Timing of Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy Following Breast-Conserving Surgery for Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy timing after breast conserving surgery (BCS) on recurrence and survival of women with early-stage breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 900 patients who underwent BCS followed by both adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Of these, 488 women received chemotherapy first (CT-first group) while the other 412 received radiotherapy first (RT-first group). Locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant metastasis (DM), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and further confirmed with propensity-score matching (PSM) and the Cox proportional hazards model. The optimal cut-off value of interval time from surgery to the start of chemotherapy was calculated by Maxstat. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 7.1 years. In pre-match analysis, the CT-first group had a significantly higher 8-year DFS than the RT-first group (90.4% vs. 83.1%, P = 0.005). PSM analysis of 528 patients indicated that the 8-year DFS (91.0% vs. 83.3%, P = 0.005) and DM (8.6% vs. 14.6%, P = 0.017) were significantly better in the CT-first group, but that the OS (P = 0.096) and LRR (P = 0.434) were similar. We found the optimal cut-off value of interval from surgery to chemotherapy was 12 weeks. Patients starting chemotherapy later than 12 weeks after surgery had significantly inferior survival outcomes. CONCLUSION: For women with breast cancer who require both chemotherapy and radiotherapy after BCS, adjuvant chemotherapy should be started within 12 weeks. Delaying the initiation of radiotherapy, for administration of long-course chemotherapy, does not compromise outcomes.

Radiation-Induced Lymphopenia Predicts Poorer Prognosis in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Postmastectomy Hypofractionated Radiation Therapy.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether radiation-induced lymphopenia affects the survival of patients with breast cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Post hoc analysis was conducted on data from 598 patients with breast cancer from a randomized controlled trial comparing postmastectomy hypofractionated radiation therapy (HFRT; 43.5 Gy in 15 fractions over 3 weeks) with conventional fractionated radiation therapy (CFRT; 50 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks). Mean peripheral lymphocyte count (PLC) at different time points in the 2 groups was compared by the t test. Disease-free survival and overall survival were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared between groups by the log-rank test. RESULTS: Baseline PLC (pre-PLC) was comparable between HFRT and CFRT patients (1.60 ± 0.57 × 109/L vs 1.56 ± 0.52 × 109/L; P = .33). In both groups, the PLC declined steadily during the course of radiation therapy but started to recover at 1 month after radiation therapy. Incidence of lymphopenia was significantly lower in HFRT patients (45.4% vs 55.7%; P = .01). Nadir-PLC was significantly higher in HFRT patients (1.08 ± 0.37 × 109/L vs 0.97 ± 0.31× 109/L; P < .001), as was the nadir-PLC/pre-PLC ratio (0.72 ± 0.28 vs 0.67 ± 0.28; P = .02). Median follow-up was 57.6 months (interquartile range, 38.5-81.4). The 5-year disease-free survival was significantly lower in patients with a nadir-PLC/pre-PLC ratio <0.8 than in those with a ratio ≥0.8 (71.8% vs 82.6%; P = .01); however, overall survival was comparable between the groups (85.8% vs 90.6%; P = .24). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of radiation-induced lymphopenia in patients with breast cancer is lower with HFRT than with CFRT. A low nadir-PLC/pre-PLC ratio may predict poor prognosis.

