Adverse Effects Of Radiotherapy Research Articles

Potential influence of prenatal 2.45 GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure on Wistar albino rat testis.

An ever-increasing use of wireless devices over the last decades has forced scientists to clarify their impact on living systems. Since prenatal development is highly sensitive to numerous noxious agents, including radiation, we focused on the assessment of potential adverse effects of microwave radiation (MR) on testicular development. Pregnant Wistar albino rats (3 months old, weighing 282±8 g) were exposed to pulsed MR at a frequency of 2.45 GHz, mean power density of 2.8 mW/cm², and a specific absorption rate of 1.82 W/kg for 2 hours/day throughout pregnancy. Male offspring were no longer exposed to MR following birth. Samples of biological material were collected after reaching adulthood (75 days). In utero MR exposure caused degenerative changes in the testicular parenchyma of adult rats. The shape of the seminiferous tubules was irregular, germ cells were degenerated and often desquamated. The diameters of the seminiferous tubules and the height of the germinal epithelium were significantly decreased (both at ∗∗p<0.01), while the interstitial space was significantly increased (∗∗p<0.01) when compared to the controls. In the group of rats prenatally exposed to MR, the somatic and germ cells were rich in vacuoles and their organelles were often altered. Necrotizing cells were more frequent and empty spaces between Sertoli cells and germ cells were observed. The Leydig cells contained more lipid droplets. An increased Fluoro Jade - C and superoxide dismutase 2 positivity was detected in the rats exposed to MR. Our results confirmed adverse effects of MR on testicular development.

Navigated Lateral Osteotomy for Adult Spinal Deformity: A Technical Note

Minimally invasive surgery is receiving considerable attention as a technique for reducing the complications of adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. For this technique, a new lateral osteotomy plays an important role to release fused vertebrae. We describe herein a novel navigated lateral osteotomy technique not requiring C-arm fluoroscopy to correct adult spinal deformities. A 68-year-old woman with symptomatic ASD and a 4-year history of severe low back pain affecting daily life was referred to our hospital. Surgery was performed without C-arm fluoroscopy. A navigated osteotome was used to release the fused L1/2 mass. The patient was successfully treated with surgery, and low back pain was well controlled. In terms of clinical outcomes, Oswestry Disability Index improved from 64%-19% and Visual Analog Scale score for low back pain improved from 74 mm-19 mm on final follow-up at 2 years. This novel navigated lateral osteotomy for ASD is a useful technique that enables minimally invasive surgery for fixed deformity. With this new technique, surgeons and operating room staff can avoid adverse effects of intraoperative radiation.

Cáncer y riesgo cardiovascular

Cancer survivors have lower long-term survival, in part due to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD). Up to 30% of the deaths of patients with cancer may be due to cardiovascular causes. Cancer can cause atherosclerosis by different mechanisms, the most frequent being the sequelae of antitumour drugs, radiotherapy, and haematopoietic cell transplantation. Cardiovascular risk factors are prevalent in cancer survivors. These patients should be considered at high cardiovascular risk. It is advisable to recommend healthy lifestyle habits and strict control of risk factors. There is an immediate need to expand the availability of cardiovascular preventive services to reduce the late adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Early intervention could help improve cardiovascular risk profile

Effects of Low-Intensity Microwave Radiation on Oxidant-Antioxidant Parameters and DNA Damage in the Liver of Rats.

The continuously increasing usage of cell phones has raised concerns about the adverse effects of microwave radiation (MWR) emitted by cell phones on health. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have claimed that MWR may cause various kinds of damage in tissues. The aim of this study is to examine the possible effects of exposure to low-intensity MWR on DNA and oxidative damage in the livers of rats. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into three equal groups randomly (n = 6). Group 1 (Sham-control): rats were kept under conditions the same as those of other groups, except for MWR exposure. Group 2: rats exposed to 1800 MHz (SAR: 0.62 W/kg) at 0.127 ± 0.04 mW/cm2 power density, and Group 3: rats exposed to 2,100 MHz (SAR: 0.2 W/kg) at 0.038 ± 0.03 mW/cm2 power density. Microwave application groups were exposed to MWR 2 h/day for 7 months. At the end of the exposure period, the rats were sacrificed and DNA damage, malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and total oxidant-antioxidant parameter analyses were conducted in their liver tissue samples. It was found that 1800 and 2100 MHz low-intensity MWR caused a significant increase in MDA, 8-OHdG, total oxidant status, oxidative stress index, and comet assay tail intensity (P < 0.05), while total antioxidant status levels (P < 0.05) decreased. The results of our study showed that whole-body exposure to 1800 and 2100 MHz low-intensity MWR emitted by cell phones can induce oxidative stress by altering oxidant-antioxidant parameters and lead to DNA strand breaks and oxidative DNA damage in the liver of rats. Bioelectromagnetics. 2021;42:76-85. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society.

