Impact of Regional Nodal Irradiation and Hypofractionated Whole-Breast Radiation on Long-Term Breast Retraction and Poor Cosmetic Outcome in Breast Cancer Survivors.

Purpose: We performed a prospective longitudinal study to determine predictors of long-term breast asymmetry in breast cancer patients treated with breast-conserving surgery and whole-breast external-beam radiotherapy (XRT).

Patients And Methods: A total of 109 patients with stage 0 to III breast cancer treated with breast-conserving surgery followed by conventional (50 Gy plus boost) or hypofractionated (39.9 Gy with simultaneous integrated boost of 48 Gy) XRT were enrolled onto 2 studies of XRT-induced skin toxicity before (baseline), during, and 1 year after XRT.

Full axillary lymph node dissection and increased breast epidermal thickness 1 year after radiation therapy for breast cancer.

Background: We previously reported a prospective study showing axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is associated with increased breast skin thickening during and 6 weeks post-radiation therapy (RT), and now report ALND's long-term impact at 1 year.

Methods: Among 66 women who received whole breast RT after lumpectomy, objective ultrasound measurements of epidermal thickness over four quadrants of the treated breast were measured at five time points: before RT, week 6 of RT, and 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year post-RT. Skin thickness ratio (STRA) was generated by normalizing for corresponding measurements of the contralateral breast.

The role of postmastectomy radiotherapy in women with pathologic T3N0M0 breast cancer.

Background: The authors determined the impact of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) on overall survival (OS) among patients with pT3N0M0 breast cancer in the National Cancer Data Base.

Methods: A total of 3437 patients with pT3N0M0 breast cancer who initially were treated with mastectomy between 2003 and 2011 were identified. Of these women, 1644 (47.

Benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy after breast-conserving therapy among elderly women with T1-T2N0 estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer.

Background: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the impact of radiotherapy (RT) among women aged ≥ 70 years with T1-2N0 estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare-linked data.

Methods: The study included 3432 women, 2850 of whom received and 582 of whom did not receive RT after breast-conserving surgery. Outcomes were estimated by the cumulative incidence method and compared with the Gray test.

Value of PET restaging after chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: implications for consolidation radiotherapy.

Purpose/objective: Patients treated for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) frequently are restaged for response using positron emission tomography (PET) scanning. This study investigates the role of subsequent consolidation radiation therapy (CRT) based on PET response to chemotherapy.

Materials/methods: An IRB-approved database was queried for patients who underwent PET scans after chemotherapy for NHL between 1995 and 2004; 77 patients were identified.

Management of xerostomia related to radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

Xerostomia is a permanent and devastating sequela of head and neck irradiation, and its consequences are numerous. Pharmaceutical therapy attempts to preserve or salvage salivary gland function through systemic administration of various protective compounds, most commonly amifostine (Ethyol) or pilocarpine. When these agents are ineffective or the side effects too bothersome, patients often resort to palliative care, for example, with tap water, saline, bicarbonate solutions, mouthwashes, or saliva substitutes.

Refractory or relapsed Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: optimizing involved-field radiotherapy in transplant patients.

Unlabelled: This study assessed efficacy, optimal dosage and timing, and toxicity of involved-field radiotherapy used in conjunction with high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation for patients with refractory/relapsed Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Methods And Materials: 306 patients with refractory or relapsed Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were analyzed. Forty-one patients underwent involved-field radiotherapy in conjunction with high-dose chemotherapy and bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplantation.