Patient safety program and incident review of high-dose-rate brachytherapy at an academic center in Thailand.

Purpose: An incident review of errors related to using high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) and associated patient safety program were presented. This study was based on 9 years' experience using VariSource afterloader system.

Material And Methods: Analysis was made on radiotherapy (RT) incidents (including near-misses) that were routinely recorded using manual and electronic incident reporting systems between July 2012 and December 2021.

Vaginal 11-point and volumetric dose related to late vaginal complications in patients with cervical cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy and image-guided adaptive brachytherapy.

Objective: To investigate the vaginal 11-point and volumetric dose-toxicity relationships in definitive cervical cancer radiotherapy.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients with cervical cancer with a complete response of at least 12 months was performed. Additional per vaginal examinations and patient-scoring questionnaires on the date of patient enrolment were assessed for vaginal strictures.

Preliminary survey of 3D image-guided brachytherapy for cervical cancer at representative hospitals in Asian countries.

3D image-guided brachytherapy (3D-IGBT) has become a standard therapy for cervical cancer. However, the use of 3D-IGBT is limited in East and Southeast Asia. This study aimed to clarify the current usage patterns of 3D-IGBT for cervical cancer in East and Southeast Asia.

Multi-institutional Observational Study of Prophylactic Extended-Field Concurrent Chemoradiation Therapy Using Weekly Cisplatin for Patients With Pelvic Node-Positive Cervical Cancer in East and Southeast Asia.

Purpose: This multi-institutional observational study conducted among 11 countries in East and Southeast Asia aimed to assess the clinical outcomes of prophylactic extended-field concurrent chemoradiation therapy using weekly cisplatin for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.

Methods And Materials: Between October 2007 and May 2016, 106 patients with untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix were enrolled in the present study. Radiation therapy consisted of pelvic irradiation (total dose, 50 Gy in 25 fractions including central shielding), prophylactic paraortic regional irradiation (36-40 Gy in 20 fractions), and either high- or low-dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) according to institutional practice.

Dosimetric analysis and preliminary clinical result of image-guided brachytherapy with or without hybrid technique for cervical cancer using VariSource titanium ring applicator with "Siriraj Ring Cap".

Purpose: Titanium ring cap applicator (VariSource) was applied in treating cervical cancer patients by using image-guided brachytherapy (IGBT). However, its sizes appeared to be relatively large for most of our patients. Thus, we have developed a specific applicator "Siriraj Ring Cap," which is slightly smaller and more suitable for our patients.

Multicentre dose audit for clinical trials of radiation therapy in Asia.

A dose audit of 16 facilities in 11 countries has been performed within the framework of the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA) quality assurance program. The quality of radiation dosimetry varies because of the large variation in radiation therapy among the participating countries. One of the most important aspects of international multicentre clinical trials is uniformity of absolute dose between centres.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for T3-4 and N0-1 nasopharyngeal cancer: Asian multicenter trial of the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of radiotherapy concurrent with weekly cisplatin for T3-4 and N0-1 nasopharyngeal cancer. Between 2005 and 2010, 70 patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (T3-4 N0-1 M0, World Health Organization Type 2-3) from Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand were registered. Patients were treated with 2D radiotherapy concurrent with weekly cisplatin (30 mg/m(2)).

Posterior cervical lymph node metastasis as the valuable prognostic factor for stage IVA/IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemo-radiotherapy.

Introduction/aim: To evaluate the prognostic properties of retropharyngeal lymph node (RP), posterior cervical lymph node (PCN), and supraclavicular lymph node (SPC), in stage IVA/IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients in setting of induction chemotherapy.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study including 43 patients with stage IVA/IVB NPC (7th AJCC) treated with induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemo-radiotherapy. We analyzed prognosis with the multivariate Cox regression model and p-value from the Wald's test, using the backward elimination method (by likelihood ratio test and percent change of coefficient factors).

Brachytherapy boost in loco-regionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a prospective randomized trial of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Background: The purpose was to determine whether a brachytherapy boost improves outcomes in patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with standard chemo-radiotherapy.

Methods: Patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma WHO grades I-III and TNM stages III or non-metastatic stage IV were eligible for this phase III study. Patients were randomized to either arm (A) induction chemotherapy, followed by external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with concomitant cisplatin (n = 139) or arm (B), the same schedule plus a brachytherapy boost to the nasopharynx (n = 135).

