Stereotactic body radiotherapy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Background:Stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)in pancreatic cancer allows high delivery of radiation doses on tumors without affecting surrounding tissue.This review aimed at the SBRT application in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.Data sources:We retrieved articles published in MEDLINE/PubMed from January 2017 to December 2022.Keywords used in the search included:“pancreatic adenocarcinoma”OR“pancreatic cancer”AND“stereotactic ablative radiotherapy(SABR)”OR“stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)”OR“chemoradiotherapy(CRT)”.English language articles with information on technical characteristics,doses and fractionation,indications,recurrence patterns,local control and toxicities of SBRT in pancreatic tumors were included.All articles were assessed for validity and relevant content.Results:Optimal doses and fractionation have not yet been defined.However,SBRT could be the standard treatment in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma in addition to CRT.Furthermore,the combination of SBRT with chemotherapy may have additive or synergic effect on pancreatic adenocarcinoma.Conclusions:SBRT is an effective modality for patients with pancreatic cancer,supported by clinical practice guidelines as it has demonstrated good tolerance and good disease control.SBRT opens a possibility of improving outcomes for these patients,both in neoadjuvant treatment and with radical intent.

Uninvolved liver dose prediction in stereotactic body radiation therapy for liver cancer based on the neural network method

BACKGROUND The quality of a radiotherapy plan often depends on the knowledge and expertise of the plan designers.AIM To predict the uninvolved liver dose in stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)for liver cancer using a neural network-based method.METHODS A total of 114 SBRT plans for liver cancer were used to test the neural network method.Sub-organs of the uninvolved liver were automatically generated.Correlations between the volume of each sub-organ,uninvolved liver dose,and neural network prediction model were established using MATLAB.Of the cases,70%were selected as the training set,15%as the validation set,and 15%as the test set.The regression R-value and mean square error(MSE)were used to evaluate the model.RESULTS The volume of the uninvolved liver was related to the volume of the corresponding sub-organs.For all sets of Rvalues of the prediction model,except for D_(n0)which was 0.7513,all R-values of D_(n10)-D_(n100)and D_(nmean)were>0.8.The MSE of the prediction model was also low.CONCLUSION We developed a neural network-based method to predict the uninvolved liver dose in SBRT for liver cancer.It is simple and easy to use and warrants further promotion and application.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy combined with sintilimab in patients with recurrent or oligometastatic hepatocellular carcinoma: A phase Ⅱ clinical trial

BACKGROUND Stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)and programmed cell death 1 inhibitors have shown potential in treating hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)in retrospective studies.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of combining SBRT with sintilimab for patients with recurrent or oligometastatic HCC.METHODS This trial involved patients with recurrent or oligometastatic HCC intravenously treated with SBRT plus sintilimab every 3 wk for 12 mo or until disease progression.The primary endpoint was progression-free survival(PFS).RESULTS Twenty-five patients were enrolled from August 14,2019,to August 23,2021.The median treatment duration was 10.2(range,0.7-14.6)months.SBRT was delivered at a median dose of 54(range,48-60)Gy in 6(range,6-10)fractions.The median follow-up time was 21.9(range,10.3-39.7)mo,and 32 targeted lesions among 25 patients were evaluated for treatment response according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1.The median PFS was 19.7 mo[95%confidence interval(CI):16.9-NA],with PFS rates of 68%(95%CI:52-89)and 45.3%(95%CI:28-73.4)at 12 and 24 mo,respectively.The median overall survival(OS)was not reached,with OS rates of 91.5%(95%CI:80.8-100.0)and 83.2%(95%CI:66.5-100.0)at 12 and 24 mo,respectively.The 1-and 2-year local control rate were 100%and 90.9%(95%CI:75.4%-100.0%),respectively.The confirmed objective response rate and disease control rate was 96%,and 96%,respectively.Most adverse events were graded as 1 or 2,and grade 3 adverse events were observed in three patients.CONCLUSION SBRT plus sintilimab is an effective,well-tolerated treatment regimen for patients with recurrent or oligometastatic HCC.

