The first real-world study on the role of carbon ion radiotherapy for oligo-metastatic, persistent, or recurrent (MPR) ovarian/fallopian tube cancer.

Introduction: In the multidisciplinary management of oligometastatic, persistent, or recurrent (MPR) ovarian cancer, radiotherapy (RT) is becoming a more and more worthwhile treatment to potentially improve the chronicity of the disease. Particle beam RT has proved to be effective in several gynecological malignancies, but so far no data are available for ovarian cancer. Material and Methods: This is a real-world, retrospective, bi-institutional, single-arm study aimed to assess the effectiveness and the safety of carbon ion RT (CIRT) in this setting. The co-first endpoints are 1-year and 2-year actuarial local control (LC) rates and the objective response rate (ORR) defined on a "per lesion" basis. The secondary endpoint was toxicity. Actuarial outcomes were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method while potential predictors were explored using the Log-rank test. Bi-variable logistic regression was employed in the analysis of factors predicting the complete response on a per-lesion basis. Results: 26 patients accounting for a total of 36 lesions underwent CIRT with a total median dose of 52.8 Gy[RBE] (range: 39-64 Gy[RBE]). Five patients received CIRT for re-irradiation. No concomitant systemic therapies were administered during CIRT. Within 12 months after the treatment, 17 lesions (47 %) achieved complete response while 18 (50 %) obtained a partial response with an ORR of 97 %. The achievement of a complete response is related to the dose per fraction (>4.2 Gy[RBE], p = 0.04) and total dose (>52,8 Gy[RBE], p = 0.05). The 1-year LC was 92 % and the 2-year LC was 83 %, according to the achievement of a CR (p = 0.007) and GTV ≤ 14 cm3 (p = 0.024). No grade > 3 toxicities were recorded both in naïve and re-irradiated patients. PARP-i and anti-VEGF seemed not to exacerbate the risk of severe toxicities. Conclusions: CIRT was effective and safe in MPR ovarian cancers, even in the case of re-irradiation. Largest cohort studies and longer follow-up are needed to confirm these data.

Future perspectives of radiation therapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma: Risk-adapted, response-adapted, and safer than before.

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma is a lymphoproliferative disease with a good prognosis mainly seen in young people. Nevertheless secondary malignancy, cardiac disease and infertility may affect the long survivors with significant impact on quality of life, morbidity and overall survival. In the last decades several treatment strategies were evaluated to reduce the toxicity of first line treatment such as avoiding radiotherapy or its reduction in terms of dosage and extension. Many trials including interim Positron Emission Tomography evaluation fail to compare efficacy between combined modality treatment versus chemotherapy alone in particular in early stage disease. In this review we analyze which subset of patients could take advantage from proton therapy in terms of toxicity and cost effectiveness.

The role of neutrophil-lymphocytes ratio (NLR) in the prognosis of CIN2+ 2 recurrence after excisional treatment.

OBJECTIVES: The main risk factor involved in CIN2+ recurrence after treatment is the HPV persistent infection. The dysregulation of the immune system permits only HR-HPVs to become persistent infections, to promote cancer development and to increase the risk of recurrence after treatment. Therefore, there is a shift to a Th2-type cytokine pattern during the carcinogenesis pathway; for this reason, the neutrophil-lymphocytes ratio (NLR) could be a marker of this immunological change. The study aims to analyse the predictive role of NLR in the recurrence of High-grade CIN (CIN2+) after excisional treatment in a real-world life setting of patients treated for CIN2+ Design: cross-sectional study Participants/Materials, Setting, Methods: We examined a retrospective database of 444 patients, who attended the Colposcopy Service of our Department from 2011 to 2020 due to an abnormal screening pap smear and we compared the clinical characteristics to NLR performed at the time of diagnosis. All analysed patients were treated according to an established protocol (colposcopy every 6 months for the first two years, and every year for the over three years,) and HPV-DNA test and cervical biopsy were performed at entry and the end of follow-up. All patients underwent a blood sample examination, including complete white blood cell counts and collecting neutrophil and lymphocyte values expressed as 103/ml. Results The sensitivity (SE) and specificity (SP) of the NLR cut-off point of 1.34 for the diagnosis of CIN2+ recurrence were 0.76 and 0.67, respectively. We found that CIN2+ recurrences were significantly higher in patients with NLR < 1.34 (3.7% vs. 0.6%, p = 0.033) and the 5-year recurrence-free survival was higher in patients with NLR ≥ 1.34 (97% vs. 93%, p=0.030). Limitations First, the retrospective analysis and low incidence of recurrence may limit the conclusions. Second, for the retrospective design of the study, we did not take into consideration the patient's comorbidities and habits (smoking), that may influence the NLR. On the other hand, the median duration of follow-up in our study was 26 months (IQR 22-31), which fully reflects the incidence of recurrences. Conclusions It is well known that CIN2+ lesions are sustained by deregulation of the immune system caused by persistent HPV infection, which may lead to cervical cancer. Among the actors underlying dysregulation of immunity, lymphocytes are involved in the permission of persistent infection and for this reason, NRL could be a reliable and cost-effective biomarker in predicting the risk of recurrence, especially for high-grade cervical lesions.

