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Gamma-ray stereotactic radiosurgery systems available commercially contain either stationary or rotational source configuration. Rotational systems reduce the number of sources utilized and can also provide beneficial dosimetric properties. In this study, we explore the dosimetric advantage of a novel rotating gamma-ray design for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as compared to the well-established CyberKnife system. CybeRay (OUR United Corp., Xian, China) is a rotating gamma-ray system (RGS). Its treatment head can rotate 360° in the axial plane and swing 35° in the superior direction. It includes 13 Co-60 sources focusing on the isocenter. The RT Pro planning system (Prowess, Concord, CA) was used for CybeRay treatment planning, while the Multiplan software (Accuray, Sunnyvale, CA) was used for CyberKnife treatment planning. Twelve SBRT patients previously treated with CyberKnife were re-planned for CybeRay, and their treatment plans were compared based on isodose distributions, dose volume histograms, conformity index (CI), and the estimated treatment time. The planning target volume ranged from 4.4 to 124.2 cc. Both treatment systems provided excellent SBRT plans that meet our clinical acceptance criteria. The mean value of CI was 1.25 for both CyberKnife and CybeRay (p = 0.03). The estimated treatment delivery time for the CyberKnife plans ranged from 13 to 53 min as compared to 6 to 54 min with CybeRay (p = 0.02). CybeRay was superior concerning peripheral doses appearing as excessive isodose lines extending to distal normal tissues. The new CybeRay machine showed promising dosimetric capabilities for stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy of extra- and intra-cranial lesions.

BACKGROUND: The management of small skin-involved (SI) invasive breast cancers is controversial because, although considered “unresectable,” prior data shows that their prognosis is far better than their Stage III classification. This study was undertaken to determine how SI lesions are treated in the United States, and to discern the benefit of systemic therapy. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer in the National Cancer Database between 2004 and 2011 were reviewed. Treatment patterns were examined and overall survival (OS) was assessed. RESULTS: 3,485 patients had SI and 456,287 patients had non-SI breast cancers. Chemotherapy was administered to 68.5% of SI and 45.9% of non-SI tumors (p

Purpose We sought to compare changes in patient-reported quality of life (PRQOL) following stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), high dose rate (HDR), and low dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy for prostate cancer. Materials and methods International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Sexual Health Inventory For Men (SHIM), and Expanded Prostate cancer Index Composite Short Form (EPIC-26) were prospectively collected for men with low/intermediate-risk cancer treated at a single institution. We used Generalized Estimating Equations to identify associations between variables and early (3 to 6 mo) or late (1 to 2 y) PRQOL scores. Minimally important differences (MID) were compared with assess clinical relevance. Results A total of 342 LDR, 159 HDR, and 112 SBRT patients treated from 2001 to 2018 were eligible. Gleason score, PSA, and age were lower among LDR patients compared with HDR/SBRT. Unadjusted baseline IPSS score was similar among all groups. Adjusted IPSS worsened at all time points compared with baseline after LDR/HDR. At early/late time points, rates of IPSS MID after LDR were higher compared to HDR/SBRT. There were no IPSS differences between SBRT and HDR. All modalities showed early and late SHIM worsening. There were no temporal differences in SHIM between SBRT and brachytherapy. There were no differences in EPIC subdomains between HDR and SBRT. Bowel symptoms worsened early after SBRT, whereas urinary irritative/obstructive symptoms worsened late after HDR. Among all domains, MID after SBRT and HDR were similar. Conclusions In a cohort of patients treated with modern radiotherapy techniques, HDR and SBRT resulted in clinically meaningful improved urinary PRQOL compared with LDR.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to characterize patients at an increased risk of distant metastasis (DM) following stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS We identified patients undergoing SBRT for stage I NSCLC between 2005 and 2016. Patients with a prior lung cancer diagnosis, receiving a biological effective dose

Background Breast conservation therapy (BCT) consists of breast conservation surgery (BCS) and radiotherapy (RT). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) can downstage tumors, broadening BCS eligibility in patients requiring mastectomy. However, tumor downstaging does not obviate need for RT. This study evaluated factors that predict RT omission after NACT and BCS. Methods The National Cancer Database was queried for women with unilateral, clinical stage II-III breast cancer, treated with NACT and BCS between 2008 and 2012. Patients not receiving RT after NACT and BCS were identified. A subgroup analysis was performed eliminating patients for whom RT was recommended but not received. Results Among 10,220 patients meeting study eligibility, 974 (9.53%) did not receive RT after BCS. Predictors of RT omission included older age, insurance status, facility type, facility region, more recent year of diagnosis, receptor status unknown, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status positive or unknown, and positive margins. Factors increasing the likelihood of RT receipt included cN3 disease, receptor positivity, and primary downstaging. Race, Hispanicity, education, income, comorbidities, rural versus urban setting, histology, grade, and nodal stage change were not associated with RT omission. When excluding the 314 patients for whom RT was recommended but not received, age, Medicaid insurance, facility type, facility region, receptor status unknown, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status unknown, and positive margins were predictors of RT omission. Conclusions Race, comorbidities, and socioeconomic status were not predictors of RT omission. It remains unclear whether omission of RT in some cases is due to lack of physician knowledge. Further efforts are needed to ensure that physicians and patients recognize that RT is a vital and required part of BCT, even after NACT.

