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In Europe, endometrial cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women. The majority of patients are diagnosed at a localized stage. For these patients, the standard of care is based on an hysterectomy with salpingo oophorectomy±lymph node staging. Through the assessment of histopathologic features, risk groups are determined: low, intermediate, high-intermediate, and high risk. Adjuvant strategies are guided by these risk groups. While the prognosis of low-risk and high-risk is well known, that of intermediate and high-intermediate risk is more heterogeneous, and the therapeutic index of adjuvant treatments is more questionable. Several trials (PORTEC [Post Operative Radiation Therapy in Endometrial Carcinoma] I, GOG [Gynecologic Oncology Group] 99, ASTEC [A Study in the Treatment of Endometrial Cancer] EN.5, PORTEC II, Sorbe et al trial) have assessed observation, vaginal cuff brachytherapy and/or pelvic external beam radiotherapy in this population. Vaginal cuff brachytherapy reduces the local recurrence rate, and pelvic external beam radiotherapy the pelvic recurrence rate. However, no benefit in terms of overall survival or occurrence of distant metastases is highlighted. Compared to observation, brachytherapy and above all external beam radiotherapy are associated with an increased morbidity, and with a decreased quality of life. In order to improve the therapeutic ratio and to optimize medico-economic decisions, therapeutic de-escalation strategies, based on the molecular profiles, are emerging in clinical trials, and in the recommendations for the management of intermediate and high-intermediate risk endometrial cancers. The four main molecular profiles highlighted by the genomic analyzes of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) - POLE (polymerase epsilon) mutation, non-specific molecular profile, MMR (MisMatch repair) deficiency, and p53 mutation - but also the quantification of lymphovascular space invasion (absent, focal or substantial), and the assessment of L1CAM (L1 cell adhesion molecule) overexpression represent growing concerns. Thus, the use of molecular-integrated risk profile to determine the best adjuvant treatment represent a major way to personalize adjuvant treatment of endometrial cancers, with therapeutic de-escalation opportunity for around half of the high-intermediate risks. However, in the absence of prospective data, inclusion in clinical trials assessing molecular profile-based treatment remains the best therapeutic opportunity.

Since dose escalation allowed by image-guided adaptive brachytherapy (IGABT) in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC), local relapses have become a rare event. Only scarce data are available on the outcome of patients experiencing a local relapse after IGABT.Between 2004 and 2016, all consecutive patients treated at Gustave Roussy Institute for LACC and receiving concomitant chemoradiation and IGABT were analysed. Clinical and treatment-related prognostic factors for survival after local relapse were searched, in order to potentially identify patients requiring salvage treatment.Two hundred and fifty-nine patients were treated during this period. With a median follow-up of 4.1 years, 10.8% (n = 28) had a local relapse. Among these patients, 53.6% had synchronous lymph nodes or distant metastatic relapse and only 13 patients (5% of all patients) had isolated local relapse. After local relapse, median survival was 47 months and three patients were alive at last follow-up. Only three patients with local relapse could receive salvage surgery (10.7%). Metastases occurrence and pelvic wall involvement were the main contraindications (67.9%) for salvage surgery. Among the three patients treated with surgery, two are still alive at last follow-up without significant complication. Improved survival was observed among the two patients who could have surgery (p = .02). Local progression led to serious symptoms in 75% of patients. Only the time interval between brachytherapy and relapse (1 year) was prognostic for 2-year overall survival (p = .005).Salvage surgery is feasible in a very low number of highly selected patients with local relapse following IGABT. Local failure is a major cause of severe local symptoms, confirming that every effort should be done to achieve long-term local control through dose escalation.

