How do COVID-19 vaccine mandates affect attitudes toward the vaccine and participation in mandate-affected activities? Evidence from the United States.

The spread of COVID-19 has prompted many governments, schools, and companies to institute vaccine mandates. Proponents suggest that mandates will enhance public health and increase vaccination rates. Critics suggest that evidence of mandates' effectiveness is unclear and warn that mandates risk increasing societal inequalities if unvaccinated minority groups opt out of educational, commercial, and social activities where mandates are required. We conduct an original survey experiment on a nationally representative sample of 1,245 Americans to examine the efficacy and effect of COVID-19 mandates. Our findings suggest that mandates are unlikely to change vaccination behavior overall. Further, they may increase the likelihood that sizable percentages of the population opt out of activities where vaccines are mandated. We conclude that mandates that do go into effect should be accompanied by persuasive communications targeted to specific information needs and identities.

[Impact of neck dissection in N2-3 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy: An observational real-life study]. / Impact du curage ganglionnaire cervical dans la prise en charge par chimioradiothérapie exclusive des cancers de l'oropharynx de stade N2-3 : étude observationnelle en vie réelle.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy in terms of neck failure of an initial neck dissection before definitive chemoradiotherapy in N2-3 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas, as well as the dosimetric impact and the acute and delayed morbidity of this approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients consecutively treated between 2009 and 2018 with definitive chemoradiotherapy using intensity-modulated conformal radiotherapy (IMRT) for a histologically proven N2-3 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas were retrospectively included. The therapeutic approach consisted of induction chemotherapy, followed by cisplatine-based chemoradiotherapy preceded or not by neck dissection. Neck dissection was discussed on a case-by-case basis in a dedicated multidisciplinary tumour board for patients with a dissociated response to induction chemotherapy, defined as a better response on the primary than on the node. Chemoradiotherapy without neck dissection was systematically performed in case of a major lymph node response to induction chemotherapy (decrease in size of 90% or more). Intensity-modulated radiotherapy using a simultaneous-integrated boost delivered 70Gy in 35 fractions on macroscopic tumour volumes, 63Gy on intermediate-risk levels or extra-nodal extension and 54Gy on prophylactic lymph node areas. RESULTS: Two groups were constituted: 47 patients without an initial neck dissection (62.7%), and 28 patients with a neck dissection prior to definitive chemoradiotherapy (37.3%). Initial patient characteristics were not statistically different between the two groups. The median follow-up was 60.1months (range: 3.2-119months). Incidence of neck failure was higher in patients without neck dissection (P=0.015). The neck failure rate at 5years was 19.8% (95% confidence interval: 7.4-30.6%; P=0.015) without neck dissection versus 0% following neck dissection. All lymph node failures occurred in the planned target volume at 70Gy. Upfront neck dissection suggested a decrease in the mean dose received by the homolateral parotid gland (P=0.01), mandible (P=0.02), and thyroid gland (P=0.02). Acute toxicity of chemoradiotherapy after neck dissection suggested a reduction in grade≥3 adverse events (P=0.04), early discontinuation of concomitant chemotherapy (P=0.009) and feeding tube-dependence (P=0.008) in univariate analysis. During follow-up, there was no difference between the two groups in terms of xerostomia, dysgeusia, dysphagia or gastrostomy dependence in univariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Neck dissection prior to definitive chemoradiotherapy in N2-3 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma was associated with high neck control without additional mid and long-term morbidity.

Factors influencing Covid-19 vaccine acceptance across subgroups in the United States: Evidence from a conjoint experiment.

Public health officials warn that the greatest barrier to widespread vaccination against Covid-19 will not be scientific or technical, but the considerable public hesitancy to take a novel vaccine. Understanding the factors that influence vaccine acceptance is critical to informing public health campaigns aiming to combat public fears and ensure broad uptake. Employing a conjoint experiment embedded on an online survey of almost 2,000 adult Americans, we show that the effects of seven vaccine attributes on subjects' willingness to vaccinate vary significantly across subgroups. Vaccine efficacy was significantly more influential on vaccine acceptance among whites than among Blacks, while bringing a vaccine to market under a Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization had a stronger adverse effect on willingness to vaccinate among older Americans and women. Democrats were more sensitive to vaccine efficacy than Republicans, and both groups responded differently to various endorsements of the vaccine. We also explored whether past flu vaccination history, attitudes toward general vaccine safety, and personal contact with severe cases of Covid-19 can explain variation in group vaccination hesitancy. Many subgroups that exhibit the greatest Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy did not report significantly lower frequencies of flu vaccination. Several groups that exhibited greater Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy also reported greater concerns about vaccine safety generally, but others did not. Finally, subgroup variation in reported personal contact with severe cases of Covid-19 did not strongly match subgroup variation in vaccine acceptance.