Purpose To determine the associated toxicity, tolerance, and safety of partial-breast reirradiation. Methods and Materials Eligibility criteria included in-breast recurrence occurring >1 year after whole-breast irradiation, Results Between 2010 and 2013, 65 patients were accrued, and the first 55 eligible and with 1 year follow-up were analyzed. Median age was 68 years. Twenty-two patients had ductal carcinoma in situ, and 33 had invasive disease: 19 ≤1 cm, 13 >1 to ≤2 cm, and 1 >2 cm. All patients were clinically node negative. Systemic therapy was delivered in 51%. All treatment plans underwent quality review for contouring accuracy and dosimetric compliance. All treatment plans scored acceptable for tumor volume contouring and tumor volume dose-volume analysis. Only 4 (7%) scored unacceptable for organs at risk contouring and organs at risk dose-volume analysis. Treatment-related skin, fibrosis, and/or breast pain AEs were recorded as grade 1 in 64% and grade 2 in 7%, with only 1 ( Conclusion Partial-breast reirradiation with 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy after second lumpectomy for patients experiencing in-breast failures after whole-breast irradiation is safe and feasible, with acceptable treatment quality achieved. Skin, fibrosis, and breast pain toxicity was acceptable, and grade 3 toxicity was rare.

Splenic irradiation (SI) is a palliative treatment option for symptomatic splenomegaly (i.e. for pain, early satiety, pancytopenia from sequestration) secondary to hematologic malignancies and disorders. The purpose of the current article is to review the literature on SI for hematologic malignancies and disorders, including: (1) patient selection and optimal technique; (2) efficacy of SI; and (3) toxicities of SI. PICOS/PRISMA methods are used to select 27 articles including 766 courses of SI for 486 patients from 1960 to 2016. The most common cancers treated included chronic lymphocytic leukemia and myeloproliferative disorders; the most common regimen was 10Gy in 1Gy fractions over two weeks, and 27% of patients received retreatment. A partial or complete response (for symptoms, lab abnormalities) was obtained in 85-90% of treated patients, and 30% were retreated within 6-12months. There was no correlation between biologically equivalent dose of radiation therapy and response duration, pain relief, spleen reduction, or cytopenia improvement (r2 all

BACKGROUND Approximately 50% of newly diagnosed cancer patients start taking dietary supplements. Men's health supplements (MHSs), which we define as supplements that are specifically marketed with the terms men's health and prostate health (or similar permutations), are often mislabeled as having potential anticancer benefits. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the effects of MHSs on patient outcomes and toxicities in patients who were undergoing definitive intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for localized prostate cancer. DESIGN This retrospective analysis included patients who were being treated at a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and consented to have information stored in a prospective database. MHSs were queried online. Outcome measures were freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF) (biochemical failure was defined with the use of the prostate-specific antigen nadir + 2-ng/mL definition), freedom from distant metastasis (FFDM), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) as well as toxicities. Kaplan-Meier analysis, log-rank tests, Fine and Gray competing-risk regression (to adjust for patient and lifestyle factors), and Cox models were used. RESULTS From 2001 to 2012, 2207 patients were treated with IMRT with a median dose of 78 Gy, and a median follow-up of 46 mo. Of these patients, 43% were low risk, 37% were intermediate risk, and 20% were high risk; 10% used MHSs. MHSs contained a median of 3 identifiable ingredients (range: 0-78 ingredients). Patients who were taking an MHS compared with those who were not had improved 5-y OS (97% compared with 92%, respectively; P = 0.01), but there were no differences in the FFBF (94% compared with 89%, respectively; P = 0.12), FFDM (96% compared with 97%, respectively; P = 0.32), or CSS (100% compared with 99%, respectively; P = 0.22). The unadjusted association between MHS use and improved OS was attenuated after adjustment for patient lifestyle factors and comorbidities. There was no difference in toxicities between the 2 groups (late-grade 3-4 genitourinary

Background/Objective Delays in times to surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy impair survival in breast cancer patients. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) confers equivalent survival to adjuvant chemotherapy (AC), but it remains unknown which approach facilitates faster initiation and completion of treatment. Methods Women ≥18 years old with nonrecurrent, noninflammatory, clinical stage I‐III breast cancer diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 who underwent both surgery and chemotherapy were reviewed from the National Cancer Database. Results Among 155 606 women overall, 28 241 patients received NAC and 127 365 patients received AC. NAC patients had higher clinical T and N stages (35.8% T3/4 vs 4.9% T3/4; 14.4% N2/3 vs 3.7% N2/3). After adjusting for stage and other factors, NAC patients had longer times to begin treatment (36.1 vs 35.4 days adjusted, P = .15), and took significantly longer to start radiotherapy (240.8 vs 218.2 days adjusted, P, This study evaluated the time to initiation and completion of treatment in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) vs adjuvant chemotherapy. We found that NAC did not expedite the start or completion of treatment.

