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Objectives: This study aimed to build a comprehensive deep-learning model for the prediction of radiation pneumonitis using chest computed tomography (CT), clinical, dosimetric, and laboratory data. Introduction: Radiation therapy is an effective tool for treating patients with lung cancer. Despite its effectiveness, the risk of radiation pneumonitis limits its application. Although several studies have demonstrated models to predict radiation pneumonitis, no reliable model has been developed yet. Herein, we developed prediction models using pretreatment chest CT and various clinical data to assess the likelihood of radiation pneumonitis in lung cancer patients. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 3-dimensional (3D) lung volume data from chest CT scans and 27 features including dosimetric, clinical, and laboratory data from 548 patients who were treated at our institution between 2010 and 2021. We developed a neural network, named MergeNet, which processes lung 3D CT, clinical, dosimetric, and laboratory data. The MergeNet integrates a convolutional neural network with subsequent fully connected layers. A support vector machine (SVM) and light gradient boosting machine (LGBM) model were also implemented for comparison. For comparison, the convolution-only neural network was implemented as well. Three-dimensional Resnet-10 network and 4-fold cross-validation were used. Results: Classification performance was quantified by using the area under the receiver operative characteristic curve (AUC) metrics. MergeNet showed the AUC of 0.689. SVM, LGBM, and convolution-only networks showed AUCs of 0.525, 0.541, and 0.550, respectively. Application of DeLong test to pairs of receiver operating characteristic curves respectively yielded P values of.001 for the MergeNet–SVM pair and 0.001 for the MergeNet–LGBM pair. Conclusion: The MergeNet model, which incorporates chest CT, clinical, dosimetric, and laboratory data, demonstrated superior performance compared to other models. However, since its prediction performance has not yet reached an efficient level for clinical application, further research is required. Contribution: This study showed that MergeNet may be an effective means to predict radiation pneumonitis. Various predictive factors can be used together for the radiation pneumonitis prediction task via the MergeNet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to classify Korean readers into subgroups based on their reading achievement and to examine the relationships between these subgroups and a set of cognitive-linguistic variables. The reading achievement and cognitive-linguistic skills of 394 elementary school students were measured and the data were analyzed by disaggregating into primary grade level (i.e., Grades 1–3) and intermediate grade level (i.e., Grades 4–6). The main results are summarized as follows. First, three subgroups of readers were found based on the reading achievement for the primary grade level: "very poor word readers and poor comprehenders," "poor readers," and "average readers." Second, four subgroups of readers were found based on the reading achievement for the intermediate grade level: "very significantly poor readers," "very poor readers," "average word readers but poor comprehenders," and "average readers." Third, vocabulary, rapid naming, phonological memory, and phonological awareness were cognitive-linguistic variables that significantly differentiated "very poor readers" and "poor readers" from "average readers" for the primary grade level. Fourth, phonological memory, rapid naming, sentence repetition, and listening comprehension were cognitive-linguistic variables that significantly differentiated "very poor readers" and "poor readers" from "average readers" for the intermediate grade level. This article also discusses the limits of this research and the implications in practice. Finally, this article touches upon the direction of future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin (FP regimen) is widely used as a standard treatment for head and neck cancer. Recently, capecitabine has received increased attention. We conducted a retrospective study to compare the efficacy and safety of the FP regimen with that of the “XP regimen,” which entails concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with capecitabine and cisplatin, in patients with resectable laryngohypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We retrospectively reviewed the records of 71 patients—67 men and 4 women, mean age 63.1 years—who had undergone CCRT from August 2004 through March 2010 as a primary treatment for resectable laryngohypopharyngeal SCC. There were 19 patients in the FP group and 52 in the XP group. With regard to chemotherapy morbidity, the XP group had less need for healthcare resources and fewer delays in treatment due to toxicity. After CCRT, a higher (but not statistically significant) rate of complete response was observed in the XP group than in the FP group (71.2 vs. 57.9%; p = 0.291); the XP group also had a better, although not significant, response among patients with neck metastases (67.7 vs. 30%; p = 0.063). During follow-up (mean: 34.8 ± 30.6 mo), recurrence rates were 25.6% in the XP group and 21.4% in the FP group—again, not a statistically significant difference (p = 0.745). At the time of the final follow-up, 20 of the 71 patients (28.2%) had died of disease. Compared with the FP group, the XP group had a significantly lower incidence of disease-specific death (21.2 vs. 47.4% respectively; p = 0.030). However, the Kaplan-Meier method identified no significant difference between the two groups in the 3-year survival rate (69.6 vs. 63.2%; p = 0.263). Overall toxicities and grade 3 or 4 toxicities (with the exception of hand-foot syndrome) were generally far less common in the XP group, with statistical significance identified for patients who experienced anemia, nausea, and vomiting. On the basis of our experience, we conclude that the results of the XP regimen were comparable to those of the FP regimen for CCRT in patients with resectable laryngohypopharyngeal SCC in terms of treatment efficacy, toxicity, and patient convenience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]