Salvage Therapy for Prostate Cancer: AUA/ASTRO/SUO Guideline Part III: Salvage Therapy After Radiotherapy or Focal Therapy, Pelvic Nodal Recurrence and Oligometastasis, and Future Directions.

PURPOSE: The summary presented herein covers recommendations on salvage therapy for recurrent prostate cancer intended to facilitate care decisions and aid clinicians in caring for patients who have experienced a recurrence following prior treatment with curative intent. This is Part III of a three-part series focusing on evaluation and management of suspected non-metastatic recurrence after radiotherapy (RT) and focal therapy, evaluation and management of regional recurrence, management for molecular imaging metastatic recurrence, and future directions. Please refer to Part I for discussion of treatment decision-making and Part II for discussion of treatment delivery for non-metastatic biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The systematic review that informs this Guideline was based on searches in Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to July 21, 2022), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (through August 2022), and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (through August 2022). Update searches were conducted on July 26, 2023. Searches were supplemented by reviewing electronic database reference lists of relevant articles. RESULTS: In a collaborative effort between AUA, ASTRO, and SUO, the Salvage Therapy for Prostate Cancer Guideline Panel developed evidence- and consensus-based guideline statements to provide guidance for the care of patients who experience BCR after initial definitive local therapy for clinically localized disease. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous and deliberate efforts for multidisciplinary care in prostate cancer will be required to optimize and improve the oncologic and functional outcomes of patients treated with salvage therapies in the future.

Salvage Therapy for Prostate Cancer: AUA/ASTRO/SUO Guideline Part I: Introduction and Treatment Decision-Making at the Time of Suspected Biochemical Recurrence after Radical Prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: The summary presented herein covers recommendations on salvage therapy for recurrent prostate cancer intended to facilitate care decisions and aid clinicians in caring for patients who have experienced a recurrence following prior treatment with curative intent. This is Part I of a three-part series focusing on treatment decision-making at the time of suspected biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP). Please refer to Part II for discussion of treatment delivery for non-metastatic BCR after RP and Part III for discussion of evaluation and management of recurrence after radiotherapy (RT) and focal therapy, regional recurrence, and oligometastasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The systematic review that informs this Guideline was based on searches in Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to July 21, 2022), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (through August 2022), and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (through August 2022). Update searches were conducted on July 26, 2023. Searches were supplemented by reviewing electronic database reference lists of relevant articles. RESULTS: In a collaborative effort between AUA, ASTRO, and SUO, the Salvage Therapy for Prostate Cancer Panel developed evidence- and consensus-based statements to provide guidance for the care of patients who experience BCR after initial definitive local therapy for clinically localized disease. CONCLUSIONS: Advancing work in the area of diagnostic tools (particularly imaging), biomarkers, radiation delivery, and biological manipulation with the evolving armamentarium of therapeutic agents will undoubtedly present new opportunities for patients to experience long-term control of their cancer while minimizing toxicity.

Salvage Therapy for Prostate Cancer: AUA/ASTRO/SUO Guideline Part II: Treatment Delivery for Non-metastatic Biochemical Recurrence After Primary Radical Prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: The summary presented herein covers recommendations on salvage therapy for recurrent prostate cancer intended to facilitate care decisions and aid clinicians in caring for patients who have experienced a recurrence following prior treatment with curative intent. This is Part II of a three-part series focusing on treatment delivery for non-metastatic biochemical recurrence (BCR) after primary radical prostatectomy (RP). Please refer to Part I for discussion of treatment decision-making and Part III for discussion of evaluation and management of recurrence after radiotherapy (RT) and focal therapy, regional recurrence, and oligometastasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The systematic review that informs this Guideline was based on searches in Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to July 21, 2022), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (through August 2022), and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (through August 2022). Update searches were conducted on July 26, 2023. Searches were supplemented by reviewing electronic database reference lists of relevant articles. RESULTS: In a collaborative effort between AUA, ASTRO, and SUO, the Salvage Therapy for Prostate Cancer Panel developed evidence- and consensus-based guideline statements to provide guidance for the care of patients who experience BCR after initial definitive local therapy for clinically localized disease. CONCLUSIONS: Optimizing and personalizing the approach to salvage therapy remains an ongoing area of work in the field of genitourinary oncology and represents an area of research and clinical care that requires well-coordinated, multi-disciplinary efforts.

Joint EANM-SNMMI guideline on the role of 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT in no special type breast cancer : (endorsed by the ACR, ESSO, ESTRO, EUSOBI/ESR, and EUSOMA).

