Bladder function preservation with brachytherapy, external beam radiation therapy, and limited surgery in bladder cancer patients: Long-term results [corrected].

Purpose: To report long-term results of a bladder preservation strategy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) using external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy/interstitial radiation therapy (IRT).

Methods And Materials: Between May 1989 and October 2011, 192 selected patients with MIBC were treated with a combined regimen of preoperative external beam radiation therapy and subsequent surgical exploration with or without partial cystectomy and insertion of source carrier tubes for afterloading IRT using low dose rate and pulsed dose rate. Data for oncologic and functional outcomes were prospectively collected.

Brachytherapy or stereotactic body radiotherapy boost for early-stage oropharyngeal cancer: comparable outcomes of two different approaches.

Objectives: To compare outcome, toxicity and QoL of two boost modalities for T1-2 oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC).

Materials And Methods: Between 2000 and 2012, 250 consecutive patients with T1-2N0-3 were treated with 46-Gy of IMRT followed by boost using brachytherapy (BTB) or stereotactic body radiotherapy (CKB). Endpoints were local control (LC), disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), toxicity and prospective QoL-assessment.

Radiotherapy for T1a glottic cancer: the influence of smoking cessation and fractionation schedule of radiotherapy.

The objective of the presented study is to report on retrospectively collected data on long-term outcome and toxicity and prospective assessment of quality of life (QoL) and Voice-Handicap Index (VHI) of patients with T1a glottic cancer treated with radiotherapy. Between 1985 and 2011, 549 patients were treated. Endpoints were local control (LC), toxicity, QoL and VHI.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy with a focal boost to the MRI-visible tumor as monotherapy for low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer: early results.

Background: There is growing evidence that prostate cancer (PC) cells are more sensitive to high fraction dose in hypofractionation schemes. High-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy as monotherapy is established to be a good treatment option for PC using extremely hypofractionated schemes. This hypofractionation can also be achieved with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy followed by a brachytherapy boost for oropharyngeal cancer.

Background: The purpose of this study was to reduce the incidence of radiation-induced toxicity in patients with early-stage oropharyngeal cancer, using highly conformal radiation techniques.

Methods: Between 2000 and 2011, 167 patients with T1-3N0-3 oropharyngeal cancer were treated with 46-Gy intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) followed by 22-Gy brachytherapy boost. In patients with node-positive disease, neck dissection was performed.

The impact of treatment modality and radiation technique on outcomes and toxicity of patients with locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer.

Objectives/hypothesis: To investigate the impact of treatment modality and radiation technique on oncologic outcomes and toxicity of patients with locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer (OPC).

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of outcomes and toxicity.

Methods: Between 2000 and 2011, 204 consecutive patients with locally advanced OPC were treated with definitive (chemo)radiotherapy using 3-dimensional conformal (3DCRT) or intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

A prospective evaluation of patient-reported quality-of-life after (chemo)radiation for oropharyngeal cancer: which patients are at risk of significant quality-of-life deterioration?

Background And Purpose: To prospectively investigate the impact of different patients' characteristics on quality-of-life (QoL) after (chemo)radiation for oropharyngeal cancer (OPC).

Materials And Methods: Between 2008 and 2011, 207 patients were treated with 46-Gy of (chemo)-IMRT followed by a boost by means of IMRT, brachytherapy (BT), or Cyberknife (CK). QoL-assessment was performed using the EORTC QLQ-C30, and QLQ-H&N35-questionnaires at baseline, end of treatment, 2, 4, 6 weeks and 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after treatment.

Unilateral neck irradiation for well-lateralized oropharyngeal cancer.

Background And Purpose: To investigate the impact of unilateral neck irradiation (UNI) of well-lateralized oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) on outcome and toxicity.

Materials And Methods: Unilateral neck IMRT was applied to 185 consecutive patients with well-lateralized OPC (restricted to tonsillar fossa, soft palate with at least 1cm from midline or lateral pharyngeal wall). Endpoints were regional control (RC), local control (LC), disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity.

Toxicity and outcome of intensity-modulated radiotherapy versus 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer: a matched-pair analysis.