Magnetic Resonance and CT Imaging Biomarkers for Prediction of Acute and Chronic Radiation-Induced Xerostomia

Xerostomia is a common adverse effect of radiation therapy at the head and neck area. Radiation-induced xerostomia can be severe and detrimental for the quality of life. Clinicians and radiologists have focused on the prevention of xerostomia as feasible, which has been significantly improved in the recent decades with the use of the contemporary radiation technology. However, radiation-induced xerostomia still remains one of the most devastating side effects of radiation therapy. Clinical risk factors have been identified, but the variation of its incidence and presentation has turned the focus on the investigation of parameters that would be able to predict the onset of acute or chronic xerostomia for each individual patient. Recently, potential imaging parameters and biomarkers are investigated in order for early prediction of the incidence and severity of xerostomia. Here, we compile the resulting imaging biomarkers as have been identified in the recent literature based on MRI and CT performed in correlation with radiation therapy. The identification of such biomarkers is very promising for the prevention and control of xerostomia in the head and neck radiation setting.

Exposure to natural ultraviolet B radiation levels has adverse effects on growth, behavior, physiology, and innate immune response in juvenile European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Solar ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) has been underestimated as a stressor in fish species that grow in confined cages, especially in species cultured in oligotrophic waters that receive high levels of UVB. In this context, the present study aims to assess UVB radiation's adverse effects on European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), which is a cultured species in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. Seabass juveniles were exposed for six weeks to four experimental conditions that simulated natural underwater conditions: (1) high dose - UVB-H, 11.86 kJ m−2 d−1; (2) moderate dose - UVB-M, 6.28 kJ m−2 d−1; (3) low dose - UVB-L, 2.55 kJ m−2 d−1; and (4) no UVB exposure as the control. Specimens were collected after 3, 15 (short-term), and 43 (long-term) days and effects of exposure on growth, behavior, physiology, and immune system were investigated. Overall, data showed that short- and long-term exposure to UVB resulted in detrimental effects in European seabass, and some of these effects were cumulative and dose-dependent. High mortality (around 50%) was observed in the seabass juveniles after 3 days of exposure to the highest daily dose (UVB-H). No significant mortality was observed in UVB-M, UVB-L, or control throughout the experiment. Reduction in growth and changes in animal body condition indices were evident in UVB-M exposed fish after 15 and 43 days of exposure. The swimming activity was reduced in the UVB-M treatment, and most of the fish from this treatment tried to avoid the exposure while showing a stationary behavior with slow caudal and dorsal fins movements. A lack of appetite was observed during the experiment, and the reduced total protein, glucose, lactate, and total cholesterol plasmatic levels in UVB exposed fish reflected physiological impairment. Furthermore, several changes in the humoral parameters suggest that an immune system modulation can occur in seabass exposed to the three UVB treatments (UVB-L, UVB-M, UVB-H), and during the different exposure periods (3, 15, and 43 days). Overall, our data provide evidence that, in the case of confinement in cages, European seabass juveniles are sensitive to UVB exposure, especially in oligotrophic waters with high UV radiation incidence such as the Red Sea. Hence, seabass' growth, resistance to pathogens, and survival may be affected by UVB exposure. Further research is recommended to understand how fish growth and survival may be affected by future increases in underwater UVB and when combined with other environmental stressors.

