Repeat single-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery for recurrent vestibular schwannoma.

Background: Data are scarce on the efficacy of a second radiosurgery (SRS) treatment of vestibular schwannoma that has progressed following initial treatment with SRS. We sought to report the outcome of our repeat SRS series with long-term imaging follow-up. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed 6 patients who met the following criteria: Repeat SRS at our institution between 1995 and 2018; solitary unilateral tumor; no evidence of neurofibromatosis; and magnetic resonance (MR) planning for both SRS treatments. All treatments were delivered with a linear accelerator-based system using head frame immobilization. The prescribed dose to the periphery of the tumor was 12.5 Gy in all initial and repeat SRS treatments, except for one repeat treatment to 10 Gy. Results: Follow-up with MR scan following the second SRS treatment was a median 8.4 years. The tumor control rate (lack of progression) following the second SRS treatment was 83% (5/6). Actuarial 10-year outcomes following repeat SRS were: tumor control, 80%; absolute survival, 80%; and cause-specific survival, 100%. Of the patients with at least minimal hearing retention before initial SRS, none had ipsilateral hearing preservation after initial radiation treatment. Improvement in any pretreatment cranial nerve deficits was not seen. The only permanent grade ≥ 3 toxicity from repeat SRS was a case of infraorbital nerve deficit. No patient developed a stroke, malignant transformation, induced second tumor, or facial nerve deficit. Conclusion: There was excellent overall survival, tumor control, and low morbidity in our series for recurrent vestibular schwannoma submitted to repeat single-fraction SRS, supporting additional studies of this treatment strategy.

Potential Financial Implications of Substituting Cognitive Medicine for Technical Radiation Oncology Billing Services.

Respected authors recommend broadening the radiation oncology (RO) scope-of-practice by taking more responsibility for the general medical care of our patients, directing the delivery of systemic cancer treatments that avoid the high toxicity of cytotoxic chemotherapy, managing palliative care, and supervising inpatient services for brachytherapy cases and problems related to radiation toxicity. The purpose of these changes is to increase RO involvement in clinical decision making and to avoiding becoming pigeon-holed as technicians instead of oncologists. There are no data estimating the financial implications of substituting traditional radiation oncology practice with that of an expanded clinical role. We sought to fill this void with a general proof-of-principle analysis based on current benchmark data. To determine the relative value units (RVU) of a blended radiation oncology practice, we selected the specialties of general internal medicine, hospital medicine, and palliative care as these fields most closely match the scope of the broadened clinical roles, which supporters of a more diversified radiation oncology practice typically advocate. To estimate the financial implications of a blended radiation oncology practice, we retrieved salary data by specialty and academic rank from the Clinical Practice Solutions Center report of annual RVU generation and the American Association of Medical Colleges annual faculty salary survey. For an assistant professor, this simulation estimates an 11% to 15% decrease in RVU generation for the median assistant professor operating with a 20% blended practice which, in turn, translates to a 7% to 9% decrease in total salary. The calculations for full professor demonstrate a similar decrease in total salary of approximately 8% to 9%.

Dose-escalated proton therapy with elective nodal irradiation and concomitant chemotherapy for unresectable, borderline resectable, or medically inoperable pancreatic cancer: a phase II trial.

Background: To report outcomes of a phase II single-institution trial of dose-escalated proton radiotherapy with elective nodal irradiation (ENI) and concomitant chemotherapy for patients with unresectable, borderline resectable, or medically inoperable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Methods: Patients received 40.5 GyRBE in 18 fractions to the gross disease and elective nodal volumes followed by 22.5 GyRBE as a 10-fraction boost to the gross disease for a cumulative dose of 63 GyRBE over 28 fractions. Oral capecitabine (1,000 mg taken orally twice daily) was given on radiation treatment days. The primary objective of this study was to improve the proportion surviving to at least 1 year from the historical rate of 50% to 75%. Secondary objectives included assessing gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity and weight loss during treatment, and evaluating the safety of subsequent surgical resection. This single-institution study was closed to accrual early after the opening of the multicenter PAN009-18 trial by the Proton Collaborative Group (PCG), which follows a similar protocol. Results: At enrollment, 10 (67%) patients had unresectable disease, 3 (20%) had borderline-resectable disease, and 2 (13%) refused surgery. All 15 patients successfully completed radiation therapy as prescribed. With regard to toxicity, a single patient experienced grade 3 nausea requiring cessation of capecitabine, which ultimately resolved by treatment completion. The median percentage weight loss during treatment was -3.0% (range, -9.6% to +12.0%). Two (13%) initially borderline patients ultimately underwent R0 resection: their total operating room times were 267 and 410 minutes, and blood loss was 700 and 400 mL, respectively. Neither patient experienced intraoperative or postoperative complications. Both were discharged on postoperative day 6. The median follow-up was 0.93 years (range, 0.21 to 2.14 years). The 1-year overall survival (OS) rate was 47%. Three enrolled patients are currently alive: 2 with no evidence of disease and 1 with stable disease. Conclusions: The primary objective of 1-year OS of 75% was not reached. Proton therapy was well-tolerated. Patients undergoing surgery did not experience operative or perioperative complications, suggesting that patients with borderline resectable or even resectable disease may benefit from neoadjuvant proton therapy. The PCG will test this premise as patients accrue to the multicenter PAN009-18 trial. Trial Registration: NCT02598349.

