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Purpose: Brachytherapy (BT) has been used for many years for disease control in tumours of the head and neck area (H&N). It is currently performed with high dose rate (HDR) or pulsed dose rate (PDR), but its use has been reduced due to the implementation of new non-invasive external beam radiotherapy techniques such as intensity modulation (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and the improvement of surgical techniques., Methods: The Spanish Brachytherapy Group (GEB) has carried out a survey to find out the number of centres in Spain that continue to use BT in H&N and its indications and expectations for the future., Results: The results were presented at the XX GEB Consensus Meeting held on October 21, 2022, in Valencia (Spain) and it was confirmed that, although there are fewer and fewer centres that use BT in H&N, there are still units with extensive experience in this technique that should be positioned as referral centres., Conclusion: It is necessary to carry out continuous work with other specialities involved, such as H&N surgeons, and other radiation oncologists, to improve the training of residents, both oncologists and medical physicists., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Federación de Sociedades Españolas de Oncología (FESEO).)

Background: Evidence for a protective role of physical activity against development of stomach cancer is yet inconclusive. We studied the association of domain-specific physical activity and the risk of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC), by site and histology, in the MCC-Spain case-control study. Methods: 428 histologically confirmed GAC cases (67% men) including the gastro-esophageal region and 3225 controls were included. Cases were recruited in hospitals from 10 different Spanish regions, whereas population controls were randomly selected within the respective hospitals' catchment areas. A physical activity (PA) questionnaire was used to gather information on household and recreational activities, allowing estimation of PA volume (in metabolic equivalents (MET)-min/week). Participants also reported the intensity of working PA and daily sitting time. Questionnaire data on diet, lifestyles and clinical variables including Helicobacter pylori serology were available. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) of GAC were estimated for domains of physical activity, stratifying by sex, site (cardia vs. non-cardia), and Lauren classification (intestinal vs. diffuse). Results: Household physical activity (HPA) showed a strong inverse association with GAC, observed for both cardia and non-cardia tumours. Risk of overall gastric cancer was 50% lower risk among participants in the highest HPA category (OR = 0.50, 95%CI: 0.38, 0.66). Recreational physical activity (RPA) was also associated with lower overall GAC risk (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.88), particularly at moderate levels of intensity such as walking (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.79). The protective effect of RPA was strongest for non-cardia tumours. Sedentary time was not related to GAC risk (p-trend = 0.392), but the potential protective effect of RPA was restricted to non-sedentary participants. Conclusions: Both household and recreational physical activities were independently related to lower GAC risk in the MCC-Spain study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe prior negative screening history and symptoms around the time of diagnosis of incident cervical cancer (CC) cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2010 within the Asturias public health system. Methods: Records from 374 women diagnosed with CC between 2000 and 2010 from all public hospitals in Asturias were retrieved. Clinical information, FIGO stage and all previous cytological data were extracted from clinical and histopathological records. Proportional differences were assessed using chi-square tests. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Inter-observer agreement in cytology was checked by comparing concordance values using k-statistics. Results: No prior screening history was recorded in 60.7% of CC cases and its absence increased with age and advanced stage. Advanced stage (e.g., ≥ II) at diagnosis was associated with age (>50 years) and adenocarcinoma (ADC) compared to younger women and those with a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). False negative smears were identified in 27.1% of women with CC (ADC 52.6% vs. SCC 16.2%, p<0.05). Conclusions: Absence of prior screening history was common among CC cases. Organized actions to reduce “under screening” and the use of highly sensitive HPV-based tests could be useful strategies in reducing the burden of CC in Asturias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]