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Background: Radiotherapy is one of the treatments used to treat prostate cancer, and dose escalation to 74–78 Gy in conventional fractionation is the standard regimen. Currently, according to the hypothesis of low alpha/beta ratio in prostate cancer cells, using hypo-fractionation has been reported in many publications with promising results. This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the implementation of a moderate hypo-fractionation regimen in high-risk prostate cancer in our division. Materials and Methods: Between 2012 and 2017, 40 patients with high-risk, localised prostate cancer were treated by a moderate hypo-fractionation regimen (70 Gy at 2·5 Gy per fraction) with intensity-modulated radiation therapy. The data related to treatment outcomes and toxicities were evaluated. Results: The mean PSA at diagnosis was 86·2 ng/mL (95% CI 49·9–122·4). Thirty-eight patients received long-term hormonal therapy. Fifty-two percent had a Gleason score of 8–10, and 65% had an initial PSA >20 ng/mL. The mean doses (in EQD2) to the D50% of PTV, D2% of organs at risk (bladder, rectum and bowels) were 80, 78·3, 76·4, and 50·2 Gy, respectively. Two patients had biochemical recurrence during the follow-up period. Conclusion: A moderate hypo-fractionation regimen (70 Gy at 2·5 Gy per fraction) is feasible. Our experience found that this regimen yields tolerable, acceptable toxicity profiles in high-risk, localised prostate cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeThis study aims to clarify the influence of overall treatment time (OTT) on the efficiency of combined chemo-radiotherapy in cervical cancer.Material and methodsThis retrospective study enrolled 122 cervical cancer patients who had squamous cell carcinoma and had undergone definitive chemo-radiotherapy from 2009 to 2013. All patients received whole pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT) with the dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions (with central shielding after 44 Gy) plus intracavitary brachytherapy with the dose of 28 Gy in four fractions. During WPRT, all patients received concurrent chemotherapy with weekly platinum-based regimen. The data of patient characteristics, OTT, treatment results and toxicities were collected and evaluated.ResultsThe mean follow-up time was 36 months. The mean age of patients was 52 years old; 68% of patients were stage IIB related to International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics staging. Pelvic control (PC), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates did not differ significantly in the data-derived cut points of 55·8 and 53 days. No statistically significant difference in treatment results between the two groups of OTT<49 and OTT≥62 days was observed.ConclusionsIn our data-derived cut point, OTT did not influence to PC, DMFS, DFS and OS. The influence of OTT on treatment results may be found in longer periods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Breast conserving therapy (BCT) is an accepted treatment for early-stage breast cancer. This study aimed to measure prospectively acute radiation-related toxicity and to create a comprehensive data base for longterm temporal analyses of 3D conformal adjuvant radiotherapy. The specific aspect of age has been neglected by traditional research. Therefore, the impact of age on acute BCT toxicity should be also specifically adressed. Methods: Toxicity was measured in 109 patients at initiation (t1), during radiotherapy (t2-t7), and 6 weeks after treatment completion (t8) using a new topographic module. Organ systems were recorded in 15 scales and scored according to symptom intensity (grade 0-5) based on CTC (Common Toxicity Criteria) -classification. Radiotherapy was virtually CT-based planned and applied with 6-MeV-photons. Mean total dose was 60.1 Gy. Patients were stratified by age in 3 Groups: <50, 50-60, and >60 years. Results: Registered toxicity was generally low. Mean overall-grade climbed from 0.29-0.40 (t1-t7), and dropped to 0.23 (t8). Univariate analyses revealed slightly higher toxicity in older (> 60 years) versus young patients (<50 years) in 2 scales only: breast-symmetry (p = 0.033), and arm function (p = 0.007). However, in the scale "appetite" toxicity was higher in younger (< 50 years) versus older (> 60 years) patients (p = 0.039). Toxicity differences in all other scales were not significant. Between older (> 60 years) and midaged patients (50-60 years) no significant differences in toxicity were found. This was also true for the comparison between young (<50 years) versus midaged patient groups (50-60 years). Conclusion: The treatment concept of BCT for breast cancer is generally well tolerated. The toxicity-measurement with the new topographic module is feasible. Not modified standard treatment for BC should be performed in elderly women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: PurposeThe aim of this study is to analyze, during the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) era, the long-term outcome of patients treated with conformal high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy boost to the prostate with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) when patients are stratified by risk factors for failure.: Methods and materialsBetween 1986 and 2000, 611 patients were treated for clinically localized prostate cancer in three prospective trials of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and dose-escalating HDR brachytherapy (BT) boost. There were 104 patients treated at Seattle, 198 at Kiel University, and 309 at William Beaumont Hospital. Of the 611 patients, 177 received a short course of neoadjuvant/concurrent ADT. The patients were divided into three risk groups. Group I, comprised of 46 patients, had stage ≤T2a, Gleason score (GS) ≤ 6, and initial PSA (iPSA) ≤ 10 ng/mL. Group II comprised 188 patients with stage ≥T2b, GS ≥ 7, and iPSA ≥ 10, with any one factor higher. Group III included 359 patients with any two risk factors higher. The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology definition for biochemical failure was used.: ResultsThe mean follow-up was 5 years (range, 0.2–15.3). For the 611 patients, the 5-year and 10-year biochemical control (BC) rates were 77% and 73%, disease-free survival (DFS) was 67% and 49%, and cause-specific survival (CSS) was 96% and 92%, respectively. BC at 5 years for Group I patients was 96%, for Group II 88%, and for Group III patients 69%. CSS at 5 years was 100% in Group I, 99% in Group II, and 95% in Group III patients. In univariate and multiple regression analyses for BC, risk group, stage, iPSA, and GS were significant in predicting failure. However, age, follow-up interval, and ADT did not.: ConclusionsEBRT with HDR-BT produced excellent long-term outcomes in terms of BC, DFS, and CSS in patients with prostate cancer even for those at highest risk. Conformal HDR-BT is both a precise dose delivery system and an effective treatment for both favorable and unfavorable prostate cancer. The addition of a short course of neoadjuvant/concurrent ADT failed to improve outcome. The results were similar at all three institutions, giving credence to the reproducibility of the brachytherapy treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]