Efficacy and safety of regorafenib as second-line treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and macrovascular invasion and(or) extrahepatic metastasis.

Background: Macrovascular invasion and(or) extrahepatic metastasis are the main clinical characteristics of Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after entering the second-line treatment. The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy and safety of regorafenib as a second-line treatment for these patients with HCC.

Methods: We selected 253 patients with primary liver cancer who were treated in Henan Cancer Hospital from June 2017 to September 2020.

Fixed and random effect selections in generalized linear mixed models.

Generalized linear mixed models are commonly used to describe relationships between correlated responses and covariates in medical research. In this paper, we propose a simple and easily implementable regularized estimation approach to select both fixed and random effects in generalized linear mixed model. Specifically, we propose to construct and optimize the objective functions using the confidence distributions of model parameters, as opposed to using the observed data likelihood functions, to perform effect selections.

Primary Bladder Sarcoma: A multi-institutional experience from the Rare Cancer Network.

Purpose Or Objective: Primary sarcoma of the urinary bladder (SUB) is a rare but aggressive form of bladder cancer (BCa). Available evidence on SUB is limited to case reports and small series. The aim of the present multi-institutional study was to assess the clinical features, treatments, and outcomes of patients with SUB.

Intensified Adjuvant Treatment for High-Risk Resected Cutaneous Angiosarcoma of the Head and Neck.

Objective: Previous studies have highlighted the poor survival of patients with cutaneous angiosarcoma of the head and neck. Therapeutic options are limited, and effective treatment strategies are yet to be discovered. The objective of this study is to evaluate overall survival following intensified adjuvant treatment for high-risk resected angiosarcoma of the head and neck.

Management of Localized Prostate Cancer in Men With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Analysis of a Large Retrospective Cohort.

Introduction: We aimed to characterize the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of HIV-positive patients with clinically localized, prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of HIV-positive patients from a single institution with elevated PSA and diagnosis of PCa by biopsy. PCa features, HIV characteristics, treatment type, toxicities, and outcomes were analyzed by descriptive statistics.

Radiology and radiation oncology considerations for transgender and intersex patients: A qualitative study.

Introduction: In this qualitative study, we explored experiences of radiologists and radiation oncologists in providing clinical care to transgender, gender diverse (TGD), and intersex patients by asking about comfort level, relevant past training and training gaps, and clinical recommendations for TGD and intersex patient care.

Methods: A purposive sample of radiology and radiation oncology professionals (n = 16) from diverse practice settings were interviewed on a videoconferencing platform. Transcripts were auto-populated and checked manually for accuracy.

PREVLAR: Phase 2a Randomized Trial to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of RRx-001 in the Attenuation of Oral Mucositis in Patients Receiving Head and Neck Chemoradiotherapy.

Purpose: No Food and Drug Administration-approved intervention exists for oral mucositis (OM) from chemoradiotherapy (CRT) used to treat head and neck cancers. RRx-001 is a hypoxia-activated, cysteine-directed molecule that affects key pathways involved in OM pathogenesis. This phase 2a, multi-institutional trial was designed to assess the safety and feasibility of 3 schedules of a fixed concentration of RRx-001; a standard-of-care arm was included to identify potential signals of efficacy for further study.

Prostate Cancer Outcomes in Patients Living With HIV/AIDS Treated With Radiation Therapy: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: A consensus has not been reached regarding the treatment and outcomes of prostate cancer (PCa) in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). This systematic review aims to summarize the evidence on the management of PCa with radiation therapy (RT) in PLWHA diagnosed with PCa.

Methods And Materials: Searches were conducted in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases during September 2021 using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria.

Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Outcomes Among Black and White Patients With Cancer.

Importance: Non-Hispanic Black individuals experience a higher burden of COVID-19 than the general population; hence, there is an urgent need to characterize the unique clinical course and outcomes of COVID-19 in Black patients with cancer.

Objective: To investigate racial disparities in severity of COVID-19 presentation, clinical complications, and outcomes between Black patients and non-Hispanic White patients with cancer and COVID-19.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective cohort study used data from the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium registry from March 17, 2020, to November 18, 2020, to examine the clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in Black patients with cancer.

Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence-based guidelines update on the role of radiation therapy in the management of progressive and recurrent glioblastoma in adults.

Target Population: These recommendations apply to adult patients (18 years of age and above) with progressive/recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (pGBM) after first line combined multimodality treatment.

Question: Can re-irradiation (by using conventional radiotherapy, fractionated radiosurgery, or single fraction radiosurgery) be used in patients with pGBM after the first adjuvant combined multimodality treatment with radiation and chemotherapy?

