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Background: Hypopharyngeal cancer, constituting 3%–5% of head and neck cancers, predominantly presents as squamous cell carcinoma, with a 5‐year overall survival rate of approximately 40%. Treatment modalities for locally advanced cases include chemoradiotherapy; however, the role of upfront neck dissection (UND) remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the effect of UND on definitive radiotherapy in locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: This retrospective analysis included consecutive patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who were treated in our department between January 2007 and June 2023. All patients underwent definitive radiotherapy (dRT) at a total dose of 70 Gy in 35 fractions. The patients were categorized into two groups: dRT (radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy) and UND‐dRT (surgical neck dissection followed by radiotherapy). Univariate Cox models and multivariate analyses were conducted to investigate the independent prognostic factors for overall survival and locoregional control rate. Results: This study included 115 patients, predominantly male (109/115), with a median age of 66 years. Clinical stage and chemotherapy distribution differed significantly between the dRT and UND‐dRT groups. The 3‐year overall survival and locoregional control rates for all patients were 63.8% and was 63.3%, respectively. The UND‐dRT group exhibited a trend toward improved locoregional control, although this difference was not statistically significant. The multivariate analysis revealed that UND was an independent factor significantly associated with improved overall survival and locoregional control. Conclusion: This study provided evidence supporting the effectiveness of UND in conjunction with definitive radiotherapy for locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Future research should focus on validating and refining these findings through well‐designed prospective multicenter trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Methods Results Conclusion The aim of this study was to clarify the safety and efficacy of breath‐hold irradiation in liver stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).A retrospective analysis was conducted on 57 consecutive patients who received SBRT for hepatocellular carcinoma or liver metastases between 2013 and 2021. Breath‐hold irradiation was implemented for patients treated after April 2020.The median follow‐up period for all patients was 16.4 months (IQR: 7.36–20.9). The 2‐year overall survival rate was 64.4% (95% CI: 47.4–77.2), and the local control rate was 84.3% (95% CI: 69.7–92.3) for all patients. The 1‐year overall survival was 80.0% (95% CI: 60.8–90.5) versus 82.0% (95% CI: 53.5–93.9) in the free‐respiratory (FR) group versus the breath‐hold (BH) group, respectively (P = 0.60). The 1‐year local control rates were 78.1% (95% CI: 57.5–89.5) in the FR group and 95.7% (95% CI: 72.9–99.4) in the BH group, respectively (P = 0.16). Radiation‐induced liver injury, defined by an escalation of ≥2 in Child–Pugh score, was observed in four patients within each group (FR 13% vs. BH 15%). There were no gastrointestinal adverse events of Grade 3 or higher.Breath‐hold irradiation can be safely administered and has demonstrated clinical potential in improving local control. Further research into dose escalation using breath‐hold techniques is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The global burden of cancer and the ageing population is increasing, resulting in an increase in cancer incidence among elderly patients. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and safety profile of radiotherapy in nonagenarians and to contribute to the existing knowledge on radiotherapy in elderly patients. Methods: This retrospective analysis included nonagenarian patients who received external beam radiotherapy at a single centre in Japan between May 2003 and May 2023. Data, including patient demographics, tumour characteristics, treatment details, and clinical outcomes, were collected from medical records. Statistical analyses including survival and subgroup analyses were performed to summarize the data. Results: The analysis included 124 nonagenarian patients who received 151 treatment courses. Among the patients with a median age of 92 years (range, 90–98 years), 71 received palliative‐intent radiotherapy and 53 underwent curative‐intent radiotherapy. The overall survival rates at 1 and 3 years after radiotherapy were 55.4% and 38.3%, respectively. Performance status and radiotherapy at the primary site were independent prognosis factors for improved overall survival, while age was not. The incidence rate of grades 3–5 radiation‐related toxicities was 3.4%, which is generally considered to be acceptable. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that radiotherapy can be effectively and safely used in this age group, supporting its use as a treatment option for both palliative and curative goals. These results contribute to the existing body of evidence on radiotherapy in elderly patients and can guide clinical decision‐making in the management of nonagenarian patients with cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]