Can dysphagia aspiration related structures (DARS) be spared in patients with oropharyngeal cancers? Dosimetric evaluation in a prospective study of DARS optimized intensity modulated radiation therapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of sparing the dysphagia-aspiration-related structures (DARS) in various head and neck cancer sites treated with definitive DARS-optimized intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and concurrent chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Target volumes, organs at risk, and in addition, individual DARS were delineated, including the superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles, supraglottic and glottic larynx, the base of the tongue, esophageal inlet muscles and cervical esophagus in 35 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Volume-based dose constraints were applied to the DARS outside the planning target volume (PTV). An IMRT plan was then generated to limit doses to DARS without compromising PTV dose coverage. RESULTS: Twelve (34.3%) patients had an oropharyngeal primary (OPX), 18 (51.4%) had a laryngeal, and 5 (14.3%) patients had hypopharyngeal primary. The mean dose to the DARS was 47.93 Gy for the entire group, while it was 54.6 Gy in oropharyngeal primaries and 44.4 Gy in laryngopharyngeal primaries. DARS mean dose of ≤45 Gy could be achieved in a significantly lesser number of patients with oropharyngeal primaries (P < 0.02). Similarly, DARS mean dose was 42.25 Gy in patients with N0 disease, 49.6 Gy with ipsilateral involved nodes, and 55 Gy with bilateral disease. Sparing of DARS was feasible when the volume of PTV was ≤150 cc (P < 0.025). CONCLUSION: Sparing of DARS structures appears to be challenging in patients with oropharyngeal cancers without compromising the dose to the PTVs while it is feasible in laryngopharyngeal cancers. DARS sparing is feasible when the PTV volume is < 150 cc and in patients with negative or unilateral nodal disease.

Outcomes of De Novo Oligometastatic Breast Cancer Treated With Surgery of Primary and Metastasis Directed Radiotherapy.

OBJECTIVES: With sensitive imaging for breast cancer, the question arises whether present-day oncologists treat dOMBC with palliative systemic therapy (ST), which, a few years earlier, would have been treated with curative intent. We retrospectively analyzed outcomes of dOMBC treated with curative intent using a combination of surgery, metastasis-directed radiotherapy (RT), and adjuvant/neoadjuvant ST and have also explored the possible role of total lesional glycolysis of metastases and p53 immunohistochemistry in predicting outcomes. METHODS: Data were collected from a prospectively maintained database using electronic medical records and Radiation Oncology Information System. In the study, dOMBC was defined as up to 3 metastatic sites, all amenable to treatment with ablative RT and primary and axillary disease amenable to curative surgery. Patients were treated with surgery, ST, and RT. RESULTS: Patients underwent either breast conservation surgery or modified radical mastectomy. Patients were treated with 6 to 8 cycles of chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant setting. Hormone receptor-positive patients received either tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors. Trastuzumab was offered to Her-2-neu receptor-positive patients. RT included locoregional RT and metastases-directed ablative body RT. The median progression-free survival was 39 months (95% CI: -28.7 to 50.1 mo). Two and 3 year estimated disease-free survival (DFS) was 79% and 60.5%, respectively. The median overall survival was not reached. The estimated 3-year overall survival was 87.3%. Total lesional glycolysis of metastases score and p53 status did not affect DFS. CONCLUSION: Combination treatment of surgery, metastases-directed ablative RT, and ST may provide prolonged DFS in dOMBC.

Is FAST FORWARD the Way Forward in Radiotherapy for Locally Advanced Breast Cancer - Learnings From the COVID Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: Low middle-income countries (LMICs), including India, have paucity of external beam radiotherapy (RT) machines leading to prolonged wait times for RT. Delay in delivery of RT has been shown to adversely affect outcomes in locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). With the availability of results of multiple randomized controlled trials, hypofractionated RT delivered over 3 to 4 weeks became the standard of care in breast cancer RT. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective audit of 172 LABC patients treated with ultrahypofractionated adjuvant RT (radiotherapy completed in 1 week) during the COVID pandemic. Log rank and Cox-regression model used for univariate and multi-variate analyses. RESULTS: No patient developed grade 3 esophagitis. Grade 2 esophagitis requiring short term narcotic analgesics was seen in 12 (6.9%) patients. Grade 2 or higher toxicity peaked between 2 and 3 weeks after RT. The estimated 2 and 3- year recurrence free survival (RFS) for the cohort is 87.1 % and 81.4 %, respectively. The estimated 2 and 3-year overall survival for the cohort is 95% and 91.3%. On multivariate analysis, presence of extra-nodal extension was found to be an independent factor associated with worse RFS (P = .028). CONCLUSIONS: FAST FORWARD protocol RT in LABC appears well tolerated.

