Comparison between Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation with multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy and Whole Breast Irradiation, in clinical practice.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) with multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy (BT) and whole breast irradiation (WBI), in terms of toxicity, aesthetic result, quality of life and survival, in clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparative study of two prospectively recorded cohorts of 76 breast cancer patients who complied with the recommendations of GEC-ESTRO for APBI was conducted. The main objective was toxicity, quality of life measured through validated questionnaires and the aesthetic results. Secondary objectives were overall survival and disease-free survival. RESULTS: Seventy-six stage I/II breast cancer patients, with a mean age of 66 years entered the study. APBI group showed less acute G1-2 dermatitis (51.4 vs 94.9%, p < 0.001) and late hyperpigmentation (0 vs 17.9%, p = 0.04). There were no differences in aesthetic results, both assessed by the patient herself and by the doctor. Statistically significant differences in measures of quality of life were observed in favour of the APBI, both in EORTC QLQ-BR23 and body image scale questionnaires. With a median follow-up of 72 months (6 years), the estimated overall survival at 5 and 10 years was 96.8 and 77.7%, respectively, and disease-free survival at 5 and 10 years was 91.1 and 69.4%, respectively, without statistically significant differences between groups. DISCUSSION: APBI is an attractive alternative in candidate patients with initial breast cancer, with benefits in acute toxicity and quality of life and fewer visits to the hospital, without compromising tumor control or survival.

Quality indicators in radiation oncology: proposal of the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology (SEOR) for a continuous improvement of the quality of care in oncology.

PURPOSE: Current cancer treatment options include surgical intervention, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The quality of the provision of each of them and their effective coordination determines the results in terms of benefit/risk. Regarding the radiation oncology treatments, there are not stabilised quality indicators to be used to perform control and continuous improvement processes for healthcare services. Therefore, the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology has undertaken a comprehensive project to establish quality indicators for use with the information systems available in most Spanish healthcare services. METHODS: A two-round Delphi study examines consensus of several possible quality indicators (n = 28) in daily practice. These indicators were defined after a bibliographic search and the assessment by radiation oncology specialists (n = 8). They included aspects regarding treatment equipment, patient preparation, treatment, and follow-up processes and were divided in structure, process, and outcome indicators. RESULTS: After the evaluation of the defined quality indicators (n = 28) by an expert panel (38 radiation oncologist), 26 indicators achieved consensus in terms of agreement with the statement. Two quality indicators did not achieve consensus. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high degree of consensus in Spanish Radiation Oncology specialists on which indicators in routine clinical practice can best measure quality. These indicators can be used to classify services based on several parameters (patients, equipments, complexity of the techniques used, and scientific research). Furthermore, these indicators allow assess our current situation and set improvements' objectives.

Evaluation of waiting times for breast cancer diagnosis and surgical treatment

Purpose: To analyse any delays in breast cancer diagnosis and surgical treatment, influence of clinical and biological factors and influence of delays on survival. Methods/patients: A descriptive, observational, and retrospective study was conducted between 2006 and 2016 on stages I-III breast cancer patients. This is a retrospective review of health records to collect data on delays, patients’ clinical data, biological features of the tumour and information on treatment. Mortality data from the National Death Index. Results: In 493 evaluable patients, the median of days from the first symptom to mammography, biopsy, and surgery was 41, 57, and 92, respectively. The median of days from screening mammography to biopsy and surgery was 10 and 51, respectively. From biopsy to surgery, the median was 34 days in every case. Over the last 5 years, an increase in biopsy-surgery delay has been observed (p = 0.0001). Tumour stages I and II vs. stage III (RR 1.74. 95% CI 1.08-2.80, p = 0.027), diagnosis in screening (RR 0.66. 95% CI 0.45-0.96, p = 0.030), and use of magnetic resonance imaging (RR 2.08. 95 CI 1.21-3.56, p = 0.008) condition a greater biopsy-surgery delay. No influence of delays on survival has been identified. Conclusions: Delays in diagnosis and surgery in the case of women diagnosed on the basis of symptoms may be improved. There is a temporary tendency to a greater delay in surgery. Some clinical and biological factors must be taken into account to optimise delays. Survival results are not adversely affected by delays

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Evaluation of waiting times for breast cancer diagnosis and surgical treatment.

