Utilization of hypofractionated whole-breast radiation therapy in patients receiving chemotherapy: a National Cancer Database analysis.

PURPOSE: Results from four major hypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy (HF-WBRT) trials have demonstrated equivalence in select patients with early-stage breast cancer when compared with conventionally fractionated WBRT (CF-WBRT). Because relatively little data were available on patients receiving neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy, consensus guidelines published in 2011 did not endorse the use of HF-WBRT in this population. Our goal is to evaluate trends in utilization of HF-WBRT in patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 2004 to 2013 in the National Cancer DataBase on breast cancer patients treated with HF-WBRT who met the clinical criteria proposed by consensus guidelines (i.e., age >0 years, T1-2N0, and breast-conserving surgery), regardless of receipt of chemotherapy. We employed logistic regression to delineate and compare clinical and demographic factors associated with utilization of HF-WBRT and CF-WBRT. RESULTS: A total of 56,836 women were treated with chemotherapy and WBRT (without regional nodal irradiation) from 2004 to 2013; 9.0% (n = 5093) were treated with HF-WBRT. Utilization of HF-WBRT increased from 4.6% in 2004 to 18.2% in 2013 (odds ratio [OR] 1.21/year; P < 0.001). Among patients receiving chemotherapy, factors most dramatically associated with increased odds of receiving HF-WBRT on multivariate analysis were academic facilities (OR 2.07; P < 0.001), age >80 (OR 2.58; P < 0.001), west region (OR 1.91; P < 0.001), and distance >50 miles from cancer reporting facility (OR 1.43; P < 0.001). Factors associated with decreased odds of receiving HF-WBRT included white race, income <$48,000, lack of private insurance, T2 versus T1, and higher grade (all P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the absence of consensus guideline recommendations, the use of HF-WBRT in patients receiving chemotherapy has increased fourfold (absolute = 13.6%) over the last decade. Increased utilization of HF-WBRT should result in institutional reports verifying its safety and efficacy.

Local radiotherapy and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor to generate abscopal responses in patients with metastatic solid tumours: a proof-of-principle trial.

BACKGROUND: An abscopal response describes radiotherapy-induced immune-mediated tumour regression at sites distant to the irradiated field. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor is a potent stimulator of dendritic cell maturation. We postulated that the exploitation of the pro-immunogenic effects of radiotherapy with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor might result in abscopal responses among patients with metastatic cancer. METHODS: Patients with stable or progressing metastatic solid tumours, on single-agent chemotherapy or hormonal therapy, with at least three distinct measurable sites of disease, were treated with concurrent radiotherapy (35 Gy in ten fractions, over 2 weeks) to one metastatic site and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (125 µg/m(2) subcutaneously injected daily for 2 weeks, starting during the second week of radiotherapy). This course was repeated, targeting a second metastatic site. A Simon's optimal two-stage design was chosen for this trial: an additional 19 patients could be enrolled in stage 2 only if at least one patient among the first ten had an abscopal response. If no abscopal responses were seen among the first ten patients, the study would be deemed futile and terminated. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with an abscopal response (defined as at least a 30% decrease in the longest diameter of the best responding abscopal lesion). Secondary endpoints were safety and survival. Analyses were done based on intention to treat. The trial has concluded accrual, and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02474186. FINDINGS: From April 7, 2003, to April 3, 2012, 41 patients with metastatic cancer were enrolled. In stage 1 of the Simon's two-stage design, ten patients were enrolled: four of the first ten patients had abscopal responses. Thus, the trial proceeded to stage 2, as planned, and an additional 19 patients were enrolled. Due to protocol amendments 12 further patients were enrolled. Abscopal responses occurred in eight (27·6%, 95% CI 12·7-47·2) of the first 29 patients, and 11 (26·8%, 95% CI 14·2-42·9) of 41 accrued patients (specifically in four patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, five with breast cancer, and two with thymic cancer). The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were fatigue (six patients) and haematological (ten patients). Additionally, a serious adverse event of grade 4 pulmonary embolism occurred in one patient. INTERPRETATION: The combination of radiotherapy with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor produced objective abscopal responses in some patients with metastatic solid tumours. This finding represents a promising approach to establish an in-situ anti-tumour vaccine. Further research is warranted in this area. FUNDING: New York University School of Medicine's Department of Radiation Oncology and Cancer Institute.