Introduction: Squamoid eccrine carcinoma is a very rare carcinoma with few reported cases in the literature. As a result, there islimited guidance on management and follow-up of these cases.Case Presentation: We describe the case of a 39 year-old male with a large painful squamoid eccrine carcinoma of the right lowerabdominal wall with inguinal nodal involvement. He underwent radical resection, superficial groin dissection, transposition of asartorius muscleflap, anda pedicled anterolateral thigh perforatorflapfor reconstruction. The postoperative coursewasuneventfulapart from a postoperative seroma which was treated with aspiration. He underwent adjuvant radiation following full recoveryfrom his procedure.Conclusions: Our case study represents a rare, large squamoid eccrine carcinoma of the abdominal wall treated with radical resection,superficial groin dissection, transposition of a sartorius muscle flap, and a pedicled anterolateral thigh perforator flap forreconstruction. Due to the limited number of reported cases, there are no guidelines for management of squamoid eccrine carcinomas.With this case report we aim to increase awareness of this rare carcinoma, and to summarize the existing literature onmanagement of squamoid eccrine carcinoma.

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer diagnosed in men in the United States besides skin cancer. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT; 6–15 Gy per fraction, up to 45 minutes per fraction, delivered in five fractions or less, over the course of approximately 2 weeks) is emerging as a popular treatment option for prostate cancer. The American Society for Radiation Oncology now recognizes SBRT for select low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients. SBRT grew from the notion that high doses of radiation typical of brachytherapy could be delivered noninvasively using modern external-beam radiation therapy planning and delivery methods. SBRT is most commonly delivered using either a traditional gantry-mounted linear accelerator or a robotic arm-mounted linear accelerator. In this systematic review article, we compare and contrast the current clinical evidence supporting a gantry vs robotic arm SBRT for prostate cancer. The data for SBRT show encouraging and comparable results in terms of freedom from biochemical failure (>90% for low and intermediate risk at 5–7 years) and acute and late toxicity (6 MV). Finally, SBRT (particularly on a gantry) may also be more cost-effective than conventionally fractionated external-beam radiation therapy. Randomized controlled trials of SBRT using both technologies are underway.

The purpose of the study was to identify the effect of final surgical margin (SM) status and re-excision on outcomes in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) who underwent breast conservation therapy (BCT).The study population consisted of women diagnosed with DCIS who underwent BCT between 1989 and 2014. All women received adjuvant whole breast radiation and a boost. The primary end point was local control (LC). Final SMs were defined according to margin width: negative SM was defined as2 mm, close SM was defined as0 to ≤ 2 mm, and a positive SM was defined as tumor on ink. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine predictors of outcomes on multivariable analysis. Actuarial incidence of LC was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.A total of 498 patients were included; 400 patients had a final negative SM, 87 had a close SM, and 11 had a positive SM. A total of 172 patients received adjuvant hormonal therapy, 265 patients required ≥ 1 re-excision. Patients with positive or close SMs were more likely to receive a radiation dose60 Gy (P .001) and undergo re-excision (P .01). The 10-year LC rates were not significantly different between patients with a negative (93.5%), close (91.8%), or positive (100%) SM (P = .57). There was no difference in LC in patients who underwent re-excision for initial close or positive SMs (P = .55).This single-institution experience showed that risks of local recurrence remain poorly characterized. Re-excision and whole breast radiation with boost resulted in excellent LC for women with DCIS. Trials aimed at personalized deintensified local therapy are warranted.

