Delphi consensus on stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for oligometastatic and oligoprogressive renal cell carcinoma-a European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology study endorsed by the European Association of Urology.

The purpose of this European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) project, endorsed by the European Association of Urology, is to explore expert opinion on the management of patients with oligometastatic and oligoprogressive renal cell carcinoma by means of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) on extracranial metastases, with the aim of developing consensus recommendations for patient selection, treatment doses, and concurrent systemic therapy. A questionnaire on SABR in oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma was prepared by a core group and reviewed by a panel of ten prominent experts in the field. The Delphi consensus methodology was applied, sending three rounds of questionnaires to clinicians identified as key opinion leaders in the field. At the end of the third round, participants were able to find consensus on eight of the 37 questions. Specifically, panellists agreed to apply no restrictions regarding age (25 [100%) of 25) and primary renal cell carcinoma histology (23 [92%] of 25) for SABR candidates, on the upper threshold of three lesions to offer ablative treatment in patients with oligoprogression, and on the concomitant administration of immune checkpoint inhibitor. SABR was indicated as the treatment modality of choice for renal cell carcinoma bone oligometatasis (20 [80%] of 25) and for adrenal oligometastases 22 (88%). No consensus or major agreement was reached regarding the appropriate schedule, but the majority of the poll (54%-58%) retained the every-other-day schedule as the optimal choice for all the investigated sites. The current ESTRO Delphi consensus might provide useful direction for the application of SABR in oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma and highlight the key areas of ongoing debate, perhaps directing future research efforts to close knowledge gaps.

Prospective randomized clinical studies involving reirradiation: update of a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Reirradiation is a potentially useful option for many patients with recurrent cancer, aiming at cure or symptom palliation, depending on disease/recurrence type and stage. The purpose of this follow-up study to a previous review from 2016 was to summarize all recently published randomized trials. Points of interest again included identifcation of methodological strengths and weaknesses, practice-changing results, and open questions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Systematic review of trials published between 2015 and February 2023. RESULTS: We reviewed 7 additional trials, most of which addressed reirradiation of head and neck or brain tumours. The median number of patients was 60. Mirroring the previous review, trial design, primary endpoints and statistical hypotheses varied widely. The updated results only impact on decision making for reirradiation of nasopharynx cancer and glioma. Patients with one of these diseases, as well as other head and neck cancers, may benefit from reirradiation-induced local control, e.g. in terms of progression-free survival. For the first time, hyperfractionated radiotherapy emerged as preferred option for recurrent, inoperable nasopharynx cancer. Despite better therapeutic ratio with hyperfractionation, serious toxicity remains a concern after high cumulative total doses. Randomized trials are still lacking for prostate cancer and other sites. CONCLUSION: Multicentric randomized trials on reirradiation are feasible and continue to refine the current standard of care for recurrent disease after previous radiotherapy. Ongoing prospective studies such as the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology and European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (ESTRO-EORTC) observational cohort ReCare (NCT: NCT03818503) will further shape the clinical practice of reirradiation.

Recurrences of ventricular tachycardia after stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation arise outside the treated volume: analysis of the Swiss cohort.

AIMS: Stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation (STAR) has been recently introduced for the management of therapy-refractory ventricular tachycardia (VT). VT recurrences have been reported after STAR but the mechanisms remain largely unknown. We analysed recurrences in our patients after STAR. METHODS AND RESULTS: From 09.2017 to 01.2020, 20 patients (68 ± 8 y, LVEF 37 ± 15%) suffering from refractory VT were enrolled, 16/20 with a history of at least one electrical storm. Before STAR, an invasive electroanatomical mapping (Carto3) of the VT substrate was performed. A mean dose of 23 ± 2 Gy was delivered to the planning target volume (PTV). The median ablation volume was 26 mL (range 14-115) and involved the interventricular septum in 75% of patients. During the first 6 months after STAR, VT burden decreased by 92% (median value, from 108 to 10 VT/semester). After a median follow-up of 25 months, 12/20 (60%) developed a recurrence and underwent a redo ablation. VT recurrence was located in the proximity of the treated substrate in nine cases, remote from the PTV in three cases and involved a larger substrate over ≥3 LV segments in two cases. No recurrences occurred inside the PTV. Voltage measurements showed a significant decrease in both bipolar and unipolar signal amplitude after STAR. CONCLUSION: STAR is a new tool available for the treatment of VT, allowing for a significant reduction of VT burden. VT recurrences are common during follow-up, but no recurrences were observed inside the PTV. Local efficacy was supported by a significant decrease in both bipolar and unipolar signal amplitude.

STereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation (STAR): the Standardized Treatment and Outcome Platform for Stereotactic Therapy Of Re-entrant tachycardia by a Multidisciplinary consortium (STOPSTORM.eu) and review of current patterns of STAR practice in Europe.

The EU Horizon 2020 Framework-funded Standardized Treatment and Outcome Platform for Stereotactic Therapy Of Re-entrant tachycardia by a Multidisciplinary (STOPSTORM) consortium has been established as a large research network for investigating STereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation (STAR) for ventricular tachycardia (VT). The aim is to provide a pooled treatment database to evaluate patterns of practice and outcomes of STAR and finally to harmonize STAR within Europe. The consortium comprises 31 clinical and research institutions. The project is divided into nine work packages (WPs): (i) observational cohort; (ii) standardization and harmonization of target delineation; (iii) harmonized prospective cohort; (iv) quality assurance (QA); (v) analysis and evaluation; (vi, ix) ethics and regulations; and (vii, viii) project coordination and dissemination. To provide a review of current clinical STAR practice in Europe, a comprehensive questionnaire was performed at project start. The STOPSTORM Institutions' experience in VT catheter ablation (83% ≥ 20 ann.) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (59% > 200 ann.) was adequate, and 84 STAR treatments were performed until project launch, while 8/22 centres already recruited VT patients in national clinical trials. The majority currently base their target definition on mapping during VT (96%) and/or pace mapping (75%), reduced voltage areas (63%), or late ventricular potentials (75%) during sinus rhythm. The majority currently apply a single-fraction dose of 25 Gy while planning techniques and dose prescription methods vary greatly. The current clinical STAR practice in the STOPSTORM consortium highlights potential areas of optimization and harmonization for substrate mapping, target delineation, motion management, dosimetry, and QA, which will be addressed in the various WPs.

A virtual audit system for intensity-modulated radiation therapy credentialing in Japan Clinical Oncology Group clinical trials: A pilot study.

PURPOSE: The Medical Physics Working Group of the Radiation Therapy Study Group at the Japan Clinical Oncology Group is currently developing a virtual audit system for intensity-modulated radiation therapy dosimetry credentialing. The target dosimeters include films and array detectors, such as ArcCHECK (Sun Nuclear Corporation, Melbourne, Florida, USA) and Delta4 (ScandiDos, Uppsala, Sweden). This pilot study investigated the feasibility of our virtual audit system using previously acquired data. METHODS: We analyzed 46 films (32 and 14 in the axial and coronal planes, respectively) from 29 institutions. Global gamma analysis between measured and planned dose distributions used the following settings: 3%/3 mm criteria (the dose denominator was 2 Gy), 30% threshold dose, no scaling of the datasets, and 90% tolerance level. In addition, 21 datasets from nine institutions were obtained for array evaluation. Five institutions used ArcCHECK, while the others used Delta4. Global gamma analysis was performed with 3%/2 mm criteria (the dose denominator was the maximum calculated dose), 10% threshold dose, and 95% tolerance level. The film calibration and gamma analysis were conducted with in-house software developed using Python (version 3.9.2). RESULTS: The means ± standard deviations of the gamma passing rates were 99.4 ± 1.5% (range, 92.8%-100%) and 99.2 ± 1.0% (range, 97.0%-100%) in the film and array evaluations, respectively. CONCLUSION: This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of virtual audits. The proposed virtual audit system will contribute to more efficient, cheaper, and more rapid trial credentialing than on-site and postal audits; however, the limitations should be considered when operating our virtual audit system.

