Carcinoma escamoso variedad sarcomatoide de lengua. Reporte de caso / Sarcomatoid variant squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Case report

Introducción. El carcinoma de células escamosas es una patología relativamente frecuente en Paraguay, que debe ser diagnosticada y tratada a tiempo. La variedad sarcomatoide es un subtipo poco frecuente, pero mucho más agresivo que la presentación convencional, con altas tasas de recurrencia y metástasis linfática. La exposición previa a radiación es uno de los principales factores desencadenantes. Caso clínico. Paciente de 83 años con antecedente de radioterapia por carcinoma escamocelular del paladar blando, quien consultó por una masa en el borde lateral de la lengua que correspondió a un carcinoma escamocelular del subtipo sarcomatoide. Resultados. El paciente fue sometido a cirugía y quimioterapia, pero presentó recaída tumoral a los cuatro meses, sin aceptar una cirugía de rescate, optando por el tratamiento paliativo y falleciendo a los pocos meses. Conclusión. El examen exhaustivo de la cavidad oral en una primera consulta permite identificar lesiones en estadios tempranos y el tratamiento multidisciplinario temprano puede mejorar la supervivencia global. El pronóstico de estos pacientes en estadios avanzados es desalentador. Actualmente la cirugía microvascular es la mejor opción terapéutica, pero la hemiglosectomía sin reconstrucción sigue siendo una opción aceptable en nuestro medio, conociendo los altos costos de la primera y el requerimiento de un grupo mayor de especialistas, largos tiempos quirúrgicos y estancias hospitalarias.

Introduction. Squamous cell carcinoma is a relatively common pathology in Paraguay, which must be diagnosed and treated on time. The sarcomatoid variety is a rare subtype, but much more aggressive than the conventional presentation, with high rates of recurrence and lymphatic metastasis. Previous exposure to radiation is one of the main triggering factors. Clinical case. An 83-year-old patient with a history of radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the soft palate, who consulted for a mass on the lateral edge of the tongue that corresponded to a squamous cell carcinoma of the sarcomatoid subtype. Results. The patient underwent surgery and chemotherapy, but had tumor relapse after four months, without accepting salvage surgery, opting for palliative treatment and dying a few months later. Conclusion. Exhaustive examination of the oral cavity in a first consultation allows lesions to be identified in early stages and early multidisciplinary treatment can improve overall survival. The prognosis of these patients in advanced stages is discouraging. Currently, microvascular surgery is the best therapeutic option, but hemiglossectomy without reconstruction continues to be an acceptable option in our environment, knowing the high costs of the former and the requirement for a larger group of specialists, long surgical times and hospital stays.

Melatonin as a preventive treatment of tongue mucosa alterations in an animal model of orofacial radiation

Objective: To evaluate the effect of melatonin as a protective treatment for the tongue in irradiated rats. Materials and Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to a single session of 50 Gy radiation and treated with melatonin 30 minutes before and after the radiotherapy session. A clinical evaluation was carried out a week and a half, third- and sixth-week post-treatment; finally, a tongue biopsy was taken for a histopathological study in the third and sixth weeks after radiation. Results: Clinical evaluation shows a clear trend, that preventive administration of melatonin could facilitate the recovery of mucosal tissue after radiation. Additionally, cellular infiltrate was 40% fewer in the melatonin-treated group compared to the control, as well as the number of the congested vessel were fewer. Conclusion: These findings showed for the first time the preventive role of melatonin in the tongue mucosa reducing the changes associated with mucositis, inflammatory infiltrate, and congestive blood vessels.

Outcomes of ablative therapy and radical treatment for prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Purpose: To compare biochemical recurrence, sexual potency and urinary continence outcomes of ablative therapy and radical treatment (radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy with androgen deprivation therapy). Material and methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis followed the PRISMA guidelines were performed. We searched MEDLINE/PubMed. Biochemical recurrence at three and five years; incontinence rate (patients who used one pad or more) and erectile dysfunction rate at 12 and 36 months (patients who did not have sufficient erection to achieve sexual intercourse) were evaluated. The Mantel-Haenszel method was applied to estimate the pooled risk difference (RD) in the individual studies for categorical variables. All results were presented as 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Random effects models were used regardless of the level of heterogeneity (I²). (PROSPERO CRD42022296998). Results: Eight studies comprising 2,677 men with prostate cancer were included. There was no difference in biochemical recurrence between ablative and radical treatments. We observed the same biochemical recurrence between ablative therapy and radical treatment within five years (19.3% vs. 16.8%, respectively; RD 0.07; 95%CI=-0.05, 0.19; I2=68.2%; P=0.08) and continence rate at 12 months (9.2% vs. 31.8%, respectively; RD −0.13; 95%CI, −0.27, 0.01; I2=89%; P=0.32). When focal treatment was analyzed alone, two studies with 582 patients found higher erectile function at 12 months in the ablative therapy group than in the radical treatment (88.9% vs. 30.8%, respectively; RD −0.45; 95%CI −0.84, −0.05; I2=93%; P=0.03). Conclusion: Biochemical recurrence and urinary continence outcomes of ablative therapy and radical treatment were similar. Ablative therapy appears to have a high rate of sexual potency.