PURPOSE: To analyse any delays in breast cancer diagnosis and surgical treatment, influence of clinical and biological factors and influence of delays on survival. METHODS/PATIENTS: A descriptive, observational, and retrospective study was conducted between 2006 and 2016 on stages I-III breast cancer patients. This is a retrospective review of health records to collect data on delays, patients' clinical data, biological features of the tumour and information on treatment. Mortality data from the National Death Index. RESULTS: In 493 evaluable patients, the median of days from the first symptom to mammography, biopsy, and surgery was 41, 57, and 92, respectively. The median of days from screening mammography to biopsy and surgery was 10 and 51, respectively. From biopsy to surgery, the median was 34 days in every case. Over the last 5 years, an increase in biopsy-surgery delay has been observed (p = 0.0001). Tumour stages I and II vs. stage III (RR 1.74. 95% CI 1.08-2.80, p = 0.027), diagnosis in screening (RR 0.66. 95% CI 0.45-0.96, p = 0.030), and use of magnetic resonance imaging (RR 2.08. 95 CI 1.21-3.56, p = 0.008) condition a greater biopsy-surgery delay. No influence of delays on survival has been identified. CONCLUSIONS: Delays in diagnosis and surgery in the case of women diagnosed on the basis of symptoms may be improved. There is a temporary tendency to a greater delay in surgery. Some clinical and biological factors must be taken into account to optimise delays. Survival results are not adversely affected by delays.

Análisis descriptivo del tratamiento quirúrgico del cáncer de pulmón en los centros del sistema sanitario público de Andalucía. Proyecto vara II / Descriptive analysis of the surgical treatment of lung cancer at Public Health Hospitals in Andalusia: VARA Project II

Introducción: El cáncer de pulmón es el responsable de unas 3000 muertes cada año en Andalucía y, aunque la cirugía es el tratamiento de elección en estadios iniciales, menos del 20-25% son intervenidos. La Dirección del Plan Integral de Oncología de Andalucía (PIOA) realizó un estudio (Proyecto VARA I) sobre variabilidad y accesibilidad al tratamiento de radioterapia en 2003, observando una infrautilización manifiesta de este recurso en cáncer de pulmón. Esto motivó la puesta en marcha de un 2º estudio (VARA II) para evaluar el tratamiento locorregional, radioterapia y cirugía, del cáncer de pulmón en esta Comunidad. Material y métodos: Se evaluaron retrospectivamente las historias clínicas de los pacientes intervenidos en 2007 por cáncer de pulmón en los Hospitales Públicos de Andalucía. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos y de variabilidad entre los distintos equipos quirúrgicos. Resultados: Se evaluaron 418 pacientes, de los que 303 ofrecieron datos suficientes para el análisis. La edad media fue de 64 años (94% varones) con la siguiente distribución por estadios: I (60%), II (13%), III (21%), IV (6%). Se practicó tomografía de emisión de positrones (PET) en el 75% y mediastinoscopia en el 5%. La tasa de cirugía fue del 17% del total de casos esperados de cáncer de pulmón no células pequeñas. En el 97% de los casos se practicó linfadenectomía, la mayoría de ellas (72%) con un número de (..) (AU)