European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology and European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer consensus on re-irradiation: definition, reporting, and clinical decision making.

Re-irradiation can be considered for local recurrence or new tumours adjacent to a previously irradiated site to achieve durable local control for patients with cancer who have otherwise few therapeutic options. With the use of new radiotherapy techniques, which allow for conformal treatment plans, image guidance, and short fractionation schemes, the use of re-irradiation for different sites is increasing in clinical settings. Yet, prospective evidence on re-irradiation is scarce and our understanding of the underlying radiobiology is poor. Our consensus on re-irradiation aims to assist in re-irradiation decision making, and to standardise the classification of different forms of re-irradiation and reporting. The consensus has been endorsed by the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer. The use of this classification in daily clinical practice and research will facilitate accurate understanding of the clinical implications of re-irradiation and allow for cross-study comparisons. Data gathered in a uniform manner could be used in the future to make recommendations for re-irradiation on the basis of clinical evidence. The consensus document is based on an adapted Delphi process and a systematic review of the literature was done according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).

Critical impact of radiotherapy protocol compliance and quality in the treatment of retroperitoneal sarcomas: Results from the EORTC 62092-22092 STRASS trial.

BACKGROUND: The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer 22092-62092 STRASS trial failed to demonstrate the superiority of neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT) over surgery alone in patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma. Therefore, an RT quality-assurance program was added to the study protocol to detect and correct RT deviations. The authors report results from the trial RT quality-assurance program and its potential effect on patient outcomes. METHODS: To evaluate the effect of RT compliance on survival outcomes, a composite end point was created. It combined the information related to planning target volume coverage, target delineation, total dose received, and overall treatment time into 2 groups: non-RT-compliant (NRC) for patients who had unacceptable deviation(s) in any of the previous categories and RT-compliant (RC) otherwise. Abdominal recurrence-free survival (ARFS) and overall survival were compared between the 2 groups using a Cox proportional hazard model adjusted for known prognostic factors. RESULTS: Thirty-six of 125 patients (28.8%) were classified as NRC, and the remaining 89 patients (71.2%) were classified as RC. The 3-year ARFS rate was 66.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55.8%-75.7%) and 49.8% (95% CI, 32.7%-64.8%) for the RC and NRC groups, respectively (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.25-4.32; P = .008). Local recurrence after macroscopic complete resection occurred in 13 of 89 patients (14.6%) versus 2 of 36 patients (5.6%) in the RC and NRC groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The current analysis suggests a significant benefit in terms of ARFS in favor of the RC group. This association did not translate into less local relapses after complete resection in the RC group. Multidisciplinary collaboration and review of cases are critical to avoid geographic misses, especially for rare tumors like retroperitoneal sarcoma.

Postoperative radiotherapy for meningiomas - a decision-making analysis.

BACKGROUND: The management of meningiomas is challenging, and the role of postoperative radiotherapy is not standardized. METHODS: Radiation oncology experts in Swiss centres were asked to participate in this decision-making analysis on the use of postoperative radiotherapy (RT) for meningiomas. Experts from ten Swiss centres agreed to participate and provided their treatment algorithms. Their input was converted into decision trees based on the objective consensus methodology. The decision trees were used as a basis to identify consensus and discrepancies in clinical routine. RESULTS: Several criteria used for decision-making in postoperative RT in meningiomas were identified: histological grading, resection status, recurrence, location of the tumour, zugzwang (therapeutic need to treat and/or severity of symptoms), size, and cell division rate. Postoperative RT is recommended by all experts for WHO grade III tumours as well as for incompletely resected WHO grade II tumours. While most centres do not recommend adjuvant irradiation for WHO grade I meningiomas, some offer this treatment in recurrent situations or routinely for symptomatic tumours in critical locations. The recommendations for postoperative RT for recurrent or incompletely resected WHO grade I and II meningiomas were surprisingly heterogeneous. CONCLUSIONS: Due to limited evidence on the utility of postoperative RT for meningiomas, treatment strategies vary considerably among clinical experts depending on the clinical setting, even in a small country like Switzerland. Clear majorities were identified for postoperative RT in WHO grade III meningiomas and against RT for hemispheric grade I meningiomas outside critical locations. The limited data and variations in clinical recommendations are in contrast with the high prevalence of meningiomas, especially in elderly individuals.