Topical agents for the prevention ofradiodermatitis in cancer patients: A systematic review / Agentes tópicos para prevenção de radiodermatiteem pacientes com câncer: revisão sistemática

Objetivo: Analisar as evidências sobre o efeito dos agentes tópicos empregados para a prevenção da radiodermatite em pacientes com câncer. Método: Revisão sistemática de estudos clínicos randomizados duplos-cegos construída conforme recomendações do Joanna Briggs Institute e busca nas bases de dados MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, LILACS, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, além da literatura cinzenta. Utilizaram-se a ferramenta de avaliação crítica do JBI para ensaios clínicos randomizados para avaliar a possibilidade de viés, o Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation para a qualidade das evidências e o Gradepro® para recomendá-las. Resultados: Selecionaram-se 13 estudos que avaliaram diferentes agentes tópicos para prevenir a radiodermatite, a saber: corticosteroides, de ação antioxidante e fitoterápicos. A qualidade metodológica de cada estudo foi apropriada, mas a qualidade da evidência gerada pela reunião deles foi baixa, independentemente do tipo de agente tópico empregado, sugerindo que a confiança no seu efeito é limitada e tornando a força de recomendação fraca. Conclusão: Alguns agentes tópicos mostraram-se promissores para a prevenção de radiodermatite, mas as evidências aqui reunidas sobre a eficácia deles não permitem indicar seu uso para a prevenção de radiodermatite em pacientes com câncer. (AU)

Objective: To analyze the evidence on the effect of topical agents to prevent radiodermatitis in cancer patients. Methods: Systematic review of double-blind randomized clinical studies built according to JBI recommendations and search in the databases MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, LILACS, Web of Science, Embase and Scopus, in addition to the Gray Literature. The JBI critical assessment tool for randomized clinical trials was used to assess the possibility of bias, GRADE for the quality of evidence, and Gradepro® to recommend them. Results: Thirteen studies were selected that evaluated different topical agents to prevent radiodermatitis, namely: corticosteroids, with antioxidant action and herbal medicines. The methodological quality of each study was appropriate. Still, the quality of evidence generated by pooling them was low, regardless of the type of topical agent employed, suggesting that confidence in its effect is limited and weakening the strength of the recommendation. Conclusions: Some topical agents have shown promise for the prevention of radiodermatitis, but the evidence gathered here about their effectiveness does not indicate their use for the prevention of radiodermatitis in cancer patients. (AU)

Objetivo: Analizar la evidencia sobre el efecto de los agentes tópicos utilizados para la prevención de la radiodermatitis en pacientes con cáncer. Método: Revisión sistemática de estudios clínicos aleatorizados, doble ciego, elaborados según las recomendaciones del JBI y buscados en MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, LILACS, Web of Science, Embase y Scopus, además de literatura gris. Se utilizó la herramienta de evaluación crítica JBI para ensayos clínicos aleatorios para evaluar la posibilidad de sesgo, GRADE para la calidad de la evidencia y Gradepro® para recomendarla. Resultados: Se seleccionaron trece estudios que evaluaron diferentes agentes tópicos para prevenir la radiodermatitis, a saber: corticosteroides, con acción antioxidante y fitoterapia. La calidad metodológica de cada estudio fue apropiada, pero la calidad de la evidencia generada al combinarlos fue baja, independientemente del tipo de agente tópico empleado, lo que sugiere que la confianza en su efecto es limitada y debilita la fuerza de la recomendación. Conclusión: Algunos agentes tópicos se han mostrado prometedores para la prevención de la radiodermatitis, pero la evidencia aquí reunida sobre su eficacia no nos permite indicar su uso para la prevención de la radiodermatitis en pacientes con cáncer. (AU)

Modalidades de radioterapia empregadas para o câncer de cabeça e pescoço / Radiotherapy modalities used for head and neck cancer

O câncer de cabeça e pescoço (CCP) refere-se ao grupo de tumores que atingem a laringe, cavidade nasal, nasofaringe, orofaringe, cavidade oral e glândulas salivares. A radioterapia no paciente com CCP representa uma terapia para manutenção do órgão, através da destruição das células neoplásicas malignas. O objetivo do presente estudo foi identificar estratégias radioterápicas aplicadas ao paciente com CCP e seus respectivos efeitos colaterais em cavidade oral, além de investigar as principais modalidades utilizadas nos sistemas de saúde do Brasil. Tratou-se de uma revisão narrativa da literatura com busca ativa das bases eletrônicas PUBMED, LILACS e SCIELO. Após todas as etapas de refinamento, um total de 58 artigos foram incluídos na presente revisão. A radioterapia possui papel de destaque no tratamento do CCP. No entanto, por não ser um método terapêutico com alta especificidade, resulta em efeitos adversos ao tratamento como mucosite oral, trismo e disfunção salivar, que findam por reduzir a qualidade de vida do paciente. Dentre as principais técnicas radioterapêuticas utilizadas no Brasil, a IMRT e VMAT caracterizam-se como as formas mais avançadas da terapia em 3D, proporcionando doses equivalentes para cada área da lesão tumoral, poupando áreas teciduais circunvizinhas que não necessitam de irradiação. Além da toxicidade reduzida, uma maior sobrevida pode ser observada em pacientes tratados com essas técnicas. Um dos maiores desafios atuais na radioterapia contra o CCP é a proteção de tecidos saudáveis. Nesse sentido, a IMRT e VMAT apresentam superioridade em relação às demais técnicas.