Hypofractionated versus conventional fractionated postmastectomy radiotherapy for patients with high-risk breast cancer: a randomised, non-inferiority, open-label, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, no randomised study has compared postmastectomy hypofractionated radiotherapy with conventional fractionated radiotherapy in patients with breast cancer. This study aimed to determine whether a 3-week schedule of postmastectomy hypofractionated radiotherapy is as efficacious and safe as a 5-week schedule of conventional fractionated radiotherapy. METHODS: This randomised, non-inferiority, open-label, phase 3 study was done in a single academic hospital in China. Patients aged 18-75 years who had undergone mastectomy and had at least four positive axillary lymph nodes or primary tumour stage T3-4 disease were eligible to participate. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) according to a computer-generated central randomisation schedule, without stratification, to receive chest wall and nodal irradiation at a dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks (conventional fractionated radiotherapy) or 43·5 Gy in 15 fractions over 3 weeks (hypofractionated radiotherapy). The modified intention-to-treat population (including all eligible patients who underwent randomisation but excluding those who were considered ineligible or withdrew consent after randomisation) was used in primary and safety analyses. The primary endpoint was 5-year locoregional recurrence, and a 5% margin was used to establish non-inferiority (equivalent to a hazard ratio <1·883). This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00793962. FINDINGS: Between June 12, 2008, and June 16, 2016, 820 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the conventional fractionated radiotherapy group (n=414) or hypofractionated radiotherapy group (n=406). 409 participants in the conventional fractionated radiotherapy group and 401 participants in the hypofractionated radiotherapy group were included in the modified intention-to-treat analyses. At a median follow-up of 58·5 months (IQR 39·2-81·8), 60 (7%) patients had developed locoregional recurrence (31 patients in the hypofractionated radiotherapy group and 29 in the conventional fractionated radiotherapy group); the 5-year cumulative incidence of locoregional recurrence was 8·3% (90% CI 5·8-10·7) in the hypofractionated radiotherapy group and 8·1% (90% CI 5·4-10·6) in the conventional fractionated radiotherapy group (absolute difference 0·2%, 90% CI -3·0 to 2·6; hazard ratio 1·10, 90% CI 0·72 to 1·69; p<0·0001 for non-inferiority). There were no significant differences between the groups in acute and late toxicities, except that fewer patients in the hypofractionated radiotherapy group had grade 3 acute skin toxicity than in the conventional fractionated radiotherapy group (14 [3%] of 401 patients vs 32 [8%] of 409 patients; p<0·0001). INTERPRETATION: Postmastectomy hypofractionated radiotherapy was non-inferior to and had similar toxicities to conventional fractionated radiotherapy in patients with high-risk breast cancer. Hypofractionated radiotherapy could provide more convenient treatment and allow providers to treat more patients. FUNDING: National Key Projects of Research and Development of China; the Chinese Academy of Medical Science Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences; and Beijing Marathon of Hope, Cancer Foundation of China.

Patients with pathological stage N2 rectal cancer treated with early adjuvant chemotherapy have a lower treatment failure rate.

BACKGROUND: In this era of oxaliplatin-based adjuvant therapy, the optimal sequence in which chemoradiotherapy should be administered for pathological stage N2 rectal cancer is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate this sequence. METHODS: In the primary adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (A-CRT) group (n = 71), postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy was administered before adjuvant chemotherapy. In the primary adjuvant chemotherapy (A-CT) group (n = 43), postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy was administered during or after adjuvant chemotherapy. Postoperative radiotherapy comprised 45-50.4 Gy in 25-28 fractions. Concurrent chemotherapy comprised two cycles of oral capecitabine (1,600 mg/m2) on days 1-14 and 22-35. Patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy with four or more cycles of XELOX (oxaliplatin plus capecitabine) or eight or more cycles of FOLFOX (fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) were included. RESULTS: Between June 2005 and December 2013, data for 114 qualified rectal cancer patients were analyzed. The percentages of patients in whom treatment failed in the A-CRT and A-CT groups were 33.8% and 16.3%, respectively (p = 0.042). More patients had distant metastases in the A-CRT group than in the A-CT group (32.4% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.028). Multivariate analysis indicated that the sequence in which chemoradiotherapy was administered (A-CT vs. A-CRT) was an independent prognostic factor for both estimated disease-free survival [hazard ratio (HR) 0.345, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.137-0.868, p = 0.024] and estimated distant metastasis-free survival (HR 0.366, 95% CI 0.143-0.938, p = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: In pathological stage N2 rectal cancer patients, administering adjuvant chemotherapy before chemoradiotherapy led to a lower rate of treatment failure, especially with respect to distant metastasis. Adjuvant chemotherapy prescribed as early as possible might benefit this cohort of patients in this era of oxaliplatin-based adjuvant therapy.

