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Randomized trials indicate that electronic or app-based assessment of patient-reported outcomes may improve outcomes in cancer patients. To analyze if an app-based follow-up would be accepted by elderly cancer patients, we conducted a single-center prospective feasibility study (NCT03196050). Cancer patients (≥60 years) without concurrent uncontrolled severe medical conditions and a Karnofsky performance status (KPS) ≥70 were eligible if they were able to use the smartphone app. The primary endpoint was compliance over 1 year, calculated as patient-specific and study date-specific response rate to questions sent as push notifications; in this interim analysis, we report on 4‑month data. Secondary outcomes included a comparison of a subjective health status item (SPHS) with the physician-rated KPS. Out of 225 patients screened, 54 patients agreed to participate and 29 activated the app and participated in the study. The mean age was 66 years (61–78). The individual compliance rate averaged at 58.3% (standard deviation SD = 35%). Daily compliance was 53.3% on average (SD = 10.8%) and declined over time. The average percentage of patients who sent answers at least weekly was 75.0% (SD = 14.8%) and declined from 100% in week 1 to 53.8% in week 17 post-enrollment. Secondary outcomes indicated that questionnaires such as the EORTC-QLQ-C30 are accepted via app and that there is a significant moderate correlation between the SPHS and KPS scores (r = 0.566; p

Spinal metastases occur in 30%-50% of patients with systemic cancer. The primary goals of palliation are pain control and prevention of local recurrence.This study aimed to test the safety and efficacy of a combined modality approach consisting of kyphoplasty and intraoperative radiotherapy (Kypho-IORT).Kyphoplasty and intraoperative radiotherapy was a prospective, single-center phase I/II trial. Patients were enrolled in a classical 3+3 scheme within the initial phase I, where Kypho-IORT was applied using a needle-shaped 50 kV X-ray source at three radiation dose levels (8 Gy in 8-mm, 8 Gy in 11-mm, and 8 Gy in 13-mm depth). Thereafter, cohort expansion was performed as phase II of the trial. The trial is registered with clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT01280032.Patients aged 50 years and older with a Karnofsky Performance Status of at least 60% and with one to three painful vertebral metastases confined to the vertebral body were eligible to participate.The primary end point was safety as per the occurrence of dose-limiting toxicities. The secondary end points were pain reduction, local progression-free survival (L-PFS), and overall survival (OS).Pain was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS) and local control was assessed in serial computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scans.None of the nine patients enrolled in the phase I showed dose-limiting toxicities at any level and thus, 52 patients were subsequently enrolled into a phase II, where Kypho-IORT was performed at various dose levels. The median pain score significantly dropped from 5 preoperatively to 2 at the first postoperative day (p.001). Of 43 patients who reported a pre-interventional pain level of 3 or more, 30 (69.8%) reported a reduction of ≥3 points on the first postoperative day. A persistent pain reduction beyond the first postoperative day of ≥3 points was seen in 34 (79.1%) patients. The 3, 6, and 12 month L-PFS was excellent with 97.5%, 93.8%, and 93.8%. The 3, 6, and 12 months OS was 76.9%, 64.0%, and 48.4%.Kyphoplasty and intraoperative radiotherapy is safe and immediately provided sustained pain relief with excellent local control rates in patients with painful vertebral metastases.