Effect of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy on Diverse Organ Lesions in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Objective The combination of stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT)and immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)is actively being explored in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC)patients.However,little is known about the optimal fractionation and radiotherapy target lesions in this scenario.This study investigated the effect of SBRT on diverse organ lesions and radiotherapy dose fractionation regimens on the prognosis of advanced NSCLC patients receiving ICIs.Methods The medical records of advanced NSCLC patients consecutively treated with ICIs and SBRT were retrospectively reviewed at our institution from Dec.2015 to Sep.2021.Patients were grouped according to radiation sites.Progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)were recorded using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared between different treatment groups using the log-rank(Mantel-Cox)test.Results A total of 124 advanced NSCLC patients receiving ICIs combined with SBRT were identified in this study.Radiation sites included lung lesions(lung group,n=43),bone metastases(bone group,n=24),and brain metastases(brain group,n=57).Compared with the brain group,the mean PFS(mPFS)in the lung group was significantly prolonged by 13.3 months(8.5 months vs.21.8 months,HR=0.51,95%CI:0.28–0.92,P=0.0195),and that in the bone group prolonged by 9.5 months with a 43%reduction in the risk of disease progression(8.5 months vs.18.0 months,HR=0.57,95%CI:0.29–1.13,P=0.1095).The mPFS in the lung group was prolonged by 3.8 months as compared with that in the bone group.The mean OS(mOS)in the lung and bone groups was longer than that of the brain group,and the risk of death decreased by up to 60%in the lung and bone groups as compared with that of the brain group.When SBRT was concurrently given with ICIs,the mPFS in the lung and brain groups were significantly longer than that of the bone group(29.6 months vs.16.5 months vs.12.1 months).When SBRT with 8–12 Gy per fraction was combined with ICIs,the mPFS in the lung group was significantly prolonged as compared with that of the bone and brain groups(25.4 months vs.15.2 months vs.12.0 months).Among patients receiving SBRT on lung lesions and brain metastases,the mPFS in the concurrent group was longer than that of the SBRT→ICIs group(29.6 months vs.11.4 months,P=0.0003 and 12.1 months vs.8.9 months,P=0.2559).Among patients receiving SBRT with<8 Gy and 8–12 Gy per fraction,the mPFS in the concurrent group was also longer than that of the SBRT→ICIs group(20.1 months vs.5.3 months,P=0.0033 and 24.0 months vs.13.4 months,P=0.1311).The disease control rates of the lung,bone,and brain groups were 90.7%,83.3%,and 70.1%,respectively.Conclusion The study demonstrated that the addition of SBRT on lung lesions versus bone and brain metastases to ICIs improved the prognosis in advanced NSCLC patients.This improvement was related to the sequence of radiotherapy combined with ICIs and the radiotherapy fractionation regimens.Dose fractionation regimens of 8–12 Gy per fraction and lung lesions as radiotherapy targets might be the appropriate choice for advanced NSCLC patients receiving ICIs combined with SBRT.

