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BackgroundConcurrent chemoradiation is a standard option for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Concurrent conventional radiation with full-dose gemcitabine has significant toxicity. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) may provide the opportunity to administer radiation in a shorter time frame with similar efficacy and reduced toxicity. This Pilot study assessed the safety of concurrent full-dose gemcitabine with SBRT for LAPC.MethodsPatients received gemcitabine, 1000 mg/m2 for 6 cycles. During week 4 of cycle 1, patients received SBRT (25 Gy delivered in five consecutive daily fractions of 5 Gy prescribed to the 75-83% isodose line). Acute and late toxicities were assessed using NIH CTCAE v3. Tumor response was assessed by RECIST. Patients underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopy at baseline, 2, and 6 months to assess the duodenal mucosa. Quality of life (QoL) data was collected before and after treatment using the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-PAN26 questionnaires.ResultsBetween September 2009 and February 2011, 11 patients enrolled with one withdrawal during radiation therapy. Patients had grade 1 to 2 gastrointestinal toxicity from the start of SBRT to 2 weeks after treatment. There were no grade 3 or greater radiation-related toxicities or delays for cycle 2 of gemcitabine. On endoscopy, there were no grade 2 or higher mucosal toxicities. Two patients had a partial response. The median progression free and overall survival were 6.8 and 12.2 months, respectively. Global QoL did not change between baseline and immediately after radiation treatment.ConclusionsSBRT with concurrent full dose gemcitabine is safe when administered to patients with LAPC. There is no delay in administration of radiation or chemotherapy, and radiation is completed with minimal toxicity.

Background and study aims: Current diagnostic testing is inadequate to determine the malignant potential of pancreatic cysts, resulting in overcautious patient management. Integrated molecular pathology (IMP) testing combines molecular analysis with first-line test results (cytology, imaging, and fluid chemistry) to assess the malignant potential of pancreatic cysts. This multicenter study aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of IMP for pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and the utility of IMP testing under current guideline recommendations for managing pancreatic cysts. Patients and methods: Patients who had undergone previous IMP testing as prescribed by their physician and for whom clinical outcomes were available from retrospective record review were included (n?=?492). Performance was determined by correlation between clinical outcome and previous IMP diagnosis (?benign?/?statistically indolent? vs. ?statistically higher risk [SHR]?/ ?aggressive?) or an International Consensus Guideline (Sendai 2012) criteria model for ?surveillance? vs. ?surgery.? The Cox proportional hazards model determined hazard ratios for malignancy. Results: Benign and statistically indolent IMP diagnoses had a 97?% probability of benign follow-up for up to 7 years and 8 months from initial IMP testing. SHR and aggressive diagnoses had relative hazard ratios for malignancy of 30.8 and 76.3, respectively (both P??93?% probability of benign follow-up, with relative hazard ratios for SHR and aggressive IMP diagnoses of 16.1 and 50.2, respectively (both P?

