A randomized phase III trial of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for patients with up to 10 oligometastases and a synchronous primary tumor (SABR-SYNC): study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Emerging randomized data, mostly from phase II trials, have suggested that patients with oligometastatic cancers may benefit from ablative treatments such as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). However, phase III data testing this paradigm are lacking, and many studies have examined SABR in the setting of metachronous oligometastatic disease. The goal of the SABR-SYNC trial is to assess the effect of SABR in patients with oligometastatic cancers and a synchronous primary tumor. METHODS: One hundred and eighty patients will be randomized in a 1:2 ratio between standard of care (SOC) palliative-intent treatments vs. SOC + ablative therapy (SABR preferred) to all sites of known disease. Randomization will be stratified based on histology and number of metastases at enrollment. SABR may be delivered in 1-, 3- and 5-fraction regimens, with recommended doses of 20 Gy, 30 Gy, and 35 Gy, respectively. Non-SABR local modalities (e.g. surgery, thermal ablation, conventional radiation) may be used for treatment of the primary or metastases at the discretion of the treating physicians, if those modalities are clinically preferred. The primary endpoint is overall survival, and secondary endpoints include progression-free survival, time to development of new metastatic lesions, time to initiation of next systemic therapy, quality of life, and toxicity. Translational endpoints include assessment of circulating tumor DNA and immunological predictors of outcomes. DISCUSSION: SABR-SYNC will provide phase III data to assess the impact of SABR on overall survival in a population of patients with synchronous oligometastases. The translational component will attempt to identify novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers to aid in clinical decision making. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05717166 (registration date: Feb. 8, 2023).

The use of Lutetium-177 PSMA radioligand therapy with high dose rate brachytherapy for locally recurrent prostate cancer after previous definitive radiation therapy: a randomized, single-institution, phase I/II study (ROADSTER).

BACKGROUND: Isolated local failure (ILF) can occur in patients who initially receive definitive radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Salvage therapy for ILF includes high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) Positron Emission Tomography (PET) can accurately detect ILF and can exclude extraprostatic disease. Lutetium-177 PSMA Radioligand Therapy (RLT) is a novel treatment for prostate cancer that can target prostate cancer accurately, while sparing radiation dose to normal tissues. METHODS: ROADSTER is a phase I/II randomized, single-institution study. Patients with an ILF of prostate cancer after definitive initial radiation therapy are eligible. The ILF will be confirmed with biopsy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and PSMA PET. Patients will be randomized between HDR brachytherapy in two fractions (a standard of care salvage treatment at our institution) (cohort 1) or one treatment of intravenous Lutetium-177 PSMA RLT, followed by one fraction of HDR brachytherapy (cohort 2). The primary endpoints for the phase I portion of the study (n = 12) will be feasibility, defined as 10 or more patients completing the study protocol within 24 months of study activation; and safety, defined as zero or one patients in cohort 2 experiencing grade 3 or higher toxicity in the first 6 months post-treatment. If feasibility and safety are achieved, the study will expand to a phase II study (n = 30 total) where preliminary efficacy data will be evaluated. Secondary endpoints include changes in prostate specific antigen levels, acute toxicity, changes in quality of life, and changes in translational biomarkers. Translational endpoints will include interrogation of blood, urine, and tissue for markers of DNA damage and immune activation with each treatment. DISCUSSION: ROADSTER explores a novel salvage therapy for ILF after primary radiotherapy with combined Lutetium-177 PSMA RLT and HDR brachytherapy. The randomized phase I/II design will provide a contemporaneous patient population treated with HDR alone to facilitate assessment of feasibility, tolerability, and biologic effects of this novel therapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05230251 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Impact of 18F-DCFPyL PET on Staging and Treatment of Unfavorable Intermediate or High-Risk Prostate Cancer.