Comprehensive Treatment Uncertainty Analysis and PTV Margin Estimation for Fiducial Tracking in Robotic Liver Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Objective This study aims to quantify the uncertainties of CyberKnife Synchrony fiducial tracking for liver stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT)cases,and evaluate the required planning target volume(PTV)margins.Methods A total of 11 liver tumor patients with a total of 57 fractions,who underwent SBRT with synchronous fiducial tracking,were enrolled for the present study.The correlation/prediction model error,geometric error,and beam targeting error were quantified to determine the patient-level and fraction-level individual composite treatment uncertainties.The composite uncertainties and multiple margin recipes were compared for scenarios with and without rotation correction during treatment.Results The correlation model error-related uncertainty was 4.3±1.8,1.4±0.5 and 1.8±0.7 mm in the superior-inferior(SI),left-right,and anterior-posterior directions,respectively.These were the primary contributors among all uncertainty sources.The geometric error significantly increased for treatments without rotation correction.The fraction-level composite uncertainties had a long tail distribution.Furthermore,the generally used 5-mm isotropic margin covered all uncertainties in the left-right and anterior-posterior directions,and only 75%of uncertainties in the SI direction.In order to cover 90%of uncertainties in the SI direction,an 8-mm margin would be needed.For scenarios without rotation correction,additional safety margins should be added,especially in the superior-inferior and anterior-posterior directions.Conclusion The present study revealed that the correlation model error contributes to most of the uncertainties in the results.Most patients/fractions can be covered by a 5-mm margin.Patients with large treatment uncertainties might need a patient-specific margin.

Role of stereotactic body radiation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

The integration of new technologies has raised an interest in liver tumor radiotherapy,with literature evolving to support its efficacy.These advances,particularly stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT),have been critical in improving local control or potential cure in liver lesions not amenable to first-line surgical resection or radiofrequency ablation.Active investigation of SBRT,particularly for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),has recently started,yielding promising local control rates.In addition,data suggest a possibility that SBRT can be an alternative option for HCC unfit for other local therapies.However,information on optimal treatment indications,doses,and methods remains limited.In HCC,significant differences in patient characteristics and treatment availability exist by country.In addition,the prognosis of HCC is greatly influenced by underlying liver dysfunction and treatment itself in addition to tumor stage.Since they are closely linked to treatment approach,it is important to understand these differences in interpreting outcomes from various reports.Further studies are required to validate and maximize the efficacy of SBRT by a large,multi-institutional setting.

Initial experience with stereotactic body radiotherapy for intrahepatic hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND Graft hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)recurrence after liver transplant is more frequently encountered.Graft hepatectomy is technically challenging and is associated with high morbidity.Stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT)has been shown to be safe and effective for the treatment of primary HCC.However,its role in HCC recurrence in a liver graft remains unclear.AIM To evaluate the safety and efficacy of SBRT for the treatment of graft HCC recurrence after liver transplantation.METHODS A retrospective study was conducted.From 2012 to 2018,6 patients with intrahepatic HCC recurrence after liver transplant were treated with SBRT at Queen Mary Hospital,the University of Hong Kong.The primary outcome was time to overall disease progression and secondary outcomes were time to local progression and best local response,as assessed with the Modified response Evaluation Criteria for Solid Tumours criteria.Patients were monitored for treatment related toxicities and graft dysfunction.RESULTS A total of 9 treatment courses were given for 13 tumours.The median tumour size was 2.3 cm(range 0.7-3.6 cm).Two(22%)patients had inferior vena cava tumour thrombus.The best local treatment response was:5(55%)complete response,1(11%)partial response and 3(33%)stable disease.After a median follow up duration of 15.5 mo,no local progression or mortality was yet observed.The median time to overall disease progression was 6.5 mo.There were 6 regional progression in the liver graft(67%)and 2 distant progression in the lung(22%).There was no grade 3 or above toxicity and there was no graft dysfunction after SBRT.CONCLUSION SBRT appears to be safe in this context.Regional progression is the mode of failure.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy for isolated paraaortic lymph node recurrence from colorectal cancer

