Quality of palliative radiotherapy assessed using quality indicators: a multicenter survey†.

We sought to identify potential evidence-practice gaps in palliative radiotherapy using quality indicators (QIs), previously developed using a modified Delphi method. Seven QIs were used to assess the quality of radiotherapy for bone metastases (BoM) and brain metastases (BrM). Compliance rate was calculated as the percentage of patients for whom recommended medical care was conducted.

Who should receive single-fraction palliative radiotherapy for gastric cancer bleeding?: An exploratory analysis of a multicenter prospective observational study (JROSG 17-3).

Purpose: Although the Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI) has been used to predict survival in various cancers, to our knowledge, no study has examined its applicability in gastric cancer. This study aimed to determine the baseline PPI cutoff value for recommending single-fraction radiotherapy in patients with bleeding gastric cancer.

Materials And Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the Japanese Radiation Oncology Study Group (JROSG) 17-3, a multicenter prospective study of palliative radiotherapy for bleeding gastric cancer.

Incidence of and risk factors for non-hematologic toxicity with combined radiotherapy and CDK4/6 inhibitors in metastatic breast cancer using dose-volume parameters analysis: a multicenter cohort study.

Background: There is a lack of data on combined radiotherapy (RT) and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) risk factors and toxicity. This study aimed to assess the incidence of and risk factors for non-hematologic toxicities in patients treated with combined RT and CDK4/6i using dose-volume parameter analysis.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study of patients with metastatic breast cancer receiving RT within 14 days of CDK4/6i use.

Recurrence patterns and progression-free survival after chemoradiotherapy with or without consolidation durvalumab for stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

Chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation durvalumab (CCRT+D) improves survival in patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We compared recurrence patterns and survival in the CCRT+D and CCRT cohorts. We conducted a multicenter, retrospective study in Japan.

Diffuse goitre enlargement after immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

It is well known that a phenomenon called hyperprogressive disease (HPD) often occurs during immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors. In the present case, we experienced a case of HPD in a potential metastatic thyroid tumour during immunotherapy. HPD can be life-threatening depending on where it appears, so clinicians need to be careful.

Treatment response after palliative radiotherapy for bleeding gastric cancer: a multicenter prospective observational study (JROSG 17-3).

Background: Palliative radiotherapy seems to be rarely performed for incurable gastric cancer. In this first multicenter study, we examined the effectiveness of palliative radiotherapy and investigated whether biologically effective dose (BED) is associated with survival, response, or re-bleeding.

Methods: Eligibility criteria included blood transfusion or hemoglobin levels < 8.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Symptomatic Radiation Pneumonitis in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy and Consolidation Durvalumab.

Introduction: Data on the risk factors for symptomatic radiation pneumonitis (RP) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and consolidation durvalumab are limited; we aimed to investigate these risk factors.

Materials And Methods: This multicenter retrospective study, conducted at 15 institutions in Japan, included patients who were ≥20 years of age; who started definitive CCRT for NSCLC between July 1, 2018, and July 31, 2019; and who then received durvalumab. The primary endpoint was grade 2 or worse (grade 2+) RP.

Palliative brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy for dysphagia from esophageal cancer: a nationwide survey in Japan.

Background: International guidelines recommend brachytherapy for patients with dysphagia from esophageal cancer, whereas brachytherapy is infrequently used to palliate dysphagia in some countries. To clarify the availability of palliative treatment for dysphagia from esophageal cancer and explain why brachytherapy is not routinely performed are unknown, this study investigated the use of brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy for dysphagia from esophageal cancer.

Methods: Japanese Radiation Oncology Study Group members completed a survey and selected the treatment that they would recommend for hypothetical cases of dysphagia from esophageal cancer.

Practice patterns for postoperative radiation therapy in patients with metastases to the long bones: a survey of the Japanese Radiation Oncology Study Group.

Evidence regarding postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) for metastases to the long bones is lacking. Characterizing the current practice patterns and identifying factors that influence dose-fractionation schedules are essential for future clinical trials. An internet-based survey of the palliative RT subgroup of the Japanese Radiation Oncology Study Group was performed in 2017 to collect data regarding PORT prescription practices and dose-fractionation schedules.

Application and limitation of radiomics approach to prognostic prediction for lung stereotactic body radiotherapy using breath-hold CT images with random survival forest: A multi-institutional study.

Purpose: To predict local recurrence (LR) and distant metastasis (DM) in early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in multiple institutions using breath-hold computed tomography (CT)-based radiomic features with random survival forest.

Methods: A total of 573 primary early stage NSCLC patients who underwent SBRT between January 2006 and March 2016 and met the eligibility criteria were included in this study. Patients were divided into two datasets: training (464 patients in 10 institutions) and test (109 patients in one institution) datasets.

Acute onset of ulcerative colitis during chemoradiotherapy for anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive lung adenocarcinoma.

We report a case of acute onset of ulcerative colitis (UC) during chemoradiotherapy in a patient with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive lung adenocarcinoma. A 46-year-old male patient with an abnormal chest shadow was referred to our hospital. He was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, clinical stage T1aN3M0 and stage IIIB.

Long-term complications of definitive chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer using the classical method.

Chemoradiation therapy is widely used to treat both inoperable and operable patients, and is less invasive than surgery. Although the number of long-term survivors who have received chemoradiation therapy is increasing, the long-term toxicity pattern and cumulative incidence of toxicity regarding this modality are poorly understood. Classically, chemoradiation therapy for esophageal cancer consists of an anterior-posterior field and a subsequent oblique boost field.

