Feasibility of Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy in the Treatment of Advanced Cervical Chordoma

Target Coverage in Head and Neck Cancer Treated with Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy: A Comparison between Conventional and Conformal Techniques

Aims and background

We designed a comparative planning study aimed at quantifying the advantages of intensity-modu-lated radiotherapy (IMRT) over the conventional 3-field technique (3FT) and a 5-field conformal technique (5FCT) for head and neck (HN) cancer.

Methods

We selected 9 patients treated at our institution with curative radiotherapy for a HN cancer. For all cases 4 plans were generated: 2 plans using the “standard” techniques (3FT and 5FCT), a third plan using IMRT, and a fourth “mixed” plan using IMRT followed by a conventional boost.

Results

Our study confirmed literature data on the ability of IMRT to significantly decrease the dose received by organs at risk, compared with previous techniques. Target coverage was systematically better with 5FCT and IMRT than with 3FT. However, the increase in coverage of both PTV2 and PTV1 was only about 3-5% and this was achieved at the price of a similar increase in maximum dose (D1%). Volumetric parameters (V100%, V95%) were much more sensitive in detecting the improvement with IMRT.

Conclusions

The improvement of target coverage attained by IMRT, as compared with conventional and conformal techniques, might be overestimated by data currently available in the medical literature. If treatment with conventional techniques is planned using all tools provided by currently available fully 3-D planning systems, excellent target coverage can be obtained.

Videoconferencing to Enhance the Integration between Clinical Medicine and Teaching: A Feasibility Study

Aims and Background

The aim of the study was to analyze the feasibility of a setting up of a radiotherapy department using videoconferencing technology.

Material and Methods

A videoconferencing network was started to link an academic center of radiotherapy to a peripheral center of research at the start of its activity. Two years of data of involved professionals, subjects of links, audio, video link problems and running costs were recorded.

Results

A total of 418 links was established for an overall duration of 458 hours. The participants included all departmental staff. Videoconferencing involved teaching, ward organization, medical care and scientific subjects. In the second year of experience, the number of videoconferencing links was higher than the first (232 vs 186). Link times were reasonable for both skilled and unskilled operators. Overall, the cost per minute of link was 0.2 Euro, and the mean cost per link was 13 Euros. Videoconferencing was integrated with fax and computer networks to enhance sharing paper and electronic documents. Audio-video technical problems progressively decreased: the link was definitively interrupted or its activation unfeasible in only 1.0% of cases.

Conclusions

Our experience suggests that the establishment of a link between radiotherapy departments addressed to these aims is feasible by a videoconferencing network.

The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer consensus statement on tumour immunotherapy for the treatment of cutaneous melanoma

Immunotherapy is associated with durable clinical benefit in patients with melanoma. The goal of this article is to provide evidence-based consensus recommendations for the use of immunotherapy in the clinical management of patients with high-risk and advanced-stage melanoma in the USA. To achieve this goal, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer sponsored a panel of melanoma experts--including physicians, nurses, and patient advocates--to develop a consensus for the clinical application of tumour immunotherapy for patients with melanoma. The Institute of Medicine clinical practice guidelines were used as a basis for this consensus development. A systematic literature search was performed for high-impact studies in English between 1992 and 2012 and was supplemented as appropriate by the panel. This consensus report focuses on issues related to patient selection, toxicity management, clinical end points and sequencing or combination of therapy. The literature review and consensus panel voting and discussion were used to generate recommendations for the use of immunotherapy in patients with melanoma, and to assess and rate the strength of the supporting evidence. From the peer-reviewed literature the consensus panel identified a role for interferon-α2b, pegylated-interferon-α2b, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and ipilimumab in the clinical management of melanoma. Expert recommendations for how to incorporate these agents into the therapeutic approach to melanoma are provided in this consensus statement. Tumour immunotherapy is a useful therapeutic strategy in the management of patients with melanoma and evidence-based consensus recommendations for clinical integration are provided and will be updated as warranted.

Whole-brain radiotherapy combined with surgery or stereotactic radiotherapy in patients with brain oligometastases: long-term analysis

OBJECTIVE

To verify whether the treatment of brain oligometastases with whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) plus stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) or surgical resection results in different outcomes.

METHODS

Files of patients affected by brain metastases submitted to surgical resection followed by WBRT (group A) or WBRT + SRT (group B) were retrospectively selected for this study. The two treatment groups were matched for the following potential prognostic factors: WBRT schedule, age, gender, performance status, tumor type, number of brain metastases, extra-cerebral metastases, and recursive partitioning analysis class (RPA). The outcomes of patients in both groups were evaluated in terms of toxicity, local control, and overall survival.

RESULTS

Total of 97 patients were selected (56 male; 42 female) who were respectively submitted to surgical resection followed by WBRT (group A, n = 50 patients) or WBRT + SRT (Group B, n = 47 patients). Median follow-up was 95 months (range, 8-171 months). The 1-year local control rates were 46.0% and 69.0% respectively. No significant difference in local tumor control was observed between group A and B (p = 0.10). Median overall survival was 15 and 19 months in group A and B, respectively. One-year survival was 56.0% and 62%, respectively. No difference was observed in the two groups (p = 0.40).

