Experience Of Radiotherapy Research Articles

Impacts of Intrafraction Virtual Reality-Based Environment Modification on Procedural Anxiety, Heart Rate, and Overall Radiation Therapy Experience During External Beam Radiation Therapy

Impacts of Intrafraction Virtual Reality-Based Environment Modification on Procedural Anxiety, Heart Rate, and Overall Radiation Therapy Experience During External Beam Radiation Therapy

Intrafractional motion and dosimetric analysis in prostate stereotactic body radiation therapy with auto beam hold technique

Objective: To summarize our institutional prostate stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) experience using auto beam hold (ABH) technique for intrafractional prostate motion and assess ABH tolerance of 10-millimeter (mm) diameter. Approach: Thirty-two patients (160 fractions) treated using ABH technique between 01/2018 and 03/2021 were analyzed. During treatment, kV images were acquired every 20-degree gantry rotation to visualize 3–4 gold fiducials within prostate to track target motion. If the fiducial center fell outside the tolerance circle (diameter = 10 mm), beam was automatically turned off for reimaging and repositioning. Number of beam holds and couch translational movement magnitudes were recorded. Dosimetric differences from intrafractional motion were calculated by shifting planned isocenter. Main Results: Couch movement magnitude (mean ± SD) in vertical, longitudinal and lateral directions were −0.7 ± 2.5, 1.4 ± 2.9 and −0.1 ± 0.9 mm, respectively. For most fractions (77.5%), no correction was necessary. Number of fractions requiring one, two, or three corrections were 15.6%, 5.6% and 1.3%, respectively. Of the 49 corrections, couch shifts greater than 3 mm were seen primarily in the vertical (31%) and longitudinal (39%) directions; corresponding couch shifts greater than 5 mm occurred in 2% and 6% of cases. Dosimetrically, 100% coverage decreased less than 2% for clinical target volume (CTV) (−1 ± 2%) and less than 10% for PTV (−10 ± 6%). Dose to bladder, bowel and urethra tended to increase (Bladder: ΔD10%:184 ± 466 cGy, ΔD40%:139 ± 241 cGy, Bowel: ΔD1 cm3:54 ± 129 cGy; ΔD5 cm3:44 ± 116 cGy, Urethra: ΔD0.03 cm3:1 ± 1%). Doses to the rectum tended to decrease (Rectum: ΔD1 cm3:−206 ± 564 cGy, ΔD10%:−97 ± 426 cGy; ΔD20%:−50 ± 251 cGy). Significance: With the transition from conventionally fractionated intensity modulated radiation therapy to SBRT for localized prostate cancer treatment, it is imperative to ensure that dose delivery is spatially accurate for appropriate coverage to target volumes and limiting dose to surrounding organs. Intrafractional motion monitoring can be achieved using triggered imaging to image fiducial markers and ABH to allow for reimaging and repositioning for excessive motion.

Evaluating psychological anxiety in patients receiving radiation therapy using smartwatch.

Patients undergoing radiation therapy (RT) often experience psychological anxiety that manifests as muscle contraction. Our study explored psychological anxiety in these patients by using biological signals recorded using a smartwatch. Informed consent was obtained from participating patients prior to the initiation of RT. The patients wore a smartwatch from the waiting room until the conclusion of the treatment. The smartwatch acquired data related to heart rate features (average, minimum, and maximum) and stress score features (average, minimum, and maximum). On the first day of treatment, we analyzed the participants' heart rates and stress scores before and during the treatment. The acquired data were categorized according to sex and age. For patients with more than three days of data, we observed trends in heart rate during treatment relative to heart rate before treatment (HRtb) over the course of treatment. Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and paired t-test. Twenty-nine individuals participated in the study, of which 17 had more than 3 days of data. During treatment, all patients exhibited elevated heart rates and stress scores, particularly those in the younger groups. The HRtb levels decreased as treatment progresses. Patients undergoing RT experience notable psychological anxiety, which tends to diminish as the treatment progresses. Early stage interventions are crucial to alleviate patient anxiety during RT.

Salvage High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Prostate Cancer after Radiation Failure: A Narrative Review.

