Could conventionally fractionated radiation therapy coupled with stereotactic body radiation therapy improve local control in bone oligometastases?

PURPOSE: To describe clinical outcomes of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) applied alone or as a boost after a conventionally fractionated radiation therapy (CFRT) for the treatment of bone oligometastases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients treated with SBRT from January 2007 to December 2015 in the Institut de cancérologie de Lorraine in France. The inclusion criteria involved adults treated with SBRT for one to three bone metastases from a histological proven solid tumor and a primary tumor treated, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score inferior or equal to 2. Local control (LC), overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), bone progression incidence (BPI), skeletal related events free survival (SRE-FS), toxicity and pain response were evaluated. RESULTS: Forty-six patients and 52 bone metastases were treated. Twenty-three metastases (44.2%) received SBRT alone mainly for non-spine metastases and 29 (55.8%) a combination of CFRT and SBRT mainly for spine metastases. The median follow-up time was 22months (range: 4-89months). Five local failures (9.6%) were observed and the cumulative incidences of local recurrence at 1 and 2years respectively were 4.4% and 8% with a median time of local recurrence of 17months (range: 4-36months). The one- and two-years OS were 90.8% and 87.4%. Visceral metastasis (HR: 3.40, 95% confidence interval [1.10-10.50]) and a time from primary diagnosis (TPD)>30months (HR: 0.22 [0.06-0.82]) were independent prognostic factors of OS. The 1 and 2years PFS were 66.8% and 30.9% with a median PFS time of 18months [13-24]. The one- and two-years BPI were 27.7% and 55.3%. In multivariate analysis, unfavorable histology was associated with worse BPI (HR: 3.19 [1.32-7.76]). The SRE-FS was 93.3% and 78.5% % at 1 and 2years. The overall response rate for pain was 75% in the evaluable patients (9/12). No grade≥3 toxicity nor especially no radiation induced myelopathy (RIM), two patients developed asymptomatic vertebral compression fractures. CONCLUSION: The sole use of SBRT or its association with CFRT is an efficient and well-tolerated treatment that allows high LC for bone oligometastases.

MRI appearance of the distal insertion of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee: an additional criterion for ligament ruptures.

OBJECTIVE: Anterior cruciate ligament tears are frequent and if not diagnosed may lead to relevant patient disability. Magnetic resonance imaging is the method of choice for the non-invasive diagnosis of these tears. Despite the high performance of this method some cases are challenging and the criteria described in the literature are not sufficient to reach a diagnosis. We propose a systematic method for the evaluation of anterior cruciate ligament tears based on the aspect of its distal portion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Magnetic resonance studies of 132 knees were evaluated in correlation with arthroscopy. The performance of the proposed method was compared with that of classic imaging signs of anterior cruciate ligament tear. The impact of image quality and reader expertise on the proposed method and the classic signs of tear were taken into account. RESULTS: This method had a sensitivity and specificity of 91.1% and 82.9% for the detection of abnormal ACLs. The interobserver agreement (kappa) of the proposed method was significantly higher than that of the classic signs at all levels of expertise (0.89 vs 0.76). This method was not influenced by image quality. Distal ACL analysis identified more partial tears and synovialization (granulation scar tissue)than the conventional method (71% vs 58.5% for partial tears and 83.5% vs 58.5% for synovialization). CONCLUSION: The proposed classification has a high performance and reproducibility for the identification of abnormal anterior cruciate ligament. The results were influenced neither by the level of expertise of the readers nor by the image quality.

High dose rate brachytherapy with customized applicators for malignant facial skin lesions.

PURPOSE: Brachytherapy is a well-known treatment in the management of skin tumors. For facial or scalp lesions, applicators have been developed to deliver non-invasive treatment. We present cases treated with customized applicators with high dose rate system. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with poor performance status treated for malignant skin lesions of the scalp or the facial skin between 2011 and 2014 were studied. Afterloading devices were chosen between Freiburg(®) Flap, silicone-mold or wax applicators. The clinical target volume (CTV) was created by adding margins to lesions (10mm to 20mm). The dose schedules were 25Gy in five fractions for postoperative lesions, 30Gy in six fractions for exclusive treatments and a single session of 8Gy could be considered for palliative treatments. RESULTS: In 30 months, 11 patients received a treatment for a total of 12 lesions. The median age was 80 years. The median follow-up was 17 months and the 2-year local control rate was 91%. The mean CTV surface was 41.1cm(2) with a mean thickness of 6.1mm. We conceived three wax applicators, used our silicone-mold eight times and the Freiburg(®) Flap one time. We observed only low-grade radiodermitis (grade I: 50%, grade II: 33%), and no high-grade skin toxicity. CONCLUSION: High dose rate brachytherapy with customized applicators for facial skin and scalp lesions is efficient and safe. It is a good modality to treat complex lesions in patients unfit for invasive treatment.

