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Objective@#: Deciphering the anatomy of posterior communicating artery (PCoA) aneurysms in relation to surrounding structures is essential to determine adjuvant surgical procedures. However, it is difficult to predict surgical structures through preoperative imaging studies. We aimed to present anatomical structures using preoperative high-resolution three-dimensional proton densityweighted turbo spin-echo magnetic resonance (PDMR) imaging with simple classification. @*Methods@#: From January 2020 to April 2022, 30 patients underwent PDMR before microsurgical clipping for unruptured PCoA aneurysms in a single tertiary institute. We retrospectively reviewed the radiographic images and operative data of these patients. The structural relationship described by PDMR and intraoperative findings were compared. Subsequently, we classified aneurysms into two groups and analyzed the rate of adjuvant surgical procedures and contact with the surrounding structures. @*Results@#: Correlations between preoperative PDMR predictions and actual intraoperative findings for PCoA aneurysm contact to the oculomotor nerve, temporal uncus, and anterior petroclinoid fold (APCF) reported a diagnostic accuracy of 0.90, 0.87, and 0.90, respectively. In 12 patients (40.0%), an aneurysm dome was located on the plane of the oculomotor triangle and was classified as the infratentorial type. Compared to the supratentorial type PCoA aneurysm, adjuvant procedures were required more frequently (66.7% vs. 22.2%, p=0.024) for infratentorial type PCoA aneurysm clipping. @*Conclusion@#: Preoperative PCoA aneurysm categorization using PDMR can be helpful for predicting surgical complexity and planning of microsurgical clipping.
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Purpose@#We aimed to analyze contemporary practice patterns in breast cancer radiotherapy (RT) and assess longitudinal changes over five years in Korea. @*Methods@#In 2022, a nationwide survey was conducted among board-certified radiation oncologists. The survey consisted of 44 questions related to six domains: hypofractionated (HypoFx) whole breast RT, accelerated partial breast RT (APBI), regional nodal irradiation (RNI), RT for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), postmastectomy RT (PMRT), and tumor bed boost. @*Results@#Seventy radiation oncologists from 61 (out of 101; 60%) institutions participated in the survey. HypoFx RT was used by 62 respondents (89%), a significant increase from 36% in 2017. HypoFx RT is commonly administered at 40–42.5 Gy in 15–16 fractions. APBI was used by 12 respondents (17%), an increase from 5% in 2017. The use of RNI did not change significantly: ≥ pN2 (6%), ≥ pN1 (33%), and ≥ pN1 with pathological risk factors (61%).However, indications for internal mammary lymph node (IMN) irradiation have expanded.In particular, the rates of routine treatment of IMN (11% from 6% in 2017) and treatment in cases of ≥ pN2 (27% from 14% in 2017) have doubled; however, the rate of treatment for only IMN involvement, identified on imaging, has decreased from 47% in 2017 to 31%. For DCIS, the use of HypoFx RT increased from 25% in 2017 to 75%, and the rate of RT omissions after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) decreased from 48% in 2017 to 38%. The use of HypoFx RT for PMRT increased from 8% in 2017 to 36%. @*Conclusion@#The adoption of HypoFx RT after BCS for invasive breast cancer and DCIS has increased significantly, whereas the use of HypoFx PMRT has increased moderately since 2017. However, further studies are required to determine the optimal use of RNI.
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Historical conventional fractionated radiation therapy (RT) for breast cancer consisted of 1.8–2.0 Gy per fraction with a total dose of 45–60 Gy over 5–7 weeks. Based on radiobiological characteristics, a low α/β is suspected of breast cancer resulting in sensitivity to higher dose per fraction (2.5–3.0 Gy). Over the past 10 years, multiple clinical trials support the application of shorter treatment regimen with hypofractionated RT (HypoRT). Recently, ultra-HypoRT with 5 fractions showed favorable outcomes. Although the safety and efficacy of HypoRT has been supported by high-quality randomized trials, there are still some worries and doubts around HypoRT from radiation oncologists. However, the radiation oncology community have now reached an important timepoint for adopting HypoRT during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of HypoRT in breast cancer based on prospective randomized trials and discuss the special consideration regarding HypoRT.