Background Data regarding 2-(3-{1-carboxy-5-[(6-[18F]fluoro-pyridine 3-carbonyl)-amino]-pentyl}-ureido)-pentanedioic acid (18F-DCFPyL) PET in primary staging of prostate cancer (PCa) are limited. Purpose To compare the performance of 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT or PET/MRI (PET) with bone scan and CT with or without multiparametric MRI (hereafter, referred to as conventional imaging) in the initial staging of men with unfavorable intermediate or high-risk PCa and to assess treatment change after PET. Materials and Methods This prospective study evaluated men with biopsy-proven, untreated, unfavorable intermediate or high-risk PCa with 0 to four metastases or equivocal for extensive metastases (more than four) who underwent PET between May 2018 and December 2020. The diagnostic performance of PET in detecting pelvic nodal and distant metastases was compared with conventional imaging alone. Metastatic sites at conventional imaging and PET were compared with a composite reference standard including histopathologic analysis, correlative imaging, and/or clinical and biochemical follow-up. The intended treatment before PET was compared with the treatment plan established after performing PET. Detection rate, sensitivity, and specificity of conventional imaging and PET were compared by using McNemar exact test on paired proportions. Results The study consisted of 108 men (median age, 66 years; IQR, 61-73 years) with no metastases (n = 84), with oligometastases (four or fewer metastases; 22 men), or with equivocal findings for extensive metastases (n = 2). Detection rates at PET and conventional imaging for nodal metastases were 34% (37 of 108) and 11% (12 of 108) (P < .001), respectively, and those for distant metastases were 22% (24 of 108) and 10% (11 of 108) (P = .02), respectively. PET altered stage in 43 of 108 (40%) and treatment in 24 of 108 (22%) men. The most frequent treatment change was from systemic to local-regional therapy in 10 of 108 (9%) and from local-regional to systemic therapy in nine of 108 (8%) men. Equivocal findings were encountered less frequently with PET (one of 108; 1%) than with conventional imaging (29 of 108; 27%). Conclusion Initial staging with 2-(3-{1-carboxy-5-[(6-[18F]fluoro-pyridine 3-carbonyl)-amino]-pentyl}-ureido)-pentanedioic acid (18F-DCFPyL) PET after conventional imaging (bone scan and CT with or without multiparametric MRI) helped to detect more nodal and distant metastases than conventional imaging alone and changed treatment in 22% of men. Clinical trial registration no. NCT03535831, NCT03718260 © RSNA, 2022 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Jadvar in this issue.

Effect of 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT on the Management of Patients with Recurrent Prostate Cancer: Results of a Prospective Multicenter Registry Trial.

Background The high positivity rate of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET in the setting of biochemical failure (BCF), even when conventional imaging is negative, is promising. Purpose To assess the disease detection rate of PSMA-based PET/CT with fluorine 18-DCFPyL as a radiotracer and the PET-directed management change in men with suspected limited recurrent prostate cancer. Materials and Methods This prospective multicenter registry (Ontario PSMA-PET Registry for Recurrent Prostate Cancer, or PREP) enrolled men with BCF after primary therapy (radical prostatectomy plus or minus salvage radiation therapy or primary radiation therapy) and zero to four disease sites at conventional imaging (CT and bone scintigraphy). The positivity rate of PSMA PET according to serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level; frequency of local-egional, oligometastatic, and extensive metastatic recurrence; and rate of change in management after PET findings were recorded. The nonparametric Mood median test was used to assess the association between serum PSA level and change in management. Results A total of 1289 men (median age, 71 years [interquartile range, 65-75 years]) were evaluated. PSMA PET helped detect disease in 841 of 1289 men (65%) and in 615 of 999 men (62%) with negative conventional imaging. The recurrence detection rates according to serum PSA level at enrollment were 38% (160 of 424 men), 63% (107 of 171 men), and 83% (573 of 692 men) for PSA under 0.5 ng/mL, 0.5-1.0 ng/mL, and above 1.0 ng/mL, respectively. At PSMA PET, 399 of 1289 men (31%) had local-regional recurrence, 314 (24%) had oligometastatic disease, and 128 (10%) had extensive metastases. Following PET examination, a change in planned management was recorded in 748 of 1289 men (58%), and in 371 of 1250 men (30%), there was a change in management intent, more commonly from palliative to potentially curative intent (255 of 1289 men [20%]). Conclusion Prostate-specific membrane antigen PET helped detect additional sites of disease compared with conventional imaging in approximately 60% of men with biochemical failure and suspected low-volume metastatic disease, resulting in frequent change in management, including a change from palliative to curative or radical intent therapy in 20% of men. Long-term follow-up is needed to determine whether this impacts disease control. Clinical trial registration no. NCT03718260 © RSNA, 2022 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Civelek in this issue.