CONCLUSION

Surgery remains the main therapeutic approach in symptomatic patients; nevertheless, our data support the use of WBRT plus SRT in one or two brain metastases smaller than 3 cm.

Chordoma: clinical characteristics, management and prognosis of a case series of 25 patients

Background

Adequate surgery still remains the only curative treatment of chordoma. Interesting clinical data on advanced disease with molecularly targeted therapies were reported.

Methods

We described the clinical outcome of a series of chordoma patients followed at Regina Elena National Cancer Centre of Rome from 2004 to 2008.

Results

Twenty-five consecutive patients with sacral (11 patients), spine (13 patients), and skull base (1 patient) chordoma went to our observation. Six patients (24%) had primary disease, 14(56%) a recurrent disease, and 5(20%) a metastatic spreading. Surgery was the primary option for treatment in 22 out of 25 patients. Surgical margins were wide in 5 (23%) and intralesional in 17(77%) patients; 3 out of 4 in-house treated patients obtained wide margins. After first surgery, radiotherapy (protons or high-energy photons) were delivered to 3 patients. One out of the 5 patients with wide margins is still without evidence of disease at 20 months from surgery; 2 patients died without evidence of disease after 3 and 36 months from surgery. Sixteen out of 17 (94%) patients with intralesional margins underwent local progression at a median time of 18 months with a 2-year local progression-free survival of 47%. The 5-year metastasis-free survival rate was 78.3%. Seventeen patients with locally advanced and/or metastatic disease expressing platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) β were treated with imatinib mesylate. A RECIST stabilization of the disease was the best response observed in all treated cases. Pain relief with reduction in analgesics use was obtained in 6 out of 11 (54%) symptomatic patients. The 5- and 10-year survival rates of the entire series of patients were 76.7 and 59.7%, respectively.

Conclusions

Despite progress of surgical techniques and the results obtained with targeted therapy, more effort is needed for better disease control. Specific experience of the multidisciplinar therapeutic team is, however, essential to succeed in improving patients' outcome.

Image-Guided Intensity-Modulated Photon Radiotherapy Using Multifractionated Regimen to Paraspinal Chordomas and Rare Sarcomas

PURPOSE

Image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy enables delivery of high-dose radiation to tumors close to the spinal cord. We report our experience with multifractionated regimens using image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy to treat gross paraspinal disease to doses beyond cord tolerance.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

We performed a retrospective review of 27 consecutive patients with partially resected or unresectable paraspinal tumors irradiated to >5,300 cGy in standard fractionation.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 17.4 months (range, 2.1-47.3). Eighteen sarcomas, seven chordomas, and two ependymomas were treated. The median dose to the planning target volume was 6,600 cGy (range, 5,396-7,080) in 180- or 200-cGy fractions. The median planning target volume was 164 cm3 (range, 29-1,116). Seven patients developed recurrence at the treatment site (26%), and 6 of these patients had high-grade tumors. Three patients with recurrence had metastatic disease at the time of radiotherapy. The 2-year local control rate was 65%, and the 2-year overall survival rate was 79%. Of the 5 patients who died, 4 had metastatic disease at death. Twenty-three patients (84%) reported either no pain or improved pain at the last follow-up visit. Sixteen patients discontinued narcotic use after treatment (62.5%). Twenty-three patients (89%) had a stable or improved American Spine Injury Association score at the last follow-up visit. No patient experienced radiation-induced myelopathy.

CONCLUSIONS

The dose to paraspinal tumors has traditionally been limited to respect cord tolerance. With image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy, greater doses of radiation delivered in multiple fractions can be prescribed with excellent target coverage, effective palliation, and acceptable toxicity and local control.

Chordoma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review developments in chordoma treatment.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent series with prolonged follow-up show that adequate margins are necessary for surgery to be curative. Safe margins are often difficult to obtain due to the anatomical sites of chordoma: sacrum, skull base and spine. Tumors in these sites are problematic for radiation therapy as well, and this adds to the need for high doses. Hadrons have therefore been used in addition to, or instead of, photons. New photon beam techniques, e.g. intensity modulated radiation therapy and stereotactic procedures, have recently been evaluated. Although less available than photons, hadrons possess certain advantages. While chemotherapy is poorly active, recent interest has focused on molecular-targeted agents. Imatinib was shown to be active, providing mainly nondimensional tissue responses in a significant proportion of patients, which may improve symptoms and progression-free interval. Epidermal growth factor receptor targeting, anti-angiogenics, and the combination of targeted agents with chemotherapy and radiation therapy are also under scrutiny.

SUMMARY

Two major issues about local treatment remain unresolved: when to complement surgery with radiation therapy, and how best to deliver high doses of radiation therapy to the tumor tissue. Regarding systemic treatment, there is ongoing research into how to exploit molecular-targeted therapies.