Model uncertainty, political contestation, and public trust in science: Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic.

While scientific uncertainty always invites the risk of politicization and raises questions of how to communicate about science, this risk is magnified for COVID-19. The limited data and accelerated research timelines mean that some prominent models or findings inevitably will be overturned or retracted. In this research, we examine the attitudes of more than 6000 Americans across five different survey experiments to understand how the cue giver and cue given about scientific uncertainty regarding COVID-19 affect public trust in science and support for science-based policy. Criticism from Democratic political elites undermines trust more than criticism from Republicans. Emphasizing uncertainty in projections can erode public trust in some contexts. Downplaying uncertainty can raise support in the short term, but reversals in projections may temper these effects or even reduce scientific trust. Careful science communication is critical to maintaining public support for science-based policies as the scientific consensus shifts over time.

[New concepts of medical consultation in oncology]. / Nouveaux concepts de consultations médicales en oncologie.

New concepts of medical consultations are currently disrupting the practice of medicine. The use of standardized questionnaires, or patient-reported outcome (PRO and ePRO) has already significantly changed the relationship between the physician and the patient. Telemedicine, or even automatic conversational agents, such as chatbots, are also providing more convenient access to care and medical information for many patients. These tools have a major impact in oncology, precisely because of the rising chronicity of the diseases the radiation oncologists treat. In this article, we provide a detailed analysis of these new concepts.

[Stereotactic body radiotherapy of oligometastases: Main pending trials and to come in France]. / Radiothérapie des oligométastases : principaux essais en cours et à venir en France.

Stereotactic radiotherapy of oligometastases, mono- or hypofractionated, represents a fundamental change in the practice of the specialty as it was developed for a century. Despite the great heterogeneity of sites, techniques, and doses, most studies found a high local control rate, around 70 to 90% at 2 years, and reduced toxicity, around 5% of grade 3 at 2 years. Four main phase II and III trials are underway in France. Future research concerns the association of stereotactic radiotherapy with immunotherapy or different conventional chemotherapy protocols, the identification of the best clinical presentations, and optimization of fractionation and biological dose for poor prognosis localizations.

[Stereotactic pulmonary radiotherapy: Which machine?] / Radiothérapie stéréotaxique pulmonaire : quelle machine ?

Stereotactic radiotherapy represents a fundamental change in the practice of radiotherapy of lung cancers. Despite the great heterogeneity of sites, techniques, and doses, most studies found a high local control rate, around 70 to 90% at 2 years, and reduced toxicity, around 5% of grade 3 at 2 years. Stereotactic radiotherapy can be realized either by a dedicated accelerator (CyberKnife®) or by a conventional accelerator associated with specific systems. The two modalities deliver a very precise irradiation whose very good results published to date are similar. Some technical characteristics specific to each type of linear accelerator could guide the choice according to the target volume treated.

Effective delivery of palliative radiotherapy: A prospective study.

PURPOSE: The main goal of palliative radiotherapy is to reduce patient's discomfort. But sometimes patients do not receive any benefits from this treatment because of rapid worsening of their general condition. This prospective monocentric study assessed the effective delivery of palliative radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1st December 2015 to 29th February 2016, all consecutive patients receiving palliative radiotherapy in our hospital were included. The primary endpoint was the effective delivery of palliative radiotherapy according to the initial prescription (total dose, overall treatment time and fractionation). The secondary endpoints were the number of treatment breaks, the clinical benefit, the number of deaths and the delays for admission in the palliative care unit. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients were included and 64 treatments were analysed. The treatment sites were: bone (70.3%) and brain (21.9%). The treatment goals were: pain control only (43.8%), decompression only (21.9%), pain control and decompression (32.8%), haemostatic aim (1.6%). Palliative treatment was achieved in 57 cases (89%). Temporary interruption of the radiotherapy treatment was necessary in six cases (9.4%; three for medical reason, three for logistic reason). The main reason of permanent interruption was worsening of performance status (seven cases). Palliation of symptoms (complete or partial responses) was obtained in 44 cases (68.8%). Seven patients (11.9%) died during the month after the end of the treatment. No delay or cancellation for admission in the palliative care unit were observed. CONCLUSION: Palliative radiotherapy was completed as originally planned in 51 cases (79.9%) with a clinical benefit for 44 cases (68.8%). Radiation therapy must not be neglected as a palliative treatment at the end-of-life.

[Stereotactic body radiotherapy: Prospective study to evaluate asthenia and quality of life]. / Radiothérapie en conditions stéréotaxiques : étude prospective évaluant la fatigue et la qualité de vie.