PSMA PET/CT guided intensification of therapy in patients at risk of advanced prostate cancer (PATRON): a pragmatic phase III randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Positron emission tomography targeting the prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA PET/CT) has demonstrated unparalleled performance as a staging examination for prostate cancer resulting in substantial changes in management. However, the impact of altered management on patient outcomes is largely unknown. This study aims to assess the impact of intensified radiotherapy or surgery guided by PSMA PET/CT in patients at risk of advanced prostate cancer. METHODS: This pan-Canadian phase III randomized controlled trial will enroll 776 men with either untreated high risk prostate cancer (CAPRA score 6-10 or stage cN1) or biochemically recurrent prostate cancer post radical prostatectomy (PSA > 0.1 ng/mL). Patients will be randomized 1:1 to either receive conventional imaging or conventional plus PSMA PET imaging, with intensification of radiotherapy or surgery to newly identified disease sites. The primary endpoint is failure free survival at 5 years. Secondary endpoints include rates of adverse events, time to next-line therapy, as well as impact on health-related quality of life and cost effectiveness as measured by incremental cost per Quality Adjusted Life Years gained. DISCUSSION: This study will help create level 1 evidence needed to demonstrate whether or not intensification of radiotherapy or surgery based on PSMA PET findings improves outcomes of patients at risk of advanced prostate cancer in a manner that is cost-effective. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was prospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT04557501 on September 21, 2020.

On the Way for Patients with Prostate Cancer to the Best Use of PSMA.

In recent years, the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has achieved a significant role in the diagnostics and treatments of patients with prostate cancer [...].

Ablative radiation therapy to restrain everything safely treatable (ARREST): study protocol for a phase I trial treating polymetastatic cancer with stereotactic radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Patients with polymetastatic cancer are most often treated with systemic therapy to improve overall survival and/or delay progression, with palliative radiotherapy reserved for sites of symptomatic disease. Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) has shown promise in the treatment of oligometastatic disease, but the utility of SABR in treating all sites of polymetastatic disease has yet to be evaluated. This study aims to evaluate the maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of SABR in patients with polymetastatic disease. METHODS: Up to 48 patients with polymetastatic cancer (> 10 sites) will be enrolled on this phase I, modified 3 + 3 design trial. Eligible patients will have exhausted (or refused) standard systemic therapy options. SABR will be delivered as an escalating number of weekly fractions of 6 Gy, starting at 6 Gy × 2 weekly fractions (dose level 1). The highest dose level (dose level 4) will be 6 Gy × 5 weekly fractions. Feasibility and safety of SABR will be evaluated 6 weeks following treatment using a composite endpoint of successfully completing treatment as well as toxicity outcomes. DISCUSSION: This study will be the first to explore delivering SABR in patients with polymetastatic disease. SABR will be planned using the guiding principles of: strict adherence to dose constraints, minimization of treatment burden, and minimization of toxicity. As this represents a novel use of radiotherapy, our phase I study will allow for careful selection of the MTD for exploration in future studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was prospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT04530513 on August 28, 2020.

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy versus standard of care palliative treatment in patients with oligometastatic cancers (SABR-COMET): a randomised, phase 2, open-label trial.