Introduction: Lung cancer is responsible of 3000 deaths every year in Andalusia. Although surgery is the elective treatment in early stages, less than 20-25% are operated on. The Direction of the Comprehensive Cancer Plan of Andalusia (PIOA) performed a study (VARA I Project) about variability and accessibility to radiation therapy in Andalusia in 2003, finding a clear infra utilisation in lung cancer. This motivated a second study (VARA II) to evaluate the locoregional treatment, both radiotherapy and surgery, of lung cancer in this region. Material and methods: Medical Records of patients operated in 2007 for lung cancer in Andalusian Public Hospitals were retrospectively evaluated. Descriptive analysis and studies of variability between surgical teams were performed. Results: Medical records of 418 patients were evaluated, 303 of them showing sufficient data for the analysis. Mean age was 64 (94% males), with the following stage distribution: I (60%), II (13%), III (21%), IV (6%). A PET was realized in 75% and mediastinoscopy in 5%. Surgery rate was 17% of the total expected cases of non small cell lung cancer. A lymphadenectomy was performed in 97%, the majority of them (72%) with less than 10 nodes resected. A good clinical and pathological concordance was demonstrated and low values of perioperative mortality (6%). Inter-hospitals variability study showed significant differences on histology, PET use, number of mediastinal nodes resected and reintervention rate. Discussion: The estimated surgical rate is similar to the published by other authors, although with a larger percentage of advanced stages III-IV. An important variability in patterns of care is demonstrated. Last, a low use of diagnostic mediastinoscopy is highlighted, while the use of PET for preoperative mediastinal evaluation is increasing, especially when the hospital owns the technique (AU)

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[Local recurrence after non-small cell lung cancer surgery: prognosis variables]. / Recidiva local tras la cirugía del cáncer de pulmón no microcrítico: factores pronósticos.

OBJECTIVES: Retrospectively to analyse the influence of clinical and histo-pathological characteristics in the local recurrence after non-small cell lung cancer surgery. METHOD: 146 patients were included and studied during a minimum of two years. The free survival of disease function (FSD) was constructed according to the Kaplan-Meier method. The univariant comparison of the FSD by Mantel-Haenszel means of logarithmic ranks test and the multivariant analysis by Cox regression model. RESULTS: In the univariant analysis 20 months of FSD and the following predicting factors of a smaller FSD: Radiological contact of the tumour with the pleura (p=0.005), peritumoral margin affectation (p=0.001), pleural affectation (p=0.006), T stratification factor (p=0.04) and N factor (p=0.002). Other factors like age, initial symptoms, second neoplasias, radiological spiculations or cavitations, transtoracic puncion, type of surgery, peribronquial affectation, so large margin tumorlike and histological type, did not show statistically significant differences in the FSD. In the multivariant study they maintain its value prognosis the pleural affectation (p=0.0014), ganglionary affectation (p=0.02) and degree of differentiation (p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The most important prognosis factor of local recurrence after surgery in these patients were the infiltration of the pleura, followed of the hilio-mediastinic ganglionary affectation and the degree of histological differentiation.

Recidiva local tras la cirugía del cáncer de pulmón no microcrítico. Factores pronósticos / Local recurrence after non-small cell lung cancer surgery. Prognosis variables

Objetivos: Analizar retrospectivamente la influencia de características clínicas e histo-patológicas en la recidiva local tras cirugía del carcinomano microcítico de pulmón. Método: Se incluyeron en el estudio 146 pacientes seguidos durante un mínimo de 2 años. La función de supervivencia libre de enfermedad (SLE) se construyó según el método de Kaplan-Meier. La comparación univariante de la SLE se realizó mediante test de los rangos logarítmicos de Mantel-Haenszel y para el análisis multivariante se aplicó el modelo de regresión de Cox. Resultados: La mediana de la SLE fue de 20 meses En el análisis univariante, se encontraron los siguientes factores predictores de una menor SLE: contacto radiológico del tumor con la pleura (p = 0,005), grado de indiferenciación histológica (p = 0,03), afectación del margen peritumoral (p = 0,001), afectación pleural (p = 0,006), estadificación T(p = 0,04) y estadificación N (p = 0,002). Otros factores como la edad, presencia inicial de síntomas, segundas neoplasias, presencia radiológica de espiculaciones o cavitación, punción transtorácica, tipo de cirugía, afectación del margen peribronquial, tamaño tumoral y tipo histológico, no mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la SLE. En el estudio multivariante mantienen su valor pronóstico la afectación pleural (p = 0,0014), afectación ganglionar (p = 0,02) y grado de diferenciación (p = 0,03). Conclusiones: El factor pronóstico más importante de recidiva local tras cirugía en estos pacientes fue la infiltración de la pleura, seguido de la afectación ganglionar hilio-mediastínica y el grado de diferenciación histológica