Background: Multidisciplinary care (MDC) in managing localized breast cancer is a resource-intensive treatment strategy that is anecdotally growing in prevalence, but is poorly characterized and thus cannot yet be defined as "standard care." We sought to determine the patterns of MDC care in the United States Medicare patient and assess if survival advantages exist for this paradigm. Methods: Using the Survival, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked dataset, we evaluated patients with non-metastatic breast cancer from 1992 to 2009. MDC was defined as a preoperative visit after breast cancer diagnosis with a surgeon, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist. Two separate analyses were performed: The first evaluated all MDC patients, and the second characterized the subset of patients who saw all three specialties on the same day. We tested for associations between MDC and clinical/demographic variables using logistic regression and evaluated outcomes using propensity score matching. Results: A total of 87,984 invasive nonmetastatic breast cancer patients were included. MDC was utilized in 2.8% of patients, while 13% of these saw all three oncologic specialists on the same date. MDC use did not vary significantly according to AJCC stage. Patients receiving MDC overall were significantly more likely to be younger (continuous variable; OR [95% CI] = 0.99 [0.98-0.99]), black race (1.75 [1.50-2.05]), receive lumpectomy (1.15 [1.03-1.28], have fewer nodes examined (0.98 [0.98-0.99], and receive radiation therapy (1.37 [1.25-1.51]. MDC patients receiving care all on the same date were significantly more likely than non-MDC patients to have lobular histology (OR [95% CI] = 1.48 [1.06-2.06]), black race (3.09 [2.19-4.35], receive mastectomy (1.75 [1.34-2.30]) and receive radiation therapy (1.98 [1.52-2.60]). The use of MDC overall and on the same date increased over time (p < 0.001) and varied widely according to geographic region. There was a 20.8 odds increase in the use of same-date MDC in the Midwest compared to the South (p < 0.001). Patients in rural settings were less likely to receive MDC overall: OR [95% CI] = 0.57 [0.48-0.68] and on the same date (0.27 [0.16-0.48]). Survival data suggest improved outcomes for women undergoing MDC (Table 1). There were 117 breast cancer deaths in the MDC overall group but only 15 such events in the smaller MDC same-day subgroup (limiting its power). Table 1. Propensity score matched outcomes according to MDC. MDC Overall* MDC on Same Date (n = 2,491) (n = 330) HR[95% CI]pHR[95% CI]pAdjusted Overall Survival0.940.80-1.090.4000.360.18-0.720.004Adjusted Breast Cancer Specific Mortality0.750.58-0.960.0240.420.15-1.180.102* Includes MDC patients on same and different dates. Conclusions: The vast majority of Medicare patients having breast cancer did not undergo MDC during the period of study. MDC rates have increased over time, with widely varied MDC utilization across regions. Employing same-day MDC should be considered for patient convenience and may improve outcomes. While not yet widespread, efforts should be made to integrate MDC as standard care across the United States. Citation Format: Churilla TM, Egleston BL, Murphy CT, Sigurdson ER, Hayes SB, Goldstein LJ, Bleicher RJ. Patterns of multidisciplinary care in the management of nonmetastatic invasive breast cancer in the United States Medicare patient. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-07-25.

Background Randomized data examining adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) alone in elderly women with low-risk, hormone receptor-positive (HR + ) breast cancer is lacking. We investigated the outcomes for elderly women treated with adjuvant RT alone versus RT plus endocrine therapy (ET) after breast-conserving surgery. Patients and Methods We queried our institutional breast cancer database for the following patients: age > 65 years, stage T1-T2N0, HR + , and treatment with breast-conserving surgery, including adjuvant RT. The χ 2 analysis identified significant baseline differences between the groups. Cox proportional hazard methods identified predictors of endpoints on multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival were compared using the log-rank test. Results A total of 504 patients were identified, 311 had undergone RT plus ET (62%) and 193, RT alone (38%). The median follow-up time was 88 months. The RT-alone group versus RT plus ET group had different median age (72 vs.71 years, P P P = .05), and fewer close or positive margins (11% vs. 19%, P = .01). The adherence rate to prescribed ET was 70%. Tumor size predicted an increased risk of distant metastasis (DM) (hazard ratio, 1.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-3.13) and worse disease-free survival (DFS) (hazard ratio, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.22-2.86). ET nonadherence versus adherence predicted for risk of DM (hazard ratio, 5.03; 95% CI, 1.98-12.66) and DFS (HR, 4.24; 95% CI, 1.9-10.3). Of the women with DM, 83.8% had tumors > 1 cm in size. Conclusion ET nonadherence and tumor size > 1 cm predicted an increased risk of DM and worse DFS, favoring the addition of ET in this group. However, RT alone for women with tumors less than or equal to 1 cm may be appropriate.

Multifocal and multicentric breast cancers have been correlated with poor prognostic factors and worse outcomes versus unifocal disease. We evaluated the impact of multifocal and multicentric disease versus case controls with unifocal disease, matching for age, grade, T-, and N-stage. A total of 110 patients with multifocal (n = 93) or multicentric (n = 17) disease and 263 matched case controls were identified with a median follow-up of 53 months and 64 months, respectively. The actuarial local control rates for the multifocal/multicentric and unifocal group were 88% and 97%, respectively at both 5 and 10 years (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, multifocal/multicentric disease remained associated with higher local recurrence after controlling for other covariates including surgery type. The disease-free survival rates in the multifocal/multicentric group at 5 and 10 years were 75% and 71%, respectively, versus 87% and 78% at 10 years (p = 0.01). On multivariate analysis, multifocal/multicentric disease was no longer associated with worse disease-free survival. There was no difference in the cohorts in terms of regional control, overall survival, or cancer specific survival. Our findings suggest that multifocal/multicentric disease may be associated with worse outcomes versus unifocal disease regardless of type of surgery. This suggests a more biologically aggressive cancer and may be an important consideration when managing these patients. Further studies are needed to better understand the impact of multifocal/multicentric breast cancers on outcomes.