Head and neck radiotherapy on the MR linac: a multicenter planning challenge amongst MRIdian platform users.

PURPOSE: Purpose of this study is to evaluate plan quality on the MRIdian (Viewray Inc., Oakwood Village, OH, USA) system for head and neck cancer (HNC) through comparison of planning approaches of several centers. METHODS: A total of 14 planners using the MRIdian planning system participated in this treatment challenge, centrally organized by ViewRay, for one contoured case of oropharyngeal carcinoma with standard constraints for organs at risk (OAR). Homogeneity, conformity, sparing of OARs, and other parameters were evaluated according to The International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) recommendations anonymously, and then compared between centers. Differences amongst centers were assessed by means of Wilcoxon test. Each plan had to fulfil hard constraints based on dose-volume histogram (DVH) parameters and delivery time. A plan quality metric (PQM) was evaluated. The PQM was defined as the sum of 16 submetrics characterizing different DVH goals. RESULTS: For most dose parameters the median score of all centers was higher than the threshold that results in an ideal score. Six participants achieved the maximum number of points for the OAR dose parameters, and none had an unacceptable performance on any of the metrics. Each planner was able to achieve all the requirements except for one which exceeded delivery time. The number of segments correlated to improved PQM and inversely correlated to brainstem D0.1cc and to Planning Target Volume1 (PTV) D0.1cc. Total planning experience inversely correlated to spinal canal dose. CONCLUSION: Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) linac-based planning for HNC is already feasible with good quality. Generally, an increased number of segments and increasing planning experience are able to provide better results regarding planning quality without significantly prolonging overall treatment time.

Management of multiple brain metastases: a patterns of care survey within the German Society for Radiation Oncology.

PURPOSE: The treatment of brain metastases (BM) has changed considerably in recent years and in particular, the management of multiple BM is currently undergoing a paradigm shift and treatment may differ from current guidelines. This survey was designed to analyze the patterns of care in the management of multiple BM. METHODS: An online survey consisting of 36 questions was distributed to the members of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO). RESULTS: In total, 193 physicians out of 111 institutions within the German Society for Radiation oncology responded to the survey. Prognostic scores for decision making were not used regularly. Whole brain radiotherapy approaches (WBRT) are the preferred treatment option for patients with multiple BM, although stereotactic radiotherapy treatments are chosen by one third depending on prognostic scores and overall number of BM. Routine hippocampal avoidance (HA) in WBRT is only used by a minority. In multiple BM of driver-mutated non-small cell lung cancer origin up to 30% favor sole TKI therapy as upfront treatment and would defer upfront radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: In multiple BM WBRT without hippocampal avoidance is still the preferred treatment modality of choice regardless of GPA and mutational status, while SRT is only used in patients with good prognosis. Evidence for both, SRS and hippocampal avoidance radiotherapy, is growing albeit the debate over the appropriate treatment in multiple BM is yet not fully clarified. Further prospective assessment of BM management-ideally as randomized trials-is required to align evolving concepts with the proper evidence and to update current guidelines.

ICRU report 91 on prescribing, recording, and reporting of stereotactic treatments with small photon beams : Statement from the DEGRO/DGMP working group stereotactic radiotherapy and radiosurgery.

The International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) report 91 with the title "prescribing, recording, and reporting of stereotactic treatments with small photon beams" was published in 2017. This extensive publication covers different relevant aspects of stereotactic radiotherapy such as small field dosimetry, accuracy requirements for volume definition and planning algorithms, and the precise application of treatment by means of image guidance. Finally, recommendations for prescribing, recording and reporting are given.

