Decline in Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Incidence in Men Who Have Sex With Men Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Progress to HCV Microelimination in the United Kingdom?

BACKGROUND: Modeling of the London hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic in men who have sex with men (MSM) and are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) suggested that early access to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment may reduce incidence. With high rates of linkage to care, microelimination of HCV within MSM living with HIV may be realistic ahead of 2030 World Health Organization targets. We examined trends in HCV incidence in the pre- and post-DAA eras for MSM living with HIV in London and Brighton, United Kingdom. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at 5 HIV clinics in London and Brighton between 2013 and 2018. Each site reported all acute HCV episodes during the study period. Treatment timing data were collected. Incidence rates and reinfection proportion were calculated. RESULTS: A total of.378 acute HCV infections were identified, comprising 292 first infections and 86 reinfections. Incidence rates of acute HCV in MSM living with HIV peaked at 14.57/1000 person-years of follow-up (PYFU; 95% confidence interval [CI], 10.95-18.20) in 2015. Rates fell to 4.63/1000 PYFU (95% CI, 2.60 to 6.67) by 2018. Time from diagnosis to starting treatment declined from 29.8 (2013) to 3.7 months (2018). CONCLUSIONS: We observed a 78% reduction in the incidence of first HCV episode and a 68% reduction in overall HCV incidence since the epidemic peak in 2015, which coincides with wider access to DAAs in England. Further interventions to reduce transmission, including earlier access to treatment and for reinfection, are likely needed for microelimination to be achieved in this population.

Implementation of a DVH Registry to provide constraints and continuous quality monitoring for pediatric CSI treatment planning.

Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) is a complex radiation therapy technique that is used for patients, often children and teenagers/young adults, with tumors that have a propensity to spread throughout the central nervous system such as medulloblastoma. CSI is associated with important long-term side effects, the risk of which may be affected by numerous factors including radiation modality and technique. Lack of standardization for a technique that is used even in larger radiation oncology departments only a few times each year may be one such factor and the current ad hoc manner of planning new CSI patients may be greatly improved by implementing a dose-volume histogram registry (DVHR) to use previous patient data to facilitate prospective constraint guidance for organs at risk. In this work, we implemented a DVHR and used it to provide standardized constraints for CSI planning. Mann-Whitney U tests and mean differences at 95% confidence intervals were used to compare two cohorts (pre- and post-DVHR intervention) at specific dosimetric points to determine if observed improvements in standardization were statistically significant. Through this approach, we have shown that the implementation of dosimetric constraints based on DVHR-derived data helped improve the standardization of pediatric CSI planning at our center. The DVHR also provided guidance for a change in CSI technique, helping to achieve practice standardization across TomoTherapy and IMRT.

Psychological functioning, coping styles and their relationship to appraisal of physical limitations following invasive surgical procedures for soft-tissue sarcoma: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study explored psychological functioning and coping styles in adult patients with soft-tissue sarcoma who underwent surgical procedures in a single expert sarcoma medical center in Canada. METHODS: This is a qualitative study with three formats of data collection. The interview guide was based on theoretical health-related quality of life model. We began the investigation with 2 online and 2 in-person focus groups. Four individual semistructured interviews were added to further explore emerging themes. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic networks approach. RESULTS: Twenty-eight adults (13 female, 24-75 years of age) participated. In the domain of psychological functioning we identified three main themes; changes in mood, worry, and body image concerns. In the domain of coping styles, we identified four adaptive coping styles; positive reframing and optimism, finding a purpose, being proactive, and using humor. Among the maladaptive coping styles, we found passive acceptance, and avoidance and denial. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological well-being can be contingent on physical functioning and coping styles in adults with soft-tissue sarcoma. Both psychological and physical function impact quality of life. Patients with more physical limitations, psychological distress and maladaptive coping styles should be monitored for their well-being.

Probabilistic classification of tumour habitats in soft tissue sarcoma.