Because of the scarcity of randomized trials comparing toxicity and outcomes of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) with 3D-conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), we performed a matched-pair analysis from prospectively collected data from the Head and Neck Tumor Registry of our institution. In the absence of phase III trials, we believe this approach provides the highest quality data possible. Ninety-two patients treated with 3DCRT were matched (1:1) to 92 patients treated with IMRT for 9 potential predictive factors for toxicity and outcome: gender, age, T-stage, N-stage, tumor subsite, unilateral neck irradiation, chemotherapy, neck dissection and boost technique.

Node-positive hypopharyngeal cancer treated by (chemo)radiotherapy: impact of up-front neck dissection on outcome, toxicity, and quality of life.

Background: To investigate the impact of up-front neck dissection on the outcome of patients with node-positive hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) treated with (chemo)radiation.

Methods: Of 135 consecutive patients with node-positive HPC, 32 patients underwent up-front neck dissection followed by (chemo)radiation (group 1), and 103 patients received definitive (chemo)radiation (group 2).

Results: The 3-year regional, local and distant control for groups 1 and 2 were 92% versus 87% (p = .

Toxicity, quality of life, and functional outcomes of 176 hypopharyngeal cancer patients treated by (chemo)radiation: the impact of treatment modality and radiation technique.

Objectives/hypothesis: The main goal of the current study was to comprehensively address the impact of chemoradiation and radiation techniques on toxicity, quality of life (QoL), and functional outcome.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of toxicity and functional outcome and prospective QoL assessment.

Methods: From 1996 to 2010, 176 consecutive patients with hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) were treated with (chemo)radiotherapy.

Highly-conformal intensity-modulated radiotherapy reduced toxicity without jeopardizing outcome in patients with paranasal sinus cancer treated by surgery and radiotherapy or (chemo)radiation.

Objectives: To report oncologic outcomes of patients with paranasal sinus cancer (PNSC) treated by surgery and radiotherapy or (chemo)radiation and to investigate the impact of improving the radiation technique on outcomes and toxicity.

Materials And Methods: Between 1999 and 2010, 82 consecutive patients with PNSC were treated by surgery and radiotherapy or by definitive (chemo)radiation. Three-dimensional conformal (3DCRT) or highly-conformal intensity-modulated RT (IMRT) was used.

Combined-modality treatment improved outcome in sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma: single-institutional experience of 21 patients and review of the literature.

The optimal treatment of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) remains unclear. We report our results on the outcome and toxicity of patients with SNUC treated by a combined modality and attempt to define the optimal treatment strategies by reviewing the literature. Between 1996 and 2010, 21 consecutive patients with SNUC were treated by any combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Prevalence of left and balanced coronary arterial dominance decreases with increasing age of patients at autopsy. A postmortem coronary angiograms study.

Background: In patients presenting with an acute coronary syndrome, left over right coronary dominance appears to be independently associated with increased long-term mortality. This could lead to decreasing numbers of patients with a left dominant coronary artery system in older age groups.

Methods: We assessed the type of coronary dominance in different age groups in postmortem angiograms that were routinely performed at autopsy between 1993 and 2007.

Long-term outcomes and quality of life of 186 patients with primary parotid carcinoma treated with surgery and radiotherapy at the Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center.

Purpose: To assess the outcomes, toxicity, and quality of life (QOL) of patients with primary parotid carcinoma treated with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy at the Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center.

Methods And Materials: Between 1995 and 2010, 186 patients with parotid carcinoma were treated with parotidectomy with or without neck dissection, followed by radiotherapy. Elective nodal irradiation (ENI) was applied to high-risk, node-negative disease.

High-dose-rate brachytherapy and external-beam radiotherapy for hormone-naïve low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer: a 7-year experience.

Purpose: To report clinical outcomes and early and late complications in 264 hormone-naïve patients with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer treated with high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) in combination with external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT).

Methods And Materials: Between February 2000 and July 2007, 264 patients underwent HDR-BT in combination with EBRT as a treatment for their low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer. The HDR-BT was performed using ultrasound-based implantation.

A single-institutional experience of 15 years of treating T3 laryngeal cancer with primary radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy.

Purpose: To retrospectively analyze the outcomes, toxicity, quality of life, and voice quality of patients with T3 laryngeal cancer treated with radiotherapy and to identify subgroups of patients in whom the addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy is necessary.