PURPOSE: To evaluate prospectively asthenia and the quality of life in patients treated by stereotactic body irradiation and to determine their predictive factors. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Quality of life was assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30 and asthenia was evaluated with the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), on the first day (T1), last day (T2) and 1-3 weeks after the end of treatment (T3). RESULTS: Sixty-three patients were treated with stereotactic body irradiation from February 2017 to May 2017 and 41 were included in the analysis (22 patients excluded for lack of understanding, organization, psychologic disorders or refusal). The mean number of fractions was 5 (±2). The compliance to quality of life assessment was 98%, 95% was 81% at T1, T2 and T3, respectively. An increase of asthenia and a worsened quality of life were found in 12 (29%) and 14 (34%) patients between T1 and T2. Univariate analysis demonstrated a correlation between asthenia and quality of life were correlated with performans status (P=0.03 and 0.05 respectively), hemoglobin level (p=0.01 and 0.004), albumin level (P=0.01 and 0.06), distance between home and radiotherapy department (P=0.05 and 0.02). Multivariate analysis demonstrated a correlation between female gender (P=0.012), albumin level (P<0.001), distance over 25km (P<0.001) with asthenia, and albumin level (P=0.003), hemoglobin level (P=0.004) and previous chemotherapy (P=0.003) with quality of life. No influence of stereotactic body ratiotherapy parameters was seen. CONCLUSION: Despite hypofractionation, stereotactic body radiotherapy induced asthenia and deterioration of quality of life.

[Siriade 2.0: An e-learning platform for radiation oncology contouring]. / Siriade 2.0 : outil de formation en ligne à la délinéation en radiothérapie.

PURPOSE: In 2008, the French national society of radiation oncology (SFRO) and the association for radiation oncology continued education (AFCOR) created Siriade, an e-learning website dedicated to contouring. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between 2015 and 2017, this platform was updated using the latest digital online tools available. Two main sections were needed: a theoretical part and another section of online workshops. RESULTS: Teaching courses are available as online commented videos, available on demand. The practical section of the website is an online contouring workshop that automatically generates a report quantifying the quality of the user's delineation compared with the experts'. CONCLUSION: Siriade 2.0 is an innovating digital tool for radiation oncology initial and continuous education.

Salivary gland-sparing helical tomotherapy for head and neck cancer: Preserved salivary function on quantitative salivary gland scintigraphy after tomotherapy.

GOALS: Prospective evaluation of salivary gland preservation, overall survival and local recurrence-free survival after head and neck cancer treated by helical tomotherapy (HT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: From March 2007 to February 2009, 30 patients with head and neck cancer were treated by HT. The salivary excretion fraction (SEF) was assessed by technetium salivary gland scintigraphy before, and 6, 12 and 18 months after HT to define salivary gland preservation rates. Patients were reviewed every 3 months to assess clinical toxicity. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 4.3 years. The mean dose to the ipsilateral parotid gland (IPG) was 25.4Gy. Good preservation of parotid gland function was observed in 84% of the 19 patients evaluated by scintigraphy at 18 months. The 5-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) was 100% among the 6 patients who received a dose of more than 26Gy to the parotid gland. The 28-month LRFS was 33% in the group that received a dose of less than 20Gy versus 91% in the group that received a dose of more than 20Gy to the IPG. CONCLUSIONS: Helical tomotherapy reduced the incidence and severity of xerostomia. A mean dose to the parotid between 20 and 26Gy allowed preservation of salivary function without compromising treatment efficacy. However, parotid-sparing HT requiring a mean dose less than 20Gy is associated with an increased risk of recurrence.

Multimodal management of primary adenocarcinoma of the female urethra: About four cases.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively analyse female patients treated for urethral adenocarcinoma, modalities of treatment and long-term outcomes. PATIENTS: Four cases of primary female urethral adenocarcinoma were treated in the departments of urology and radiation-oncology at Georges-Pompidou and Necker hospitals (France) over a 7-year period. RESULTS: All of them underwent surgery, with three presenting stage pT3-pT4 and one a positive cytology on inguinal node. Three patients received adjuvant cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy up to 60Gy, and one preoperative chemoradiotherapy at 45Gy. Two recurrences were observed: one local relapse occurred at 9months from the diagnosis and was treated by anterior pelvic exenteration followed by chemoradiotherapy, with no recurrence. One tumour relapsed both at the local level and on distant metastatic sites at 9months from the diagnosis, and died 21months after this progression. Median survival and progression-free survival are respectively 4.2years and 13months. Three patients are alive at 7, 4.5 and 3years from diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Female urethral adenocarcinoma is a very rare entity and often present in locally advanced stages. Initial extensive surgery with pelvic exenteration should be considered, followed by chemoradiotherapy according to the surgical margins and lymph nodes involvement.

