Effect of intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with local hyperthermia on Mortalin expression in advanced liver cancer lesions and its relationship with cell proliferation and EMT

Objective:To investigate the effect of intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with local hyperthermia on Mortalin expression in advanced liver cancer lesions and its relationship with cell proliferation and EMT.Methods: A total of 82 patients with advanced liver cancer who were treated in this hospital between February 2016 and September 2017 were chosen as the research subjects, and the therapeutic regimens were reviewed and used to divide these patients into the control group (n=43) who received intensity-modulated radiotherapy and the combined treatment group (n=39) who received intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with local hyperthermia. Abdominal puncture was done after treatment to obtain liver cancer tissue samples, and the differences in Mortalin gene, cell proliferation gene and EMT gene expression in tissues were compared.Results: After treatment, Mortalin mRNA expression in liver cancer tissues of combined treatment group was lower than that of control group;Fbxw7 mRNA expression in liver cancer tissues was higher than that of control group whereas NCX1, PRMT5 and XBP1S mRNA expression were lower than those of control group;Twist, ZEB-1, ZEB-2, Snail and HOXB7 mRNA expression in liver cancer tissues were lower than those of control group. Pearson test showed that the Mortalin gene expression in liver cancer tissues was directly correlated with cell proliferation genes and EMT genes.Conclusion:Intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with local hyperthermia can effectively reduce Mortalin gene expression, and further optimize patients'condition by inhibiting hepatic cell proliferation, EMT activity and other pathways.

Dosimetric study of five-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy compared with conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for rectal cancer

Objective： The aim of the study was to compare the difference of dose distribution in clinical target volume and organ at risk （OAR） between five-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy （IMRT） and conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy （3DCRT） in the radiotherapy of rectal cancer. Methods： Fifteen patients with rectal cancer treated with radio- therapy （RT） were retrospectively analyzed. Among the patients, seven received RT preoperatively and 8 postoperatively. The target volume and the OARs such as the small bowel, bladder and femoral heads were contoured for each patient. 3DCRT-plan and IMRT-plan were performed for each patient respectively, with the prescribed dose covering at least 95% of the planning target volume （PTV）. The conformity index （CI） and homogeneity index （HI） were used for evaluation of the dose distribution in the target volume, and the Dx% （the lowest dose to the x% volume of the OARs that received the highest dose of irradiation） and the mean dose were used for evaluation of the dose to OARs. Paired-T test was used for companson of the difference between the two plans. Results： In the IMRT-plan and 3DCRT-plan, the CI were 0.94 and 0.87 （P = 0.000） and the HI were 1.13 and 1.17, respectively （P = 0.001）. For small bowel, the D30%, D50% and the mean dose were 19.67 Gy, 15.13 Gy and 18.81 Gy in the IMRT-plan and 25.20 Gy, 22.20 Gy and 22.89 Gy in the 3DCRT-plan, respectively （P 〈 0.001 for all pairs of parameters）. For bladder, the D30%, D50%, and the mean dose were 24.80 Gy, 34.20 Gy and 28.70 Gy in the IMRT- plan, and 35.07 Gy, 44.67 Gy and 35.68 Gy in the 3DCRT-plan, respectively （P 〈 0.001 for all pairs of parameters）. For femoral heads, the D5% in the IMRT-plan and 3DCRT-plan were 40.6 Gy and 40.47 Gy, respectively （P = 0.936）, and the mean dose were 30.14 Gy and 25.57 Gy, respectively （P = 0.001）. Conclusion： Five-field IMRT-plan is better than 3DCRT-plan in the conformity and the dose homogeneity within target volume and also better in sparing the small bowel and bladder.

