ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine if change in stage after neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CRT) was associated with improved survival in esophageal cancer using a national database. METHODS: Using the National Cancer Database, patients with non-metastatic, resectable esophageal cancer who received neoadjuvant CRT and surgery were identified. Comparing clinical to the pathologic stage, change in stage was classified as pathologic complete response (pCR), downstaged, same-staged, or upstaged. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were used to identify factors associated with survival. RESULTS: A total of 7745 patients were identified. The median overall survival (OS) was 34.9 months. Median OS was 60.3 months if pCR, 39.1 months if downstaged, 28.3 months if same-staged, and 23.4 months if upstaged (p < 0.0001). On multivariable analysis, pCR was associated with improved OS compared to the other groups (downstaged: hazard ratio [HR]: 1.32 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18-1.46]; same-staged: HR: 1.89 [95% CI: 1.68-2.13]; upstaged: HR: 2.54 [95% CI: 2.25-2.86]; all p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In this large database study, change in stage after neoadjuvant CRT was strongly associated with survival for patients with non-metastatic, resectable esophageal cancer. There was a significant stepwise decline in survival, in descending order of pCR, downstaged tumor, same-staged tumor, and upstaged tumor.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , Esophageal Neoplasms , Humans , Neoadjuvant Therapy , Adenocarcinoma/pathology , Esophagectomy , Esophageal Neoplasms/pathology , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Retrospective Studies , Neoplasm StagingABSTRACT
At our institution, students can be mentored by radiation oncology faculty through structured research programs, such as the Medical Student Summer Research Program (MSSRP). The purpose of this study is to report the research productivity of students who engaged in radiation oncology research mentorship, whether through the MSSRP or other avenues of research mentorship. We compiled a database of abstracts and manuscripts co-authored by 58 students who conducted research with radiation oncology faculty from 2005 to 2020. The means, medians, ranges, and interquartile ranges (IQR) of co-authorships and first authorships were calculated for the overall cohort and compared for MSSRP and non-MSSRP students, who matched into radiation oncology and those who did not, and male versus female students. Among all 58 students, 106 abstracts and 70 manuscripts were identified. Of those students, 54 (93.1%) published at least one abstract or manuscript. The mean number of abstract co-authorships per student was 3.07 (median 2, range 0-25, IQR 0-4), and the mean number of manuscript co-authorships per student was 2.22 (median 1, range 0-18, IQR 1-3). There were no significant differences in research output between MSSRP and non-MSSRP students or male and female students. However, the students who matched into radiation oncology published more co-author (3.67 vs. 1.63, p = 0.01) and first-author (1.62 vs. 0.53, p = 0.006) manuscripts than those who did not. Further research is warranted to assess whether skills gained from student-directed research translate into residency and beyond.
Subject(s)
Internship and Residency , Radiation Oncology , Students, Medical , Humans , Male , Female , Mentors , FacultyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To identify patient factors associated with not receiving a recommendation for adjuvant chemotherapy after primary surgery for ovarian cancer. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used the National Cancer Database (NCDB) data from 2004 to 2015 to identify patients with stage II-III ovarian cancer who underwent primary surgery. Multivariate logistic regression analyses evaluated factors associated with notation in the NCDB that "chemotherapy was not recommended/administered because it was contraindicated due to patient risk factors (i.e., comorbid conditions, advanced age)." Survival data were assessed via Kaplan-Meier analyses. RESULTS: Of the 48,245 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 522 (1.08%) did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy because it was determined to be contraindicated. In multivariate analyses, independent predictors for not receiving a recommendation for adjuvant chemotherapy were age ≥ 70 years old (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 2.43, p < 0.0001), non-zero Charlson-Deyo comorbidity scores (score 1, aOR = 1.41, p = 0.002; score ≥ 2, aOR = 2.57, p < 0.0001), and Black race (aOR = 2.12, p < 0.0001). For Black patients, recommendation against adjuvant chemotherapy occurred at a younger median age (64.5 years vs. 72 years) and was associated with lower 5-year survival (25.9% vs. 40.3%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ovarian cancer who underwent surgery but did not receive chemotherapy "because it was contraindicated due to patient risk factors" were older and had higher comorbidity scores. Even after controlling for these differences, Black patients were disproportionately not recommended for chemotherapy, which was associated with worse survival. Determining eligibility for adjuvant chemotherapy requires an individualized approach, and the possible influence of racial bias on risk estimation should be further investigated.