To evaluate the impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on toxicity and cosmesis in women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer. We queried an institutional database for women with RA treated with external beam radiotherapy for breast cancer between 1981 and 2016. Matching each patient to three controls without RA was attempted. Radiation toxicity was graded using CTCAE 4.0. Cosmesis was graded using the Global Harris Scoring System of Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor. Grade 2+ (G2+) acute and late toxicities were compared between women with RA and their matched pairs using a generalized estimating equation (GEE). Wilcoxon test and mixed effects model were used to compare the cosmesis between two groups. Forty women with RA at time of radiation were matched to 117 controls. The median radiation dose was 60 Gy (50–66 Gy) and the median follow-up was 94 months (1–354 months). When comparing the women with RA to their matched pairs, there was no significant difference in the rates of G2+ acute toxicity (25.0 vs. 13.7%, O 2.1, CI 0.91–4.9) or G2+ late toxicity (7.5 vs. 4.3%, OR 1.8, CI 0.48–6.8). Mean cosmesis was between Good and Excellent for both groups of patients, although women with RA were less likely to get Excellent cosmesis compared to their matched pairs (OR 0.35, CI 0.15–0.84). Among women with RA, radiation for breast cancer was well tolerated without significantly increased toxicity. Their cosmesis was generally Good to Excellent, although they might be less likely to get Excellent cosmesis compared to their matched pairs.

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of external beam reirradiation using a pulsed low-dose-rate (PLDR) technique. Methods and Materials We evaluated patients treated with PLDR reirradiation from 2009 to 2016 at a single institution. Toxicity was graded using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0, and local control was assessed using the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors, version 1.1. On univariate analysis (UVA), the χ2 and Fisher exact tests were used to assess the toxicity outcomes. Competing risk analysis using cumulative incidence function estimates were used to assess local progression. Results A total of 39 patients were treated to 41 disease sites with PLDR reirradiation. These patients had a median follow-up time of 8.8 months (range 0.5-64.7). The targets were the thorax, abdomen, and pelvis, including 36 symptomatic sites. The median interval from the first radiation course and reirradiation was 26.2 months; the median dose of the first and second course of radiation was 50.4 Gy and 50 Gy, respectively. Five patients (13%) received concurrent systemic therapy. Of the 39 patients, 9 (23%) developed grade ≥2 acute toxicity, most commonly radiation dermatitis (5 of 9). None developed grade ≥4 acute or subacute toxicity. The only grade ≥2 late toxicity was late skin toxicity in 1 patient. On UVA, toxicity was not significantly associated with the dose of the first course of radiation or reirradiation, the interval to reirradiation, or the reirradiation site. Of the 41 disease sites treated with PLDR reirradiation, 32 had pre- and post-PLDR scans to evaluate for local control. The local progression rate was 16.5% at 6 months and 23.8% at 12 months and was not associated with the dose of reirradiation, the reirradiation site, or concurrent systemic therapy on UVA. Of the 36 symptomatic disease sites, 25 sites (69%) achieved a symptomatic response after PLDR, including 6 (17%) with complete symptomatic relief. Conclusion Reirradiation with PLDR is effective and well-tolerated. The risk of late toxicity and the durability of local control were limited by the relatively short follow-up duration in the present cohort.

Purpose: There are two collimation systems associated with the CyberKnife system, the fixed cone collimator and the Iris collimator. The Iris collimator is used more frequently because of its superior flexibility. However, sometimes treatments have to be canceled or postponed due to Iris collimator mechanical failures. The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of switching collimation systems without replanning. Methods: We first performed Monte Carlo simulations on 10 clinical cases using the Iris collimator and the fixed cone collimator. The conformality index (CI), target volume coverage and the maximum, minimum and mean doses to the critical structures from the iris and fixed plans were compared to determine the feasibility of switching between collimator types without replanning. Results: Our results showed that the two types of collimators deliver similar dose distributions. The average target doses for the fixed plans were 1% to 6% higher than those for the Iris plans. The average CI for the fixed plans was 1.36 compared to 1.28 for the Iris plans. Thus, we adjusted the Iris sizes with a scale factor of 1.024 to achieve a better dose match with the fixed collimators. Doses for the 10 cases were then recalculated. Once this correction was made, the difference between the average target doses for the two collimator plans was reduced to less than 2% and the CIs became almost identical. Conclusions: Small target dose differences were found between plans using different collimation systems, which may be compensated for by adjusting the Iris collimator sizes to ensure similar dose distributions. The differences in the doses to the critical structures between the collimation systems were insignificant. After adjusting the Iris collimator sizes and re‐commissioning the planning system, patients can be safely switched from the Iris collimator to the fixed cone collimator without replanning.

Background There is conflicting evidence regarding the benefit of post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) for pathologic stage T3N0M0 breast cancers. We analyzed data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to investigate the benefit of PMRT in these patients.