AIM： To evaluate the efficacy and complications of stereotactic body radiotherapy in localized paraaortic lymph node recurrence from colorectal cancer. METHODS： From 2003 to 2009, 7 patients with paraaortic lymph node recurrence （1-3 lesions） from colorectal cancer were treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy. Total gross tumor volumes ranged from 4 to 40 mL. The doses were escalated from 36 Gy/patient to 51 Gy/patient and were delivered in 3 fractions. RESULTS： One and 3 year overall survival rates were 100% and 71.4%, respectively, and median survival was 37 mo. Grade IV intestinal obstruction was reported in 1 of 7 patients. This patient received 48 Gy in 3 fractions with a maximum point dose to the intestine of 53 Gy and V45Gy = 3.6 mL. However, 6 patients received an intestinal maximum point dose of 〈 51 Gy and V45Gy of 〈 1 mL, and did not develop any severe complications. CONCLUSION： This pilot study suggests selected paraaortic lymph node recurrence （1-3 closed lesions） that failed to respond to chemotherapy can be potentially salvaged by stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Hepatocellular carcinoma with child Pugh-A Cirrhosis treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy

AIM To evaluate the control, survival, and hepatic function for Child Pugh(CP)-A patients after Stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT) in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS From 2009 to 2016, 40 patients with Barcelona Liver Clinic(BCLC) stages 0-B HCC and CP-A cirrhosis completed liver SBRT. The mean prescription dose was 45 Gy(40 to 50 Gy in 4-5 fractions). Local relapse, defined as recurrence within the planning target volume was assessed with intravenous multiphase contrast computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging every 4-6 mo after completion of SBRT. Progression of cirrhosis was evaluated by CP and Model for End Stage Liver Disease scores every 3-4 mo. Toxicities were graded per the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events(v4.03). Median follow-up was 24 mo.RESULTS Forty-nine HCC lesions among 40 patients were analyzed in this IRB approved retrospective study. Median tumor diameter was 3.5 cm(1.5-8.9 cm). Six patients with tumors ≥ 5 cm completed planned selected transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) in combination with SBRT. Eight patients underwent orthotropic live transplant(OLT) with SBRT as a bridging treatment(median time to transplant was 12 mo, range 5 to 23 mo). The Pathologic complete response(PCR) rate in this group was 62.5%. The 2-year in-field local control was 98%(1 failure). Intrahepatic control was 82% and 62% at 1 and 2 years, respectively. Overall survival(OS) was 92% and 60% at 1 and 2 years, with a median survival of 41 mo per Kaplan Meier analysis. At 1 and 2 years, 71% and 61% of patients retained CPA status. Of the patients with intrahepatic failures, 58% developed progressive cirrhosis, compared to 27% with controlled disease(P = 0.06). Survival specific to hepatic failure was 92%, 81%, and 69% at 12, 18, and 24 mo. There was no grade 3 or higher toxicity. On univariate analysis, gross tumor volume(GTV) < 23 cc was associated with freedom from CP progression(P = 0.05), hepatic failure-specific survival(P = 0.02), and trended with OS(P = 0.10).CONCLUSION SBRT is safe and effective in HCC with early cirrhosis and may extend waiting time for transplant in patients who may not otherwise be immediate candidates.

Advances of stereotactic body radiotherapy in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer（PCA） is one of the most aggressive tumors with few effective treatment modalities. It is the 4th and 7th leading cause of cancer death in the United States and China, respectively. At the time of diagnosis, only 20% of cases present with a resectable tumor, and about 40% with a locally advanced tumor that is considered unresectable. Even resected patients still have a poor prognosis, with an incidence of local recurrence ranging from 20% to 60%. It is also reported that up to 30% of PCA patients die from locally obstructive disease with few or no distant metastases. These findings have highlighted the importance of local radiation therapy in the treatment of PCA. As the role of conventional chemoradiotherapy remains controversial, the dawn of the pancreas stereotactic body radiation therapy（SBRT） era represents a potential paradigm shift in the management of PCA. SBRT delivers a higher biological effective dose to the tumor with sharp dose escalation in a shorter treatment time course. Pancreas SBRT is a novel therapeutic option to achieve local tumor control with minimal toxicity. Herein, we review the advancement of SBRT for PCA patients with different stages of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

High rate of complete histopathological response in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after combined transarterial chemoembolization and stereotactic body radiation therapy

