Deep inspiration breath hold in post-operative radiotherapy for right breast cancer: a retrospective analysis.

Background: The aim of our study is to determine whether deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) is effective for reducing exposure of the heart, left coronary artery (LAD) and both lungs in right breast radiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: We have analyzed 10 consecutive patients with right-sided breast cancer (BC), simulated during free breathing (FB) and in DIBH modality. For all patients we contoured breast PTV and organs at risk (right and left lungs, heart, LAD) on both CT scans (FB and DIBH).

A patterns of care analysis of hyperthermia in combination with radio(chemo)therapy or chemotherapy in European clinical centers.

Purpose: The combination of hyperthermia (HT) with radio(chemo)therapy or chemotherapy (CT) is an established treatment strategy for specific indications. Its application in routine clinical practice in Europe depends on regulatory and local conditions. We conducted a survey among European clinical centers to determine current practice of HT.

Prognostic role of pre-treatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomic analysis in effectively cured head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients.

Objectives: To identify and validate baseline magnetic resonance imaging (b-MRI) radiomic features (RFs) as predictors of disease outcomes in effectively cured head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients.

Materials And Methods: Training set (TS) and validation set (VS) were retrieved from preexisting datasets (HETeCo and BD2Decide trials, respectively). Only patients with both pre- and post-contrast enhancement T1 and T2-weighted b-MRI and at least 2 years of follow-up (FUP) were selected.

Cone-beam computed tomography-based radiomics in prostate cancer: a mono-institutional study.

Purpose: The purpose of the reported study was to investigate the value of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-based radiomics for risk stratification and prediction of biochemical relapse in prostate cancer.

Methods: The study population consisted of 31 prostate cancer patients. Radiomics features were extracted from weekly CBCT scans performed for verifying treatment position.

Patient-based low dose cone beam CT acquisition settings for prostate image-guided radiotherapy treatments on a Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of low dose cone beam CT (CBCT) acquisition protocols for image-guided radiotherapy of prostate cancer.

Methods: CBCT images of patients undergoing prostate cancer radiotherapy were acquired with the settings currently used in our department and two low dose settings at 50% and 63% lower exposure. Four experienced radiation oncologists and two radiation therapy technologists graded the images on five image quality characteristics.

Impact of F-FDG PET/CT in Staging Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Molecular imaging methods are currently used in the management of patients with lung cancer. Compared to non-small cell lung cancer, less data are available about the impact of molecular imaging using fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT) in staging patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Performing a systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to provide quantitative data about the impact of F-FDG PET/CT in staging SCLC.

Hypofractionated volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for fragile patients with oesophageal cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and dosimetric results of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to deliver hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) in oesophageal cancer patients, unfit for a multimodality curative strategy.

Patients/methods: From 2010 to 2017, 22 patients were treated with hypofractionated VMAT for palliative/symptomatic setting. The prescription dose was 40 Gy in 16 fractions (EQD2 41.

F-FDG-PET/CT Imaging in Advanced Glottic Cancer: A Tool for Clinical Decision in Comparison with Conventional Imaging.

This study assessed the role of F-FDG PET-CT (PET/CT) to detect the cartilage and paraglottic infiltration in advanced glottic cancer comparing the results with those of conventional imaging (CI) (contrast-enhanced computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance). In addition, we assessed the prognostic value of quantitative parameters, measured on baseline PET/CT, in terms of event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). We retrospectively analyzed 27 patients with glottic squamous cell carcinoma stage III and IVA, treated in our institute between 2010 and 2016, comparing PET/CT, performed for staging and radiotherapy planning, and CI findings.

Skin and lung toxicity in synchronous bilateral breast cancer treated with volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy: a mono-institutional experience.

Purpose: To evaluate acute and late skin/subcutaneous toxicities and radiation-induced lung fibrosis (RILF) in patients treated with adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for synchronous bilateral breast cancers (SBBC), after conservative surgery.

Methods/patients: Twenty-five patients were treated with volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT/RapidArc) on both breasts, and checked clinically for detecting RT toxicities during and after treatment. A high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was performed, for detecting RILF during follow-up.

The role of radiotherapy in elderly women with early-stage breast cancer treated with breast conserving surgery.

Objective: To analyze the impact of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) on ipsilateral breast recurrence (IBR) and overall survival (OS) in patients older than 69 years with early-stage breast cancer.

Methods: From January 2007 to June 2015, we analyzed retrospectively 137 women with estrogen receptor-positive T1-2 invasive breast cancer, with negative axillary lymph nodes, dividing them into 2 subgroups: 70 to 79 years and older than 79 years.

Results: After a median follow-up of 43.

Outcome and prognostic factors in 110 consecutive patients with primary uterine leiomyosarcoma: A Rare Cancer Network study.

Objective: Primary uterine leiomyosarcomas (ULMS) are rare, and the optimal treatment is controversial. We aimed to assess the outcome and prognostic factors in a multicenter population of women treated for primary ULMS.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data of 110 women treated in 19 institutions of the Rare Cancer Network (RCN).

Clinical application of MOSkin dosimeters to rectal wall in vivo dosimetry in gynecological HDR brachytherapy.