Head and neck cancer (CCP) refers to the group of tumors that affect the larynx, nasal cavity, nasopharynx, oropharynx, oral cavity and salivary glands. Radiotherapy in patients with CCP represents a therapy for organ maintenance, through the destruction of malignant neoplastic cells. The aim of this study was to identify radiotherapy strategies applied to patients with CCP and their respective side effects in the oral cavity, and to investigate the main modalities used in health systems in Brazil. It was a narrative review of the literature with active search of electronic databases PUBMED, LILACS and SCIELO. After all stages of refinement, a total of 58 articles were included in this review. Radiotherapy has a prominent role in the treatment of CCP. However, because it is not a therapeutic method with high specificity, it results in adverse effects to treatment such as oral mucositis, trismus and salivary dysfunction, which end up reducing the quality of life of the patient. Among the main radiotherapeutic techniques used in Brazil, IMRT and VMAT are characterized as the most advanced forms of 3D therapy, providing equivalent doses for each area of the tumor sparing surrounding tissue areas that do not require irradiation. In addition to reduced toxicity, greater survival can be observed in patients treated with these techniques. One of the biggest current challenges in radiation therapy against CCP is the protection of healthy tissues. In this sense, the IMRT and VMAT present superiority in relation to the other techniques.

Complicaciones de la laringectomía total: experiencia de 7 años en un hospital universitario de Paraguay / Complications of total laryngectomy: a 7-year experience in a university hospital in Paraguay

Introducción: El cáncer de laringe es la neoplasia maligna más común de las vías aerodigestivas superiores. La laringectomía total es el tratamiento de elección en casos avanzados, pero se asocia a una alta tasa de complicaciones. Objetivos: Conocer la prevalencia de las complicaciones posquirúrgicas de la laringectomía total y los factores asociados en pacientes con cáncer de laringe. Materiales y métodos: Estudio observacional, descriptivo, retrospectivo, de corte transversal, revisando el comportamiento de la laringectomía total y sus principales complicaciones en la Cátedra y Servicio de Otorrinolaringología del Hospital de Clínicas de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay, de 2015 a 2022. Se incluyeron pacientes mayores de 18 años, de ambos sexos, postoperados de laringectomía total, con diagnóstico anatomopatológico de neoplasia de laringe. Se excluyeron pacientes no operados, con fichas incompletas o que abandonaron el tratamiento. Se analizaron variables demográficas, clínicas, quirúrgicas y anatomopatológicas. Resultados: Se incluyeron 10 pacientes, todos varones, con edad media de 56,3 ± 10,2 años. El 90% presentaba hábitos tóxicos. La complicación más frecuente fue la fístula faringocutánea (70%), seguida por infección del sitio quirúrgico (10%) y sangrado posoperatorio (10%). El 71,4% de las fístulas se resolvieron con medidas conservadoras. El 30% tenía afectación supraglótica y el 57,1% de los que presentaron complicaciones recibieron radioterapia previa. Conclusión: Las complicaciones de la laringectomía total son frecuentes, principalmente la fístula faringocutánea. La afectación supraglótica y la radioterapia previa se asociaron a mayor tasa de complicaciones. Se requieren estudios prospectivos con muestras más grandes para confirmar estos hallazgos.

Introduction: Laryngeal cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm of the upper aerodigestive tract. Total laryngectomy is the treatment of choice in advanced cases, but it is associated with a high rate of complications. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of postoperative complications of total laryngectomy and associated factors in patients with laryngeal cancer. Materials and methods: Observational, descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study, reviewing the behavior of total laryngectomy and its main complications in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Hospital de Clínicas, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, Paraguay, from 2015 to 2022. Patients over 18 years of age, of both sexes, who underwent total laryngectomy, with anatomopathological diagnosis of laryngeal neoplasm were included. Non-operated patients, those with incomplete records or who abandoned treatment were excluded. Demographic, clinical, surgical and anatomopathological variables were analyzed. Results: Ten patients were included, all male, with a mean age of 56.3 ± 10.2 years. Ninety percent had toxic habits. The most frequent complication was pharyngocutaneous fistula (70%), followed by surgical site infection (10%) and postoperative bleeding (10%). Conservative measures resolved 71.4% of the fistulas. Thirty percent had supraglottic involvement and 57.1% of those who presented complications received previous radiotherapy. Conclusion: Complications of total laryngectomy are frequent, mainly pharyngocutaneous fistula. Supraglottic involvement and previous radiotherapy were associated with a higher rate of complications. Prospective studies with larger samples are required to confirm these findings.