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Chemotherapy, Adjuvant , Healthcare Disparities , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Ovarian Neoplasms/drug therapy , Adult , Aged , Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage , Databases, Factual , Ethnicity , Female , Humans , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Ovarian Neoplasms/ethnology , Ovarian Neoplasms/mortality , Ovarian Neoplasms/pathology , United StatesABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of hospital safety-net burden and social demographics on the overall survival of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 48,176 oral cancer patients diagnosed between the years 2004 to 2015 from the National Cancer Database and categorized treatment facilities as no, low, or high safety-net burden hospitals based on the percentage of uninsured or Medicaid patients treated. Using the Kaplan Meier method and multivariate analysis, we examined the effect of hospital safety-net burden, sociodemographic variables, and clinical factors on overall survival. RESULTS: Of the 1269 treatment facilities assessed, the median percentage of uninsured/Medicaid patients treated was 0% at no, 11.6% at low, and 23.5% at high safety-net burden hospitals and median survival was 68.6, 74.8, and 55.0 months, respectively (p < 0.0001). High safety-net burden hospitals treated more non-white populations (15.4%), lower median household income (<$30,000) (23.2%), and advanced stage cancers (AJCC III/IV) (54.6%). Patients treated at low (aHR = 0.97; 95% CI = 0.91-1.04, p = 0.405) and high (aHR = 1.05; 95% CI = 0.98-1.13, p = 0.175) safety-net burden hospitals did not experience worse survival outcomes compared to patients treated at no safety-net burden hospitals. CONCLUSION: High safety-net burden hospitals treated more oral cancer patients of lower socioeconomic status and advanced disease. Multivariate analysis showed high safety-net burden hospitals achieved comparable patient survival to lower burden hospitals.
Subject(s)
Mouth Neoplasms , Safety-net Providers , Hospitals , Humans , Medicaid , Medically Uninsured , Mouth Neoplasms/therapy , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the utility of deep learning analysis using pretreatment FDG-PET images to predict local treatment outcome in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients. METHODS: One hundred fifty-four OPSCC patients who received pretreatment FDG-PET were included and divided into training (n = 102) and test (n = 52) sets. The diagnosis of local failure and local progression-free survival (PFS) rates were obtained from patient medical records. In deep learning analyses, axial and coronal images were assessed by three different architectures (AlexNet, GoogLeNET, and ResNet). In the training set, FDG-PET images were analyzed after the data augmentation process for the diagnostic model creation. A multivariate clinical model was also created using a binomial logistic regression model from a patient's clinical characteristics. The test data set was subsequently analyzed for confirmation of diagnostic accuracy. Assessment of local PFS rates was also performed. RESULTS: Training sessions were successfully performed with an accuracy of 74-89%. ROC curve analyses revealed an AUC of 0.61-0.85 by the deep learning model in the test set, whereas it was 0.62 by T-stage, 0.59 by clinical stage, and 0.74 by a multivariate clinical model. The highest AUC (0.85) was obtained with deep learning analysis of ResNet architecture. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed deep learning-based classification by a multivariate clinical model (P < .05), and ResNet (P < .001) was a significant predictor of the treatment outcome. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the deep learning-based classification divided the patient's local PFS rate better than the T-stage, clinical stage, and a multivariate clinical model. CONCLUSIONS: Deep learning-based diagnostic model with FDG-PET images indicated its possibility to predict local treatment outcomes in OPSCCs.