Is motherhood still possible after pelvic carbon ion radiotherapy? A promising combined fertility-preservation approach.

INTRODUCTION: Preserving the endocrine and reproductive function in young female cancer patients undergoing pelvic radiation is a significant challenge. While the photon beam radiation's adverse effects on the uterus and ovaries are well established, the impact of pelvic carbon ion radiotherapy on women's reproductive function is largely unexplored. Strategies such as oocyte cryopreservation and ovarian transposition are commonly recommended for safeguarding future fertility. METHODS: This study presents a pioneering case of successful pregnancy after carbon ion radiotherapy for locally advanced sacral chondrosarcoma. RESULTS: A multidisciplinary approach facilitated the displacement of ovaries and uterus before carbon ion radiotherapy, resulting in the preservation of endocrine and reproductive function. CONCLUSION: The patient achieved optimal oncological response and delivered a healthy infant following the completion of cancer treatment.

Primary neuroendocrine neoplasms of the vulva: A review of the MITO rare cancer group.

Gynecological neuroendocrine neoplasms are rare entities and can be divided into two groups: carcinoids and neuroendocrine carcinomas. Due to their rarity their management is not standardized. The aim of this work is to summarize and discuss the current literature evidence on this pathology. A scoping literature review was performed in multiple databases. Thirty-one studies were included: 30 case reports and one case series. Patients' age ranged between 28 and 92 years. Surgery was the most used treatment and the surgical approach included local excision (N = 16/31; 51.6%) with (N = 5/16; 31.25%) or without (N = 11/16; 68.75%) inguinal lymphadenectomy. Adjuvant radiotherapy was delivered in 12 (38.7%) cases; instead, platinum-based therapies were frequently used when chemotherapy was chosen for adjuvant treatment. The overall survival ranged between 20 days to 4 years. However, further research is needed; currently, multimodal approach including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy appeared safe and feasible for the treatment of these rare and aggressive diseases.

The Role of Carbon Ion Therapy in the Changing Oncology Landscape-A Narrative Review of the Literature and the Decade of Carbon Ion Experience at the Italian National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy.

BACKGROUND: Currently, 13 Asian and European facilities deliver carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) for preclinical and clinical activity, and, to date, 55 clinical studies including CIRT for adult and paediatric solid neoplasms have been registered. The National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO) is the only Italian facility able to accelerate both protons and carbon ions for oncological treatment and research. METHODS: To summarise and critically evaluate state-of-the-art knowledge on the application of carbon ion radiotherapy in oncological settings, the authors conducted a literature search till December 2022 in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane. The results of 68 studies are reported using a narrative approach, highlighting CNAO's clinical activity over the last 10 years of CIRT. RESULTS: The ballistic and radiobiological hallmarks of CIRT make it an effective option in several rare, radioresistant, and difficult-to-treat tumours. CNAO has made a significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge on CIRT delivery in selected tumour types. CONCLUSIONS: After an initial ramp-up period, CNAO has progressively honed its clinical, technical, and dosimetric skills. Growing engagement with national and international networks and research groups for complex cancers has led to increasingly targeted patient selection for CIRT and lowered barriers to facility access.

Radiation Therapy for Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia: Forward-Looking Lessons Learnt.

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) includes several rare malignant diseases occurring after pregnancy: invasive moles, choriocarcinoma, placental site trophoblastic tumours, and epithelioid trophoblastic tumours. Multidisciplinary protocols including multi-agent chemotherapy, surgery, and occasionally radiotherapy achieve good outcomes for some high-risk metastatic patients. In this narrative review of the published studies on the topic, we have tried to identify the role of radiotherapy. The available studies are mainly small, old, and retrospective, with incomplete data regarding radiotherapy protocols delivering low doses (which can make this disease appear radioresistant in some cases despite high response rates with palliative doses) to wide fields (whole-brain, whole-liver, etc.), which can increase toxicity. Studies considering modern techniques are needed to overcome these limitations and determine the full potential of radiotherapy beyond its antihemorrhagic and palliative roles.

