Involved-Field Radiation Therapy for Patients With Unresectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinomas: Failure Pattern Analysis.

Introduction Unresectable pancreatic tumors are frequently diagnosed. Initial treatment is carried out with chemotherapy. Eventually, in selected cases, radiotherapy may be used to improve local control rates and relieve the symptoms.

Intraoperative radiotherapy for brain metastases: first-stage results of a single-arm, open-label, phase 2 trial.

Objective: Focal stereotactic radiosurgery to the surgical cavity lowers local recurrence after resection of brain metastases (BM). To evaluate local control (LC) and brain disease control (BDC) after intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) for resected BM.

Methods: Adult patients with completely resected single supratentorial BM were recruited and underwent IORT to the cavity with a prescribed dose of 18 Gy to 1 mm-depth.

Postmastectomy Radiation Therapy Bolus Associated Complications in Patients Who Underwent 2-stage Breast Reconstruction.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the association of bolus and 2-stage breast reconstruction complications, and whether the dosimetric advantage translates into improvements in local control.

Methods And Materials: We retrospectively analyzed data from 2008 to 2019 of women who underwent a mastectomy and a planned 2-stage breast reconstruction, followed by adjuvant radiation therapy. We reviewed all data from medical records and radiation plans regarding patient characteristics, diagnoses, surgeries, complications, pathology, staging, systemic therapy, radiation therapy, and outcomes, and compared complication rates according to bolus usage.

Heterogeneity of HER2 Expression in Circulating Tumor Cells of Patients with Breast Cancer Brain Metastases and Impact on Brain Disease Control.

HER2 expression switching in circulating tumor cells (CTC) in breast cancer is dynamic and may have prognostic and predictive clinical implications. In this study, we evaluated the association between the expression of HER2 in the CTC of patients with breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) and brain disease control. An exploratory analysis of a prospective assessment of CTC before (CTC1) and after (CTC2) stereotactic radiotherapy/radiosurgery (SRT) for BCBM in 39 women was performed.

Clinical Prognostic Factors for Patients With Esophageal Cancer Treated With Definitive Chemoradiotherapy.

Background Treatment with definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the best option for patients with locally advanced esophageal tumors considered unresectable or for patients without clinical conditions to undergo surgical treatment. Technological advances in radiotherapy in the last decades have made treatment more accurate with less toxicity, and the association with more effective systemic treatment has been gradually improving survival rates. Aim Evaluate clinical prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with esophageal cancer treated with definitive radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (ChT).

Radiation therapy with elective lymph node irradiation for breast cancer: dosimetric study and impact on cardiovascular risk and second neoplasms.

Objective: The aim of this study was to perform dosimetric analysis of radiotherapy (RT) plans with or without elective nodal irradiation (ENI) and estimate whether the increase in mean doses (MDs) in the heart and lungs with ENI may lead to late side effects that may surpass the benefits of treatment.

Methods: The dosimetric analysis of 30 treatment plans was done with or without ENI. The planning and dose-volume histograms were analyzed, and the impact on the mortality of cardiovascular and lung cancer was estimated based on the correlation of the dosimetric data with data from population studies.

Prospective Assessment of the Association Between Circulating Tumor Cells and Control of Brain Disease After Focal Radiation Therapy of Breast Cancer Brain Metastases.

Purpose: Predicting the risk of early distant brain failure (DBF) is in demand for management decisions in patients who are candidates for local treatment of brain metastases. This study aimed to analyze the association between circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and brain disease control after stereotactic radiation therapy/radiosurgery (SRT) for breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM).

Methods And Materials: We prospectively assessed CTCs before (CTC1) and 4 to 5 weeks after (CTC2) SRT and their relationship with the number of new lesions (NL) suggestive of BCBM before SRT.

Intraoperative breast radiotherapy: survival, local control and risk factors for recurrence.

Background: Whole breast irradiation reduces loco-regional recurrence and risk of death in patients submitted to breast-conserving treatment. Data show that radiation to the index quadrant alone may be enough in selected patients.

Aim: To report the experience with intra-operative radiotherapy (IORT) with Electron-beam Cone in Linear Accelerator (ELIOT) and the results in overall survival, local control and late toxicity of patients submitted to this treatment.

Intraoperative radiation therapy for the treatment of recurrent retroperitoneal and pelvic tumors: a single-institution analysis.

Background: Patients with recurrent retroperitoneal and pelvic region tumors often require multimodal therapies. Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) can deliver high-dose radiation to tumor beds, even if first-line external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) was administered. We evaluated local control (LC) and survival in patients receiving IORT for recurrent tumors.

Local control after radiosurgery for brain metastases: predictive factors and implications for clinical decision.

Background: To evaluate the local control of brain metastases (BM) in patients treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), correlate the outcome with treatment parameters and lesion characteristics, and define its implications for clinical decisions.

Methods: Between 2007 and 2012, 305 BM in 141 consecutive patients were treated with SRS. After exclusions, 216 BM in 100 patients were analyzed.

Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy after d2-lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer: the role of n-ratio in patient selection. results of a single cancer center.