BACKGROUND: The oligometastatic paradigm suggests that some patients with a limited number of metastases might be cured if all lesions are eradicated. Evidence from randomised controlled trials to support this paradigm is scarce. We aimed to assess the effect of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) on survival, oncological outcomes, toxicity, and quality of life in patients with a controlled primary tumour and one to five oligometastatic lesions. METHODS: This randomised, open-label phase 2 study was done at 10 hospitals in Canada, the Netherlands, Scotland, and Australia. Patients aged 18 or older with a controlled primary tumour and one to five metastatic lesions, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score of 0-1, and a life expectancy of at least 6 months were eligible. After stratifying by the number of metastases (1-3 vs 4-5), we randomly assigned patients (1:2) to receive either palliative standard of care treatments alone (control group), or standard of care plus SABR to all metastatic lesions (SABR group), using a computer-generated randomisation list with permuted blocks of nine. Neither patients nor physicians were masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was overall survival. We used a randomised phase 2 screening design with a two-sided α of 0·20 (wherein p<0·20 designates a positive trial). All analyses were intention to treat. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01446744. FINDINGS: 99 patients were randomised between Feb 10, 2012, and Aug 30, 2016. Of 99 patients, 33 (33%) were assigned to the control group and 66 (67%) to the SABR group. Two (3%) patients in the SABR group did not receive allocated treatment and withdrew from the trial; two (6%) patients in the control group also withdrew from the trial. Median follow-up was 25 months (IQR 19-54) in the control group versus 26 months (23-37) in the SABR group. Median overall survival was 28 months (95% CI 19-33) in the control group versus 41 months (26-not reached) in the SABR group (hazard ratio 0·57, 95% CI 0·30-1·10; p=0·090). Adverse events of grade 2 or worse occurred in three (9%) of 33 controls and 19 (29%) of 66 patients in the SABR group (p=0·026), an absolute increase of 20% (95% CI 5-34). Treatment-related deaths occurred in three (4·5%) of 66 patients after SABR, compared with none in the control group. INTERPRETATION: SABR was associated with an improvement in overall survival, meeting the primary endpoint of this trial, but three (4·5%) of 66 patients in the SABR group had treatment-related death. Phase 3 trials are needed to conclusively show an overall survival benefit, and to determine the maximum number of metastatic lesions wherein SABR provides a benefit. FUNDING: Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and London Regional Cancer Program Catalyst Grant.

Is hypofractionated whole pelvis radiotherapy (WPRT) as well tolerated as conventionally fractionated WPRT in prostate cancer patients? The HOPE trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with high-risk prostate cancer are at increased risk of lymph node metastasis and are thought to benefit from whole pelvis radiotherapy (WPRT). There has been recent interest in the use of hypofractionated radiotherapy in treating prostate cancer. However, toxicity and cancer outcomes associated with hypofractionated WPRT are unclear at this time. This phase II study aims to investigate the impact in quality of life associated with hypofractionated WPRT compared to conventionally fractionated WPRT. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients with unfavourable intermediate-, high- or very high-risk prostate cancer will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio between high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) + conventionally fractionated (45 Gy in 25 fractions) WPRT vs. HDR-BT + hypofractionated (25 Gy in 5 fractions) WPRT. Randomization will be performed with a permuted block design without stratification. The primary endpoint is late bowel toxicity and the secondary endpoints include acute and late urinary and sexual toxicity, acute bowel toxicity, biochemical failure-, androgen deprivation therapy-, metastasis- and prostate cancer-free survival of the hypofractionated arm compared to the conventionally fractionated arm. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare hypofractionated WPRT to conventionally fractionated WPRT with HDR-BT boost. Hypofractionated WPRT is a more attractive and convenient treatment approach, and may become the new standard of care if demonstrated to be well-tolerated and effective. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was prospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT04197141 on December 12, 2019.

Optimizing PSMA Radioligand Therapy for Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The aim of the review was to evaluate patient and treatment characteristics for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with PSMA radioligand therapy (PRLT) associated with above-average outcome. The systematic review and meta-analysis followed recommendations by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). We searched for publications in PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov up to 31 September 2020. Thirty-six publications and four duplicates reported 2346 patients. Nearly two-thirds of the patients had bone metastases. Median overall survival (OS) was 16 months. Asymptomatic patients and patients with only lymph node metastases lived longer than symptomatic patients and patients with more extensive metastases. Patients treated with an intensified schedule of 177Lu PRLT lived longer than those treated with a conventional schedule. Half of the patients obtained a PSA decline ≥ 50% and these patients lived longer than those with less PSA decline. Approximately 10% of the patients developed hematologic toxicity with anemia grade 3 as the most severe adverse effect. Characteristics for patients, cancer, restaging, and PRLT predict above average overall survival following treatment with PRLT.

