A small case series about safety and effectiveness of a hypofractionated electron beam radiotherapy schedule in five fractions for facial non melanoma skin cancer among frail and elderly patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate local control and toxicities of strongly hypofractionated electron beam radiotherapy (RT) in elderly and fragile patients with facial nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled patients aged ≥ 65 years with facial NMSC, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ≥ 40 and life expectancy ≥ 6 months, amenable neither to daily RT nor surgery. Radiotherapy consisted of 35 Gy, delivered with 6 MeV electron beam, in 5 fractions of 7 Gy/day twice a week (tw). Prescription isodoses were 100% for cT1-cT2 and 90% for cT3-cT4. Objective response was assessed clinically 4 and 8 weeks after the end of RT and then monitored every 6 months. Side effects were assessed according to the CTCAE scale. RESULTS: 12 patients of median age 89.5 years with a total of 23 NMSC cN0 achieved a median follow-up time of 6 months (range 1-10), with total treatment compliance. 10/12 patients had a 40 ≤ KPS < 70 and 2/12 a 70 ≤ KPS < 90. 5/12 patients had synchronous lesions. 22/23 lesions were classified as T1-T2 and had complete response (CR), 1/23 as T4 with partial response (PR). Within 4 weeks after the end of treatment, G1 toxicity was reported for 12/23 lesions, G2 for 8/23, G3 for 3/23, G4 for 0/23, all disappeared 8 weeks later, with or without topical therapy. After last follow-up (1 June 2020) 1/12 patients died with PR from senile marasmus, 11/12 are alive with CR and widely tolerated toxicities. CONCLUSIONS: Extreme hypofractionation of radiotherapy dose for facial NMSC is effective, safe and suitable for elderly patients.

Multicentre treatment planning inter-comparison in a national context: The liver stereotactic ablative radiotherapy case.

PURPOSE: To compare five liver metastasis stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) plans optimised in fourteen centres with 3D-Conformal-RT, IMRT, VMAT, CyberKnife and Tomotherapy and identify possible dosimetric differences. METHODS: Dose prescription was 75 Gy in 3 fractions, normalised at 67%-95% isodose. RESULTS: Excluding few cases, all institutions achieved the planning objectives. Differences up to 40% and 25% in mean dose to liver and PTV were found. No significant correlations between technological factors and DVH for target and OARs were observed; the optimisation strategies selected by the planners played a key role in the planning procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The human factor and the constraints imposed to the target volume have a greater dosimetric impact than treatment planning and radiation delivery technology in stereotactic treatment of liver metastases. Significant differences found both in terms of dosimetric target coverage and OAR sparing should be taken into consideration before starting a multi-institutional SARB clinical trial.

A recombinant MnSOD is radioprotective for normal cells and radiosensitizing for tumor cells.

Organisms exposed to ionizing radiation are mainly damaged by free radicals, which are generated by the radiolysis of water contained in the cells. Recently a significant reduction of tissue injury from irradiation damage was demonstrated by using MnSOD-plasmid/liposome treatments in the protection of murine lung. In this study we show that a new active recombinant human MnSOD (rMnSOD), easily administered in vivo, not only exerts the same radioprotective effect on normal cells and organisms as any MnSOD, but it is also radiosensitizing for tumor cells. In addition, we show how healthy animals, exposed to lethal doses of ionizing radiation and daily injections with rMnSOD, were protected from radiodamage and were still alive 30 days after the irradiation, while animals treated with only PBS solution, in the absence of rMnSOD, died after 7-8 days from the radiotreatments. The molecular analysis of all irradiated tissues revealed that the antiapoptotic AVEN gene appeared activated only in the animals treated in the presence of rMnSOD. The data suggest that rMnSOD deserves to be considered as a pharmaceutical tool for making radiotherapy more selective on cancer cells and to prevent and/or cure the accidental damage derived from exposure to ionizing radiation.