Long-term follow-up results of a multi-institutional phase 2 study of concurrent chemoradiation therapy for locally advanced cervical cancer in east and southeast Asia.

Purpose: To report the long-term survival and toxicity of a multi-institutional phase 2 study of concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) for locally advanced cervical cancer in east and southeast Asia.

Methods And Materials: Ten institutions from 8 Asian countries participated in the study. Between April 2003 and March 2006, 120 patients (60 with bulky stage IIB and 60 with stage IIIB) were treated with CCRT.

High dose rate endobronchial brachytherapy (HDR-EB) in recurrent benign complex tracheobronchial stenosis: experience in two cases.

Unlabelled: Benign complex tracheobronchial stenosis (BCTS) is a tracheobronchial stenosis that is longer than 1 cm or has more than one site of stenotic area. The most common etiology of the stenosis is endobronchial tuberculosis. BCTS causes challenge in diagnosis and management because of nonspecific presentation and usually precluded surgical treatment.

Radiotherapy concurrently with weekly cisplatin, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, for N2-3 nasopharyngeal cancer: a multicenter trial of the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of radiotherapy concurrently with weekly cisplatin, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, for the treatment of N2-3 nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) in Asian countries, especially regions of South and Southeast Asian countries where NPC is endemic. Between 2005 and 2009, 121 patients with NPC (T1-4 N2-3 M0) were registered from Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, The Philippines, China and Bangladesh. Patients were treated with 2D radiotherapy concurrently with weekly cisplatin (30 mg/m (2)), followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, consisting of cisplatin (80 mg/m(2) on Day 1) and fluorouracil (800 mg/m(2) on Days 1-5) for 3 cycles.

Advanced imaging applications for locally advanced cervical cancer.

Advanced imaging approaches (computed tomography, CT; magnetic resonance imaging, MRI; 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, FDG PET) have increased roles in cervical cancer staging and management. The recent FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) recommendations encouraged applications to assess the clinical extension of tumors rather than relying on clinical examinations and traditional non-cross sectional investigations. MRI appears to be better than CT for primary tumors and adjacent soft tissue involvement in the pelvis.

Sensorineural hearing loss after concurrent chemoradiotherapy in nasopharyngeal cancer patients.

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is one of the major long term side effects from radiation therapy (RT) in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients. This study aims to review the incidences of SNHL when treating with different radiation techniques. The additional objective is to determine the relationship of the SNHL with the radiation doses delivered to the inner ear.

Multi-institutional phase II clinical study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer in East and Southeast Asia.

Purpose: To evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy using weekly cisplatin for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer in East and Southeast Asia, a multi-institutional Phase II clinical study was conducted among eight Asian countries.

Methods And Materials: Between April 2003 and March 2006, 120 patients (60 with bulky Stage IIB and 60 with Stage IIIB) with previously untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix were enrolled in the present study. Radiotherapy consisted of pelvic external beam radiotherapy (total dose, 50 Gy) and either high-dose-rate or low-dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy according to institutional practice.

Accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy for cervical cancer: multi-institutional prospective study of forum for nuclear cooperation in Asia among eight Asian countries.

Purpose: To evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy (RT) for locally advanced cervical cancer.

Methods And Materials: A multi-institutional prospective single-arm study was conducted among eight Asian countries. Between 1999 and 2002, 120 patients (64 with Stage IIB and 56 with Stage IIIB) with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix were treated with accelerated hyperfractionated RT.

A regional cooperative clinical study of radiotherapy for cervical cancer in east and south-east Asian countries.

Purpose: Radiotherapy differed widely in east and south-east Asia because of technical, cultural, and socio-economic differences. With the purpose of standardizing radiotherapy for cervical cancer in the region, an international clinical study was conducted.

Materials And Methods: Eleven institutions in eight Asian countries participated in the study.

Hyperthermia in combination with radiation therapy for treatment of advanced inoperable breast cancer.

Twelve breast cancer patients with locally advanced inoperable lesions were studied. Six cases had received chemotherapy, 6 had not. Most of the tumors were ulcerative lesions with an average size of 11.