Radiation treatment of soft palate squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: To report our institution's experience treating soft palate squamous cell carcinoma with radiotherapy alone or combined with adjuvant chemotherapy and/or neck dissection for residual disease. METHODS: We analyzed 159 patients treated curatively between 1963 and 2016. Median follow-up was 4 years. RESULTS: The 5-year local control rates were T1, 90%; T2, 90%; T3, 70%; and T4, 59%. The 5-year cause-specific survival (CSS) rate was nearly identical for patients with stage I-III disease (88%, 86%, and 88%, respectively) compared to stage IVA/B (58%). Five-year overall survival was similar between patients with stage I-III disease (50%, 57%, and 54%, respectively) and approximately double that of patients with stage IVA/B disease (26%). Thirteen patients (8%) had severe complications related to radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: The likelihood of cure after definitive radiotherapy is relatively high in patients with stage I-III disease with soft palate carcinoma. Patients with stage IVA/B disease have a lower cure rate but with a 5-year CSS exceeding 50%.

Dosimetric Predictors of Cardiotoxicity in Thoracic Radiotherapy for Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Higher cardiac radiotherapy (RT) doses when treating lung cancer are associated with worse overall survival (OS), although the direct association between cardiac dose and early cardiotoxicity is poorly understood. We hypothesized that RT doses to the heart and cardiac substructures are associated with under-reported early cardiotoxicity and worse OS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted an institutional retrospective review of lung cancer patients treated with conventionally fractionated RT from 2010 to 2015. Collected data included pre-RT cardiac risk factors, post-RT cardiotoxicities, and dose-volume parameters for cardiac substructures. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of cardiotoxicity and OS. RESULTS: Seventy-six cases were evaluated with 1.2 years median follow-up. Cardiotoxicities included atrial arrhythmia (n = 5), pericardial effusion (n = 16), and valvular disease (n = 1). In univariate analysis, significant dose-volume predictors for cardiotoxicity included mean RT dose to structure of interest, volume of structure of interest receiving ≥30 Gy RT dose, and volume of structure of interest receiving ≥45 Gy RT dose (V45) to the atria, ventricles, and pericardium. Higher ventricular V45 was associated with post-RT cardiotoxicity in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio [HR], 1.50; P = .027). Cardiotoxicity occurrence was a highly significant predictor of OS in multivariate analysis (HR, 12.7; P < .001), but higher ventricular V45 alone was not (HR, 0.78; P = .450). CONCLUSION: Early cardiac events were relatively common after lung cancer RT and associated with multiple cardiac dose-volume parameters. Occurrence of early cardiotoxicity was strongly associated with worse OS. In practice, early cardiotoxicity is under-reported, supporting the need for more detailed cardiac evaluations in high-risk patients to detect and address early cardiotoxicity.

Infants with esophageal atresia and right aortic arch: Characteristics and outcomes from the Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium.

PURPOSE: Right sided aortic arch (RAA) is a rare anatomic finding in infants with esophageal atresia with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF). In the presence of RAA, significant controversy exists regarding optimal side for thoracotomy in repair of the EA/TEF. The purpose of this study was to characterize the incidence, demographics, surgical approach, and outcomes of patients with RAA and EA/TEF. METHODS: A multi-institutional, IRB approved, retrospective cohort study of infants with EA/TEF treated at 11 children's hospitals in the United States over a 5-year period (2009 to 2014) was performed. All patients had a minimum of one-year follow-up. RESULTS: In a cohort of 396 infants with esophageal atresia, 20 (5%) had RAA, with 18 having EA with a distal TEF and 2 with pure EA. Compared to infants with left sided arch (LAA), RAA infants had a lower median birth weight, (1.96 kg (IQR 1.54-2.65) vs. 2.57 kg (2.00-3.03), p = 0.01), earlier gestational age (34.5 weeks (IQR 32-37) vs. 37 weeks (35-39), p = 0.01), and a higher incidence of congenital heart disease (90% vs. 32%, p < 0.0001). The most common cardiac lesions in the RAA group were ventricular septal defect (7), tetralogy of Fallot (7) and vascular ring (5). Seventeen infants with RAA underwent successful EA repair, 12 (71%) via right thoracotomy and 5 (29%) through left thoracotomy. Anastomotic strictures trended toward a difference in RAA patients undergoing right thoracotomy for primary repair of their EA/TEF compared to left thoracotomy (50% vs. 0%, p = 0.1). Side of thoracotomy in RAA patients undergoing EA/TEF repair was not significantly associated with mortality, anastomotic leak, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, recurrent fistula, or esophageal dehiscence (all p > 0.29). CONCLUSION: RAA in infants with EA/TEF is rare with an incidence of 5%. Compared to infants with EA/TEF and LAA, infants with EA/TEF and RAA are more severely ill with lower birth weight and higher rates of prematurity and complex congenital heart disease. In neonates with RAA, surgical repair of the EA/TEF is technically feasible via thoracotomy from either chest. A higher incidence of anastomotic strictures may occur with a right-sided approach. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Challenging surgical dogma in the management of proximal esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula: Outcomes from the Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium.

