Neoadjuvant chemoradiation for esophageal cancer : Surgery improves locoregional control while response based on FDG-PET/CT predicts survival.

Introduction: To retrospectively analyze the outcome of patients with esophageal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation.

Methods: A total of 41 patients received neoadjuvant intent chemoradiation for esophageal cancer. Most patients had a locally advanced disease (T3/4: 82%, N+: 83%, M0: 100%) and squamous cell carcinoma (83%).

Concurrent Afatinib and Whole-Brain Radiotherapy in Exon 19-del-EGFR Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report and Mini Review of the Literature.

Leptomeningeal metastases (LM) are found in approximately 3.8% of non-small cell lung cancer cases with an increased incidence in adenocarcinoma, and approximately one-third of patients will present with concomitant brain metastases. We report the case of a 50-year-old male patient with stage IV exon 19-del-EGFR mutant lung adenocarcinoma who progressed on second-generation TKI therapy with manifestation of symptomatic simultaneous diffuse brain and LM.

Prefraction displacement and intrafraction drift of the prostate due to perineal ultrasound probe pressure.

Objective: In image-guided EBRT of the prostate, transperineal ultrasound (US) probes exert pressure on the perineum both during planning and treatment. Through tissue deformation and relaxation, this causes target and risk organ displacement and drift. In this study, prefraction shift and intrafraction drift of the prostate are quantified during robotic transperineal 4DUS.

Risk of second cancer following radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a population-based analysis.

Background: To investigate the risk of second cancer and radiation induced second cancer following prostate cancer radiotherapy.

Methods: We compared men with radiotherapy only with those treated with radical prostatectomy only and those with radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy. Cumulative incidences of second cancers were calculated.

Comparison of prostate positioning guided by three-dimensional transperineal ultrasound and cone beam CT.

Objective: The accuracy of a transperineal three-dimensional ultrasound system (3DUS) was assessed for prostate positioning and compared to fiducial- and bone-based positioning in kV cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) during definitive radiotherapy of prostate cancer.

Methods: Each of the 7 patients had three fiducial markers implanted into the prostate before treatment. Prostate positioning was simultaneously measured by 3DUS and CBCT before each fraction.

Investigating a Correlation between Chemoradiotherapy Schedule Parameters and Overall Survival in a real-life LD SCLC Patient Cohort.

: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is a treatment standard in limited disease (LD) small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Currently, the timing of thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) remains the subject of randomised trials and meta-analyses. To investigate a correlation between CRT schedule parameters and overall survival (OS) in a real-life patient cohort, a temporal analysis was performed.

Risk of biochemical recurrence and timing of radiotherapy in pT3a N0 prostate cancer with positive surgical margin : A single center experience.

Background: Despite improved biochemical recurrence-free survival rates by the use of immediate adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer, disagreement about the need and timing of RT remains.

Patients And Methods: From 2005-2009, 94 patients presenting with a stage pT3a N0 and microscopic positive resection margin were retrospectively analyzed after radical prostatectomy. Special attention was given to patients' outcome, the frequency of additive RT, and its efficacy.

Distribution of prostate nodes: a PET/CT-derived anatomic atlas of prostate cancer patients before and after surgical treatment.

Background: In order to define adequate radiation portals in nodal positive prostate cancer a detailed knowledge of the anatomic lymph-node distribution is mandatory. We therefore systematically analyzed the localization of Choline PET/CT positive lymph nodes and compared it to the RTOG recommendation of pelvic CTV, as well as to previous work, the SPECT sentinel lymph node atlas.

Methods: Thirty-two patients being mostly high risk patients with a PSA of 12.

A comparative assessment of prostate positioning guided by three-dimensional ultrasound and cone beam CT.

Background: The accuracy of the Elekta Clarity™ three-dimensional ultrasound system (3DUS) was assessed for prostate positioning and compared to seed- and bone-based positioning in kilo-voltage cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) during a definitive radiotherapy.

Methods: The prostate positioning of 6 patients, with fiducial markers implanted into the prostate, was controlled by 3DUS and CBCT. In total, 78 ultrasound scans were performed trans-abdominally and compared to bone-matches and seed-matches in CBCT scans.

Hypofractionated radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

In the last few years, hypofractionated external beam radiotherapy has gained increasing popularity for prostate cancer treatment, since sufficient evidence exists that prostate cancer has a low α/β ratio, lower than the one of the surrounding organs at risk and thus there is a potential therapeutic benefit of using larger fractionated single doses. Apart from the therapeutic rationale there are advantages such as saving treatment time and medical resources and thereby improving patient's convenience. While older trials showed unsatisfactory results in both standard and hypofractionated arm due to insufficient radiation doses and non-standard contouring of target volumes, contemporary randomized studies have reported on encouraging results of tumor control mostly without an increase of relevant side effects, especially late toxicity.