Radionecrosis cerebral en un adulto

Se presenta el caso clínico de un paciente de 37 años de edad con el antecedente de haber recibido radioterapia por una lesión tumoral en la región frontal derecha, el cual acudió a consulta en el Instituto de Neurología y Neurocirugía de Cuba por presentar cefalea intensa y hemiparesia izquierda. Luego de realizados los exámenes necesarios, se estableció el diagnóstico clínico-imagenológico de lesión por radionecrosis en el hemisferio contralateral, que fue corroborado en el estudio anatomopatológico una vez que se extirpó el tumor; seguidamente, se indicó inmunoterapia. La evolución del paciente fue satisfactoria, pues se logró el control de la enfermedad y la resolución de los síntomas.

The case report of a 37-year-old patient with history of having received radiotherapy due to a tumor lesion in the right frontal region is presented, who attended to the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery in Cuba because of intense headache and left hemiparesis. After carrying out the necessary examinations, the clinical-imaging diagnosis of a radionecrosis lesion in the contralateral hemisphere was established, which was corroborated in the pathological examination once the tumor was removed; then, immunotherapy was indicated. The patient had a favorable clinical course because the control of the disease was achieved as well as the resolution of symptoms.

Mitos y verdades de la radioterapia: breve revisión y guía práctica dirigida a médicos egresados, estudiantes de pregrado de la Facultad de Medicina y estudiantes de tecnicatura de radioterapia: preguntas y respuestas / Myths and truths of radiotherapy: brief review and practical guide aimed at graduate physicians, undergraduate medical school students and radiotherapy technician students: questions and answers / Mitos e verdades da radioterapia: uma breve revisão e um guia prático para graduados em medicina, estudantes de graduação em medicina e estudantes de técnico em radioterapia: perguntas e respostas

Introducción: los pacientes concurren habitualmente a la consulta preguntando por los posibles efectos tóxicos del tratamiento oncológico radiante sobre los tejidos normales. Esta breve revisión bibliográfica en formato de preguntas y respuestas, presenta mediante la evidencia científica y la medicina basada en la evidencia, algunas de las preguntas con las que se encuentra el médico que trata o interactúa con un paciente con cáncer. El objetivo de esta revisión es apoyar en la respuesta que dará el médico general, oncólogo médico, físico médico y tecnólogos en radioterapia a esas interrogantes. Metodología: se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica no sistemática en Google Scholar, MedLine/PubMed y Scielo limitando a trabajos publicados en los últimos 10 años. Resultados: tras consultas con profesionales directamente relacionados con la radioterapia, se identificaron las dudas recurrentes planteadas por los pacientes. Discusión: con la información recopilada se dan respuesta a las interrogantes más frecuentes establecidas previamente.

Introduction: Patients routinely come to the office asking about the possible toxic effects of radiation oncology treatment on normal tissues. This brief literature review in question and answer format presents, through scientific evidence and evidence-based medicine, some of the questions encountered by the physician who treats or interacts with a cancer patient. The objective of this review is to support the response of general practitioners, medical oncologists, medical physicists and radiotherapy technologists to these questions. Methodology: A non-systematic bibliographic search was carried out in Google Scholar, MedLine/PubMed and Scielo, limiting the search to works published in the last 10 years. Results: After consultation with professionals directly related to radiotherapy, recurrent doubts raised by patients were identified. Discussion: With the information gathered, answers were given to the most frequent questions previously established.

Introdução: Os pacientes chegam rotineiramente à clínica perguntando sobre os possíveis efeitos tóxicos do tratamento oncológico por radiação nos tecidos normais. Esta breve revisão da literatura em formato de perguntas e respostas apresenta, por meio de evidências científicas e da medicina baseada em evidências, algumas das perguntas encontradas pelo médico que trata ou interage com um paciente com câncer. O objetivo desta revisão é apoiar a resposta de clínicos gerais, oncologistas médicos, físicos médicos e tecnólogos em radioterapia a essas perguntas. Metodologia: foi realizada uma pesquisa não sistemática da literatura no Google Scholar, MedLine/PubMed e Scielo, limitando a pesquisa a artigos publicados nos últimos 10 anos. Resultados: após consulta a profissionais diretamente relacionados à radioterapia, foram identificadas as dúvidas recorrentes levantadas pelos pacientes. Discussão: com as informações coletadas, foram dadas respostas às dúvidas mais frequentes previamente estabelecidas.

Incidence of radiodermatitis and factors associated with its severity in women with breast cancer: a cohort study

Abstract Background: One of the main adverse reactions of adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer is radiodermatitis. Objective: To assess the incidence of radiodermatitis in women with breast cancer, identify factors associated with its severity and determine the time at which this event occurs. Methods: Prospective cohort study in 113 women with breast cancer who were evaluated before radiotherapy and at every fifth session until the end of treatment. Logistic regression and Cox proportional regression model were used for the assessment of risk factors; P values < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The incidence rate of radiodermatitis was 98.2% and it was demonstrated that for each additional point of the Body Mass Index (BMI), the chance of occurrence of grades II to IV radiodermatitis increases by 14% (OR = 1.14 [95% CI 1.04-1.26]; p = 0.004) and statin use increases the risk of more severe skin lesions by four-fold (OR = 4.27 [95% CI 1.11-16.42]; p = 0.035). The exclusive use of hydrogel for skin hydration was an independent factor in delaying the onset of radiodermatitis (HR = 0.55 [95% CI 0.36-0.82]; p = 0.004). Study limitations: The main limitation of this study was its external validity. The identified factors should be considered for services and populations similar to those in this study. Conclusions: There was a high incidence of radiodermatitis and its severity was related to higher BMI, statin use; there was a protective effect of hydrogel use.