The research progress and prospect of mammalian reproduction and embryonic development under space conditions

With the rapid development of human space explorations, whether human embryos can develop normally and reproduce beyond the planet of Earth has become a topic of concern for the scientific community and the general public. The long-term exposure to the space environmental factors poses potential hazards to embryonic development and reproductive health of mammals, and they are linked to the adverse effects of microgravity and cosmic radiation. In this review, we summarized the progress in the studies of the reproduction and development of mammals performed in spacecrafts, and with ground-based simulated microgravity and radiation by us and other groups. In particular, we discussed the study of the development of mouse preimplantation embryos under space conditions using the SJ-10 recoverable satellite which was recently published in National Science Review . The potential future studies of mammalian reproductive function and embryonic development in the space environment have also been briefly discussed and proposed. In summary, to accomplish human breeding in the outer space when other planets are colonized, further systematic evaluation of the effects of microgravity, cosmic radiation or other cosmic factors on reproductive and ontogenetic processes is required, while the protective methodology for reducing the reproductive hazards during spaceflight is also needed.

Evaluation of Hematologic Toxicity of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) to Spinal Metastases

Many patients with malignancy develop symptomatic spinal metastases, and radiation therapy is an effective modality for local control and palliation. Bone marrow suppression is a known adverse effect of systemic radiation. However, the effect of focal radiation to spinal metastases on patients’ hematological cell counts, particularly in the setting concurrent myelosuppressive systemic therapy, remains unclear. We aim to clarify the association of stereotactic radiation therapy (SBRT) to spinal metastases and hematological toxicity. A single-institution retrospective analysis of the electronic medical record was performed on patients who were treated with SBRT to solid tumor spinal metastasis between 2011 and 2018. Data was collected on patient demographic, disease, and treatment characteristics. Paired t-test was used to assess change in hematologic lab values at 6 weeks pre and post radiation (p<0.05). Linear regression was used to quantify the magnitude of the association between the change in hematological values and the clinical and treatment covariates. Fifty-three consecutive patient treated with SBRT had complete clinical and radiation treatment data. The median age at the time of SBRT was 62 years (range: 33-79). Histologies included breast cancer (n = 19), renal cell carcinoma (n = 9), melanoma (n = 6), and non-small cell lung cancer (n = 5). Treatment doses were 16-20 Gy in 1 fraction (n = 20), 24-27 Gy in 3 fractions (n = 11), and 30-35 Gy in 5 fractions (n = 15), which corresponded to a median BED10 of 48 Gy (range: 33.6-60). Radiation was delivered to median PTV of 50.4 cc (7.6-1097.8) and 12 patients received myelosuppressive systemic therapy at the time of SBRT. In this cohort, there was a statically significant decrease in the average hemoglobin, white blood cell count, and platelet count of 0.46 g/dL (12.3 -> 11.8, p = 0.016), 0.83 cells/nanoliter (7.1 -> 6.2, p = 0.050), and 38.6 cells/nanoliter (251.0 -> 212.3, p<0.001) before and after RT respectively. No patient experienced clinically significant bleeding, developed a new infection, or was administered a transfusion or a hematologic growth factor during the studied intervals. Neither age, concurrent chemotherapy, PTV size, nor BED10 appeared to be confounders or predictors of these hematologic markers. SBRT is associated with a mild statistically significant reduction in patients’ average hemoglobin, white blood cell count, and platelet count within 6 weeks after treatment. However, it did not result in any clinically significant adverse hematologic event, even in the setting of concurrent myelosuppressive chemotherapy. Further studies are needed to assess the volume of bony disease that can be treated without significant hematologic toxicity.

Logistic Regression Analysis Of Factors Related To Preoperative Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Resistance In Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

Preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), as an important part of the comprehensive treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), has been widely applied in clinic practice with an effective rate of approximately 40-80%. However, there are still many patients cannot benefit from this treatment. If these patients receive preoperative CCRT, not only cannot improve the efficacy, but also may affect the prognosis due to the adverse effects of radiation and the postponement of operation time. The aim of this study is to investigate the influencing factors of preoperative CCRT resistance in LARC patients. A total of 79 patients were included in this prospective study. Fifteen factors that might affect the resistance to CCRT were included in this logistic regression analysis, these factors include the general clinical data of patients, the expression status of tumor stem cell marker CD44v6 and the volumetric imaging parameters of primary tumor lesions. The resistance status to preoperative CCRT was positively correlated with the real tumor volume (RTV), the total surface area of tumor (TSA), and CD44v6 expression, whereas negatively correlated with the tumor compactness (TC). According to the results of logistic regression analysis, we established two regression models for predicting the resistance and drew two nomograms for clinicians to predict the probability of preoperative CCRT resistance. The Area Under Curve (AUC) of the two models and those significant measurement data (RTV, TC, TSA) were 0.900, 0.858, 0.771, 0.754, 0.859, the sensitivity were 95.8%, 79.17%, 62.50%, 95.83%, 62.5%, the specificity were 70.9%, 74.55%, 83.64%,47.27%, 96.36%, the positive predictive values were 58.96%, 57.58%, 62.51%,44.23%, 88.23%, the negative predictive values were 97.48%, 89.13%, 83.64%, 96.29%, and 85.48%, respectively. The logistic regression models and nomograms we obtained are methods for prediction of patients' suitability for preoperative CCRT. The application of this method would reduce the risk probability of those patients, who are not sensitive to CCRT, from suffering the radiation complications as well as longer waiting periods for surgery and would also provide evidence for individualized treatment options for LARC patients.

Therapeutic effect of decellularized extracellular matrix-based hydrogel for radiation esophagitis by 3D printed esophageal stent

Radiation esophagitis, the most common acute adverse effect of radiation therapy, leads to unwanted consequences including discomfort, pain, an even death. However, no direct cure exists for patients suffering from this condition, with the harmful effect of ingestion and acid reflux on the damaged esophageal mucosa remaining an unresolved problem. Through the delivery of the hydrogel with stent platform, we aimed to evaluate the regenerative capacity of a tissue-specific decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) hydrogel on damaged tissues. For this, an esophagus-derived dECM (EdECM) was developed and shown to have superior biofunctionality and rheological properties, as well as physical stability, potentially providing a better microenvironment for tissue development. An EdECM hydrogel-loaded stent was sequentially fabricated using a rotating rod combined 3D printing system that showed structural stability and protected a loaded hydrogel during delivery. Finally, following stent implantation, the therapeutic effect of EdECM was examined in a radiation esophagitis rat model. Our findings demonstrate that EdECM hydrogel delivery via a stent platform can rapidly resolve an inflammatory response, thus promoting a pro-regenerative microenvironment. The results suggest a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of radiation esophagitis.

Optimasi Asam Glikolat dan Asam Sitrat dalam Krim Tabir Surya Kombinasi Titanium Dioksida, Avobenzone dan Octyl Methoxycinnamate

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the main cause of sunburn and skin cancer. The adverse effects of UV radiation are solved by sunscreen as protection for longer outdoors. In this study, optimization of glycolic acid and citric acid in sunscreen cream combination of titanium dioxide, avobenzone, and octyl methoxycinnamate were investigated using simplex lattice design method. The sunscreen cream evaluation includes physicochemical testing (organoleptic, homogeneity, emulsion type, spreadability, viscosity, and pH) and sunscreen effectiveness (SPF, % erythema transmission, and % pigmentation transmission). The value of physicochemical testing are 5,96 cm - 6,3 cm of spreadability testing; 83,33 dPa.s – 108,33 dPa.s of viscosity testing; 4,06 – 4,67 of pH testing. The value of sunscreen effectiveness are 9,79 – 13,35 of SPF testing; 4,55x10-06 - 0,15x10-06% of % erythema transmission; 5,77 – 7,16 % of % pigmentation transmission. The optimum formula was obtained by combining glycolic acid 2% and citric acid 0% with a desirability value of 0,649.

Sex-Specific Cognitive Deficits Following Space Radiation Exposure.