BACKGROUND Liver transplantation(LT)presents a curative treatment option in patients with early stage hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)who are not eligible for resection or ablation therapy.Due to a risk of up 30%for waitlist drop-out upon tumor progression,bridging therapies are used to halt tumor growth.Transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)and less commonly stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT)or a combination of TACE and SBRT,are used as bridging therapies in LT.However,it remains unclear if one of those treatment options is superior.The analysis of explant livers after transplantation provides the unique opportunity to investigate treatment response by histopathology.AIM To analyze histopathological response to a combination of TACE and SBRT in HCC in comparison to TACE or SBRT alone.METHODS In this multicenter retrospective study,27 patients who received liver transplantation for HCC were analyzed.Patients received either TACE or SBRT alone,or a combination of TACE and SBRT as bridging therapy to liver transplantation.Liver explants of all patients who received at least one TACE and/or SBRT were analyzed for the presence of residual vital tumor tissue by histopathology to assess differences in treatment response to bridging therapies.Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher-Freeman-Halton exact test,Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney-U tests.RESULTS Fourteen patients received TACE only,four patients SBRT only,and nine patients a combination therapy of TACE and SBRT.There were no significant differences between groups regarding age,sex,etiology of underlying liver disease or number and size of tumor lesions.Strikingly,analysis of liver explants revealed that almost all patients in the TACE and SBRT combination group(8/9,89%)showed no residual vital tumor tissue by histopathology,whereas TACE or SBRT alone resulted in significantly lower rates of complete histopathological response(0/14,0%and 1/4,25%,respectively,P value<0.001).CONCLUSION Our data suggests that a combination of TACE and SBRT increases the rate of complete histopathological response compared to TACE or SBRT alone in bridging to liver transplantation.

Hepatocellular carcinoma effective stereotactic body radiotherapy using Gold Anchor and the Synchrony system:Two case reports and review of literature

BACKGROUND Radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is considered to have limited efficacy because of treatment intensity considering that the irradiated area includes the liver,which is highly radiosensitive.In this report,we present two cases in which tumor control by surgical resection,radiofrequency ablation,transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE),and lenvatinib administration was difficult,but stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)using the Synchrony system by Radixact?and Gold Anchor?(GA)was effective.CASE SUMMARY A 60-year-old man had a single 10-cm HCC in the right lobe.Viable lesions remained after TACE,and levels of alpha-fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K antagonists II(PIVKA-II)decreased and quickly re-elevated.We performed SBRT with GA.Three weeks after implantation,localized radiotherapy(SBRT;40 Gy/5 fractions)was performed using the Synchrony system by Radixact?.Four weeks later,the viable lesion had disappeared,and the PIVKA-II levels decreased.A 77-year-old man had a single 12-cm HCC in the right lobe.The patient experienced recurrence after hepatectomy.Further recurrence occurred after TACE,and we performed SBRT with GA.Because of the proximity of the HCC to the gastrointestinal tract,localized radiotherapy(SBRT;39 Gy/13 fractions)to the HCC was performed 3 wk after implantation using the Synchrony system by Radixact?.Four weeks later,the viable lesion had disappeared on computed tomography,and the PIVKA-Ⅱlevels decreased.CONCLUSION SBRT using the Synchrony system and GA can deliver a large dose accurately and safely,and could have a high therapeutic effect.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy:A good dance partner of oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer to the sound of SINDAS study

The European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer Research published a consensus statement to establish the key criteria to define oligometastatic disease(OMD).According to those criteria,all lesions(both primary and metastatic)should be amenable to radical intent treatment with acceptable toxicity.Several retrospective studies have shown that adding local ablative therapy to the treatment of OMD improves outcomes;however,due to the diverse selection criteria and treatment strategies used in those studies,it is difficult to compare directly results to draw definitive conclusions.In recent years,prospective phase II trials,such as the SABR-COMET and"Oligomez"trials,have shown that stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT)improves outcomes in patients with OMD.More recently,interim results of the randomised phase 3 SINDAS trial were reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2020 demonstrating that upfront SBRT added to systemic treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors yielded a significant benefit in both progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer.In the present editorial,we review the definition and historical context of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with OMD.In addition,we review the scientific evidence for local ablative therapy and SBRT and discuss the results of recently published prospective studies.We also discuss in depth the results of the SINDAS study,including the strengths and weaknesses of the study and the barriers to extrapolating these results to routine clinical practice.