R-CHOP and consolidation radiotherapy for limited-stage and low-IPI high-grade b-cell lymphoma with MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements: A single-center case series and review of literature

@#High-Grade B-Cell Lymphoma (HGBCL) with gene rearrangements in MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 is an aggressive malignancy usually presenting in advanced stages. Current recommendations suggest the use of regimens more intensive than R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, prednisone), which are based on retrospective studies and single-arm prospective trials that included patients who are mostly in the advanced stage, and did not receive consolidation radiotherapy. The optimal approach and treatment of HGBCL, whether limited-stage (LS) or advanced-stage, remains to be determined. Here we describe the promising outcomes of three patients with LS and low IPI HGBCL with the use of R-CHOP as induction chemotherapy regimen, which was followed by consolidation radiotherapy. Three women, 54-, 60-, and 64-years of age diagnosed to have HGBCL with MYC, and BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements, with Ann Arbor stages I-IIE were included in this case series. All three patients had complete metabolic response to 6 cycles of R-CHOP and was subsequently treated with consolidation involved site radiotherapy (ISRT; total dose 30-36 Gy). Chemotherapy and radiotherapy were tolerated very well. All patients remain to be in remission, with the longest being at 23 months. Outcomes of patients with HGBCL generally remain to be poor, but this may not be the case for patients with limited-stage disease and favorable clinicopathologic risk profile. Nevertheless, the treatment of HGBCL is currently evolving and more studies are needed to determine the ideal approach and preferred chemotherapy regimen. Also, more studies are needed to elucidate the potential role of consolidation radiotherapy in patients with limited-stage HGBCL to improve survival outcomes. Findings of this case series suggest that patients with LS HGBCL may still derive benefit from R-CHOP followed by consolidation ISRT, but prospective trials are needed to confirm this.

Impact of BRCA1/2 germline mutation on the incidence of second primary cancer following postoperative radiotherapy in patients with triple-negative breast cancer / 中国癌症杂志

Background and purpose:BRCA1/2 plays an important role in maintaining the genome stability.Whether BRCA1/2 germline mutation could increase the tumor sensitivity to radiotherapy,thereby inducing secondary primary cancer after radiotherapy is unclear.This study aimed to investigate whether postoperative radiotherapy is a risk factor for the development of second primary cancer in triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)patients with BRCA1/2 germline mutation.Methods:This research was based on a previously reported retrospective cohort,i.e.,the Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center TNBC cohort.Between January 1,2007 and December 31,2014,a total of 292 female TNBC patients with BRCA1/2 mutation were enrolled.We performed logistic regression analysis in patients without BRCA1/2 germline mutation(n=261)and BRCA1/2 germline mutation patients(n=31),respectively,to assess the risk factors affecting the incidence of second primary cancer.We then performed interactive analysis on the above two analyses to evaluate the interactive effect between BRCA1/2 germline mutation and postoperative radiotherapy.P<0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference.The research was approved by Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center TNBC Ethics Committee(050432-4-2108),and each patient provided written informed consent.Results:Logistic regression analysis in patients with BRCA1/2 germline mutations showed that postoperative radiotherapy significantly increased the risk of secondary primary disease compared to non-radiotherapy[odds ratio(OR)=2.475,95%confidence interval(CI):1.933-3.167,P<0.001].In patients without BRCA1/2 germline mutation,the effect of radiotherapy on the incidence of second primary tumor was not significant.There was a significant interaction between BRCA1/2 germline mutation and postoperative radiotherapy for the incidence of secondary primary cancer(OR=9.710,95%CI:0.320-295.250,P=0.193).Conclusion:Although statistical analysis results show that patients with BRCA1/2 germline mutations have an increased risk of developing a second primary tumor after postoperative radiotherapy compared to patients who have not received radiotherapy,there is no significant correlation between BRCA1/2 germline mutations and radiotherapy for the development of a second primary tumor.Therefore,patients with BRCA1/2 germline mutations who receive radiotherapy after surgery may not increase the risk of developing a second primary tumor.