INTRODUCTION: There is much literature about the role of 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT in patients with breast cancer (BC). However, there exists no international guideline with involvement of the nuclear medicine societies about this subject. PURPOSE: To provide an organized, international, state-of-the-art, and multidisciplinary guideline, led by experts of two nuclear medicine societies (EANM and SNMMI) and representation of important societies in the field of BC (ACR, ESSO, ESTRO, EUSOBI/ESR, and EUSOMA). METHODS: Literature review and expert discussion were performed with the aim of collecting updated information regarding the role of 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT in patients with no special type (NST) BC and summarizing its indications according to scientific evidence. Recommendations were scored according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) criteria. RESULTS: Quantitative PET features (SUV, MTV, TLG) are valuable prognostic parameters. In baseline staging, 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT plays a role from stage IIB through stage IV. When assessing response to therapy, 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT should be performed on certified scanners, and reported either according to PERCIST, EORTC PET, or EANM immunotherapy response criteria, as appropriate. 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT may be useful to assess early metabolic response, particularly in non-metastatic triple-negative and HER2+ tumours. 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT is useful to detect the site and extent of recurrence when conventional imaging methods are equivocal and when there is clinical and/or laboratorial suspicion of relapse. Recent developments are promising. CONCLUSION: 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT is extremely useful in BC management, as supported by extensive evidence of its utility compared to other imaging modalities in several clinical scenarios.

PSMA PET/CT: joint EANM procedure guideline/SNMMI procedure standard for prostate cancer imaging 2.0.

Here we aim to provide updated guidance and standards for the indication, acquisition, and interpretation of PSMA PET/CT for prostate cancer imaging. Procedures and characteristics are reported for a variety of available PSMA small radioligands. Different scenarios for the clinical use of PSMA-ligand PET/CT are discussed. This document provides clinicians and technicians with the best available evidence, to support the implementation of PSMA PET/CT imaging in research and routine practice.

Standard Adult Gastric Emptying Scintigraphy Criteria Is Applicable for Partial Meal Ingestion.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastric emptying scintigraphy is commonly performed to assess for dysmotility. A standardized meal with associated threshold criteria was established in 2000 to enable robust interpretation. However, no guidance is available to interpret results when patients do not ingest the entire meal. The purpose of this study is to determine the continued appropriateness of the threshold criteria in contemporary clinical practice and its relevance for partially ingested meals. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed patients (n = 1365 total) who underwent solid-phase gastric emptying scintigraphy at an academic medical center. Patients were stratified based on their completion of the standard meal. Patients were further stratified into normal and delayed gastric emptying cohorts based on the current criteria. Percent gastric retention values at 1, 2, 3, and 4 h were compared. RESULTS: Median (95% upper reference) normal gastric retention values for the complete standard meal were 64% (87%) at 1 h, 25% (60%) at 2 h, 13% (54%) at 3 h and 4% (9%) at 4 h. Consumption of at least 50% of the standard meal yielded similar retention; 53% (86%) at 1 h, 19% (58%) at 2 h, 6% (29%) at 3 h and 3% (10%) at 4 h. There was no significant age- or gender-specific differences using the current criteria, and no differences were observed based on diabetic status. Retention values matched well with the current criteria and validated with data-driven clustering. CONCLUSION: Adult normative standards for gastric emptying scintigraphy are appropriate for differentiating normal and delayed populations and can be applied to partial meals with at least 50% completion.

Phase 3 Trial of 177Lu-Dotatate for Midgut Neuroendocrine Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced midgut neuroendocrine tumors who have had disease progression during first-line somatostatin analogue therapy have limited therapeutic options. This randomized, controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of lutetium-177 (177Lu)-Dotatate in patients with advanced, progressive, somatostatin-receptor-positive midgut neuroendocrine tumors. METHODS: We randomly assigned 229 patients who had well-differentiated, metastatic midgut neuroendocrine tumors to receive either 177Lu-Dotatate (116 patients) at a dose of 7.4 GBq every 8 weeks (four intravenous infusions, plus best supportive care including octreotide long-acting repeatable [LAR] administered intramuscularly at a dose of 30 mg) (177Lu-Dotatate group) or octreotide LAR alone (113 patients) administered intramuscularly at a dose of 60 mg every 4 weeks (control group). The primary end point was progression-free survival. Secondary end points included the objective response rate, overall survival, safety, and the side-effect profile. The final analysis of overall survival will be conducted in the future as specified in the protocol; a prespecified interim analysis of overall survival was conducted and is reported here. RESULTS: At the data-cutoff date for the primary analysis, the estimated rate of progression-free survival at month 20 was 65.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 50.0 to 76.8) in the 177Lu-Dotatate group and 10.8% (95% CI, 3.5 to 23.0) in the control group. The response rate was 18% in the 177Lu-Dotatate group versus 3% in the control group (P<0.001). In the planned interim analysis of overall survival, 14 deaths occurred in the 177Lu-Dotatate group and 26 in the control group (P=0.004). Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and lymphopenia occurred in 1%, 2%, and 9%, respectively, of patients in the 177Lu-Dotatate group as compared with no patients in the control group, with no evidence of renal toxic effects during the observed time frame. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with 177Lu-Dotatate resulted in markedly longer progression-free survival and a significantly higher response rate than high-dose octreotide LAR among patients with advanced midgut neuroendocrine tumors. Preliminary evidence of an overall survival benefit was seen in an interim analysis; confirmation will be required in the planned final analysis. Clinically significant myelosuppression occurred in less than 10% of patients in the 177Lu-Dotatate group. (Funded by Advanced Accelerator Applications; NETTER-1 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01578239 ; EudraCT number 2011-005049-11 .).