Randomized trials indicate that electronic or app-based assessment of patient-reported outcomes may improve outcomes in cancer patients. To analyze if an app-based follow-up would be accepted by elderly cancer patients, we conducted a single-center prospective feasibility study (NCT03196050).Cancer patients (≥60 years) without concurrent uncontrolled severe medical conditions and a Karnofsky performance status (KPS) ≥70 were eligible if they were able to use the smartphone app. The primary endpoint was compliance over 1 year, calculated as patient-specific and study date-specific response rate to questions sent as push notifications; in this interim analysis, we report on 4‑month data. Secondary outcomes included a comparison of a subjective health status item (SPHS) with the physician-rated KPS.Out of 225 patients screened, 54 patients agreed to participate and 29 activated the app and participated in the study. The mean age was 66 years (61-78). The individual compliance rate averaged at 58.3% (standard deviation SD = 35%). Daily compliance was 53.3% on average (SD = 10.8%) and declined over time. The average percentage of patients who sent answers at least weekly was 75.0% (SD = 14.8%) and declined from 100% in week 1 to 53.8% in week 17 post-enrollment. Secondary outcomes indicated that questionnaires such as the EORTC-QLQ-C30 are accepted via app and that there is a significant moderate correlation between the SPHS and KPS scores (r = 0.566; p 0.001).Our data indicate that an app-based follow-up incorporating EORTC questionnaires might be possible in highly selected elderly cancer patients with modest compliance rates. Further trials should aim at an increased participation rate.HINTERGRUND UND ZIEL: In randomisierten Studien konnte gezeigt werden, dass das elektronische Erfassen von „Patient-Reported-Outcomes“ die Therapieergebnisse bei Krebspatienten verbessern kann. Mit der monozentrischen prospektiven TeleGraPH-Studie untersuchten wir, ob eine appgestützte Nachbeobachtung von geriatrischen Krebspatienten machbar ist (NCT03196050).Ältere Krebspatienten (≥60 Jahre) ohne schwere/unkontrollierbare Begleiterkrankungen und mit einem Karnofsky-Index (KPS) von ≥70 konnten eingeschlossen werden, sofern sie in der Lage waren, die Smartphone-App zu bedienen. Primärer Endpunkt war die Compliance über ein Jahr, berechnet als patientenspezifische sowie tagesspezifische Rücklaufquote gesendeter Anfragen an die Patienten. Im Rahmen dieser Interimsanalyse berichten wir über die initialen 4‑Monats-Ergebnisse. Sekundäre Endpunkte beinhalten den Vergleich des subjektiven Gesundheitsstatus (SPHS) mit dem ärztlich erfassten KPS.Von 225 Patienten, die hinsichtlich der Studieneignung untersucht wurden, erklärten sich 54 bereit, teilzunehmen. Von diesen aktivierten nach detaillierter Aufklärung 29 Patienten mit einem mittleren Alter von 66 Jahren (Spanne 61–78 Jahre) die App und wurden eingeschlossen. Die individuelle Patienten-Compliance/Rücklaufquote lag bei 58,3 % (Standardabweichung SD = 35 %). Die tagesspezifische Rücklaufquote lag bei 53,3 % (SD = 10,8 %) und nahm im Studienverlauf ab. Die mittlere wochenspezifische Compliance, definiert als mindestens eine Rückmeldung pro Woche, lag bei 75,0 % (SD = 14,8 %) und reduzierte sich von 100 % in Studienwoche 1 auf 53,8 % in Studienwoche 17. Die Auswertung der sekundären Endpunkte ergab, dass der appbasierte EORTC-QLC-C30 von Patienten akzeptiert wird; weiterhin zeigt sich eine moderate signifikante Korrelation zwischen SPHS und KPS (r = 0,566; p 0,001).Unsere Daten deuten darauf hin, dass eine appbasierte Nachbeobachtung unter Einbeziehung von EORTC-Fragebögen bei älteren Krebspatienten mit akzeptabler Compliance möglich ist; zukünftige Studien sollten die Erhöhung der Teilnehmerrate zum Ziel haben.

Partial breast irradiation using intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) after breast-conserving surgery could be sufficient for a selected group of breast cancer patients. We report the results of a cohort of patients from a single center treated as part of the randomized phase-3 TARGIT-A trial. Patients (≥50 years) with cT1 cN0 cM0 and invasive ductal histology on biopsy were randomized between IORT with 20 Gy (arm-A) or postoperative whole-breast RT (WBRT) up to 56 Gy in 2 Gy fractions (arm-B). Postoperatively, patients in arm-A with multifocality, lymphovascular invasion, nodal invasion, extensive intraductal component, invasive lobular carcinoma, or resection margins

Background: Patients ≥70 years with small, low-risk breast cancer who are operated but not irradiated how local relapse rates around 4% after 4 years. With adjuvant whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT) the local relapse rate drops to 1% after 4 years under Tamoxifen. It has been demonstrated that the efficacy of radiotherapy of the tumor bed only in a selected group can be non-inferior to WBRT. Methods/Design: This prospective, multicentric single arm phase II study is based on the protocol of the international TARGIT-A study. The TARGIT-E study should confirm the efficacy of a single dose of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) in a well selected group of elderly patients with small breast cancer and absence of risk factors. Patients will receive IORT (20 Gy with Intrabeam system/Carl Zeiss) during breast conserving surgery. In presence of risk factors postoperative WBRT will be added to complete the radiotherapeutic treatment according to international guidelines. Endpoints are the local relapse rate (within 2 cm of the tumor bed), ipsilateral in breast relapse, cancer-specific and overall survival and contralateral breast cancer as well as documentation of quality of life and cosmetic outcome. The expected local relapse rates are 0.5/1/1.5% after 2.5/5/7.5 years, respectively. Discontinuation of the trial is scheduled if rates of local relapse rates rise to 3/4/6% after 2.5/5/7.5 years. Power calculations result in 540 patients with a calculated dropout rate of 20% and loss to follow-up of 20%, an alpha of 0.01 and a beta 0.05. There will be a pre- and a post-pathology stratum (n=270 each). Discussion: It is a pragmatic trial in which each participating centre has the option to modify entry criteria and criteria for WBRT according to this core protocol after consultation with the steering committee and local ethics committee (e.g. size, free margins). Only centers with access to the Intrabeam system (Carl Zeiss) can recruit patients into the trial. Its aim is to confirm the efficacy and toxicity of IORT in a well selected collective of elderly patients with breast cancer. Trail registration: NCT01299987 Background

Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) has been under clinical investigation for more than 15 years. There are several technical approaches that are clinically established, e.g. brachytherapy, intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT), or external-beam radiotherapy. The understanding of the underlying biology, optimal technical procedures, patient selection criteria, and imaging changes during follow-up has increased enormously. After completion of several phase III trials using brachytherapy or IORT, APBI is currently increasingly used either in phase IV studies, registries, or in selected patients outside of clinical studies. Consensus statements about suitable patients are available from several international and national societies like ASTRO, ESTRO, and DEGRO. One may expect that 15-25% of patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery may qualify for APBI, i.e. patients with small invasive ductal breast cancer without clinical lymph node involvement.

e12616Background: Partial breast irradiation using IORT after breast conserving surgery is non-inferior to WBRT for a selected group of breast cancer patients. We report the results of patients tre...

Let 〈G, +〉 be a finite (not necessarily abelian) group. Then M0(G) := {f : G → G| f (0) = 0} is a near-ring, i.e., a group which is also closed under composition of functions. In Theorem 4.1 we give lower and upper bounds for the fraction of the bijections which generate the near-ring M0(G). From these bounds we conclude the following: If G has few involutions and the order of G is large, then a high fraction of the bijections generate the near-ring M0(G). Also the converse holds: If a high fraction of the bijections generate M0(G), then G has few involutions (compared to the order of G).

In this article for a finite group G, we characterize the maximal subnear-rings of the full near-ring of all zero-preserving functions on G.

568 Background: Photographic documentation of breast changes after breast radiotherapy (RT) is a helpful tool to both subjectively and objectively evaluate cosmesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate cosmesis in breast cancer patients after receiving hypofractionated whole breast RT (HF-WBRT), normofractionated (NF-WBRT), intraoperative RT (IORT) or combined WBRT/IORT. Methods: After excluding cases with missing or inadequate photos from three prospective clinical trials, KOSIMA, TARGIT-A & TARGIT-E, 155 and 205 cases were included in a subjective analysis while 132 and 185 cases were included in an objective analysis postoperatively and after 2 years respectively. Subjective evaluation was done by 9 observers using the Harvard scale. Objective evaluation was done by assessing percentage breast retraction (pBRA). Based on the treatment received, patients were divided into 5 groups: 1. HF-WBRT 40/2,67 Gy ± Boost, 2. NF-WBRT 50/2 Gy ± Boost, 3. NF-WBRT 56/2 Gy, 4. IORT 20 Gy, 5. IORT 20 Gy+WBRT 46/2 Gy. Results: Subjectively, the rate of excellent-good cosmesis was 92% postoperatively and 84% after 2 years while objectively it was around 56% at both time points. At 2 years, no significant difference was observed between the 5 treatment groups with the subjective excellent-good cosmesis being 82%, 80%, 92%, 83%, 85% (p = 0.546) and objective being 56%, 61%, 52%, 53%, 50% (p = 0.883) in groups 1-5 respectively. Factors possibly affecting cosmesis at 2 years were examined. No significant difference was observed with age, smoking, BMI, chemotherapy, hormone therapy or type of axillary surgery. Significantly better cosmesis was observed with upper outer tumor location compared to other quadrants (p < 0.0001) also with a ratio of excised/total breast volume under 20% (p < 0.0294). Conclusions: Cosmetic outcome after hypofractionated and IORT was similar to normofractionated breast RT. After 2 years of treatment, cosmetic deterioration remained acceptable, overall < 10%. Tumor location and excised breast volume were the only factors significantly affecting cosmetic outcome.