Value of peripheral blood NLR, PLR and serum LDH for predicting the occurence of radiation pneumonia in patients with small cell lung cancer / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the value of peripheral blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels for predicting the occurrence of radiation pneumonia (RP) in small cell lung cancer.Methods:A total of 84 patients with small cell lung cancer who received image-guided radiotherapy in Xuzhou Cancer Hospital between September 2019 and September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into an RP group ( n = 25) and a non-RP group ( n = 59) according to whether RP occurred. Peripheral blood NLR and PLR and serum LDH levels were compared between the two groups before and after radiotherapy. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was used to analyze the value of peripheral blood NLR, PLR, and serum LDH levels for the diagnosis of RP in small cell lung cancer. Results:Before radiotherapy, there were no significant differences in peripheral blood NLR and PLR between the two groups (both P > 0.05). After radiotherapy, peripheral blood NLR and PLR in the RP group were (3.39 ± 0.81) and (129.06 ± 24.90), respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the non-RP group [(2.54 ± 0.71), (104.76 ± 26.26), t = 3.61, 3.83, both P < 0.05]. The NLR (2.86 ± 0.30) and PLR (110.07 ± 10.05) were the lowest in patients with grade 2 RP and they were highest in patients with grade 4 RP [(4.49 ± 0.63), (168.88 ± 14.11)]. The grade of RP was positively correlated with peripheral blood NLR and PLR. The sensitivity of peripheral blood NLR in the diagnosis of RP was 88.0%, the specificity was 66.1%, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.791. The sensitivity of PLR in the diagnosis of RP was 48.0%, the specificity was 94.9%, and the AUC was 0.735. The sensitivity of NLR combined with PLR in the diagnosis of RP was 92.0%, the specificity was 59.3%, and the AUC was 0.801. There was no significant difference in serum LDH levels between the two groups before and after radiotherapy (both P > 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that NLR and PLR were risk factors for RP in patients with small cell lung cancer ( OR = 2.309, 1.037; 95% CI: 1.061-5.024, 1.004-1.071). Conclusion:In patients with small cell lung cancer who develop RP, peripheral blood NLR, and PLR are markedly elevated compared with those in patients who do not develop RP, and combined detection of peripheral blood NLR and PLR has a high value for early diagnosis of RP in patients with small cell lung cancer.

Quality re-optimization and assessment of radiotherapy plan for rectal cancer / 中国医学物理学杂志

Objective To evaluate the quality of treatment planning(TP)and re-optimization planning(RP)of radiotherapy for rectal cancer using PlanIQ software,thereby providing methods and tools for the screening and optimization of radiotherapy plans.Methods Twenty patients with rectal cancer who received radiotherapy were selected retrospectively,with 10 cases of intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT)and 10 of volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT).(1)TP:IMRT plan involved 5-field irradiation,and VMAT plan involved two 360°arcs.The prescription doses were 50 Gy/25 f for PTV1 and 45 Gy/25 f for PTV2.All plans underwent direct machine parameter optimization and required 95%isodose lines to cover 100%of the target volume.Organs-at-risk(OAR)were limited by reference to tolerated dose standards.After the planning was completed,the plans were reviewed and confirmed by a physician,and the treatment was implemented after dose verification.(2)RP:a physicist with 10 years of experience re-optimized the 20 TP plans,with the irradiation technique and field setting unchanged.The re-optimization involved adjusting planning conditions and parameters based on individual experience until the dose to OAR was minimized while without affecting PTV coverage.The quality of TP plans and RP plans were quantitatively evaluated using PlanIQ software.Non-parametric Wilcoxon signed rank test was performed for dose-volume histogram parameters and plan quality index between two groups.Results The dose-volume histogram parameters in RP plans were superior to those in TP plans,and the differences in the Dmax of PTV1,the V45 Gy and Dmax of small intestine,and the V45 Gy of colon were statistically significant(P<0.05).The quality scores of RP plans for IMRT group,VMAT group and all patients were significantly higher than those of TP plans(P<0.05),with plan quality index of 88.55±3.35 vs 86.61±4.63(P=0.005),89.72±3.15 vs 87.21±3.04(P=0.028),and 89.14±3.22 vs 86.91±3.22(P=0.001),respectively.Conclusion RP can further improve the quality of radiotherapy plan for rectal cancer.PlanIQ software serves as an effective tool for quality control and screening of radiotherapy planning.

Dosimetric comparison of IMRT versus VMAT for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma using voxel-based method / 中国医学物理学杂志

Objective To identify the exact locations of the brain being irradiated in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)patients during radiotherapy,and to analyze the differences in brain dose distribution between advanced NPC patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT)and volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT).Methods Based on the CT brain template provided by the Montreal Neurological Institute,the brain dose distribution was analyzed with voxel-based method.Results For advanced NPC patients,VMAT plans did not demonstrate superiority in normal brain tissue sparing,while IMRT performed better,with advantages observed in regions such as the brainstem,the posterior lobe of the cerebellum,the anterior lobe of the cerebellum,temporal lobes,occipital lobes,limbic lobes,and certain areas of the subcortical regions.Conclusion IMRT is advantageous over VMAT in protecting the normal brain tissues in advanced NPC patients.

Effects of optimizing target volume on oral mucosal reaction and salivary gland function in oropharyngeal cancer patients undergoing intensity-modulated radiotherapy / 中国医学物理学杂志