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Objective@#Regional control is occasionally unsatisfactory in cervical cancer, with the optimal radiation dose for nodal metastases in definitive radiotherapy (RT) with concurrent chemotherapy (CRT) remaining controversial. We investigated dose-response relationship for nodal local control in cervical cancer. @*Methods@#We identified 115 patients with 417 metastatic nodes who received definitive CRT for cervical cancer with nodal metastases. External beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy plans were summated to determine total dose received by each node. Prognostic factors of nodal control and dose-response relationship were investigated using Cox-regression and restricted cubic spline function. @*Results@#The 2-year progression-free survival rate was 69.4%. Among 43 patients with failures, 17 patients (37.5%) had regional failure included in first failure sites of which all except one were in-field only regional failures. Total 30 nodes showed recurrence at initial metastatic site after treatment. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥3.1, total radiation dose (minimum dose received by 98% of the target volume in equivalent dose in 2 Gy per fractions), and initial nodal volume ≥5.29 mL were poor prognostic factors (all p<0.050) of nodal local control. Restricted cubic spline functions revealed strongest dose-response relationship in high NLR (NLR ≥3.1) and initial nodal volume ≥5.29 mL subgroup. @*Conclusion@#Initial nodal volume, radiation dose, and NLR were significant factors of nodal local control in cervical cancer; a stronger dose-response relationship was seen in bulky nodes with high NLR. Clinicians may consider these factors when determining the RT dose and the need for boost to nodal metastases in cervical cancer.
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Purpose@#This study aimed to investigate the impact of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in de novo metastatic breast cancer (dnMBC) patients undergoing planned primary tumor resection (PTR) and to identify the subgroup of patients who would most benefit from PORT. @*Materials and Methods@#This study enrolled 426 patients with dnMBC administered PTR alone or with PORT. The primary and secondary outcomes were overall and progression-free survival (OS and PFS), respectively. @*Results@#The median follow-up time was 53.7 months (range, 3.1 to 194.4). The 5-year OS and PFS rates were 73.2% and 32.0%, respectively. For OS, clinical T3/4 category, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), postoperative chemotherapy alone were significantly poor prognostic factors, and administration of PORT failed to show its significance. Regarding PFS, PORT was a favorable prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.50 to 0.82; p < 0.001), in addition to T1/2 category, ≤ 5 metastases, and non-TNBC. According to the multivariate analyses of OS in the PORT group, we divided the patients into three groups (group 1, T1/2 and non-TNBC [n=193]; group 2, T3/4 and non-TNBC [n=171]; and group 3, TNBC [n=49]), and evaluated the effect of PORT. Although PORT had no significance for OS in all subgroups, it was a significant factor for good prognosis regarding PFS in groups 1 and 2, not in group 3. @*Conclusion@#PORT was associated with a significantly better PFS in patients with dnMBC who underwent PTR. Patients with clinical T1/2 category and non-TNBC benefited most from PORT, while those with TNBC showed little benefit.