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BackgroundLocal control rates are poor in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. We investigated the role of hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for salvage or boost treatment after conventional doses of external beam radiation therapy.MethodsAll patients treated with SBRT for pancreatic adenocarcinoma at Georgetown University from June 2002 through July 2007 were examined. Eligible patients had prior external beam radiation therapy to the pancreas. Treatment parameters and clinical and radiographic follow-up were evaluated.ResultsTwenty-eight patients were identified who received SBRT after a median prior external beam radiotherapy dose of 50.4 Gy. The median patient age was 63 years old and the median follow-up was 5.9 months. Twelve of fourteen (85.7%) evaluable patients were free from local progression, with three partial responses and nine patients with stable disease. Toxicity consisted of one case of acute Grade II nausea/vomiting, and two cases of Grade III late GI toxicity. The median overall survival was 5.9 months, with 18% survival and 70% freedom from local progression at one year.ConclusionsHypofractionated SBRT reirradiation of localized pancreatic cancer is a well-tolerated treatment. Most patients are free from local progression, albeit with limited follow-up, but overall survival remains poor.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study compared the nondiagnostic rate for endoscopic ultrasound-guided (EUS) fineneedle aspiration (FNA) of pancreatic lesions in 2 settings: 1 with and 1 without on-site evaluation. METHODS: The authors reviewed 381 consecutive cases and divided them into groups with and without on-site adequacy evaluation. For the group with on-site evaluation, cytopathology personnel prepared and evaluated Diff-Quik-stained direct smears and rinsed the remaining material in CytoLyt solution (Cytyc Corporation, Marlborough, Mass). The group without on-site evaluation was divided into 2 subgroups: the clinical team either prepared an air-dried smear for each FNA pass and then rinsed the remaining material in CytoLyt, or the entire sample was rinsed in CytoLyt. The cytologic diagnoses were reviewed and the nondiagnostic rates for each group were calculated. RESULTS: On-site evaluation was provided for 167 cases with a nondiagnostic rate of 25.8% (43 of 167 cases). On-site evaluation was not provided for 214 cases with a nondiagnostic rate of 24.3% (52 of 214 cases). The nondiagnostic rate for the subgroup with air-dried smears prepared by the clinical team was 25.6% (43 of 168 cases) and that for the subgroup with the entire sample rinsed in CytoLyt was 19.6% (9 of 46 cases). There were no significant statistical differences in nondiagnostic rates noted among the different groups or subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study indicate that when experienced operators perform EUS FNA of pancreatic lesions, on-site adequacy evaluation offers no benefit in reducing the nondiagnostic rate. Optimizing visualization of the sampled material by omitting the preparation of direct smears and rinsing the entire sample in liquidbased media demonstrated a trend toward improving the diagnostic rate. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2012;120:319-25.

Introduction The role of conventionally fractionated radiation therapy in the management of unresectable pancreatic cancer is controversial. One concern about concurrent chemoradiation relates to the timing of chemotherapy. In contrast to conventional radiation therapy, SBRT delivers high doses in a shorter duration resulting in minimal disruption in chemotherapy. Here we report our results of patients treated with SBRT and chemotherapy for inoperable pancreatic cancer. Methods Thirty-eight consecutive patients treated with SBRT and chemotherapy for locally advanced, borderline resectable, and medically inoperable at our institution from January 2008 to December 2012 were included in this retrospective analysis. Treatment was delivered in 5 fractions of 5 or 6 Gy per fraction over five days. Median time from diagnosis to SBRT was 1.9 months. Toxicities were scored using the CTCAE v.3. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results The median age was 70 years (range 45 – 90). ECOG performance status ranged from 0 – 3. Thirty-four patients received concurrent chemotherapy. Four other patients received sequential chemotherapy. Median OS was 14.3 months and median PFS was 9.2 months from diagnosis. From radiation, OS and PFS were 12.3 months and 6.8 months, respectively. The overall local control rate was 79%. Acute toxicity was minimal. Severe late SBRT-related toxicities included one grade 3 gastric outlet obstruction, one grade 4 biliary stricture and a grade 5 gastric hemorrhage. Conclusions SBRT combined with chemotherapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer is convenient, feasible and generally well tolerated. The outcomes of SBRT combined with chemotherapy compare favorably to the results of treatment with chemotherapy and conventional radiation therapy.

The primary extranodal B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is a distinct clinical pathologic entity that develops in diverse anatomic locations such as the stomach, salivary gland, thyroid, lung, and breast; however, colorectal involvement is rare. To the best of our knowledge, only 30 cases of primary rectal MALT lymphoma have been published in the English language literature, mostly from Japan. A single case has been reported from the US before this report. The most common symptoms ranged from asymptomatic to occult or gross gastrointestinal bleeding. Simultaneous involvement of the cecum or colon was seen in 20% of the patients. Ninety percent of the patients were classified as low grade, Stage 1 at the time of diagnosis. Polypoid lesions were 10-fold more common than ulcerative lesions. Seven patients were reported to have H pylori in the stomach. The majority of the patients underwent surgical or endoscopic resection as a cure; however, controversy exists with regards to antibiotic treatment or observation alone because of unknown etiopathogenesis. Infection with microorganisms other than H pylori has been postulated in the development of rectal MALT lymphoma; however, this hypothesis remains unproven. The overall prognosis of rectal MALT lymphoma appears favorable; however, long-term follow-up data is lacking. Therefore, periodic clinical monitoring should be done in these patients.