For patients diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, there are multiple treatment options available. The traditional treatment modalities include radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy. Nevertheless, focal therapy, including high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and cryotherapy, has emerged as a less-invasive method in this setting. Some patients undergoing primary radiation therapy experience recurrence, but there is currently no consensus on the optimal approach for salvage treatment in such cases. The lack of robust data and randomized controlled trials comparing different whole-gland and focal salvage therapies presents a challenge in determining the ideal treatment strategy. This narrative review examines the prospective and retrospective data available on salvage HIFU following radiation therapy. Based on the literature, salvage HIFU for radio-recurrent prostate cancer has promising oncological outcomes, with an overall 5-year survival rate of around 85%, as well as incontinence rates of about 30% based on the patient's risk group, follow-up times, definitions used, and other aspects of the study. Salvage HIFU for prostate cancer proves to be an effective treatment modality for select patients with biochemical recurrence following radiotherapy.

The dose-response relationship between cumulative alkylating agent exposure and sperm concentration in adult survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the St. Jude Lifetime (SJLIFE) cohort study.

10066 Background: Male survivors of childhood cancer treated with alkylating agents (AA) are at risk for azoospermia; however, the long-term dose-response relationship is unknown. Methods: Of the 685 male SJLIFE participants treated with AA but no radiation therapy, 387 (56.5%) provided an evaluable semen sample (mean age at diagnosis: 8.3 years, mean age at evaluation: 28.6 years, and mean years from diagnosis to evaluation: 20.3 years). 73 had one or more subsequent semen analyses (median interval between semen analyses 5.4 years; interquartile range 4.2 – 6.6 years). Survivors were categorized as azoospermia, oligospermia (sperm concentration > 0 and < 15 million/ml), or normospermia (sperm concentration ≥ 15 million/ml). AA exposure was estimated using the cyclophosphamide equivalent dose (CED). Risks were estimated using the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) from multinomial logistic regression analyses. Results: Among survivors 22.5% had azoospermia, 26.6% oligospermia, and 50.9% normospermia (Table). Motility and progressive motility were not associated with increasing CED categories among normospermic or oligospermic participants. Multinomial logistic regression including CED, age at diagnosis and at follow-up demonstrated that, for each 1,000 mg/m2 increase in CED, the odds of azoospermia increased by 1.14 (95% CI 1.09, 1.20), and the odds of azoospermia and oligospermia increased by 1.22 (95% CI, 1.14, 1.30). Azoospermia and oligospermia were best distinguished from normospermia using a CED cutoff of 7,000 mg/m2 based on the Youden Index. Nearly all participants initially identified with azoospermia (24 out of 25) maintained this diagnosis upon later evaluation. Conclusions: Nearly half of adult childhood cancer survivors who received alkylating agents without radiation therapy experience impaired sperm production, either low sperm count (oligospermia) or no sperm at all (azoospermia). The association increases with increasing CED. Recovery of spermatogenesis is unlikely among those who present azoospermic. CED = 7,000 mg/m2 is the optimal cutoff for differentiating risk for oligo- or azoospermia from normospermia. [Table: see text]

Experience of stereotactic radiation therapy and radiosurgical treatment of metastatic vertebral tumors

Experience of stereotactic radiation therapy and radiosurgical treatment of metastatic vertebral tumors

1437: Initial Experience of MR-Guided Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Cardiac Targets

1437: Initial Experience of MR-Guided Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Cardiac Targets

Development of Magnetic Resonance-Compatible Head Immobilization Device and Initial Experience of Magnetic Resonance-Guided Radiation Therapy for Central Nervous System Tumors