A three-gene DNA methylation biomarker accurately classifies early stage prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: We identify and validate accurate diagnostic biomarkers for prostate cancer through a systematic evaluation of DNA methylation alterations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assembled three early prostate cancer cohorts (total patients = 699) from which we collected and processed over 1300 prostatectomy tissue samples for DNA extraction. Using real-time methylation-specific PCR, we measured normalized methylation levels at 15 frequently methylated loci. After partitioning sample sets into independent training and validation cohorts, classifiers were developed using logistic regression, analyzed, and validated. RESULTS: In the training dataset, DNA methylation levels at 7 of 15 genomic loci (glutathione S-transferase Pi 1 [GSTP1], CCDC181, hyaluronan, and proteoglycan link protein 3 [HAPLN3], GSTM2, growth arrest-specific 6 [GAS6], RASSF1, and APC) showed large differences between cancer and benign samples. The best binary classifier was the GAS6/GSTP1/HAPLN3 logistic regression model, with an area under these curves of 0.97, which showed a sensitivity of 94%, and a specificity of 93% after external validation. CONCLUSION: We created and validated a multigene model for the classification of benign and malignant prostate tissue. With false positive and negative rates below 7%, this three-gene biomarker represents a promising basis for more accurate prostate cancer diagnosis.

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for the comprehensive treatment of 4-10 oligometastatic tumors (SABR-COMET-10): study protocol for a randomized phase III trial.

BACKGROUND: Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) has emerged as a new treatment option for patients with oligometastatic disease. SABR delivers precise, high-dose, hypofractionated radiotherapy, and achieves excellent rates of local control for primary tumors or metastases. A recent randomized phase II trial evaluated SABR in a group of patients with a small burden of oligometastatic disease (mostly with 1-3 metastatic lesions), and found that SABR was associated with benefits in progression-free survival and overall survival. The goal of this phase III trial is to assess the impact of SABR in patients with 4-10 metastatic cancer lesions. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-nine patients will be randomized in a 1:2 ratio between the control arm (consisting of standard of care palliative-intent treatments), and the SABR arm (consisting of standard of care treatment + SABR to all sites of known disease). Randomization will be stratified by two factors: histology (Group 1: prostate, breast, or renal; Group 2: all others), and type of pre-specified systemic therapy (Group 1: immunotherapy/targeted; Group 2: cytotoxic; Group 3: observation). SABR is to be completed within 2 weeks, allowing for rapid initiation of systemic therapy. Recommended SABR doses are 20 Gy in 1 fraction, 30 Gy in 3 fractions, or 35 Gy in 5 fractions, chosen to minimize risks of toxicity. The primary endpoint is overall survival, and secondary endpoints include progression-free survival, time to development of new metastatic lesions, quality of life, and toxicity. Translational endpoints include assessment of circulating tumor cells, cell-free DNA, and tumor tissue as prognostic and predictive markers, including assessment of immunological predictors of response and long-term survival. DISCUSSION: This study will provide an assessment of the impact of SABR on clinical outcomes and quality of life, to determine if long-term survival can be achieved for selected patients with 4-10 oligometastatic lesions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03721341 . Date of registration: October 26, 2018.

Characterization of clinical human prostate cancer lesions using 3.0-T sodium MRI registered to Gleason-graded whole-mount histopathology.

