Prostate Region-Wise Imaging Biomarker Profiles for Risk Stratification and Biochemical Recurrence Prediction.

BACKGROUND: Identifying prostate cancer (PCa) patients with a worse prognosis and a higher risk of biochemical recurrence (BCR) is essential to guide treatment choices. Here, we aimed to identify possible imaging biomarker (perfusion/diffusion + radiomic features) profiles extracted from MRIs that were able to discriminate patients according to their risk or the occurrence of BCR 10 years after diagnosis, as well as to evaluate their predictive value with or without clinical data. METHODS: Patients with localized PCa receiving neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy and radiotherapy were retrospectively evaluated. Imaging features were extracted from MRIs for each prostate region or for the whole gland. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. RESULTS: 128 patients (mean [range] age, 71 [50-83] years) were included. Prostate region-wise imaging biomarker profiles mainly composed of radiomic features allowed discriminating risk groups and patients experiencing BCR. Heterogeneity-related radiomic features were increased in patients with worse prognosis and with BCR. Overall, imaging biomarkers profiles retained good predictive ability (AUC values superior to 0.725 in most cases), which generally improved when clinical data were included (particularly evident for the prediction of the BCR, with AUC values ranging from 0.841 to 0.877 for combined models and sensitivity values above 0.960) and when models were built per prostate region vs. the whole gland. CONCLUSIONS: Prostate region-aware imaging profiles enable identification of patients with worse prognosis and with a higher risk of BCR, retaining higher predictive values when combined with clinical variables.

The Usefulness of Adaptative Radiotherapy in Prostate Cancer: How, When, and Who?

The aim of this study was to develop a deformable image registration (DIR)-based offline ART protocol capable of identifying significant dosimetric changes in the first treatment fractions to determine when adaptive replanning is needed. A total of 240 images (24 planning CT (pCT) and 216 kilovoltage cone-beam CT (CBCT)) were prospectively acquired from 24 patients with prostate adenocarcinoma during the first three weeks of their treatment (76 Gy in 38 fractions). This set of images was used to plan a hypofractionated virtual treatment (57.3 Gy in 15 fractions); correlation with the DIR of pCT and each CBCT allowed to translate planned doses to each CBCT, and finally mapped back to the pCT to compare with those actually administered. In 37.5% of patients, doses administered in 50% of the rectum (D50) would have exceeded the dose limitation to 50% of the rectum (R50). We first observed a significant variation of the planned rectal volume in the CBCTs of fractions 1, 3, and 5. Then, we found a significant relationship between the D50 accumulated in fractions 1, 3, and 5 and the lack of compliance with the R50. Finally, we found that a D50 variation rate [100 × (administered D50 − planned D50/planned D50)] > 1% in fraction three can reliably identify variations in administered doses that will lead to exceeding rectal dose constraint.

The Impact of Frailty Screening on Radiation Treatment Modification.

BACKGROUND: Care overburden makes it difficult to perform comprehensive geriatric assessments (CGAs) in oncology settings. We analyzed if screening tools modified radiotherapy in oncogeriatric patients. METHODS: Patients ≥ 65 years, irradiated between December 2020 and March 2021 at the Hospital Provincial de Castellón, completed the frailty G8 and estimated survival Charlson questionnaires. The cohort was stratified between G8 score ≤ 14 (fragile) or >14 (robust); the cutoff point for the Charlson index was established at five. RESULTS: Of 161 patients; 69.4% were male, the median age was 75 years (range 65-91), and the prevailing performance status (PS) was 0-1 (83.1%). Overall, 28.7% of the cohort were frail based on G8 scores, while the estimated survival at 10 years was 2.25% based on the Charlson test. The treatment administered changed up to 21% after frailty analysis. The therapies prescribed were 5.8 times more likely to be modified in frail patients based on the G8 test. In addition, patients ≥ 85 years (p = 0.01), a PS ≥ 2 (p = 0.008), and limited mobility (p = 0.024) were also associated with a potential change. CONCLUSIONS: CGAs remain the optimal assessment tool in oncogeriatry. However, we found that the G8 fragility screening test, which is easier to integrate into patient consultations, is a reliable and efficient aid to rapid decision making.

[Nutritional impact of radiotherapy in oncogeriatric patients. Can radiation oncologists minimize the radiotherapy impact on the nutritional status of the elderly patient?] / Repercusión de la radioterapia sobre la situación nutricional del paciente oncogeriátrico. ¿Puede el oncólogo radioterápico minimizar el impacto de la radioterapia sobre el estado nutricional del enfermo mayor?

INTRODUCTION: Cancer in elderly patients represents a global health challenge due to the increase in its incidence and its associated mortality. In our country it is the second leading cause of death in people over 65 years. In the coming years, the problem will increase, with a prognosis of people over 65 years of 35% in 2050. Radiotherapy is an essential part of the multidisciplinary treatment of cancer in elderly patients, where sometimes it is considered as the first therapeutic option and others, as an alternative to surgery and/or chemotherapy if they pose too much risk. The technological development of Radiation Oncology in recent years has allowed optimizing treatments and reducing side effects in elderly patients, who tend to have a higher incidence of comorbidities. It is essential that professionals involved in the multidisciplinary treatment of cancer know the possible toxicity and its management in oncogeriatric patients; otherwise, the percentage of patients who do not receive radiotherapy despite of an adequate indication will not decrease. In this sense, it is necessary to recognize those patients who may suffer from malnutrition or are at risk of suffering it, to initiate a nutritional intervention that minimizes weight loss that alters or even causes the suspension of the planned treatment.