Dosimetric consequences of tumor volume changes after kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography for non-operative lung cancer during adaptive intensity-modulated radiotherapy or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate tumor volume changes with kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography （kV-CBCT） and their dosimetric consequences for non-operative lung cancer during intensity-modulated radiotherapy （IMRT） or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy. Methods Eighteen patients with non-operative lung cancer who received IMRT consisting of 1.8-2.2 Gy/fraction and five fractions per week or stereotactic radiotherapy with 5-8 Gy/fraction and three fractions a week were studied, kV-CBCT was performed once per week during IMRT and at every fraction during stereotactic radiotherapy. The gross tumor volume （GTV） was contoured on the kV-CBCT images, and adaptive treatment plans were created using merged kV-CBCT and primary planning computed tomogra- phy image sets. Tumor volume changes and dosimetric parameters, including the minimum dose to 95% （D95） or 1% （D1） of the planning target volume （PTV）, mean lung dose （MLD）, and volume of lung tissue that received more than 5 （Vs）, 10 （Vl0）, 20 （V20）, and 30 （V30） Gy were retrospectively analyzed. Results The average maximum change in GTV observed during IMRT or fractionated stereotactic radio- therapy was -25.85% （range, -13.09% --56.76%）. The D95 and Dr of PTV for the adaptive treatment plans in all patients were not significantly different from those for the initial or former adaptive treatment plans. In patients with tumor volume changes of 〉20% in the third or fourth week of treatment during IMRT, adap- tive treatment plans offered clinically meaningful decreases in MLD and V5, V10, V20, and V30; however, in patients with tumor volume changes of 〈 20% in the third or fourth week of treatment as well as in patients with stereotactic radiotherapy, there were no significant or clinically meaningful decreases in the dosimetric parameters. Conclusion Adaptive treatment planning for decreasing tumor volume during IMRT may be beneficial for patients who experience tumor volume changes of 〉20% in the third or fourth week of treatment.

Prognostic factors and failure patterns in non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma after intensity-modulated radiotherapy

Background: The prognostic values of staging parameters require continual re?assessment amid changes in diag?nostic and therapeutic methods. This study aimed to identify the prognostic factors and failure patterns of non?meta?static nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) in the intensity?modulated radiotherapy(IMRT) era.Methods: We reviewed the data from 749 patients with newly diagnosed, biopsy?proven, non?metastatic NPC in our cancer center(South China, an NPC endemic area) between January 2003 and December 2007. All patients under?went magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) before receiving IMRT. The actuarial survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and survival curves were compared using the log?rank test. Multivariate analyses with the Cox proportional hazards model were used to test for the independent prognostic factors by backward eliminating insigniicant explanatory variables.Results: The 5?year occurrence rates of local failure, regional failure, locoregional failure, and distant failure were 5.4, 3.0, 7.4, and 17.4%, respectively. The 5?year survival rates were as follows: local relapse?free survival, 94.6%; nodal relapse?free survival, 97.0%; distant metastasis?free survival, 82.6%; disease?free survival, 75.1%; and overall survival, 82.0%. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that orbit involvement was the only signiicant prognostic fac?tor for local failure(P = 0.011). Parapharyngeal tumor extension, retropharyngeal lymph node involvement, and the laterality, longest diameter, and Ho's location of the cervical lymph nodes were signiicant prognostic factors for both distant failure and disease failure(all P < 0.05). Intracranial extension had signiicant prognostic value for distant failure(P = 0.040).Conclusions: The key failure pattern for NPC was distant metastasis in the IMRT era. With changes in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as treatment modalities, the signiicant prognostic parameters for local control have also been altered substantially.

Prognostic value and predictive threshold of tumor volume for patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy

Background: Gross target volume of primary tumor(GTV?P) is very important for the prognosis prediction of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC), but it is unknown whether the same is true for locally advanced NPC patients treated with intensity?modulated radiotherapy(IMRT). This study aimed to clarify the prognostic value of tumor volume for patient with locally advanced NPC receiving IMRT and to ind a suitable cut?of value of GTV?P for prognosis prediction.Methods: Clinical data of 358 patients with locally advanced NPC who received IMRT were reviewed. Receiver oper?ating characteristic(ROC) curves were used to identify the cut?of values of GTV?P for the prediction of diferent end?points [overall survival(OS), local relapse?free survival(LRFS), distant metastasis?free survival(DMFS), and disease?free survival(DFS)] and to test the prognostic value of GTV?P when compared with that of the American Joint Committee on Cancer T staging system.Results: The 358 patients with locally advanced NPC were divided into two groups by the cut?of value of GTV?P as determined using ROC curves: 219(61.2%) patients with GTV?P ≤46.4 mL and 139(38.8%) with GTV?P >46.4 mL. The 3?year OS, LRFS, DMFS, and DFS rates were all higher in patients with GTV?P ≤46.4 mL than in those with GTV?P > 46.4 mL(all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that GTV?P >46.4 mL was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for patient survival. The ROC curve veriied that the predictive ability of GTV?P was superior to that of T category(P < 0.001). The cut?of values of GTV?P for the prediction of OS, LRFS, DMFS, and DFS were 46.4, 57.9, 75.4 and 46.4 mL, respectively.Conclusion: In patients with locally advanced NPC, GTV?P >46.4 mL is an independent unfavorable prognostic indi?cator for survival after IMRT, with a prognostic value superior to that of T category.