To characterize patient reported outcomes for urinary and sexual function using International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) comparing intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), low dose rate brachytherapy (LDR), post-prostatectomy IMRT (PPRT), and radical prostatectomy (RP).Patients treated for prostate cancer from 2001-2012 completed self-reported SHIM and IPSS surveys. Subgroups were created by baseline score. Mean change from baseline was determined at each time point for the cohort and subgroups. Statistical analysis was performed with generalized estimating equation method. Incontinence was not captured in the questionnaires.A total of 14,523 IPSS surveys from 3,515 men were evaluated. Patients treated with IMRT experienced a minimal decrease in IPSS score from baseline. PPRT scores did not differ from IMRT at any time point (range: +/- 3 points from baseline in IPSS score over 50 months). LDR had an initial IPSS rise (between 5-10 points on the IPSS over 1-9 months) versus IMRT but returned to comparable levels at 34 months. RP was associated with a lower IPSS versus IMRT. LDR had the largest rise from baseline, with return toward baseline. A total of 2,624 SHIM surveys from 857 men were evaluated. LDR and PPRT did not differ from IMRT at any time point (range: +/- 5 points from baseline in SHIM score for 36 months). RP experienced the largest decline from baseline (up to -7 points on SHIM score), at 3 to 7 months; RP had a larger early decrease in SHIM score versus IMRT between 3 and 22 months, after which there was no difference.IPSS and SHIM score patterns differed among treatment modalities. These data can be used to predict changes in urinary and sexual function over time based on modality and baseline score.

Objective: To evaluate the outcomes and toxicity of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) patients (pts) treated with trimodality therapy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review of 71 non-metastatic women with IBC treated using once daily (QD) radiation fractionation between 1990 and 2011 was performed. Eighty-six% of pts underwent ER/PR receptor status testing, and 43% underwent HER-2 testing. All pts underwent a course of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Forty-three pts had adjuvant hormonal therapy, and 7 had adjuvant trastuzumab. All pts underwent mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection followed by chest wall irradiation to a median dose of 50 Gy (34-50), and 46 Gy to supraclavicular region in 2-Gy QD fractions. Internal mammary nodes were treated in 3 pts (4%) and a posterior axillary boost (PAB) was added in 32 (45%) cases. Scar boosts (SB) were employed in 6 patients. A univariate (UVA) analysis using Kaplan-Meier estimation method included cN, pN, pT stage, PAB, SB, dermal lymphatic invasion, lymphovascular invasion, body mass index, response to chemo (RC), close/positive surgical margins (SM), age, and triple negative (TN) receptor status. Significant predictors on UVA were included in multivariate (MVA) analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model. Primary endpoints included local-regional recurrence (LRR), distant metastasis (DM), overall survival (OS), cause specific (CSS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Acute and chronic skin reactions and lymphedema were evaluated. Results: Median follow-up was 34 months (2-265) and the median age was 56 years (36-82). Actuarial 3 and 5 year OS was 63% and 43%, and DFS was 51% and 43%, respectively. The median time to first failure, LRR, and DM was 20 mo (1.5-147), 13.5 mo (9-18), and 21 mo (1.5-147), respectively. The first site of failure was distant for 34 (48%), and local-regional for 4 pts (6%). Twenty-five pts (35%) were without failure at the time of last follow up. UVA analysis for LRR revealed SM (p = 0.05) and RC (p = 0.002) to be significant predictors of failure, however, these were not significant on MVA. UVA for DM identified SM (p = 0.03), TN (p Conclusions: We found that TN predicted for a higher rate of DM and worse DFS. Improved CR predicted for better DFS. Age < 45, SM, pN2 disease and poor RC were not predictive of LRR. Use of SB did not improve LRR, although this cohort was small. Overall, our results show encouraging 3 and 5 year OS rates and acceptable toxicity for IBC pts treated with trimodality therapy. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P5-14-14.

Multidisciplinary care (MDC) in managing breast cancer is resource-intensive and growing in prevalence anecdotally, although care patterns are poorly characterized. We sought to determine MDC patterns and effects on care in the United States Medicare patient.Patients diagnosed with non-metastatic invasive breast cancer from 1992-2009 were reviewed using the Survival, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked dataset. MDC was defined as a post-diagnosis, preoperative visit with a surgical, medical, and radiation oncologist. Same-day MDC (MDCAmong 88,865 patients, MDC was utilized in 2.9 %, with 14.1 % of these having MDCWhile increasing, few Medicare patients undergo MDC and MDC