Liver magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of response to treatment after stereotactic body radiation therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Although stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT)is increasingly used,its application has not yet been regulated by the main international guidelines,leaving the decision to multidisciplinary teams.AIM To assess magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)features of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)treated with SBRT,highlighting the efficacy of the treatment and the main aspects of the lesion before and after the procedure.METHODS As part of a retrospective study,49 patients who underwent SBRT for HCC between January 2013 and November 2019 were recruited.Each patient under went a pre-treatment MRI examination with a hepatospecific contrast agent and a similar followup examination within 6 mo of therapy.In addition,22 patients underwent a second follow-up examination after the first 6 mo.The following characteristics were analysed:Features analysed compared to pre-treatment MRI examination,presence or absence of infield and outfield progression,ring-like enhancement,signal hyperintensity in T2-weighted sequences in the perilesional parenchyma,capsular retraction,and"band"signal hypointensity in T1-weighted gradient echo fat saturated sequences obtained during hepatobiliary excretion.RESULTS Signal hyperintensity in the T2-weighted sequences showed a statistically significant reduction in the number of lesions at the post-SBRT first control(P=0.0006).Signal hyperintensity in diffusionweighted imaging-weighted sequences was decreased at MRI first control(P<0.0001).A statistically significant increase of apparent diffusion coefficient values from a median of 1.01 to 1.38 at the first post-control was found(P<0.0001).Capsular retraction was increased at the late evaluation(P=0.006).Band-like signal hypointensity in the hepatobiliary phase was present in 94%at the late control(P=0.006).The study of the risk of outfield progression vs infield progression revealed a hazard ratio of 9.CONCLUSION The efficacy of SBRT should be evaluated not in the first 6 mo,but at least 9 mo post-SBRT,when infield progression persists at very low rates while the risk of outfield progression increases significantly.

The effects of stereotactic body radiotherapy on peripheral natural killer and CD3~+CD56~+ NKT-like cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Both natural killer(NK) and CD3+CD56+ natural killer T(NKT)-like cells play critical roles in the antitumor response. This study aimed to explore the effects of stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT) on peripheral NK and NKT-like cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), and to identify possible surface markers on these cells that correlate with the prognosis. Methods: Twenty-five HCC patients were prospectively enrolled in our study, and 10 healthy individuals were served as healthy controls. Flow cytometry was used to determine the counts and the percentages of peripheral NK and NKT-like cells, cells with certain receptors, and cells with intracellular interferon-γand TNF-α secretion at different time points, including time points of prior to SBRT, at post-SBRT, and 3-month and 6-month after treatment. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test was applied for survival analysis. Results: The peripheral NKT-like cells was increased at post-SBRT. Meanwhile, elevated levels of inhibitory receptors and reduced levels of activating receptors of NK cells were also observed in NK cells at post-SBRT, but the levels was not significantly different at 3-month and 6-month as compared with the baseline levels. Lower percentage of NKp30+ NK cells before SBRT and higher percentage of CD158b + NK cells after SBRT were associated with poor progression-free survival. In addition, higher percentage of CD3+CD56+ NKT-like cells was associated with a higher overall survival rate in HCC patients. Conclusions: SBRT has an apparent effect on both peripheral NK and CD3+ CD56+ NKT-like cells. Lower percentage of NKp30 + NK cells before SBRT and higher percentage of CD158b + NK cells after SBRT are correlated with poor patients' PFS. Higher percentage of CD3+ CD56+ NKT-like cells is associated with higher OS in HCC patients.