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Purpose@#To evaluate the role of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) in patients with node-negative breast cancer of 5cm or larger tumors undergoing mastectomy @*Materials and Methods@#Medical records of 274 patients from 18 institutions treated with mastectomy between January 2000 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Among these, 202 patients underwent PMRT, while 72 did not. Two hundred and forty-one patients (88.0%) received systemic chemotherapy, and 172 (62.8%) received hormonal therapy. Patients receiving PMRT were younger, more likely to have progesterone receptor-positive tumors, and received adjuvant chemotherapy more frequently compared with those without PMRT (p <0.001, 0.018, and <0.001, respectively). Other characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. @*Results@#With a median follow-up of 95 months (range, 1-249), there were 9 locoregional recurrences, and 20 distant metastases. The 8-year locoregional recurrence-free survival rates were 98.0% with PMRT and 91.3% without PMRT (p=0.133), and the 8-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 91.8% with PMRT and 73.9% without PMRT (p=0.008). On multivariate analysis incorporating age, histologic grade, lymphovascular invasion, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and PMRT, the absence of lymphovascular invasion and the receipt of PMRT were associated with improved DFS (p=0.025 and 0.009, respectively). @*Conclusion@#Locoregional recurrence rate was very low in node-negative breast cancer of 5cm or larger tumors treated with mastectomy regardless of the receipt of PMRT. However, PMRT was significantly associated with improved DFS. Further investigation is needed to confirm these findings.
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Purpose@#The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted the emergency medical care system worldwide. We analyzed the changes in the management of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and compared the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 eras. @*Materials and Methods@#From March to October of the COVID-19 era (2020), 83 consecutive patients with ICH were admitted to four comprehensive stroke centers. We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients and compared the treatment workflow metrics, treatment modalities, and clinical outcomes with the patients admitted during the same period of pre-COVID-19 era (2017–2019). @*Results@#Three hundred thirty-eight patients (83 in COVID-19 era and 255 in pre-COVID-19 era) were included in this study. Symptom onset/detection-to-door time [COVID-19; 56.0 min (34.0–106.0), pre-COVID-19; 40.0 min (27.0–98.0), p=0.016] and median door to-intensive treatment time differed between the two groups [COVID-19; 349.0 min (177.0–560.0), pre-COVID-19; 184.0 min (134.0–271.0), p<0.001]. Hematoma expansion was detected more significantly in the COVID-19 era (39.8% vs. 22.1%, p=0.002). At 3-month follow-up, clinical outcomes of patients were worse in the COVID-19 era (Good modified Rankin Scale; 33.7% in COVID-19, 46.7% in pre-COVID-19, p=0.039). @*Conclusion@#During the COVID-19 era, delays in management of ICH was associated with hematoma expansion and worse outcomes.
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Purpose@#This study was conducted to evaluate prognosis of patients with level I/II axillary lymph node metastases from occult breast cancer (OBC). @*Materials and Methods@#Data of 53 patients with OBC who received axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) positiveegative (+/–) breast-conserving surgery between 2001 and 2013 were retrospectively collected at seven hospitals in Korea. The median number of positive lymph nodes (+LNs) was 2. Seventeen patients (32.1%) had >3 +LNs. A total of 48 patients (90.6%) received radiotherapy. Extents of radiotherapy were as follows: whole-breast (WB; n = 11), regional lymph node (RLN; n = 2), and WB plus RLN (n = 35). @*Results@#The median follow-up time was 85 months. Recurrence was found in four patients: two in the breast, one in RLN, and one in the breast and RLN. The 5-year and 7-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 96.1% and 93.5%, respectively. Molecular subtype and receipt of breast radiotherapy were significantly associated with DFS. Patients with estrogen receptor negative, progesterone receptor negative, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (ER-/PR-/HER2-) subtype had significantly lower 7-year DFS than those with non-ER-/PR-/HER2- tumor (76.9% vs. 100.0%; p = 0.03). Whole breast irradiation (WBI) was significantly associated with a higher 7-year DFS rate (94.7% for WBI group vs. 83.3% for non-WBI group; p = 0.01). Other factors including patient’s age, number of +LNs, taxane chemotherapy, and RLN irradiation were not associated with DFS. @*Conclusion@#Patients with OBC achieved favorable outcome after ALND and breast-targeting treatment. Molecular subtype and receipt of WBI was significant factors for DFS.
