Interstitial brachytherapy as a boost to patients with anal carcinoma and poor response to chemoradiation: Single-institution long-term results

Brachytherapy boost after chemoradiation in anal cancer: a systematic review

“…Table 1 shows a summary of studies included in this systematic review. Eight studies were single center studies [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 21 , 22 , 23 ] and 2 were multicentric studies [ 19 , 20 ].…”

“…Enrollment period of the studies were between 1970 and 2014. Study population and length of follow-up ranged from 47 to 221 patients and from 28.5 to 76.2 months, respectively [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Histological types other than SCC classification according to the fourth edition of the World Health Organization [ 24 ] were included in 6 studies (range, 4.5-21.3%) [ 15 , 18 , 19 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”

“…There was heterogeneity in the EBRT technique, dose, and fractionation, and in the concurrent CT schedules. In the earliest studies, EBRT was delivered by two-dimensional (2D) technique [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ], while in the most recent series, 3D-conformal EBRT or intensity-modulated radiation therapy techniques were used [ 18 , 21 ]. The most frequent delivered dose was 45 Gy in 25 fractions [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 23 ].…”

“…The most frequent delivered dose was 45 Gy in 25 fractions [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 23 ]. The target volume was defined as anal region and pelvic nodes in all studies [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ], while inguinal nodes were included in 8 series [ 15 , 16 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. CT was used either as neoadjuvant in 3 studies [ 17 , 20 , 21 ] or concomitant treatment in all studies [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”

“…The target volume was defined as anal region and pelvic nodes in all studies [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ], while inguinal nodes were included in 8 series [ 15 , 16 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. CT was used either as neoadjuvant in 3 studies [ 17 , 20 , 21 ] or concomitant treatment in all studies [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. The concomitant CT schedules were heterogeneous with 1 course [ 14 , 16 , 17 , 19 ], 2 courses [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 23 ], or weekly schedules [ 18 , 21 ] administered in the different studies.…”