Significant value of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in diagnosing small cervical lymph node metastases in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy

Background: Little is known about the nature of metaistasis to small cervical lymph nodes(SCLNS) in the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)examined by using 18-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose(^(18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography(PET/CT).The present study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic values of PET/CT in identifying metastasis in SCLNs in NPC patients.Methods: Magnetic resonance images(MRI) and PET/CT scans for 470 patients with newly diagnosed, non-distant metastatic NPC were analyzed. Metastatic rates of SCLNs were defined by the positive number of SCLNs on PET/CT scans and total number of SCLNs on MRI scans. Receiver operating characteristic curve was applied to compare PET/CT-determined stage with MRI-determined stage.Results: In total, 2082 SCLNs were identified, with 808(38.8%) ≥ 5 and < 6 mm in diameter(group A), 526(25.3%)≥ 6 and < 7 mm in diameter(group B),374(18.0%)≥ 7 and < 8 mm in diameter(group C), 237(11.4%) ≥8 and<9 mm in diameter(group D),and 137(6.5%) ≥ 9 and <10 mm in diameter(group E).The overall metastatic rates examined by using PET/CT for groups A, B,C,D, and E were 3.5%, 8.0%, 31.3%, 60.0%, and 83.9%, respectively(P< 0.001). In level IV/Vb, the metastatic rate for nodes ≥ 8 mm was 84.6%. PET/CT examination resulted in modification of N category and overall stage for 135(28.7%) and 46(9.8%) patients, respectively. The areas under curve of MRIdetermined and PET/CT-determined overall stage were 0.659 and 0.704 for predicting overall survival, 0.661 and 0.711 for predicting distant metastasis-free survival, and 0.636 and 0.663 for predicting disease-free survival.Conclusions: PET/CT was more effective than MRI in identifying metastatic SCLNs, and the radiologic diagnostic criteria for metastatic lymph nodes in level IV/Vb should be re-defined.

A model to predict the risk of lethal nasopharyngeal necrosis after re-irradiation with intensity-modulated radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients

Background:For patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) who undergo re-irradiation with intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT),lethal nasopharyngeal necrosis(LNN) is a severe late adverse event.The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for LNN and develop a model to predict LNN after radical re-irradiation with IMRT in patients with recurrent NPC.Methods:Patients who underwent radical re-irradiation with IMRT for locally recurrent NPC between March 2001 and December 2011 and who had no evidence of distant metastasis were included in this study.Clinical characteristics,including recurrent carcinoma conditions and dosimetric features,were evaluated as candidate risk factors for LNN.Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors and construct the predictive scoring model.Results:Among 228 patients enrolled in this study,204 were at risk of developing LNN based on risk analysis.Of the 204 patients treated,31(15.2%) developed LNN.Logistic regression analysis showed that female sex(P = 0.008),necrosis before re-irradiation(P = 0.008),accumulated total prescription dose to the gross tumor volume(GTV) ≥ 145.5 Gy(P = 0.043),and recurrent tumor volume >25.38 cm3(P = 0.009) were independent risk factors for LNN.A model to predict LNN was then constructed that included these four independent risk factors.Conclusions:A model that includes sex,necrosis before re-irradiation,accumulated total prescription dose to GTV,and recurrent tumor volume can effectively predict the risk of developing LNN in NPC patients who undergo radical re-irradiation with IMRT.