Subject(s)
Deep Learning , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Positron-Emission Tomography , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/diagnosis , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Biomarkers, Tumor , Clinical Decision-Making , Combined Modality Therapy , Disease Management , Female , Humans , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/etiology , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/mortality , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/therapy , Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography , Positron-Emission Tomography/methods , Prognosis , ROC Curve , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/etiology , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/mortality , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/therapy , Treatment Outcome , WorkflowABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To evaluate demographic, clinicopathological, treatment factors including biological effective radiation dose (BED) that influence overall survival in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). METHODS: Between 2004 and 2015, 591 SBRT-treated HNC patients were identified from the National Cancer Data Base. A BED using an alpha/beta ratio of 10 (BED10), was used to compare dose fractionation of different SBRT regimens. Overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan Meier method, and log-rank tests were used to determine statistical significance. Cox regression modeling was used to compute crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Median follow-up was 11.9 (interquartile range, 5.5 to 26.7) months. The 5-year overall survival rate was 15.5%. On multivariate analysis, older age, Charlson-Deyo comorbidity score ≥ 1, history of cancer, tumor, nodal and metastatic stage, and receiving treatment at academic/research program were associated with poor survival. Compared to SBRT alone, superior survival was observed with SBRT with chemotherapy, surgery with SBRT, but not surgery with SBRT and chemotherapy. Improved survival was observed with aa BED10 of ≥59.5 Gy (adjusted HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.46-0.70, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Factors affecting associated with worse survival in HNC patients treated with SBRT included older age, patient comorbidities, advanced tumor stage, cancer history, and lower biological effective SBRT dose. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2b (individual cohort study).
Subject(s)
Data Analysis , Databases, Factual , Head and Neck Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Radiosurgery/methods , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Dose Fractionation, Radiation , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Head and Neck Neoplasms/mortality , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Radiotherapy Dosage , Survival Rate , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Genomic testing in early-stage hormone-positive breast cancer is the standard of care. However, decisions based on genomic testing results are predicated on the assumption that patients receive endocrine treatment. We sought to investigate racial differences in genomic testing and adjuvant treatment in breast cancer. METHODS: A retrospective, population-based hospital registry study using the National Cancer Database. Participants included women with stages I-II, ER + breast cancer between 2010 and 2014. Sociodemographic factors were analyzed. Primary outcomes were the utilization of genomic testing and receipt of endocrine therapy. Logistic regression modeling was used to compute crude and adjusted odds of genomic testing and receipt of endocrine therapy. RESULTS: Among a total sample size of 387,008 patients, 147,863 (38.2%) underwent genomic testing. Older age (≥ 70 years) was associated with a lower adjusted odd of genomic testing (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.32-0.34, p = < 0.0001). Black patients had lower odds of receiving genomic testing on multivariate analysis compared to Whites (OR 0.82; 95% CI 0.80-0.85, p = < 0.0001). In patients who underwent a genomic test, compared to Whites, Blacks had a lower odds of receiving endocrine therapy (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.80-0.93, p = < 0.0001) even if they did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy (OR 0.90; 95% CI 0.82-0.98, p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: In a national sample of breast cancer patients, Black women are less likely to get genomic testing and receive hormonal therapy, even when adjuvant chemotherapy is omitted. A priority in addressing breast cancer disparities is to ensure adherence to hormonal therapy among all women, including those who do not receive adjuvant chemotherapy.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms , Aged , Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology , Breast Neoplasms/genetics , Chemotherapy, Adjuvant , Female , Genetic Testing , Healthcare Disparities , Humans , Neoplasm Staging , Race Factors , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the utility of deep learning analysis using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake by positron emission tomography (PET/CT) to predict disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). METHODS: One hundred thirteen patients with OCSCC who received pretreatment FDG-PET/CT were included. They were divided into training (83 patients) and test (30 patients) sets. The diagnosis of treatment control/failure and the DFS rate were obtained from patients' medical records. In deep learning analyses, three planes of axial, coronal, and sagittal FDG-PET images were assessed by ResNet-101 architecture. In the training set, image analysis was performed for the diagnostic model creation. The test data set was subsequently analyzed for confirmation of diagnostic accuracy. T-stage, clinical stage, and conventional FDG-PET parameters (the maximum and mean standardized uptake value (SUVmax and SUVmean), heterogeneity index, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were also assessed with determining the optimal cutoff from training dataset and then validated their diagnostic ability from test dataset. RESULTS: In dividing into patients with treatment control and failure, the highest diagnostic accuracy of 0.8 was obtained using deep learning classification, with a sensitivity of 0.8, specificity of 0.8, positive predictive value of 0.89, and negative predictive value of 0.67. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the DFS rate was significantly different only with the analysis of deep learning-based classification (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Deep learning-based diagnosis with FDG-PET images may predict treatment outcome in patients with OCSCC. KEY POINTS: ⢠Deep learning-based diagnosis of FDG-PET images showed the highest diagnostic accuracy to predict the treatment outcome in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. ⢠Deep learning-based diagnosis was shown to differentiate patients between good and poor disease-free survival more clearly than conventional T-stage, clinical stage, and conventional FDG-PET-based parameters.