The purpose of this work is to propose a method to characterize tumour heterogeneity on MRI, using probabilistic classification based on a reference tissue. The method uses maps of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), T2 relaxation, and a calculated map representing high-b-value diffusion-weighted MRI (denoted simDWI) to identify up to five habitats (i.e. sub-regions) of tumours. In this classification method, the parameter values (ADC, T2 , and simDWI) from each tumour voxel are compared against the corresponding parameter probability distributions in a reference tissue. The probability that a tumour voxel belongs to a specific habitat is the joint probability for all parameters. The classification can be visualized using a custom colour scheme. The proposed method was applied to data from seven patients with biopsy-confirmed soft tissue sarcoma, at three time-points over the course of pre-operative radiotherapy. Fast-spin-echo images with two different echo times and diffusion MRI with three b-values were obtained and used as inputs to the method. Imaging findings were compared with pathology reports from pre-radiotherapy biopsy and post-surgical resection. Regions of hypercellularity, high-T2 proteinaceous fluid, necrosis, collagenous stroma, and fibrosis were identified within soft tissue sarcoma. The classifications were qualitatively consistent with pathological observations. The percentage of necrosis on imaging correlated strongly with necrosis estimated from FDG-PET before radiotherapy (R2  = 0.97) and after radiotherapy (R2  = 0.96). The probabilistic classification method identifies realistic habitats and reflects the complex microenvironment of tumours, as demonstrated in soft tissue sarcoma.

Development and implementation of a radiation therapy incident learning system compatible with local workflow and a national taxonomy.

PURPOSE: Collaborative incident learning initiatives in radiation therapy promise to improve and standardize the quality of care provided by participating institutions. However, the software interfaces provided with such initiatives must accommodate all participants and thus are not optimized for the workflows of individual radiation therapy centers. This article describes the development and implementation of a radiation therapy incident learning system that is optimized for a clinical workflow and uses the taxonomy of the Canadian National System for Incident Reporting - Radiation Treatment (NSIR-RT). METHODS: The described incident learning system is a novel version of an open-source software called the Safety and Incident Learning System (SaILS). A needs assessment was conducted prior to development to ensure SaILS (a) was intuitive and efficient (b) met changing staff needs and (c) accommodated revisions to NSIR-RT. The core functionality of SaILS includes incident reporting, investigations, tracking, and data visualization. Postlaunch modifications of SaILS were informed by discussion and a survey of radiation therapy staff. RESULTS: There were 240 incidents detected and reported using SaILS in 2016 and the number of incidents per month tended to increase throughout the year. An increase in incident reporting occurred after switching to fully online incident reporting from an initial hybrid paper-electronic system. Incident templating functionality and a connection with our center's oncology information system were incorporated into the investigation interface to minimize repetitive data entry. A taskable actions feature was also incorporated to document outcomes of incident reports and has since been utilized for 36% of reported incidents. CONCLUSIONS: Use of SaILS and the NSIR-RT taxonomy has improved the structure of, and staff engagement with, incident learning in our center. Software and workflow modifications informed by staff feedback improved the utility of SaILS and yielded an efficient and transparent solution to categorize incidents with the NSIR-RT taxonomy.

Late radiation toxicity in Hodgkin lymphoma patients: proton therapy's potential.

In 2010, all young patients treated for intrathoracic Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) at one of 10 radiotherapy centers in the province of Quebec received 3D conformal photon therapy. These patients may now be at risk for late effects of their treatment, notably secondary malignancies and cardiac toxicity. We hypothesized that more complex radiotherapy, including intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) and possibly IMRT (in the form of helical tomotherapy (HT)), could benefit these patients. With institutional review board approval at 10 institutions, all treatment plans for patients under the age of 30 treated for HL during a six-month consecutive period of 2010 were retrieved. Twenty-six patients were identified, and after excluding patients with extrathoracic radiation or treatment of recurrence, 20 patients were replanned for HT and IMPT. Neutron dose for IMPT plans was estimated from published measurements. The relative seriality model was used to predict excess risk of cardiac mortality. A modified linear quadratic model was used to predict the excess absolute risk for induction of lung cancer and, in female patients, breast cancer. Model parameters were derived from published data. Predicted risk for cardiac mortality was similar among the three treatment techniques (absolute excess risk of cardiac mortality was not reduced for HT or IMPT (p > 0.05, p > 0.05) as compared to 3D CRT). Predicted risks were increased for HT and reduced for IMPT for secondary lung cancer (p < 0.001, p < 0.001) and breast cancers (p< 0.001, p< 0.001) as compared to 3D CRT.