Purpose Interstitial brachytherapy is indicated as part of a conservative strategy for children with bladder and/or prostate rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), providing high local control probability with acceptable functional results. Vaginal and/or rectal complications were however reported, due to the close proximity to the implanted volume. We investigated the dosimetric impact of a vaginal spacer in terms of rectal and vaginal doses. Methods and patients Medical records of 12 consecutive female patients with bladder neck RMS, median age 32 months (range: 1.3–6 years), were reviewed. Five patients were treated prior to 2017 without a vaginal spacer and seven patients treated after 2017 had their brachytherapy delivered with a vaginal spacer placed at time of implant. Results Minimal doses delivered to the most exposed 2 cm3, 1 cm3, and 0.5 cm3 of the rectum were all statistically significantly lower among patients treated with a vaginal spacer, as compared to those treated without a spacer. Median rectal D2cm3 was 22 GyEQD2 versus 38 GyEQD2 (P = 0.02), D1cm3 was 29 GyEQD2 versus 51 GyEQD2 (P = 0.013), and D0.5cm3 was 32 GyEQD2 versus 61 GyEQD2 (P = 0.017), with and without the vaginal spacer, respectively. The posterior vaginal wall D0.5cm3 dose was also significantly decreased, with median D0.5cm3 of 92 GyEQD2 versus 54 GyEQD2 (P Conclusions The use of vaginal spacers in brachytherapy of female pediatric patients with bladder neck RMS resulted in significantly decreased doses to the rectum and the posterior vaginal wall. Though the clinical impact of such dose reduction remains undemonstrated, routine utilization of a vaginal spacer could be a method to decrease long-term morbidity in these patients.

INTRODUCTION : Le carcinome des lèvres représente l'un des types les plus courants de cancer de la tête et du cou. La curiethérapie est une option thérapeutique très efficace pour tous les stades des cancers des lèvres. Nous rapportons notre expérience de la curiethérapie à débit de dose pulsé (DDP) dans le traitement du carcinome des lèvres. MATERIELS ET METHODES : Cette étude rétrospective monocentrique a inclus tous les patients consécutifs traités par curiethérapie de débit de dose pulsé (PDR) dans notre institution de 2010 à 2019. Les toxicités et les résultats des patients ont été rapportés, et une évaluation rétrospective de la qualité de vie a été réalisée par entretiens téléphoniques (FACT H&N). RESULTATS : D'Octobre 2010 à Décembre 2019, 38 patients ont été traités dans notre institution pour un carcinome de la lèvre par curiethérapie PDR. L'âge médian était de 73 ans, et la majorité des patients présentaient des tumeurs T1-T2 (79%). La dose totale médiane était de 70,14 Gy (Fourchette : 60 – 85 Gy). Avec un suivi moyen de 35,4 mois, deux patients (5,6%) ont présenté un échec local et sept patients (19%) une progression des ganglions lymphatiques. La probabilité estimée par Kaplan-Meier d'un échec local était de 7,2% (IC 95% : 0,84 – 1) à deux et quatre ans. Tous les patients ont présenté une radiomucite de grade 2 ou supérieur. Le taux de toxicités tardives était faible : trois patients (8,3%) ont eu une fibrose de grade 2 et un patient a eu une douleur chronique de grade 2. Tous les patients recommanderaient vivement le traitement. Le score total médian de FACT H&N était de 127 sur 148, et l'indice médian de résultat de l'essai FACT H&N était de 84. CONCLUSION : Cette étude confirme qu'un excellent taux de contrôle local est obtenu avec la curiethérapie PDR dans le traitement du carcinome de la lèvre, avec un taux de contrôle tardif très limité et des résultats fonctionnels satisfaisants. Une approche multimodale devrait permettre d'améliorer le contrôle régional.

Purpose: Lip carcinoma represents one of the most common types of head and neck cancer. Brachytherapy is a highly effective therapeutic option for all stages of lip cancers. We report our experience of pulsed dose rate brachytherapy (PDR) as treatment of lip carcinoma. Methods and Materials: this retrospective single center study included all consecutive patients treated for a lip PDR brachytherapy in our institution from 2010 to 2019. The toxicities and outcomes of the patients were reported, and a retrospective quality of life assessment was conducted by phone interviews (FACT H&amp, N). Results: From October 2010 to December 2019, 38 patients were treated in our institution for a lip carcinoma by PDR brachytherapy. The median age was 73, and the majority of patients presented T1-T2 tumors (79%). The median total dose was 70.14 Gy (range: 60–85 Gy). With a mean follow-up of 35.4 months, two patients (5.6%) presented local failure, and seven patients (19%) had lymph node progression. The Kaplan–Meier estimated probability of local failure was 7.2% (95% CI: 0.84–1) at two and four years. All patients encountered radiomucitis grade II or higher. The rate of late toxicities was low: three patients (8.3%) had grade II fibrosis, and one patient had grade II chronic pain. All patients would highly recommend the treatment. The median FACT H&amp, N total score was 127 out of 148, and the median FACT H&amp, N Trial Outcome Index was 84. Conclusions: This study confirms that an excellent local control rate is achieved with PDR brachytherapy as treatment of lip carcinoma, with very limited late side effects and satisfactory functional outcomes. A multimodal approach should help to improve regional control.

