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Background/aim The primary endpoint of this phase I study was the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of middle half body (MHB) accelerated radiotherapy (RT) in multiple bone metastatic (BM) prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Patients and methods Three step dose escalation [13 Gy (3.25 Gy/fraction), 14 Gy (3.5 Gy/fraction), and 15 Gy (3.75 Gy/fraction)] in three consecutive patient cohorts were planned. RT was delivered in two consecutive days and two daily fractions. Six patients were enrolled in the first two cohorts and 12 in the third cohort. Grade ≥3 toxicity was considered as a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Results Twenty-five patients (median age=71 years, median follow-up=7.4 months) were enrolled. Defined MTD dose was 15 Gy. Overall pain response rate was 76%: 9 patients (36%) showed complete and 10 patients (40%) reported partial response of pain. Conclusion MHB accelerated RT (total dose: 15 Gy) delivered in two consecutive days and two daily fractions is well tolerated.

BACKGROUND/AIM Whole lung irradiation (WLI) represents standard therapy for patients with pulmonary metastases from Ewing sarcoma although the impact on clinical outcomes and toxicity is still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate toxicity after WLI in patients with Ewing sarcoma and osteosarcoma as well as overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS). MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic review of studies on bilateral pulmonary irradiation treatments for prophylactic or curative therapy was performed based on PRISMA methodology. Data base searches on PubMed and Cochrane Library from the earliest time possible through 31st March 2018 were carried out. Combination with other treatments, such as chemotherapy and surgery were allowed. Only articles published in English were considered. RESULTS Toxicity was evaluated in 13 of the 14 analyzed studies (640 patients). Reported lung acute toxicity grade ≥3 ranged between 0.0 and 12.2%. Three studies reported 12 cases (1.8%) of severe pneumonitis. Grade ≥2 late toxicity was mainly recorded in patients who received boost irradiation, previous thoracic surgery, chemotherapy or who were smokers. Lack of a significant impact of WLI on OS was reported in comparative studies although patients treated with WLI showed higher survival in most individual studies. CONCLUSION Although the rate of severe toxicity was very low, the real impact of WLI on patients' outcomes remains unproven, probably due to the narrow dose limits that can be delivered to the whole lung parenchyma. New strategies to prevent or treat lung metastases in these patients should be tested. Ultra-fractionated radiotherapy concurrent with modern chemotherapy protocols could be tested in this setting due to the chemo-sensitizing effect and negligible radio-induced toxicity of fraction doses

Background/aim A systematic review on toxicity, local control (LC), overall survival (OS), and biochemical relapse-free survival (bRFS) after postoperative hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT) on prostate cancer (PCa) was performed. Materials and methods Based on the PRISMA methodology, studies reporting clinical results after adjuvant or salvage HFRT were included. Results A total of 1,208 patients from 17 eligible studies were included. Median follow-up was 30 months. No case of severe acute gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity was recorded. Grade ≥3 acute genitourinary (GU) toxicity ranged between 0% and 3%. Different rates of grade ≥2 late GI (range=0-8.7%) and GU (range=0-66%) toxicity were recorded. Encouraging results on LC, OS, and bRFS were reported. Conclusion Acute toxicity does not seem to be increased in patients receiving postoperative HFRT, but the results of late-GU toxicity are conflicting. Further prospective studies are needed before including postoperative HFRT in clinical practice.

Background/Aim: Radiotherapy is a treatment option for both adjuvant and neo-adjuvant settings for biliary tract cancer. Guidelines on the delineation of the target volume of lymph nodes are lacking; only generic indications are available, without specific recommendations for different primary tumour locations (e.g. intrahepatic, extrahepatic biliary tract or gallbladder cancer). The aim of this study was to systematically review available literature to provide recommendations on lymph node target volume delineation in patients with unresectable biliary tumour. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases was performed up to July 2016. The primary outcome measure was the rate of lymph node involvement according to the location of primary biliary tumour. Sites with ≥5% of nodal metastases were considered in the clinical target volume for radiotherapy planning. Results: Twelve studies (1075 patients) were included. The most frequent site of lymph node metastasis in intrahepatic biliary tree carcinoma was retroportal (61.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI)=50.7-70-6%). Other frequently involved lymph nodes were along the hepatoduodenal ligament [frequency=38.7%, 95% CI=31.0-47.0%], those along the common hepatic artery (17.0%, 95% CI=8.2-31.9%) and the hilar nodes (16.9%, 95% CI=13.2-21.4%). In extrahepatic biliary tree cancer, the most frequently involved lymph nodes were the pericholedochal (42.7%, 95% CI=33.8-52.1%) and those along the hepatoduodenal ligament (40.3%, 95% CI=32.4-48.8%). Other commonly involved nodal regions included retroportal lymph nodes (30.9%, 95% CI=23.0-40.1%), pancreaticoduodenal anterior and posterior nodes (30.1%, 95% CI=12.2-57.1%), those along the common hepatic artery (19.7%, 95% CI=11.8-31.0%) and para_aortic nodes (15.2%, 95% CI=8.0-27.0%). The most common site of metastases in gallbladder cancer were the pericholedochal nodes (25.2%, 95% CI=18.6-33.2%), those along the cystic duct (23%, 95% CI=16.6-30.8%), and retroportal nodes (17.1%, 95% CI=11.6-24.5%). Conclusion: Biliary tract cancer has a high propensity for regional lymphatic metastases. An evidence-based nodal target definition of biliary tract cancer based on primary tumour location was proposed.