Professional-patient discrepancies in assessing lung cancer radiotherapy symptoms: An international multicentre study.

Background And Purpose: We investigate discrepancies in the assessment of treatment-related symptoms in lung cancer between healthcare professionals and patients, and factors contributing to these discrepancies.

Materials And Methods: Data from 515 participants in the REQUITE study were analysed. Five symptoms (cough, dyspnoea, bronchopulmonary haemorrhage, chest wall pain, dysphagia) were evaluated both before and after radiotherapy.

Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers of Oligometastatic NSCLC: New Insights and Clinical Applications.

This review discusses the current data on predictive and prognostic biomarkers in oligometastatic NSCLC and discusses whether biomarkers identified in other stages and widespread metastatic disease can be extrapolated to the oligometastatic disease (OMD) setting. Research is underway to explore the prognostic and predictive value of biological attributes of tumor tissue, circulating cells, the tumor microenvironment, and imaging findings as biomarkers of oligometastatic NSCLC. Biomarkers that help define true OMD and predict outcomes are needed for patient selection for oligometastatic treatment, and to avoid futile treatments in patients that will not benefit from locoregional treatment.

Bridging the care gap: patients' needs and experiences regarding shared decision-making in radiotherapy.

Background And Purpose: Shared decision-making (SDM), a collaborative process in which patients and physicians jointly determine further treatment, has been associated with numerous positive effects. However, its implementation into routine clinical practice faces challenges. In radiotherapy (RT) it may have additional challenges, since patients are referred from another oncologist, often "to undergo RT".

Retinoblastoma Protein Loss in p53 Abnormal Endometrial Carcinoma: Histologic and Clinicopathological Correlates.

Of the 4 molecular subtypes of endometrial cancer (EC), p53-abnormal (p53abn) EC is associated with abundant copy number alterations and the worst clinical outcome. Patients with p53abn EC have the highest risk of disease recurrence and death, independent of tumor grade and histologic subtype. Currently, all invasive p53abn ECs are considered high risk, and no prognostic biomarkers have yet been found that can aid in clinical management.

Prediction of new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with curative-intent conventional radiotherapy.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important side effect of thoracic Radiotherapy (RT), which may impair quality of life and survival. This study aimed to develop a prediction model for new-onset AF in patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) receiving RT alone or as a part of their multi-modal treatment.

Patients And Methods: Patients with stage I-IV NSCLC treated with curative-intent conventional photon RT were included.

Prospective, Randomized Controlled Pivotal Trial of Biodegradable Balloon Rectal Spacer for Prostate Radiation Therapy.

Purpose/objectives: Rectal spacers have been shown to reduce rectal side effects in patients receiving prostate radiation. However, concerns remain regarding precise and reproducible gel injection. We evaluated efficacy and safety of a novel rectoprostatic spacer balloon that allows potential for controlled, adaptable deployment.

The Radiation Therapist profession through the lens of new technology: A practice development paper based on the ESTRO Radiation Therapist Workshops.

Technological advances in radiation therapy impact on the role and scope of practice of the radiation therapist. The European Society of Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) recently held two workshops on this topic and this position paper reflects the outcome of this workshop, which included radiation therapists from all global regions. Workflows, quality assurance, research, IGRT and ART as well as clinical decision making are the areas of radiation therapist practice that will be highly influenced by advancing technology in the near future.

The optimal treatment for patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer: minimally invasive lobectomy versus stereotactic ablative radiotherapy - a nationwide cohort study.

Objectives: The aim of the Early-Stage LUNG cancer (ESLUNG) study was to compare outcomes after minimally invasive lobectomy (MIL) and stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, patients with clinical stage I NSCLC (according to TNM7), treated in 2014-2016 with MIL or SABR, were included. 5-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were calculated and compared between patients treated with MIL and a propensity score (PS)-weighted SABR population with characteristics comparable to those of the MIL group.

Predicting the risk of neurocognitive decline after brain irradiation in adult patients with a primary brain tumor.

Background: Deterioration of neurocognitive function in adult patients with a primary brain tumor is the most concerning side effect of radiotherapy. This study aimed to develop and evaluate normal-tissue complication probability (NTCP) models using clinical and dose-volume measures for 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year Neurocognitive Decline (ND) postradiotherapy.

Methods: A total of 219 patients with a primary brain tumor treated with radical photon and/or proton radiotherapy (RT) between 2019 and 2022 were included.

Pretrial Quality Assurance for Hypofractionated Salvage Radiation Therapy After Prostatectomy in the Multi-Institutional PERYTON-trial.

Purpose: The PERYTON trial is a multicenter randomized controlled trial that will investigate whether the treatment outcome of salvage external beam radiation therapy (sEBRT) will be improved with hypofractionated radiation therapy. A pretrial quality assurance (QA) program was undertaken to ensure protocol compliance within the PERYTON trial and to assess variation in sEBRT treatment protocols between the participating centers.