Objetives: Retrospectively to analyse the influence of clinical and histo-pathological characteristics in the local recurrence after non-smallcell lung cancer surgery. Method: 146 patients were included and studied during a minimum of two years. The free survival of disease function (FSD) was constructed according to the Kaplan-Meier method. The univariante comparison of the FSD by Mantel-Haenszel means of logarithmic ranks test and the multivariante analysis by Cox regression model. Results: In the univariante analysis 20 months of FSD and the following predicting factors of a smaller FSD: Radiological contact of the tumour with the pleura (p = 0.005), peritumoral margin affectation (p =0.001), pleural affectation (p = 0.006), T stratification factor (p = 0.04) and N factor (p = 0.002). Other factors like age, initial symptoms, second neoplasias, radiological spiculaciones or cavitations, transtoracic puncion, type of surgery, peribronquial affectation, so large margin tumor like and histological type, did not show statistically significant differences in the FSD. In the multivariante study they maintain its value prognosis the pleural affectation (p = 0.0014), ganglionary affectation (p = 0.02) and degree of differentiation (p = 0.03). Conclusions: The most important prognosis factor of local recurrence after surgery in these patients were the infiltration of the pleura, followed of the hilio-mediastínica ganglionary affectation and the degree of histological differentiation

Evidence-based estimation and radiotherapy utilisation rate in Andalusia.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to estimate the theoretical needs -based on evidence- of radiotherapy treatments (RDT) in Andalusia, compare these needs with actual use of RDT in 2006 and analyse their evolution from 2003. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Correlation between quantitative variables was analysed with Pearson's correlation coefficient. This dealt with differences between administered/estimated treatments and treatments carried out in years with the Student's t-distribution, and the Xi2 test among qualitative variables. RESULTS: In Andalusia, the evidence-based rate of cancer irradiation is 55%. Eighty-five percent of theoretical treatments were administered in 2006. From this group, 107% were in gynaecological tumours, 100% in breast cancer cases, 71% in head and neck cancer and 48% in lung cancers; differences in the last two conditions were significant (p<0.01). As for regional distribution, differences were reported with reference to irradiation rates (p<0.0002) and resource distribution. In the last three years, an increment of 17% was observed in treatments conducted in public hospitals. The rate increased from 61% (with regard to optimal values) to 85% in 2006; in a parallel way, an increment was seen in therapy units (from 22 to 26) and radiation oncologists (from 57 to 69). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the increment of irradiation rates seen in the last years, there is still a serious underutilisation of RDT for some cancer types (lung, head and neck cancer), as well as a great variability in the use of RDT between hospitals.

