Comparison three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy versus intensity modulated radiation therapy in local control of head and neck cancer

Comparative evaluation of oral mucositis in oral cancer patients undergoing 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy

Context

Oral cancer is a significant cause of death across the world. A combined multimodal approach integrating surgery and radiation therapy (RT) with or without chemotherapy (CT) is commonly employed in advanced oral cancer to prevent recurrences and locoregional spread. Oral mucositis is a common acute toxicity reported in patients undergoing RT and CT. The delivery of optimal cancer therapy protocols is compromised due to morbidity caused by oral mucositis.

Aims

To compare the severity of oral mucositis in oral cancer patients undergoing 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy (3DCRT) and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) with or without concomitant CT.

Settings and Design

This was a prospective, unicentric and longitudinal study conducted in a cancer centre.

Methods and Material

One hundred four patients with locally advanced oral cancer were enrolled in this study. Fifty-two patients were treated with IMRT and 52 patients with 3DCRT to a dose of >60 Gy, along with concurrent cisplatin weekly CT. Mucositis was recorded before the start, in the end, 1 month, and 3 months post-chemoradiotherapy treatment.

Statistical Analysis Used

Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software (v. 21.0, Chicago. 2012). Descriptive and frequency statistics were performed for different parameters assessed in 3DCRT and IMRT group.

Results

Grade 3 mucositis was the most predominant grade observed in both groups at the end of treatment. Thirty-six patients (69.3%) versus 24 patients (46.1%) developed grade 3 mucositis in 3DCRT and IMRT group, respectively (P = 0.013). Healing was better with IMRT group when compared to 3DCRT group 1 month and 3 months post-RT. Mucositis was severe in patients undergoing concomitant CT.

Conclusions

IMRT reduced the incidence of severe mucositis and also improved the treatment-compliance compared to 3DCRT in locally advanced head neck cancer patients treated by chemoradiotherapy.

Retrospective comparison of side effects and outcomes of three-dimensional conformal vs. intensity-modulated radiation therapy in the palliative-intent treatment (4 Gy × 5 daily fractions) of canine intranasal tumors (2010–2017)

Objective

To compare the occurrence of radiation side effects and treatment outcomes in dogs with intranasal tumors treated with a total dose of 20 Gy delivered in 5 daily 4 Gy fractions using computer-based 3D conformal (3DCRT) or intensity-modulated (IMRT) radiation therapy plans.

Design

Retrospective case series.

Materials and methods

Medical records for dogs with intranasal tumors treated with 4 Gy × 5 fractions between 2010 and 2017 were reviewed. Radiation side effects, time to local progression (TTLP), progression-free survival (PFS) and survival time (OS) were evaluated.

Results

Thirty-six dogs (24 carcinomas, 10 sarcomas and 2 others) met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen were treated with 3DCRT and 20 with IMRT. Clinical signs improvement or resolution were reported in 84% of dogs. The median time to clinical signs improvement was 12 days (1–88 days) after the end of treatment. Eight dogs treated with 3DCRT (8/16, 50%) and 5 with IMRT (5/20, 25%) were documented acute radiation side effects. Almost all were classified as grade 1 skin, oral or ocular acute side effects. Only one dog in 3DCRT group was demonstrated grade 2 skin acute effects. The median TTLP for dogs treated with 3DCRT or IMRT was 238 days and 179 days, respectively (p = 0.967). The median PFS for 3DCRT or IMRT was 228 days and 175 days, respectively (p = 0.940). The median OS for 3DCRT or IMRT was 295 days and 312 days, respectively (p = 0.787). No significantly differences were observed in side effects, TTLP, PFS and OS between 3DCRT and IMRT groups.

Conclusions

Palliative-intent conformal radiation therapy given in five daily 4 Gy fractions relieved clinical signs with minimal radiation side effects, with no statistical difference in occurrence between 3DCRT and IMRT dogs.

Efficacy of Modified Qingre Jiedu Decoction Combined with Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy in Treating Moderate to Advanced Ovarian Carcinoma and Its Effect on Levels of Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen and Carbohydrate Antigen 125

Objective

To explore the efficacy of modified Qingre Jiedu decoction combined with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) in treating moderate to advanced ovarian carcinoma (OC) and its effect on patients' serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125).

Methods

The clinical data of 84 patients with moderate to advanced OC treated in the gynecology department of Changqing District People's Hospital of Jinan from February 2017 to February 2018 were selected for retrospective analysis, and the patients were divided into the single chemotherapy group (taxol + carboplatin, n = 42) and the combined group (modified Qingre Jiedu decoction+3D-CRT, n = 42) according to the parity of their admission numbers. By measuring their levels of serum CEA and CA125 after treatment, the cellular immune levels of the two groups were compared.

Results

Compared with the single chemotherapy group after treatment, the combined group obtained significantly higher total clinical effective rate and 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates (P < 0.05), significantly higher CD4⁺/CD8⁺ and NK cell level values (P < 0.001), significantly lower serum CA125 and CEA level values (P < 0.001), and significantly lower total incidence rates of toxic and side effects (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The abovementioned results show that the combined treatment modality has a significant effect on prolonging the survival of patients with moderate to advanced OC and can effectively reduce the levels of tumor markers and improve the body's immunity. Further study will be conducive to establishing a better solution for OC patients.