Efficacy and Safety of Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Following Transarterial Chemoembolization in Patients With Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in combination with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been beneficial in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There have been few clinical reports on the use of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in combination with TACE for these patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and toxicity of IMRT following TACE in unresectable HCC.The medical records of consecutive patients with unresectable HCC, who underwent IMRT following TACE from January 2009 to June 2014, were retrospectively reviewed in order to assess the overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), tumor response, and treatment-associated toxicity.A total of 64 lesions in 54 patients were included in the analysis. IMRT was delivered at a median dose of 50 Gy (range 44-70 Gy) at 1.8 to 2.0 Gy per fraction. The overall response rate was achieved in 64.8% of patients with complete response in 20.4% of patients at 3 months after completion of IMRT. The median OS was 20.2 months (95% CI = 8.6-31.9), and the actuarial 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 84.6%, 49.7%, and 36.7%, respectively. The median PFS was 10.5 months (95% CI = 7.3-13.7) and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year PFS rates were 44.2%, 23.4%, and 14.6%, respectively. The responders had a significantly higher OS rate than the nonresponders (3-year OS 48.0% vs 14.4%, P = 0.001). During and the first month following IMRT, 10 (18.5%) patients developed grade 3 hematological toxicity, and 3 (5.6%) developed grade 3 hepatic toxicity. No patient experienced grade 4 or 5 toxicity. Radiation-induced liver disease was not observed.Our findings suggest that IMRT following TACE could be a favorable treatment option for both its safety profile and clinical benefit in patients with unresectable HCC.

Interim analysis of postoperative chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine and oxaliplatin versus capecitabine alone for pathological stage II and III rectal cancer: a randomized multicenter phase III trial.

The aim of this study is to present an interim analysis of a phase III trial (NCT00714077) of postoperative concurrent capecitabine and radiotherapy with or without oxaliplatin for pathological stage II and III rectal cancer. Patients with pathologically confirmed stage II and III rectal cancer were randomized to either radiotherapy with concurrent capecitabine (Cap-RT group) or with capecitabine and oxaliplatin (Capox-RT group). The primary endpoint was 3-year disease-free survival rate (DFS). The 3-year DFS rate was 73.9% in the Capox-RT group and 71.6% in the Cap-RT group (HR 0.92, p = 0.647), respectively. No significant difference was observed in overall survival, cumulative incidence of local recurrence and distant metastasis between the two groups (p > 0.05). More grade 3-4 acute toxicity was observed in the Capox-RT group than in the Cap-RT group (38.1% vs. 29.2%, p = 0.041). Inclusion of oxaliplatin in the capecitabine-based postoperative regimen did not improve DFS but increased toxicities for pathological stage II and III rectal cancer in this interim analysis.

Mapping Patterns of Ipsilateral Supraclavicular Nodal Metastases in Breast Cancer: Rethinking the Clinical Target Volume for High-risk Patients.

PURPOSE: To map the location of metastatic supraclavicular (SCV) lymph nodes (LNMs) in breast cancer patients with SCV node involvement and determine whether and where the radiation therapy clinical target volume (CTV) of this region could be modified in high-risk subsets. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fifty-five patients with metastatic SCV LNMs were eligible for geographic mapping and atlas coverage analysis. All LNMs and their epicenters were registered proportionally by referencing the surrounding landmarks onto simulation computed tomography images of a standard patient. CTVs based on selected SCV atlases, including the one by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) were contoured. A modified SCV CTV was tried and shown to have better involved-node coverage and thus theoretically improved prophylaxis in this setting. RESULTS: A total of 50 (91%) and 45 (81.8%) patients had LNMs in the medial and lateral SCV subregions, respectively. Also, 36 patients (65.5%) had LNMs located at the junction of the jugular-subclavian veins. All nodes were covered in only 25.5% to 41.8% of patients by different atlases. The RTOG atlas covered all nodes in 25.5% of patients. Stratified by the nodes in all the patients as a whole, 49.2% to 81.3% were covered, and the RTOG atlas covered 62.6%. The lateral and posterior borders were the most overlooked locations. Modification by extending the borders to natural anatomic barriers allowed the new CTV to cover all the nodes in 81.8% of patients and encompass 96.1% of all the nodes. CONCLUSIONS: According to the distribution of SCV LNMs, the extent of existing atlases might not be adequate for potential metastatic sites in certain groups of patients. The extension of the lateral and posterior CTV borders in high-risk or recurrent patients might be a reasonable approach for increasing coverage. However, additional data in more homogeneous populations with localized disease are needed before routine application.

