Rectovaginal septum primary squamous cell cancer: Extremely rare entity.

Rectovaginal septum primary cancer is an extremely rare entity including gastrointestinal stromal tumor , adenocarcinoma (endometriosis related/unrelated) and Mullerian cell remnant cancer. These cancers are usually asymptomatic, but can grow large enough to present with pelvic discomfort or pressure symptoms (urinary retention or constipation). Imaging plays an important role in detection, characterization, staging workup and follow-up. Despite adenocarcinoma being the histology seen in most cases of primary rectovaginal septum carcinoma, 1 prior case of squamous cell cancer was reported in 2016. To the best of our knowledge, our case is the second reported case of this same extremely rare entity. We discuss a 35-year female with a rectovaginal mass which was detected by pelvic ultrasound, worked up by computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography-CT and diagnosed by large incisional transvaginal biopsy. The patient underwent combined chemoradiotherapy, which resulted in complete resolution of the mass on follow up pelvic magnetic resonance imaging. Standard management guidelines are not available due to lack of adequate data.

A Single-Site Retrospective, Nonrandomized Study of Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation Brachytherapy for Early-Stage Breast Cancer Treatment to Evaluate Local Tumor Control, Cosmetic Outcome, and Toxicities.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the accelerated partial breast irradiation brachytherapy with a combination of applicators at a community hospital cancer center. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 2005 and 2009, 120 patients with early-stage breast cancer were being followed after treatment with accelerated partial breast irradiation brachytherapy using MammoSite, single or multilumen balloon, or Contura multilumen balloon. After their lumpectomy surgery, each patient was treated with Ir-192 high-dose rate unit following radiation therapy oncology group 0413 guidelines. The patients had multiple follow-ups at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, or more. RESULTS: Based on the Harvard Breast Cosmesis Scale, 95.00% of patients described their cosmetic evaluation as the treated breast essentially the same as the opposite side (excellent) or minimal but identifiable effects were noticed from radiation (good). After a median follow-up of 36 months, the local recurrence rate was 1.66% and a disease-free survival is 98.3%. Forty-two patients reported 85 adverse events, which were fibrosis: 24.70%, hyperpigmentation: 20.00%, radiation skin reaction: 7.05%, seroma: 7.05%, breast pain: 7.05%, erythema: 5.88%, and other events were less than 5.00%. Of all the adverse events recorded, grade 1 to 3 events are 95.29% (n = 81), 2.35% (n = 2), and 2.35% (n = 2). There was no grade 4 or 5 events recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has shown promising results for delivering radiation with MammoSite, single or multilumen balloon, or Contura multilumen balloon and has been successful in achieving local control in patients with early-stage breast cancer.

Application of modified dynamic conformal arc (MDCA) technique on liver stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) planning following RTOG 0438 guideline.

Liver stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a feasible treatment method for the nonoperable, patient with early-stage liver cancer. Treatment planning for the SBRT is very important and has to consider the simulation accuracy, planning time, treatment efficiency effects etc. The modified dynamic conformal arc (MDCA) technique is a 3-dimensional conformal arc planning method, which has been proposed for liver SBRT planning at our center. In this study, we compared the MDCA technique with the RapidArc technique in terms of planning target volume (PTV) coverage and sparing of organs at risk (OARs). The results show that the MDCA technique has comparable plan quality to RapidArc considering PTV coverage, hot spots, heterogeneity index, and effective liver volume. For the 5 PTVs studied among 4 patients, the MDCA plan, when compared with the RapidArc plan, showed 9% more hot spots, more heterogeneity effect, more sparing of OARs, and lower liver effective volume. The monitor unit (MU) number for the MDCA plan is much lower than for the RapidArc plans. The MDCA plan has the advantages of less planning time, no-collision treatment, and a lower MU number.

Implementation and evaluation of modified dynamic conformal arc (MDCA) technique for lung SBRT patients following RTOG protocols.

To implement modified dynamic conformal arc (MDCA) technique and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) protocols in our clinic for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) treatment of patients with Stage I/II non-small cell lung cancer. Five patients with non-small cell lung cancer have been treated with SBRT. All the patients were immobilized using CIVCO Body Pro-Lok system and scanned using GE 4-slice computed tomography. The MDCA technique that was previously published was adopted as our planning technique, and RTOG protocols for the lung SBRT were followed. The patients were treated on Novalis Tx system with cone-beam computed tomography imaging guidance. All the patient plans passed the RTOG criteria. The conformal index ranges from 0.99 to 1.12 for the planning target volume, and the biological equivalent dose for the planning target volume is overall 100Gy. Critical structures (lung, spinal cord, brachial plexus, skin, and chest wall) also meet RTOG protocols or published data. A 6-month follow-up of one of the patients shows good local disease control. We have successfully implemented the MDCA technique into our clinic for the lung SBRT program. It shows that the MDCA is useful and efficient for the lung SBRT planning, with the plan quality meeting the RTOG protocols.

Study of ExacTrac X-ray 6D IGRT setup uncertainty for marker-based prostate IMRT treatment.

Novalis Tx ExacTrac X-ray system has the 6D adjustment ability for patient setup. Limited studies exist about the setup uncertainty with ExacTrac X-ray system for IMRT prostate treatment with fiducial markers implanted. The purpose of this study is to investigate the marker-based prostate IMRT treatment setup uncertainty using ExacTrac 6D IGRT ability for patient setup. Forty-three patients with prostate cancers and markers implanted have been treated on the Novalis Tx machine. The ExacTrac X-ray system has been used for the patient pretreatment setup and intratreatment verification. In total, the shifts data for 1261 fractions and 3504 correction times (the numbers of X-ray images were taken from tube 1 and tube 2) have been analyzed. The setup uncertainty has been separated into uncertainties in 6D. Marker matching uncertainty was also analyzed. Correction frequency probability density function was plotted, and the radiation dose for imaging was calculated. The minimum, average, and maximum translation shifts were: -5.12 ± 3.89 mm, 0.20 ± 2.21 mm, and 6.07 ± 4.44 mm, respectively, in the lateral direction; -6.80 ± 3.21 mm, -1.09 ± 2.21 mm, and 3.12 ± 2.62 mm, respectively, in the longitudinal direction; and -7.33 ± 3.46 mm, -0.93 ± 2.70 mm, and 5.93 ± 4.85mm, respectively, in the vertical direction. The minimum, average, and maximum rotation shifts were: -1.23° ± 1.95°, 0.25° ± 1.30°, and 2.38° ± 2.91°, respectively, along lateral direction; -0.67° ± 0.91°, 0.10° ± 0.61°, and 1.51° ± 2.04°, respectively, along longitudinal direction; and -0.75° ± 1.01°, 0.02° ± 0.50°, and 0.82° ± 1.13°, respectively, along vertical direction. On average, each patient had three correction times during one fraction treatment. The radiation dose is about 3 mSv per fraction. With the ExacTrac 6D X-ray system, the prostate IMRT treatment with marker implanted can achieve less than 2 mm setup uncertainty in translations, and less than 0.25° in rotations as overall interfraction mean error. The imaging dose is less than kV (CBCT) for setup verification.