BACKGROUND: Overtreatment of prostate cancer (PCa) is a healthcare issue. Development of noninvasive imaging tools for improved characterization of prostate lesions might reduce overtreatment. PURPOSE: To measure the distribution of tissue sodium concentration (TSC), proton T2 -weighted signal, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in human PCa and to test the presence of a correlation between regional differences in imaging metrics and the Gleason grade of lesions determined from histopathology. STUDY TYPE: Cross-sectional. SUBJECTS: Ten men with biopsy-proven PCa. SEQUENCES/FIELD STRENGTH: Sodium, proton T2 -weighted, and diffusion-weighted MRI data were acquired using Broad-Band 3D-Fast-Gradient-Recalled, 3D Cube (Isotropic 3D-Fast-Turbo-Spin-Echo acquisition) and 2D Spin-Echo sequences, respectively, with a 3.0T MR scanner. ASSESSMENT: All imaging data were coregistered to Gleason-graded postprostatectomy histology, as the standard for prostate cancer lesion characterization. Regional TSC and T2 data were assessed using percent changes from healthy tissue of the same patient (denoted ΔTSC, ΔT2 ). STATISTICS: Differences in ΔTSC, ADC, and ΔT2 as a function of Gleason score were analyzed for each imaging contrast using a one-way analysis of variance or a nonparametric t-test. Correlations between imaging data measures and Gleason score were assessed using a Spearman's ranked correlation. RESULTS: Evaluation of the correlation of ΔTSC, ADC, and ΔT2 datasets with Gleason scoring revealed that only the correlation between ΔTSC and Gleason score was statistically significant (rs = 0.791, p < 0.01), whereas the correlations of ADC and ΔT2 with Gleason score were not (rs = -0.306, p = 0.079 and r s = -0.069, p = 0.699, respectively). In addition, all individual patients showed monotonically increasing ΔTSC with Gleason score. DATA CONCLUSION: The results of this preliminary study suggest that changes in TSC, assessed by sodium MRI, has utility as a noninvasive imaging assay to accurately characterize PCa lesions. Sodium MRI may provide useful complementary information on mpMRI, which may assist the decision-making of men choosing either active surveillance or treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;49:1409-1419.

Patient- and family-centered care: a qualitative exploration of oncologist perspectives.

PURPOSE: Increasingly, patient- and family-centered care (PFCC) is recognized as a valuable component of healthcare reform with rich opportunities for improvement within oncology. Shifting toward PFCC requires physician buy-in; however, research examining their perspectives on PFCC is lacking. We sought to explore oncologists' perspectives on PFCC to identify factors that influence their ability to practice PFCC. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 oncologists (8 radiation, 4 medical, 4 surgical, 2 hematologist-oncologists) at a single Canadian academic cancer institution. Interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis and principles drawn from grounded theory. Subsequently, focus groups consisting of the interviewed participants were facilitated to confirm and elaborate on our findings. Constant comparisons were used to identify recurring themes. RESULTS: Three dominant themes emerged. First, physicians displayed cautious engagement in their approach to PFCC. Collectively, participants understood the general principles of PFCC. However, there was a limited understanding of the value, implications, and motivation for improving PFCC which may create reluctance with physician buy-in. Second, both individual and system barriers to practicing PFCC were identified. A lack of physician acknowledgement and engagement and competing responsibilities emerged as provider-level challenges. System barriers included impaired clinic workflow, physical infrastructure constraints, and delays in access to care. Third, physicians were able to identify existing and potential PFCC behaviors that were feasible within existing system constraints. CONCLUSIONS: Advancing PFCC will require continued physician education regarding the value of PFCC, acknowledgement and preservation of effective patient- and family-centered strategies, and creative solutions to address the system constraints to delivering PFCC.

Accuracy Validation of an Automated Method for Prostate Segmentation in Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Three dimensional (3D) manual segmentation of the prostate on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a laborious and time-consuming task that is subject to inter-observer variability. In this study, we developed a fully automatic segmentation algorithm for T2-weighted endorectal prostate MRI and evaluated its accuracy within different regions of interest using a set of complementary error metrics. Our dataset contained 42 T2-weighted endorectal MRI from prostate cancer patients. The prostate was manually segmented by one observer on all of the images and by two other observers on a subset of 10 images. The algorithm first coarsely localizes the prostate in the image using a template matching technique. Then, it defines the prostate surface using learned shape and appearance information from a set of training images. To evaluate the algorithm, we assessed the error metric values in the context of measured inter-observer variability and compared performance to that of our previously published semi-automatic approach. The automatic algorithm needed an average execution time of ∼60 s to segment the prostate in 3D. When compared to a single-observer reference standard, the automatic algorithm has an average mean absolute distance of 2.8 mm, Dice similarity coefficient of 82%, recall of 82%, precision of 84%, and volume difference of 0.5 cm3 in the mid-gland. Concordant with other studies, accuracy was highest in the mid-gland and lower in the apex and base. Loss of accuracy with respect to the semi-automatic algorithm was less than the measured inter-observer variability in manual segmentation for the same task.