Metabolic activity measured on PET/CT correlates with clinical outcomes in patients with limb and girdle sarcomas.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between metabolic activity and outcome in patients with extremity sarcomas. METHODS: Between June 2004 and December 2011, 120 patients with newly diagnosed limb and girdle sarcomas underwent FDG-PET/CT for disease staging prior to curative intent treatment. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV(max)) was measured for each primary tumor and correlated with outcome. Progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Soft-tissue sarcomas were more frequent (68%) than bone (27%) or cartilage (5%) tumors. Median follow-up was 33.2 months. 51% of patients progressed during the follow-up interval and 38% died. SUV(max) was dichotomized with a cut-point of 10.3. Patients with SUV(max) < 10.3 had better DFS and OS compared with patients with SUV(max) ≥ 10.3 (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively [log-rank test]). Multivariate analysis confirmed that even after adjusting for age, sex, site, tumor type (bone vs. soft-tissue), grade, and stage; an SUV(max) ≥ 10.3 correlated with a twofold risk of progression and 2.4 times greater risk of death (hazard ratio [HR] 2.0, 95% CI, 1.1-3.7, and HR, 2.4, 95% CI, 1.1-4.9). CONCLUSION: SUV(max) is an independent adverse prognostic factor for both progression and OS in patients with extremity sarcomas.

Institutional experience with a rotational total skin electron irradiation (RTSEI) technique-A three decade review (1981-2012).

Total skin electron irradiation (TSEI) for patients with cutaneous lymphomas is technically challenging, and numerous approaches have been developed to overcome the many field matching problems associated with such a large and complex treatment volume. Since 1981 we have delivered TSEI using a rotational total skin electron irradiation (RTSEI) technique in conjunction with patch, treat and boost fields in order to provide complete skin and dose coverage. Initially we used a 6 MeV electron beam at an extended source-skin distance (SSD) on a modified linear accelerator. More recently we began using a high dose rate electron mode on a commercially available linear accelerator. The RTSEI technique allows the delivery of a seamless surface dose to the majority of the patient's skin surface in a single treatment. In this review paper we present our three-decade experience with the technical development, dosimetry, treatment delivery and clinical outcomes of our RTSEI technique.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for the prediction of soft tissue sarcomas response to pre-operative radiation therapy.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in soft tissue sarcomas (STS) treated with pre-operative hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT). MATERIALS/METHODS: This retrospective analysis included patients treated with pre-operative HFRT of 30 Gy in 5 fractions between 2016 and 2023. Clinical, demographic, and complete blood count (CBC) data were collected. NLR was calculated by dividing the absolute neutrophil count by the absolute lymphocyte count. Only patients with CBCs conducted within 6 months after radiotherapy were included. Cox proportional-hazard regression models were used to assess the impact of NLR and different variables on outcomes. Kaplan Meier were used to illustrate survival curves. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant, and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were employed. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients received HFRT and had CBCs within 6 months after radiotherapy. There were 17 (42.5 %) females and 23 (57.5 %) males with a mean age of 66 years. The mean largest tumor size dimension was 7.1 cm, and the mean NLR post-RT was 5.3. The most frequent histological subtypes were myxofibrosarcoma (17.5 %), pleomorphic spindle cell sarcoma (10 %), leiomyosarcoma (7.5 %), and myxoid liposarcoma (5 %). The median follow-up period was 15.4 months. From all patients, 14 patients had disease progression, 12 metastatic disease and 3 died of disease. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis displayed that a higher post-RT NLR was associated with worse disease-free survival (DFS) (HR: 1.303 [1.098-1.548], p = 0.003), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (HR: 1.38 [1.115-1.710], p = 0.003). Moreover, post-NLR ≥ 4 as a single variable was associated with worse DFS, DMFS, but not worse local recurrence or overall survival. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to evaluate NLR as a prognostic biomarker in STS patients treated with pre-operative radiotherapy. A higher NLR after pre-operative radiotherapy was associated with increased disease progression.