Survival benefit with IMRT following narrow-margin hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma close to major vessels.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: To investigate the role of post-operative intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in patients receiving narrow-margin hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) located close to the major vessels. METHODS: This exploratory study involved 181 HCC patients. Of them, 116 were treated with narrow-margin (<1.0 cm) hepatectomy. Thirty-three of the 116 underwent postoperative IMRT (Group A), while 83 did not receive radiotherapy (Group B). The remaining 65 patients underwent wide-margin (≥1.0 cm) hepatectomy (Group C). Prognosis and patterns of recurrence were assessed in the three groups. RESULTS: The 3-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 89.1 and 64.2% in Group A, 67.7 and 52.2% in Group B and 86.0 and 60.1% in Group C respectively. The OS and DFS of Group A and Group C patients surpassed those of Group B patients (Group A vs. B, P = 0.009 and P = 0.038; and Group C vs. B, P = 0.002 and P = 0.010). Patients in Groups A and C experienced significantly fewer early recurrences than did patients in Group B (P = 0.002). Furthermore, patients in Groups A and C experienced substantially fewer intrahepatic marginal (P = 0.048) and diffuse recurrences (P = 0.018) and extrahepatic metastases (P = 0.038) than did patients in Group B. No patient developed radiation-induced liver disease. CONCLUSIONS: Post-operative IMRT following narrow-margin hepatectomy may be a favourable therapy for both its safety profile and clinical benefit in patients with HCC located close to the major vessels.

Postoperative Capecitabine with Concurrent Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy or Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy for Patients with Stage II and III Rectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival outcomes and toxicity of postoperative chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine and concurrent intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) in patients with stage II and III rectal cancer. PATIENTS: We recruited 184 patients with pathologically proven, stage II or III rectal cancer. Following total mesorectal excision (TME), the patients were treated with capecitabine and concurrent IMRT/3D-CRT. The treatment regimen consisted of two cycles of oral capecitabine (1600 mg/m2/day), administered twice daily from day 1-14 of radiotherapy, followed by a 7-day rest. The median pelvic dose was 50 Gy in 25 fractions. Oxaliplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy was administered after the chemoradiotherapy. RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival, disease-free survival and locoregional control (LRC) rates were 85.1%, 80% and 95.4%, respectively. Grade 3 and 4 toxicities were observed in 28.3% of patients during treatment. Grade 3 or 4 late toxicity, including neurotoxicity or gastrointestinal toxicity, was only observed in nine patients (4.9%). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that capecitabine chemotherapy with concurrent IMRT/3D-CRT following TME is safe, is well tolerated and achieves superior LRC and favorable survival rates, with acceptable toxicity.

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy following null-margin resection is associated with improved survival in the treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The current study is the first to examine the effectiveness and toxicity of postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in the treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) abutting the vasculature. Specifically, we aim to assess the role of IMRT in patients with ICC undergoing null-margin (no real resection margin) resection. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients with ICC adherent to major blood vessels were included in this retrospective study. Null-margin resection was performed on all patients; 14 patients were further treated with IMRT. The median radiation dose delivered was 56.8 Gy (range, 50-60 Gy). The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 24.6 months, the median OS and DFS of all patients (n=38) were 17.7 months (95% CI, 13.2-22.2) and 9.9 months (95% CI, 2.8-17.0), respectively. Median OS was 21.8 months (95% CI, 15.5-28.1) among the 14 patients in the postoperative IMRT group and 15.0 months (95% CI, 9.2-20.9) among the 24 patients in the surgery-only group (P=0.049). Median DFS was 12.5 months (95% CI, 6.8-18.2) in the postoperative IMRT group and 5.5 months (95% CI, 0.7-12.3) in the surgery-only group (P=0.081). IMRT was well-tolerated. Acute toxicity included one case of Grade 3 leukopenia; late toxicity included one case of asymptomatic duodenal ulcer discovered through endoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: The study results suggest that postoperative IMRT is a safe and effective treatment option following null-margin resections of ICC. Larger prospective and randomized trials are necessary to establish postoperative IMRT as a standard practice for the treatment of ICC adherent to major hepatic vessels.

Survey on the use of radiotherapy to treat early breast cancer following breast-conserving surgery in China.