PurposeWe aimed to develop and investigate positional reproducibility using a fixation device (Unity Brain Tumor Immobilization Device, UBID) in brain tumor patients undergoing magnetic resonance (MR)-guided radiotherapy (RT) with a 1.5 Tesla (T) MR-linear accelerator (LINAC) to evaluate its feasibility in clinical practice and report representative cases of central nervous system (CNS) tumor patients. Materials and MethodsQuantitative analysis was performed by comparing images obtained by placing only the MR phantom on the couch with those obtained by placing UBID next to the MR phantom. Twenty patients who underwent RT for CNS tumors using 1.5T MR-LINAC between June 2022 and October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, five did not use UBID, whereas 15 used UBID. The positional reproducibility of UBID was evaluated using the median interfractional and intrafractional errors in the first 10 fractions. ResultsEach MR quality factor of the MR phantom with UBID satisfied the criteria presented by Elekta. Median values of median shifts in the mediolateral, anteroposterior, and craniocaudal axes for interfractional errors were 2.98-mm, 2.35-mm, and 1.40-mm, respectively. For intrafractional errors, the median values were 0.05-mm, 0.03-mm, and 0.06-mm, respectively. The median values of the median rotations in pitch, roll, and yaw for both interfractional and intrafractional rotations were 0.00°. One patient diagnosed with an optic nerve sheath meningioma received RT with motion monitoring during irradiation. In two patients, changes in the tumor cavity and residual lesions were observed in the MR images obtained using 1.5T MR-LINAC on the day of the first treatment and immediately before the 21st fraction, respectively; therefore, offline/online adaptation was performed. ConclusionThe reproducible and immobile UBID is clinically feasible in patients with CNS tumors receiving RT with 1.5T MR-LINAC. Based on our initial experience, we developed a workflow for 1.5T MR-LINAC treatment of CNS tumors.

A Single-Institution Review of the Use of Radiation in the Adjuvant and Definitive Management of Keloids

AimsMany individuals suffer from keloids that are refractory to standard treatment modalities, including surgical excision alone. Radiation therapy can be used to reduce the risk of recurrent keloids post-operatively, as well as be used as primary treatment for keloids not amenable to surgical resection. The purpose of this study was to review our institutional experience of radiation therapy for keloid management. Materials and methodsA retrospective review of patients treated with radiation therapy for keloids between 2014 and 2020 at our institution was performed. ResultsA total of 70 keloids in 41 patients were treated. For the 55 keloids treated with post-operative radiation therapy (16Gy delivered in 2 fractions), 82.5% (33/40) of evaluable lesions did not recur. Among the 15 keloids treated with definitive radiation therapy (24Gy delivered in 3 fractions), 78.6% (11/14) of evaluable keloids showed complete flattening, and 14.3% (2/14) had partial flattening. Both acute and late toxicities were mild, with only a single instance of grade 3 toxicity (dermatitis). ConclusionOur study confirms that radiation therapy has a role in reducing the risk of keloid recurrence post-operatively, and plays an important role in the definitive management of unresectable keloids.

Multi-institutional experience of MR-guided stereotactic body radiation therapy for adrenal gland metastases

PurposeWhile dose escalation is associated with improved local control (LC) for adrenal gland metastases (AGMs), the proximity of gastrointestinal (GI) organs-at-risk (OARs) limits the dose that can be safely prescribed via CT-based stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). The advantages of magnetic resonance-guided SBRT (MRgSBRT), including tumor tracking and online plan adaptation, facilitate safe dose escalation. MethodsThis is a multi-institutional review of 57 consecutive patients who received MRgSBRT on a 0.35-T MR linac to 61 AGMs from 2019 to 2021. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and LC, and the Cox proportional hazards model was utilized for univariate analysis (UVA). ResultsMedian follow up from MRgSBRT was 16.4 months (range [R]: 1.1–39 months). Median age was 67 years (R: 28–84 years). Primary histologies included non-small cell lung cancer (N = 38), renal cell carcinoma (N = 6), and melanoma (N = 5), amongst others. The median maximum diameter was 2.7 cm (R: 0.6–7.6 cm), and most AGMs were left-sided (N = 32). The median dose was 50 Gy (R: 30–60 Gy) in 5–10 fractions with a median BED10 of 100 Gy (R: 48–132 Gy). 45 cases (74 %) required adaptation for at least 1 fraction (median: 4 fractions, R: 0–10). Left-sided AGMs required adaptation in at least 1 fraction more frequently than right-sided AGMs (88 % vs 59 %, p = 0.018). There were 3 cases of reirradiation, including 60 Gy in 10 fractions (N = 1) and 40 Gy in 5 fractions (N = 2). One-year LC, PFS, and OS were 92 %, 52 %, and 78 %, respectively. On UVA, melanoma histology predicted for inferior 1-year LC (80 % vs 93 %, p = 0.012). There were no instances of grade 3+ toxicity. ConclusionsWe demonstrate that MRgSBRT achieves favorable early LC and no grade 3 + toxicity despite prescribing a median BED10 of 100 Gy to targets near GI OARs.