Purpose: Three MOSkins dosimeters were assembled over a rectal probe and used to perform in vivo dosimetry during HDR brachytherapy treatments of vaginal cancer. The purpose of this study was to verify the applicability of the developed tool to evaluate discrepancies between planned and measured doses to the rectal wall.

Materials And Methods: MOSkin dosimeters from the Centre for Medical Radiation Physics are particularly suitable for brachytherapy procedures for their ability to be easily incorporated into treatment instrumentation.

Concurrent chemoradiation with volumetric modulated Arc therapy of patients treated for anal cancer-acute toxicity and treatment outcome.

Background: to report the acute toxicity and clinical results in patients with anal cancer treated with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) concomitant with chemotherapy.

Methods: A cohort of 21 patients with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal was treated with VMAT and chemotherapy. Dose prescription was 39.

Paranasal sinus metastasis of breast cancer.

A 76-year-old woman presented with symptoms suggestive of acute sinusitis. Previously, her breast carcinoma was treated with right lumpectomy, adjuvant chemotherapy and breast radiotherapy. She remained free from recurrence for the following 8 years.

Impact of preoperative radiotherapy on survival in locally advanced rectal cancer: an observational population-based study from the South of Switzerland.

Preoperative radiotherapy (RT) followed by surgery is widely accepted in the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). This study aimed to estimate at the population-based level the impact of preoperative RT on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in LARCs diagnosed in Southern Switzerland between 1996 and 2007. All patients with LARC were selected from the Ticino Cancer Registry database.

Weekly and 3-weekly cisplatin concurrent with intensity-modulated radiotherapy in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer.

In loco-regionally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC), concurrent 3-weekly cisplatin improves overall survival (OS) compared to radiotherapy alone, but is often associated with renal toxicity. The use of radiotherapy with accelerated fractionation schedules has been reported to improve survival but its optimal combination with chemotherapy is unclear. Retrospective analysis of treatment outcome and nephrotoxicity of radiotherapy given with an intensity-modulated approach (IMRT) concurrent with either 3-weekly or weekly cisplatin in 94 patients with stage III/IV HNSCC.

Immobilization of inulinase from Kluyveromyces marxianus NRRL Y-7571 using modified sodium alginate beads.

An experimental design was carried out to evaluate the effect of the concentrations of sodium alginate, glutaraldehyde and activated coal on the immobilization of inulinase from Kluyveromyces marxianus NRRL Y-7571. The experimental condition of 20 g/L of sodium alginate, 50 mL/L of glutaraldehyde and 30 g/L of activated coal led to the highest specific activity (2,063.5 U/mg of protein), corresponding to an enhancement of about 26 times compared to the activity of the free enzyme (79.

Assessment of two immobilized lipases activity and stability to low temperatures in organic solvents under ultrasound-assisted irradiation.

Both stability and catalytic activity of two commercial immobilized lipases were investigated in the presence of different organic solvents in ultrasound-assisted system. In a general way, for Novozym 435, the use of ethanol as solvent led to a loss of activity of 35% after 10 h of contact. The use of iso-octane conducted to a gradual increase in lipase activity in relation to the contact time, reaching a maximum value of relative activity of 126%.

Cranio-spinal irradiation with volumetric modulated arc therapy: a multi-institutional treatment experience.

Purpose: To report the treatment of cranio-spinal irradiation (CSI) with volumetric modulated arc therapy (RapidArc) in adults and a child.

Materials And Methods: Five patients from 5 institutions were treated with CSI using RapidArc technology. Patient age varied between 7 and 45 years.

Enzymatic synthesis of ascorbyl palmitate in ultrasound-assisted system: process optimization and kinetic evaluation.

This work is focused on the optimization of reaction parameters for the synthesis of ascorbyl palmitate catalyzed by Candida antarctica lipase in different organic solvents under ultrasound irradiation. The sequential strategy of experimental design proved to be useful in determining the optimal conditions for reaction conversion in tert-butanol system using Novozym 435 as catalyst. The optimum production was achieved at 70°C, ascorbic acid to palmitic acid molar ratio of 1:9, enzyme concentration of 5 wt% at 3h of reaction, resulting in an ascorbyl palmitate conversion of about 27%.

Early clinical experience of radiotherapy of prostate cancer with volumetric modulated arc therapy.

Background: To report about initial clinical experience in radiation treatment of carcinoma of prostate with volumetric modulated arcs with the RapidArc (RA) technology.

Methods: Forty-five patients with a median age of 72 +/- 3, affected by prostate carcinoma (T1c: 22 patients, T2a-b: 17 patients, T3a-b: 6 patients. N0: 43 patients, N1-Nx: 2 patients, all M0), with initial PSA of 10.

Neo-adjuvant chemo-radiation of rectal cancer with volumetric modulated arc therapy: summary of technical and dosimetric features and early clinical experience.

Background: To report about initial technical and clinical experience in preoperative radiation treatment of rectal cancer with volumetric modulated arcs with the RapidArc (RA) technology.

Methods: Twenty-five consecutive patients (pts) were treated with RA. All showed locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma with stage T2-T4, N0-1.