AIMS: The use of radiotherapy to treat early stage breast cancer following breast-conserving surgery has markedly increased. The study aimed to evaluate the clinical practice of radiotherapy in China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey concerning the characteristics of breast-conserving radiotherapy for early stage breast cancer was distributed to all radiotherapy departments in mainland China in 2009. The results were analyzed. RESULTS: Three hundred and ninety-six departments replied (41.6%), and 328 (34.4%) launched breast-conserving radiotherapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy was the most common combination and was performed in 55.2% of the responding centers. The median time from surgery to radiotherapy was 9 weeks. Three hundred and nineteen (97.3%) centers treated the whole breast, 273 (83.2%) the supraclavicular area, 138 (43.3%) the axilla, and 85 (26.8%) the internal mammary region; 97.5% (310/319) of all centers performed irradiation of the whole breast in all candidates. One hundred and fourteen (41.8%) treated the supraclavicular area, and 37 (26.8%) treated the axilla in 1-3 positive lymph nodes. Eighty-six (31.5%) and 40 (29.0%) performed the corresponding irradiation in N 2-3 patients. Fifty-six (72.9%) treated the internal mammary region for tumors of the center or inner quadrant. The conformal technique was used in 51.8% of the centers. CONCLUSIONS: Although a consensus has been reached, debate still exists about the target of postoperative radiotherapy in early stage breast cancer.

Phase†I†study of postoperative radiotherapy combined with capecitabine for gastric cancer.

AIM: To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of capecitabine combined with postoperative radiotherapy for gastric cancer. METHODS: We enrolled patients with any T stage and node-positive gastroesophageal or gastric adenocarcinoma after complete resection with negative margins (R0) or microscopic (R1) or macroscopic (R2) resection. Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) using a five-to-seven-field, coplanar, sliding window technique was delivered to the tumor bed (T4b), anastomosis site, duodenal stump and regional lymph nodes (LNs) to a total dose of 45 Gy (1.8 Gy/fraction, 5 d/wk). Patients with R1 or R2 resection received 10.8 Gy as a boost. Capecitabine was administered twice daily on every radiotherapy treatment day in a dose-escalation schedule (mg/m²) of 625 (level I, n = 6), 700 (level II, n = 6), 800 (level III, n = 6), 900 (level IV, n = 0) and 1000 (level V, n = 0). DLT was defined as grade 4 leukopenia or neutropenia, grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia or anemia and grade 3-4 non-hematological toxicity. RESULTS: Between October 2007 and August 2009, 18 patients (12 men, 6 women; median age, 54 years) were enrolled in the study. The median number of positive LNs was 6, and total number of resected LNs was 19. Twelve patients underwent R0 resection (66.7%). Fifteen patients received adjuvant chemotherapy under the leucovorin, fluorouracil and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX4) regimen. Six patients each were enrolled at dose levels I, II and III. Grade 1-3 leukopenia (16 patients, 88.9%), anorexia (15, 83.3%) and nausea (15, 83.3%) were the most common toxicities. Grade 3 anorexia/nausea and grade 4 vomiting occurred in one level-I patient. Grade 3 anorexia and nausea occurred in one level-II patient. One level-III patient developed grade 4 neutropenia, while another developed grade 3 radiation esophagitis. No abnormal liver or renal function examinations were observed. Three patients did not finish chemoradiotherapy because of DLTs and two without DLTs received sequential boosts (total dose, 55.8 Gy). CONCLUSION: The MTD of capecitabine was 800 mg/m² twice daily concurrent with IMRT for gastric cancer after surgery. The DLTs were anorexia/nausea, vomiting, neutropenia and radiation esophagitis.

Clinical disparity and favorable prognoses for patients with Waldeyer ring extranodal nasal-type NK/T-cell lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and prognosis of Waldeyer ring extranodal nasal-type natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (WR-NKTCL) and Waldeyer ring diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (WR-DLBCL). METHODS: Consecutive diagnoses of 122 WR-DLBCL and 44 WR-NKTCL patients, receiving mainly primary radiotherapy in early-stage WR-NKTCL and primary chemotherapy in early-stage WR-DLBCL, were reviewed. RESULTS: WR-NKTCL occurred predominately in young males, as nasopharyngeal stage I disease with B-symptoms, extranodal dissemination, and involving adjacent structures. WR-DLBCL was mainly stage II tonsillar disease with regional lymph node involvement. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 74% and 67% in WR-DLBCL, respectively, and 68% (P=0.468) and 59% (P=0.303) in WR-NKTCL. In stages I and II disease, WR-DLBCL 5-year OS and PFS were 79% and 76% compared with 72% (P=0.273) and 62% (P=0.117) in WR-NKTCL. In stage I disease, WR-DLBCL 5-year OS and PFS were 81% and 81%, compared with 76% (P=0.394) and 63% (P=0.236) in WR-NKTCL. In addition, the prognostic factors and failure patterns in WR-DLBCL and WR-NKTCL differed substantially. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that remarkable clinical disparities exist between WR-DLBCL and WR-NKTCL; however, different treatment strategies for each can result in similarly favorable prognoses.

