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Abstract: The relatively recent introduction of CyberKnife® in the field of radiotherapy has prompted the question of accessibility and usefulness of this technique for seniors. From June 2007 to June 2009, we treated 345 patients of all ages with CyberKnife as part of a single-center study. Median age was 61 years (range, 8–86 years). Ninety-eight patients were over 70 and 17 were older than 80. The treatment could not be completed with 2% (2/98) patients over 70 vs. 3.6% (9/247) among the younger (ns). Physiologic or psychologic problems in maintaining position for a long time were not more frequent among those over 70. The same was true with those over 80. Patients over 70 years old are able to tolerate CyberKnife treatment as efficiently as their younger counterparts. Elderly patients should not be restricted from access to CyberKnife radiosurgery with curative intent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: Radiotherapy is a rare indication in paediatric oncology, with 800 to 900 children in treatment per year in France. Child cancers represent approximately 1% of cancers in France and half occur before the age of 5 years. Paediatric radiation requires appropriate tools, local, time and specific training. In France, in 2015, 18 centres are accredited by the French National Cancer Institute (INCa) for this activity., Material and Methods: Survey conducted in February 2015 on the care of children (0 to 18 years) in radiotherapy departments in France. The survey was sent to the radiation oncologists involved in the 18 centres. The questions concerned the qualitative and quantitative aspect, medical and organizational aspects, and the involvement of assistant practitioners in the management of this activity., Results: Seventeen centres responded. In 2014, 889 children under 18 were treated in radiotherapy departments. These departments are working together with one to four paediatric oncology departments. Regarding access to general anaesthesia: three centres perform one to seven treatment(s) under anaesthesia per year, three centres eight to ten treatments under anaesthesia per year, three centres ten to 24 treatments under anaesthesia per year and nine centres out of 17 use hypnosis techniques. In terms of human resources, in 2015, 29 radiation therapists have a paediatric radiotherapy activity. Involvement of assistant practitioners is growing and specific training are desired. Regarding treatment preparation and delivery, 13 centres have specific paediatric contentions, 14 of 16 centres employ radiation intensity modulated if dosimetry is more satisfying with 11 regularly to the craniospinal irradiation. Radiotherapy on moving areas with respiratory gating or hypofractionation is under developed., Conclusion: Paediatric radiation therapy is a specific activity requiring a dedicated management, both in human, organizational, medical and scientific aspects., (Copyright © 2016 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.)

A survey was conducted in 2015 in France on the care of children in radiotherapy services. We present the results for total body irradiation in children, a specific technique of radiation treatment, which needs dedicated controls for this particular population. Of the 17 centres interviewed, 16 responded, and 13 practiced total body irradiation. Patients are positioned in lateral decubitus in 11 centres and supine/prone in two centres. Doses used for total body irradiation in myeloablative bone marrow transplantation are the same in all centres (12Gy); treatments are always fractionated. Lung shielding is positioned to limit the dose at an average of 8Gy with extremes ranging from 6 to 10Gy. The shape of the shieldings varies depending on departments' protocol, with a smaller size in case of mediastinal mass. Four centres have experience of total body irradiation under general anaesthesia, despite twice-daily fractions. In total, practice is relatively homogeneous throughout France and is inspired by the knowledge obtained in adults., (Copyright © 2016 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Radiation-induced tumors (RIT) are increasingly recognized as delayed complications of brain irradiation during childhood. However, the true incidence is not established, their biology is poorly understood, and few guidelines exist regarding the long-term follow-up of irradiated children., Methods: We studied retrospectively patients irradiated for brain tumor under 18 years and followed in our institution since 1970. RIT were defined as new masses, different from the original tumor, occurring after delay in irradiated areas, and not related to phacomatosis., Results: Among 552 irradiated patients, 42 (7.6%) developed one or more RIT, 26 months to 29 years after irradiation (mean 12.8 years). The cumulated incidence was 2.0% at 5 years and 8.9% at 10 years. Of the patients, 73.8% were adult at the time of diagnosis of RIT, and 75% were diagnosed within 18.1 years after irradiation. We identified 60 cavernomas, 26 meningiomas, 2 malignant gliomas, 1 meningosarcoma, and 6 thyroid tumors. Compared with meningiomas, cavernomas appeared earlier, in children irradiated at an older age, and with a male predominance. Although RIT were correlated with higher irradiation doses, 80.9% of these occurred at some distance from the maximum irradiation field. Twenty-five lesions were operated in 20 patients; three patients died because of progression of the RIT., Conclusion: A significant number of patients undergoing irradiation for brain tumor during childhood develop a RIT, often during adulthood. Our data suggest that radiation-induced cavernomas result from angiogenetic processes rather than true tumorigenesis. Protracted follow-up with MRI is warranted in children irradiated for brain tumor., (© Springer-Verlag 2011)

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of radiosurgery for the management of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in the pediatric age group., Methods: We reviewed data from 100 children (44 girls and 56 boys) presenting a total of 103 AVMs treated by linear accelerator radiosurgery between December 1988 and May 2002. The median patient age was 12 years (range, 2-16 yr). Sixty-seven AVMs (65%) were in functional locations and 30% were inoperable. The mean AVM volume was 2.8 cm3 (range, 0.9-21.3 cm3). The mean marginal dose was 23 Gy (range, 15-25 Gy) and required between one and four isocenters. Fifty patients received multimodal treatments with embolization and/or surgery before and/or after radiosurgery. Given that 16 patients underwent two sessions of radiosurgery and one patient received three sessions, a total of 119 radiosurgical treatments were delivered. We maintained our clinical and angiographic follow-up for at least 36 months after irradiation or until the complete obliteration of the AVM was confirmed by angiography (our sole end point for judging clinical efficacy). Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to determine predictive factors for obliteration., Results: Complete obliteration was achieved for 72 AVMs (70%). The permanent neurological deficit rate was 5%. One patient died because of rebleeding. None of our patients presented bleeding after an angiographically verified AVM obliteration. The main predictive factors for obliteration were low AVM volume and no previous embolization. Moreover, the younger the patient, the more effective the radiosurgery seemed to be., Conclusion: Radiosurgery is a safe and effective treatment for AVMs in the pediatric age group. One criterion for success was the use of a prescription dose similar to that used with adult populations.

Objective: A retrospective study of local faiture and cosmetic results after conservative surgery for retroareolar breast cancer., Patients and Results: Seventy-seven patients underwent a conservative surgical procedure between 1983 and 1994. Median follow-up was 37,5 months. Fourteen patients experienced a recurrence (5 local, 2 local and distant, 7 distant). Only two probably interrelated factors were associated with a risk of local recurrence: nipple-areola complex removed or not, and pathological margins. Cosmetic results were evaluated with patient's questionnaires: 40/47 patients (85%) stated they were satisfied., Conclusion: In spite of the short follow-up, conservative surgery is a safe procedure for local control only in cases with negative margins. Procedure for nipple areola complex is now questionable. Cosmetic results are achieved if indication of central lumpectomy are confined to small and limited tumors. For other tumors, plastic remodelling is necessary.

Stereotactic biopsies, according to the Talairach's system, define the histopathological data (nature, grading, spatial delimitation, evolutive potential) of brain stem lesions, precisely localized by computerized tomography scanner and magnetic resonance imaging. They are the more valued complement of the modern neuro-imaging and they prove the extreme polymorphism of theses lesions. According to this histological analysis and the volume of the lesions, it's possible to choose the best therapeutic procedure.