The radiation fields in space define tangible risks to the health of astronauts, and significant work in rodent models has clearly shown a variety of exposure paradigms to compromise central nervous system (CNS) functionality. Despite our current knowledge, sex differences regarding the risks of space radiation exposure on cognitive function remain poorly understood, which is potentially problematic given that 30% of astronauts are women. While work from us and others have demonstrated pronounced cognitive decrements in male mice exposed to charged particle irradiation, here we show that female mice exhibit significant resistance to adverse neurocognitive effects of space radiation. The present findings indicate that male mice exposed to low doses (≤30 cGy) of energetic (400 MeV/n) helium ions (4He) show significantly higher levels of neuroinflammation and more extensive cognitive deficits than females. Twelve weeks following 4He ion exposure, irradiated male mice demonstrated significant deficits in object and place recognition memory accompanied by activation of microglia, marked upregulation of hippocampal Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and increased expression of the pro-inflammatory marker high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1). Additionally, we determined that exposure to 4He ions caused a significant decline in the number of dendritic branch points and total dendritic length along with the hippocampus neurons in female mice. Interestingly, only male mice showed a significant decline of dendritic spine density following irradiation. These data indicate that fundamental differences in inflammatory cascades between male and female mice may drive divergent CNS radiation responses that differentially impact the structural plasticity of neurons and neurocognitive outcomes following cosmic radiation exposure.

Moxibustion Enhances Chemotherapy of Breast Cancer by Affecting Tumor Microenvironment.

IntroductionChemotherapeutic drugs often cause obvious toxicity and side effects. Moxibustion can improve the immunity of cancer patients, enhance cellular immunity, and reduce the toxicity and adverse effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In this study, the efficacy of moxibustion combined with paclitaxel on breast cancer was evaluated.MethodsA breast cancer mouse model was established. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to analyze tumor necrosis in mouse tumors. Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and qPCR were used to detect the expression of CD34, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA), programmed death-1 (PD-1), and programmed death-1 ligand (PD-L1) in tumor tissues.ResultsMoxibustion combined with paclitaxel significantly inhibited weight loss in breast cancer-burdened mice and increased the survival rate. Moxibustion combined with paclitaxel increased the number of white blood cells, thymus index, and spleen index, and enhanced immune function by upregulating interferon-gamma and interleukin-2 and downregulating interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β1. Notably, moxibustion combined with paclitaxel inhibited the angiogenesis of tumors through the downregulation of CD34, HIF-1α, and VEGFA, and overcame the immunosuppressive microenvironment by inhibiting the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway.ConclusionMoxibustion improves the body’s immune function and enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy by overcoming the immunosuppressive microenvironment.

Individuals with back and neck pain on medical forums: What do they mention? What do they fear?

The use of online medical forums is on the rise globally. Data scraping is a method of extracting website content using an automated computer program. We scraped users' questions regarding back and neck pain (BNP) from popular Israeli online medical forums. We aimed to identify the sort of questions being asked about BNP, and to analyse explicit themes that characterize their questions. Six leading Israeli BNP forums were identified. In phase 1, Python scripts scraped 12,418 questions into a data set. In phase 2 - five themes were identified: Surgery (n=2,957); health care professions (n=2,361); Sports (n=2,304); drugs (n=1,419) and interpretation of imaging (n=845). Phase 3 - included the categorization of explicit fear-related words by the authors. Phase 4 - analysis of explicit fear-related themes yielded 402 questions. Gender was identified for 394 users, and age was identified for 181 users. A total of 248 users (61.6%) were women and 146 men (36.3%). Mean age 36.3±16.15 for women and 35.5±16.1 for men. The most commonly expressed fears were related to: invasive procedures, 30.9% (131 questions); fear of serious condition or misdiagnosis, 17.0% (72 questions); General concerns, 13.7% (58 questions); fear of worsening or relapse, 12.3% (52 questions); adverse effects of oral drugs or radiation, 10.8% (46 questions) and concerns related to lifestyle, 9.7% (41 questions). Web scraping is a feasible strategy with which to explore medical forums and the above-mentioned themes, all of which are of potential clinical significance. Using automated algorithms, a total of 12,369 questions from online back and neck medical forums were scraped and analysed. Secondary analysis categorized fear-related themes that were mentioned by users. Identifying and addressing patients' fear has potential to improve communication and therapeutic outcome. For example, questions regarding surgery were typically asked after the option was mentioned by a physician. This insight should encourage physicians to devote extra time explaining the possible implications of surgery, should they consider it as an option.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Radiation Protection among Dental Students