Recommendation: Level III: When the target tumor is amenable for additional radiation, re-irradiation is recommended as it provides improved local tumor control, as measured by best imaging response. Such re-irradiation can take the form of conventional fractionation radiotherapy, fractionated radiosurgery, or single fraction radiosurgery.

Unmasking a Privacy Concern: Potential Identification of Patients in an Immobilization Mask from 3-Dimensional Reconstructions of Simulation Computed Tomography.

Previous studies have demonstrated that patients can be identified from 3-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging data of the brain or head and neck. This presents a privacy and security concern for scan data released to public data sets. It is unknown whether thermoplastic immobilization masks used for treatment planning in radiation therapy are sufficient to prevent facial recognition.

Does kV Image Guidance for Bone Metastases Improve Pain Control?

Purpose/objectives: Despite its widespread availability, the use of kilovoltage (kV) image guidance is often related to factors such as perceived adequacy of clinical patient setup and individual practice patterns. We sought to determine whether kV image guidance in the treatment of painful bone metastases would improve therapeutic efficacy.

Materials/methods: Under an Institutional Review Board approved protocol, hospital records of 164 patients having received radiation therapy to 257 individual painful osseous metastases were retrospectively reviewed.

Adverse events of after-loading high dose rate brachytherapy reported to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Purpose: To provide an assessment of safety regarding high-dose-rate after-loading brachytherapy (HDR-BT) based on adverse events reported to the OpenFDA, an open access database maintained by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Methods: OpenFDA was queried for HDR-BT events between 1993 and 2019. A brachytherapist categorized adverse events (AEs) based on disease site, applicator, manufacturer, event type, dosimetry impact, and outcomes.

Trends in inpatient palliative care use for primary brain malignancies.

Introduction: Primary brain malignancies (PBMs) pose significant morbidity and poor prognosis. Despite NCCN recommendations that palliative care should be integrated into general oncologic care plans, it has been historically underused in patients with PBM. We sought to examine trends and factors associated with inpatient palliative care use in patients with PBM.

Incidence and Prognosis of Brain Metastases in Head and Neck Cancer Patients at Diagnosis.

Objectives: Limited data is available on head and neck cancer (HNC) patients presenting with brain metastases (BM) at initial diagnosis. We sought to evaluate the incidence, management, and treatment outcomes of these patients using the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Methods: We identified 465,925 patients diagnosed with HNC between 2010 and 2015 in the NCDB.

COVID-19 and cancer: A guide with suggested COVID-19 rule-out criteria to support clinical decision-making.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly contagious zoonotic pathogen that has exacted heavy public health, social and economic tolls. In February 2020, the World Health Organization acronymed the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 as COVID-19, for coronavirus disease 2019. The number of confirmed COVID-19 infections, which has been detected in at least 103 countries, has reached 1,970,225 worldwide as of April 14, 2020 with 124,544 deaths, according to the U.

The Association of Radiation Dose-Fractionation and Immunotherapy Use With Overall Survival in Metastatic Melanoma Patients.

Objective Metastatic melanoma patients often receive palliative radiotherapy (RT) and immunotherapy (IT). However, the immunological interplay between RT dose-fractionation and IT is uncertain, and the optimal treatment strategy using RT and IT in metastatic melanoma remains unclear. Our main objective was to examine the effect of RT dose-fractionation on overall survival (OS).

Factors Associated With Receipt of Partial Nephrectomy or Minimally Invasive Surgery for Patients With Clinical T1a and T1b Renal Masses: Implications for Regionalization of Care.

Purpose: To identify factors associated with receipt of partial nephrectomy (PN) and minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in patients with clinical T1 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) using the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB).

Methods: We queried the NCDB from 2010 to 2014 identifying patients treated surgically for cT1a-bN0M0 RCC. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between socioeconomic, clinical, and treatment factors, and receipt of MIS or PN within the T1 patient population.

Impact of pathologic lymph node-positive renal cell carcinoma on survival in patients without metastasis: Evidence in support of expanding the definition of stage IV kidney cancer.

Background: Stage III renal cell carcinoma (RCC) encompasses both lymph node-positive (pT1-3N1M0) and lymph node-negative (pT3N0M0) disease. However, prior institutional studies have indicated that among patients with stage III disease, those with lymph node disease have worse oncologic outcomes and experience survival that is similar to that of patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage IV disease. The objective of the current study was to validate these findings using a large, nationally representative sample of patients with kidney cancer.