Clinical treatment considerationsin the intensity-modulated radiotherapy era for patients with NO-category nasopharyngeal carcinoma and enlarged neck lymph nodes

Background:Nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) shows a high proportion of lymph node metastasis,and treatment guidelines have been developed for positive nodes.However,no irradiation guidelines have been proposed for patients with enlarged neck lymph nodes(ENLNs) that do not meet the radiological criteria of 10 mm in diameter for positive lymph nodes.This study aimed to determine the prognostic value and radiation dose for ENLNs in NO-category NPC patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT).Methods:We reviewed the medical data of 251 patients with non-metastatic,NO-category NPC treated with IMRT.Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to calculate the cut-off value of the ENLN diameter for the prediction of disease failure.The biological equivalent dose(BED) for ENLNs was calculated.Patient survival was compared between the small and large ENLN groups.Independent prognostic factors were identified using the Cox proportional hazards model.Results:The estimated 4-year regional relapse-free survival rate was higher in patients with ENLNs ≥5.5 mm than in those with ENLNs <5.5 mm(100%vs.98.8%,P=0.049),whereas disease-free,overall,and distant metastasis-free survival rates were similar between the two groups.After adjusting for various factors,ENLN diameter was not identified as an independent prognostic factor(P > 0.05 for all survival rates).In the subgroup analysis,patients receiving BED ≥72 Gy had a similar prognosis as patients receiving BED <72 Gy in both the small and large ENLN groups.The multivariate analysis also confirmed that BED≥72 Gy was not associated with significantly improved prognosis in patients with NO-category NPC.Conclusions:A BED of 72 Gy to ENLNs is considerably sufficient to provide a clinical benefit to patients with NO-category NPC.Prospective studies are warranted to validate the findings in the present study.

Intensified intensity-modulated radiotherapy in anal cancer with prevalent HPV p16 positivity

AIM: To investigate the toxicity and response of intensity-modulated radiotherapy schedule intensified with a simultaneous integrated boost in anal canal cancer.METHODS: From March 2009 to March 2014, we retrospectively analyzed 41 consecutive patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT) and concurrent chemotherapy for anal canal squamous cell carcinoma at our center. Radiotherapy was delivered via simultaneous integrated boost(SIB) technique by helical tomotherapy, and doses were adapted to two clinical target volumes according to the tumor-nodemetastasis(TNM) stage: 50.6 Gy and 41.4 Gy in 23 fractions in T1N0, 52.8 Gy and 43.2 Gy in 24 fractionsin T2N0, and 55 Gy and 45 Gy in 25 fractions in all patients with N positive and/or ≥ T3, respectively, to planning target volumes 1 and 2. The most common chemotherapy regimen was 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-based. Human papilloma virus(HPV) p16 expression was performed by immunohistochemistry and evaluated in the majority of patients. Acute and late toxicity was scored according to CTCAe v 3.0 and RTOG scales.RESULTS: The median follow-up was 30 mo(range:12-71). Median age was 63 years(range 32-84). The stage of disease was: stage Ⅰ in 2 patients, stage Ⅱin 13 patients, stage ⅢA in 12 patients, and stage ⅢB in 14 patients, respectively. Two patients were known to be HIV positive(4.9%). HPV p16 expression status was positive in 29/34(85.3%) patients. The 4-year progression-free survival and overall survival in HPVpositive patients were 78% and 92%, respectively.Acute grade 3 skin and gastrointestinal toxicities were reported in 5% and 7.3% of patients, respectively;patients' compliance to the treatment was good due to a low occurrence of severe acute toxicity, although treatment interruptions due to toxicity were required in 7.3% of patients. At 6 mo from end of treatment,36/40(90%) patients obtained complete response;during follow-up, 5(13.8%) patients presented with disease progression(local or systemic).CONCLUSION: In our experience, intensified SIBIMRT with chemotherapy is very feasible in clinical practice, with excellent results in terms of overall survival and local control.