Prognostic significance of PET assessment of metabolic response to therapy in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: The role of maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) at baseline and after induction chemotherapy (CT) on positron emission tomography (PET) as an imaging biomarker has not been well established in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In this retrospective analysis, we investigated the prognostic significance of various PET metrics in oesophageal SCC patients treated with induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). METHODS: A total of 57 patients were treated with CRT; 52 patients received induction chemotherapy and 10 patients underwent surgery following CRT. Scans were independently analysed by a nuclear medicine physician blinded to patient outcome. Using region of interest analysis, SUVmax and metabolic tumour volume (MTV) were calculated for the index lesion and lymph node metastases in each patient. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess correlation between outcomes and PET metrics. RESULTS: Median follow-up for those who are alive was 4.4 years, with a median survival for all patients of 2.9 years. The 3-year OS, DFS, DMFS and LRFS rates were 47, 40, 44 and 36%, respectively. Using a pre-established cutoff of a 35% decrease in SUVmax from baseline to post-induction PET, 3-year OS for responders (⩾35% decrease from baseline) was 64%, whereas non-responders (<35% decrease from baseline) had a 3-year OS of 15% (P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The pre-specified 35% decrease in SUVmax after induction chemotherapy was prognostic for OS. Baseline and post-induction PET metrics provide prognostic information for oesophageal SCC.

Radiation Therapy for Primary and Metastatic Spine Tumors.

Radiation therapy plays an important role in the management of patients with primary and metastatic spine tumors. Technological innovations in the past decade have allowed for improved targeting, dose escalation, and precision of radiation therapy while concomitant improvements in surgical techniques have resulted in improved outcomes with reduced morbidity. Patients with cancer have increasingly complex oncologic needs, and multidisciplinary management is more essential than ever. This review will provide an overview of radiation principles, modern radiation techniques, management algorithms, and expected toxicities of common radiation treatments in the management of spine tumors.

Prognostic implications of HER2NEU-low in metastatic breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: We explored characteristics and clinical outcomes of HER2-negative and HER2-low metastatic breast cancers using real-world data. METHODS: We queried the National Cancer Database to identify MBC patients that were HER2-low or HER2-negative per immunohistochemical staining. A binomial regression analysis identified demographic and clinical correlates of each subtype. A Cox multivariable regression analysis (MVA) and propensity-match analysis were performed to identify correlates of survival. RESULTS: Excluding missing data, 24,636 MBC patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2015 were identified; 27.9% were HER2-negative and 72.1% were HER2-low. There were no relevant demographic differences between the groups. HER2-low tumors were half as likely to have concomitant hormone receptor-positive status (p < 0.01). The 3-year survival rate among hormone receptor-negative patients was 33.8% for HER2-low and 32.2% for HER2-negative (p < 0.05), and 60.9% and 55.6% in HER2-low and HER2-negative cases among hormone receptor-positive patients (p < 0.05), respectively. HER2-low cases were associated with better survival on MVA (HR =0.95, 95% CI 0.91-0.99) and remained superior with propensity-matching (HR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.89-0.96). In a subset analysis isolated to hormone receptor-positive cases, HER2-low remained correlated with improved survival (HR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.89-0.98) with propensity-matched MVA. Correlates of worse survival include older age as a continuous variable (HR = 1.02, 95% CI 1.02-1.02) and Black race (HR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.20-1.32) [all p < 0.01]. CONCLUSIONS: In the largest such analysis performed to date, our study demonstrates a small but statistically significant association with improved survival for HER2-low tumors compared to HER2-negative tumors in MBC.

The Accuracy of Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT in Oncology Examination Questions.

The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy of Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT) in response to oncology examination questions in the setting of one-shot learning. Consecutive national radiation oncology in-service multiple-choice examinations were collected and inputted into ChatGPT 4o and ChatGPT 3.5 to determine ChatGPT's answers. ChatGPT's answers were then compared with the answer keys to determine whether ChatGPT correctly or incorrectly answered each question and to determine if improvements in responses were seen with the newer ChatGPT version. A total of 600 consecutive questions were inputted into ChatGPT. ChatGPT 4o answered 72.2% questions correctly, whereas 3.5 answered 53.8% questions correctly. There was a significant difference in performance by question category (P < .01). ChatGPT performed poorer with respect to knowledge of landmark studies and treatment recommendations and planning. ChatGPT is a promising technology, with the latest version showing marked improvement. Although it still has limitations, with further evolution, it may be considered a reliable resource for medical training and decision making in the oncology space.