According to their carcinogenesis, colorectal cancer (CRC) subtypes show distinct molecular parameters. Hereditary non-polypous colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is the most common inherited CRC characterized by clinical criteria and confirmed microsatellite instability (MSI). Interestingly, a recently identified subtype, familial colorectal cancer type X (FCC-X), shows the same clinical criteria but microsatellite stability (MSS). CEACAM1 is a known tumor suppressor that regulates apoptosis in colon cells, and its loss is one of the most frequent events in early tumorigenesis of CRC. Therefore its loss may characterize precursor colon cells prior to neoplastic transformation. We analyzed tumor specimens of HNPCC and FCC-X patients in order to investigate whether there is a loss of CEACAM1 expression analogous to sporadic CRC and whether the expression of CEACAM1 would distinguish between these tumor entities. No differences in CEACAM1 expression were noted between HNPPC (n = 38) and FCC-X (n = 30) tumors. CEACAM1 was reduced in near-identical frequencies in 36/38 (95%) HNPCC and 29/30 (97%) FCC-X. This is the first report to demonstrate the loss of CEACAM1 expression in hereditary CRC. There was no difference between HNPCC and FCC-X. The frequency of expression loss was comparable to sporadic CRC, indicating that loss of CEACAM1 is an early event in colorectal tumorigenesis linking the genesis of sporadic and hereditary CRC.

Breast cancer is currently the most frequent indication for intraoperative radiotherapy with increasing numbers worldwide. Intraoperative radiotherapy can be used as a tumor bed boost followed by whole breast radiotherapy, or as a distinct form of accelerated partial breast irradiation in selected patients. This article summarizes the theoretical background including pattern of recurrence and distribution of tumor cell foci in the breast and discusses the rationale for intraoperative radiotherapy, especially using a miniature x-ray generator (Intrabeam®). The concepts of how to avoid geographic and temporal miss by giving radiotherapy during surgery to the open wound cavity are described. Experimental and clinical experience is presented based on in vitro experiments and more than 300 treated patients in a single department with mature follow-up.

Background Instable and painful vertebral metastases in patients with progressive visceral metastases present a common therapeutic dilemma. We developed a novel approach to deliver intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) during kyphoplasty and report the first treated case. Methods/Results 60 year old patient with metastasizing breast cancer under chemotherapy presented with a newly diagnosed painful metastasis in the 12th thoracic vertebra. Under general anaesthesia, a bipedicular approach into the vertebra was chosen with insertion of specially designed metallic sleeves to guide the electron drift tube of the miniature X-ray generator (INTRABEAM, Carl Zeiss Surgical, Oberkochen, Germany). This was inserted with a novel sheet designed for this approach protecting the drift tube. A radiation dose of 8 Gy in 5 mm distance (50 kV X-rays) was delivered. The kyphoplasty balloons (KyphX, Kyphon Inc, Sunnyvale) were inflated after IORT and polymethylmethacrylate cement was injected. The whole procedure lasted less than 90 minutes. Conclusion In conclusion, this novel, minimally invasive procedure can be performed in standard operating rooms and may become a valuable option for patients with vertebral metastases providing immediate stability and local control. A phase I/II study is under way to establish the optimal dose prescription.

Background Patients ≥ 70 years with small, low-risk breast cancer who are operated but not irradiated how local relapse rates around 4% after 4 years. With adjuvant whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT) the local relapse rate drops to 1% after 4 years under Tamoxifen. It has been demonstrated that the efficacy of radiotherapy of the tumor bed only in a selected group can be non-inferior to WBRT. Methods/Design This prospective, multicentric single arm phase II study is based on the protocol of the international TARGIT-A study. The TARGIT-E study should confirm the efficacy of a single dose of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) in a well selected group of elderly patients with small breast cancer and absence of risk factors. Patients will receive IORT (20 Gy with Intrabeam system/Carl Zeiss) during breast conserving surgery. In presence of risk factors postoperative WBRT will be added to complete the radiotherapeutic treatment according to international guidelines. Endpoints are the local relapse rate (within 2 cm of the tumor bed), ipsilateral in breast relapse, cancer-specific and overall survival and contralateral breast cancer as well as documentation of quality of life and cosmetic outcome. The expected local relapse rates are 0.5/1/1.5% after 2.5/5/7.5 years, respectively. Discontinuation of the trial is scheduled if rates of local relapse rates rise to 3/4/6% after 2.5/5/7.5 years. Power calculations result in 540 patients with a calculated dropout rate of 20% and loss to follow-up of 20%, an alpha of 0.01 and a beta 0.05. There will be a pre- and a post-pathology stratum (n = 270 each). Discussion It is a pragmatic trial in which each participating centre has the option to modify entry criteria and criteria for WBRT according to this core protocol after consultation with the steering committee and local ethics committee (e.g. size, free margins). Only centers with access to the Intrabeam system (Carl Zeiss) can recruit patients into the trial. Its aim is to confirm the efficacy and toxicity of IORT in a well selected collective of elderly patients with breast cancer. Trail registration NCT01299987