Subject(s)
Deep Learning , Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted/methods , Mouth Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/diagnostic imaging , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Algorithms , Disease-Free Survival , Female , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Glycolysis , Humans , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Male , Middle Aged , Mouth Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplasm Staging , Predictive Value of Tests , Reproducibility of Results , Retrospective Studies , Sensitivity and Specificity , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/pathology , Treatment Outcome , Tumor BurdenABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Early-stage glottic laryngeal cancer is treated with surgery or radiotherapy (RT), but limited randomized data exists to support one modality over the other. This study evaluates survival differences in early glottic cancer patients treated with either surgery or RT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 14,498 patients with early glottic cancer diagnosed from 2004 to 2015 and treated with surgery or RT were identified in the National Cancer Database. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze differences in overall survival (OS) by treatment (surgery vs. RT) and radiation dose fractionation. Cox regression modeling and propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis were performed. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were computed. RESULTS: Median follow-up and median OS for all patients were 49.5 and 118 months, respectively. The estimated 5-year OS for surgery and RT was 77.5% and 72.6%, respectively (P < 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, aHR (95% CI) for surgery compared to RT was 0.87 (0.81-0.94, P = 0.0004). Compared to RT regimen 63-67.5 Gray (Gy) in 28-30 fractions, worse survival was noted for RT regimen 66-70 Gy in 33-35 fractions (aHR 1.15, 95% CI 1.07-1.23, P = 0.0003). When compared with hypofractionated RT (63-67.5 Gy in 28-30 fractions), patients undergoing surgery no longer showed improved OS (aHR 0.94, 95% CI 0.86-1.02, P = 0.154). The finding was confirmed on PSM analysis (surgery aHR 0.95, 95% CI 0.87-1.05, P = 0.322). CONCLUSION: In early glottic tumors, patients treated with surgery demonstrated improved survival compared to RT, but when hypofractionation was considered, there were no significant differences in OS between patients undergoing surgery or RT.
Subject(s)
Glottis , Laryngeal Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Laryngeal Neoplasms/surgery , Laryngectomy , Radiation Dose Hypofractionation , Adult , Aged , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Laryngeal Neoplasms/mortality , Laryngeal Neoplasms/pathology , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Radiotherapy Dosage , Survival Rate , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The declining 5-year overall survival (OS) of patients with laryngeal cancer has been associated with increased nonsurgical management of stage III/IV disease. To further assess this hypothesis, the authors evaluated recent OS trends and patterns of use between larynx-preserving approaches with chemoradiation (CRT) or partial laryngectomy (PL) and total laryngectomy (TL) stratified by tumor and nodal burden. METHODS: The National Cancer Data Base was used to identify 8703 patients with stage III/IV (excluding T1 tumors) laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated between 2003 and 2011 with CRT or upfront PL or TL with or without adjuvant therapy. OS was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Among patients with non-T4, low nodal burden (T2N1 or T3N0-N1) disease, no survival differences were observed between CRT, PL, and TL. Patients who had non-T4, high nodal burden (T2-T3N2-N3) disease who underwent TL with or without adjuvant treatment had a higher risk of death compared with those who received CRT (hazard ratio, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.04-1.51; P = .016). For T4N0-N3 tumors, TL compared with CRT was associated with improved OS (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.62-0.92; P = .002). No statistically significant difference in outcome was noted between CRT and PL for all stage groups. The use of CRT has declined and receipt of TL has increased since 2006 for T4 disease, whereas PL rates have remained stably low. CONCLUSIONS: No survival differences were noted between surgical and nonsurgical approaches for patients with non-T4, low nodal burden laryngeal cancer. Patients with non-T4, high nodal burden disease may benefit from definitive CRT. Total laryngectomy remains advantageous in patients with T4 disease.
