Oncological outcomes for encapsulated papillary carcinoma of the breast: Multicentric study of Turkish Society for Radiation Oncology breast cancer study group (TROD 06-014 study).

BACKGROUND: Encapsulated papillary carcinoma (EPC) is a rare malignant papillary breast cancer accounting for approximately .5%-2% of all breast tumors. The aim of this multicenter study was to evaluate clinicopathologic features of EPC in addition to oncological outcomes and radiotherapy (RT) details. METHODS: From 10 different academic hospitals in Turkey, we obtained pathology reports of 80 patients with histologically confirmed EPC between 2005 and 2022. Demographic, diagnostic, and treatment data were collected from medical records, retrospectively. Local failure, distant progression, toxicity-adverse effects, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival were evaluated, and survival analyzes were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Eighty patients with the diagnosis of misspelled sorry (ECP) were retrospectively evaluated. The median age of the patients was 63 (range, 35-85). After a median follow-up of 48 (range; 6-206) months, local recurrence was observed in three patients (4%). Local recurrence was less common in the patients who received whole breast RT with a tumour bed boost (p = .025). There were not any distant metastasis or disease-related death. RT was applied to 61% of the cases, and no treatment-related grade 3 or higher toxicity was reported in any of the patients. Five year OS, cancer-specific survival (CSS), and  were observed as 85%, 100%, and 96%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ECP is a rare, slow-progressing breast carcinoma associated with good prognosis, it is a disease of elderly patient, and usually occurs in postmenopausal women. It responds extremely well to optimal local treatments and appropriate adjuvant treatments on a patient basis, and has excellent OS and CSS ratios.

Prostate-specific antigen nadir within 1 year of radiotherapy combined with hormone therapy predicts cancer-specific mortality and biochemical recurrence-free survival in prostate cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we investigated the ability of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) 12 months after (nPSA12) external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) combined with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to predict biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS), overall survival (OS), and prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) in intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 338 intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer patients treated with EBRT with ADT at our institution between 2000 and 2018. The median radiation dose was 76 Gy, the median initial PSA level was 17 ng/mL (range, 1-228 ng/mL), and the median duration of ADT was 24 months (range, 6-167 months). The median PSA level 1 months after EBRT was 0.06 ng/mL (range, 0-25.6 ng/mL). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Patient survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 5 years (range, 1-20 years). Multivariate analysis revealed that nPSA was an independent and significant factor associated with OS, PCSM, and BRFS (P = 0.008, P = 0.001, P = 0.04). Furthermore, the time to nPSA12 was an independent predictor of PCSM and BRFS (P = 0.042, P = 0.021). Pelvic irradiation was also significantly associated with worse OS and PCSM (P = 0.004, P = 0.01). Additionally, age (≤ 70 or > 70 years) and hormone therapy duration (6 months, 1-3 years, or > 3 years) were significantly associated with OS and PCSM, respectively (P = 0.004, P = 0.02). For high risk, nPSA and nPSA12 were an independent predictor for BRFS. (P = 0.021, P = 0.029) CONCLUSION: The nPSA12 level of > 0.06 ng/mL may independently predict worse PCSM and BRFS in intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer patients undergoing EBRT and ADT. Additionally, for high risk, nPSA > 0.06 ng/mL and nPSA12 > 0.06 ng/mL may independently predict worse BRFS.

Role of baseline 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT-derived whole-body volumetric parameters in predicting survival outcomes of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients receiving first-line treatment.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate whether baseline 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT-derived whole-body volumetric parameters could be used as predictive biomarkers for survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients receiving first-line treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 54 mCRPC patients, who underwent baseline 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT imaging within 1 month before starting first-line treatment. Pre-treatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and treatments were recorded. SUVmax, SUVmean, whole-body PSMA-derived tumor volume (wbPSMA-TV), and whole-body total lesion PSMA (wbTL-PSMA) were calculated for all patients. PSA response was defined as a decline of ≥ 50% from pre-treatment value at 12 weeks. Overall survival (OS) was measured from the start of the first-line treatment for mCRPC. RESULTS: Docetaxel and abiraterone/enzalutamide were administered to 32 and 22 patients in the first-line setting, respectively. wbPSMA-TV (rho = 0.582, p = 0.004) and wbTL-PSMA (rho = 0.564, p = 0.007) showed moderate positive correlations with PSA levels. Older age (p = 0.02), higher wbPSMA-TV (p = 0.007), higher PSA (p = 0.01), higher number of bone metastases (p = 0.02), and lack of PSA response (p = 0.03) were significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality. Multivariate analysis determined wbPSMA-TV (HR: 1.003, 95% CI 1.001-1.004, p = 0.001) and PSA response (HR: 2.241, 95% CI 1.189-4.222, p = 0.01) as independent predictors of OS. CONCLUSION: The wbPSMA-TV may be a useful tool to reflect tumor burden and predict survival outcomes in patients with mCRPC.

68Ga-PSMA PET/CT to Distinguish Brain Metastasis of Renal Cell Carcinoma From Radiation Necrosis After Stereotactic Radiosurgery.