Background The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on outcomes and toxicities among men with localized prostate cancer receiving definitive radiation therapy. Patients and Methods We performed a retrospective review of 3217 patients, from 1998 to 2013, subdivided into 5 subgroups: (I) no T2DM; (II) T2DM receiving oral antihyperglycemic agent that contains metformin, no insulin; (III) T2DM receiving nonmetformin oral agent alone, no insulin; (IV) T2DM receiving any insulin; and (V) T2DM not receiving medication. Outcome measures were overall survival, freedom from biochemical failure (BF), freedom from distant metastasis, cancer-specific survival, and toxicities. Kaplan–Meier analysis, log rank tests, Fine and Gray competing risk regression (to adjust for patient and lifestyle factors), Cox models, and subdistribution hazard ratios (sHRs) were used. Results Of the 3217 patients, 1295 (40%) were low-risk, 1192 (37%) were intermediate-risk, and 652 (20%) were high risk. The group I to V distribution was 81%, 8%, 5%, 3%, and 4%. The median dose was 78 Gy, and the median follow-up time was 50 (range, 1-190) months. Group V had increased mortality (sHR, 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-1.54), BF (sHR, 2.14; 0.88-1.83), and cause-specific mortality (sHR, 3.87; 95% CI, 1.31-11). Acute toxicities were higher in group IV versus group I (genitourinary: 38% vs. 26%; P = .01; gastrointestinal: 21% vs. 5%; P = 001). Late toxicities were higher in groups IV and V versus group I (12%-14% vs. 2%-6%; P Conclusion Men with T2DM not receiving medication and men with T2DM receiving insulin had worse outcomes and toxicities compared to other patients.

We review radiation therapy (RT) options available for prostate cancer, including external beam (EBRT; with conventional fractionation, hypofractionation, stereotactic body RT [SBRT]) and brachytherapy (BT), with an emphasis on the outcomes, toxicities, and contraindications for therapies. PICOS/PRISMA methods were used to identify published English-language comparative studies on PubMed (from 1980 to 2015) that included men treated on prospective studies with a primary endpoint of patient outcomes, with ≥ 70 patients, and ≥ 5 year median follow up. Twenty six studies met inclusion criteria; of these, 16 used EBRT, and 10 used BT. Long-term freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF) rates were roughly equivalent between conventional and hypofractionated RT with intensity modulation (evidence level 1B), with 10-year FFBF rates of 45–90%, 40–60%, and 20–50% (for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, respectively). SBRT had promising rates of BF, with shorter follow-up (5-year FFBF of >90% for low-risk patients). Similarly, BT (5-year FFBF for low-, intermediate-, and high- risk patients have generally been >85%, 69–97%, 63–80%, respectively) and BT + EBRT were appropriate in select patients (evidence level 1B). Differences in overall survival, distant metastasis, and cancer specific mortality (5-year rates: 82–97%, 1–14%, 0–8%, respectively) have not been detected in randomized trials of dose escalation or in studies comparing RT modalities. Studies did not use patient-reported outcomes, through grade 3–4 toxicities were rare (

To compare the dosimetric parameters of a novel rotating gamma ray system (RGS) with well-established CyberKnife system (CK) for treating malignant brain lesions. RGS has a treatment head of 16 cobalt-60 sources focused to the isocenter, which can rotate 360° on the ring gantry and swing 35° in the superior direction. We compared several dosimetric parameters in 10 patients undergoing brain stereotactic radiosurgery including plan normalization, number of beams and nodes for CK and shots for RGS, collimators used, estimated treatment time, D 2 cm and conformity index (CI) among two modalities. The median plan normalization for RGS was 56.7% versus 68.5% (p = 0.002) for CK plans. The median number of shots from RGS was 7.5 whereas the median number of beams and nodes for CK was 79.5 and 46. The median collimator's diameter used was 3.5 mm for RGS as compared to 5 mm for CK (p = 0.26). Mean D 2 cm was 5.57 Gy for CyberKnife whereas it was 3.11 Gy for RGS (p = 0.99). For RGS plans, the median CI was 1.4 compared to 1.3 for the CK treatment plans (p = 0.98). The average minimum and maximum doses to optic chiasm were 21 and 93 cGy for RGS as compared to 32 and 209 cGy for CK whereas these were 0.5 and 364 cGy by RGS and 18 and 399 cGy by CK to brainstem. The mean V12 Gy for brain predicting for radionecrosis with RGS was 3.75 cm3 as compared to 4.09 cm3 with the CK (p = 0.41). The dosimetric parameters of a novel RGS with a ring type gantry are comparable with CyberKnife, allowing its use for intracranial lesions and is worth exploring in a clinical setting.