Objective To analyze the effects of target volume optimization on oral mucosal reaction and salivary gland function in oropharyngeal cancer patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT).Methods A total of 120 patients with oropharyngeal cancer admitted to Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University from April 2020 to August 2022 were selected and randomly grouped into control group(n=60,conventional IMRT)and treatment group(n=60,cervical region Ⅱ and the oral target region were optimized during IMRT).The therapeutic efficacy,parotid gland dose,incidence of acute oral mucosal reaction,dry mouth and oral pain at 3 months after IMRT were compared between two groups.The resting-state apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)values of parotid and submandibular glands at different time points(before radiotherapy,the 4th week of radiotherapy,the end of radiotherapy and 3 months after radiotherapy)were recorded.Results The difference in the objective reaction rate between two groups was trivial[80.00％(48/60)vs 75.00％(45/60),P>0.05].The mean dose(Dmean)and V34 of the unaffected parotid gland and the Dmean and V30 of the oral cavity in treatment group were lower than those in control group(P<0.05).The incidences of acute oral mucosal reaction,dry mouth and oral pain at 3 months after radiotherapy in treatment group were 41.67％,50.00％,and 58.33％,lower than those in control group(75.00％,78.33％,and 85.00％)(P<0.05).The resting-state ADC values of parotid and submandibular glands at the 4th week of radiotherapy,the end of radiotherapy,and 3 months after radiotherapy in both two groups were higher than those before radiotherapy(P<0.05).At the 4th week of radiotherapy,the end of radiotherapy,and 3 months after radiotherapy,the resting-state ADC values of parotid and submandibular glands in treatment group were lower than those in control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Optimizing target volume during oropharyngeal IMRT can effectively prevent the occurrence of radiation-induced mucositis,alleviate oral mucosal reaction,oral pain and dry mouth,reduce parotid gland dose,and diminish the effects of IMRT on salivary gland function in patients.

Factors affecting laryngeal cancer relapse after postoperative radiotherapy and relationship between relapse with radiotherapy dose / 中国医学物理学杂志

Objective To explore the factors associated with laryngeal cancer relapse after postoperative radiotherapy,discuss the relationship between radiotherapy dose under various surgical procedures and relapse,and analyze their effects on survival rate.Methods The clinical data of 134 patients with laryngeal cancer treated with postoperative radiotherapy in Shijiazhuang People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed.The risk factors of postoperative relapse were analyzed with univariate analysis,followed by multivariate Logistic regression analysis.The relationships between radiotherapy doses under various surgical procedures and the relapse were discussed.Kaplan-meler method and Log rank test were used to analyze the 2-year survival rate of laryngeal cancer patients.Results Thirty out of the 134 patients relapsed after treatment,and there was no recurrence in the remaining 104 patients.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis identified clinical stage(Ⅲ-Ⅳ),T stage(T3-T4),N stage(N1-N3),radiotherapy dose(low-dose),thyroid cartilage invasion(yes)and surgical margin(positive)as independent risk factors for postoperative laryngeal cancer relapse(OR>1,P<0.05).The relapse rates of patients receiving high-dose radiotherapy after laser vocal cord mass resection/partial laryngectomy and total laryngectomy under self-retaining laryngoscope were lower than those of patients receiving low-dose radiotherapy,with a statistically significant difference in overall relapse rate(P<0.05).As of June 2023,the median follow-up time of 134 patients undergoing postoperative radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer was 14.23 months(1-24 months),and there were 8 deaths in low-dose group and 2 deaths in high-dose group.The estimated median survival times in low-and high-dose groups were 19.13 months and 22.13 months.The survival curves in two groups were different(Log rank P=0.20),with high-dose group outperforming low-dose group.Conclusion The overall therapeutic effect of surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer is favorable.However,clinical stage,T stage,N stage,low-dose radiotherapy,tumor invasion into thyroid cartilage,positive surgical margin,and>11 weeks from postoperation to radiotherapy completion were risk factors for disease relapse.In clinical practice,the radiotherapy dose should be appropriately increased based on the patient's condition to improve prognosis and extend survival duration.

Auto-segmentation of target areas and organs-at-risk for total marrow and lymphoid irradiation in children / 中国医学物理学杂志

Objective To investigate the feasibility of AccuLearning system for the auto-segmentation of target areas and organs-at-risk(OAR)for total marrow and lymphoid irradiation(TMLI)in children.Methods Thirty pediatric patients who underwent TMLI since 2018 to 2022 were selected.The patients were immobilized in the supine position,and their CT images were acquired on the Philips Brilliance Big Bore CT scanner.After the target areas and OAR were manually delineated and modified,the CT images and manually delineated contours were imported into AccuLearning system for training,validation,and testing of the auto-segmentation model.The auto-segmentation results in 6 TMLI patients in the test set were evaluated in terms of Dice similarity coefficient(DSC),95%Hausdorff distance and average surface distance.Results On the test set with 6 cases,except for the lens that was difficult to be delineated automatically,the DSC values was above 0.70 for all other target areas and OAR,with only one patient having a DSC value of 0.59 for the stomach.The average DSC value for the stomach in all 6 patients was 0.76,and the average DSC values for the other organs were above 0.80.Conclusion The target areas and OAR automatically delineated with the model can meet the requirements of clinical planning after simple modifications.