Methods And Materials: Completion of the QA program was mandatory for each participating center (N = 8) to start patient inclusion.

Trends and Variation in the Use of Radiotherapy in Non-metastatic Rectal Cancer: a 14-year Nationwide Overview from the Netherlands.

Aims: This study describes nationwide primary radiotherapy utilisation trends for non-metastasised rectal cancer in the Netherlands between 2008 and 2021. In 2014, both colorectal cancer screening and a new guideline specifying prognostic risk groups for neoadjuvant treatment were implemented.

Materials And Methods: Patients with non-metastasised rectal cancer in 2008-2021 (n = 37 510) were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry and classified into prognostic risk groups.

METhodological RadiomICs Score (METRICS): a quality scoring tool for radiomics research endorsed by EuSoMII.

Purpose: To propose a new quality scoring tool, METhodological RadiomICs Score (METRICS), to assess and improve research quality of radiomics studies.

Methods: We conducted an online modified Delphi study with a group of international experts. It was performed in three consecutive stages: Stage#1, item preparation; Stage#2, panel discussion among EuSoMII Auditing Group members to identify the items to be voted; and Stage#3, four rounds of the modified Delphi exercise by panelists to determine the items eligible for the METRICS and their weights.

Cachexia and Sarcopenia in Oligometastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Making a Potential Curable Disease Incurable?

Among patients with advanced NSCLC, there is a group of patients with synchronous oligometastatic disease (sOMD), defined as a limited number of metastases detected at the time of diagnosis. As cachexia and sarcopenia are linked to poor survival, incorporating this information could assist clinicians in determining whether a radical treatment should be administered. In a retrospective multicenter study, including all patients with adequately staged (FDG-PET, brain imaging) sOMD according to the EORTC definition, we aimed to assess the relationship between cachexia and/or sarcopenia and survival.

Molecular and Clinicopathologic Characterization of Mismatch Repair-Deficient Endometrial Carcinoma Not Related to MLH1 Promoter Hypermethylation.

Universal tumor screening in endometrial carcinoma (EC) is increasingly adopted to identify individuals at risk of Lynch syndrome (LS). These cases involve mismatch repair-deficient (MMRd) EC without MLH1 promoter hypermethylation (PHM). LS is confirmed through the identification of germline MMR pathogenic variants (PV).

Survey on fan-beam computed tomography for radiotherapy: Current implementation and future perspectives of motion management and surface guidance devices.

Background And Purpose: This work reports on the results of a survey performed on the use of computed tomography (CT) imaging for motion management, surface guidance devices, and their quality assurance (QA). Additionally, it details the collected user insights regarding professional needs in CT for radiotherapy. The purpose of the survey is to understand current practice, professional needs and future directions in the field of fan-beam CT in radiation therapy (RT).

Measured Steps: Navigating the Path of Oligoprogressive Lung Cancer with Targeted and Immunotherapies.

Purpose Of Review: This review discusses the definitions, treatment modalities, management, future directions, and ongoing clinical trials of oligoprogressive disease in oncogene-driven and non-oncogene-driven NSCLC.

Recent Findings: During the last decades, diagnostic and treatment modalities for oligometastatic NSCLC have advanced significantly, leading to improved survival. Additionally, our understanding of the tumor biology of oligoprogressive disease has expanded.

Quantitative MRI-based radiomics analysis identifies blood flow feature associated to overall survival for rectal cancer patients.

Radiomics objectively quantifies image information through numerical metrics known as features. In this study, we investigated the stability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics features in rectal cancer using both anatomical MRI and quantitative MRI (qMRI), when different methods to define the tumor volume were used. Second, we evaluated the prognostic value of stable features associated to 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Survey on fan-beam computed tomography for radiotherapy: Imaging for dose calculation and delineation.

Background And Purpose: To obtain an understanding of current practice, professional needs and future directions in the field of fan-beam CT in RT, a survey was conducted. This work presents the collected information regarding the use of CT imaging for dose calculation and structure delineation.

Materials And Methods: An online institutional survey was distributed to medical physics experts employed at Belgian and Dutch radiotherapy institutions to assess the status, challenges, and future directions of QA practices for fan-beam CT.

Large-scale meta-genome-wide association study reveals common genetic factors linked to radiation-induced acute toxicities across cancer types.

Background: This study was designed to identify common genetic susceptibility and shared genetic variants associated with acute radiation-induced toxicity across 4 cancer types (prostate, head and neck, breast, and lung).

Methods: A genome-wide association study meta-analysis was performed using 19 cohorts totaling 12 042 patients. Acute standardized total average toxicity (STATacute) was modelled using a generalized linear regression model for additive effect of genetic variants, adjusted for demographic and clinical covariates (rSTATacute).