Evidence-based estimation and radiotherapy utilisation rate in Andalusia

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to estimate the theoretical needs -based on evidence- of radiotherapy treatments (RDT) in Andalusia, compare these needs with actual use of RDT in 2006 and analyse their evolution from 2003. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Correlation between quantitative variables was analysed with Pearson's correlation coefficient. This dealt with differences between administered/estimated treatments and treatments carried out in years with the Student's t-distribution, and the Xi2 test among qualitative variables. RESULTS: In Andalusia, the evidence-based rate of cancer irradiation is 55%. Eighty-five percent of theoretical treatments were administered in 2006. From this group, 107% were in gynaecological tumours, 100% in breast cancer cases, 71% in head and neck cancer and 48% in lung cancers; differences in the last two conditions were significant (p<0.01). As for regional distribution, differences were reported with reference to irradiation rates (p<0.0002) and resource distribution. In the last three years, an increment of 17% was observed in treatments conducted in public hospitals. The rate increased from 61% (with regard to optimal values) to 85% in 2006; in a parallel way, an increment was seen in therapy units (from 22 to 26) and radiation oncologists (from 57 to 69). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the increment of irradiation rates seen in the last years, there is still a serious underutilisation of RDT for some cancer types (lung, head and neck cancer), as well as a great variability in the use of RDT between hospitals (AU)

[Non-small cell lung cancer. Survival after radiotherapy and prognostic factors]. / Carcinoma no microcítico de pulmón. Supervivencia y factores pronósticos del tratamiento radioterápico.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer and identify the clinical and therapeutic variables that might influence prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a population base of 109 patients, 87 met the enrollment criteria. The patients received thoracic radiotherapy over the macroscopic tumor volume and lymph drainage areas, using conventional fractions. Systemic cytostatic therapy was also given to 61% of the patients. RESULTS: Staging was as follows: 33% (28/87) I and II, 20% (18/87) IIIA and 47% (41/87) IIIB. The mean radiotherapy dose was 66.7 Gy (95% CI, 65-67). Full clinical remission was achieved by 22% (18/87), half of whom later suffered recurrences. Partial remission was achieved by 26% (21/87). No response was observed in 52% (42/87). Statistically significant differences in actuarial survival rates were found for staging and tumor response. Mean survival for stages I and II was 29 months (95% CI, 19-39), for IIIA it was 22 (95% CI, 16-28) months, and for IIIB 16 months (95% CI, 12-20). The most common complications were cutaneous, esophageal and pulmonary, with a low incidence of grade 3 toxicity (less than 3%) and absence of grade 4. CONCLUSIONS: No differences in survival were observed for age, tumor location or histological type. Local control of the disease decisively influenced patient survival.

Carcinoma no microcítico de pulmón. Supervivencia y factores pronósticos del tratamiento radioterápico / Non-small cell lung cancer. Survival after radiotherapy and prognostic factors

Objetivo: Analizar los resultados de la radioterapia en el carcinoma no microcítico de pulmón y las características clínicas y terapéuticas que pueden influir en ellos. Pacientes y método: Sobre una base poblacional de 109 pacientes, 87 cumplieron los criterios de inclusión para el estudio. Recibieron radioterapia torácica sobre el volumen tumoral macroscópico y áreas de drenaje linfático, en fraccionamiento convencional. El 61 per cent recibió, además, tratamiento sistémico con citostáticos. Resultados: La distribución por estadios fue: 33 per cent (28/87) I + II; 20 per cent (18/87) IIIA, y 47 per cent (41/87) IIIB. La dosis media de radioterapia fue de 66,7 Gy (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95 per cent, 65-67). Consiguió la remisión clínica completa el 22 per cent (18/87), de los cuales la mitad recidivó posteriormente; el 26 per cent (21/87) obtuvo una remisión parcial y el 52 per cent (42/87) no respondió. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la supervivencia actuarial, según la estadificación y respuesta tumoral. La mediana de supervivencia para estadios I + II fue de 29 meses (IC del 95 per cent, 19-39); para los IIIA, de 22 meses (IC del 95 per cent, 16-28), y para los IIIB, de 16 meses (IC del 95 per cent, 12,20). Las complicaciones más frecuentes fueron las cutáneas, esofágicas y pulmonares, con una baja incidencia de toxicidad grado 3 (inferior al 3 per cent) y ausencia de grado 4.Conclusiones: No se encontraron diferencias en la supervivencia según la edad, localización tumoral y tipo histológico. El control local de la enfermedad influyó decisivamente en la supervivencia de estos pacientes (AU)