Discrepancy between FDG-PET/CT and contrast-enhanced CT in the staging of patients with inflammatory breast cancer: implications for treatment planning.

PURPOSE: Optimizing treatment strategies for patients with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) relies on accurate initial staging. This study compared contrast-enhanced computed tomography (ce-CT) and FDG-PET/CT for initial staging of IBC to determine the frequency of discordance between the two imaging modalities and potential impact on management. METHODS: 81 patients with IBC underwent FDG-PET/CT and ce-CT prior to starting treatment. FDG-PET/CT and ce-CT scans were independently reviewed for locoregional and distant metastases and findings recorded by anatomic site as negative, equivocal, or positive for breast cancer involvement. Each paired ce-CT and FDG-PET/CT case was classified as concordant or discordant for findings. Discordant findings were subclassified as (a) related to the presence or absence of distant metastases; (b) affecting the locoregional radiation therapy plan; or (c) due to incidental findings not related to IBC. RESULTS: There were 47 discordant findings between ce-CT and FDG-PET/CT in 41 of 81 patients (50.6%). Thirty (63.8%) were related to the presence or absence of distant metastases; most commonly disease detection on FDG-PET/CT but not ce-CT (n = 12). FDG-PET/CT suggested alterations of the locoregional radiation therapy plan designed by CT alone in 15 patients. FDG-PET/CT correctly characterized 5 of 7 findings equivocal for metastatic IBC on ce-CT. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates differences between ce-CT and FDG-PET/CT for initial staging of IBC and how these differences potentially affect patient management. Preliminary data suggest that FDG-PET/CT may be the imaging modality of choice for initial staging of IBC. Prospective trials testing initial staging with FDG-PET/CT versus important clinical end-points in IBC are warranted.

Extraprostatic Uptake of 18F-Fluciclovine: Differentiation of Nonprostatic Neoplasms From Metastatic Prostate Cancer.

OBJECTIVE. Fluciclovine is a synthetic radiolabeled amino acid analog used for imaging of biochemical recurrent prostate cancer. Uptake of fluciclovine is mediated by several amino acid transporters, including alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 and large neutral amino acid transporters, which are known to be overexpressed in other malignancies. CONCLUSION. Knowledge of the common patterns of prostate cancer recurrence, in addition to what other neoplasms can show uptake, is critical for accurate study interpretation.

Patterns of breast reconstruction in patients diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer: The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program experience.

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) exhibits dermal lymphatic involvement at presentation, and thus, the standard surgical approach is a nonskin-sparing modified radical mastectomy (MRM) without breast reconstruction (BR). In this study, we evaluated immediate and delayed BR receipt and its outcomes in IBC. Using an IRB-approved database, we retrospectively evaluated stage III IBC patients who received trimodality therapy (preoperative systemic therapy, followed by MRM and postmastectomy chest wall/regional nodal radiation). Patients with an insufficient response to preoperative systemic therapy and/or who required preoperative radiotherapy were excluded. BR receipt, timing, and morbidity were evaluated. Among 240 stage III IBC patients diagnosed between 1997 and 2016, 40 (17%) underwent BR. Thirteen (33%) had immediate, and 27 (67%) had delayed BR. Four patients had complications (1 [8%] immediate BR and 3 [11%] delayed BR); only 1 BR (delayed) was unsuccessful. From the MRM date, the median time to recurrence was 35 months (<1-212) and median overall survival was 87 months (<1-212). In this cohort of stage III IBC patients, only 11% pursued delayed BR following trimodality therapy, possibly attributable to the observed high recurrence rates hindering BR. Further studies addressing BR outcomes in IBC are needed for better counseling patients regarding their reconstructive options.