Differences in Patterns of Care and Referral Between Proton and Photon Therapy.

Purpose: To report demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who were more likely to receive proton beam therapy (PBT) than photon therapy from facilities with access to proton centers. Materials and Methods: We utilized the national cancer database to identify the facilities with access to PBT between 2004 and 2015 and compared the relative usage of photons and PBT for demographic and clinical scenarios in breast, prostate, and nonsmall cell cancer. Results: In total, 231 facilities with access to proton centers accounted for 168 323 breast, 39 975 lung, and 77 297 prostate cancer patients treated definitively. Proton beam therapy was used in 0.5%, 1.5%, and 8.9% of breast, lung, and prostate cases. Proton beam therapy was correlated with a farther distance traveled and longer start time from diagnosis for each site (P < .05).For breast, demographic correlates of PBT were treatment in the west coast (odds ratio [OR] = 4.81), age <60 (OR = 1.25), white race (OR = 1.94), and metropolitan area (OR = 1.58). Left-sided cancers (OR = 1.28), N2 (OR = 1.71), non-ER+/PR+/Her2Neu- cancers (OR = 1.24), accelerated partial breast irradiation (OR = 1.98), and hypofractionation (OR = 2.35) were predictors of PBT.For nonsmall cell cancer, demographic correlates of PBT were treatment in the south (OR = 2.6), metropolitan area (OR = 1.72), and Medicare insurance (OR = 1.64). Higher comorbid score (OR = 1.36), later year treated (OR = 3.16), and hypofractionation (not SBRT) (OR = 3.7) were predictors of PBT.For prostate, correlates of PBT were treatment in the west coast (OR = 2.48), age <70 (OR = 1.19), white race (OR = 1.41), metropolitan area (OR = 1.25), higher income/education (OR = 1.25), and treatment at an academic center (OR = 33.94). Lower comorbidity score (OR = 1.42), later year treated (OR = 1.37), low-risk disease (OR = 1.45), definitive compared to postoperative (OR = 6.10), and conventional fractionation (OR = 1.64) were predictors of PBT. Conclusion: Even for facilities with established referrals to proton centers, PBT utilization was low; socioeconomic status was potentially a factor. Proton beam therapy was more often used with left-sided breast and low-risk prostate cancers, without a clear clinical pattern in lung cancer.

Pencil Beam Scanning Proton Bragg Peak Conformal FLASH in Prostate Cancer Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy.

Bragg peak FLASH radiotherapy (RT) uses a distal tracking method to eliminate exit doses and can achieve superior OAR sparing. This study explores the application of this novel method in stereotactic body radiotherapy prostate FLASH-RT. An in-house platform was developed to enable intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) planning using a single-energy Bragg peak distal tracking method. The patients involved in the study were previously treated with proton stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) using the pencil beam scanning (PBS) technique to 40 Gy in five fractions. FLASH plans were optimized using a four-beam arrangement to generate a dose distribution similar to the conventional opposing beams. All of the beams had a small angle of two degrees from the lateral direction to increase the dosimetry quality. Dose metrics were compared between the conventional PBS and the Bragg peak FLASH plans. The dose rate histogram (DRVH) and FLASH metrics of 40 Gy/s coverage (V40Gy/s) were investigated for the Bragg peak plans. There was no significant difference between the clinical and Bragg peak plans in rectum, bladder, femur heads, large bowel, and penile bulb dose metrics, except for Dmax. For the CTV, the FLASH plans resulted in a higher Dmax than the clinical plans (116.9% vs. 103.3%). For the rectum, the V40Gy/s reached 94% and 93% for 1 Gy dose thresholds in composite and single-field evaluations, respectively. Additionally, the FLASH ratio reached close to 100% after the application of the 5 Gy threshold in composite dose rate assessment. In conclusion, the Bragg peak distal tracking method can yield comparable plan quality in most OARs while preserving sufficient FLASH dose rate coverage, demonstrating that the ultra-high dose technique can be applied in prostate FLASH SBRT.