Favorable outcome with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy for adult patients with early stage primary systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma.

The aim of this study was to analyze outcomes in adult patients with early stage systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) treated with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Forty-six adult patients with early stage systemic ALCL received chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. All patients except two received chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) or a CHOP-like regimen. Twenty patients had stage I disease, and 26 patients had stage II disease. The 5-yr overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and local control rates for all patients were 84.4%, 63.6%, and 90.8%, respectively. The 5-yr OS and PFS rates were 95.0% and 77.4% for Ann Arbor stage I disease, and 75.1% and 51.7% for stage II disease, respectively. Lymph node involvement was the main pattern of disease progression or relapse for these patients. Adult patients with early stage systemic ALCL treated with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy had a favorable prognosis.

Survival benefit with salvage radiotherapy for patients with locoregionally recurrent extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, nasal type.

The purposes of this study are to evaluate prognosis in patients with locoregionally recurrent extranodal nasal-type NK/T cell lymphoma (NKTCL) and to determine the value of salvage radiotherapy. Forty-two patients with NKTCL who developed first locoregional recurrence with (n = 13) or without (n = 29) systemic failure were reviewed. Retreatment included chemotherapy (n = 20), radiotherapy (n = 13), and radiotherapy plus chemotherapy (n = 9). Fifteen patients were reirradiated for localized recurrent disease. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate after recurrence was 40 %, with a median survival of 26 months. The 2-year OS rate and median OS were 68 % and 36 months for locoregional recurrence only, compared with 31 % and 14 months for both locoregional and systemic recurrence, respectively (p = 0.034). Subgroup analysis for patients with localized recurrent disease revealed an improved OS with radiotherapy. The 2-year and 5-year OS rates were 77 and 69 % for radiotherapy, respectively, compared with a 2-year OS rate of 50 % and median OS of 16 months for chemotherapy alone (p = 0.006). Patients with localized recurrence had a better prognosis than those with systemic recurrence. Salvage radiotherapy or reirradiation resulted in a favorable prognosis for patients with localized recurrent disease.

Survival advantage with the addition of radiation therapy to chemotherapy in early stage peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified.

PURPOSE: Early stage peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) is rare. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of treatment as well as the potential role of radiation therapy in PTCL-NOS. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Thirty-five patients with early stage PTCL-NOS were included. There were 13 patients with stage I disease and 22 with stage II. All patients except 1 received doxorubicin-based chemotherapy alone (n=13) or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy (CMT) (n=21). RESULTS: The 3-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates for the entire group were 41.3% and 25.7%, respectively. The addition of radiation therapy to chemotherapy significantly improved OS and PFS in early stage PTCL-NOS. The 3-year OS and PFS rates were 49.7% and 33.3% for CMT, compared with 23.1% (P=.042) and 15.4% (P=.035) for chemotherapy alone, respectively. The prognosis for patients who achieved a complete response (CR) was significantly better than that observed in those who did not achieve a CR. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the aggressive clinical course of early stage PTCL-NOS, additional radiation therapy has a significant impact on outcome. The integration of local radiation therapy into more effective systemic therapies may further improve survival.

Dosimetric and clinical outcomes of involved-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy after chemotherapy for early-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma with mediastinal involvement.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the dosimetric and clinical outcomes of involved-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IF-IMRT) for patients with early-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) with mediastinal involvement. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fifty-two patients with early-stage HL that involved the mediastinum were reviewed. Eight patients had Stage I disease, and 44 patients had Stage II disease. Twenty-three patients (44%) presented with a bulky mediastinum, whereas 42 patients (81%) had involvement of both the mediastinum and either cervical or axillary nodes. All patients received combination chemotherapy followed by IF-IMRT. The prescribed radiation dose was 30-40 Gy. The dose-volume histograms of the target volume and critical normal structures were evaluated. RESULTS: The median mean dose to the primary involved regions (planning target volume, PTV1) and boost area (PTV2) was 37.5 Gy and 42.1 Gy, respectively. Only 0.4% and 1.3% of the PTV1 and 0.1% and 0.5% of the PTV2 received less than 90% and 95% of the prescribed dose, indicating excellent PTV coverage. The median mean lung dose and V20 to the lungs were 13.8 Gy and 25.9%, respectively. The 3-year overall survival, local control, and progression-free survival rates were 100%, 97.9%, and 96%, respectively. No Grade 4 or 5 acute or late toxicities were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the large target volume, IF-IMRT gave excellent dose coverage and a favorable prognosis, with mild toxicity in patients with early-stage mediastinal HL.

