated with MFRT usage.

Epidemiology, clinical treatment patterns, and survival of hepatocellular carcinoma in Manitoba.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a very poor survival rate, especially for those who do not receive a potentially curative therapy.

Methods: Treatment details were collected for 320 HCC patients diagnosed in Manitoba between January 2011 and December 2015. Patients had a mean age of 67.

Hurdles in radiation planning for glioblastoma: Can delayed-contrast enhanced computed tomography be a potential solution?

Objective: Conformal radiation is the standard of care in treatment of glioblastoma. Although co-registration of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with early contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) is recommended for target delineation by consensus guidelines, ground realities in developing countries often result in availability of less-than-ideal MR sequences for treatment planning. Purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of incorporation of delayed-CECT sequences for radiation planning in glioblastomas, as an adjunct or alternative to MRI.