Purpose This report presents the 2011 update to the American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy guidelines for locally advanced cervical cancer. Methods Members of the American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) with expertise in cervical cancer brachytherapy formulated updated guidelines for HDR brachytherapy using tandem and ring, ovoids, cylinder or interstitial applicators for locally advanced cervical cancer were revised based on medical evidence in the literature and input of clinical experts in gynecologic brachytherapy. Results The Cervical Cancer Committee for Guideline Development affirms the essential curative role of tandem-based brachytherapy in the management of locally advanced cervical cancer. Proper applicator selection, insertion, and imaging are fundamental aspects of the procedure. Three-dimensional imaging with magnetic resonance or computed tomography or radiographic imaging may be used for treatment planning. Dosimetry must be performed after each insertion prior to treatment delivery. Applicator placement, dose specification and dose fractionation must be documented, quality assurance measures must be performed, and follow-up information must be obtained. A variety of dose/fractionation schedules and methods for integrating brachytherapy with external-beam radiation exist. The recommended tumor dose in 2 Gray (Gy) per fraction radiobiologic equivalence (EQD2) is 80–90 Gy, depending on tumor size at the time of brachytherapy. Dose limits for normal tissues are discussed. Conclusion These guidelines update those of 2000 and provide a comprehensive description of HDR cervical cancer brachytherapy in 2011.

Adjuvant hyperthermia with a thermal dose more than 10 CEM 43 degrees C T(90) confers a significant local control benefit in patients with superficial tumors receiving radiation therapy.

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This review takes a retrospective look at how hyperthermia biology, as defined from studies emerging from the late 1970s and into the 1980s, mis-directed the clinical field of hyperthermia, by placing too much emphasis on the necessity of killing cells with hyperthermia in order to define success. The requirement that cell killing be achieved led to sub-optimal hyperthermia fractionation goals for combinations with radiotherapy, inappropriate sequencing between radiation and hyperthermia and goals for hyperthermia equipment performance that were neither achievable nor necessary. The review then considers the importance of the biologic effects of hyperthermia that occur in the temperature range that lies between that necessary to kill substantial proportions of cells and normothermia (e.g. 39-42 degrees C for 1 h). The effects that occur in this temperature range are compelling-including inhibition of radiation-induced damage repair, changes in perfusion, re-oxygenation, effects on macromolecular and nanoparticle delivery, induction of the heat shock response and immunological stimulation, all of which can be exploited to improve tumour response to radiation and chemotherapy. This new knowledge about the biology of hyperthermia compels one to continue to move the field forward, but with thermal goals that are eminently achievable and tolerable by patients. The fact that lower temperatures are incorporated into thermal goals does not lessen the need for non-invasive thermometry or more sophisticated hyperthermia delivery systems, however. If anything, it further compels one to move the field forward on an integrated biological, engineering and clinical level.

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Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are thought to play a role in the development of cancer and to modulate tumor response to cytotoxic therapy. In this study, we have examined the expression of hsf and HSP genes in normal human prostate epithelial cells and a range of prostate carcinoma cell lines derived from human tumors. We have observed elevated expressions of HSF1, HSP60, and HSP70 in the aggressively malignant cell lines PC-3, DU-145, and CA-HPV-10. Elevated HSP expression in cancer cell lines appeared to be regulated at the post-messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels, as indicated by gene chip microarray studies, which indicated little difference in heat shock factor (HSF) or HSP mRNA expression between the normal and malignant prostate cell lines. When we compared the expression patterns of constitutive HSP genes between PC-3 prostate carcinoma cells growing as monolayers in vitro and as tumor xenografts growing in nude mice in vivo, we found a marked reduction in expression of a wide spectrum of the HSPs in PC-3 tumors. This decreased HSP expression pattern in tumors may underlie the increased sensitivity to heat shock of PC-3 tumors. However, the induction by heat shock of HSP genes was not markedly altered by growth in the tumor microenvironment, and HSP40, HSP70, and HSP110 were expressed abundantly after stress in each growth condition. Our experiments indicate therefore that HSF and HSP levels are elevated in the more highly malignant prostate carcinoma cells and also show the dominant nature of the heat shock-induced gene expression, leading to abundant HSP induction in vitro or in vivo.

Purpose/Objective To create and compare consensus clinical target volume (CTV) contours for computed tomography (CT) and 3 Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance (MR) image-based cervical-cancer brachytherapy Materials/Methods Twenty-three gynecologic radiation oncology experts contoured the same 3 cervical-cancer brachytherapy cases: one Stage IIB near-complete response (CR) case with a tandem and ovoid, one Stage IIB partial response (PR) case with ovoid with needles and one Stage IB2 CR case with a ring applicator. CT contours were completed before MRI contours. These were analyzed for consistency and clarity of target delineation using an expectation maximization algorithm for simultaneous truth and performance level estimation (STAPLE), with kappa statistics as a measure of agreement between participants. The conformity index (CI) was calculated for each of the six data sets. Dice coefficients were generated to compare CT and MR contours of the same case. Results For all 3 cases, the mean tumor volume was smaller on MR than on CT (p<0.001). Kappa and CI estimates were slightly higher for CT, indicating a higher level of agreement on CT. DICE coefficients were 89% for the Stage IB2 case with a CR, 74% for the Stage IIB case with a PR, and 57% for the Stage IIB case with a CR. Conclusion When comparing MR- to CT-contoured CTV volumes, the higher level of agreement on CT may be due to the more distinct contrast visible on the images at the time of brachytherapy. The largest difference at the time of brachytherapy was in the case with parametrial extension at diagnosis that had a near-complete response, due to the appearance of the parametria on CT but not on MR. Based on these results, a 95% consensus volume was generated for CT and for MR. Online contouring atlases are available for instruction at http://www.nrgoncology.org/Resources/ContouringAtlases.aspx.

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