Introduction Brachytherapy, with or without external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), can be an alternative to surgery for organ preservation in early and locally advanced oral cavity cancers. This study aims to evaluate the effect of high dose rate (HDR) interstitial brachytherapy on early and locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity when used alone or as a boost to EBRT. Methods A total of 125 patients with histologically proven stage T1-3/N0-1 SCC of the oral cavity were included in the study. A total of 15 patients with stage I disease received an interstitial implant dose of 3,850 cGy at 350 cGy per fraction, two fractions a day. Another 53 patients had stage II, and 57 patients had stage III disease; these patients received EBRT of 50 Gy in 25 fractions along with an HDR brachytherapy boost of 21 Gy in seven fractions of 3 Gy per fraction twice daily. The stage III patients also received concurrent chemotherapy with injections of cisplatin
To dosimetrically compare high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy (HDR-BT) with volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for tumor bed boost, following breast conservative treatment.Material and methods: 50 patients with early-stage breast cancer who underwent breast conservation surgery, followed by either HDR-BT (n = 25) of 15 Gy in 6 fractions over a period of 3 days, or VMAT dose of 16 Gy in 8 fractions (n = 25) for tumor bed boost, were retrospectively reviewed. All patients received whole breast irradiation of 46 Gy in 23 fractions. Dosimetric parameters for organs at risk (OARs), including ipsilateral and contralateral lungs, heart, contralateral breast, skin, and ribs, were evaluated with the help of dose-volume histograms (DVH).Results: Heart sparing was similar in both modalities (left-sided breast irradiation, HDR-BT D 2cc 20.5% vs. VMAT 30.2%, p-value = 0.243; right-sided breast irradiation, D 2cc 6.5% vs. 4.4%, p-value = 0.165). Left-sided cases received higher dose to heart compared to right-sided patients. Interstitial brachytherapy resulted in significantly less dose to contralateral breast (D 2cc 4.3% vs. 9.6%, p-value < 0.0001), ipsilateral lung (D 2cc 27.6% vs. 73.2%, p-value < 0.0001), contralateral lung (D 2cc 4.2% vs. 14.5%, p-value < 0.0001), ribs (D 2cc 24.1% vs. 41.2%, p-value < 0.0001), and skin (D 2cc 77.3% vs. 95%, p-value < 0.0001).Conclusions: HDR-BT-based tumor bed boost irradiation results in significantly lower doses to most organs at risk with similar heart sparing compared to VMAT.
Orbital metastasis, as the initial clinical presentation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a rare manifestation. A 66-year-old male patient presented with a history of protrusion of the eyeballs, double vision, and swelling over the left side of the head for 8 months. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain with orbit revealed a heterogeneous lesion in the left frontal lobe causing its destruction with intraorbital and intracranial extension. Triphasic contrast-enhanced computed tomography was suggestive of multiple hypodense areas in both lobes of the liver. Tissue diagnosis from the liver was suggestive of HCC. A diagnosis of multifocal HCC with orbital metastasis was made. The patient was treated with palliative radiotherapy and sorafenib. Orbital metastasis in HCC is rare. Prognosis is somber in such cases. The treatment should focus on providing palliation from symptoms.
Background: Primary adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACCs) of central trachea-bronchi system are rare and heterogeneous tumors. Definitive radiotherapy (RT) is the recommended treatment in surgically unresectable or incomplete resection or in the presence of severe comorbidities. Objective: To evaluate the clinical features and outcomes of patients with ACC of trachea-bronchi treated with radiotherapy. Methods: Retrospective medical records review was done in all patients with histologically confirmed ACC of trachea-bronchi between January 2010 and December 2019. Patient disease and treatment characteristics and toxicity data were analyzed. Overall survival (OS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were computed using Kaplan-Meier method (log-rank test). Results: Nineteen patients (10 women and 9 men) were included in this analysis with median age of 40 years (range, 14–70). Of these patients, 63.2% (n = 12) presented in stage IV disease. Twelve and three patients received definitive (median dose 67.8 Gy) and adjuvant (median dose 50 Gy) RT, respectively. The median follow-up was 42.5 months (range, 4–120); 15 patients were alive and 4 were dead at that time. Local recurrence or progression was observed in 52.6% and distant metastasis found in 47.3% of patients. The 5-year OS, LRFS, and DMFS for all patients were 81.2%, 52.8%, and 39.6%, respectively. Baseline lymph node involvement showed significant impact on OS (56.3% vs 100%, p = 0.011). Among patients receiving definitive RT, patients with higher RT dose (⩾66 Gy) had significantly better survival outcomes (5-year LRFS: 75% vs 16.7%, p = 0.013). Conclusion: Definitive RT is an exemplary treatment for unresectable disease. Higher dose is recommended to improve long-term outcomes.
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