Underweight and weight loss are predictors of poor outcome in patients with brain metastasis.

PURPOSE: Overweight may be associated with favorable outcome whereas tumor cachexia may be associated with worse outcome in patients with metastatic cancer. Here we evaluate the association of abnormal body mass index and weight change with outcome in patients with brain metastasis. METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of brain metastasis treated at the University Hospital Zurich (n = 703) were assessed for associations of body mass index, weight change, comorbidities and survival. RESULTS: Compared with patients with normal body mass index of 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 and a median overall survival of 9 months (95% confidence interval 7.5-10.5), overall survival was inferior in patients with body mass index < 18.5 kg/m2 (overall survival 6 months, 95% confidence interval 1.6-10.3, p = 0.04), but superior in patients with body mass index > 25 kg/m2 (overall survival 13 months, 95% confidence interval 11.0-15.0; p = 0.033). We report a median relative weight loss of 5% within the first 6 months of diagnosis of brain metastasis (95% confidence interval 3.3-6.5), and reduction exceeding the median was associated with an unfavorable outcome (weight loss < 5% 22.0 months, 95% confidence interval 19.2-24.8; weight loss > 5% 14.0 months, 95% confidence interval 11.9-16.). CONCLUSION: High body mass index is associated with better, and underweight with worse outcome in patients with brain metastasis. Conversely, weight loss above median may predict poor outcome. Future studies need to address whether vigorous treatment of tumor cachexia, e.g. by specific nutrition management, might improve outcome of patients with brain metastasis. In contrast, regimens associated with weight loss such as ketogenic diet may be detrimental.

CT radiomics and PET radiomics: ready for clinical implementation?

INTRODUCTION: Today, rapid technical and clinical developments result in an increasing number of treatment options for oncological diseases. Thus, decision support systems are needed to offer the right treatment to the right patient. Imaging biomarkers hold great promise in patient-individual treatment guidance. Routinely performed for diagnosis and staging, imaging datasets are expected to hold more information than used in the clinical practice. Radiomics describes the extraction of a large number of meaningful quantitative features from medical images, such as computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET). Due to the non-invasive nature and ability to capture 3D image-based heterogeneity, radiomic features are potential surrogate markers of the cancer phenotype. Several radiomic studies are published per day, owing to encouraging results of many radiomics-based patient outcome models. Despite this comparably large number of studies, radiomics is mainly studied in proof of principle concept. Hence, a translation of radiomics from a hot topic research field into an essential clinical decision-making tool is lacking, but of high clinical interest. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Herein, we present a literature review addressing the clinical evidence of CT and PET radiomics. An extensive literature review was conducted in PubMed, including papers on robustness and clinical applications. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: We summarize image-modality related influences on the robustness of radiomic features and provide an overview of clinical evidence reported in the literature. Today, more evidence has been provided for CT imaging, however, PET imaging offers the promise of direct imaging of biological processes and functions. We provide a summary of future research directions, which needs to be addressed in order to successfully introduce radiomics into clinical medicine. In comparison to CT, more focus should be directed towards harmonization of PET acquisition and reconstruction protocols, which is important for transferable modelling. CONCLUSIONS: Both CT and PET radiomics are promising pre-treatment and intra-treatment biomarkers for outcome prediction. Most studies are performed in retrospective setting, however their validation in prospective data collections is ongoing.

LINAC based stereotactic radiosurgery for multiple brain metastases: guidance for clinical implementation.