In Vitro Effects of Photon Beam and Carbon Ion Radiotherapy on the Perineural Invasion of Two Cell Lines of Neurotropic Tumours.

Primary mucosal melanoma (PMM) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are two aggressive malignancies, characterized by intrinsic radio-chemoresistance and neurotropism, a histological feature resulting in frequent perineural invasion (PNI), supported by neurotrophic factors secreted in the tumour microenvironment (TME), such as neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). Carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) could represent an effective option in unresectable PMM and PDAC. Only a few data about the effects of CIRT on PNI in relation to NT-3 are available in the literature, despite the numerous pieces of evidence revealing the peculiar effects of this type of radiation on tumour cell migration. This in vitro study investigated for the first time the response of PMM and PDAC cells to NT-3 and evaluated the effects of conventional photon beam radiotherapy (XRT) and CIRT on cell viability, proliferation, and migration. Our results demonstrated the greater capacity of C-ions to generally decrease cell viability, proliferation, and migration, while the addition of NT-3 after both types of irradiation determined an increase in these features, maintaining a dose-dependent trend and acting more effectively as a chemoattractant than inductor in the case of migration.

Vulvar Paget's Disease: A Systematic Review of the MITO Rare Cancer Group.

Vulvar Paget's disease (VPD) is a rare form of cutaneous adenocarcinoma of the vulva, which accounts for about 1-2% of all vulvar neoplasms and mainly affects post-menopausal women. The clinical presentation is usually non-specific and mimics chronic erythematous skin lesions; therefore, the diagnosis is often difficult and delayed. Although VPD is typically diagnosed at a locally advanced stage and has a high recurrence rate, the prognosis is overall favorable with a 5-year survival of nearly 90%. Due to the limited and poor-quality evidence, there is no global consensus on optimal management. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of the literature through the main electronic databases to deepen the current knowledge of this rare disease and discuss the available treatment strategies. Wide surgical excision is recommended as the standard-of-care treatment and should be tailored to the tumor position/extension and the patient's performance status. The goal is to completely remove the tumor and achieve clear margins, thus reducing the rate of local recurrences. Non-surgical treatments, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and topical approaches, can be considered, especially in the case of unresectable and recurrent disease. In the absence of clear recommendations, the decision-making process should be individualized, also considering the new emerging molecular targets, such as HER2 and PD-L1, which might pave the way for future targeted therapies. The current review aims to raise awareness of this rare disease and encourage international collaboration to collect larger-scale, high-quality evidence and standardize treatment.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors and Carbon iON radiotherapy In solid Cancers with stable disease (ICONIC).

ICONIC is a multicenter, open-label, nonrandomized phase II clinical trial aiming to assess the feasibility and clinical activity of the addition of carbon ion radiotherapy to immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients who have obtained disease stability with pembrolizumab administered as per standard-of-care. The primary end point is objective response rate, and the secondary end points are safety, survival and disease control rate. Translational research is an exploratory aim. The planned sample size is 27 patients. The study combination will be considered worth investigating if at least four objective responses are observed. If the null hypothesis is rejected, ICONIC will be the first proof of concept of the feasibility and clinical activity of the addition of carbon ion radiotherapy to immune checkpoint inhibitors in oncology.

ICONIC is a multicenter, open-label, nonrandomized, phase II clinical trial aiming to evaluate the feasibility and clinical activity of the addition of carbon ion radiotherapy to immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients who have obtained disease stability with pembrolizumab administered as per standard-of-care. Considering that no clinical trials have been conducted thus far to assess the safety of the association between immune checkpoint inhibitors and carbon ion radiotherapy, the current clinical study will provide controlled data about the safety of this unprecedented therapeutic combination. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT05229614 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Synthetic CT in Carbon Ion Radiotherapy of the Abdominal Site.