Lung cancer reirradiation: Exploring modifications to utilization, treatment modalities and factors associated with outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Patients treated for lung cancer (LC) often experience locoregional failure after initial treatment. Due to technological advances, thoracic reirradiation (re-RT) has become a viable treatment option. We sought to investigate the use of thoracic re-RT in LC patients over a time period characterized by technological advances in a large, multi-center cohort. METHODS AND MATERIALS: LC patients treated with thoracic re-RT in two University Hospitals from 2010-2020 were identified. Clinical variables and RT data were extracted from the medical records and treatment planning systems. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the last day of re-RT until death or last follow up. RESULTS: 296 patients (small cell LC n=30, non-small cell LC n=266) were included. Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy was the RT technique used most frequently (63%), and 86% of all patients were referred for re-RT with palliative treatment intent. During the second half of the study period, the use of thoracic re-RT increased in general, more patients received curative re-RT, and there was an increased use of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Median time between initial RT and re-RT was 18 months (range 1-213 months). Only 83/296 patients had combined treatment plans that allowed for registration of combined doses to organs at risk (OAR). Most of the combined doses to OAR were below recommendations from guidelines. Multivariate analysis showed superior OS (p<0.05) in patients treated with curative intent, SBRT or intensity modulated radiation therapy or had excellent performance status prior to re-RT. CONCLUSIONS: The use of re-RT increased in the second half of the study period, although 2020 did not follow the trend. The use of SBRT and IMRT became more frequent over the years, yet the majority received palliative re-RT. Combined dose plans were only created for one third of the patients.

Prospective evaluation of patient-reported outcomes of invisible ink tattoos for the delivery of external beam radiation therapy: the PREFER trial.

Introduction: Invisible ink tattoos (IITs) avoid cosmetic permanence of visible ink tattoos (VITs) while serving as more reliable landmarks for radiation setup than tattooless setups. This trial evaluated patient-reported preference and feasibility of IIT implementation. Methods and materials: In an IRB-approved, single institution, prospective trial, patients receiving proton therapy underwent IIT-based treatment setup. A survey tool assessed patient preference on tattoos using a Likert scale. Matched patients treated using our institutional standard tattooless setup were identified; treatment times and image guidance requirements were evaluated between tattooless and IIT-based alignment approaches. Distribution differences were estimated using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests or Chi-square tests. Results: Of 94 eligible patients enrolled, median age was 58 years, and 58.5% were female. Most common treatment sites were breast (18.1%), lung (17.0%) and pelvic (14.9%). Patients preferred to receive IITs versus VITs (79.8% pre-treatment and 75.5% post-treatment, respectively). Patients were willing to travel farther from home to avoid VITs versus IITs (p<0.01). Females were willing to travel (45.5% vs. 23.1%; p=0.04) and pay additional money to avoid VITs (34.5% vs. 5.1%; p<0.01). Per-fraction average +treatment time and time from on table/in room to first beam were shorter with IIT-based vs. tattooless setup (12.3min vs. 14.1min; p=0.04 and 24.1min vs. 26.2min; p=0.02, respectively). Discussion: In the largest prospective trial on IIT-based radiotherapy setup to date, we found that patients prefer IITs to VITs. Additionally, IIT-based alignment is an effective and efficient strategy in comparison with tattooless setup. Standard incorporation of IITs for patient setup should be strongly considered.

Proton Therapy for Spinal Tumors: A Consensus Statement from the Particle Therapy Cooperative Group.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Proton beam therapy (PBT) plays an important role in the management of primary spine tumors. The purpose of this consensus statement is to summarize safe and optimal delivery of PBT for spinal tumors. MATERIALS/METHODS: The Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group (PTCOG) Skull Base/Central nervous system (CNS)/Sarcoma Subcommittee consisting of radiation oncologists and medical physicists with specific expertise in spinal irradiation developed expert recommendations discussing treatment planning considerations and current approaches in the treatment of primary spinal tumors. RESULTS: CT Simulation: Factors that require significant consideration include: 1) patient comfort, 2) setup reproducibility and stability, and 3) accessibility of appropriate beam angles. SPINE STABILIZATION HARDWARE: If present, hardware should be placed with cross-links well above/below the level of the primary tumor to reduce the metal burden at the level of the tumor bed. New materials that can reduce uncertainties include polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) and composite PEEK-carbon fiber implants. FIELD ARRANGEMENT: Appropriate beam selection is required to ensure robust target coverage and OAR sparing. Commonly, 2-4 treatment fields, typically from posterior and/or posterior-oblique directions, are utilized. TREATMENT PLANNING METHODOLOGY: Robust optimization is recommended for all pencil beam scanning plans (the preferred treatment modality) and should consider setup uncertainty (between 3-7 mm) and range uncertainty (3-3.5%). In the presence of metal hardware, use of an increased range uncertainty up to 5% is recommended. CONCLUSIONS: The PTCOG Skull Base/CNS/Sarcoma Subcommittee has developed recommendations to enable centers to deliver PBT safely and effectively for the management of primary spinal tumors.