Radiology is one the key cornerstone of investigation in Dentistry. The application of radiology in Dental practice has grown by leaps and bounds in the years gone by. Along with this there is an increase in the number of radiation hazards. The effect of radiation on human beings is very negative. This survey was conducted with the intent of studying the awareness and knowledge of radiation protection in practice. The survey consisted of 10 closed ended questions which were circulated among 100 interns of a dental college. The data collected was entered into microsoft excel and the data was analysed for an association between the gender and the responses using Chi-square analysis. The majority of the participants were females and they believed that radiation causes harm to humans and surprisingly they had also believed that ionised radiation remains suspended in the air after making a radiographic exposure where there was no statistically significant difference between the genders(p&gt;0.05). The questions also assessed whether a clinical examination is advised before a radiographic examination and the majority were of the view it is necessary which was statistically significant(p&lt;0.05). From this study we could infer that students are well aware of the adverse effects of radiation but in terms of safety practices being followed in Dental clinics, there are some pitfalls noticeable.

Abstract LB-071: Cross talk between T lymphocytes and macrophages promotes progression of radiation induced lung fibrosis

Abstract Background: Fractionated radiotherapy (RT) is integral part of standard treatment for locally advanced lung cancer. However radiation-induced lung disease limits the application of curative radiation doses and therapy intensification efforts of concurrent chemoradiotherapy, leading to fatal outcomes by local recurrence or metastatic disease even when accepting side effects that decrease the quality of life. So far, no predictive biomarkers exist and no mechanism-based therapies are in clinical use that prevent or treat dose-limiting pneumonitis and lung fibrosis. Own previous work revealed a pathogenic role of the immunomodulatory CD73/adenosine system and of macrophages in radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis1,2. Moreover, clinical observations associated CD4+ T lymphocytes with adverse effects of RT in the skin and the lung of cancer patients3,4. However, the contribution of RT-induced immune changes to RT-induced lung disease require further definition. Here, we studied the functional role of lymphocytes in radiation-induced lung fibrosis, with a focus on CD4+ T cells. Methods: C57BL/6 wildtype (WT) and RAG-2 knockout (RAG-2-/-) mice received a single dose of whole thorax irradiation with 0 Gy (sham controls) or 15 Gy without or with additional adoptive transfer of CD4+ T cells. We characterized time-dependent immuno-modulation and pathogenesis of lung tissue in flow cytometry, histological and immunohistochemical as well as RNA analyses in comparison to our earlier analyses in or CD73 knockout (CD73-/-) mice. Results: CD4+ T lymphocytes, particulary Treg, accumulated in irradiated lungs of WT mice during the chronic fibrotic phase. While deficiency of B and T cells in RAG2-/- mice led to an earlier onset of fibrosis compared to WT mice, adoptive transfer of CD4+ T cells into RAG2-/- mice led to further aggravation of pulmonary fibrosis. Analysis of immune cell subtypes in adoptively transferred RAG2-/- mice revealed that CD4+ T cells were enhanced, and this was associated with a phenotypic switch in the macrophage population towards M2-like phenotypes that was not observed in CD73-/- mice. Conclusions: We conclude that a reciprocal crosstalk between CD4+ T lymphocytes and macrophages in the irradiated lung environment promotes disease progression, amongst others by regulating macrophage polarization in a microenvironment-dependent manner. 1) Wirsdörfer et al., Cancer Res 2016;76:3045-56. 2) de Leve S et al., FASEB J 2017, 31;2869-2880; Veldwijk MR et al. Clin Cancer Res., 2019, 25:562-572; Nakayama Y et al., Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1996, 34:459-467. This work was supported by grants of the University Hospital Essen (IFORES) to FW and the DFG (JE275/4-1; GRK1739/2) to VJ. Citation Format: Florian Wirsdörfer, Lena Gockeln, Simone de Leve, Martin Stuschke, Verena Jendrossek. Cross talk between T lymphocytes and macrophages promotes progression of radiation induced lung fibrosis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-071.