Sigmoid dose accumulation and reporting for multifractionated brachytherapy for cervical cancer: Methodological development of sigmoid points through virtual endoscopic method.

PURPOSE: The sigmoid is an important organ at risk for gynecological brachytherapy (BT). However, the reliability of localization of high-dose regions during multi-fractionated treatment is limited. This work reports the methodological development of sigmoid points to summate multi-fractionated doses. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Ten paired MRI data sets of ring-based intracavitary brachytherapy were obtained. Simulating a virtual endoscope, a reference line was created along the central axis of the anorectosigmoid for each implant. A trendline was generated, and linear dose was determined. Three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of high-dose regions were identified, and overlap was determined. In the next step, 3D coordinates of high-dose sigmoid points were localized in reference to cervical os and re-verified for location in reference to sigmoid lumen and corroboration with 2cc doses. With minor modifications, sigmoid points were proposed. RESULTS: In 6 of 10 patients, high-dose regions co-localized in subsequent fractions of BT. Three high-dose regions were identified along the sigmoid length and proposed as sigmoid points in reference to cervical os. (S1'= 0.5 cm right, 1.5 cm posterior, and 2.4 cm cranial; S2' = 0.3 cm anterior and 4.5 cm cranial; S3' = 2.7 cm left, 3 cm anterior, and 3.6 cm cranial to the cervical os). S1' and S2' were located in the sigmoid in 70% and 60% of data sets. The mean difference between D2cc and S1'/S2' was 0.30 Gy and 1.06 Gy respectively. S3' had limited corroboration to sigmoid lumen or 2 cc doses. The points S1' and S2' were further modified (minor) for applicability and proposed as sigmoid points 1 and 2 (SP1 0.5 right,1.5 posterior and 2.5 cm cranial to cervical os and SP2 (0.5 cm anterior and 4.5 cm cranial to cervical os)). CONCLUSION: SP1 and SP 2 are proposed as a surrogate for 2 cc sigmoid doses and may provide a method of reliable inter-fraction dose summation. This pilot work requires further validation.

Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Gynecological Cancer Radiation During Complete Nationwide Lockdown: Observations and Reflections From Tertiary Care Institute in India.

PURPOSE: To report real-world compliance to radiation in gynecologic cancers during the complete lockdown phase of COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS AND MATERIALS: From March 23, 2020, until June 30, 2020, complete lockdown was imposed in India. During this period there was restructuring of cancer care and radiation oncology department due to operational policies prevalent in the institution, and the care for gynecological cancer was based on the evolving international recommendations. Institutional review board approval was obtained to audit patterns of care during the complete lockdown phase. Descriptive variables were used to report on patient characteristics, compliance, delays, toxicity, and observed deviations in recommended care. RESULTS: During the lockdown period spanning 100 days, treatment of 270 and telephonic follow-up of 1103 patients with gynecological cancer was undertaken. Of 270 new patients, due to travel restrictions, 90 patients were referred to the facilities in vicinity of their residence. Of the remaining 180 patients, 138 were planned for complete treatment at our institution and 42 were referred to our center for brachytherapy. Of 138 patients, only 106 (76%) completed the planned external radiation. Twenty-four (26%) patients completed full course of concurrent chemotherapy, 11 (12%) received chemotherapy dose reduction, and 57 (62%) received no concurrent chemotherapy. Treatment delay of up to 3 weeks was noted in 8.6% patients due to COVID-19 infection. No grade 4 to 5 acute sequelae were observed. No excess adverse effects were observed in high-risk population. Low rate of symptom burden was observed among 1103 patients on telephonic follow-up. With 100 (9.6%) patients reporting symptoms, among these, 54% (54 of 100) had complete resolution of symptoms within 4 weeks of teleconsultation, and 10% had disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: Low compliance with planned treatment was observed for radiation and concurrent chemotherapy due to lockdown and fear of contracting COVID-19 and will likely lead to increased risk of cancer-related mortality. Rapid restructuring of care is needed to prevent the same as COVID-19 pandemic further evolves.