Introduction: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a promising treatment option for patients with multiple brain metastases (BM). Recent technical advances have made LINAC based SRS a patient friendly technique, allowing for accurate patient positioning and a short treatment time. Since SRS is increasingly being used for patients with multiple BM, it remains essential that SRS be performed with the highest achievable quality in order to prevent unnecessary complications such as radionecrosis. The purpose of this article is to provide guidance for high-quality LINAC based SRS for patients with BM, with a focus on single isocenter non-coplanar volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Methods: The article is based on a consensus statement by the study coordinators and medical physicists of four trials which investigated whether patients with multiple BM are better palliated with SRS instead of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT): A European trial (NCT02353000), two American trials and a Canadian CCTG lead intergroup trial (CE.7). This manuscript summarizes the quality assurance measures concerning imaging, planning and delivery. Results: To optimize the treatment, the interval between the planning-MRI (gadolinium contrast-enhanced, maximum slice thickness of 1.5 mm) and treatment should be kept as short as possible (< two weeks). The BM are contoured based on the planning-MRI, fused with the planning-CT. GTV-PTV margins are minimized or even avoided when possible. To maximize efficiency, the preferable technique is single isocenter (non-)coplanar VMAT, which delivers high doses to the target with maximal sparing of the organs at risk. The use of flattening filter free photon beams ensures a lower peripheral dose and shortens the treatment time. To bench mark SRS treatment plan quality, it is advisable to compare treatment plans between hospitals. Conclusion: This paper provides guidance for quality assurance and optimization of treatment delivery for LINAC-based radiosurgery for patients with multiple BM.

Dose-intensified hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy for painful spinal metastases: Results of a phase 2 study.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate dose-intensified hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in patients with painful spinal metastases in a multicenter, single-arm, phase 2 study. METHODS: Patients with 2 or fewer distinct, noncontiguous, painful, mechanically stable, unirradiated spinal metastases from a solid tumor with a Karnofsky performance status ≥ 60 were eligible. Patients with a long (Mizumoto score ≤ 4) or intermediate overall survival expectancy (Mizumoto score = 5-9) received 48.5 Gy in 10 fractions or 35 Gy in 5 fractions, respectively, with SBRT. The primary outcome was the overall (complete and partial) pain response as measured with international consensus guidelines 3 months after SBRT. RESULTS: There were 57 patients enrolled between 2012 and 2015, and 54 of these patients with 60 painful vertebral metastases were analyzed. The 3-month pain response was evaluated in 42 patients (47 lesions). An overall pain response was observed in 41 lesions (87%), and the pain response remained stable for at least 12 months. The mean maximum pain scores on a visual analogue scale significantly improved from the baseline of 6.1 (standard deviation, 2.5) to 2.0 (standard deviation, 2.3) 3 months after treatment (P < .001). The 5-level EuroQol 5-Dimension Questionnaire quality-of-life (QOL) dimensions (self-reported mobility, usual activities, and pain/discomfort) significantly improved from the baseline to 3 months after treatment. The 12-month overall survival and local control rates were 61.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 48%-74.8%) and 85.9% (95% CI, 76.7%-95%), respectively. Grade 3 toxicity was limited to acute pain in 1 patient (2%). No patient experienced radiation-induced myelopathy. Six patients (11%) developed progressive vertebral compression fractures (VCFs), and 8 patients (15%) developed new VCFs. CONCLUSIONS: Dose-intensified SBRT achieved durable local metastasis control and resulted in pronounced and long-term pain responses and improved QOL. Cancer 2018;124:2001-9. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy for centrally located stage I NSCLC: a multicenter analysis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this work is to analyze patterns of care and outcome after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for centrally located, early-stage, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to address the question of potential risk for increased toxicity in this entity. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 90 patients with centrally located NSCLC were identified among 613 cases in a database of 13 German and Austrian academic radiotherapy centers. The outcome of centrally located NSCLC was compared to that of cases with peripheral tumor location from the same database. RESULTS: Patients with central tumors most commonly presented with UICC stage IB (50 %), while the majority of peripheral lesions were stage IA (56 %). Average tumor diameters were 3.3 cm (central) and 2.8 cm (peripheral). Staging PET/CT was available for 73 and 74 % of peripheral and central tumors, respectively. Biopsy was performed in 84 % (peripheral) and 88 % (central) of cases. Doses varied significantly between central and peripheral lesions with a median BED10 of 72 Gy and 84 Gy, respectively (p < 0.001). Fractionation differed as well with medians of 5 (central) and 3 (peripheral) fractions (p < 0.001). In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, 3-year actuarial overall survival was 29 % (central) and 51 % (peripheral; p = 0.004) and freedom from local progression was 52 % (central) and 84 % (peripheral; p < 0.001). Toxicity after treatment of central tumors was low with no grade III/IV and one grade V event. Mortality rates were 0 and 1 % after 30 and 60 days, respectively. CONCLUSION: Local tumor control in patients treated with SBRT for centrally located, early-stage NSCLC was favorable, provided ablative radiation doses were prescribed. This was, however, not the case in the majority of patients, possibly due to concerns about treatment-related toxicity. Reported toxicity was low, but prospective trials are needed to resolve the existing uncertainties and to establish safe high-dose regimens for this cohort of patients.