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy for breast cancer:a systematic review

Objective:The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effect of breast conservation with breast intensitymodulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for early-stage breast cancers.Methods:Pub Med,EMBASE,Cochrane Library,Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were searched to identify relevant original published trails,and the references of eligible studies were manually screened.Randomized controlled trails reported in any language,comparing breast IMRT with conventional radiotherapy (RT) in patients with early-stage breast cancer were eligible for inclusion.Two investigators independently assessed the quality of included trials and extracted data.The RevMan 5.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Results:Four trials involving 1440 patients were included.The results showed that in the IMRT group,the occurrence of acute moist dermatitis,the edema of the mammary gland and the occurrence of hyperpigmentation were lower than those of RT group,the pooled risk ratio value and 95% confidence interval were 0.28 (0.17-0.48),0.03 (0.00-0.21) and 0.06 (0.02-0.15) respectively.The use of IMRT did not correlate with pain and quality of life,but the presence of moist desquamation did significantly correlate with pain and reduced quality of life.Conclusion:The currently available evidence showed that IMRT significantly reduces the occurrence of moist acute dermatitis anywhere in the breast and alleviates the suffering of patients and improves the quality of life of patients.Future large-scale,high-quality,double-blind trials are needed.

Intensity-modulated Radiotherapy for Sinonasal Teratocarcinosarcoma

Surgical excision and postoperative radiotherapy are widely accepted therapeutic modalities for sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma （SNTCS）. Previous studies have shown that intensity-modulated radiation therapy （IMRT） is safe and effective for the treatment of some sinonasal malignancies. We hypothesize that use of IMRT for SNTCS may result in clinical benefits. We report here two cases of SNTCS that were treated by IMRT. One patient was given extensive IMRT involving elective neck irradiation. Follow-up examinations revealed no recurrence and metastasis 3.5 years after IMRT. Another patient simultaneously suffered from multiple systematical diseases and was administered involved-field radiotherapy. He was found to have a marginal recurrence during the follow up and eventually died 8 months after disease diagnosis. It was suggested in this study that appropriate use of IMRT for the treatment of SNTCS may achieve excellent local control.

Bone marrow-sparing intensity-modulated radiotherapy for postoperative treatment of cervical cancer

Objective： The aim of this study was to compare bone marrow-sparing intensity-modulated radiotherapy （IMRT） with IMRT without entering pelvic bone marrow as a planning constraint in the treatment of cervical cancer after hysterectomy. Methods： For a cohort of 10 patients, bone marrow-sparing IMRT and routine IMRT planning were designed. The prescribed dose was 45 Gy/1.8 Gy/25f, 95% of the planning target volume received this dose. Doses were computed with a commercially available treatment planning system （TPS） using convolution/superimposition （CS） algorithm. Plans were compared according to dose-volume histogram （DVH） analysis in terms of planning target volume （PTV） homogeneity and conformity indices （HI and CI） as well as organs at risk （OARs） dose and volume parameters. Results： Bone marrow-sparing IMRT had an vantages over routine IMRT in terms of CI, but inferior to the latter for HI. Compared with routine IMRT, V5, Vl0, V20, V30, V40 of pelvic bone marrow of bone marrow-sparing IMRT reduced by 1.81%, 8.61%, 31.81%, 29.50%, 28.29%, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed between bone marrow-sparing IMRT and routine IMRT in terms of small bowel, bladder and rectum. Conclusion： For patients with cervical cancer after hysterectomy, bone marrowsparing IMRT reduced the pelvic bone marrow volume irradiated at all dose levels and might be conducive to preventing the occurrence of acute bone marrow toxicity.

Dosimetric analysis of tomotherapy-based intensity-modulated radiotherapy with and without bone marrow sparing for the treatment of cervical cancer