Adjuvant Reirradiation With Proton Therapy in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose: For patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), locoregional failure and second primary tumors are common indications for adjuvant reirradiation (re-RT). Given an absence of clear consensus on the role of adjuvant re-RT, we sought to assess histopathologic risk factors of patients with HNSCC and their resulting outcomes after adjuvant re-RT with proton therapy. Methods and Materials: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with HNSCC who underwent salvage surgery at our institution followed by adjuvant re-RT with proton therapy over 1.5 years. All included patients received prior radiation therapy. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate locoregional recurrence-free survival and overall survival. Results: The cohort included 22 patients, with disease subsites, including oropharynx, oral cavity, hypopharynx, larynx, and nasopharynx. Depending on adverse pathologic features, adjuvant re-RT to 66 Gy (32% of cohort) or 60 Gy (68%), with (59%) or without (41%) concurrent systemic therapy was administered. The majority (86%) completed re-RT with no reported treatment delay; 3 patients experienced grade ≥3 acute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events toxicity and no patient required enteral feeding tube placement during re-RT. Median follow-up was 21.0 months (IQR, 11.7-25.2 months). Five patients had biopsy-proven disease recurrences a median of 5.9 months (IQR, 3.8-9.7 months) after re-RT. Locoregional recurrence-free survival was 95.2%, 70.2%, 64.8% at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. OS was 100%, 79.2%, and 79.2% at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Four patients had osteoradionecrosis on imaging a median of 13.2 months (IQR, 8.7-17.4 months) after re-RT, with 2 requiring surgical intervention. Conclusions: Adjuvant re-RT for patients with HNSCC was well-tolerated and offered reasonable local control in this high-risk cohort but appears to be associated with a risk of osteoradionecrosis. Additional study and longer follow-up could help define optimal patient management in this patient population.

Reirradiation With Proton Therapy for Recurrent Malignancies of the Esophagus and Gastroesophageal Junction: Results of the Proton Collaborative Group Multi-Institutional Prospective Registry Trial.

Purpose: Treatment options for recurrent esophageal cancer (EC) previously treated with radiation therapy (RT) are limited. Reirradiation (reRT) with proton beam therapy (PBT) can offer lower toxicities by limiting doses to surrounding tissues. In this study, we present the first multi-institutional series reporting on toxicities and outcomes after reRT for locoregionally recurrent EC with PBT. Methods and Materials: Analysis of the prospective, multicenter, Proton Collaborative Group registry of patients with recurrent EC who had previously received photon-based RT and underwent PBT reRT was performed. Patient/tumor characteristics, treatment details, outcomes, and toxicities were collected. Local control (LC), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Event time was determined from reRT start. Results: Between 2012 and 2020, 31 patients received reRT via uniform scanning/passive scattering (61.3%) or pencil beam scanning (38.7%) PBT at 7 institutions. Median prior RT, PBT reRT, and cumulative doses were 50.4 Gy (range, 37.5-110.4), 48.6 Gy (relative biological effectiveness) (25.2-72.1), and 99.9 Gy (79.1-182.5), respectively. Of these patients, 12.9% had 2 prior RT courses, and 67.7% received PBT with concurrent chemotherapy. Median follow-up was 7.2 months (0.9-64.7). Post-PBT, there were 16.7% locoregional only, 11.1% distant only, and 16.7% locoregional and distant recurrences. Six-month LC, DMFS, and OS were 80.5%, 83.4%, and 69.1%, respectively. One-year LC, DMFS, and OS were 67.1%, 83.4%, and 27%, respectively. Acute grade ≥3 toxicities occurred in 23% of patients, with 1 acute grade 5 toxicity secondary to esophageal hemorrhage, unclear if related to reRT or disease progression. No grade ≥3 late toxicities were reported. Conclusions: In the largest report to date of PBT for reRT in patients with recurrent EC, we observed acceptable acute toxicities and encouraging rates of disease control. However, these findings are limited by the poor prognoses of these patients, who are at high risk of mortality. Further research is needed to better assess the long-term benefits and toxicities of PBT in this specific patient population.