Numerical Study of a Phase Change Material Integrated Solar Thermoelectric Generator

The numerical modelling of a phase change material (PCM) attached to a hybrid three-dimensional truncated compound parabolic concentrator and thermoelectric module is performed under transient and non-uniform variation in solar radiation. To demonstrate the higher performance of the system, the performance parameters of a stand-alone system (without PCM), SAS, and incorporated system (with PCM), IS, are modelled and studied using the ANSYS 2020 R1 software and MATLAB R2020a Simulink software. The PCM is placed at the hot junction of the solar thermoelectric generator (STEG) in order to act as a re-concentrating lens via the phase-change lensing effect and to decrease the adverse effect of transient and non-uniform solar radiation on the STEG. The results demonstrate an increase in the light transmissivity and refractive index of the PCM after melting and the efficacy of the PCM in shielding the STEG under extremely concentrated solar radiation intensities. The optimum heat input required to maximise the STEG efficiency and power output while minimising the challenge of excess heat dissipation in STEG systems is obtained and discussed. Finally, the results obtained show that the maximum temperature gradient, power output and efficiency from the stand-alone were higher than those from the incorporated system. The results obtained from this study will provide useful information in the design of STEGs under fluctuating meteorological conditions coupled with solar concentrators, which generate varying solar radiation.

Outcomes of Urinary Diversion for Late Adverse Effects of Gynecologic Radiotherapy

To describe the risks of urinary diversion performed to address adverse effects of gynecologic radiation, with the hypothesis that high grade complications would be more common in sarcopenic women and in those undergoing continent diversion (vs noncontinent) or concomitant cystectomy (vs bladder-sparing diversion). A retrospective review was performed of patient records of women who underwent urinary diversion for urinary adverse effects of gynecologic radiotherapy during the period of 2008-2018 from 3 tertiary centers. Skeletal muscle index was calculated to assess for sarcopenia based on preoperative computed tomography scans. Outcomes include high-grade postoperative complications within 90 days of surgery, 30-day readmission rate, and long-term (>90 days) outcomes. Among 34 women who met the inclusion criteria, the majority were white/Caucasian (73.5%). Twenty-six of 34 (76.5%) underwent noncontinent diversion. Seventy nine percent (27/34) (79.4%) of women experienced complications within 90 days; 9 of 34 (26.5%) experienced high-grade (Clavien grade ≥3) complications. Thirty-two percent (11/34) were readmitted within 30 days. Rates of high-grade complications were not significantly impacted by diversion type (P=.49), concurrent cystectomy (P=.70), or sarcopenia (P=1.0). Urinary diversion for late adverse effects of gynecologic radiotherapy is associated with high peri-operative risk, even in skilled hands. In this series, neither sarcopenia, nor continent diversion, nor cystectomy were associated with increased complications. Patients and surgeons should consider risks and benefits when deciding to proceed with urinary diversion, however further study is needed to elucidate significant preoperative markers which may predispose patients to significant complications.

Understanding American Indian Perceptions Toward Radiation Therapy.

Many American Indian (AI) and Alaska native (AN) patients do not complete guideline-concordant cancer care for the 4 most common cancers. Our aim was to better understand AI/AN attitudes toward radiation therapy (RT). Patients eligible for this survey study were AI/AN patients with cancer at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center who either received previous RT or were recommended to receive RT. An 18-item questionnaire was administered to each of the 50 participants from October 1, 2018, through February 15, 2019. Willingness to travel for RT was compared to respondent characteristics, concerns regarding RT, and obstacles to obtain RT. Duration of RT was important to 78% of patients: 24% would consider traveling 25 miles or more for a standard course, and 48% would travel that distance for a shorter course (P < .001). The top-ranked barriers to RT were transportation, cost of treatment, and insurance compatibility. The top-ranked concerns about RT were adverse effects, cost of treatment, and fear of RT. Concerns about adverse effects were associated with the radiation team’s inability to explain the treatment (P = .05). Transportation concerns were significantly associated with accessibility (P = .02), communication with the RT team (P = .02), and fear of RT (P = .04). AI/AN patients are concerned about the adverse effects of RT and the logistics of treatment, particularly costs, transportation, and insurance compatibility. Use of culturally specific education and hypofractionation regimens may increase acceptance of RT for AI/AN patients with cancer, and this hypothesis will be tested in a future educational intervention-based study.

Jak zvládnout nežádoucí účinky radioterapie

Přehledový clanek obsahuje princip vzniku nežadoucich ucinků při radioterapii a doporuceni pro jejich prevenci a zakladni lecbu.