Association of hearing loss and tinnitus symptoms with health-related quality of life among long-term oropharyngeal cancer survivors

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the association of hearing loss and tinnitus with overall health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among long-term oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) survivors.

METHODS

This study included OPC survivors treated between 2000 and 2013 and surveyed from September 2015 to July 2016. Hearing loss and tinnitus were measured by asking survivors to rate their "difficulty with hearing loss and/or ringing in the ears" from 0 (not present) to 10 (as bad as you can imagine). Hearing loss and tinnitus scores were categorized as follows: 0 for none, 1-4 for mild, and 5-10 for moderate to severe. The primary outcome was the mean score of MD nderson Symptom Inventory Head & Neck module interference component as a HRQoL surrogate dichotomized as follows: 0 to 4 for none to mild and 5 to 10 for moderate to severe interference.

RESULTS

Among 880 OPC survivors, 35.6% (314), reported none, 39.3% (347) reported mild, and 25.1% (221) reported moderate to severe hearing loss and tinnitus. On multivariable analysis, mild (OR, 5.83; 95% CI; 1.48-22.88; p = 0.012) and moderate (OR, 30.01; 95% CI; 7.96-113.10; p < 0.001) hearing loss and tinnitus were associated with higher odds of reporting moderate to severe symptom interference scores in comparison to no hearing loss and tinnitus. This association of hearing dysfunction was consistent with all domains of HRQoL.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide preliminary evidence to support the need for continued audiological evaluations and surveillance to detect hearing dysfunction, to allow for early management and to alleviate the long-term impact on QoL.

High miR-511-3p Expression as a Potential Predictor of a Poor Nutritional Status in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Subjected to Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy

Nutritional deficiencies, including malnutrition and its irreversible type cachexia, are often observed in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Among the various factors contributing to the occurrence of these disorders, inflammation seems to be crucial. The potential regulatory properties of miR-511-3p, e.g., post-translational alteration of expression of genes with protein products that are involved in inflammation, may be related to nutritional deficiencies observed in HNC patients. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess the correlation between pretreatment miR-511-3p expression and nutritional status in patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) due to HNC. In our retrospective study, 60 consecutively admitted patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) due to advanced HNC were enrolled. The analysis of miR-511-3p expression was performed using real-time PCR. Significantly higher expression of miR-511-3p was observed in well-nourished patients compared to patients with moderate or severe malnutrition (p = 0.0001). Pretreatment expression of miR-511-3p may be a useful biomarker of nutritional deficiencies in patients subjected to IMRT due to HNC.

Radiation-Induced Salivary Gland Dysfunction: Mechanisms, Therapeutics and Future Directions

Salivary glands sustain collateral damage following radiotherapy (RT) to treat cancers of the head and neck, leading to complications, including mucositis, xerostomia and hyposalivation. Despite salivary gland-sparing techniques and modified dosing strategies, long-term hypofunction remains a significant problem. Current therapeutic interventions provide temporary symptom relief, but do not address irreversible glandular damage. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of mechanisms involved in RT-induced hyposalivation and provide a framework for future mechanistic studies. One glaring gap in published studies investigating RT-induced mechanisms of salivary gland dysfunction concerns the effect of irradiation on adjacent non-irradiated tissue via paracrine, autocrine and direct cell-cell interactions, coined the bystander effect in other models of RT-induced damage. We hypothesize that purinergic receptor signaling involving P2 nucleotide receptors may play a key role in mediating the bystander effect. We also discuss promising new therapeutic approaches to prevent salivary gland damage due to RT.

Polymorphism of The Regulatory Region of the ITGAM Gene (-323G>A) as a Novel Predictor of a Poor Nutritional Status in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Subjected to Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy

Background: The most serious disturbance of the nutritional status is neoplastic cachexia. The main factor contributing to the development of cachexia is the ongoing inflammatory process. The gene associated with the development of the inflammatory response is ITGAM. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the relationship between a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-323G>A of the ITGAM gene and the occurrence of nutritional disorders in patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) due to head and neck cancers (HNC). Methods: The study involved 71 patients with HNC treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). SNP analysis of the ITGAM gene (-323G>A) was performed using commercial molecular probes and Real-Time PCR. Results: The presence of the A allele of the ITGAM gene significantly (over 14-fold) reduced the risk of severe disturbances in nutritional status assessed according to the subjective global assessment (SGA) scale (odds ratio (OR) = 0.07; p = 0.0213). The GG genotype of this gene was associated with an over three-fold higher risk of shortened overall survival (OR = 3.01; p = 0.0376). Conclusions: Determination of the SNP (-323G>A) of the ITGAM gene may prove to be a useful marker in the assessment of the risk of nutritional disorders in patients with HNC undergoing RT.