Purpose To examine clinical outcomes and quality of life of patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma treated with interstitial pulsed-dose-rate brachytherapy (PDR-BT) with a boost to residual tumor after external radiotherapy. Material and methods Medical records of patients receiving a brachytherapy boost after radiotherapy for anal squamous cell carcinoma in our Institute between 2008 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. After receiving pelvic irradiation ± concurrent chemotherapy, patients received PDR-BT boost to residual tumor, in order to deliver a minimal total dose of 60 Gy. Patients' outcomes were analyzed, with primary focus on local control, sphincter preservation, morbidity, and quality of life. Results A total of 42 patients were identified, included 24, 13, and 5 patients with I, II, and III tumor stages, respectively. Median brachytherapy (BT) dose was 20 Gy (range, 10-30 Gy). Median dose per pulse was 42 cGy (range, 37.5-50 cGy). With median follow-up of 60.4 months (range, 5.4-127.4 months), estimated local control and colostomy-free survival rates at 5 years were both 88.7% (95% CI: 67.4-96.4%). The largest axis of residual lesion after external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and poor tumor shrinkage were associated with more frequent relapses (p = 0.02 and p = 0.007, respectively). Out of 40 patients with more than 6 months follow-up, only one experienced severe delayed toxicity (fecal incontinence). Health quality perception was very good or good in 20 of 22 (91%) patients, according to their replies of quality-of-life surveys. A total dose ≥ 63 Gy was associated with higher number of anorectal grade 1+ toxicities (n = 1.5 vs. n = 0.61, p = 0.02). Conclusions In this cohort of 42 patients with mainly I and II tumor stages, PDR-BT boost allowed for local control in 88.7% of patients, with only one grade 3 anorectal toxicity.

International audience; Purpose: To examine dose-volume effect relationships for anorectal morbidity in children treated with image-guided brachytherapy for pelvic tumors.Methods and materials: Medical records of all consecutive children with pelvic tumors treated in our center and receiving image-guided pulsed-dose-rate brachytherapy with or without external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) between 2005 and 2019 were reviewed. The effect of the minimal doses to the most exposed 0.5 cm3, 1 cm3, and 2 cm3 of the anorectum (respectively: D0.5cm3, D1cm3, and D2cm3), total reference air kerma (TRAK), and volume of 100% isodose was examined for anorectal toxicities.Results: Seventy-eight consecutive children were included. Median age was 2.9 years (range, 0.8-14.9 years). Most of the tumors were bladder or prostate (67%) or vaginal (22%) rhabdomyosarcoma. Six patients received EBRT in addition to brachytherapy. Median follow-up was 21.3 months. At last follow-up, 30 children (38%) had experienced Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5 grade ≥1 acute or late anorectal events: 24% had grade 1 events, 7.7% had grade 2 events, and 6.4% had grade 3 events. No toxicity greater than grade 3 was observed (eg, fistula or stricture). In univariate analysis, the D0.5cm3 and D1cm3 were significant for probability of grade 1 to 3 (P = .009 and P = .017, respectively) and grade 2 to 3 anorectal morbidity (P = .007 and P = .049, respectively). There was no significant correlation for D2cm3 (P = .057 for grade 1-3; P = .407 for grade 2-3). A 10% probability (95% confidence interval, 4%-20%) for anorectal toxicity of grade 2 or greater was reached for a D0.5cm3 = 52 Gy. The age, EBRT use, TRAK, and treated volume values were not significant.Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study is the first to show a significant dose-volume effect relationships for anorectal morbidity in children undergoing treatment with brachytherapy. Integrating these data into brachytherapy treatment planning could help to optimize the therapeutic index in these young patients.

