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Locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC) often requires postoperative chemoradiation with high risk of toxicity. Disease-free survival (DFS) after 2 years is approximately 70%. Combining nivolumab (N), a PD-1-inhibitor and ipilimumab (I), a CTLA4- inhibitor, may improve DFS due to antitumor effects of immunotherapy. The IMSTAR-HN study compares neoadjuvant N and N ± I 6 months after adjuvant therapy versus standard therapy as first-line treatment for LA-HNSCC. Eligible patients have treatment-naive LA-HNSCC, Eastern cooperative oncology group performance score (PS) ≤1 and no distant metastasis. 276 patients will be randomized into two arms. Primary endpoint is DFS and secondary endpoint includes locoregional control (LRC) and overall survival (OS). This study is one of the first in HNSCCs implementing immunotherapy in first-line treatment in a curative setting. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03700905 ( ClinicalTrials.gov )

A flexible and individual component manufacturing process for thermoplastic composites (TPC) has been developed at the Institut fuer Kunststoffverarbeitung in Industrie und Handwerk an der RWTH Aachen (Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University). The process consists of a quality controlled tape production and a combined forming and joining process with additive manufactured functional structures. This paper describes the requirements for the unidirectional (UD) tape properties and the quality controlled tape production line in order to allow for a flexible and individual component manufacturing of load optimised thermoplastic composite parts. Besides the UD tape geometry and fibre impregnation quality an even fibre distribution over the width of the UD tape is an important characteristic. Results of investigations regarding the online measured quality data (fibre distribution) and offline measured UD tape properties (local fibre weight content) are presented and discussed.

For the production of composite components made of long-fibre reinforced thermoplastics (LFT) the economic compression moulding process is well established. However, the low temperature of the compression mould during processing leads to a significant increase in both the material viscosity and in the compression force in particular for thin-walled components. In addition, low surface qualities result which prevent the application of such components in visible areas. To overcome these disadvantages, a variothermal compression moulding process has been developed at the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University. With the variothermal mould technology a reduction of the viscosity of the moulding compound during processing is achieved. This results in a reduction of compression force by about 60 %. Additionally, moulding compounds with higher fibre contents (up to 60 % by weight) can be processed and the surface quality of LFT compression moulding components can be significantly increas...

The aim of the present study was to compare simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) plans using volumetric modulated arc therapy (RapidArc®; RA) or tomotherapy (TT) for bilateral (BL) and unilateral (UL) treatment in head-and-neck cancer (HNC) patients.Seventeen computed tomography scans (CTs) of 16 patients with SIB were replanned using TT and RA. We defined three groups: All, UL and BL, compared the dose distributions, homogeneity, conformity to planning target volume (PTV), organs at risk (OAR) and healthy tissue (HT) sparing. We evaluated a therapeutic-width index (TWI) based on PTV coverage and parotid gland (PG) sparing.PTV coverage for RA and TT was equivalent for all groups. UL irradiation resulted in similar doses to the HT for both techniques but TT achieved better sparing of spinal cord, larynx and contralateral PGs. TT provided better homogeneity. RA gave better conformity.Both methods achieved clinically acceptable results for UL and BL treatment, RA with better dose conformity to elective PTV, TT with better OAR sparing and homogeneity.

Objectives:One of the main causes for chronic otitis media is a tubal dysfunction which can now be treated with the endonasal dilatation of the Eustachian tube with the help of a novel balloon catheter.Methods:Since July 2010, we treated patients with a tubal dysfunction with a balloon dilatation of the Eustachian tube with the help of an endoscope through an endonasal approach. Such a dilatation was done in patients in whom we found a tubal dysfunction in the tube manometry and impedance audiometry. In 55 patients, a single-sided and in 50 patients a bilateral treatment was performed by inserting a specially designed balloon catheter into the cartilage of the Eustachian tube and inflating it with 10 bar for 2 minutes.Results:Between July 2010 and November 2011, 105 patients (age 9-71; 45 female, 60 male) were treated because of a tybal dysfunction. The dilatation was performed under general anesthesia using an endoscope and a specially designed applicator. The postoperative check-up showed improved funct...