Long-term results of hypofractionated radiation therapy for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The optimal fractionation schedule for whole-breast irradiation after breast-conserving surgery is unknown. METHODS: We conducted a study to determine whether a hypofractionated 3-week schedule of whole-breast irradiation is as effective as a 5-week schedule. Women with invasive breast cancer who had undergone breast-conserving surgery and in whom resection margins were clear and axillary lymph nodes were negative were randomly assigned to receive whole-breast irradiation either at a standard dose of 50.0 Gy in 25 fractions over a period of 35 days (the control group) or at a dose of 42.5 Gy in 16 fractions over a period of 22 days (the hypofractionated-radiation group). RESULTS: The risk of local recurrence at 10 years was 6.7% among the 612 women assigned to standard irradiation as compared with 6.2% among the 622 women assigned to the hypofractionated regimen (absolute difference, 0.5 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.5 to 3.5). At 10 years, 71.3% of women in the control group as compared with 69.8% of the women in the hypofractionated-radiation group had a good or excellent cosmetic outcome (absolute difference, 1.5 percentage points; 95% CI, -6.9 to 9.8). CONCLUSIONS: Ten years after treatment, accelerated, hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation was not inferior to standard radiation treatment in women who had undergone breast-conserving surgery for invasive breast cancer with clear surgical margins and negative axillary nodes. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00156052.)

Robust mixed electron-photon radiation therapy planning for soft tissue sarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Mixed electron-photon beam radiation therapy (MBRT) is an emerging technique in which external electron and photon beams are simultaneously optimized into a single treatment plan. MBRT exploits the steep dose falloff and high surface dose of electrons while maintaining target conformity by leveraging the sharp penumbra of photons. PURPOSE: This study investigates the dosimetric benefits of MBRT for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 22 STS of the lower extremity treated with conventional photon-based Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) were replanned with MBRT. Both VMAT and MBRT treatments were planned on the Varian TrueBeam linac using the Millenium multi-leaf collimator. No electron applicator, cutout or additional collimating devices were used for electron beams of MBRT plans. MBRT plans were optimized to use a combination of 6 MV photons and five electron energies (6, 9, 12, 16, 20 MeV) by a robust column generation algorithm. Electron beams in this study were planned at standard 100 cm source-axis distance (SAD). The dose to the clinical target volume (CTV), bone, normal tissue strip and other organs-at-risk (OARs) were compared using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: As part of the original VMAT treatment, tissue-equivalent bolus was required in 10 of the 22 patients. MBRT plans did not require bolus by virtue of the higher electron entrance dose. CTV coverage by the prescription dose was found to be clinically equivalent between plans of either modality: V 50Gy $V_{\text{50Gy}}$ (MBRT) = 97.9 ± 0.2% versus V 50Gy $V_{\text{50Gy}}$ (VMAT) = 98.1 ± 0.6% (p=0.34). Evaluating the absolute paired difference between doses to OARs in MBRT and VMAT plans, we observed lower V 20Gy $V_{\text{20Gy}}$ to normal tissue in MBRT plans by 14.9 ± 3.2% ( p < 10 - 6 $p<10^{-6}$ ). Similarly, V 50Gy $V_{\text{50Gy}}$ to bone was found to be decreased by 8.2 ± 4.0% ( p < 10 - 3 $p<10^{-3}$ ) of the bone volume. CONCLUSION: For STS with subcutaneous involvement, MBRT offers statistically significant sparing of OARs without sacrificing target coverage when compared to VMAT. MBRT plans are deliverable on conventional linacs without the use of electron applicators, shortened source-to-surface distance (SSD) or bolus. This study shows that MBRT is a logistically feasible technique with clear dosimetric benefits.

