Mortality and postinterventional complications after ablative treatment of liver malignancies: A cohort study of 4374 patients.

Purpose: Ablative therapies for primary and secondary liver malignancies are increasingly adopted in current guidelines. Nevertheless, surgical resection remains the gold standard in most curative therapy settings. Extensive studies on mortality and morbidity after ablative treatment of the liver are missing.

Neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy with cisplatin/5-flourouracil or carboplatin/paclitaxel in patients with resectable cancer of the esophagus and the gastroesophageal junction - comparison of postoperative mortality and complications, toxicity, and pathological tumor response.

Purpose: In 2012, the CROSS trial implemented a new neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy protocol for patients with locally advanced, resectable cancer of the esophagus prior to scheduled surgery. There are only limited studies comparing the CROSS protocol with a PF-based (cisplatin/5-fluorouracil) nRCT protocol.

Methods: In this retrospective, monocentric analysis, 134 patients suffering from esophageal cancer were included.

Interstitial Brachytherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Analysis of Prognostic Factors for Overall Survival and Progression-Free Survival and Application of a Risk Stratification Model.

Introduction: Interstitial brachytherapy (iBT) is an effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Identification of prognostic factors is pivotal for patient selection and treatment efficacy. This study aimed to assess the impact of low skeletal muscle mass (LSMM) on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of iBT in patients with HCC.

Prevention of radiation-induced liver toxicity after interstitial HDR brachytherapy by pentoxifylline and ursodeoxycholic acid: patient compliance and outcome in a randomized trial.

Aim: To investigate the impact of pentoxifylline (PTX, 3 × 400 mg per day) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA, 3 × 250 mg per day) administered for 12 weeks on radiation-induced liver toxicity.

Materials And Methods: Inclusion criteria were liver metastases of extrahepatic malignancies undergoing HDR-BT. 36 patients were prospectively randomized to the medication (N = 18) or control arm (N = 18) and follow-up by hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was scheduled 6 and 12 weeks after local ablation by HDR-BT.

Radiation exposure to the kidney with interstitial iridium-192 high-dose-rate brachytherapy: Extent and rare morphologic changes of radiation nephropathy.

Purpose: We sought to investigate functional parameters and morphologic changes of the renal parenchyma after treatment with image-guided brachytherapy using single-fraction irradiation (high-dose-rate brachytherapy - HDR-BT) of primary kidney lesions, and primary and secondary lesions of the liver, lymph node, and adrenal gland close to renal structures.

Material And Methods: Patients ineligible for surgery were included. We prospectively investigated renal function loss within one year renal scintigraphy and laboratory parameters (KDOQI stage).

Local tumor control of intermediate and advanced stage hepatocellular carcinoma after local ablative treatment with image-guided interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy: A subgroup analysis of 286 HCC nodules.

Purpose: Image-guided interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy (iBT) has been demonstrated to offer high local tumor control rates (LTC) of >90% after local ablation of intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; BCLC B and C). The purpose of this study was to show the efficacy of iBT stratified by subgroups and to identify clinical characteristics associated with superior local tumor control (LTC) based on a highly heterogenous patient population METHODS AND MATERIALS: A cumulative number of 286 HCC nodules in 107 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical and imaging follow-ups were conducted every 3 months after treatment.

A single-institution retrospective analysis of intraoperative radiation boost during breast-conservation treatment for breast cancer.

Background: As part of a breast-conservation strategy for breast cancer, there are presently no data from randomized controlled studies on the use of intraoperative radiation (IORT) as a tumor bed boost. The effectiveness and safety of IORT as a boost therapy at a tertiary cancer center were retrospectively reviewed in this study.

Methods: Patients had breast-conserving surgery from 2012 to 2016 that included staging of the axillary lymph nodes, a single dose of 20 Gy IORT with 50-kV photons, whole-breast irradiation (WBI), and (neo-)adjuvant systemic treatment (if applicable).

Feasibility of MRI targeted single fraction HDR brachytherapy for localized prostate carcinoma: ProFocAL-study.

Purpose: A potential method for focal therapy in locally advanced prostate cancer is focal brachytherapy (F-BT). The purpose of this research was to evaluate midterm F-BT oncologic, functional, and toxicological results in men who had therapy for prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: Between 2016 and 2020, F-BT was used to treat 37 patients with low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

Local ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma by interstitial brachytherapy: prediction of outcome by diffusion-weighted imaging.

Background: Interstitial brachytherapy (iBT) has become a viable treatment option in the therapy of early and intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Prognostic imaging tools to predict patient outcome are missing.

Purpose: To assess the predictive value of baseline diffusion-weighted imaging in HCC before iBT with regard to local tumor control and overall survival (OS).

Can alternative liver function scores facilitate the establishment of an indication for radioablative therapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma?

Background And Purpose: ALBI and IBI are new scores to evaluate the liver function in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic abilities of those scores in patients treated with interstitial brachytherapy (iBT).

Materials And Methods: 190 patients treated with iBT between 01.

Sarcopenia does not limit overall survival after interstitial brachytherapy for breast cancer liver metastases.

Purpose: Sarcopenia has been identified as a prognostic marker of clinical outcomes in several diseases. However, the influence of sarcopenia on non-surgical local treatments in breast cancer liver metastases (BCLM) is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the effect of sarcopenia among patients with BCLM undergoing interstitial brachytherapy (iBT).

Needle track seeding in colorectal carcinoma after local ablation by high-dose-rate brachytherapy: a retrospective study of 1,107 catheter placements.

Purpose: Image-guided brachytherapy with a single-fraction irradiation (high-dose-rate brachytherapy - HDR-BT) is a promising local ablation technique for unresectable liver metastases. The occurrence of needle track seeding after biopsy and microwave ablation (MWA) has been documented primarily in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Comprehensive data on colorectal metastases and treatment with HDR-BT is missing.

Functional and mutational analysis after radiation and cetuximab treatment on prostate carcinoma cell line DU145.

Background: Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor is often overexpressed in advanced prostate carcinoma. In-vitro-studies in prostate carcinoma cell line DU145 have demonstrated increased sensibility to radiation after cetuximab treatment, but clinical data are not sufficient to date.

Methods: We analyzed effects of radiation and cetuximab in DU145 and A431 using proliferation, colony-forming-unit- and annexin-V-apoptosis-assays.

Impact of radiotherapy protocol adherence in NSCLC patients treated with concurrent chemoradiation: RTQA results of the PET-Plan trial.

Introduction: The success of intensification and personalisation of the curative treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is strongly associated with the precision in radiotherapy. Here, we evaluate the impact of radiotherapy protocol adherence in a prospective multicentre trial.

Methods: In the open-label, randomised, controlled PET-Plan trial, patients with inoperable NSCLC were randomized at a 1:1 ratio regarding the target volume delineation informed by F-FDG PET and CT plus elective nodal irradiation (arm A) or target volumes informed by PET alone (arm B) and received iso-toxically dose-escalated concurrent chemoradiation.

Efficacy and Toxicity of Different Chemotherapy Protocols for Concurrent Chemoradiation in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer-A Secondary Analysis of the PET Plan Trial.

(1) Background: The optimal chemotherapy (CHT) regimen for concurrent chemoradiation (cCRT) is not well defined. In this secondary analysis of the international randomized PET-Plan trial, we evaluate the efficacy of different CHT. (2) Methods: Patients with inoperable NSCLC were randomized at a 1:1 ratio regarding the target volume definition and received isotoxically dose-escalated cCRT using cisplatin 80 mg/m (day 1, 22) and vinorelbin 15 mg/m (day 1, 8, 22, 29) (P1) or cisplatin 20 mg/m (day 1-5, 29-33) and vinorelbin 12.

Interstitial Brachytherapy for Limited (<4 cm) and Large (≥4 cm) Hepatic Metastases from Rare and Less Common Cancers.

Background/aim: Interstitial brachytherapy (iBT) seems to achieve higher local tumor control rates for lesions limited in size. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of iBT in the treatment of limited and large liver metastases from rare or less common cancers (RLCC).

Patients And Methods: A total of 194 unresectable liver metastases categorized as limited (<4 cm, n=153, subgroup A) and large lesions (≥4 cm, n=41, subgroup B) were treated.

Imaging-based target volume reduction in chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (PET-Plan): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled trial.