The generation of synthetic CT for carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) applications is challenging, since high accuracy is required in treatment planning and delivery, especially in an anatomical site as complex as the abdomen. Thirty-nine abdominal MRI-CT volume pairs were collected and a three-channel cGAN (accounting for air, bones, soft tissues) was used to generate sCTs. The network was tested on five held-out MRI volumes for two scenarios: (i) a CT-based segmentation of the MRI channels, to assess the quality of sCTs and (ii) an MRI manual segmentation, to simulate an MRI-only treatment scenario. The sCTs were evaluated by means of similarity metrics (e.g., mean absolute error, MAE) and geometrical criteria (e.g., dice coefficient). Recalculated CIRT plans were evaluated through dose volume histogram, gamma analysis and range shift analysis. The CT-based test set presented optimal MAE on bones (86.03 ± 10.76 HU), soft tissues (55.39 ± 3.41 HU) and air (54.42 ± 11.48 HU). Higher values were obtained from the MRI-only test set (MAEBONE = 154.87 ± 22.90 HU). The global gamma pass rate reached 94.88 ± 4.9% with 3%/3 mm, while the range shift reached a median (IQR) of 0.98 (3.64) mm. The three-channel cGAN can generate acceptable abdominal sCTs and allow for CIRT dose recalculations comparable to the clinical plans.

Granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) of the ovary: What is the role of radiotherapy?

Granulosa cell tumors of the ovary have an indolent behavior and a good prognosis, but a high incidence of local recurrence after surgery. The best treatment in the recurrent setting is unclear and randomized clinical trials on the management in the recurrent setting are lacking. The role of radiotherapy is controversial in adjuvant settings and unknown in case of relapse after surgery. This review aims to summarize the level of evidence of the role of radiation treatments for granulosa cell tumors of the ovary.

The Normal, the Radiosensitive, and the Ataxic in the Era of Precision Radiotherapy: A Narrative Review.

(1) Background: radiotherapy is a cornerstone of cancer treatment. When delivering a tumoricidal dose, the risk of severe late toxicities is usually kept below 5% using dose-volume constraints. However, individual radiation sensitivity (iRS) is responsible (with other technical factors) for unexpected toxicities after exposure to a dose that induces no toxicity in the general population. Diagnosing iRS before radiotherapy could avoid unnecessary toxicities in patients with a grossly normal phenotype. Thus, we reviewed iRS diagnostic data and their impact on decision-making processes and the RT workflow; (2) Methods: following a description of radiation toxicities, we conducted a critical review of the current state of the knowledge on individual determinants of cellular/tissue radiation; (3) Results: tremendous advances in technology now allow minimally-invasive genomic, epigenetic and functional testing and a better understanding of iRS. Ongoing large translational studies implement various tests and enriched NTCP models designed to improve the prediction of toxicities. iRS testing could better support informed radiotherapy decisions for individuals with a normal phenotype who experience unusual toxicities. Ethics of medical decisions with an accurate prediction of personalized radiotherapy's risk/benefits and its health economics impact are at stake; (4) Conclusions: iRS testing represents a critical unmet need to design personalized radiotherapy protocols relying on extended NTCP models integrating iRS.

Gynecological radio-induced secondary malignancy after a gynecological primary tumor: a rare entity and a challenge for oncologists.

The management of radiation-induced secondary malignancies in the female genital tract after pelvic radiation treatment for a primary gynecological tumor is a challenge for multidisciplinary teams that follow survivors. Considering the lack of data on the incidence of this disease and the absence of guidelines for its management, in this review, the available literature is analyzed to determine the characteristics and the clinical management of gynecological radiation-induced secondary malignancies. Gynecological radiation-induced secondary malignancies were found to be predominantly more aggressive, poorly differentiated, and had rare histologic types compared with sporadic tumors. The management is influenced by previous radiation doses and the localization of the radiation-induced secondary malignancies. Surgery, when feasible, was the cornerstone; re-irradiation was an option when a surgical approach was not feasible and high-dose conformal techniques should be preferred considering the need to spare previously irradiated surrounding normal tissues. Clinical outcomes, when reported, were poor in terms of local control and survival. Given the difficulty in managing these uncommon malignancies, a centralization of care in sites that are connected to research networks actively partaking in international discussions and with higher expertise in complicated surgery or radiotherapy should be considered to improve clinical outcomes.