Radiation-Induced Sarcomas of the Breast: A Review of a 20-Year Single-Center Experience.

Background Radiation-induced sarcomas (RISs) are histologically proven sarcomas within or around a previously irradiated site, per Cahan's criteria. RIS incidence is higher in breast cancer compared to other solid cancers and the prognosis remains poor given limited treatment options. This study aimed to review 20-year experience with RISs at a large tertiary care center. Methodology Using our institutional cancer registry database, we included patients meeting Cahan's criteria diagnosed between 2000 and 2020. Patient demographics, oncologic treatment, and oncologic outcomes data were collected. Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographic data. Oncologic outcomes were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results A total of 19 patients were identified. The median age at RIS diagnosis was 72 years (range = 39-82 months), and the median latency period for the development of RIS was 112 months (range = 53-300 months). All patients underwent surgery, three patients received systemic therapy, and six patients received re-irradiation as salvage treatment. The median follow-up time was 31 months (range = 6-172 months) from the diagnosis of RIS. Overall, five patients had local recurrence, and one patient developed distant metastases. The median time to progression was seven months (range = 4-14 months). The progression-free survival (95% confidence interval (CI)) at two years was 56.1% (37.4-84.4%). At follow-up two years after the diagnosis of sarcoma, the overall survival (95% CI) was 88.9% (75.5-100%). Conclusions While breast RIS remains rare, when managed in a large tertiary care center, overall survival outcomes appear favorable. A significant proportion of patients recur locally after maximal treatment and require salvage therapy to improve outcomes. These patients should be managed in high-volume centers where multidisciplinary expertise is available.

Data Dissemination of the Role of Neoadjuvant Radiation in Retroperitoneal Sarcoma: A CTOS and CSSO Survey.

Consensus guidelines call for complete resection of retroperitoneal sarcoma with consideration of neoadjuvant radiation for curative-intent treatment. The 15-month delay from the initial presentation of an abstract to the final publication of the STRASS trial results assessing the impact of neoadjuvant radiation led to a dilemma of how patients should be managed in the interim. This study aims to (1) understand perspectives regarding neoadjuvant radiation for RPS during this period; and (2) assess the process of integrating data into practice. A survey was distributed to international organizations including all specialties treating RPS. Eighty clinicians responded, including surgical (60.5%), radiation (21.0%) and medical oncologists (18.5%). Low kappa correlation coefficients on a series of clinical scenarios querying individual recommendations before and after initial presentation as an abstract indicate considerable change. Over 62% of respondents identified a practice change; however, most also noted discomfort in adopting changes without a manuscript available. Of the 45 respondents indicating discomfort with practice changes without a full manuscript, 28 (62%) indicated that their practice changed in response to the abstract. There was substantial variability in recommendations for neoadjuvant radiation between the presentation of the abstract and the publication of trial results. The difference in the proportion of clinicians describing comfort with changing practice based on the presentation of the abstract versus those that had done so shows that indications for proper integration of data into practice are not clear. Endeavors to resolve this ambiguity and expedite availability of practice-changing data are warranted.

Pathologic Complete Response and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Localized Soft Tissue Sarcoma Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy or Radiotherapy: The NRG/RTOG 9514 and 0630 Nonrandomized Clinical Trials.

