Reirradiation of recurrent breast cancer with proton beam therapy:A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND Locoregional recurrence of breast cancer is challenging for clinicians,due to the various former treatments patients have undergone.However,treatment of the recurrence with systemic therapy and subsequent reirradiation of chest wall is accompanied by increased toxicities,particularly radiation-induced cardiovascular disease.Reirradiation by proton beam therapy(PBT)enables superior preservation of adjacent organs at risk as well as concurrent dose escalation for delivery to the gross tumor.This technology is expected to improve the overall outcome of recurrent breast cancer.CASE SUMMARY A 47-year-old female presented with an extensive locoregional recurrence at 10 yr after primary treatment of a luminal A breast cancer.Because of tumor progression despite having undergone bilateral ovarectomy and systemic therapy,the patient was treated with PBT BE total dose of 64.40 Gy to each gross tumor and 56.00 Gy to the upper mediastinal and retrosternal lymphatics including the entire sternum in 28 fractions.Follow-up computed tomography showed a partial remission,without evidence of newly emerging metastasis.At 19 mo after the PBT,the patient developed a radiation-induced pericardial disease and pleural effusions with clinical burden of dyspnea,which were successfully treated by drainage and corticosteroid.Cytological analysis of the puncture fluid showed no malignancy,and the subsequent computed tomography scan indicated stable disease as well as significantly decreased pericardial and pleural effusions.The patient remains free of progression to date.CONCLUSION PBT was a safe and effective method of reirradiation for locoregionally recurrent breast cancer in our patient.

Evolving role of salvage reirradiation: Is global harmonization required before treatment guidelines can be developed?

Up to 90% of patients initially treated with curativeintent radiotherapy(RT) will experience locoregional failure. Historically, reirradiation(Re RT) was offered purely with palliative intent, if considered at all, due to concerns surrounding toxicity, tolerance of normal tissues, and choice of appropriate dose schedule. With technological advancements in RT delivery, coupled with longer survival in many malignancies secondary to improvements in systemic therapy, a small subset of patients presenting with localized recurrence is increasingly being offered salvage Re RT. However, this is largely on an ad hoc basis, guided mainly by small retrospective, single-institution reports. The patient population retreated, RT modality, dose received, degree of attrition and follow-up are extremely variable. The opportunity presently exists to apply lessons learned from the harmonization of the research efforts within the bone metastases community to the salvage Re RT situation: the adoption of common endpoints, minimum features to be incorporated into clinical trial design, and methods of data analysis and reporting. The Re RT data available must be harmonized so that valid, clinically applicable conclusions can be drawn. Collaboration in the form of an international registry of prospectively collected outcomes of patients reirradiated for cure for a variety of tumour sites would further support the evolution of Radiation Oncology towards personalized medicine, and away from the current "one-dose-fits-all" approach.

TREATMENT OF LOCAL RECURRENCE OF NASOPHARYN-GEAL CARCINOMA WITH REIRRADIATION

From 1975 to 1987, 112 patients with loco-regional recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (N P C) were treated again with radiation at our hospital. All cases were proven histologically by biopsy. Of these patients, 92 had their recurrence in the nasopharynx only, 13 had additional involvement of the base of the skull, and 7 had tumor recurrences simultaneously in the nasopharynx as well as the cervical lymph nodes. Radiotherapy adopted in this series was 60Co external irradiation (X R Te) and/ or betatron in 96 patients, X R Te plus intracavitary 60Co irradiation (X R Ti) in 12 patients and X R Ti alone in the other 4 patients. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 86.3%, 45.8% and 30.2% respectively after the start of recurrence retreatment. The 63 patients who survived for 5 years or more were analyzed. The prognosis of the patient was related to the histological type, clinical stage, modality of treatment, and disease interval to recurrence and site of recurrence. No serious complications occurred. It is suggested that re-irradiation is appropriate in the treatment of loco-regional recurrent N P C.

Optimal management of a patient with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is rare in western countries, accounting for less than 1% of all malignancies. Despite prognosis is satisfactory for newly diagnosed, non-metastatic disease, management of recurrent disease is challenging, with a survival expectancy of approximately 6 mo with the use of chemotherapy as the sole salvage treatment. We report a case of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with a combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery in the context of a multidisciplinary approach. A durable complete response was achieved.

GOECP/SEOR radiotherapy guidelines for small-cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer(SCLC)accounts for approximately 20%of all lung cancers.The main treatment is chemotherapy(Ch).However,the addition of radiotherapy significantly improves overall survival(OS)in patients with non-metastatic SCLC and in those with metastatic SCLC who respond to Ch.Prophylactic cranial irradiation reduces the risk of brain metastases and improves OS in both metastatic and non-metastatic patients.The 5-year OS rate in patients with limited-stage disease(non-metastatic)is slightly higher than 30%,but less than 5%in patients with extensive-stage disease(metastatic).The present clinical guidelines were developed by Spanish radiation oncologists on behalf of the Oncologic Group for the Study of Lung Cancer/Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology to provide a current review of the diagnosis,planning,and treatment of SCLC.These guidelines emphasise treatment fields,radiation techniques,fractionation,concomitant treatment,and the optimal timing of Ch and radiotherapy.Finally,we discuss the main indications for reirradiation in local recurrence.

GOECP/SEOR radiotherapy guidelines for thymic epithelial tumours

Thymic epithelial tumours(TET)are rare,heterogeneous neoplasms that range from resectable indolent tumours to aggressive thymic carcinomas with a strong tendency to metastasize.The pathological diagnosis is complex,in part due to the management of TETs is scant and mainly based on non-randomised studies and retrospective series.Consequently,the clinical management of TETs tends to be highly heterogenous,which makes it difficult to improve the evidence level.The role of technological advances in the field of radiotherapy and new systemic therapies in the treatment of TETs has received little attention to date.In the present clinical guidelines,developed by the GOECP/SEOR,we review recent developments in the diagnosis and classification of TETs.We also present a consensus-based therapeutic strategy for each disease stage that takes into consideration the best available evidence.These guidelines focus primarily on the role of radiotherapy,including recent advances,in the management of TETs.The main aim of this document is to promote the standardisation of clinical practice and lay the foundations for future studies to clarify the main unresolved questions related to the optimal management of TET.