Blockchain + Radiotherapy: The Scenarios of the 5G‐Enabled Smart Radiotherapy Era

AbstractIn cancer radiotherapy (RT), each step can be digitalized, from CT simulation, planning, dose verification, and image guidance to treatment delivery. Therefore, RT may be the most digitized discipline in the field of internal medicine. Then, questions arise. What potential development opportunities does the development of network transmission technologies, such as blockchain and 5G, provide to promote the progress of tumor RT? What will the future of smart RT (SART) look like? The purpose of this article is to introduce briefly the main characteristics of blockchain and 5G transmission technologies and share ideas to imagine the “tomorrow” of smart RT, hoping to provide a more accurate, safe, and comfortable RT experience for patients in the future.

Prophylactic Α-Blockers for Radiotherapy-Induced LUTS in Men with Prostate Cancer: A Phase III Randomized Trial Analysis.

Radiation therapy (RT) to the pelvis is one of the curative approaches for patients with localized prostate cancer. Most patients treated with prostate RT experience some degree of radiation-induced lower urinary tract symptoms (RI-LUTS). The present phase III randomized trial assessed the efficacy of prophylactic versus therapeutic α-blockers at improving RI-LUTS in prostate cancer patients receiving external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). A total of 148 prostate cancer patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either prophylactic Silodosin at day one of EBRT or at the time of RI-LUTS. LUTS were quantified using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) at regular intervals during the study. The primary endpoint was the change in the IPSS from baseline to the last day of radiotherapy (RT). Secondary endpoints included changes in IPSS from baseline to 4 weeks and 12 weeks after the start of RT. Patient demographics, baseline IPSS and prescribed radiation doses were balanced between arms. On the last day of RT, the mean IPSS was 14.8 (SD 7.6) in the experimental arm and 15.7 (SD 8.5) in the control arm (95% CI -4.5 to 1.8, p = .40). There were no significant differences in IPSS between the study arms in the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis at baseline, last day of RT, 4 weeks and 12 weeks post-RT. The as-treated analysis however, identified statistically significant difference at 4 weeks post-RT (95% CI -6.4 to -0.4, p = .03) in favor of prophylactic α-blockers. In an exploratory analysis, patients with prostate volumes less than or equal to 50 cc benefited at 4 weeks post-RT from prophylactic α-blocker (95% CI -8.4 to -0.3, p = .04). Prophylactic α-blocker was not effective at significantly reducing RI-LUTS in prostate cancer patients treated with EBRT. Treating patients with α-blocker at the onset of RI-LUTS will avoid unnecessary drug exposure and toxicity. There may be a benefit for prophylactic α-blocker in patients with smaller prostate. This however, needs to be further studied in a larger study.

Radiation Therapy in the Management of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Metastatic to the Parotid: A 50-Year Single Institution Experience

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) represents 20% of skin cancers of the head and neck, and metastatic spread to the parotid area lymph nodes (PALN) are found in 1-3% of cases. Herein, we present the updated results of the largest single institution experience using radiation therapy (RT) in the management of patients (pts) with PALN metastases from cSCC in North America. Our hypothesis is the addition of pts treated with modern RT would maintain acceptable efficacy with a favorable toxicity profile. With IRB approval, we retrospectively reviewed all pts diagnosed with cSCC metastatic to PALN treated at our institution with >6 months follow up. All pts were staged by the O'Brien staging system. Fifteen pts (10%) were treated preoperatively, 111 (72%) post operatively, and 28 (18%) with RT alone. Most pts were treated with three dimensional conformal RT (3DCRT) or a combination of 3DCRT and electron therapy (n = 112), while 31 pts were treated with intensity modulated RT (IMRT). There were 115 pts treated once daily fractionation and 39 pts being treated twice per day. We estimated disease control and survival, including local (parotid) control (LC), neck control (NC), local-regional control (LRC), distant metastasis free survival (DMFS), cause specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) using the cumulative incidence method. Treatment toxicities were documented per CTCAEv3. From November 1969 to December 2019, 154 pts were included. Median age at RT initiation was 66 years (range, 28-89). Fifty-two pts (33.8%) had an unknown location of a primary, while the most common identifiable locations of a primary were the temple, helix, and forehead. Forty-eight percent of pts had P2 or P3 disease with 26 of these pts being N1 or N2. Forty-six percent of pts were current or former smokers. Median follow up for this cohort was 4.9 years (range, <0.1 - 34.0) with 8 pts being lost to follow up. The overall 10-year Kaplan-Meier estimates for LC, NC, LRC, DMFS, CSS, and OS were 82%, 93%, 77%, 92%, 76%, and 31%, respectively. Eighty-one percent of treatment failures occurred within 2 years of treatment. LC was improved with IMRT (100%) compared to non-IMRT (78%) treatment (p = 0.005), with no other outcomes differing between the cohorts. There were 31 treatment complications were reported with 13 being ³ grade 3. Our results represent the 10-year outcomes for the largest reported single institution experience of RT for cSCC metastatic to PALN showing favorable clinical outcomes with an acceptable toxicity profile. There was improved LC for pts treated with IMRT compared to 3DCRT/electrons; yet these did not translate to significant changes in other clinical outcomes.