Importance: Pathologic complete response (pCR) may be associated with prognosis in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Objective: We sought to determine the prognostic significance of pCR on survival outcomes in STS for patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CT-RT) (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group [RTOG] 9514) or preoperative image-guided radiotherapy alone (RT, RTOG 0630) and provide a long-term update of RTOG 0630. Design, Setting, and Participants: RTOG has completed 2 multi-institutional, nonrandomized phase 2 clinical trials for patients with localized STS. One hundred forty-three eligible patients from RTOG 0630 (n = 79) and RTOG 9514 (n = 64) were included in this ancillary analysis of pCR and 79 patients from RTOG 0630 were evaluated for long-term outcomes. Intervention: Patients in trial 9514 received CT interdigitated with RT, whereas those in trial 0630 received preoperative RT alone. Main Outcomes and Measures: Overall and disease-free survival (OS and DFS) rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Hazard ratios (HRs) and P values were estimated by multivariable Cox model stratified by study, where possible; otherwise, P values were calculated by stratified log-rank test. Analysis took place between December 14, 2016, to April 13, 2017. Results: Overall there were 42 (53.2%) men; 68 (86.1%) were white; with a mean (SD) age of 59.6 (14.5) years. For RTOG 0630, at median follow-up of 6.0 years, there was 1 new in-field recurrence and 1 new distant failure since the initial report. From both studies, 123 patients were evaluable for pCR: 14 of 51 (27.5%) in trial 9514 and 14 of 72 (19.4%) in trial 0630 had pCR. Five-year OS was 100% for patients with pCR vs 76.5% (95% CI, 62.3%-90.8%) and 56.4% (95% CI, 43.3%-69.5%) for patients with less than pCR in trials 9514 and 0630, respectively. Overall, pCR was associated with improved OS (P = .01) and DFS (HR, 4.91; 95% CI, 1.51-15.93; P = .008) relative to less than pCR. Five-year local failure rate was 0% in patients with pCR vs 11.7% (95% CI, 3.6%-25.1%) and 9.1% (95% CI, 3.3%-18.5%) for patients with less than pCR in 9514 and 0630, respectively. Histologic types other than leiomyosarcoma, liposarcoma, and myxofibrosarcoma were associated with worse OS (HR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.12-4.45). Conclusions and Relevance: This ancillary analysis of 2 nonrandomized clinical trials found that pCR was associated with improved survival in patients with STS and should be considered as a prognostic factor of clinical outcomes for future studies. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: RTOG 0630 (NCT00589121); RTOG 9514 (NCT00002791).

FDG PET/CT in Initial Staging of Adult Soft-Tissue Sarcoma.

Soft-tissue sarcomas spread predominantly to the lung and it is unclear how often FDG-PET scans will detect metastases not already obvious by chest CT scan or clinical examination. Adult limb and body wall soft-tissue sarcoma cases were identified retrospectively. Ewing's sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, GIST, desmoid tumors, visceral tumors, bone tumors, and retroperitoneal sarcomas were excluded as were patients imaged for followup, response assessment, or recurrence. All patients had a diagnostic chest CT scan. 109 patients met these criteria, 87% of which had intermediate or high-grade tumors. The most common pathological diagnoses were leiomyosarcoma (17%), liposarcoma (17%), and undifferentiated or pleomorphic sarcoma (16%). 98% of previously unresected primary tumors were FDG avid. PET scans were negative for distant disease in 91/109 cases. The negative predictive value was 89%. Fourteen PET scans were positive. Of these, 6 patients were already known to have metastases, 3 were false positives, and 5 represented new findings of metastasis (positive predictive value 79%). In total, 5 patients were upstaged by FDG-PET (4.5%). Although PET scans may be of use in specific circumstances, routine use of FDG PET imaging as part of the initial staging of soft-tissue sarcomas was unlikely to alter management in our series.

Incidence and Severity of Lymphoedema following Limb Salvage of Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcoma.