Subject(s)
Chemoradiotherapy/statistics & numerical data , Laryngeal Neoplasms/therapy , Laryngectomy/statistics & numerical data , Organ Sparing Treatments/statistics & numerical data , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/therapy , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Chemoradiotherapy/methods , Female , Humans , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Laryngeal Neoplasms/mortality , Laryngeal Neoplasms/pathology , Laryngectomy/methods , Larynx/pathology , Larynx/radiation effects , Larynx/surgery , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Organ Sparing Treatments/methods , Retrospective Studies , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/mortality , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/pathology , Treatment Outcome , Young AdultABSTRACT
Background: Mucosal melanomas (MM) arise within the lining of the gastrointestinal (GI), genitourinary (GU) and head and neck (HN) systems. Method: A retrospective analysis of the National Comprehensive Database identified 4,961 MM patients. Primary objective was to compare survival outcomes across the different locations. Results: Overall survival for GI melanomas was significantly shorter than HN and GU melanomas. Median survival (95% confidence interval) was 19.5 (18.0-21.5), 26.4 (24.9-28.3), and 43.9 (38.8-47.8), months for GI, HN and GU cases, respectively (p<0.0001). Conclusion: This is the largest study of MM in a US based population, demonstrating worse overall survival for GI MM in comparison to HN and GU melanomas.
Subject(s)
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/mortality , Head and Neck Neoplasms/mortality , Melanoma/mortality , Mucous Membrane/pathology , Urogenital Neoplasms/mortality , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/pathology , Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/therapy , Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology , Head and Neck Neoplasms/therapy , Humans , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Male , Melanoma/pathology , Melanoma/therapy , Middle Aged , Sex Factors , Survival Rate , Treatment Outcome , United States/epidemiology , Urogenital Neoplasms/pathology , Urogenital Neoplasms/therapyABSTRACT
Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of low dose external beam radiation therapy to halt progression of localized periocular light chain (AL) amyloidosis, a clonal plasma cell disorder. Methods: This is a retrospective review of patients referred to a tertiary care center for external beam radiation treatment of biopsy proven localized periocular light chain amyloidosis. The primary outcome measure was clinical disease stability at one year following radiation therapy as evidenced by slit lamp exam and external photography. Pre and post radiation MRI imaging of the affected area were also used as a means to monitor disease progression. Results: Four symptomatic patients with localized periocular AL amyloidosis received external beam radiation therapy ranging from 20-30 Gy fractioned over 10-20 fractions. Three of the four patients had prior surgical debulking with or without ptosis repair. Amyloid deposition did not progress in any patient at one year. Further follow-up of two patients revealed amyloid progression at two years post radiation. Conclusions: External beam radiation therapy for localized periocular AL amyloidosis demonstrated efficacy at halting disease progression at one year; however, the long-term efficacy is unknown. Monitoring of periocular amyloid is best achieved with slit lamp exam and external photography as opposed to MRI.
Subject(s)
Amyloidosis/radiotherapy , Conjunctival Diseases/radiotherapy , Adult , Aged , Blepharoplasty , Dose Fractionation, Radiation , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Radiotherapy Dosage , Retrospective Studies , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The optimal surgical approach (wide local excision [WLE] vs Mohs micrographic surgery [MMS]) for treating Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is yet to be determined. OBJECTIVE: To compare survival outcomes in patients with early-stage MCC treated with MMS versus with WLE. METHODS: A retrospective review of all cases in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) of MCC of clinical stage I or II MCC treated with WLE or MMS was performed. RESULTS: A total of 1795 cases of stage I or II MCC who underwent WLE (n = 1685) or MMS (n = 110) were identified. There was no difference in residual tumor on surgical margins between the 2 treatment groups (P = .588). On multivariate analysis, there was no difference in overall survival between the treatment modalities (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.72-1.45; P = .897). There was no difference in overall survival between the 2 groups on propensity score-matched analysis. LIMITATIONS: Disease-specific survival was not reported, as these data are not available in the National Cancer Database. CONCLUSIONS: MMS appears to be as effective as WLE in treating early-stage MCC.