American Society of Clinical Oncology 2022 Annual Meeting Highlights for Radiation Oncologists.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting is the largest multidisciplinary oncology-focused conference in the world. With almost 5000 total abstracts in 2022, it is difficult for individuals to evaluate all the results. Here we present a review of 28 selected abstracts, across all disease sites, focusing on those of greatest relevance to radiation oncologists.

Racial inequity and other social disparities in the diagnosis and management of bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: We investigate the impact of gender, race, and socioeconomic status on the diagnosis and management of bladder cancer in the United States. METHODS: We utilized the National Cancer Database to stratify cases of urothelial cell carcinoma of the bladder as early (Tis, Ta, T1), muscle invasive (T2-T3, N0), locally advanced (T4, N1-3), and metastatic. Multivariate binomial and multinomial logistic regression analyses identified demographic characteristics associated with stage at diagnosis and receipt of cancer-directed therapies. Odds ratios (OR) are reported with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: After exclusions, we identified 331,714 early, 72,154 muscle invasive, 15,579 locally advanced, and 15,161 metastatic cases from 2004-2016. Relative to diagnosis at early stage, the strongest independent predictors of diagnosis at muscle invasive, locally advanced, and metastatic disease included Black race (OR = 1.19 [1.15-1.23], OR = 1.49 [1.40-1.59], OR = 1.66 [1.56-1.76], respectively), female gender (OR = 1.21 [1.18-1.21], OR = 1.16 [1.12-1.20], and OR = 1.34 [1.29-1.38], respectively), and uninsured status (OR = 1.22 [1.15-1.29], OR = 2.09 [1.94-2.25], OR = 2.57 [2.39-2.75], respectively). Additional demographic factors associated with delayed diagnosis included older age, treatment at an academic center, Medicaid insurance and patients from lower income/less educated/more rural areas (all p < 0.01). Treatment at a non-academic center, older age, women, Hispanic and Black patients, lower income and rural areas were all less likely to receive cancer-directed therapies in early stage disease (all p < 0.01). Women, older patients, and Black patients remained less likely to receive treatment in muscle invasive, locally advanced, and metastatic disease (all p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Black race was the strongest independent predictor of delayed diagnosis and substandard treatment of bladder cancer.

Prospective 5-Year Analysis of the United States Radiation Oncology Job Market Using the ASTRO Career Center Website.

PURPOSE: We provide 5-year results of prospectively collected radiation oncology (RO) job opportunities and a longitudinal assessment of RO graduate numbers within the United States. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Full-time domestic RO job opportunities were collected and categorized using the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Career Center from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2021. A chi-square test was used to compare regional job availability by city size and position type. The corresponding number of graduating United States (US) RO residents (2017-2021) was collected. US census and Medicare database resources were used as comparators for population and workforce estimates. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to examine changes in data over time and a 2-tailed t test was used to assess for statistical significance. RESULTS: Over the 5-year study period, 819 unique job offers were posted, compared with 935 RO graduates (0.88 total jobs-to-graduates ratio). Most jobs were nonacademic (57.6%), located in populated areas >1 million (57.1%; median: 1.57M), with the largest proportion of jobs seen in the South region (32.4%). One-third of academic jobs were located at satellites. Regional differences were seen between academic versus nonacademic job availability (P < .01), with the highest proportion of academic jobs seen in the Northeast (60.3%) and the lowest in the Midwest (34.5%). Differences between regions were also observed for jobs in areas >1 million versus ≤1 million (P < .01), with the most jobs in areas >1 million seen in the West (64.6%) and the least in the South (51.3%). Regional job availability over time did not differ by position type (academic vs nonacademic) or population area size (P = .11 and P = .27, respectively). Annual graduate numbers increased with time (P = .02), with the highest percentage of graduates trained in the South (30.8%). Regional distribution of jobs versus graduates significantly differed (P < .01) with the lowest jobs-to-graduates ratio observed in the Northeast (0.67) and highest ratio in the West (1.07). Regional RO workforce estimates based on the 4336 radiation oncologists who were Medicare providers in 2020 were compared with total jobs and graduates by region with no difference observed between the distributions of the workforce and jobs (P = .39), but comparisons between the workforce and graduates were proportionally different (P < .01). The number of total jobs (vs graduates) per 10 million population in the Northeast, South, Midwest, and West were 30.2 (45.1), 21.0 (22.7), 30.6 (33.4), and 22.6 (21.2), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This multiyear quantitative assessment of the RO job market and graduates identified fewer job opportunities than graduates overall in most regions, most notably in the Northeast. Regional differences were seen between available job type (academic vs nonacademic) and population size (>1 million vs ≤1 million). The findings are worrisome for trainee oversupply and geographic maldistribution. The number and distribution of RO trainees and residency programs across the US should be evaluated to minimize job market imbalance for future graduates, promote workforce stability, and continue to meet the future societal needs of patients with cancer.