PURPOSE: Perioperative management of infants with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) is frequently based on surgeon experience and dogma rather than evidence-based guidelines. This study examines whether commonly perceived important aspects of practice affect outcome in a contemporary multi-institutional cohort of patients undergoing primary repair for the most common type of esophageal atresia anomaly, proximal EA with distal TEF. METHODS: The Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium conducted a multicenter, retrospective study examining selected outcomes on infants diagnosed with proximal EA with distal TEF who underwent primary repair over a 5-year period (2009-2014), with a minimum 1-year follow up, across 11 centers. RESULTS: 292 patients with proximal EA and distal TEF who underwent primary repair were reviewed. The overall mortality was 6% and was significantly associated with the presence of congenital heart disease (OR 4.82, p=0.005). Postoperative complications occurred in 181 (62%) infants, including: anastomotic stricture requiring intervention (n=127; 43%); anastomotic leak (n=54; 18%); recurrent fistula (n=15; 5%); vocal cord paralysis/paresis (n=14; 5%); and esophageal dehiscence (n=5; 2%). Placement of a transanastomotic tube was associated with an increase in esophageal stricture formation (OR 2.2, p=0.01). Acid suppression was not associated with altered rates of stricture, leak or pneumonia (all p>0.1). Placement of interposing prosthetic material between the esophageal and tracheal suture lines was associated with an increased leak rate (OR 4.7, p<0.001), but no difference in the incidence of recurrent fistula (p=0.3). Empiric postoperative antibiotics for >24h were used in 193 patients (66%) with no difference in rates of infection, shock or death when compared to antibiotic use ≤24h (all p>0.3). Hospital volume was not associated with postoperative complication rates (p>0.08). Routine postoperative esophagram obtained on day 5 resulted in no delayed/missed anastomotic leaks or a difference in anastomotic leak rate as compared to esophagrams obtained on day 7. CONCLUSION: Morbidity after primary repair of proximal EA and distal TEF patients is substantial, and many common practices do not appear to reduce complications. Specifically, this large retrospective series does not support the use of prophylactic antibiotics beyond 24h and empiric acid suppression may not prevent complications. Use of a transanastomotic tube was associated with higher rates of stricture, and interposition of prosthetic material was associated with higher leak rates. Routine postoperative esophagram can be safely obtained on day 5 resulting in earlier initiation of oral feeds. STUDY TYPE: Treatment study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Perioperative management and outcomes of esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) is a rare congenital anomaly lacking contemporary data detailing patient demographics, medical/surgical management and outcomes. Substantial variation in the care of infants with EA/TEF may affect both short- and long-term outcomes. The purpose of this study was to characterize the demographics, management strategies and outcomes in a contemporary multi-institutional cohort of infants diagnosed with EA/TEF to identify potential areas for standardization of care. METHODS: A multi-institutional retrospective cohort study of infants with EA/TEF treated at 11 children's hospitals between 2009 and 2014 was performed. Over the 5year period, 396 cases were identified in the 11 centers (7±5 per center per year). All infants with a diagnosis of EA/TEF made within 30days of life who had surgical repair of their defect defined as esophageal reconstruction with or without ligation of TEF within the first six months of life were included. Demographic, operative, and outcome data were collected and analyzed to detect associations between variables. RESULTS: Prenatal suspicion or diagnosis of EA/TEF was present in 53 (13%). The most common anatomy was proximal EA with distal TEF (n=335; 85%) followed by pure EA (n=27; 7%). Clinically significant congenital heart disease (CHD) was present in 137 (35%). Mortality was 7.5% and significantly associated with CHD (p<0.0001). Postoperative morbidity occurred in 62% of the population, including 165 (42%) cases with anastomotic stricture requiring intervention, anastomotic leak in 89 (23%), vocal cord paresis/paralysis in 26 (7%), recurrent fistula in 19 (5%), and anastomotic dehiscence in 9 (2%). Substantial variation in practice across our institutions existed: bronchoscopy prior to repair was performed in 64% of cases (range: 0%-100%); proximal pouch contrast study in 21% (0%-69%); use of interposing material between the esophageal and tracheal suture lines in 38% (0%-69%); perioperative antibiotics ≥24h in 69% (36%-97%); and transanastomotic tubes in 73% (21%-100%). CONCLUSION: Contemporary treatment of EA/TEF is characterized by substantial variation in perioperative management and considerable postoperative morbidity and mortality. Future studies are planned to establish best practices and clinical care guidelines for infants with EA/TEF. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Type of study: Treatment study. Level IV.