The efficacy of stereotactic body radiotherapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective:To evaluate efficacy of the stereotactic body radiotherapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods:Twenty-seven patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were treated by technique of stereotactic body radiotherapy. Planning of treatment was made and the prescribed dose was adjusted depending on the site of the tumor,clinical target volume(GTV),Kanofsky Performance and aim of treatment.Planning target volume received 50%–80%of the prescribed dose for 3.2–4.2 Gy per-fraction.Treatment total dose was 32–42 Gy(median dose 40 Gy)in daily fractions of 3.2–4.2 Gy for five fractions one week.Results:All the patients completed the planned radiotherapy.The tumor response rate was CR 25.9%,PR 55.6%,NR 18.59%;the response rate(CR+PR)was 81.5%.Half-year local recurrence-free survival rate was 75%;1-year local recurrence-free survival rate was 22%.There were no serious complications during radiotherapy and follow- up.Pain relieve rate in liver region was 83.3%.Conclusion:Stereotactic body radiotherapy can improve the local control and quality of life on the treatment of primary hepatic neoplasm while not increasing the treatment complication.

Gefitinib combined with γ-ray stereotactic body radiation therapy has better efficacy than gefitinib alone for senile lung adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR mutations as first-line regimen

Objective： The senile lung adenocarcinoma patients harboring an activating epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） mutation shows good and rapid response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors （TKIs）. Whether gefitinib combined with y-ray stereotactic body radiation therapy has better efficacy than gefitinib alone for senile lung adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR mutations as first-line regimen is still under investigation. Methods： The 42 senile lung adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR mutations were divided into 2 groups according to the therapy method. Group A was the 22 patients treated with gefitinib combined with y-ray stereotactic body radiation therapy （SBRT）. Group B was the 20 patients treated with gefitinib alone. All of the patients received gefitinib of 250 mg/d from the first day until disease progression or other reasons. The patients of Group A were treated with y-ray stereotactic body radiation therapy from the second day. Radiation fields included the primary lesions and the integration of lymph nodes. Dose curve of this group was 50%-80%. Encircled dose was 4.0-6.5 Gy per fraction and the range of total dose was 40-52 Gy. We treated the patients 8-12 times and treated five times every week. Results： All the patients were examined by enhanced double helix CT at the second month. The tumor response rate （RR） of group A was 81.8% （18/22）. Disease control rate （DCR） was 90.9% （20/22）. The median overall survival （OS） was 24.2 months （range 8-58 months ） and the progression-free survival （PFS） was 18.6 months. The overall 1-year survival rate was 72.3% （16/22） and 2-year survival rate was 54.5% （12/22）. The main side effects included skin rash and diarrhea. The RR of group B was 50.0 % （10/20）. DCR was 75.0% （15/20）. OS was 17.4 months （range 6-32 months ） and PFS was 12.1 months. The overall 1-year survival rate was 60.0% （12/20） and 2-year survival rate was 40.0% （8/20）. The main side effects included skin rash and diarrhea. The group A who were treated with gefitinib combined with y-ray stereotactic body radiation therapy had a higher short term therapeutic effects （RR） and long term therapeutic effects （OS） than group B who were treated with gefitinib alone respectively （81.8% vs 50.0%, P = 0.029 〈 0.05, x2 = 4.773 and 24.2 vs 17.4, P = 0.024 〈 0.05, X2 = 5.098）. Conclu. sion： Gefitinib combined with y-ray stereotactic body radiation therapy has better efficacy than gefitinib alone for senile lung adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR mutations as first-line regimen. The side affects are acceptable.