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Objective@#: Retrograde suction decompression (RSD) is an adjuvant technique used for the microsurgical treatment of large and giant internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms. In this study, we analyzed the efficacy and safety of the RSD technique for the treatment of large and giant ICA aneurysms relative to other conventional microsurgical techniques. @*Methods@#: The aneurysms were classified into two groups depending on whether the RSD method was used (21 in the RSD group vs. 43 in the non-RSD group). Baseline characteristics, details of the surgical procedure, angiographic outcomes, clinical outcomes, and procedure-related complications of each group were reviewed retrospectively. @*Results@#: There was no significant difference in the rates of complete neck-clipping between the RSD (57.1%) and non-RSD (67.4%) groups. Similarly, there was no difference in the rates of good clinical outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score, 0–2) between the RSD (85.7%) and non-RSD (81.4%) groups. Considering the initial functional status, 19 of 21 (90.5%) patients in the RSD group and 35 of 43 (81.4%) patients in the non-RSD group showed an improvement or no change in functional status, which did not reach statistical significance. @*Conclusion@#: In this study, the microsurgical treatment of large and giant intracranial ICA aneurysms using the RSD technique obtained competitive angiographic and clinical outcomes without increasing the risk of procedure-related complications. The RSD technique might be a useful technical option for the microsurgical treatment of large and giant intracranial ICA aneurysms.
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Particle therapy is a promising and evolving modality of radiotherapy that can be used to treat tumors that are radioresistant to conventional photon beam radiotherapy. It has unique biological and physical advantages compared with conventional radiotherapy. The characteristic feature of particle therapy is the “Bragg peak,” a steep and localized peak of dose, that enables precise delivery of the radiation dose to the tumor while effectively sparing normal organs. Especially, the charged particles (e.g., proton, helium, carbon) cause a high rate of energy loss along the track, thereby leading to high biological effectiveness, which makes particle therapy attractive. Using this property, the particle beam induces more severe DNA double-strand breaks than the photon beam, which is less influenced by the oxygen level. This review describes the general biological and physical aspects of particle therapy for oncologists, including non-radiation oncologists and beginners in the field.
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Purpose@#The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted the emergency medical care system worldwide. We analyzed the changes in the management of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and compared the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 eras. @*Materials and Methods@#From March to October of the COVID-19 era (2020), 83 consecutive patients with ICH were admitted to four comprehensive stroke centers. We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients and compared the treatment workflow metrics, treatment modalities, and clinical outcomes with the patients admitted during the same period of pre-COVID-19 era (2017–2019). @*Results@#Three hundred thirty-eight patients (83 in COVID-19 era and 255 in pre-COVID-19 era) were included in this study. Symptom onset/detection-to-door time [COVID-19; 56.0 min (34.0–106.0), pre-COVID-19; 40.0 min (27.0–98.0), p=0.016] and median door to-intensive treatment time differed between the two groups [COVID-19; 349.0 min (177.0–560.0), pre-COVID-19; 184.0 min (134.0–271.0), p<0.001]. Hematoma expansion was detected more significantly in the COVID-19 era (39.8% vs. 22.1%, p=0.002). At 3-month follow-up, clinical outcomes of patients were worse in the COVID-19 era (Good modified Rankin Scale; 33.7% in COVID-19, 46.7% in pre-COVID-19, p=0.039). @*Conclusion@#During the COVID-19 era, delays in management of ICH was associated with hematoma expansion and worse outcomes.
