Locally advanced squamous cervical carcinoma (M0): management and emerging therapeutic options in the precision radiotherapy era

Squamous cervical carcinoma (SCC) requires particular attention in diagnostic and clinical management. New diagnostic tools, such as (positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance imaging) PET-MRI, consent to ameliorate clinical staging accuracy. The availability of new technologies in radiation therapy permits to deliver higher dose lowering toxicities. In this clinical scenario, new surgical concepts could aid in general management. Lastly, new targeted therapies and immunotherapy will have more room in this setting. The aim of this narrative review is to focus both on clinical management and new therapies in the precision radiotherapy era.

P15.14.B Radionecrosis versus progression in brain tumors: results of a promising MRI tools

Background

Distinguish between radiation necrosis (RN) and tumor progression, in patients with irradiated primary or metastatic brain tumors, is a diagnostic challenge. Also the use of new MRI sequences, like diffusion, perfusion-weighted and spectroscopy, or PET with new amino acid tracers, is not always able to differentiate these two entities.To overcome this crucial problem, encouraging results have been obtained using the analysis of delayed contrast extravasation MRI to calculate high resolution maps, called “treatment response assessment maps” (TRAMs). Aim of this exploratory analysis is to assess TRAM ability in differentiate between radiation effect and tumor progression in a small cohort of brain tumor patients treated with radiation therapy (RT).

Material and Methods

Thirty-four patients irradiated for primary and metastatic brain tumors were evaluated. 12 patients have primary brain tumors, 22 patients have brain metastases from different solid tumors. Distinguish by histological subtypes and type of treatment, the 12 patients with primary brain tumors were: 8 glioblastoma, 2 anaplastic astrocitoma, 1 pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma WHO grade II, and 1 anaplastic xanthoastrocytoma WHO grade III, treated with surgery followed by RT and concomitant and\or adjuvant chemotherapy with temozolomide. Among brain metastatic patients, primary tumor was: 18 non-small cell lung cancer, 2 malignant melanoma, 1 breast cancer and 1 renal cell carcinoma. All of them were treated with stereotactic radiosurgery at the dose of 20-24Gy in 1fraction, or with hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy at the dose of 27-30Gy in 3fractions. All images were uploaded and elaborate into the image workstation ([Brainlab AG, Olof-Palme-Straße 9, 81829 Munich]). TRAMs were calculated by subtracting T1 MRI images acquired 5 minutes after contrast injection from the T1 MRI images acquired 60-105 minutes later. On TRAMs, radiation effects appeared as red areas whereas persistent tumoral lesion appeared as blue areas.

Results

From February 2021, 34 patients have been evaluated, in a prospective study, with this novel MRI modality. During their follow-up, 13patients (38%) showed a clinicoradiologic suspicion of a persistent tumoral lesion or progressive disease, and 21 (62%) a suspicion of RN. For 14patients a brain MET-PET has been performed. TRAMs analysis have shown a fair agreement with clinicoradiologic diagnosis, perfusion-weighted MRI, and PET imaging. Moreover, 7 patients underwent surgical resection, with histopathological confirm of persistent disease in 4 and radionecrosis in 3.

Conclusion

These preliminary results show the ability of TRAMs evaluation in distinguish between RN and progressive disease. The recruitment of new patients continues, and further evaluations are ongoing to evaluate sensitivity and positive predictive value of TRAMs analysis.

Effect of autologous transplantation of bone marrow cells concentrated with the MarrowXpress system in patients with critical limb ischemia

Critical limb ischemia (CLI), a vascular disease affecting lower limbs, with high morbidity and mortality, is becoming a challenge due to the aging of the population. Patients without direct revascularization options have the worst outcomes. To date, 25% to 40% of CLI patients are not candidates for surgical or endovascular approaches, facing a major amputation as the ultimate option. This study sought to assess the safety and efficacy of transplantation of autologous bone marrow concentrates in "no-option" patients to restore blood perfusion by collateral flow and limb salvage. We performed a nonrandomized, noncontrolled pilot study for no-option CLI patients using intra-arterial infusion of autologous bone marrow concentrate. Variation of blood perfusion parameters, evaluated by laser doppler flowmetry after 6 and 12 months, was set as primary endpoint. Thirteen enrolled patients showed improvements in objective measurements of perfusion. This uncontrolled study provided evidence that transplantation of autologous bone marrow concentrates was well tolerated by CLI patients without significant adverse effects, demonstrating improved perfusion, confirming the feasibility and safety of the procedure.

Levonorgestrel pharmacokinetics in plasma and milk of lactating women who take 1.5 mg for emergency contraception

BACKGROUND

Progestin-only methods are among the contraceptive options available for breastfeeding women, however the doses of progestin used in emergency contraception (EC) have not been evaluated in nursing mothers. We therefore investigated the pharmacokinetics of 1.5 mg levonorgestrel (LNG) in lactating women.

METHODS

Twelve healthy exclusively breastfeeding volunteers received 1.5 mg LNG. Women refrained from nursing for 72 h after dosing and fed their infants with milk frozen beforehand. Serial blood and milk samples were collected for 120 h and assayed for LNG and sex hormone binding globulin.

RESULTS

LNG concentrations peaked in plasma and in milk 1-4 h and 2-4 h after dosing, respectively. Concentrations in milk (M) paralleled those in plasma (P) but were consistently lower (mean M:P ratio 0.28). Estimated infant exposure to LNG is 1.6 microg on the day of dosing (1 microg in the first 8 h), 0.3 microg on the second day and 0.2 microg on the third day.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing mothers may need EC. These results suggest that to limit infant exposure to the period of maximum LNG excretion in milk, mothers should discontinue nursing for at least 8 h, but not more than 24 h, after EC.