Assessing Equity of Family Members’ Roles in Supporting Pediatric Patients Receiving Proton Radiation Therapy: A Retrospective Study of Parent/Guardian Attendance at Clinic Visits

The primary burden of receiving radiation therapy falls on the patient. However, families of pediatric patients receiving radiation therapy experience interruptions in their lives and make great sacrifices so their children can receive cancer care that spans weeks to months. There is a paucity of literature on relative burden of care on female versus male caregivers in pediatric cancer care in general, and no prior reports on the relative burden for each in pediatric radiation therapy. The purpose of our study was to determine on whom the burden of bringing pediatric patients to radiation therapy appointments falls. Our hypothesis was that it disproportionately falls on female parents/guardians. With Institutional Review Board approval, the charts of patients less than 18 years old at the time of treatment at a proton center were reviewed. Ninety-four patients treated between January 1, 2021, to July 12, 2022, were identified and their family structures were categorized. Notes from one consultation per patient and a total of 493 on treatment visits were reviewed to identify which caregivers attended these visits. Attendance was analyzed to assess differences between female and male parents/guardians. Mothers lived in the homes of 88 patients, and three other parent-age female guardians living in homes of pediatric patients were identified. Fathers lived in the homes of 76 patients, and two other parent-age male guardians were identified. Seventy-three patients lived with both their mother and father, and 20 lived with other combinations of parents/guardians. No children lived in homes where parents were both male or both female. The family structure of one patient's home could not be identified. Mothers and all female parents/guardians attended 78% and 81% of all clinic visits, respectively; fathers and all male parents/guardians attended 41% and 42% of all clinic visits. However, whereas 55% of consultations were attended by both the patient's mother and father, only 21% of on treatment visits were attended by both. While a majority of patients live with both male and female parents/guardians, female parents/guardians carry a higher burden of bringing pediatric patients to receive their radiation care. Consultations are more likely to be attended by both female and male caregivers, and subsequent visits are more likely to be attended by either. This greater burden of care by female caregivers should be recognized and supported by providers and cancer care organizations.

199 Implementation and Early Experience of Breast Intraoperative Electron Beam Radiation Therapy

199 Implementation and Early Experience of Breast Intraoperative Electron Beam Radiation Therapy

Effectiveness of multimedia courses in improving self-care among patients with breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy

BackgroundNinety percent of patients receiving radiation therapy experience side effects. Busy schedules and intensive health education programs may lead to incomplete education content delivery and inaccurate patient self-care implementation. This study investigated whether multimedia health education improves the accuracy of patient self-care implementation compared with paper-based education.MethodsFrom March 11, 2020 to February 28, 2021, 110 patients were randomly divided into experimental and control groups, each comprising 55 participants. Paper-based materials were used along with multimedia materials. Radiology self-care awareness questionnaires were administered to both groups before the first treatment and on day 10. The differences in radiology self-care awareness between the two groups was analyzed with inferential statistics, independent t tests, categorical data, and Pearson’s chi-squared test. Differences between the two groups were considered significant at a p value of < 0.05.ResultsThe treatment accuracy rate improved from 10.9 to 79.1% in the control group and from 24.8 to 98.5% in the experimental group, indicating an improvement in both groups. The difference was significant. These results indicate that the intervention could improve the effectiveness of self-care.ConclusionsParticipants who used pretreatment multimedia health education exhibited a higher rate of having a correct understanding of treatment self-care than did the control group. These findings can inform the development of a patient-centered cancer treatment knowledge base for improved quality of care.