INTRODUCCIÓN: RESUMEN El cáncer en pacientes ancianos representa un reto de salud a escala mundial debido al aumento de su incidencia y su mortalidad asociada. En nuestro país es la segunda causa de muerte en mayores de 65 años. En años venideros el problema irá en aumento, con un pronóstico de personas mayores de 65 años del 35% en el año 2050. La radioterapia supone una parte fundamental del tratamiento multidisciplinar del cáncer en los pacientes ancianos, donde unas veces se plantea como primera opción terapéutica y otras, como alternativa a la cirugía y/o la quimioterapia si estas plantean demasiado riesgo. El desarrollo tecnológico de la Oncología Radioterápica en los últimos años ha permitido optimizar los tratamientos y disminuir las toxicidades en los pacientes de edad avanzada, que suelen presentar mayor incidencia de comorbilidades. Es fundamental que los profesionales implicados en el tratamiento multidisciplinar del cáncer conozcan la posible toxicidad y su manejo en los pacientes oncogeriátricos, ya que, de lo contrario, disminuyen las probabilidades de que pacientes con indicación adecuada de este tratamiento lo reciban. En este sentido, es imprescindible el reconocimiento de aquellos pacientes que puedan sufrir desnutrición o estén en riesgo de sufrirla, para iniciar una intervención nutricional que minimice una pérdida de peso que altere o incluso haga suspender el tratamiento planificado.

Repercusión de la radioterapia sobre la situación nutricional del paciente oncogeriátrico. ¿Puede el oncólogo radioterápico minimizar el impacto de la radioterapia sobre el estado nutricional del enfermo mayor? / Nutritional impact of radiotherapy in oncogeriatric patients. Can radiation oncologists minimize the radiotherapy impact on the nutritional status of the elderly patient?

El cáncer en pacientes ancianos representa un reto de salud a escala mundial debido al aumento de su incidencia y su mortalidad asociada. En nuestro país es la segunda causa de muerte en mayores de 65 años. En años venideros el problema irá en aumento, con un pronóstico de personas mayores de 65 años del 35% en el año 2050. La radioterapia supone una parte fundamental del tratamiento multidisciplinar del cáncer en los pacientes ancianos, donde unas veces se plantea como primera opción terapéutica y otras, como alternativa a la cirugía y/o la quimioterapia si estas plantean demasiado riesgo. El desarrollo tecnológico de la Oncología Radioterápica en los últimos años ha permitido optimizar los tratamientos y disminuir las toxicidades en los pacientes de edad avanzada, que suelen presentar mayor incidencia de comorbilidades. Es fundamental que los profesionales implicados en el tratamiento multidisciplinar del cáncer conozcan la posible toxicidad y su manejo en los pacientes oncogeriátricos, ya que, de lo contrario, disminuyen las probabilidades de que pacientes con indicación adecuada de este tratamiento lo reciban. En este sentido, es imprescindible el reconocimiento de aquellos pacientes que puedan sufrir desnutrición o estén en riesgo de sufrirla, para iniciar una intervención nutricional que minimice una pérdida de peso que altere o incluso haga suspender el tratamiento planificado

Cancer in elderly patients represents a global health challenge due to the increase in its incidence and its associated mortality. In our country it is the second leading cause of death in people over 65 years. In the coming years, the problem will increase, with a prognosis of people over 65 years of 35% in 2050. Radiotherapy is an essential part of the multidisciplinary treatment of cancer in elderly patients, where sometimes it is considered as the first therapeutic option and others, as an alternative to surgery and/or chemotherapy if they pose too much risk. The technological development of Radiation Oncology in recent years has allowed optimizing treatments and reducing side effects in elderly patients, who tend to have a higher incidence of comorbidities. It is essential that professionals involved in the multidisciplinary treatment of cancer know the possible toxicity and its management in oncogeriatric patients; otherwise, the percentage of patients who do not receive radiotherapy despite of an adequate indication will not decrease. In this sense, it is necessary to recognize those patients who may suffer from malnutrition or are at risk of suffering it, to initiate a nutritional intervention that minimizes weight loss that alters or even causes the suspension of the planned treatment

Oligometastases in prostate cancer: restaging stage IV cancers and new radiotherapy options.

There are various subgroups of patients with metastatic prostate cancer: polymetastatic, oligometastatic, or oligo-recurrent cancers whose progression follows different courses and for whom there are different treatment options. Knowledge of tumor dissemination pathways and different genetic and epigenetic tumor profiles, as well as their evolution during disease progression, along with new diagnostic and therapeutic advances has allowed us to address these situations with local ablative treatments such as stereotactic body radiation therapy or stereotactic radiosurgery. These treatments provide high rates of local control with low toxicity in metastatic spread for primary cancers including those of pulmonary, digestive, and renal origin, while these types of treatments are still emerging for cancers of prostatic origin. There are several retrospective studies showing the effectiveness of such treatments in prostate cancer metastases, which has led to the emergence of prospective studies on the issue and even some phase II studies intended to prevent or delay systemic treatments such as chemotherapy. Here we collect together and review these past experiences and the studies currently underway. These types of radiotherapy treatments redefine how we approach extracranial metastatic disease and open up new possibilities for combination therapy with new systemic treatment agents.