Comparison of interobserver variations in delineation of target volumes and organs-at-risk for intensity-modulated radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma among physicians from different levels of cancer centers / 中国医学物理学杂志

Objective To assess inter-observer variations(IOV)in the delineation of target volumes and organs-at-risk(OAR)for intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT)of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)among physicians from different levels of cancer centers,thereby providing a reference for quality control in multi-center clinical trials.Methods Twelve patients with NPC of different TMN stages were randomly selected.Three physicians from the same municipal cancer center manually delineated the target volume(GTVnx)and OAR for each patient.The manually modified and confirmed target volume(GTVnx)and OAR delineation structures by radiotherapy experts from the regional cancer center were used as the standard delineation.The absolute volume difference ratio(△V_diff),maximum/minimum volume ratio(MMR),coefficient of variation(CV),and Dice similarity coefficient(DSC)were used to compare the differences in organ delineation among physicians from different levels of cancer centers and among the 3 physicians from the same municipal cancer center.Furthermore,the IOV of GTVnx and OAR among physicians from different levels cancer centers were compared across different TMN stages.Results Significant differences in the delineation of GTVnx were observed among physicians from different levels of cancer centers.Among the 3 physicians,the maximum values of △V_diff,MMR,and CV were 97.23%±83.45%,2.19±0.75,and 0.31±0.14,respectively,with an average DSC of less than 0.7.Additionally,there were considerable differences in the delineation of small-volume OAR such as the left and right optic nerves,chiasm,and pituitary,with average MMR>2.8,CV>0.37,and DSC<0.51.However,relatively smaller differences were observed in the delineation of large-volume OAR such as the brainstem,spinal cord,left and right eyeballs,and left and right mandible,with average△V_diff<42%,MMR<1.55,and DSC>0.7.Compared with the differences among physicians from different levels cancer centers,the differences among the 3 physicians from the municipal cancer center were slightly reduced.Furthermore,there were also differences in the delineation of target volumes for NPC among physicians from different levels cancer centers,depending on the staging of the disease.Compared with the delineation of target volumes for earlier stage patients(stages I or II),the differences among physicians in the delineation of target volumes for advanced stage patients(stages III or IV)were smaller,with average △V_diff and DSC of 98.31%±67.36%vs 69.38%±72.61%(P<0.05)and 0.55±0.08 vs 0.72±0.12(P<0.05),respectively.Conclusion There are differences in the delineation of GTVnx and OAR in radiation therapy for NPC among physicians from different levels of cancer centers,especially in the delineation of target volume(GTVnx)and small-volume OAR for early-stage patients.To ensure the accuracy of multicenter clinical trials,it is recommended to provide unified training to physicians from different levels of cancer centers and review their delineation results to reduce the effect of differences on treatment outcomes.

Preliminary study on the distributions of dose differences and their correlations with tumor types in independent verification / 中国医学物理学杂志

Objective To explore the distributions of dose differences and their correlations with tumor types in independent three-dimensional dose verification for intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT)plan,and to establish prediction models.Methods The fixed field IMRT plans of 180 patients with head and neck,chest,and abdominal tumors were collected.Independent sample t-test was used to analyze the consistency between the initial dose calculated in treatment planning system and the verified dose for evaluating the feasibility of independent validation.The distributions of planning target volume(PTV)dose differences among different tumor types were analyzed.The correlations of PTV dose differences with conformity index(CI)and homogeneity index were analyzed using correlation analysis and multiple linear regression method.Results The PTV dose differences for head and neck,chest,and abdominal tumors were within±1.2%,and the average 3%/3 mm gamma passing rate between the initial dose and the verified dose was higher than 99.5%,indicating good consistency in dose distribution between independent validation and treatment planning system.The distributions of PTV dose differences were different in head and neck,chest,and abdominal plans,and were significantly correlated with CI which could be used to preliminarily determine the PTV dose differences in independent validation.The multiple regression equation based on CI and homogeneity index could be used to estimate the dose verification differences of IMRT plan.Conclusion Independent verification can quickly achieve pre-treatment validation for radiotherapy plans,improving the efficiency of quality control of radiotherapy plans.The estimation based on dose differences provides guidance for optimizing radiotherapy plans.

18F-FDOPA PET/CT for evaluating efficacy of radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy for advanced glioma / 中国医学影像技术

Objective To observe the value of 18F-fluoro-dihydroxy-phenylalanine(18F-FDOPA)PET/CT for evaluating the efficacy of radiochemotherapy for advanced glioma.Methods Data of 84 patients with advanced glioma who received precision radiotherapy combined with synchronous chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into effective group(complete remission+partial remission+stable disease,n=60)and ineffective group(progressive disease,n=24)according to the efficacy of radiochemotherapy.18F-FDOPA PET/CT metabolic parameters of tumors,including tumor metabolic tumor volume(MTV),maximum standard uptake value(SUVmax)and mean standard uptake value(SUVmean)were compared between groups,also before and after radiochemotherapy within groups.Spearman correlation analysis was used to observe the correlations of metabolic parameters and the efficacy of radiochemotherapy.Results After radiochemotherapy,MTV,SUVmax and SUVmean of tumors in effective group were lower than those of tumors in ineffective group(all P＜0.05).Significant differences of metabolic parameters were found before and after radiochemotherapy in effective group(all P＜0.05).MTV,SUVmax and SUVmean of advanced glioma were negatively correlated with the efficacy of radiochemotherapy(r=-0.63,-0.52,-0.50,P＜0.001,P=0.007,P=0.010).Conclusion 18F-FDOPA PET/CT was helpful for evaluating the efficacy of radiochemotherapy for advanced glioma.