A cemented acetabular component with a reinforcement cross provides excellent medium-term fixation in total hip arthroplasty after pelvic irradiation.

Conventional cemented acetabular components are reported to have a high rate of failure when implanted into previously irradiated bone. We recommend the use of a cemented reconstruction with the addition of an acetabular reinforcement cross to improve fixation. We reviewed a cohort of 45 patients (49 hips) who had undergone irradiation of the pelvis and a cemented total hip arthroplasty (THA) with an acetabular reinforcement cross. All hips had received a minimum dose of 30 Gray (Gy) to treat a primary nearby tumour or metastasis. The median dose of radiation was 50 Gy (Q1 to Q3: 45 to 60; mean: 49.57, 32 to 72). The mean follow-up after THA was 51 months (17 to 137). The cumulative probability of revision of the acetabular component for a mechanical reason was 0% (0 to 0%) at 24 months, 2.9% (0.2 to 13.3%) at 60 months and 2.9% (0.2% to 13.3%) at 120 months, respectively. One hip was revised for mechanical failure and three for infection. Cemented acetabular components with a reinforcement cross provide good medium-term fixation after pelvic irradiation. These patients are at a higher risk of developing infection of their THA.

[Pacemaker, implanted cardiac defibrillator and irradiation: Management proposal in 2010 depending on the type of cardiac stimulator and prognosis and location of cancer]. / Pacemaker, défibrillateur et radiothérapie : propositions de conduite à tenir en 2010 en fonction du type de stimulateur cardiaque, du pronostic et du site du cancer.

Ionizing radiation may interfere with electric components of pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. The type, severity and extent of radiation damage to pacemakers, have previously been shown to depend on the total dose and dose rate. Over 300,000 new cancer cases are treated yearly in France, among which 60% are irradiated in the course of their disease. One among 400 of these patients has an implanted pacemaker or defibrillator. The incidence of pacemaker and implanted cardioverter defribillator increases in an ageing population. The oncologic prognosis must be weighted against the cardiologic prognosis in a multidisciplinary and transversal setting. Innovative irradiation techniques and technological sophistications of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (with the introduction of more radiosensitive complementary metal-oxide-semiconductors since 1970) have potentially changed the tolerance profiles. This review of the literature studied the geometric, dosimetric and radiobiological characteristics of the radiation beams for high energy photons, stereotactic irradiation, protontherapy. Standardized protocols and radiotherapy optimization (particle, treatment fields, energy) are advisable in order to improve patient management during radiotherapy and prolonged monitoring is necessary following radiation therapy. The dose received at the pacemaker/heart should be calculated. The threshold for the cumulated dose to the pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (2 to 5 Gy depending on the brand), the necessity to remove/displace the device based on the dose-volume histogram on dosimetry, as well as the use of lead shielding and magnet are discussed.

[Side effects evaluation of ionizing radiation]. / Evaluation des effets secondaires des radiations ionisantes.

Ionizing radiation is frequently used for cancers with a curative intent for many patients. The total dose delivered on the tumour plays a major factor for locoregional control. Increasing the dose to the tumour volume is generally correlated with an increased dose to normal tissue. Dose constraints to organs at risk must be taken into account for the planning of external beam radiation. A high dose will generate more acute and late side effects. Medical doctors should record these toxicities prospectively. Registration and grading should be simple, reproducible and sensitive in order to obtain an accurate and appropriate evaluation for each organ. Several scales have been published in the literature (WHO, EORTC/RTOG, LENT-SOMA, NCI CTCAE) but none have a satisfactory level. The National Cancer Institute has proposed several version of the CTCAE and its latest version 4.0, currently appears to be the most adapted. The advantage of using only this common and universal classification will be to harmonize practices and have a common language.

Detection of choroidal calcium by computed tomography scan quantitative computerized tomography: a clinically useful diagnostic tool.

OBJECTIVE: Quantitative computerized tomography (QCT), a scanning method routinely used to classify tissues based on their radio density, was used to detect choroidal calcification. DESIGN: Case reports. PARTICIPANTS: Two patients with known or suspected choroidal calcium-choroidal osteoma (CO) and pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) and five normal control subjects were assessed. INTERVENTION: The CT scan of choroid, B-scan ultrasound, fluorescein angiography. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The QCT scan used to detect the presence of calcium based on a readout greater than 90. RESULTS: Calcium was detected bilaterally, as predicted, in PXE, and in both eyes of CO, although only one eye had a clinically noted lesion. No control eye gave a scale readout consistent with calcium. No findings suggestive of calcium were noted with B-scan ultrasound or fluorescein angiography in PXE or CO. CONCLUSION: The QCT can detect calcium in the choroid when B-scan ultrasonography and CT scan fine sectioning fail to identify calcium despite high clinical suspicion.