Background: Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy is part of a multimodality treatment approach in order to improve survival outcomes after surgery for gastric cancer. The aims of this study are to describe the results of gastrectomy and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients treated in a single institution, and to identify prognostic factors that could determine which individuals would benefit from this treatment.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with pathologically confirmed gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical treatment with curative intent in a single cancer center in Brazil, between 1998 and 2008.

Tumor control, eye preservation, and visual outcomes of ruthenium plaque brachytherapy for choroidal melanoma.

Purpose: To evaluate outcomes in patients with posterior choroidal melanoma treated with ruthenium ((106)Ru) brachytherapy.

Methods And Materials: A retrospective single institutional analysis of 83 of 94 consecutive patients who underwent (106)Ru brachytherapy was performed. Disease was mainly staged as small- and medium-sized nonmetastatic melanoma.

High-dose-rate brachytherapy combined with hypofractionated external beam radiotherapy for men with intermediate or high risk prostate cancer: analysis of short- and medium-term urinary toxicity and biochemical control.

Unlabelled: The best management of localized and locally advanced prostate cancer remains controversial, but there are clinical evidences that for patients considered of unfavorable outcome that dose escalation radiotherapy has a significantly better outcome.

Methods: Between 2005-2009 a total of 39 unfavorable patients were treated in a phase I-II trial for dose escalation with high-dose rate (HDR)- 30 Gy given by 4 fractions BID, in two separated implants and hypofractionated conformal/tri-dimensional radiotherapy (hEBRT) - 45 Gy (3 Gy per fraction in 3 weeks), at Hospital AC Camargo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Results: Median age of patients was 69 (range, 58-80) years old.

Conformal radiotherapy for lung cancer: interobservers' variability in the definition of gross tumor volume between radiologists and radiotherapists.

Background: Conformal external radiotherapy aims to improve tumor control by boosting tumor dose, reducing morbidity and sparing healthy tissues. To meet this objective careful visualization of the tumor and adjacent areas is required. However, one of the major issues to be solved in this context is the volumetric definition of the targets.

Whole brain radiotherapy for brain metastases from breast cancer: estimation of survival using two stratification systems.

Background: Brain metastases (BM) are the most common form of intracranial cancer. The incidence of BM seems to have increased over the past decade. Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) of data from three Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) trials (1200 patients) has allowed three prognostic groups to be identified.

Salvage radiotherapy for biochemical relapse after complete PSA response following radical prostatectomy: outcome and prognostic factors for patients who have never received hormonal therapy.

Objectives: To evaluate the results of salvage conformal radiation therapy (3DC-EBRT) for patients submitted to radical prostatectomy (RP) who have achieved complete PSA response and who have never been treated with hormonal therapy (HT).To present the results of biochemical control, a period free from hormonal therapy and factors related to its prognosis.

Materials And Methods: from August 2002 to December 2004, 43 prostate cancer patients submitted to RP presented biochemical failure after achieving a PSA < 0.

Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) in the postoperative treatment of an adenocarcinoma of the endometrium complicated by a pelvic kidney.

Background: Pelvic Radiotherapy (RT) as a postoperative treatment for endometrial cancer improves local regional control. Brachytherapy also improves vaginal control. Both treatments imply significant side effects that a fine RT technique can help avoiding.

High-risk surgical stage 1 endometrial cancer: analysis of treatment outcome.

Purpose: To report the relapse and survival rates associated to treatment for patients with stage IC, grade 2 or grade 3 and IB grade 3 diseases considered high risk patients group for relapse.

Materials And Methods: From January 1993 to December 2003, 106 patients with endometrial cancer stage I were managed surgically in our institution. Based on data from the medical records, 106 patients with epithelial endometrial cancer met the following inclusion criteria: stage IC grade 2 or 3 and IB grade 3 with or without lymphovascular invasion.

Whole brain radiation therapy in management of brain metastasis: results and prognostic factors.

Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic factors associated with overall survival in patients with brain metastasis treated with whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and estimate the potential improvement in survival for patients with brain metastases, stratified by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class.

Patients And Methods: From January 1996 to December 2000, 270 medical records of patients with diagnosis of brain metastasis, who received WBRT in the Hospital do Cancer Sao Paulo A.C.

High-dose-rate brachytherapy as part of a multidisciplinary treatment of nasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma in childhood.

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in childhood is rare. Radiochemotherapy is considered the standard treatment and yields increased survival and local control rates. In this article, the authors report on the results from the multidisciplinary treatment of pediatric patients who had nasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma with radiochemotherapy, including high-dose-rate brachytherapy of the primary tumor site.

Results of high dose rate afterloading brachytherapy boost to conventional external beam radiation therapy for initial and locally advanced prostate cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact on biochemical control (bNED), acute and late gastro-intestinal (GI) and urological (GU) morbidity of initial and locally advanced prostate cancer treated with fractionated transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) high dose rate after loading brachytherapy (HDR-B) as a boost to conventional external beam radiation therapy (EBRT).

Patients And Methods: From March 1997 to February 2000 a total of 119 patients with any of the following characteristics were eligible for study entry: biopsy proven adenocarcinoma Gleason scored (GS), initial prostatic specific antigen (PSA) level dosage 1992 AJCC clinical stage T3a or less, and prostatic volume <60 cc. All patients had prior to HDR-B a course of EBRT 6 MV photons to a median dose of 45 Gy, in 1.