Exploring the role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and blood chemistry in head and neck adenoid cystic carcinomas treated with carbon ion radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In recent years, there is an emerging interest in the prognostic role of chemistry blood biomarkers in oncological patients but their role in adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACCs) is still unknown. This study aims to assess the prognostic significance of baseline neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and blood chemistry in a series of head and neck ACC patients treated with carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively retrieved the data of 49 consecutive head and neck ACC patients treated with CIRT. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression (Cox-ph) analyses were performed to look for a potential association of NLR, and other blood biomarker values, with disease-free survival (DFS), Local Control (LC), Metastasis Free Survival (MFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: No significant association between NLR > 2,5 and DFS, LC, MFS and OS was found with univariable analysis although a trend was reported for DFS (Hazard ratio [HR]: 2,10, 95 % CI: 0,85 - 5,08, p-value = 0,11). Patients with hemoglobin (hb) ≤ 14 g/dL showed significantly better DFS, MFS and OS. Multivariable regression Cox-ph analysis for DFS, adjusted for margin status, clinical target volume and Absolute Number of Monocytes, reported the following statistically significant HRs, for both NLR > 2,5 and hb > 14 g/dL respectively: 4,850 (95 % CI = 1,408 - 16,701, p = 0,012) and 3,032 (95 % CI = 1,095 - 8,393, p = 0,033). Moreover, hb > 14 with HR = 3,69 (95 % CI: 1,23 - 11,07, p-value = 0,02), was a negative independent prognostic predictor for MFS. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-treatment NLR and hb values seem to be independent prognostic predictor for clinical outcomes in head and neck ACC patients. If their role will be validated in a larger prospective cohort, they might be worthwhile for a pre-treatment risk stratification in patients treated with CIRT.

Factors released by low and high-LET irradiated fibroblasts modulate migration and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells.

Introduction: Radiotherapy represents a major treatment option for patients with pancreatic cancer, however, its benefits remain limited also due to the ability of cancer cells to migrate to the surrounding tissues. Low-LET ionizing radiation is well known to promote tumor cell migration and invasion, nevertheless, little data provided by studies using high-LET radiation has led to ambiguous findings. What is hypothesized to be fundamental in the modulation of migration of tumor cells exposed to ionizing radiation is the influence of the microenvironment. Therefore, the properties of cells that populate the tumor stroma cannot be ignored when studying the influence of radiation on the migratory and invasive capacity of cancer cells. This is especially important in the case of pancreatic malignancies that are characterized by an abundance of stromal cells, including cancer-associated fibroblasts, which are known to orchestrate the cross-talk with tumor cells. Aim: The current study aims to investigate whether the presence of factors released by irradiated fibroblasts affects the migratory and invasive capacity of pancreatic cancer cells exposed to different doses of photons or C-ions. Materials and methods: AsPC-1 and AG01522 cells were irradiated with the same dose of photons or C-ions at room temperature. Through Boyden chamber assay, we tested whether factors secreted by irradiated fibroblasts may influence tumor cell migration, while the invasiveness of AsPC-1 cells was assessed using matrigel precoated inserts in which medium collected from non-irradiated (0 Gy), photon and C-ion irradiated fibroblasts, was added. Data were analyzed by Student t-test using GraphPad software. The mean ± s.d. was determined with a significance level of p<0.05. Results: In the presence of conditioned medium collected from 1 Gy and 2 Gy photon irradiated fibroblasts, the number of migrated tumor cells increased (P<0.0360, P<0.0001) but decreased at 4 Gy dose (P<0.002). There was a trend of reduction in migration (P<0.0460, P<0.038, P<0.0024, P<0.0002), as well as a decrease in invasiveness (P<0.0525, P<0.0035, P<0.0868, P<0.0310) after exposure to 0.5 Gy, 1 Gy, 2 Gy and 4 Gy of C-ions. Conclusions: The presence of irradiated fibroblasts affected the invasiveness capability of pancreatic cancer cells, probably by the reciprocal release of soluble factors whose production is differently modulated after high or low-LET radiation. Understanding the effects of irradiation on the metastatic potential of pancreatic cancer cells is of utmost importance for improving the outcome and tailoring the therapeutic approach. This challenging scenario requires a continuous and multidisciplinary approach that involves clinicians together with researcher experts in oncological and radiation treatment. In the last years, including preclinical experiences in a multidisciplinary approach has proved to be a winning strategy in clinical oncological research.

The role of multiple anatomical scenarios in plan optimization for carbon ion radiotherapy of pancreatic cancer.