Purpose To evaluate the usefulness of reporting the point A dose in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with image-guided adaptive brachytherapy (IGABT). Methods and Materials Dosimetric data from patients treated with a combination of chemoradiation and intracavitary IGABT were examined in light of their outcomes. Prescribing followed the Groupe Europeen de Curietherapie–European Society for Radiation Oncology recommendations. All doses were converted in 2-Gy equivalent. The relationships between the D90 high-risk clinical target volume (CTV HR ) and intermediate-risk clinical target volume (CTV IR ) and point A doses were studied. Dose-effect relationships based on the probit model and log-rank test were assessed. Results Two hundred twelve patients were included with a median followup of 53.0 months. A total of 28 local relapses were reported, resulting in a local control rate of 86.6% at 3 years. Mean D90 CTV HR , CTV IR , and point A doses were: 79.7 ± 10.4 Gy, 67.4 ± 5.8 Gy, and 66.4 ± 5.6 Gy, respectively. The mean D90 were significantly different and independent from the mean point A dose, even in bulky tumors at diagnosis or in large CTV HR lesions. Point A dose appeared correlated with TRAK, and finally with the D90 CTV HR through a complex formula including the CTV HR volume (R 2 = 0.55). Whereas significant relationships between the probability of achieving local control and the D90 CTV HR and CTV IR ( p = 0.08 and 0.025) were observed, no similar relationship was found with point A dose except a trend of an inverse relation. After sorting patients according to three dose levels, highest local control rates were observed in patients with D90 CTV HR ≥85 Gy, whereas those with point A doses ≥70 Gy had the worst outcomes. Conclusions In patients treated with IGABT, point A dose is not predictive of local control but a surrogate of the irradiated volume. Its relationships with the D90 CTV HR are indirect and complex rising the question of relevance of its reporting in routine.

Purpose There are only scarce data on the place of brachytherapy (BT) for treatment of vulvar carcinoma. Our institutional experience of interstitial BT for vulvar carcinoma patients is reported. Methods and Materials Clinical records of patients receiving low-dose-rate or pulsed-dose-rate BT as part of the primary treatment for primary/recurrent vulvar squamous cell carcinoma or as part of postoperative treatment between 2000 and 2015 were included. Patients, tumors, and treatment characteristics as well as clinical outcome were examined. Results A total of 26 patients treated with BT were identified. BT was delivered as part of primary intent treatment for locally advanced/recurrent cancer in 11 patients and as part of postoperative treatment in 15 patients. Median age at time of BT was 63 years (range, 41–88 years). Pulsed-dose-rate and low-dose-rate were used in 15 patients and 11 patients, respectively. BT was performed as a boost to the tumor bed following external beam radiotherapy ( n = 13) or as the sole irradiation modality ( n = 13). Total median dose at the level of primary tumor was 60 GyEQD2 (range, 55–60 GyEQD2). With mean followup of 41 months (range, 5 months–11.3 years), 11 patients experienced tumor relapse, and in two of them, site of relapse was only local. Three-year estimated disease-free survival and overall survival rates were 57% (95% confidence interval: 45–69%) and 81% (95% confidence interval: 72–90%), respectively. All toxicities were Grade 2 or less. Conclusions Interstitial BT used as part of the primary or postoperative treatment of vulvar carcinoma is feasible with a satisfactory toxicity profile. Prognosis remains, however, dismal, with a high frequency of failures in patients with locally advanced tumors.

Purpose With the increasing use of simultaneous integrated boost in the treatment of cervical cancer, there is a need to anticipate the brachytherapy (BT) contribution at the level of the pathologic pelvic lymph nodes. This study aimed to report the dose delivered at their level during BT. Methods and Materials Patients with pelvic nodal involvement and treated with a combination of chemoradiation followed by image-guided adaptive pulsed-dose-rate BT were selected. On per BT three-dimensional images, pelvic lymphadenopathies were delineated, without planning aim. For the purposes of the study, D100, D98, D90, and D50 were reviewed and converted in 2-Gy equivalent doses, using the linear quadratic model with an α/β of 10 Gy. Results Ninety-one patients were identified, allowing evaluation at the level of 226 lymphadenopathies. The majority of them were external iliac (48%), followed by common iliac (25%), and internal iliac (16%) regions. The 2-Gy equivalent doses D98 were 4.4 ± 1.9 Gy, 5.4 ± 3.1 Gy, and 4.3 ± 2.1 Gy for the obturator, internal iliac, and external iliac, respectively, and 2.8 ± 2.5 Gy for the common iliac. The contribution to the common iliac nodes was significantly lower than the one of external and internal iliac (p Conclusions BT significantly contributes to the treatment of pelvic nodes at the level of approximately 5 Gy in the internal, external, and obturator areas and 2.5 Gy in the common iliac, allowing the anticipation of nodal boost with the simultaneous integrated boost technique. However, important individual variations have been observed, and evaluation of the genuine BT contribution should be recommended.