Delivered Dose Verification for Lung Cancer Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Using Cone-Beam CT

Purpose: Verified the delivered dose distribution of lung cancer Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) using the cone-beam CT images. Methods: Twenty lung cancer patients who underwent SBRT with 100 CBCT images were enrolled in this study. Delivered dose distributions were recalculated on CBCT images with the deformed and non-deformed methods, respectively. The planned and delivered dose distributions were compared using the dose-volume histograms. Results: The delivered target coverage (V100) per patient inside target volume deviated on average were 0.83% ± 0.86% and 1.38% ± 1.40% for Pct vs. Pcbct and Pct vs. Pdcbct, respectively. The Conformity Index (CI) and Gradient Index (GI) showed a good agreement among the plans. For the critical organs, only minor differences were observed between the planned dose and the delivered dose. Conclusions: CBCT images were a useful tool for setup and dose delivery verification for lung cancer patients who underwent SBRT.

Observation on the Clinical Effect of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy in Patients with Oligometastatic Tumors

Objective:To observe the efficacy and safety of stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)in the treatment of extracranial oligometastases.Method:A retrospective analysis of 70 patients with extracranial oligometastasis of malignant tumors who underwent SBRT in our hospital(Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital)from January 2019 to December 2021 with≤5 metastases,≤3 metastatic organs,and metastases with diameters of≤5 cm.According to the clinical data of patients,the dose-fractionation mode of SBRT is mainly determined according to the pathology of the primary tumor,the location of the metastatic tumor,and the important structures around the tumor.The local control,survival and adverse reactions were observed.Results:A total of 219 oligometastatic lesions in 70 patients were treated with SBRT.The median follow-up time was 24 months(12-40 months).The local control rate(LCR)of all target lesions assessed 3 months after radiotherapy was 94.1%;the 1-,2-,and 3-year LCRs were 88.6%,74.6%,and 64.9%,respectively.The median progression-free survival(PFS)was 11.8 months(95%CI,8.9-14.7 months),and the 1-and 2-year PFS rates were 48.6%and 32.6%,respectively;the median overall survival(OS)was 31.9 month(95%CI 26.0-37.8 months),the 1-year OS rate was 84.3%.The local control time,PFS,and OS of patients with metastases≤3 cm were significantly better than those with metastases>3 cm,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Acute adverse reactions after SBRT treatment in oligometastatic patients were mainly bone marrow suppression and gastrointestinal reactions,with incidence rates of 48.98%and 30.61%,respectively;chronic adverse reactions were mainly pain(bone,muscle),radiation enteritis,and radiation pneumonitis,with incidence rates of 38.57%,30.00%,and 24.29%,respectively.The treatment-related adverse reactions were mainly grade 1,which were all improved after symptomatic treatment,except for one patient with bone metastases from lung cancer who had grade 4 myelosuppression.No grade 4 or 5 adverse events occurred in the other patients.Conclusion:The application of SBRT in the treatment of extracranial oligometastases is safe,effective,and has high tolerability.

Role of stereotactic body radiotherapy for oligometastasis from colorectal cancer

Systemic chemotherapy has enabled prolongation of survival in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer. This has subsequently increased the relative significance of local therapy for patients with oligometastases because they can be cured by removal of oligometastatic lesions. One of the most frequently reported tumor histologies for oligometastases is colorectal cancer. Resection is the standard therapy in most settings of oligometastases. Recently, studies have shown that stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) may become a treatment option that provides high local control with minimal morbidity. Two-year local control rates following SBRT for hepatic and pulmonary oligometastases are almost over 80% and are even higher for patients treated with high-dose regimens. The indications of SBRT for other metastatic sites or conditions include isolated lymph nodes, spinal and adrenal metastasis, and post-surgical pelvic recurrence. Many retrospective studies have indicated that SBRT for various lesions results in good outcomes with low morbidity, both in the curative and palliative setting. However, few reports with a high level of evidence have indicated the efficacy of SBRT compared to standard therapy. Hereafter, the optimal indication of SBRT needs to be prospectively investigated to obtain convincing evidence.