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell/pathology , Carcinoma, Merkel Cell/surgery , Mohs Surgery/methods , Skin Neoplasms/pathology , Skin Neoplasms/surgery , Adult , Aged , Carcinoma, Merkel Cell/mortality , Cohort Studies , Databases, Factual , Dermatologic Surgical Procedures/methods , Disease-Free Survival , Female , Humans , Male , Margins of Excision , Middle Aged , Mohs Surgery/mortality , Neoplasm Invasiveness/pathology , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/mortality , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/surgery , Neoplasm Staging , Prognosis , Propensity Score , Proportional Hazards Models , Retrospective Studies , Risk Assessment , Skin Neoplasms/mortality , Survival Analysis , Treatment Outcome , United StatesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To compare cumulative acute toxicity in head and neck cancer patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone (CCRT) versus induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by CCRT (I/CCRT). METHODS: 77 patients underwent definitive CCRT (30 I/CCRT and 47 CCRT). Toxicity was graded using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. Using the TAME adverse event reporting system, short-term toxicity (T) scores were generated for IC (TIC), CCRT (TCCRT), total treatment duration (TRx), post-treatment period (TPT) and an overall score (Toverall) from treatment start to post treatment period. RESULTS: Acute toxicity other than dysphagia, odynophagia, or dermatitis was reported in 90.0% and 66.0% of I/CCRT and CCRT patients, respectively (P=0.02). Compared to CCRT group, I/CCRT patients reported greater mean TRx (TRx: 2.11 vs. 2.87, P=0.01) and Toverall (Toverall: 2.60 vs. 3.70, P=0.003). CONCLUSION: I/CCRT patients reported more cumulative acute toxicity during treatment compared to CCRT patients using the TAME reporting system.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma/therapy , Chemoradiotherapy/adverse effects , Head and Neck Neoplasms/therapy , Induction Chemotherapy/adverse effects , Aged , Carcinoma/mortality , Carcinoma/pathology , Female , Head and Neck Neoplasms/mortality , Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Survival RateABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: FDG PET/CT has a growing role in the diagnosis and management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). FDG PET has greater efficacy for N and M staging than other modalities, which enables the treating oncologists to select the appropriate mode of treatment. FDG PET/CT helps in radiation therapy planning, provides valuable prognostic information, and is useful in the assessment of therapy response and in follow-up to detect recurrences. CONCLUSION: FDG PET/CT is a valuable imaging test in the management of NPC.
Subject(s)
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Multimodal Imaging , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Positron-Emission Tomography/methods , Radiopharmaceuticals , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods , Carcinoma , Humans , Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/diagnostic imaging , Neoplasm Staging , Prognosis , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-AssistedABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to establish the correlation and reliability among the pathologic tumor volume and gradient and fixed threshold segmentations of (18)F-FDG PET metabolic tumor volume of human solid tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: There were 52 patients included in the study who had undergone baseline PET/CT with subsequent resection of head and neck, lung, and colorectal tumors. The pathologic volume was calculated from three dimensions of the gross tumor specimen as a reference standard. The primary tumor metabolic tumor volume was segmented using gradient and 30%, 40%, and 50% maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) threshold methods. Pearson correlation coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficient, and Bland-Altman analyses were performed to establish the correlation and reliability among the pathologic volume and segmented metabolic tumor volume. RESULTS: The mean pathologic volume; gradient-based metabolic tumor volume; and 30%, 40%, and 50% SUVmax threshold metabolic tumor volumes were 13.46, 13.75, 15.47, 10.63, and 7.57 mL, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients among the pathologic volume and the gradient-based and 30%, 40%, and 50% SUVmax threshold metabolic tumor volumes were 0.95, 0.85, 0.80, and 0.76, respectively. The Bland-Altman biases were -0.3, -2.0, 2.82, and 5.9 mL, respectively. Of the small tumors (< 10 mL), 23 of the 35 patients had PET segmented volume outside 50% of the pathologic volume, and among the large tumors (≥ 10 mL) three of the 17 patients had PET segmented volumes that were outside 50% of pathologic volume. CONCLUSION: FDG PET metabolic tumor volume estimated using gradient segmentation had superior correlation and reliability with the estimated ellipsoid pathologic volume of the tumors compared with threshold method segmentation.