Introduction/Background To evaluate sexual frequency and vaginal functioning in patients treated with combined external beam radiotherapy ± chemotherapy and image-guided adaptive brachytherapy in the prospective, observational, multi-center EMBRACE study (www.embracestudy.dk). Methodology Patient-reported sexual outcomes were prospectively assessed according to EORTC-QLQ-CX24 questionnaires at baseline (available for 1027 patients) and follow-ups: 1st year every 3M (months), 2nd/3rd year every 6M and yearly thereafter (available for 1044 patients with no evidence of disease). Sexual activity was analysed longitudinally, and defined as frequent if reported (to some degree) in ≥50% of follow-up and as occasional if reported in Results After the diagnosis of cancer, 230/1027 (22.4%) of patients reported some degree of sexual activity. During follow-up (median 36M), 433/1044 (41.5%) patients reported no sexual activity, 128 (12.3%) occasional and 483 (46.3%) frequent sexual activity. Prevalence rates (figure 1A–F) revealed a slow increase of sexual activity during the 1st year of follow-up, reaching a plateau up to 5 years. Vaginal functioning problems during intercourse showed a substantial increase after treatment and remained either elevated or showed signs of slight improvement over time. Sexual enjoyment was impaired, with 37–48% of patients reporting to have ‘not at all’/‘a little’ sexual enjoyment over time. Patient-reported vaginal dryness, shortening and tightening were significantly correlated with dyspareunia to r=0.407, 0.539, 0.552, respectively (figure 2A–C). Conclusion More than half of locally advanced cervical cancer patients are sexually active and the majority of those report frequent sexual activity. Treatment-induced vaginal changes (dryness, shortening and tightening) are associated with dyspareunia. Sexual enjoyment is compromised in almost half of sexually active patients. This underlines the importance of efforts directed towards prevention of vaginal morbidity and sexual rehabilitation after treatment. Disclosure The findings of this abstract were submitted to ESTRO (European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology, accepted for oral presentation in April 2019, Milano, Italy) and ASTRO (American Society for Radiation Oncology, accepted for oral presentation in September 2019, Chicago, USA). All authors declare no conflict of interest. The EMBRACE study was sponsored by the Medical University of Vienna. Unrestricted research funding was provided by Nucletron, an Elekta company and Varian Medical Systems. Financial support by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy, and the Austrian Foundation for Research, Technology, and Development, the Danish Cancer Society and CIRRO - The Lundbeck Foundation Center for Investigational Research in Radiation Oncology is gratefully acknowledged.

The treatment of cervical cancer patients relies on surgery and radiotherapy (according to the stage) and requires a multimodal discussion before any treatment to avoid adding the morbidities of each individual intervention and to optimize functional and oncological outcomes. The places of surgery and radiotherapy have been highlighted in recent international guidelines. For early stage tumors, an exclusive surgery with or without fertility sparing (according to well defined criteria) is the therapeutic standard. For tumors with risk factors (measuring more than 2cm in size and/or presence of lymphovascular invasion) a preoperative brachytherapy can be proposed to minimize the need for postoperative external beam radiotherapy and optimize local control. For locally advanced disease, the standard treatment relies on chemoradiation followed by a brachytherapy boost. A primary paraaortic lymph node dissection may guide radiotherapy volumes and is useful to identify patients requiring a para-aortic radiotherapy. The technical evolutions of surgical approaches and technological improvement of radiotherapy and brachytherapy should be analyzed in the context of prospective studies. We review the literature on the respective places of radiotherapy and surgery for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Image-guided brachytherapy is crucial in the management of locally advanced cervical cancers and has benefited from advances in imaging over recent decades. The recommendations of the European Brachytherapy - European Society for Radiation Oncology (GEC-ESTRO) have resulted in harmonized practices and improved clinical outcomes in terms of efficacy and toxicity. Post-implant magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become the reference imaging modality to guide brachytherapy. There is an increasing interest for other multimodal imaging in these patients. The metabolic information provided by Positrons Emission Tomography/computed tomodensitometry (PET/CT) is also very promising approach to guide personalized dose escalation strategies. The prognostic values of MRI and PET scanner before brachytherapy make it possible to consider personalizing the dose delivered in brachytherapy and to propose a dose escalation to patients who really need it and to possibly consider a deescalation strategy in patients with a very good prognosis. However, further studies are needed to confirm this approach.