Refinement of the Lugano Classification lymphoma response criteria in the era of immunomodulatory therapy.

Uniformly adopted response criteria are essential for assessment of therapies incorporating conventional chemotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy regimens. Recently, immunomodulatory agents, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, have demonstrated impressive activity in a broad range of lymphoma histologies. However, these agents may be associated with clinical and imaging findings during treatment suggestive of progressive disease (PD) despite evidence of clinical benefit (eg, tumor flare or pseudo-progression). Considering this finding as PD could lead to patients being prematurely removed from a treatment from which they actually stand to benefit. This phenomenon has been well described with checkpoint blockade therapy in solid tumors and anecdotally seen in lymphoma as well. To address this issue in the context of lymphoma immunomodulatory therapy, a workshop was convened to provide provisional recommendations to modify current response criteria in patients receiving these and future agents in clinical trials. The term "indeterminate response" was introduced to identify such lesions until confirmed as flare/pseudo-progression or true PD by either biopsy or subsequent imaging.

The Impact of Residual Disease After Preoperative Systemic Therapy on Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Inflammatory Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive disease treated with multimodality therapy: preoperative systemic therapy (PST) followed by modified radical mastectomy (MRM), chest wall and regional nodal radiotherapy, and adjuvant biologic therapy and/or endocrine therapy when appropriate. In non-IBC, the degree of pathologic response to PST has been shown to correlate with time to recurrence (TTR) and overall survival (OS). We sought to determine if pathologic response correlates with oncologic outcomes of IBC patients. METHODS: Following review of IBC patients' records (1997-2014), we identified 258 stage III IBC patients; 181 received PST followed by MRM and radiotherapy and were subsequently analyzed. Pathologic complete response (pCR) to PST, hormone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, grade, and histology were evaluated as predictors of TTR and OS by Cox model. RESULTS: Overall, 95/181 (52%) patients experienced recurrence; 93/95 (98%) were distant metastases (median TTR 3.2 years). Seventy-three patients (40%) died (median OS 6.9 years). pCR was associated with improved TTR (hazard ratio [HR] 0.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09-0.46, p < 0.01, univariate; HR 0.17, 95% CI 0.07-0.41, p < 0.0001, multivariate) and improved OS (HR 0.26, 95% CI 0.11-0.65, p < 0.01, univariate). In patients with pCR, grade III (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.16-3.13, p = 0.01), and triple-negative phenotype (HR 3.54, 95% CI 1.79-6.98, p = 0.0003) were associated with shorter TTR, while residual ductal carcinoma in situ was not (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.53-1.35, p = 0.48, multivariate). CONCLUSIONS: In stage III IBC, pCR was associated with prognosis, further influenced by grade, hormone receptor, and HER2 status. Investigating mechanisms that contribute to better response to PST could help improve oncologic outcomes in IBC.

Inflammatory breast cancer and development of brain metastases: risk factors and outcomes.