Carbon fiber-reinforced PEEK spinal implants for primary and metastatic spine tumors: a systematic review on implant complications and radiotherapy benefits.

OBJECTIVE: By minimizing imaging artifact and particle scatter, carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone (CF-PEEK) spinal implants are hypothesized to enhance radiotherapy (RT) planning/dosing and improve oncological outcomes. However, robust clinical studies comparing tumor surgery outcomes between CF-PEEK and traditional metallic implants are lacking. In this paper, the authors performed a systematic review of the literature with the aim to describe clinical outcomes in patients with spine tumors who received CF-PEEK implants, focusing on implant-related complications and oncological outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature published between database inception and May 2022 was performed in accordance with the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The PubMed database was queried using the terms "carbon fiber" and "spine" or "spinal." The inclusion criteria were articles that described patients with CF-PEEK pedicle screw fixation and had a minimum of 5 patients. Case reports and phantom studies were excluded. RESULTS: This review included 11 articles with 326 patients (237 with CF-PEEK-based implants and 89 with titanium-based implants). The mean follow-up period was 13.5 months, and most tumors were metastatic (67.1%). The rates of implant-related complications in the CF-PEEK and titanium groups were 7.8% and 4.7%, respectively. The rate of pedicle screw fracture was 1.7% in the CF-PEEK group and 2.4% in the titanium group. The rates of reoperation were 5.7% (with 60.0% because of implant failure or junctional kyphosis) and 4.8% (all because of implant failure or junctional kyphosis) in the CF-PEEK and titanium groups, respectively. When reported, 72.5% of patients received postoperative RT (41.0% stereotactic body RT, 30.8% fractionated RT, 25.6% proton, 2.6% carbon ion). Four articles suggested that implant artifact was reduced in the CF-PEEK group. Local recurrence occurred in 14.4% of CF-PEEK and 10.7% of titanium-implanted patients. CONCLUSIONS: While CF-PEEK harbors similar implant failure rates to traditional metallic implants with reduced imaging artifact, it remains unclear whether CF-PEEK implants improve oncological outcomes. This study highlights the need for prospective, direct comparative clinical studies.

Effect of treatment interruptions on overall survival in patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Currently, there are no data regarding the impact of treatment interruptions during radiotherapy for breast cancer. In this study, we examine the correlation between treatment interruptions during radiotherapy and outcomes in triple-negative breast cancer patients. METHODS: A total of 35 845 patients with triple-negative breast cancer treated between 2010 and 2014 were identified and analyzed from the National Cancer Database. The number of interrupted radiotherapy treatment days was calculated as the difference between the total elapsed days from the start to end of radiation treatment (both initial treatment and boost treatment, when boost was administered) and the total number of expected treatment days, defined as the number of expected treatment days with an addition of 2 weekend days for every multiple of 5 treatment days. Binomial multivariate regression analysis was used to detect correlates of treatment interruptions, and propensity-score matched multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between treatment interruption and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: When modeled as a continuous variable, longer treatment duration was associated with poorer OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.023, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.015 to 1.031). In reference to 0-1 days of interruption, patients with 2-5 interrupted days (HR = 1.069, 95% CI = 1.002 to 1.140 interrupted days), 6-10 interrupted days (HR = 1.239, 95% CI = 1.140 to 1.348 interrupted days), and 11-15 interrupted days (HR = 1.265, 95% CI = 1.126 to 1.431 interrupted days) experienced increasing likelihood of mortality. CONCLUSION: In the first study of its kind, we report a correlation between treatment interruptions during adjuvant radiotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer and OS.