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Purpose@#This study was conducted to evaluate prognosis of patients with level I/II axillary lymph node metastases from occult breast cancer (OBC). @*Materials and Methods@#Data of 53 patients with OBC who received axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) positiveegative (+/–) breast-conserving surgery between 2001 and 2013 were retrospectively collected at seven hospitals in Korea. The median number of positive lymph nodes (+LNs) was 2. Seventeen patients (32.1%) had >3 +LNs. A total of 48 patients (90.6%) received radiotherapy. Extents of radiotherapy were as follows: whole-breast (WB; n = 11), regional lymph node (RLN; n = 2), and WB plus RLN (n = 35). @*Results@#The median follow-up time was 85 months. Recurrence was found in four patients: two in the breast, one in RLN, and one in the breast and RLN. The 5-year and 7-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 96.1% and 93.5%, respectively. Molecular subtype and receipt of breast radiotherapy were significantly associated with DFS. Patients with estrogen receptor negative, progesterone receptor negative, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (ER-/PR-/HER2-) subtype had significantly lower 7-year DFS than those with non-ER-/PR-/HER2- tumor (76.9% vs. 100.0%; p = 0.03). Whole breast irradiation (WBI) was significantly associated with a higher 7-year DFS rate (94.7% for WBI group vs. 83.3% for non-WBI group; p = 0.01). Other factors including patient’s age, number of +LNs, taxane chemotherapy, and RLN irradiation were not associated with DFS. @*Conclusion@#Patients with OBC achieved favorable outcome after ALND and breast-targeting treatment. Molecular subtype and receipt of WBI was significant factors for DFS.
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Objective@#: Retrograde suction decompression (RSD) is an adjuvant technique used for the microsurgical treatment of large and giant internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms. In this study, we analyzed the efficacy and safety of the RSD technique for the treatment of large and giant ICA aneurysms relative to other conventional microsurgical techniques. @*Methods@#: The aneurysms were classified into two groups depending on whether the RSD method was used (21 in the RSD group vs. 43 in the non-RSD group). Baseline characteristics, details of the surgical procedure, angiographic outcomes, clinical outcomes, and procedure-related complications of each group were reviewed retrospectively. @*Results@#: There was no significant difference in the rates of complete neck-clipping between the RSD (57.1%) and non-RSD (67.4%) groups. Similarly, there was no difference in the rates of good clinical outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score, 0–2) between the RSD (85.7%) and non-RSD (81.4%) groups. Considering the initial functional status, 19 of 21 (90.5%) patients in the RSD group and 35 of 43 (81.4%) patients in the non-RSD group showed an improvement or no change in functional status, which did not reach statistical significance. @*Conclusion@#: In this study, the microsurgical treatment of large and giant intracranial ICA aneurysms using the RSD technique obtained competitive angiographic and clinical outcomes without increasing the risk of procedure-related complications. The RSD technique might be a useful technical option for the microsurgical treatment of large and giant intracranial ICA aneurysms.
ABSTRACT
Particle therapy is a promising and evolving modality of radiotherapy that can be used to treat tumors that are radioresistant to conventional photon beam radiotherapy. It has unique biological and physical advantages compared with conventional radiotherapy. The characteristic feature of particle therapy is the “Bragg peak,” a steep and localized peak of dose, that enables precise delivery of the radiation dose to the tumor while effectively sparing normal organs. Especially, the charged particles (e.g., proton, helium, carbon) cause a high rate of energy loss along the track, thereby leading to high biological effectiveness, which makes particle therapy attractive. Using this property, the particle beam induces more severe DNA double-strand breaks than the photon beam, which is less influenced by the oxygen level. This review describes the general biological and physical aspects of particle therapy for oncologists, including non-radiation oncologists and beginners in the field.
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The current study evaluated the impact of the Oncotype DX recurrence score (RS) on the patterns of locoregional recurrence (LRR) in node-negative, hormone receptor-positive/ human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer. Totally, 339 patients from 4 institutions were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively. All patients underwent breastconserving surgery followed by whole-breast irradiation; only 2 patients received regional nodal irradiation (RNI). The RS was 25 in 43. Sixty-two patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. All patients except 4 received hormonal therapy. During a 62-month median follow-up, local recurrence was observed in 1 patient; regional recurrence, 3; and distant metastasis, 7. All LRRs were observed among patients with a RS > 25, resulting in a 5-year LRR rate of 7.3% in this subgroup. Regional recurrences developed in patients did not receive RNI initially. Thus, RNI might be effective for patients with a high RS.
