Reirradiation and hyperthermia for radiation-associated sarcoma.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of reirradiation and hyperthermia in the treatment of radiation-associated sarcoma (RAS) in the thoracic region, which is an increasing, yet extremely rare condition with a poor prognosis. METHODS: Between 1979 and 2009, 16 patients with RAS in the thoracic region were treated in the Academic Medical Center and the Institute Verbeeten with reirradiation and hyperthermia. In 13 patients, this treatment was given for unresectable disease and 3 times after resection as adjuvant treatment. The median latency period between the original malignancy diagnosis and the RAS diagnosis was 86 months (range 19-212 months). Histology was angiosarcoma in 11 patients (69%). The literature on reirradiation with or without hyperthermia for RAS was reviewed. RESULTS: The median survival was 15.5 months (range, 3-204 months). Four patients were not evaluable for response. The response rate for the remaining 12 patients was 75% (7 complete responses and 2 partial responses). Six patients remained free of local failure until death (5 months and 7 months) or last follow-up (8 months, 11 months, 39 months, and 68 months). CONCLUSIONS: The current study indicates that combined reirradiation and hyperthermia for RAS in the thoracic region is feasible. The high response rate and the possibility of durable local control suggest that this treatment is promising.

Reirradiation and hyperthermia for irresectable locoregional recurrent breast cancer in previously irradiated area: Size matters.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Treatment options for irresectable locoregional recurrent breast cancer in previously irradiated area are limited. Hyperthermia, elevating tumor temperature to 40-45°C, sensitizes radio-and-chemotherapy. Four hundred and fourteen patients treated with reirradiation+hyperthermia (reRT+HT) in the AMC(n=301) and the BVI(n=113), from 1982 to 2005 were retrospectively analyzed for treatment response, locoregional control (LC) and prognostic factors for LC and toxicity. PATIENTS/METHODS: All patients received previous irradiation (median 50 Gy). reRT consisted of 8 × 4 Gy-2/week (AMC) or 12 × 3 Gy-4/week (BVI). Hyperthermia was added once (AMC)/twice (BVI) a week. RESULTS: Overall clinical response rate was 86%. The 3-year LC rate was 25%. The number of recurrence episodes, distant metastases (DM), tumor site, tumor size, time to recurrence and treatment year were significant for LC. Acute ⩾ grade 3 toxicity occurred in 24% of patients. Actuarial late ⩾ grade 3 toxicity was 23% at 3-years. In multivariable analysis reRT fraction dose was significantly related to late ⩾ grade 3 toxicity. CONCLUSION: reRT+HT is an effective curative and palliative treatment option for patients with irresectable locoregional recurrent breast cancer in previously irradiated area. Early referral, treatment of chest wall recurrences ⩽ 5 cm in the absence of distant metastases, provided the highest local control rates. The cumulative effects of past and present treatments should be accounted for by adjusting treatment protocol to minimize toxicity.