A single institution experience of multimodality radiation therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

e16614 Background: We studied a cohort of patients with localized muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who received organ preserving trimodality therapy (TMT) as definitive treatment at a single high-volume institution. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed for 231 bladder cancer patients treated with definitive radiation or chemoradiation therapy from 2006 to 2022 at a single institution. We assessed overall and disease-free survival as defined by any type of cancer recurrence. We analyzed survival outcomes based on stage, pathologic features, and patient characteristics. Results: 184 of 231 patients in this cohort received either definitive radiation therapy alone or with chemoradiation and had adequate follow-up data for analysis. The median overall survival for these 184 patients was 37mo (95%CI 28-67). Disease free survival (DFS) had a median time of 36mo (95% CI 23-69). On univariate analysis neither tumor size nor hydronephrosis showed a significant association with local recurrence. The presence of carcinoma in situ (CIS) was associated with shorter time to local recurrence (Log-Rank p = 0.039). Nine patients (4.9%) required cystectomy after initial definitive radiation therapy. When overall survival was compared between patients offered radical cystectomy who proceeded with definitive multimodal radiation therapy and radical cystectomy ineligible patients, there was a significantly longer overall survival for the cystectomy eligible patients (median 86mo (95%CI 35-206) vs median 31mo (95%CI 24-44), Log-Rank p = 0.0016). No differences were observed in cancer specific survival between cystectomy eligible and ineligible patients. Conclusions: Multimodality bladder preservation demonstrated cancer specific survival outcomes comparable to published radical cystectomy series. The presence of CIS at baseline was associated with increased local recurrence, but not CSS or OS. Eligibility for radical cystectomy was associated with longer overall survival in patients treated with TMT, highlighting the limitations of retrospective comparisons of all-cause mortality between different treatment approaches. Disease specific survival endpoints, propensity matching analyses, or randomized prospective trials are needed to draw comparative efficacy conclusions.

Patient-reported quality of life in adolescents and young adults with cancer who received radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy (RT) is a common treatment for adolescents and young adults (AYAs, 15-39 years old) with cancer; however, it may cause toxicities that affect health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL). Thus, we assessed HRQOL in AYAs before, during, and after RT. We identified 265 AYAs who completed HRQOL PROMIS® surveys before (n = 87), during (n = 84), or after (n = 94) RT. Higher PROMIS® score represents more of the concept. Mean scores were compared to the general US population and minimally important differences (MIDs) were used to evaluate the impact of cancer on HRQOL. Linear regression modeling was used to evaluate the effect of clinical and demographic factors on PROMIS scores. Median [IQR] age was 26 [20-31] years. Cancer types varied; most had sarcoma (26%) or CNS malignancy (23%). Compared to the general US population, the before RT cohort had worse anxiety (mean score 55.2 vs. 50, MID 3, p < 0.001) and the during RT cohort had worse global physical health (mean score 44.9 vs. 50, MID 5, p < 0.001). In the during RT cohort, patients with regional/distant disease had significantly worse pain (B = 15.94, p < 0.01) and fatigue (B = 14.20, p = 0.01) than patients with localized disease. In the after RT cohort, adolescents (15-18 years) and young adults (26-39 years) had worse global physical health (B = -6.87, p < 0.01, and B = -7.87, p < 0.01, respectively) and global mental health (B = -6.74, p < 0.01, and B = -5.67, p = 0.01, respectively) than emerging adults (19-25 years). AYAs with cancer receiving RT experience impairments in various domains of HRQOL. Advanced cancer stage may contribute to poorer short-term HRQOL and developmental stage may contribute to differing long-term HRQOL.