Brain metastases are associated with significant morbidity. Minimal research has been conducted on the risk factors for and incidence of brain metastases in women with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). 210 women with Stage III or IV IBC diagnosed from 1997-2011 were identified. Competing risk analysis and competing risks regression were used to calculate the incidence of brain metastases and identify significant risk factors. After a median follow-up in surviving patients of 2.8 years (range 0.6-7.6) and 3.3 years (range 0.2-14.5) in the 47 and 163 patients with (MET) and without (non-MET) metastatic disease at diagnosis, 17 (36 %) and 30 (18 %) developed brain metastases, respectively. The cumulative incidence at 1, 2, and 3 years was 17 % [95 % confidence interval (CI), 8-30], 34 % (95 % CI, 20-48), and 37 % (95 % CI, 22-51) for the MET cohort. The corresponding non-MET values were 4 % (95 % CI, 2-8), 8 % (95 % CI 5-13), and 15 % (95 % CI, 10-22). Once non-MET patients developed extracranial distant metastases, the subsequent 1, 2, and 3 years cumulative incidence of brain metastases was 18 % (95 % CI, 10-28), 25 % (95 % CI, 15-36), and 31 % (95 % CI, 20-43). On multivariate analysis, brain metastases were associated with younger age [hazard ratio (HR), 0.73; 95 % CI, 0.53-1.00; P = 0.05] and distant metastases at diagnosis (HR, 2.33; 95 % CI, 1.11-4.89; P = 0.03). The incidence of brain metastases is high in women with IBC. Particularly for patients with extracranial distant metastases, routine screening with magnetic resonance imaging should be considered.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Patterns of Failure and the Case for Aggressive Locoregional Management.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive subtype. This study analyzes the patterns of failure in patients with IBC treated at our institution. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 227 women with IBC presenting between 1997 and 2011. Survival analysis was used to calculate overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival. Competing risk analysis was used to calculate locoregional recurrence (LRR). RESULTS: A total of 173 patients had locoregional-only disease at presentation (non-MET). Median follow-up in the surviving patients was 3.3 years. Overall, 132 (76.3 %) patients received trimodality therapy with chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. Three-year OS was 73.1 % [95 % confidence interval (CI) 64.9-82.4]. Cumulative LRR was 10.1, 16.9, and 21.3 % at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. No variable was significantly associated with LRR. Fifty-four patients had metastatic disease at presentation (MET). Median follow-up in the surviving patients was 2.6 years. Three-year OS was 44.3 % (95 % CI 31.4-62.5). Twenty-four (44.4 %) patients received non-palliative local therapy (radiotherapy and/or surgery). For these patients, median OS after local therapy was 2 years. Excluding six patients who received local therapy for symptom palliation, the crude incidence of locoregional progression or recurrence (LRPR) was 17 % (4/24) for those who received local therapy compared with 57 % (13/23) for those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: For non-MET patients, LRR remains a problem despite trimodality therapy. More aggressive treatment is warranted. For MET patients, nearly 60 % have LRPR with systemic therapy alone. Local therapy should be considered in the setting of metastatic disease to prevent potential morbidity of progressive local disease.

Cancer immunotherapy: imaging assessment of novel treatment response patterns and immune-related adverse events.

Cancer immunotherapy is changing the imaging evaluation of cancer treatment response and treatment-related toxic effects. New emerging patterns of treatment response and treatment-related toxic effects after treatment with immunomodulating agents have been observed. Treatment response after immunomodulatory therapy can be associated with significantly delayed decrease in tumor size, and new or enlarging tumors observed soon after completion of treatment may not reflect disease progression. In addition, activation of the immune system to fight cancer may lead to unwanted autoimmune-mediated toxic effects that could be mistaken for metastatic disease or misdiagnosed as a non-treatment-related process and delay appropriate clinical management. Radiologists must recognize the novel treatment response patterns and the wide range of autoimmune toxic effects, which should not be mistaken for treatment failure or metastatic disease progression.

Phase 2 study of rituximab-ABVD in classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

In classical Hodgkin lymphoma, circulating clonotypic malignant cells express CD20, which potentially explains the observed activity of rituximab. This multicenter phase 2 study investigated the combination of rituximab-ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) for stage II-IV untreated classical Hodgkin lymphoma. A goal was to assess the behavior of circulating clonotypic B cells clinically. Of 49 evaluable patients, 69% had stage IIB-IV disease; 8% had CD20(+) Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells. Rituximab-ABVD was generally well tolerated. Delivered relative dose intensity was 94% for AVD and 79% for bleomycin. After 6 cycles, 81% of patients were in complete remission. Only 8% received radiation therapy. The actuarial 3-year event-free and overall survival rates were 83% and 98%, respectively. EBV copy number in plasma fell dramatically during cycle 1 in patients with EBV(+) tumors. Persistence of detectable circulating clonotypic B cells was associated with a greater relapse frequency (P < .05). Rituximab-ABVD and clonotypic B cells warrant additional study in classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Synchronous small bowel and atypical primary leiomyosarcoma of inferior vena cava in a patient with RB1 mutation.

A 72-year-old Caucasian man presenting with non-specific upper abdominal pain had asymmetric soft tissue thickening of the small bowel wall on computed tomography (CT), which was pathologically proven to be leiomyosarcoma (LMS). At the same time point patient had incidentally but retrospectively detected lesion in IVC on CT scan which was subsequently imaged with PET/CT and MRI and was histologically proven to be also LMS. We present clinical and imaging features along with pedigree of this unique case of synchronous primary LMS involving the small bowel and inferior vena cava in a patient with RB1 gene mutation and a significant family history of multiple malignancies. To our knowledge, the synchronous primary LMS at two different sites has not been described. Clinicians and radiologists should keep in mind the possibility of a synchronous primary LMS in patients with genetic predisposition before making the diagnosis of a metastatic lesion or other malignancy as localized primary tumors remain potentially curable, whereas metastatic sarcoma is most often incurable.