Proton Bragg Peak FLASH Enables Organ Sparing and Ultra-High Dose-Rate Delivery: Proof of Principle in Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer.

Proton pencil-beam scanning (PBS) Bragg peak FLASH combines ultra-high dose rate delivery and organ-at-risk (OAR) sparing. This proof-of-principle study compared dosimetry and dose rate coverage between PBS Bragg peak FLASH and PBS transmission FLASH in head and neck reirradiation. PBS Bragg peak FLASH plans were created via the highest beam single energy, range shifter, and range compensator, and were compared to PBS transmission FLASH plans for 6 GyE/fraction and 10 GyE/fraction in eight recurrent head and neck patients originally treated with quad shot reirradiation (14.8/3.7 CGE). The 6 GyE/fraction and 10 GyE/fraction plans were also created using conventional-rate intensity-modulated proton therapy techniques. PBS Bragg peak FLASH, PBS transmission FLASH, and conventional plans were compared for OAR sparing, FLASH dose rate coverage, and target coverage. All FLASH OAR V40 Gy/s dose rate coverage was 90-100% at 6 GyE and 10 GyE for both FLASH modalities. PBS Bragg peak FLASH generated dose volume histograms (DVHs) like those of conventional therapy and demonstrated improved OAR dose sparing over PBS transmission FLASH. All the modalities had similar CTV coverage. PBS Bragg peak FLASH can deliver conformal, ultra-high dose rate FLASH with a two-millisecond delivery of the minimum MU per spot. PBS Bragg peak FLASH demonstrated similar dose rate coverage to PBS transmission FLASH with improved OAR dose-sparing, which was more pronounced in the 10 GyE/fraction than in the 6 GyE/fraction. This feasibility study generates hypotheses for the benefits of FLASH in head and neck reirradiation and developing biological models.

Dosimetric Comparison of Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) for a Novel Oral Tongue Avoidance Concept in Low-Risk Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Tongue.

Purpose: After adequate surgical resection, early-stage oral tongue cancer patients can harbor a low risk of local recurrence but remain at risk of regional recurrence. Oral tongue avoidance during adjuvant radiation therapy is an attractive potential treatment strategy to mitigate treatment toxicity. We sought to quantify the dosimetric advantages of this approach and hypothesized that intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) may further reduce organs at risk doses compared with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Materials and Methods: Five patients with oral tongue cancer treated with postoperative radiation therapy from August 2020 to September 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Novel clinical target volume contours, excluding the oral tongue, were generated while maintaining coverage of bilateral at-risk lymph nodes. Comparison IMRT (X) and IMPT (PBT) plans were generated using standard treatment volumes (control) and avoidance volumes (study) (n = 4 plans/patient). Dosimetric variables for organs at risk were compared using the paired t test. Results: The prescribed dose was 60 Gy in 30 fractions. D95% clinical target volume coverage was similar between X and PBT plans for both control and study clinical target volumes. Comparing control with study plans, both X (58.9 Gy vs 38.3 Gy, P = .007) and PBT (60.2 Gy vs 26.1 Gy, P < .001) decreased the oral cavity dosemean. The pharyngeal constrictor dosemean was also reduced (P < .003). There was no difference between control and study plans for larynx (P = .19), parotid (P = .11), or mandible dose (P = .59). For study plans, PBT significantly reduced oral cavity dosemean (38.3 Gy vs 26.1 Gy, P = .007) and parotid dosemean (23.3 Gy vs 19.3 Gy, P = .03) compared with X. For control plans, there was no difference in oral cavity dosemean using PBT compared with X, but PBT did improve the parotid dosemean (26.6 Gy vs 19.7 Gy, P = .02). Conclusion: This study quantifies the feasibility and dosimetric advantages of oral tongue avoidance while still treating the at-risk lymph nodes for oral tongue cancer. The dosimetric difference between PBT and X was most prominent with an oral tongue-avoidance strategy.