[Dosimetric comparaison between VMAT and tomotherapy with para-aortic irradiation for cervix carcinoma]. / Comparaison entre arcthérapie volumétrique modulée et tomothérapie pour le cancer du col utérin, avec irradiation lomboaortique.

PURPOSE: Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has proven its dosimetric superiority over conformational radiotherapy for cervix cancers in terms of digestive toxicity. Volumetric modulated arctherapy (VMAT) has shown its dosimetric interest when compared to IMRT with static beams. The purpose of our study was to compare conformational radiotherapy, VMAT and tomotherapy for cervical cancers with para-aortic lymph nodes irradiation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The dosimetric data from ten patients were compared between the three techniques, with collection of the dose received by the planning target volume, kidneys, bowel, rectum, bladder, bone marrow and spinal cord, as well as the complete dose. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in favour of VMAT and tomotherapy when compared with conformational radiotherapy for the organs at risk: intestines (V(20 Gy), V(30 Gy) and V(45 Gy)), rectum (V(30 Gy) and V(45 Gy)), bladder (V(30 Gy) and V(45 Gy)) and kidneys (V(12 Gy), Daverage, V(20 Gy)). Volumes receiving 20, 30 and 45 Gy were significantly higher in conformational radiotherapy than in VMAT and tomotherapy. There was a significant difference in favour of tomotherapy when compared with VMAT for V(12 Gy) in kidneys and V(45 Gy) in the bladder. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the interest of VMAT and tomotherapy for pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes irradiation of cervix cancer when compared with conformational radiotherapy. There was little difference between VMAT and tomotherapy, except for kidney sparing, which was better with tomotherapy and thus may be interesting for patients receiving nephrotoxic chemotherapy.

Implantation of fiducial markers in the liver for stereotactic body radiation therapy: Feasibility and results.

PURPOSE: Robotic stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma requires the perilesional implant of gold fiducial markers for detection by scopy. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the implant of gold fiducial markers is still possible and, if so, with which imaging technique and with what results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective study based on the implant of fiducial markers in the liver in our department for a treatment by SBRT for a hepatocellular carcinoma in 38 patients (49 lesions to treat) over a period of one year. As the first choice, it consisted of sonographic guidance and, if not possible, CT-scan guidance was used. RESULTS: The mean number of fiducial markers implanted per procedure was 2.68(±0.61) with almost exclusive sonographic guidance (36 out of 38 patients or 95% of the patients). The mean distance between the markers and the lesion was 32mm (±11mm) and that between the markers was 17mm (±7mm). CONCLUSION: SBRT is being evaluated for the treatment of liver lesions. The radiologist has an important role to play since the implant of fiducial markers in the liver is indispensable. It is almost always possible with sonographic guidance, including for lesions not accessible to microbiopsies, a treatment by radiofrequency or for lesions poorly individualisable by sonography or CT-scan.

Occult cancer in specimens of reduction mammaplasty aimed at symmetrization. A multicentric study of 2718 patients.

Women who have undergone surgical treatment for breast cancer often benefit from a contralateral reduction mammaplasty (CRM) aimed at symmetrization of the contralateral breast unaffected by the initial cancer. In our 7-year multicentric study (12 centers) of 2718 patients, incidence of CRM cancers (CRMc) was 1.47% (n = 40) [95% CI 1.05%-2.00%]. The CRMc group had significantly more initial mammary cancers of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC, 22.5% vs 12.0%) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS, 35.0% vs 21.6%) types than the healthy CRM group (p = 0.017). 35.0% (n = 14) of patients had en bloc resection; 25.0% (n = 10) of surgical specimens were correctly oriented. En bloc resection and orientation of surgical specimens enable precise pinpointing of the CRMc. A salvage lumpectomy may be proposed as an option when margins are invaded. The histological distribution of the 40 CRMc (mean size 12.7 mm) was carcinoma in situ (CIS) 70%, ILC 12.5%, invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) 12.5% and tubular carcinoma (TC) 5.0%.

[Imaging follow-up of soft tissue sarcomas]. / Intérêt de l'imagerie dans la surveillance des sarcomes des parties molles des membres.

PURPOSE: We have studied the post-treatment follow-up of patients with history of limb soft tissue sarcoma including MR imaging to determine its added value compared to simple clinical follow-up and the impact of MR imaging findings on patient management. We have also studied the value of chest CT to detect metastases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of 85 patients treated for limb soft tissue sarcoma with post-treatment MR imaging of the affected region. We have studied the percentage of local recurrences and the modality of detection of these recurrences. We have evaluated the impact on management of patients with abnormalities detected on MRI. For distant metastases, we have recorded their percentage and date of occurrence. RESULTS: There were five cases of local recurrence, for a percentage of 6%, with 50% detected clinically. The percentage of metastases was 26%. Six biopsies were performed and complementary examinations were performed in 18 cases based on abnormalities detected on MR. CONCLUSION: These results are in keeping with recommendations from the Fédération nationale des centres de lutte contre le cancer. Imaging is necessary to detect lung metastases.