Knowledge-based versus deep learning based treatment planning for breast radiotherapy.

Background and Purpose: To improve radiotherapy (RT) planning efficiency and plan quality, knowledge-based planning (KBP) and deep learning (DL) solutions have been developed. We aimed to make a direct comparison of these models for breast cancer planning using the same training, validation, and testing sets. Materials and Methods: Two KBP models were trained and validated with 90 RT plans for left-sided breast cancer with 15 fractions of 2.6 Gy. The versions either used the full dataset (non-clean model) or a cleaned dataset (clean model), thus eliminating geometric and dosimetric outliers. Results were compared with a DL U-net model (previously trained and validated with the same 90 RT plans) and manually produced RT plans, for the same independent dataset of 15 patients. Clinically relevant dose volume histogram parameters were evaluated according to established consensus criteria. Results: Both KBP models underestimated the mean heart and lung dose equally 0.4 Gy (0.3-1.1 Gy) and 1.4 Gy (1.1-2.8 Gy) compared to the clinical plans 0.8 Gy (0.5-1.8 Gy) and 1.7 Gy (1.3-3.2 Gy) while in the final calculations the mean lung dose was higher 1.9-2.0 Gy (1.5-3.5 Gy) for both KPB models. The U-Net model resulted in a mean planning target volume dose of 40.7 Gy (40.4-41.3 Gy), slightly higher than the clinical plans 40.5 Gy (40.1-41.0 Gy). Conclusions: Only small differences were observed between the estimated and final dose calculation and the clinical results for both KPB models and the DL model. With a good set of breast plans, the data cleaning module is not needed and both KPB and DL models lead to clinically acceptable results.

Automatized self-supervised learning for skin lesion screening.

Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has seen a steady increase in incidence rates worldwide, posing a significant challenge to dermatologists. Early detection is crucial for improving patient survival rates. However, performing total body screening (TBS), i.e., identifying suspicious lesions or ugly ducklings (UDs) by visual inspection, can be challenging and often requires sound expertise in pigmented lesions. To assist users of varying expertise levels, an artificial intelligence (AI) decision support tool was developed. Our solution identifies and characterizes UDs from real-world wide-field patient images. It employs a state-of-the-art object detection algorithm to locate and isolate all skin lesions present in a patient's total body images. These lesions are then sorted based on their level of suspiciousness using a self-supervised AI approach, tailored to the specific context of the patient under examination. A clinical validation study was conducted to evaluate the tool's performance. The results demonstrated an average sensitivity of 95% for the top-10 AI-identified UDs on skin lesions selected by the majority of experts in pigmented skin lesions. The study also found that the tool increased dermatologists' confidence when formulating a diagnosis, and the average majority agreement with the top-10 AI-identified UDs reached 100% when assisted by our tool. With the development of this AI-based decision support tool, we aim to address the shortage of specialists, enable faster consultation times for patients, and demonstrate the impact and usability of AI-assisted screening. Future developments will include expanding the dataset to include histologically confirmed melanoma and validating the tool for additional body regions.