To establish dose-volume effect correlations for late small bowel (SB) toxicities in patients treated for locally advanced cervical cancer with concomitant chemoradiation followed by pulsed-dose rate MRI-guided adaptive brachytherapy.Patients treated with curative intent and followed prospectively were included. The SB loops closed to CTV were delineated, but no specific dose constraint was applied. The dosimetric data, converted in 2-Gy equivalent, were confronted with the occurrence of late morbidity assessed using the CTC-AE 3.0. Dose-effect relationships were assessed using mean-dose comparisons, log-rank tests on event-free periods, and probit analyses.A total of 115 patients with a median followup of 35.5 months were included. Highest grade per patient was: Grades 0 for 17, 1 for 75, 2 for 20, and 3 for 3. The mean [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] were, respectively, 68.7 ± 13.6 Gy and 85.8 ± 33.1 Gy and did not differ according to event severity (p = 0.47 and p = 0.52), even when comparing Grades 0-1 vs. 2-4 events (68.0 ± 12.4 vs. 71.4 ± 17.7 Gy; p = 0.38 and 83.7 ± 26.4 vs. 94.5 ± 51.9 Gy; p = 0.33). Log-rank tests were performed after splitting the cohort according to four [Formula: see text] levels: >80 Gy, 70-79 Gy, 60-70 Gy, and

During the recent past years, the therapeutic management of locally advanced cervical cancer patients has consistently improved, with the integration of image guided brachytherapy and dose escalation strategies leading to an improvement of local control rates. In parallel, the evolution of external beam radiotherapy techniques and the better control of organs at risk doses in brachytherapy have contributed to decrease the probability of severe normal tissue complication. In case of advanced disease, patients prognosis remains however marked by a high risk of distant failure, and this finding has encouraged the assessment of various research pathways in order to better predict and/or prevent tumor relapse. Major studies are being conducted or have been published, and the place of chemoradiation and brachytherapy has been confirmed as first intent treatment in case of locally advanced disease. Numerous prospective or retrospective data, few of which are reviewed there, have been integrated as part of a strategy aimed at being more and more personalized. Next steps of therapeutic optimization will include the assessment of multiparameters radiological tools, but will also rely on a better understanding of radiobiological pathways involved in local or systemic response to irradiation, and the most promising of those is probably the anti-tumor immune response.

Brachytherapy has known major improvements in recent decades. It represents an essential component of local treatment of cervix cancers. One major breakthrough was the advent of 3D imaging for image-guided brachytherapy. Doses could be prescribed to volumes. This allows better delineation and coverage of target volumes, as well as organs at risk (bladder, rectum, sigmoid) protection. Local recurrences have been consequently reduced and survival has been improved. In addition, improvement and development of new applicators have facilitated the delivery of interstitial treatments. Afterloading applicators, associated with 3D imaging, allow dosimetry optimization in order to improve the coverage of the target volumes (dose in 90% of the high risk clinical target volume) and to limit dose to the organs at risk. In the future, more personalized treatments will be achieved through more advanced applicators and/or by improving the accuracy of imaging at the time of brachytherapy.

Since 1995, the brachytherapy dosimetry protocols follow the methodology recommended by the Task Group 43. This methodology, which has the advantage of being fast, is based on several approximations that are not always valid in clinical conditions. Model-based dose calculation algorithms have recently emerged in treatment planning stations and are considered as a major evolution by allowing for consideration of the patient's finite dimensions, tissue heterogeneities and the presence of high atomic number materials in applicators. In 2012, a report from the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Radiation Therapy Task Group 186 reviews these models and makes recommendations for their clinical implementation. This review focuses on the use of model-based dose calculation algorithms in the context of iridium 192 treatments. After a description of these algorithms and their clinical implementation, a summary of the main questions raised by these new methods is performed. Considerations regarding the choice of the medium used for the dose specification and the recommended methodology for assigning materials characteristics are especially described. In the last part, recent concrete examples from the literature illustrate the capabilities of these new algorithms on clinical cases.