PURPOSE /OBJECTIVE: To quantify benefits of robust optimization on multiple 4DCT acquisitions combined with off-line treatment adaptation for neoadjuvant carbon ion therapy (CIRT) of pancreatic cancer. MATERIAL/METHODS: For 10 previously treated patients, 4DCTs were acquired around -15 (CTPlan), -5 (RE1), -1 (RE2) and +6 (RE3) days from RT start. Treatment plans were newly optimized to a dose prescription of 38.4 Gy(RBE) (8 fractions) with a constraint of 38 Gy(RBE) to 1% of the gastrointestinal organs at risk volume (D1%). Three strategies were tested: (A) robust optimization on CTPlan maximum exhale (0Ex) with 3 mm set-up, 3% range uncertainty, including 30%-inhale; (B) addition of the RE1-0Ex scenario; (C) plan recalculation at each REi and adaptation (RPi) according to deviation thresholds from clinical goals. The cumulative variation of target coverage and GI-OARs doses was evaluated. Duodenum contours of all 4DCTs of each patient were registered on CTPlan-0Ex. The capacity of pre-RT acquisitions to predict duodenum position was investigated by computing the intersection of contours at CTplan, RE1, or their union, with respect to subsequent 4DCTs and the CTV, coupled with increasing margin. RESULTS: (A) No recalculation exceeded the D1% constraint. (B) The inclusion of RE1-0Ex in the optimization problem improved inter-fraction robustness on a patient-specific basis, but was non-significant on average. (C) Half of the plans would be re-optimized to recover target coverage and/or minimize duodenum dose, at least once. A significant difference was observed between pre-RT duodenum contours when intersecting subsequent contours, either with a margin expansion. CONCLUSION: Anatomical variations highlighted at multiple REi proved that a fast and efficient online adaptation is essential to optimize treatment quality of CIRT for pancreatic cancer.

The impact of particle radiotherapy on the functioning of cardiac implantable electronic devices: a systematic review of in vitro and in vivo studies according to PICO criteria.

The number of oncological patients who may benefit from proton beam radiotherapy (PBT) or carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT), overall referred to as particle radiotherapy (RT), is expected to strongly increase in the next future, as well as the number of cardiological patients requiring cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). The management of patients with a CIED requiring particle RT deserves peculiar attention compared to those undergoing conventional photon beam RT, mostly due to the potential generation of secondary neutrons by particle beams interactions. Current consensus documents recommend managing these patients as being at intermediate/high risk of RT-induced device malfunctioning regardless of the dose on the CIED and the beam delivery method used, despite the last one significantly affects secondary neutrons generation (very limited neutrons production with active scanning as opposed to the passive scattering technique). The key issues for the current review were expressed in four questions according to the Population, Intervention, Control, Outcome criteria. Three in vitro and five in vivo studies were included. Based on the available data, PBT and CIRT with active scanning have a limited potential to interfere with CIED that has only emerged from in vitro study so far, while a significant potential for neutron-related, not severe, CIED malfunctions (resets) was consistently reported in both clinical and in vitro studies with passive scattering.

Role of diffusion-weighted MRI in recurrent rectal cancer treated with carbon ion radiotherapy.

Aim: To evaluate the association between pretreatment diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) and 12-month radiological response in locally recurrent rectal cancer treated with carbon ion radiotherapy. Methods: Histogram analysis was performed on pretreatment DW-MRI for patients re-irradiated with carbon ion radiotherapy for local recurrence of rectal cancer. Results: A total of 17 patients were enrolled in the study. Pretreatment DW-MRI b-value of 1000 s/mm2 (b1000) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) lesion median values for 1-year nonresponders (six patients) and responders (11 patients) demonstrated a median (interquartile of median values) of 62.5 (23.9) and 34.0 (13.0) and 953.0 (277.0) and 942.5 (339.0) µm2/s, respectively. All b1000 histogram features (h-features) and ADC h-kurtosis showed statistically significant differences, whereas only b1000 h-median, b1000 h-interquartile range and ADC h-kurtosis demonstrated remarkable diagnostic accuracy. Conclusion: DW-MRI showed promising results in predicting carbon ion radiotherapy outcome in local recurrence of rectal cancer, particularly with regard to b1000 h-median, b1000 h-interquartile range and ADC h-kurtosis.

Carbon ion radiotherapy is a form of advanced radiotherapy that is especially suitable for radioresistant and/or difficult-to-irradiate tumors. In case of recurrence of rectal cancer after pelvic photon beam radiotherapy, carbon ion radiotherapy may be an option. In this study, the authors looked at the potential role of specific MRI sequences performed before treatment to predict response to carbon ion radiotherapy. If confirmed in a larger prospective cohort, the findings of this study may drive clinical decisions toward a more tumor- and patient-tailored therapeutic approach.