Background: With increasingly precise radiotherapy and advanced medical imaging, the concept of radiotherapy target volume planning might be redefined with the aim of improving outcomes. We aimed to investigate whether target volume reduction is feasible and effective compared with conventional planning in the context of radical chemoradiotherapy for patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Methods: We did a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled trial (PET-Plan; ARO-2009-09) in 24 centres in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

MRI targeted single fraction HDR Brachytherapy for localized Prostate Carcinoma: a feasibility study of focal radiation therapy (ProFocAL).

Objectives: The aim of the study was to establish the setup and workflow for delivering focal MRI-guided high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy for prostate cancer (PCA) and to assess patient comfort and safety aspects of MRI-guided single-fraction HDR.

Methods: Patients with histologically proven focal low- to intermediate-risk PCA with a single PIRADS 4/5 lesion were treated with percutaneous interstitial HDR brachytherapy in a single fraction with a minimum dose for the gross tumor volume of 20 Gy while sparing the organ at risk (OAR). Using a 3T-MRI, brachytherapy catheters were placed transgluteal in freehand technique.

Efficacy and safety of percutaneous computed tomography-guided high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy in treatment of oligometastatic lymph node metastases of retroperitoneal space.

Purpose: To assess efficacy, safety, and outcome of computed tomography (CT)-guided high-dose-rate (HDR) interstitial brachytherapy in patients with oligometastatic lymph node metastases of the retroperitoneal space.

Material And Methods: 24 patients with a total of 47 retroperitoneal lymph node metastases from different primary tumors were treated with CT-guided interstitial brachytherapy using an Ir source (single fraction irradiation). Every three months after treatment, clinical and imaging follow-up were conducted to evaluate local control and safety.

Treatment of hepatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma metastases with high-dose-rate image-guided interstitial brachytherapy: a single center experience.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of image-guided (computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging - CT/MRI) high-dose-rate (HDR) interstitial brachytherapy (iBT) as a salvage maneuver for the treatment of hepatic metastases originating from hepatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). PDAC metastases present a major and unresolved problem, and any surgical approach or local therapeutic intervention remains extremely controversial.

Material And Methods: A cumulative number of 45 hepatic PDAC metastases in 16 patients were treated and retrospectively analyzed.

Comparative analysis between interstitial brachytherapy and stereotactic body irradiation for local ablation in liver malignancies.

Purpose: Interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy (BT) is an alternative treatment option to stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for the ablative treatment of liver malignancies. The aim of the present comparative planning study was to reveal the possibilities and limitations of both techniques with regard to dosimetric properties.

Methods And Materials: Eighty-five consecutive patients with liver malignancy diagnosis were treated with interstitial BT between 12/2008 and 09/2009.

Treatment of metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma with image-guided high-dose rate, interstitial brachytherapy as second-line or salvage therapy.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of image-guided high-dose rate interstitial brachytherapy (iBT) for the treatment of patients with hepatic, lymphatic, and pancreatic metastases originating from gastric cancer, an entity rarely surgically treatable with curative intent.

Methods: Twelve patients with a cumulative number of 36 metastases (29 liver, 2 pancreatic, 5 lymph node) from histologically proven gastric adenocarcinoma received iBT between 2010 and 2016 and were retrospectively analyzed. Every patient underwent palliative chemotherapy prior to iBT.

Long-term Follow-up and Patterns of Recurrence of Patients With Oligometastatic NSCLC Treated With Pulmonary SBRT.

Introduction: This multicenter study aims to analyze outcome as well as early versus late patterns of recurrence following pulmonary stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for patients with oligometastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Materials And Methods: This analysis included 301 patients with oligometastatic NSCLC treated with SBRT for 336 lung metastases. Although treatment of the primary tumor consisted of surgical resection, radiochemotherapy, and/or systemic therapy, pulmonary oligometastases were treated with SBRT.

First report on extended distance between tumor lesion and adjacent organs at risk using interventionally applied balloon catheters: a simple procedure to optimize clinical target volume covering effective isodose in interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy of liver malignomas.

Purpose: Organs at risk (OARs), which are very close to a clinical target volume (CTV), can compromise effective tumor irradiation. The present study investigated the feasibility and safety of a novel approach, in particular, the extent of the dosimetric effect of distancing CTV from adjacent OARs by means of interventionally applied balloon catheters.

Material And Methods: Patients with peripheral hepatic malignancies, in whom the critical proximity of an OAR to the CTV in the assessment by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and the preplanning process were included.