Background and Purpose. Lymphoedema is a serious complication following limb salvage for extremity soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) for which little is known. We aimed to evaluate its incidence, its, severity and its associated risk factors. Material and Method. Patient and tumor characteristics, treatment modalities and complications and functional outcomes (MSTS 1987, TESS), and lymphoedema severity (Stern) were all collected from prospective databases. Charts were retrospectively abstracted for BMI and comorbidities. Results. There were 289 patients (158 males). Mean age was 53 (16-88). Followup ranged between 12 and 60 months with an average of 35 and a median of 36 months. Mean BMI was 27.4 (15.8-52.1). 72% had lower extremity tumors and 38% upper extremity. Mean tumor size was 8.1 cm (1.0-35.6 cm). 27% had no adjuvant radiation, 62% had 50 Gy, and 11% received 66 Gy. The incidence of lymphoedema was 28.8% (206 none, 58 mild, 22 moderate, 3 severe, and 0 very severe). Mean MSTS score was 32 (11-35) and TESS was 89.4 (32.4-100). Radiation dose was significantly correlated with tumor size > 5 cm (P = 0.0001) and TESS score (P = 0.001), but not MSTS score (P = 0.090). Only tumor size > 5 cm and depth were found to be independent predictors of significant lymphoedema. Conclusion. Nine percent of STS patients in our cohort developed significant (grade ≥ 2) lymphoedema. Tumor size > 5 cm and deep tumors were associated with an increased occurrence of lymphoedema but not radiation dosage.

Feasibility and early outcomes of supine-position craniospinal irradiation.

From 2000-2007, we treated 14 patients (median age 5.8 years) with medulloblastoma (MB) with craniospinal irradiation (CSI) in the supine position for comfort, setup reproducibility and anaesthesia airway access. Acute toxicity included nausea/vomiting (N = 9), weight loss (median 10.3% (2.2-18.2), N = 10), lymphopenia (all), neutropenia (N = 3) and pancreatitis with Mallory-Weiss tear (N = 1). Five children required hospitalization during treatment. Chemotherapy was adjusted in 6, without CSI delay. After a median follow-up of 32.4 months (13.3-83.2), two patients recurred, two died of a second CNS malignancy, and one developed leukaemia. All others remain in complete remission. In this small series, CSI was delivered safely in the supine position with early outcomes in line with classical CSI literature.

Adjuvant radiotherapy in the treatment of pediatric myxopapillary ependymomas.

OBJECTIVES: Assess the role of radiotherapy (RT) in the management of primary and recurrent myxopapillary ependymoma (MPE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of patients with MPE treated at the Montreal Children's Hospital/McGill University Health Centre between 1985 and 2008. RESULTS: Seven children under the age of 18 were diagnosed and treated for MPE. All patients were treated with surgery to the primary site. Three patients underwent subtotal resection (STR) and received adjuvant post-operative RT. Only one patient who had spinal drop metastases received post-operative RT to the lumbosacral region following complete resection of the primary tumor. After a median follow up of 78 months (range 24-180 months), all patients were alive with controlled disease. The single patient treated with gross total resection (GTR) and adjuvant local radiation remained recurrence free. One of the three patients treated with STR and adjuvant RT had disease progression that was controlled with re-resection and further RT. Two of the three patients treated with surgery alone developed local and disseminated recurrent spinal disease that was controlled by salvage RT. CONCLUSION: Our data support the evolving literature which suggests that GTR alone provides suboptimal disease control in MPE. In our patients, RT resulted in control of residual, metastatic and/or recurrent disease. Routine adjuvant RT may improve outcomes in pediatric MPE.

Stereotactic radiotherapy as an alternative to plaque brachytherapy in retinoblastoma.

Radioactive plaque brachytherapy has an established role for selected patients with retinoblastoma. Newer non-invasive radiotherapy techniques such as stereotactic conformal radiotherapy (SCR) that uses highly accurate positioning to deliver treatment with small beams may be an interesting alternative to brachytherapy. We report a case treated with SCR and compare the dosimetry with that achievable with brachytherapy. With advantages and disadvantages to both, SCR should more often be considered in the management of RB because of the more homogeneous dose within the target volume and similar or lower doses to surrounding normal tissues.