Searching for wisdom in oncology care: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: The concept of "wisdom" is beginning to emerge in the oncology literature, raising questions concerning: (1) how the concept of wisdom is used in oncology literature; (2) the ways in which wisdom has been a focus of inquiry within oncology care; and (3) how wisdom is characterized when the term is used. METHOD: A scoping review, using Arksey and O'Malley's five-step framework, was undertaken to address these questions. In consultation with oncology reference librarians, "wisdom"- and "oncology"-related search terms were identified, and four electronic databases were searched: CINAHL, SocINDEX, PubMed, and PsychINFO. After removal of duplicates and application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 58 records were identified and included for analysis. RESULTS: The concept of wisdom was employed with a breadth of meanings, and 58 records were schematized into 7 genres, including: (1) empirical research with wisdom foregrounded as a study focus (n = 2); (2) empirical research articles where "wisdom" appears in the findings (n = 16); (3) a quality-improvement project where wisdom is an embedded concept (n = 1); (4) essays where wisdom is an aspect of the discussion (n = 5); (5) commentary/opinion pieces where wisdom is an aspect of its focus (n = 6); (6) personal stories describing wisdom as something gleaned from lived experience with cancer (n = 2); and (7) everyday/taken-for-granted uses of wisdom (n = 26). SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The notion of wisdom has a taken-for-granted presence in the published oncology literature and holds promise for future research into patient and clinician wisdom in oncology care. Nonetheless, the terminology is varied and unclear. A scholarly focus on wisdom has not been brought to bear in cancer care to the degree it has in other fields, and research is in the early stages. Various characterizations of wisdom are present. If such a resource as "wisdom" exists, dwelling in human experiences and practices, there may be benefit in recognizing wisdom as informing the epistemologies of practice in oncology care.

Long-Term Oncologic Outcomes of Salvage Cryoablation for Radio-Recurrent Prostate Cancer.

PURPOSE: Management of localized radio-recurrent prostate cancer is not standardized, partly due to the absence of long-term data on oncologic control and the toxicity of various treatment modalities. We analyzed the long-term oncologic outcomes and morbidity of salvage cryoablation for radio-recurrent prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing salvage cryoablation for biopsy proven, localized radio-recurrent prostate cancer from 1995 to 2004 were prospectively accrued. Preoperative characteristics, perioperative morbidity and postoperative data were reviewed from a prospectively maintained database or via telephonic contact with the patient. The primary outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcomes were metastasis-free and biochemical disease-free survival. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis and multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: Of 187 patients 157 (84%) had records available for followup. Mean ± SD age was 69.4 ± 5.8 years and mean presalvage prostate specific antigen was 6.6 ± 5.7 ng/ml. Median followup was 117 months (IQR 55-154). Five and 10-year overall survival was 93% and 76%, respectively. Biochemical disease-free survival at 10 and 15 years was 35% and 22.6% whereas metastasis-free survival at 10 and 15 years was 86% and 71%, respectively. On multivariable analysis precryoablation and nadir prostate specific antigen values were significant predictors of metastasis-free and biochemical disease-free survival. Age at salvage cryoablation (p = 0.008) and nadir prostate specific antigen (p = 0.015) were significant predictors of overall survival. There were 157 Clavien-Dindo grade 1-2 and 22 grade 3 complications. CONCLUSIONS: A single center, long-term experience documented by a prospectively maintained database shows that cryoablation is a viable salvage option for radio-recurrent prostate cancer as it provides durable biochemical disease-free survival with acceptable morbidity.

CogState computerized memory tests in patients with brain metastases: secondary endpoint results of NRG Oncology RTOG 0933.

Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) is associated with memory dysfunction. As part of NRG Oncology RTOG 0933, a phase II study of WBRT for brain metastases that conformally avoided the hippocampal stem cell compartment (HA-WBRT), memory was assessed pre- and post-HA-WBRT using both traditional and computerized memory tests. We examined whether the computerized tests yielded similar findings and might serve as possible alternatives for assessment of memory in multi-institution clinical trials. Adult patients with brain metastases received HA-WBRT to 30 Gy in ten fractions and completed Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R), CogState International Shopping List Test (ISLT) and One Card Learning Test (OCLT), at baseline, 2 and 4 months. Tests' completion rates were 52-53 % at 2 months and 34-42 % at 4 months. All baseline correlations between HVLT-R and CogState tests were significant (p ≤ 0.003). At baseline, both CogState tests and one component of HVLT-R differentiated those who were alive at 6 months and those who had died (p ≤ 0.01). At 4 months, mean relative decline was 7.0 % for HVLT-R Delayed Recall and 18.0 % for ISLT Delayed Recall. OCLT showed an 8.0 % increase. A reliable change index found no significant changes from baseline to 2 and 4 months for ISLT Delayed Recall (z = -0.40, p = 0.34; z = -0.68, p = 0.25) or OCLT (z = 0.15, p = 0.56; z = 0.41, p = 0.66). Study findings support the possibility that hippocampal avoidance may be associated with preservation of memory test performance, and that these computerized tests also may be useful and valid memory assessments in multi-institution adult brain tumor trials.

Assessment of function and quality of life in a phase II multi-institutional clinical trial of fractionated simultaneous in-field boost radiotherapy for patients with 1-3 metastases.

We examined functional outcomes and quality of life of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) with integrated fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy boost (FSRT) for brain metastases treatment. Eighty seven people with 1-3 brain metastases (54/87 lung primary, 42/87 single brain metastases) were enrolled on this Phase II trial of WBRT (30 Gy/10) + simultaneous FSRT, (60 Gy/10). Median overall follow-up and survival was 5.4 months, 6 month actuarial intra-lesional control was 78 %; only 1 patient exhibited grade 4 toxicity (worsened seizures); most treatment related toxicity was grade 1 or 2; 2/87 patients demonstrated asymptomatic radiation necrosis on follow-up imaging. Mean (Min-Max) baseline KPS, Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) and FACT-BR quality of life were 83 (70-100), 28 (21-30) and 143 (98-153). Lower baseline MMSE (but not KPS or FACT-Br) was associated with worse survival after adjusting for age, number of metastases, primary and extra-cranial disease status. Crude rates of deterioration (>10 points decrease from baseline for KPS and FACT-Br, MMSE fall to <27) ranged from 26 to 38 % for KPS, 32-59 % for FACT-Br and 0-16 % for MMSE depending on the time-point assessed with higher rates generally noted at earlier time points (≤6 months post-treatment). Using a linear mixed models analysis, significant declines from baseline were noted for KPS and FACT-Br (largest effects at 6 weeks to 3 months) with no significant change in MMSE. The effects on function and quality of life of this integrated treatment of WBRT + simultaneous FSRT were similar to other published series combining WBRT + radiosurgery.

Unshielded asymmetric transmit-only and endorectal receive-only radiofrequency coil for (23) Na MRI of the prostate at 3 tesla.

BACKGROUND: To develop and optimize radiofrequency (RF) hardware for the detection of endogenous sodium ((23) Na) by 3.0 Tesla (T) MRI in the human prostate. METHODS: A transmit-only receive-only (TORO) RF system of resonators consisting of an unshielded, asymmetric, quadrature birdcage (transmit), and an endorectal (ER), linear, surface (receive) coil were developed and tested on a 3T MRI scanner. Two different ER receivers were constructed; a single-tuned ((23) Na) and a dual-tuned ((1) H/(23) Na). Both receivers were evaluated by the measurements of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and B1 homogeneity. For tissue sodium concentration (TSC) quantification, vials containing known sodium concentrations were incorporated into the ER. The system was used to measure the prostate TSC of three men (age 55 ± 5 years) with biopsy-proven prostate cancer. RESULTS: B1 field inhomogeneity of the asymmetric transmitter was estimated to be less than 5%. The mean SNR measured in a region of interest within the prostate using the single-tuned ER coil was 54.0 ± 4.6. The mean TSC in the central gland was 60.2 ± 5.7 mmol/L and in the peripheral gland was 70.5 ± 9.0 mmol/L. CONCLUSION: A TORO system was developed and optimized for (23) Na MRI of the human prostate which showed good sensitivity throughout the prostate for quantitative measurement of TSC.