Optimizing Therapeutic Approaches in Superficial Esophageal Cancer: Reduced-volume Radiotherapy and Dose-dense Chemotherapy After Endoscopic Resection.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) followed by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) has become a promising treatment modality in the management of early-stage superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC). However, radiotherapy often leads to significant adverse events (AEs), including cardiopulmonary toxicity, limiting the delivery of this treatment modality. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of reduced-volume radiotherapy and dose-dense chemotherapy in mitigating AEs for high-risk SESCC following ESD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients treated with customized CRT after ESD between 2014 and 2023. RESULTS: Thirty-nine consecutive patients were identified. The median follow-up period was 63.4 months (range=8.3-99.8 months). All patients completed CRT, with a low incidence (3%) of grade ≥3 nonhematologic AEs. Thirteen patients (33%) had a recurrence: 10 local, one regional, and two distant. The 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 77% and 64%, respectively. A positive vertical resection margin was identified as a prognostic factor associated with survival. CONCLUSION: Our novel approach of combining ESD with customized reduced-volume radiotherapy and dose-dense chemotherapy shows promise in providing favorable oncologic outcomes and a safer nonsurgical strategy for high-risk SESCC. Specifically, this regimen minimized cardiopulmonary toxicity without compromising therapeutic efficacy. More aggressive adjuvant therapy may be required for patients with positive vertical resection margins after ESD.

Albumin-bilirubin score is a useful predictor of worsening liver reserve after stereotactic body radiation therapy in elderly Japanese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is closely related to their liver reserves. The Child-Pugh (CP) score has traditionally been used to evaluate this reserve, with CP Grade B (CP score ≥ 7) associated with a higher risk of radiation-induced liver disease after stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). However, the CP score has limitations, as it does not accurately assess liver reserve capacity. The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score has been introduced as a meticulous indicator of liver reserve for the treatment of HCC. We retrospectively evaluated the role of the ALBI score in estimating the worsening liver reserve in 42 patients with HCC treated with SBRT using CyberKnife between 2015 and 2023. The median biologically effective dose (α/ß = 10 Gy) was 100 Gy. For a median follow-up duration of 17.4 months, the 1-year overall survival (OS), local control (LC) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 100, 98 and 62%, respectively. Worsening liver reserve was defined as an increase in the modified ALBI grade or CP score within 1 year after SBRT. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the baseline ALBI score (≥-2.7 vs <-2.7) was the only significantly different predictor of worsening liver reserve. The OS and LC rates after SBRT for HCC were satisfactory. However, the PFS was poor, and recurrent HCC will require additional treatment. It is clinically important to predict the liver reserve capacity after SBRT, and the baseline ALBI score is a useful predictor.

＜Editors' Choice＞ Elective nodal irradiation versus involved field radiotherapy for limited disease small cell lung cancer: a single-institution experience.

Elective nodal irradiation (ENI) and involved field radiotherapy (IFRT) are definitive radiotherapeutic approaches used to treat patients with limited-disease small cell lung cancer (LD-SCLC). However, no solid consensus exists on their optimal target volume. The current study aimed to assess the clinical outcomes of patients with LD-SCLC who received definitive ENI or IFRT. A retrospective single-institution study of patients who received definitive radiotherapy between 2008 and 2020 was performed. All patients underwent whole-body positron emission tomography/computed tomography before three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy. Among the 37 patients analyzed, 22 and 15 received ENI and IFRT, respectively. The thoracic radiotherapy dose was mostly either 60 Gy in 30 fractions delivered in 2-Gy fractions once daily or 45 Gy in 30 fractions delivered in 1.5-Gy fractions twice daily. The median follow-up period was 21.4 months. A total of 12 patients (32%) experienced locoregional relapse: 10 within and 2 outside the irradiation fields. One patient in the IFRT group experienced isolated nodal failure. Differences in locoregional relapse-free, progression-free, and overall survival rates between ENI and IFRT were not significant. Overall, IFRT did not promote a significant increase in locoregional recurrence compared to ENI. Our findings suggested the utility of IFRT in standard clinical practice and support its use for patients with LD-SCLC.

Definitive Radiotherapy for Penoscrotal Extramammary Paget's Disease: A Case Report with Long-Term Follow-Up.

Penoscrotal extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is a rare intraepithelial adenocarcinoma in older male patients, and no effective nonsurgical treatment strategies are currently available. The aim of this study was to report the usefulness of external radiotherapy (RT) for penoscrotal EMPD in an inoperable elderly patient. This report presents the treatment of an 89-year-old man with widespread penoscrotal EMPD. A multidisciplinary treatment team decided on radical RT. The patient received a radiation dose of 61.8 Gy in 30 fractions through electron and photon beams. His treatment tolerance was good, and no severe toxicity had been observed up the last follow-up. At 6.5 years after the RT, the patient showed no evidence of recurrence. Definitive RT resulted in excellent disease control and minimal toxicity; thus, it could be a promising nonsurgical therapeutic option for penoscrotal EMPD, even in extremely elderly individuals.

Intra-Arterial Lidocaine Administration for Anesthesia after Uterine Artery Embolization with Trisacryl Gelatin Microspheres for Leiomyoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether administration of lidocaine into the uterine artery for anesthesia immediately after uterine artery embolization (UAE) with trisacryl gelatin microspheres (TAGM) for leiomyoma is safe and effective. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a single-institution retrospective study, 100 patients underwent UAE using TAGM with a pruned tree endpoint between June 2014 and April 2019. The first 50 patients (control group) underwent UAE without lidocaine; in the second 50 patients (study group), lidocaine was administered into the uterine artery immediately after UAE. Baseline characteristics and technical and periprocedural outcomes were compared. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 hours after UAE were compared between the groups with repeated measures analysis of variance. Each multivariate-adjusted VAS score < 24 hours was compared with analysis of covariance. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in baseline characteristics or technical and periprocedural outcomes, including the volume of morphine used (P = .415), between the groups. No significant differences were found in crude or multivariate-adjusted VAS scores at each time point < 24 hours. Only the multivariate-adjusted VAS score 3 hours after UAE was 0.7 lower in the study group (mean ± SE, 2.2 ± 0.3 vs 2.9 ± 0.3); however, no significant difference was noted (P = .070). No adverse events associated with lidocaine were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Intra-arterial lidocaine administration immediately after UAE with TAGM for leiomyoma was safe, but did not contribute to significant reductions in pain or volume of narcotic agent administered.