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Purpose@#We aimed to analyze the treatment outcomes of ipsilateral cervical lymph node (CLN)-positive breast cancer without other distant metastasis and compare the outcomes with those of supraclavicular lymph node (SCL)-positive breast cancer. @*Methods@#Seventy-eight patients with breast cancer and ipsilateral CLN metastasis above the supraclavicular fossa (CLN[+] group) were treated at 7 institutions (2000–2014). Seventy-four patients received systemic chemotherapy and breast surgery followed by locoregional radiotherapy. Outcomes of the CLN(+) group were compared with those of the SCL(+) group, which included 183 patients with SCL involvement. @*Results@#The median follow-up duration was 55.9 months. Twenty-two regional failures were found in 15 patients—axillary lymph node (LN) in 8, SCL in 6, internal mammary LN in 3, previously involved CLN in 4, and previously uninvolved ipsilateral CLN in one patient. The 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rates were 68.6%, 46.7%, 68.4%, and 57.0%, respectively. Neck dissection did not improve LRRFS and DFS (p = 0.86 and p = 0.26, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that hormone receptor negativity and the presence of extracapsular extension were prognostic factors for poor DFS. On comparison with stage IIIC using propensity score matching, survival outcomes of the CLN(+) and SCL(+) groups were not different (5-year OS, p = 0.75; DFS, p = 0.88; LRRFS, p = 0.86; and DMFS, p = 0.45). @*Conclusion@#The comparable clinical outcomes indicate that patients with breast cancer who have ipsilateral CLN metastasis without other distant metastasis may benefit from locoregional treatment of the ipsilateral breast and systemic therapies, as do those with N3c disease.
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Background@#and Purpose: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare form of intracranial stenoocclusive disease that can be associated with intracranial aneurysms. We evaluated the clinical features and outcomes of MMD-associated aneurysms while focusing on their locations. @*Methods@#Between January 1998 and December 2018 there were 1,302 adult and pediatric patients diagnosed as MMD at a single institution. These patients included 38 with 44 MMD-associated aneurysms. The MMD-associated aneurysms were classified into two groups based on their locations: major-artery aneurysms and non-major-artery aneurysms. The clinical and radiological data for patients with MMD-associated aneurysms were reviewed retrospectively. @*Results@#The 44 MMD-associated aneurysms comprised 28 in major arteries and 16 in nonmajor arteries. All of the major-artery aneurysms were initially unruptured lesions, and follow-up angiography showed that 23 (82.1%) had an improved or stable status and 5 (17.9%) had a worse status. The non-major-artery aneurysms comprised 10 ruptured and 6 unruptured lesions, and follow-up angiography showed that 11 (68.8%) had improved or were stable and 5 (31.2%) had worsened. At the latest follow-up, there were four cases of unfavorable outcome: two initial hemorrhagic insults, one treatment-related morbidity, and one repeatedhemorrhage case. @*Conclusions@#MMD-associated aneurysms occurred in 3.3% of the MMD cohort in this study, of which 63.6% were major-artery aneurysms and 36.4% were non-major-artery aneurysms. The major-artery group included 17.9% that became angiographically worse, while 31.2% were growing or hemorrhaging in the non-major-artery group.