ABSTRACT: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the kidney. Approximately 35% of patients of RCC presents with distant metastasis at initial evaluation. CT and MRI are the mainstay imaging modalities. Distinguishing radiation necrosis from tumor progression after stereotactic radiosurgery is challenging. Herein, we present a case of a 43-year-old man with RCC who was treated with stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases. We want to emphasize the potential value of 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT imaging in the differential diagnosis and follow-up of tumor progression from radiation necrosis in RCC patients.

Lymph node ratio as an independent prognostic factor for breast cancer-related mortality in patients with node-positive breast cancer.

AIM: This study assessed whether prognostic information could be obtained in patients with lymph node (LN)-positive breast cancer based on their LN ratios (LNRs) and explored the relationships between other potential prognostic factors and survival. SETTING AND DESIGN: This was a retrospective clinical study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 608 women with node-positive nonmetastatic breast cancer. Clinical and pathologic data were retrospectively evaluated. The median age was 51 years (range: 23-84 years). All patients received adjuvant radiotherapy after radical surgery. A total dose of 50 Gy was administered to the chest wall or breast and LN regions with 2 Gy daily fractions. A 10-Gy boost was administered to the breast tumor bed. The cutoff value of LNR was defined as low risk (<0.21) in 278 patients, intermediate risk (0.21-0.65) in 217 patients, and high risk (>0.65) in 113 patients. Prognostic variables included patient characteristics, disease characteristics, and interventional factors. The primary endpoint was overall survival and the secondary endpoint was breast cancer-related mortality. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox regression analysis. P value was required to be <0.05. RESULTS: Within a median follow-up period of 95.4 months (range: 5-232.4 months), overall survival rates for 10 and 15 years were 66% and 53%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that LNR (P = 0.026), estrogen receptor status (ERS) (P = 0.021), age (P = 0.04), and smoking (P = 0.024) were independent significant prognostic factors for overall survival. Breast cancer-related mortality rates at 10 and 15 years were 70.7% and 60%, respectively. LNR (P = 0.03) and ERS (P = 0.002) were independent significant prognostic factors for breast cancer-related mortality. CONCLUSIONS: LNR and ERS were significant prognostic factors for survival at all endpoints.

Dosimetric comparison of anterior posterior-posterior anterior 2-field three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, 4-field three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and "forward" plan intensity modulated radiotherapy techniques in female lymphoma patients irradiated to neck and mediastinum.

AIM: Dosimetric comparison of three different techniques in female lymphoma patients who had radiotherapy (RT) to the neck and mediastinum. SETTING AND DESIGN: Retrospective clinical study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Computerized tomography-simulator images of eight patients were obtained retrospectively. Using 6 MV-X photon energy, RT plans were formed with three different techniques (anterior posterior-posterior anterior 2-field three-dimensional conformal RT [AP-PA 2-field 3D-CRT], 4-field 3D-CRT and "forward" plan intensity modulated RT [FPIMRT]). Comparisons were in terms of homogeneity index (HI), conformity index (CI), and inhomogeneity coefficient for planning target volume (PTV); mean lung dose, V5Gy, V10Gy, V20Gy, V30Gy for lung; Dmean, V7.5Gy, V15Gy, V25Gy for heart; Dmean, V3.5Gy, V10Gy, V20Gy for breast; Dmax for spine; Dmean, V10Gy, V18Gy, V25Gy, V30Gy for thyroid. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Since nonparametric tests had to be used due to the study population being < 30, Friedman and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were implemented in trilateral and bilateral comparison of techniques, respectively. For statistical significance, P value was required to be <0.05. RESULTS: When FPIMRT was compared with AP-PA and 4-field techniques with respect to, HI (AP-PA/FPIMRT P: 0.017; 4-field/FPIMRT P: 0.03) and CI (AP-PA/FPIMRT P: 0.018; 4-field/FPIMRT P: 0.042), FPIMRT was more advantageous. In addition, FPIMRT was found more useful in terms of Dmax (AP-PA/FPIMRT P: 0.012; 4-Field/FPIMRT P: 0.012) for spinal cord and Dmean (AP-PA/FPIMRT P: 0.012; 4-field/FPIMRT P: 0.012) for thyroid. CONCLUSION: FPIMRT was superior in terms of PTV homogeneity and conformity. However, it was observed that for normal tissues, FPIMRT was advantageous only for spinal cord and thyroid; but it was not the most advantageous technique for some of the dose-volume parameters of the breast, lung, and heart.

Metastasis to paranasal sinuses and orbita of breast cancer with a rare metachronous tumor of the uterine cervix.

Breast cancer metastases are rarely seen in paranasal sinuses or orbit with a poor prognosis, and these cases were published as case reports. Moreover, metachronous tumors following breast cancer diagnosis are somewhat common, but uterine cervix is infrequent in them. In the present case, we report a 61-year-old female patient who had a biopsy-proven metastatic breast cancer to paranasal sinuses and orbita. She also had a cervical uterine cancer which is also unusually diagnosed following breast cancer. Palliative radiotherapy to paranasal sinuses (30 Gy) achieved a good response. However, she died due to leptomeningeal progression.