Mild toxicity and favorable prognosis of high-dose and extended involved-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy for patients with early-stage nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma.

PURPOSE: The value of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for early-stage nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma has not been previously reported. The aim of the present study was to assess the dosimetric parameters, toxicity, and treatment outcomes of patients with nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 2003 and 2008, 42 patients with early-stage nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma underwent definitive high-dose and extended involved-field IMRT with or without combination chemotherapy. The median radiation dose to the primary tumor was 50 Gy. The dose-volume histograms of the target volume and critical normal structures were evaluated in all patients. The locoregional control, overall survival, and progression-free survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: The average mean dose delivered to the planning target volume was 55.5 Gy. Only 1.3% and 2.5% of the planning target volume received <90% and 95% of the prescribed dose, respectively, indicating excellent planning target volume coverage. The mean dose and average dose to the parotid glands was 15 Gy and 14 Gy, respectively. With a median follow-up time of 27 months, the 2-year locoregional control, overall survival, and progression-free survivalrate was 93%, 78%, and 74%, respectively. No Grade 4 or 5 acute or late toxicity was reported. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose and extended involved-field IMRT for patients with early-stage nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma showed favorable locoregional control, overall survival, and progression-free survival, with mild toxicity. The dose constraints of IMRT for the parotid glands can be limited to <20 Gy in these patients.

Clinical behavior and treatment outcome of primary nasal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Nasal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is rare. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and treatment outcomes of patients with nasal DLBCL. METHODS: Twenty-five patients were included in the study. All patients received combination chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. RESULTS: Patients with nasal DLBCL usually were older and were predominantly men with early stage disease, low frequency of B symptoms and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), good performance status, and a low-risk international prognostic index (IPI) score. The overall response rate after initial treatment was 76%, the 3-year overall survival (OS) rate for the whole group was 44%, and the median OS was 35 months. Performance status and IPI were significant prognostic factors for OS. For patients with IPI scores of 0 or 1, the 3-year OS rate was 54%, and the median OS was 52 months compared with 17% and 11 months, respectively, for patients with IPI scores of 2 or 3 (P = .033). The prognosis for patients who achieved a complete response (CR) was significantly better than that for patients who did not achieve a CR. Extranodal spread was the primary pattern of failure. CONCLUSIONS: The current results indicated that primary nasal DLBCL appears to have distinct clinical features; its poor outcome and propensity for extranodal failure illustrate the need for innovative therapies.

Radiotherapy alone with curative intent in patients with stage I extranodal nasal-type NK/T-cell lymphoma.

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the outcome and pattern of failure in a large cohort of patients with Stage I NK/T-cell lymphoma of the upper aerodigestive tract treated with radiotherapy alone. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The pathological diagnosis was confirmed using standard criteria. All patients were treated with high-dose extended-field radiotherapy alone. The median dose was 50 Gy. The primary tumor was located in the nasal cavity (n = 80), Waldeyer ring (n = 5), or oral cavity (n = 2). RESULTS: The overall response to radiotherapy was achieved in 85 of 87 (97.7%) patients, with a complete response rate of 95.4% and a partial response rate of 2.3%. The 5-year overall survival, progression-free survival, and local control rates for all patients were 80%, 69%, and 93%, respectively. Twenty patients (23%) had disease progression or relapse. Of these, 15 patients (17%) developed systemic extranodal disseminations, whereas only 4 (5%) patients had local relapse and 4 (5%) patients had lymph node relapse. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that high-dose extended-field radiotherapy alone is a curative therapy and shows favorable clinical outcome in patients with Stage I disease. With the high possibility of local control and primary failure of systemic dissemination, the integration of optimal radiotherapy with more effective systematic therapy is warranted to bring additional improvement to the outcome for these patients.