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Purpose@#The details of breast reconstruction and radiation therapy (RT) vary between institutions; therefore, we sought to investigate the practice patterns of radiation oncologists who specialize in breast cancer. @*Materials and Methods@#We identified the practice patterns and inter-hospital variations from a multi-center cohort of women with breast cancer who underwent post-mastectomy RT (PMRT) to the reconstructed breast at 16 institutions between 2015 and 2016. The institutions were requested to contour the target volume and produce RT plans for one representative case with five different clinical scenarios and answer questionnaires which elicited infrastructural information. We assessed the inter-institutional variations in RT in terms of the target, normal organ delineation, and dose-volume histograms. @*Results@#Three hundred fourteen patients were included; 99% of them underwent immediate reconstruction. The most irradiated material was tissue expander (36.9%) followed by transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap (23.9%) and silicone implant (12.1%). In prosthetic-based reconstruction with tissue expander, most patients received PMRT following partial deflation. Conventional fractionation and hypofractionation RT were used in 66.6% and 33.4% patients, respectively (commonest: 40.05 Gy in 15 fractions [17.5%]). Furthermore, 15.6% of the patients received boost RT and 53.5% were treated with bolus. Overall, 15 physicians responded to the questionnaires and six submitted their contours and RT plans. There was a significant variability in target delineations and RT plans between physicians, and between clinical scenarios. @*Conclusion@#Adjuvant RT following post-mastectomy reconstruction has become a common practice in Korea. The details vary significantly between institutions, which highlights an urgent need for standard protocol in this clinical setting.
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Objective@#Kallikrein 5 (KLK5), which is frequently observed in normal cervico-vaginal fluid, is known to be related to prognosis in several solid tumors. We investigated the prognostic significance of KLK5 in uterine cervical cancer using tumor tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry staining. @*Methods@#We analyzed samples of 165 patients with uterine cervical cancer who received definitive radiation therapy between 2004 and 2012. We divided patients into two groups stratified by their KLK5 activity by immunohistochemistry staining: negative/weak (0–1+) (n=120 patients) and moderate/strong (2–3+) group (n=45 patients). Patient and tumor characteristics, patterns of failure, and survival outcomes were compared. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors. @*Results@#Patients with KLK5 2–3+ were younger (median: 52 vs. 60 years) and had frequent paraaortic lymph node involvement (40.0% vs. 18.3%) than those with KLK5 0–1+. With a median follow-up of 60.8 (interquartile range, 47.5–77.9) months, patients with KLK5 2–3+ had inferior 5-year locoregional recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival of 61.7% (vs. 77.5% in KLK5 0–1+ group) and 59.4% (vs. 72.8% in the KLK5 0–1+ group), respectively (all p<0.05). KLK5 2–3+ expression retained its significance after adjusting for other well-known prognostic factors of tumor size and stage in multivariable analysis. @*Conclusions@#KLK5 overexpression is associated with the aggressiveness of cervical cancer and may underlie the diminished response to conventional treatments. Therefore, KLK5 could be a reliable prognostic factor in cervical cancer.
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Purpose@#The details of breast reconstruction and radiation therapy (RT) vary between institutions; therefore, we sought to investigate the practice patterns of radiation oncologists who specialize in breast cancer. @*Materials and Methods@#We identified the practice patterns and inter-hospital variations from a multi-center cohort of women with breast cancer who underwent post-mastectomy RT (PMRT) to the reconstructed breast at 16 institutions between 2015 and 2016. The institutions were requested to contour the target volume and produce RT plans for one representative case with five different clinical scenarios and answer questionnaires which elicited infrastructural information. We assessed the inter-institutional variations in RT in terms of the target, normal organ delineation, and dose-volume histograms. @*Results@#Three hundred fourteen patients were included; 99% of them underwent immediate reconstruction. The most irradiated material was tissue expander (36.9%) followed by transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap (23.9%) and silicone implant (12.1%). In prosthetic-based reconstruction with tissue expander, most patients received PMRT following partial deflation. Conventional fractionation and hypofractionation RT were used in 66.6% and 33.4% patients, respectively (commonest: 40.05 Gy in 15 fractions [17.5%]). Furthermore, 15.6% of the patients received boost RT and 53.5% were treated with bolus. Overall, 15 physicians responded to the questionnaires and six submitted their contours and RT plans. There was a significant variability in target delineations and RT plans between physicians, and between clinical scenarios. @*Conclusion@#Adjuvant RT following post-mastectomy reconstruction has become a common practice in Korea. The details vary significantly between institutions, which highlights an urgent need for standard protocol in this clinical setting.