ObjectivesTo report toxicity (primary endpoint) and biochemical disease-free survival (BDFS) outcomes of a phase II trial evaluating ultra-hypofractionated radiation therapy (UHRT), focusing on patients with unfavourable intermediate-risk and high-risk prostate cancer (PCa).
Patients and MethodsFrom 2012 to 2017, 154 patients (92 with unfavourable intermediate-risk or high-risk PCa) were treated with helical TomoTherapy delivering 43.8-45.2 Gy in eight fractions over 3 weeks. Of these, 73% received hormonotherapy (51% neoadjuvant).
ResultsThe median (range) follow-up was 48 (19-84) months. For the whole series, crude BDFS and 5-year BDFS rates were 97.4% and 94.3%, respectively. The corresponding figures for unfavourable intermediate-risk and high-risk PCa were 96.7% and 90%, respectively. The crude metastasis-free survival rate was 98% for the unfavourable intermediate-risk and high-risk group. For the whole series, the 5-year cumulative urinary/ intestinal grade 2+ late toxicity was 17.8/7.4%. No grade 4-5 toxicity was observed. One patient experienced late grade 3 toxicity (urinary).
ConclusionThis eight-fraction UHRT regimen can be safely delivered to patients with unfavourable intermediate-risk/high-risk PCa. Its relapse rates are similar to those reported for the combination of external beam radiotherapy plus brachytherapy, however, the observed toxicity profile is milder. The disease survival rates compare favourably with historical controls in some other forms of radiotherapy, with similar side effects. Since the low rate of biochemical/ metastasis relapse is encouraging, further research to confirm these results is justified.Keywords stereotactic body radiotherapy, brachytherapy, high risk, hypofractionated radiotherapy, quality of life, #ProstateCancer, #PCSM
This article analyzes the behavior of gender indicators on the economic, physical, and decision-making autonomy of Latin-American women, based on data compiled and published in 2020 by the Gender Equality Observatory of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), for 17 countries. Using the HJ-Biplot multivariate technique, it is concluded that the three evaluated areas interact with each other, in such a way that they cannot be interpreted in isolation because their relationships and interdependencies explain the differences in the participation of men and women in the socioeconomic and political environment of the nations in the region. Additionally, it is concluded that in countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Bolivia, and Ecuador, greater public policy actions are required to seek the economic empowerment of women; while in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, laws are necessary to regulate violence against women. It is necessary to continue promoting gender equality in the region as a determinant factor in methodological frameworks and transformational policies to enable moving towards the construction of sustainable societies and economies.
The aim of this article was to study 23 time use activities measured in the two latest Colombian National Time Use Surveys, taken in 2013 (with 119,899 participants over the age of 10) and in 2017 (with a sample of 122,620 participants), to identify similarities and differences between the years of the survey by gender, age group, and socioeconomic level. The study’s results were obtained using the CO-STATIS multiway multivariate data analysis technique, which is comprised of two X-STATIS analyses and co-inertia analysis. The results confirm the existence of gender issues related to time use in Colombia, which are associated with gender stereotypes that link women to unpaid work and home care, especially in low socioeconomic levels, where women face limitations in terms of the time available to earn their own income. Additionally, differences were found by socioeconomic level, where Colombians of high socioeconomic status in all age groups are able to devote more time to leisure and recreational activities.
clinical feasibility of choosing optimal virtual monochromatic images for improving OAR delineation in the head-and-neck radiotherapy planning. This could help us enable a stepwise clinical implementation of optimized "twin-beam" protocol for head-and-neck cancer patients, and has the potential to improve head-and-neck radiotherapy.
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