Subject(s)
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Neoplasms/metabolism , Neoplasms/pathology , Positron-Emission Tomography , Radiopharmaceuticals , Tumor Burden , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Multimodal Imaging , Reproducibility of Results , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to correlate changes in computed tomography perfusion (CTP) parameters in the oropharyngeal mucosa following start of radiotherapy (RT) with acute mucositis in head and neck cancer patients. METHODS: Fifteen patients were prospectively evaluated with serial CTP imaging. Computed tomography perfusion studies were obtained before RT; at weeks 2, 4, and 6 during RT; and 6 weeks after completion of RT. RESULTS: At week 2 during RT, mean transition time increased to 13.9% and 261.8% in patients with and without mucositis, respectively (P = 0.024). At week 6 of RT, patients with grade 3 mucositis had a 325.4% increase in blood flow compared with a 58.3% increase in patients with grade 0-2 mucositis (P = 0.039). Mean transition time decreased by 29.9% and increased by 187.4% in patients with grade 3 and grade 0-2 mucositis, respectively (P = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Mean transition time and blood flow changes in the oropharyngeal mucosa correlated with the incidence and severity of RT-related mucositis.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/radiotherapy , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Radiation Injuries/diagnostic imaging , Radiation Injuries/etiology , Radiotherapy, Conformal/adverse effects , Stomatitis/diagnostic imaging , Stomatitis/etiology , Aged , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/diagnostic imaging , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/complications , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Perfusion Imaging/methods , Prognosis , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and Specificity , Statistics as Topic , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rate of change (RoC) in the size of the lumpectomy cavity (LC) before and during breast radiotherapy (RT) using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), relative to the initial LC volume at CT simulation (CTVLC) and timing from surgery. A prospective institutional review board-approved study included 26 patients undergoing breast RT: 20 whole breast irradiation (WBI) patients and six partial breast irradiation (PBI) patients, with surgical clips outlining the LC. The patients underwent CT simulation (CTsim) followed by five CBCTs during RT, once daily for PBI and once weekly for WBI. The distance between surgical clips and their centroid (D) acted as a surrogate for LC size. The RoC of the LC size, defined as the percentage change of D between two scans divided by the time interval in days between the scans, was calculated before (CTsim to CBCT1) and during RT (CBCT1 to CBCT5). The mean RoC of D for all patients before starting RT was -0.25%/day (range, -1.3 to 1.4) and for WBI patients during RT was -0.15%/day (range, -0.45 to 0.40). Stratified by median CTVLC, the RoC before RT for large CTVLC group (≥ 25.7 cc) was 15 times higher (-0.47%/day) than for small CTVLC group (< 25.7 cc) (-0.03%/day), p = 0.06. For patients undergoing CTsim < 42 days from surgery, the RoC before RT was -0.43%/day compared to -0.07%/day for patients undergoing CTsim ≥ 42 days from surgery, p = 0.12. For breast cancer RT, the rate of change of the LC is affected by the initial cavity size and the timing from surgery. Resimulation closer to the time of boost treatment should be considered in patients who are initially simulated within six weeks of surgery and/or with large CTVLC.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Breast Neoplasms/therapy , Cone-Beam Computed Tomography/methods , Mastectomy, Segmental , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/methods , Radiotherapy, Conformal/methods , Radiotherapy, Image-Guided/methods , Female , Humans , Radiotherapy Dosage , Radiotherapy, Adjuvant/methods , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and Specificity , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the impact of depth of invasion (DOI) on local recurrence (LR) in node-negative oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS: Fifty-one patients were retrospectively reviewed from an institutional database. Patients were evaluated for local control (LC). Cox-proportional hazards modeling was used to calculate hazard ratios. RESULTS: There were 84.3% T1/2 and 15.7% T3/4 classification tumors. The 3-year overall survival rate was 97.9%. Local failure rate was 5.7% with a 3-year LC of 93.6%. On Univariate analysis, increased hazard of LR was noted with each unit increase in DOI (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.07-1.83, p = 0.014). Age, sex, T classification, margins ≥5 mm, lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and perineural invasion (PNI), and adjuvant treatment were not associated with LR. On Multivariate analysis, adjusting for age and adjuvant treatment, results for DOI remained significant (aHR 1.46, 95% CI 1.08-1.98, p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: On evaluation of our institutional dataset increasing DOI was associated with increased hazard of local recurrence with oral tongue SCC.