Objective The aim of the study was to compare tomotherapy-based bone marrow-sparing intensity-mod- ulated radiotherapy （BMS-IMRT） with intensity-modulated radiotherapy （IMRT） without entering the pelvic bone marrow as a planning constraint in the treatment of cervical cancer after hysterectomy. Methods BMS-IMRT and IMRT plans were designed for a cohort of nine patients. The prescribed dose was 45 Gy in 1.8 Gy daily fractions, and 95% of the planned target volume received this dose. The doses were computed using a commercially available treatment planning system with the convolution/superposition algorithm. Plans were compared according to dose-volume histogram analysis in terms of planning target volume homogeneity and conformity indices （HI and CI） as well as organ at risk dose and volume parameters. Results BMS-IMRT had advantages over IMRT in terms of CI, but was equivalent to the latter in H1. V5, V10, V20, V30, and V40 of pelvic bone marrow in BMS-IMRT decreased by 0.06%, 17.33%, 22.19%, 13.85%, and 16.46%, respectively, compared with IMRT. Except for V30 of the small bowel and V30 and V40 of the bladder, no statistically significant differences were found between BMS-IMRT and IMRT in the small bowel, bladder, and rectum. Conclusion For cervical cancer patients receiving tomotherapy-based radiotherapy after hysterectomy, BMS-IMRT reduced pelvic bone marrow volume receiving low-dose radiation, and it may be conducive to preventing acute hematologic toxicity.

Observation of Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy with Different Fractionated Doses Used in 58 Cases with Astrocytoma

OBJECTIVE To analyze the therapeutic effects and side effects of intensity-modulated radiotherapy （IMRT） with different fractionated doses in treating astrocytoma.METHODS During a period from October 2001 to December 2006, 58 patients with astrocytoma were treated using IMRT. Based on the World Health Organization （WHO） classification, 32 of the 58 cases were grade-Ⅱ, 20 grade-Ⅲ and 6 grade-IV （glioblastoma multiforme, GBM）. Thirty-two of the 58 patients （3 with grade IV, 11 with grade Ⅲ, and the other 18 with grade II who were over 40 years） were treated with hyperfractionated IMRT （Hyper Fr IMRT）, and the other 26 patients were treated with standard fractionated IMRT （St Fr IMRT）.RESULTS The 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival （OS） rates were respectively 86%, 52%, and 45%, and the 1-, 3- and 5-year progression-free survival （PFS） rates were respectively 77%, 38%, and 25%. Using an analytical hierarchy process it was shown that concerning the patients with grade II astrocytoma classified based on WHO grading, the therapeutic effect was much better in the group of Hyper Fr IMRT than in the St Fr IMRT group. There was no statistical significance of the differences in the OS and PFS rates between the 2 groups （P = 0.049 and P = 0.006）. The OS and PFS rates of the patients with grade-III astrocytoma were both higher in the group with Hyper Fr IMRT than in the St Fr IMRT group. However, there was no statistical significance of the differences between the 2 groups. Advanced RTOG grade-Ⅲ（radiation therapy oncology group, RTOG） neurotoxicity occurred only in 1 of the cases.CONCLUSION Compared with the St Fr IMRT, the Hyper Fr IMRT may help to prolong the survival of patients with astrocytoma.

The impact of artificial intelligence-assisted intensity-modulated radiotherapy plan optimization on the radiation doses received by the rectum and bladder as well as radiation-induced injuries in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer

This study aimed to investigate the impact of artificial intelligence-assisted intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT)plan optimization on the radiation doses received by the rectum and bladder as well as radiation-induced injuries in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.A total of 100 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer were enrolled and divided into a conventional IMRT group and an artificial intelligence-assisted IMRT group.The results showed that in terms of the radiation doses to the rectum and bladder,all dosimetric parameters(such as mean dose,maximum dose,and volume-dose parameters,etc.)in the artificial intelligence-assisted group were significantly lower than those in the conventional group(p<0.05).Regarding radiation-induced injuries,the incidences and severities of both acute and late radiation-induced proctitis and cystitis in the artificial intelligence-assisted group were lower than those in the conventional group(p<0.05).These findings suggest that artificial intelligence-assisted IMRT plan optimization can effectively reduce the radiation doses to the rectum and bladder and decrease radiation-induced injuries in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer,which is expected to provide a more precise and safer treatment strategy for radiotherapy of locally advanced cervical cancer.However,this study has limitations such as a limited sample size and being a single-center study.Future research with multi-center,large-sample,and more in-depth investigations is needed.