Methods And Materials: Between March 1996 and November 2009, 170 consecutive patients with T3 tumor were treated with (chemo)radiotherapy. Endpoints of the study were local control (LC), locoregional control (LRC), disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), late toxicity, quality of life, and voice handicap index.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of parotid gland treated with surgery and radiotherapy: long-term outcomes, QoL assessment and review of the literature.

To assess outcomes, toxicity and quality-of-life (QoL) of patients with parotid gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (PGACC) treated by surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. Between 1995 and 2010, 46 patients with PGACC were treated with parotidectomy±neck dissection followed by radiotherapy. Endpoints were loco-regional control (LRC), distant metastasis-free (DMFS), disease-free (DFS), cause-specific (CSS), and overall survival (OS), late toxicity, and QoL.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy: a promising treatment option for the boost of oropharyngeal cancers not suitable for brachytherapy: a single-institutional experience.

Purpose: To prospectively assess the outcome and toxicity of frameless stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as a treatment option for boosting primary oropharyngeal cancers (OPC) in patients who not suitable for the standard brachytherapy boost (BTB).

Methods And Materials: Between 2005 and 2010, 51 patients with Stage I to IV biopsy-proven OPC who were not suitable for BTB received boosts by means of SBRT (3 times 5.5 Gy, prescribed to the 80% isodose line), after 46 Gy of IMRT to the primary tumor and neck (when indicated).

Single vocal cord irradiation: a competitive treatment strategy in early glottic cancer.

Introduction: The treatment of choice for early glottic cancer is still being debated; ultimately it relies on the functional outcome. This paper reports on a novel sparing 4D conformal technique for single vocal cord irradiation (SVCI).

Material And Methods: The records of 164 T1a patients with SCC of the vocal cord, irradiated in the Erasmus MC between 2000 and 2008, were analyzed for local control and overall survival.

CyberKnife stereotactic radiotherapy as monotherapy for low- to intermediate-stage prostate cancer: early experience, feasibility, and tolerance.

Purpose: The CyberKnife (CK), a linear accelerator mounted on a robotic device, enables excellent dose conformation to the target and minimizes dose to surrounding normal tissue. It is a very suitable device for performing hypofractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy as monotherapy for low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients. We report our early experience using this technique.

The role of chemo-radiotherapy in the management of locally advanced carcinoma of the vulva: single institutional experience and review of literature.

Objective: To retrospectively investigate the outcome and toxicity of concurrent chemo-radiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced vulvar cancer (LAVC).

Patients And Methods: Between 1996 and 2007, 28 consecutive patients with LAVC were treated with chemoradiation (20 primary tumors and 8 loco-regional recurrences). Treatment consists of 2 separate courses of external-beam radiotherapy (40 Gy-2 weeks split-20 Gy).

Early hyperbaric oxygen therapy for reducing radiotherapy side effects: early results of a randomized trial in oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal cancer.

Purpose: Comparison of quality of life (QoL) and side effects in a randomized trial for early hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) after radiotherapy (RT).

Methods And Materials: From 2006, 19 patients with tumor originating from the tonsillar fossa and/or soft palate (15), base of tongue (1), and nasopharynx (3) were randomized to receive HBOT or not. HBOT consisted of 30 sessions at 2.

Hypofractionated radiotherapy denoted as the "Christie scheme": an effective means of palliating patients with head and neck cancers not suitable for curative treatment.

Objectives: A prospective study of the efficacy and toxicity profile of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) without curative treatment options treated consistently with hypofractionated radiotherapy schedule.

Patients And Methods: Between 1995 and 2006, 158 patients with HNSCC, unsuitable for curative treatment, were treated with a hypofractionated scheme of radiotherapy consisting of 16 fractions of 3.125 Gy.

Quality of life of oropharyngeal cancer patients treated with brachytherapy.

Brachytherapy (BT) is a highly conformal (accurate clinical target volume delineation, no planning target volume margin) radiotherapy technique; the radioactive source, guided by afterloading catheters, is implanted into the heart of the tumor. The localized high dose of radiation enables high tumor control rates and, because of rapid dose fall-off, sparing of the adjacent normal tissues. At the Erasmus Medical Center, excellent results were observed: 5-year local regional control of 84%, 5-year disease-free survival of 59%, and 5-year overall survival of 64%.