Solitary oropharyngeal neurofibroma: MR appearance with pathologic correlation and review of the literature.

Although neurofibroma is a common soft tissue tumor of the head and neck, neurofibroma of the oropharynx is extremely rare. Here, we report a case of neurofibroma of the palatine tonsil. Magnetic resonance imaging was useful in demonstrating the location of the tumor as well as its well-defined appearance.

Long-term follow-up of a randomized Phase II study of cisplatin/5-FU concurrent chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer (KROSG0101/JROSG021).

Objective: Long-term survival and late toxicities of a randomized Phase II study of chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer were analyzed.

Methods: Eligible patients were <75 years old and performance status 0-2, and had Stages II-IVA esophageal cancer. For arm A (short-term infusion), cisplatin 70 mg/m(2) Days 1 and 29 and 5-fluorouracil 700 mg/m(2) Days 1-5 and 29-33 were given concurrently with radiotherapy of 60 Gy/30 fr/7 weeks (1 week split).

Magnetic SiO2 gel microspheres for arterial embolization hyperthermia.

We have prepared magnetic SiO(2) microspheres with a diameter of 20-30 µm as thermoseeds for hyperthermia of cancer. These were prepared by directly introducing preformed magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) into microspheres of a SiO(2) gel matrix derived from the hydrolysis of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) in a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion. Dimethylformamide (DMF) was used as a stabilizer, methanol (CH(3)OH) as a dispersant and ammonia (NH(4)OH) as the catalyst for the formation of the spherical particles in the aqueous phase of the W/O emulsion.

Hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for acoustic neuromas: safety and effectiveness over 8 years of experience.

Background: Little information is available about long-term outcomes of hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (hypo-FSRT) for acoustic neuromas. In this study, the safety and effectiveness of hypo-FSRT for unilateral acoustic neuroma were reviewed over 8 years of experience at our institution.

Methods: Between May 1998 and October 2006, 27 patients were consecutively treated by linear accelerator-based hypo-FSRT.

Preparation of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for hyperthermia of cancer in a FeCl₂-NaNO₃-NaOH aqueous system.

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONPs) were synthesized in a FeCl₂-NaNO₃-NaOH aqueous system under various initial Fe(2+)/NO⁻₃ molar ratios (α) and Fe(2+)/OH- molar ratios (β) in order to clarify the effects of the initial molar ratio of reactants on the reaction mechanism. The Fe(2+)/NO⁻₃ /OH(-) molar ratio of 3 : 1 : 5 led to the formation of magnetic nanoparticles mainly composed of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) and maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃). The 36 nm sized γ-Fe₂O₃ and 413 nm sized Fe₃O₄ were obtained by changing the order in which NaNO₃ was added to a NaOH solution.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma in Japan: changes in clinical features, treatment, and prognosis during 1985-2004.

We have conducted nationwide surveys of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) treated since 1985. In the present study, we newly collected data between 2000 and 2004 and investigated changes in clinical features and outcome over time. A total of 739 patients with histologically proven PCNSL under going radiotherapy were analyzed.

In vitro heat generation by ferrimagnetic maghemite microspheres for hyperthermic treatment of cancer under an alternating magnetic field.

Ferrimagnetic materials can be expected to be useful as thermo seeds for hyperthermic treatment of cancer, especially where the cancer is located in deep parts of body, as they can generate heat by magnetic hysteretic loss when they are placed in an alternating magnetic field. Recently, it was reported that ferrimagnetic maghemite (gamma-Fe2O3) microspheres 20-30 microm in diameter prepared in aqueous solution can show excellent heat generating ability. However, these microspheres have many cracks on their surfaces.

Stereotactic radiosurgery for atypical and anaplastic meningiomas.

Atypical and anaplastic meningiomas frequently recur in the relatively short-term after surgery. We have followed such postoperative cases by short-interval repeated MRI and have performed stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for progressive tumors as a salvage therapy. The objective of this report was assessment of the degree of tumor control, the risk of complications, and the presence of variables that predict outcome in patients treated with SRS for high-grade meningiomas.

Avascular necrosis of bilateral femoral head as a result of long-term steroid administration for radiation pneumonitis after tangential irradiation of the breast.

We report a patient with avascular necrosis of the bilateral femoral head resulting from long-term steroid administration for radiation pneumonitis that occurred after tangential irradiation of the breast. The patient was a 50-year-old postmenopausal woman with breast cancer, stage IIIB (T4bN0M0) in the right C area. Following wide excision of right breast carcinoma and level III axillary lymph node dissection, whole-breast X-ray irradiation was given, at a dose of 2 Gy per fraction; the total dose was 50 Gy.

Evaluation of primary brain tumors with FLT-PET: usefulness and limitations.

Purpose Of The Report: The purpose of this report was to investigate the potential of positron emission tomography using F-18 fluorodeoxythymidine (FLT-PET) in evaluating primary brain tumors.

Materials And Methods: FLT-PET was performed in 25 patients with primary brain tumors. FLT uptake in the lesion was semiquantitatively evaluated by measuring the maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and the tumor-to-normal tissue ratio (TNR).

A case of metachronous bilateral breast cancer with bilateral radiation pneumonitis after breast-conserving therapy.

We report a patient with metachronous bilateral breast cancer who has twice developed radiation pneumonitis after breast-conserving therapy for each breast. The patient was a 48-year-old woman, who presented with Stage I right breast cancer. After wide excision of the right breast tumor and dissection of level I axillary lymph nodes, systemic therapy with oral 5-FU and tamoxifen was started.