Precision radiotherapy for brain tumors A 10-year bibliometric analysis

OBJECTIVE： Precision radiotherapy plays an important role in the management of brain tumors. This study aimed to identify global research trends in precision radiotherapy for brain tumors using a bibliometric analysis of the Web of Science. DATA RETRIEVAL： We performed a bibliometric analysis of data retrievals for precision radiotherapy for brain tumors containing the key words cerebral tumor, brain tumor, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, stereotactic body radiation therapy, stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, imaging-guided radiotherapy, dose-guided radiotherapy, stereotactic brachytherapy, and stereotactic radiotherapy using the Web of Science. SELECTION CRITERIA： Inclusion criteria： （a） peer-reviewed articles on precision radiotherapy for brain tumors which were published and indexed in the Web of Science; （b） type of articles： original research articles and reviews; （c） year of publication： 2002-2011. Exclusion criteria： （a） articles that required manual searching or telephone access; （b） Corrected papers or book chapters. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： （1） Annual publication output; （2） distribution according to country; （3） distribution according to institution; （4） top cited publications; （5） distribution according to journals; and （6） comparison of study results on precision radiotherapy for brain tumors. RESULTS： The stereotactic radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, and imaging-guided radiotherapy are three major methods of precision radiotherapy for brain tumors. There were 260 research articles addressing precision radiotherapy for brain tumors found within the Web of Science. The USA published the most papers on precision radiotherapy for brain tumors, followed by Germany and France. European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University were the most prolific research institutes for publications on precision radiotherapy for brain tumors. Among the top 13 research institutes publishing in this field, seven are in the USA, three are in Germany, two are in France, and there is one institute in India. Research interests including urology and nephrology, clinical neurology, as well as rehabilitation are involved in precision radiotherapy for brain tumors studies. CONCLUSION： Precision radiotherapy for brain tumors remains a highly active area of research and development.

Three-Dimensional Conformal and Intensity Modulated Dynamic Radiotherapy in Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma

Objective: Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma (JNA) is a benign neoplasm with a high vascularity component, greater craniofacial involvement in adolescent patients, and aggressive local behaviour. In unresectable patients, radiotherapy is a therapeutic option for local control. Our aim in this study was to analyze the clinical benefit and local control provided by two modalities of radiotherapy: the Three-Dimensional Conformal (3DC) technique and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), applied to pediatric patients with JNA considered unresectable and non-recurrent. Methods: In retrospective study, the information was recorded from pediatric patients with a diagnosis of non-recurrent and unresectable JNA treated with radiotherapy at the Oncology Hospital of the National Medical Center SXXI of Mexico City, from March 2010 to March 2021. Radiotherapy management and its association with clinical outcomes of tumour control, and symptoms were assessed. In addition, an evaluation of acute and chronic toxicity was performed. Results: It was found that the median age was 14 years. 9 patients (37.5%) underwent 3DC and 15 (62.5%) VMAT. In terms of local control, and progression-free survival, we did not find significant difference between radiotherapy modalities (p ≤ 0.57). Acute toxicity for both modalities presented statistical differences for radio epithelitis (p = 0.03). Only Grade I and II radiation-induced acute toxicity was observed. Regarding chronic toxicity, statistical significance was observed for craniofacial hypoplasia, in relation to its absence in the VMAT group (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The VMAT presents improvements in dosimetry parameters that improve patient toxicity. In both techniques adequate tumour control was observed, however, the rarity of the disease is a limitation to establish the most appropriate therapeutic technique.

Establishment of a prediction model for severe acute radiation enteritis associated with cervical cancer radiotherapy