Purpose To investigate the dosimetric impact of using 4D CT and multiphase (helical) CT images for treatment planning target definition and the daily target coverage in hypofractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) of lung cancer. Materials and methods For 10 consecutive patients treated with SBRT, a set of 4D CT images and three sets of multiphase helical CT scans, taken during free-breathing, end-inspiration and end-expiration breath-hold, were obtained. Three separate planning target volumes (PTVs) were created from these image sets. A PTV 4D was created from the maximum intensity projection (MIP) reconstructed 4D images by adding a 3mm margin to the internal target volume (ITV). A PTV 3CT was created by generating ITV from gross target volumes (GTVs) contoured from the three multiphase images. Finally, a third conventional PTV (denoted PTV conv ) was created by adding 5mm in the axial direction and 10mm in the longitudinal direction to the GTV (in this work, GTV=CTV=clinical target volume) generated from free-breathing helical CT scans. Treatment planning was performed based on PTV 4D (denoted as Plan-1), and the plan was adopted for PTV 3CT and PTV conv to form Plan-2 and Plan-3, respectively, by superimposing "Plan-1" onto the helical free-breathing CT data set using modified beam apertures that conformed to either PTV 3CT or PTV conv . We first studied the impact of PTV design on treatment planning by evaluating the dosimetry of the three PTVs under the three plans, respectively. Then we examined the effect of the PTV designs on the daily target coverage by utilizing pre-treatment localization CT (CT-on-rails) images for daily GTV contouring and dose recalculation. The changes in the dose parameters of D 95 and D 99 (the dose received by 95% and 99% of the target volume, respectively), and the V p (the volume receiving the prescription dose) of the daily GTVs were compared under the three plans before and after setup error correction. Results For all 10 patients, we found that the PTV 4D consistently resulted in the smallest volumes compared with the other PTV's ( p =0.005). In general, the plans generated based PTV 3CT could provide reasonably good coverage for PTV 4D , while the reverse can only achieve 90% of the planned values for PTV 3CT . The coverage of both PTV 4D and PTV 3CT in Plan-3 generally reserves the original planned values in terms of D 95 , D 99 , and V p, with the average ratios of 0.996, 0.977, and 0.977, respectively, for PTV 3CT , and 1.025, 1.025, and 1.0, respectively, for PTV 4D . However, it increased the dose significantly to normal lung tissue. Additionally, the plans generated using the PTV 4D presented an equivalent daily target coverage compared to the plans generated using the PTV 3CT ( p =0.953) and PTV conv ( p =0.773) after setup error correction. Consequently, this minimized the dose to the surrounding normal lung. Conclusion Compared to the conventional approach using helical images for target definition, 4D CT and multiphase 3D CT have the advantage to provide patient-specific tumor motion information, based on which such designed PTVs could ensure daily target coverage. 4D CT-based treatment planning further reduces the amount of normal lung being irradiated while still providing a good target coverage when image guidance is used.

To determine independent predictors of lymphedema (LE) after breast radiotherapy and to quantify added risks of LE from regional node irradiation (RNI).A total of 2,579 women with T1-2, N 0-3, M0 breast cancer treated with breast conservation between 1970 and 2005 were studied. A total of 2,169 patients (84%) received radiation to the breast (B), 226 (8.8%) to the breast and supraclavicular LNs (B+SC), and 184 (7.1%) to the breast, supraclavicular LNs, and a posterior axillary boost (B+SC+PAB). Median follow-up was 81 months (range, 3-271).Eighteen percent of patients developed LE. LE risks were as follows: 16% (B), 23% (B+SC), and 31% (B+SC+PAB) (p0.0001). LE severity was greater in patients who had RNI (p = 0.0002). On multivariate analysis, RT field (p0.0001), obesity index (p = 0.0157), systemic therapy (p = 0.0013), and number of LNs dissected (p0.0001) independently predicted for LE. In N1 patients, the addition of a SC to tangents (p0.0001) and the addition of a PAB to tangents (p = 0.0017) conferred greater risks of LE, but adding a PAB to B+SC RT did not (p = 0.8002). In the N2 patients, adding a PAB increased the risk of LE 4.5-fold over B+SC RT (p = 0.0011).LE predictors included number of LNs dissected, RNI, obesity index, and systemic therapy. LE risk increased when a SC or PAB were added in the N1 subgroup. In the N2 patients, a PAB increased the risk over B+SC. The decision to boost the axilla must be weighed against the increased risk of LE that it imposes.

A 68-year-old man with a history of malignant melanoma in the right axilla underwent FDG PET/CT. The images demonstrated a focally increased activity in the subcutaneous tissue anterior to the distal left tibia, suggestive of metastasis. However, a gouty tophus was diagnosed pathologically after biopsy.

Radical prostatectomy (RP) is the most common primary treatment for prostate cancer. About 40% of those with high-risk pathologic features, such as a positive margin or seminal vesicle involvement, will develop biochemical failure at some point in the future. Radiotherapy (RT), with or without concurrent androgen deprivation, has been used liberally in the management of men with a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after RP, based mostly on relatively small retrospective series. Factors such as the prostatectomy Gleason score, seminal vesicle invasion, absolute pre-RT PSA level, and pre-RT PSA doubling time are emerging as important determinants of outcome after RT. These factors should be used as a guide to the options of local therapy alone (RT), local therapy plus systemic therapy (typically androgen deprivation therapy), and systemic therapy alone.