Early Experience of Online Adaptive Radiation Therapy for Definitive Radiation of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

The advent of cone beam computed tomography-based online adaptive radiation therapy (oART) has dramatically reduced the barriers of adaptation. We present the first prospective oART experience data in radiation of head and neck cancers (HNC). Patients with HNC receiving definitive standard fractionation (chemo)radiation who underwent at least 1 oART session were enrolled in a prospective registry study. The frequency of adaptations was at the discretion of the treating physician. Physicians were given the option of delivering 1 of 2 plans during adaptation: the original radiation plan transposed onto the cone beam computed tomography with adapted contours (scheduled), and a new adapted plan generated from the updated contours (adapted). A paired t test was used to compare the mean doses between scheduled and adapted plans. Twenty-one patients (15 oropharynx, 4 larynx/hypopharynx, 2 other) underwent 43 adaptation sessions (median, 2). The median ART process time was 23 minutes, median physician time at the console was 27 minutes, and median patient time in the vault was 43.5 minutes. The adapted plan was chosen 93% of the time. The mean volume in each planned target volume (PTV) receiving 100% of the prescription dose for the scheduled versus adapted plan for high-risk PTVs was 87.8% versus 95% (P < .01), intermediate-risk PTVs was 87.3% versus 97.9% (P < .01), and low-risk PTVs was 94% versus 97.8% (P < .01), respectively. The mean hotspot was also lower with adaptation: 108.8% versus 106.4% (P < .01). All but 1 organ at risk (11/12) saw a decrease in their dose with the adapted plans, with the mean ipsilateral parotid (P=.013), mean larynx (P < .01), maximum point spinal cord (P < .01), and maximum point brain stem (P=.035) reaching statistical significance. Online ART is feasible for HNC, with significant improvement in target coverage and homogeneity and a modest decrease in doses to several organs at risk.

Association of Radiotherapy Duration With Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Esophageal Cancer Treated in NRG Oncology Trials

For many types of epithelial malignant neoplasms that are treated with definitive radiotherapy (RT), treatment prolongation and interruptions have an adverse effect on outcomes. To analyze the association between RT duration and outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer who were treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). This study was an unplanned, post hoc secondary analysis of 3 prospective, multi-institutional phase 3 randomized clinical trials (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group [RTOG] 8501, RTOG 9405, and RTOG 0436) of the National Cancer Institute-sponsored NRG Oncology (formerly the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, RTOG, and Gynecologic Oncology Group). Enrolled patients with nonmetastatic esophageal cancer underwent definitive CRT in the trials between 1986 and 2013, with follow-up occurring through 2014. Data analyses were conducted between March 2022 to February 2023. Treatment groups in the trials used standard-dose RT (50 Gy) and concurrent chemotherapy. The outcomes were local-regional failure (LRF), distant failure, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Multivariable models were used to examine the associations between these outcomes and both RT duration and interruptions. Radiotherapy duration was analyzed as a dichotomized variable using an X-Tile software to choose a cut point and its median value as a cut point, as well as a continuous variable. The analysis included 509 patients (median [IQR] age, 64 [57-70] years; 418 males [82%]; and 376 White individuals [74%]). The median (IQR) follow-up was 4.01 (2.93-4.92) years for surviving patients. The median cut point of RT duration was 39 days or less in 271 patients (53%) vs more than 39 days in 238 patients (47%), and the X-Tile software cut point was 45 days or less in 446 patients (88%) vs more than 45 days in 63 patients (12%). Radiotherapy interruptions occurred in 207 patients (41%). Female (vs male) sex and other (vs White) race and ethnicity were associated with longer RT duration and RT interruptions. In the multivariable models, RT duration longer than 45 days was associated with inferior DFS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.34; 95% CI, 1.01-1.77; P = .04). The HR for OS was 1.33, but the results were not statistically significant (95% CI, 0.99-1.77; P = .05). Radiotherapy duration longer than 39 days (vs ≤39 days) was associated with a higher risk of LRF (HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.06-1.65; P = .01). As a continuous variable, RT duration (per 1 week increase) was associated with DFS failure (HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.01-1.28; P = .03). The HR for LRF 1.13, but the result was not statistically significant (95% CI, 0.99-1.28; P = .07). Results of this study indicated that in patients with esophageal cancer receiving definitive CRT, prolonged RT duration was associated with inferior outcomes; female patients and those with other (vs White) race and ethnicity were more likely to have longer RT duration and experience RT interruptions. Radiotherapy interruptions should be minimized to optimize outcomes.