BACKGROUND Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecological malignant tumors.Radiation enteritis(RE)leads to radiotherapy intolerance or termination of radiotherapy,which negatively impacts the therapeutic effect and seriously affects the quality of life of patients.If the incidence of RE in patients can be predicted in advance,and targeted clinical preventive treatment can be carried out,the side effects of radiotherapy in cervical cancer patients can be significantly reduced.Furthermore,accurate prediction of RE is essential for the selection of individualized radiation dose and the optimization of the radiotherapy plan.AIM To analyze the relationships between severe acute RE(SARE)of cervical cancer radiotherapy and clinical factors and dose-volume parameters retrospectively.METHODS We included 50 cervical cancer patients who received volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT)from September 2017 to June 2018 in the Department of Radiotherapy at The First Affiliated Hospital Soochow University.Clinical and dose-volume histogram factors of patients were collected.Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the predictive value of each factor for SARE.A nomogram to predict SARE was developed(SARE scoring system≥3 points)based on the multiple regression coefficients;validity was verified by an internal verification method.RESULTS Gastrointestinal and hematological toxicity of cervical cancer VMAT gradually increased with radiotherapy and reached the peak at the end of radiotherapy.The main adverse reactions were diarrhea,abdominal pain,colitis,anal swelling,and blood in the stool.There was no significant difference in the incidence of gastrointestinal toxicity between the radical and postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy groups(P>0.05).There were significant differences in the small intestine V_(20),V_(30),V_(40),and rectal V40 between adjuvant radiotherapy and radical radiotherapy after surgery(P<0.05).Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed anal bulge rating(OR:14.779,95%CI:1.281-170.547,P=0.031)and disease activity index(DAI)score(OR:53.928,95%CI:3.822-760.948,P=0.003)as independent predictors of SARE.CONCLUSION Anal bulge rating(>0.500 grade)and DAI score(>2.165 points)can predict SARE.The nomogram shows potential value in clinical practice.

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy dose escalation for locally advanced rectal cancers in the new era of radiotherapy:A review of literature

BACKGROUND The standard treatment of locally advanced rectal cancers(LARC)consists on neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision.Different data in literature showed a benefit on tumor downstaging and pathological complete response(pCR)rate using radiotherapy dose escalation,however there is shortage of studies regarding dose escalation using the innovative techniques for LARC(T3-4 or N1-2).AIM To analyze the role of neoadjuvant radiotherapy dose escalation for LARC using innovative radiotherapy techniques.METHODS In December 2020,we conducted a comprehensive literature search of the following electronic databases:PubMed,Web of Science,Scopus and Cochrane library.The limit period of research included articles published from January 2009 to December 2020.Screening by title and abstract was carried out to identify only studies using radiation doses equivalent dose 2 Gy fraction(EQD2)≥54 Gy and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy(VMAT),intensity-modulated radiotherapy or image-guided radiotherapy(IGRT)techniques.The authors’searches generated a total of 2287 results and,according to PRISMA Group(2009)screening process,21 publications fulfil selection criteria and were included for the review.RESULTS The main radiotherapy technique used consisted in VMAT and IGRT modality.The mainly dose prescription was 55 Gy to high risk volume and 45 Gy as prophylactic volume in 25 fractions given with simultaneous integrated boosts technique(42.85%).The mean pCR was 28.2%with no correlation between dose prescribed and response rates(P value≥0.5).The R0 margins and sphincter preservation rates were 98.88%and 76.03%,respectively.After a mean follow-up of 35 months local control was 92.29%.G3 or higher toxicity was 11.06%with no correlation between dose prescription and toxicities.Patients receiving EQD2 dose>58.9 Gy and BED>70.7 Gy had higher surgical complications rates compared to other group(P value=0.047).CONCLUSION Dose escalation neoadjuvant radiotherapy using innovative techniques is safe for LARC achieving higher rates of pCR.EQD2 doses>58.9 Gy is associated with higher rate of surgical complications.

Progress in image-guided radiotherapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors. It has the highest incidence and mortality rate of all cancers worldwide. Late diagnosis of nonsmall cell lung cancer(NSCLC) is very common in clinical practice, and most patients miss the chance for radical surgery. Thus, radiotherapy plays an indispensable role in the treatment of NSCLC. Radiotherapy technology has evolved from the classic two-dimensional approach to three-dimensional conformal and intensity-modulated radiotherapy. However, how to ensure delivery of an accurate dose to the tumor while minimizing the irradiation of normal tissues remains a huge challenge for radiation oncologists, especially due to the positioning error between fractions and the autonomous movement of organs. In recent years, image-guided radiotherapy(IGRT) has greatly increased the accuracy of tumor irradiation while reducing the irradiation dose delivered to healthy tissues and organs. This paper presents a brief review of the definition of IGRT and the various technologies and applications of IGRT. IGRT can help ensure accurate dosing of the target area and reduce radiation damage to the surrounding normal tissue. IGRT may increase the local control rate of tumors and reduce the incidence of radio-therapeutic complications.