Purpose Primary vaginal cancer is a rare disease for which treatment has been modeled based on cervical cancer. We report our experience in the use of image-guided adaptive brachytherapy (IGABT) in this indication. Methods and Materials Patients treated for vaginal cancer with a combination of external beam radiation therapy and IGABT were identified through electronic search. The Groupe Europeen de Curietherapie–European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology recommendations for cervical cancer have been extrapolated with the definition of two clinical target volumes (CTVs) corresponding to the residual disease after external beam radiation therapy (CTVBT), assessed from clinical and imaging findings, and the so-called CTVi, comprising the CTVBT with directional margins and at least the initial disease at diagnosis. Results Twenty-seven patients were identified. MRI was used for brachytherapy guidance in 82% of the cases. An interstitial component was used in 59% of the cases. The D90 CTVBT and D90 CTVi were 73.1 ± 12.8 Gy and 66.6 ± 6.7 Gy, respectively. After a median followup of 40.1 months, nine recurrences in 8 patients were observed of which four were local. Local relapses occurred within the CTVBT. Three-year local control and disease-free rates were 82% and 65%, respectively. At 2 years, the Grade 2–4 gastrointestinal or urinary morbidity accrual rate was 9%. Twelve patients experienced late sexual morbidity, including three patients with Grade 3 stenosis. Conclusion IGABT is feasible in vaginal cancer with promising outcomes. Harmonizing the definition of CTVs is required to allow comparisons between experiences and to perform multicenter studies.

// Sylvain Reuze 1, 2, 3, 4 , Fanny Orlhac 1, 5 , Cyrus Chargari 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 , Christophe Nioche 5 , Elaine Limkin 1 , Francois Riet 3 , Alexandre Escande 3 , Christine Haie-Meder 3 , Laurent Dercle 8, 9 , Sebastien Gouy 10 , Irene Buvat 5 , Eric Deutsch 1, 2, 3 and Charlotte Robert 1, 2, 3, 4 1 INSERM, U1030, F-94805, Villejuif, France 2 Universite Paris-Sud, Universite Paris-Saclay, F-94270, Le Kremlin-Bicetre, France 3 Gustave Roussy, Universite Paris-Saclay, Department of Radiotherapy, F-94805, Villejuif, France 4 Gustave Roussy, Universite Paris-Saclay, Department of Medical Physics, F-94805, Villejuif, France 5 IMIV, CEA, INSERM, CNRS, Universite Paris-Sud, Universite Paris-Saclay, CEA-SHFJ, Orsay, France 6 French Military Health Services Academy, Ecole du Val-de-Grâce, Paris, France 7 Institut de Recherche Biomedicale des Armees, Bretigny-sur-Orge, France 8 INSERM, U1015, F-94805, Villejuif, France 9 Gustave Roussy, Universite Paris-Saclay, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, F-94805, Villejuif, France 10 Gustave Roussy, Universite Paris-Saclay, Department of Gynecologic Surgery, F-94805, Villejuif, France Correspondence to: Charlotte Robert, email: ch.robert@gustaveroussy.fr Keywords: radiomics, cervical cancer, texture, PET imaging Received: February 24, 2017 Accepted: April 11, 2017 Published: May 15, 2017 ABSTRACT Objectives: To identify an imaging signature predicting local recurrence for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) treated by chemoradiation and brachytherapy from baseline 18 F-FDG PET images, and to evaluate the possibility of gathering images from two different PET scanners in a radiomic study. Methods: 118 patients were included retrospectively. Two groups (G1, G2) were defined according to the PET scanner used for image acquisition. Eleven radiomic features were extracted from delineated cervical tumors to evaluate: (i) the predictive value of features for local recurrence of LACC, (ii) their reproducibility as a function of the scanner within a hepatic reference volume, (iii) the impact of voxel size on feature values. Results: Eight features were statistically significant predictors of local recurrence in G1 (p < 0.05). The multivariate signature trained in G2 was validated in G1 (AUC=0.76, p