Buried Bumper Syndrome: a rare complication during radical chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

Patients undergoing radical treatment particularly chemoradiotherapy for cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract frequently experience progressive deterioration in swallow during and immediately after treatment. It is important to identify patients at high risk of compromised feeding early, following diagnosis, so that alternate feeding routes, such as percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomies (PEGs), can be promptly and prophylactically instituted, in keeping with the UK Head and Neck Cancer Guidelines (2016).

Assessing the Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Clinical Oncology: Utility of Machine Learning in Radiotherapy Target Volume Delineation.

The fields of radiotherapy and clinical oncology have been rapidly changed by the advances of technology. Improvement in computer processing power and imaging quality heralded precision radiotherapy allowing radiotherapy to be delivered efficiently, safely and effectively for patient benefit. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging field of computer science which uses computer models and algorithms to replicate human-like intelligence and perform specific tasks which offers a huge potential to healthcare. We reviewed and presented the history, evolution and advancement in the fields of radiotherapy, clinical oncology and machine learning. Radiotherapy target delineation is a complex task of outlining tumour and organ at risks volumes to allow accurate delivery of radiotherapy. We discussed the radiotherapy planning, treatment delivery and reviewed how technology can help with this challenging process. We explored the evidence and clinical application of machine learning to radiotherapy. We concluded on the challenges, possible future directions and potential collaborations to achieve better outcome for cancer patients.

In the nick of time: arterial thrombosis on starting combination chemotherapy in metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma.

A 70-year-old man newly diagnosed with metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma was started on standard first-line palliative chemotherapy with anthracycline (epirubicin), platinum (oxaliplatin) and fluoropyrimidine (capecitabine); EOX combination chemotherapy. 5 days after the first cycle of chemotherapy, he presented with tachycardia with associated severe abdominal and lumbar pains. Initial investigations confirmed life-threatening metabolic acidosis with serum lactate of 9.7 mmol/L (normal range 0.5-2.2 mmol/L). CT angiogram identified acute arterial thrombosis within the abdominal aorta, lumbar and right common iliac artery, which was absent on staging contrast CT scan 6 weeks prior. The patient was immediately anticoagulated and chemotherapy discontinued. Urgent oncology and surgical opinions advised conservative management. The patient responded well to early treatment and survived this acute episode. He was subsequently started on life-long treatment dose enoxaparin and second-line single agent chemotherapy with docetaxel (taxotere), with no reported complications.