Intra-arterial chemoradiotherapy for oral cancer: Superiority of intensity-modulated radiation therapy over three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy.

PURPOSE: To determine the superiority of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) over three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) in patients who underwent intra-arterial chemoradiotherapy for oral cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients with locally advanced oral cancer curatively treated with intra-arterial chemoradiotherapy at a single institution between 2010 and 2021. All patients treated after May 2015 underwent IMRT. Docetaxel (12 mg/m2/week) and nedaplatin (5 mg/m2/day) were administered through a shallow temporal artery using a catheter. RESULTS: In total, 143 patients (IMRT: 71; 3DCRT: 72) were included in this study. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 75.7 % and 59.8 %, respectively, with no significant differences between the irradiation methods. In multivariate analysis, cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM) was the only significant poor prognostic factor contributing to OS, PFS, locoregional control (LRC), and local control (LC). In multivariate subgroup analysis of LNM cases (n = 90), IMRT contributed to favorable LRC (hazard ratio [HR]=0.4, P = 0.01) and LC (HR=0.4, P = 0.006). There was no difference in the incidence of grade ≥2 osteonecrosis of the jaw (4.2 % vs. 12.5 %, P = 0.13), xerostomia (75 % vs. 82 %, P = 0.316), or dysgeusia (80 % vs. 82 %, P = 0.834) between the IMRT and 3DCRT groups. However, the rates of xerostomia at 6 months and dysgeusia at 3 months were lower in the IMRT group (both P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: IMRT neither improved patient survival nor significantly reduced the incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw. However, it demonstrated favorable LRC and LC in patients with LNM, suggesting an advantage in early recovery from xerostomia and dysgeusia.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy for Japanese patients with localized prostate cancer: 2-year results and predictive factors for acute genitourinary toxicities.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to report the 2-year results of stereotactic body radiation therapy for prostate cancer and identify the clinical and dosimetric factors that predict acute genitourinary toxicities. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer treated at Toyota Memorial Hospital between 2017 and 2020. The patients were treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy with a total dose of 36.25 Gy in five fractions on consecutive weekdays. While low-risk patients received radiotherapy alone, intermediate- to high-risk patients also received androgen deprivation therapy. RESULTS: We analysed a total of 104 patients, including 10, 60 and 34 low-, intermediate- and high-risk patients, respectively. The median follow-up duration was 2 years. We did not observe biochemical/clinical recurrence, distant metastasis or death from prostate cancer. One patient died of another cause. Grade 2 acute genitourinary toxicity was observed in 40 (38%) patients. Age (P = 0.021), genitourinary toxicity of grade ≥1 at baseline (P = 0.023) and bladder mean dose (P = 0.047) were significantly associated with the incidence of grade 2 acute genitourinary toxicity. The cut-off value of 65 years for age and 10.3 Gy for the bladder mean dose were considered the most appropriate. Grade 2 acute gastrointestinal toxicity was observed in five (5%) patients. None of the patients experienced grade ≥3 acute or late toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic body radiation therapy is feasible for Japanese patients with prostate cancer, with acceptable acute toxicity. Age, genitourinary toxicity at baseline and bladder mean dose predict grade 2 acute genitourinary toxicity.

Role of high-dose salvage radiotherapy for oligometastases of the localised abdominal/pelvic lymph nodes: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal/pelvic lymph node (LN) oligometastasis, a pattern of treatment failure, is observed occasionally, and radiotherapy may work as salvage therapy. The optimal prescription dose, however, is yet to be determined. This study assessed the efficacy of high-dose radiotherapy. METHODS: The medical records of 113 patients at 4 institutes were retrospectively analysed who had 1 to 5 abdominal/pelvic LN oligometastases and were treated with definitive radiotherapy between 2008 and 2018. The exclusion criteria included non-epithelial tumours, uncontrolled primary lesions, palliative intent, and re-irradiation. The prescription dose was evaluated by using the equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions (EQD2). Patients receiving EQD2 ≥ 60 Gy were placed into the high-dose group, and the remaining others the low-dose group. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to evaluate overall survival (OS), local control (LC), and progression-free survival (PFS). Univariate log-rank and multivariate Cox proportional hazards model analyses were performed to explore predictive factors. Adverse events were compared between the high-dose and low-dose groups. RESULTS: The primary tumour sites included the colorectum (n = 28), uterine cervix (n = 27), endometrium (n = 15), and ovaries (n = 10). The rate of 2-year OS was 63.1%, that of LC 59.7%, and that of PFS 19.4%. On multivariate analyses, OS were significantly associated with solitary oligometastasis (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.48, p = 0.02), LC with high-dose radiotherapy (HR: 0.93, p < 0.001), and PFS with long disease-free interval (HR: 0.59, p = 0.01). Whereas high-dose radiotherapy did not significantly improve 2-year OS in the entire cohort (74.8% in the high-dose vs. 52.7% in the low-dose; p = 0.08), it did in the subgroup of solitary oligometastasis (88.8% in the high-dose vs. 56.3% in the low-dose; p = 0.009). As for Late grade ≥ 3 adverse event, ileus was observed in 7 patients (6%) and gastrointestinal bleeding in 4 (4%). No significant association between the irradiation dose and adverse event incidence was found. CONCLUSIONS: As salvage therapy, high-dose radiotherapy was recommendable for oligometastasis in the abdominal/pelvic LNs. For solitary oligometastasis, LC and OS were significantly better in the high-dose group.

Predictive factors of prognosis after radiation and steroid pulse therapy in thyroid eye disease.

To identify predictive factors of prognosis after radiotherapy with concurrent steroid pulse therapy for thyroid eye disease, retrospective analyses were performed among 77 patients. Clinical activity score and magnetic resonance imaging were used to evaluate degrees of orbital inflammation. As a pre-treatment work-up, the thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb) level was measured. During a median follow-up of 25.0 months, the 2-year cumulative relapse-free rate (CRFR) was 80.9%. In the univariate analysis, a worse 2-year CRFR was significantly associated with the presence of optic neuropathy (P = 0.001), a higher TSAb rate (P = 0.001), and lower standard deviation (SD) of signal intensity at the extraocular muscle in T2-weighted images (P = 0.006). In the multivariate analysis, TSAb rate and SD affected the CRFR independently. When TSAb activity of 2800% was set as a cut-off at 2 years after treatment, the predictive sensitivity and specificity of relapse were 81.2% and 90.6%, respectively. With regard to SD, the respective sensitivity and specificity values were 81.2% and 82.7% when 100 was set as a cut-off. In conclusion, high TSAb and low SD were significant risk factors for cumulative relapse in orbital radiotherapy. Cut-off values of 2800% for TSAb and 100 for SD may be suitable.

[A nationwide multi-center questionnaire survey on the management and treatment of post-stroke seizure and epilepsy in Japan].

Seizures may occur after stroke. Though the majority of clinicians are aware of this, a consensus-based treatment and management strategy for post-stroke seizures is not available because there have only been a few large-scale studies that have explored this. This study has surveyed the actual state of medical treatment for post-stroke seizure and epilepsy in Japan. We conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey of the top 500 institutions regarding the number of cerebral infarction cases between February 2015 and May 2015. The questionnaire contained 14 items regarding the number of patients, type of tests and treatments conducted, and patient response to the treatments. Surveys from 189 institutions were obtained. A history of previous stroke was reported in 41% of hospitalized patients with epilepsy. The sensitivity of diffusion-weighted MRI and electroencephalography was not sufficient to detect the abnormalities seen in epilepsy. Carbamazepine was the most chosen antiepileptic drug for secondary prophylaxis, followed by valproate acid, and levetiracetam.