Preoperative high-dose-rate brachytherapy for high-risk early-stage cervical cancer: Long-term clinical outcome analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To report long-term oncological and toxicity outcomes after high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDB) followed by oncologic surgery for patients with early-stage cervical cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: From 2005 to 2019, all patients treated with preoperative HDB at Antoine Lacassagne Cancer Center for early-stage (IB1-IB2-IIA - FIGO 2018) cervical cancer with local relapse risk factors were included. HDB was performed followed by hysterectomy. Oncological and toxicity outcomes were evaluated prospectively. RESULTS: We identified 61 patients, with a median follow-up of 84 months. Posthysterectomy complete pathological response was observed in 46 patients (75.4%). Six patients (9.8%) experienced recurrence, including 4 local relapses (6.6%), and 2 deaths (3.3%) due to cervical cancer. Five-year local, nodal and metastatic relapse-free survivals were 94% (95% CI 87-100%), 96% (95% CI 90-100%) and 93% (95% CI 86-100%) respectively. Five-year overall survival was 98% (95% CI 95-100%). No grade ≥ 3 acute toxicity was observed, and 3 patients (4.9%) experienced grade 2 acute toxicity. One patient presented grade 4 late digestive toxicity, and 6 patients had grade 2 late toxicity. Only 1 patient still had grade 2 toxicity, after 9 years follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, we are reporting the longest follow-up of a preoperative HDB cohort. With similar oncological outcomes and less morbidity compared to primary surgery treatment followed more or less by adjuvant radiotherapy, HDB followed by hysterectomy could be a promising therapeutic option for early-stage cervical cancers with poor prognostic factors.

Brachytherapy versus external beam radiotherapy boost for prostate cancer: Systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized trials.

BACKGROUND: Brachytherapy boost after external beam radiotherapy for intermediate and high-risk prostate cancer is presented as an attractive technique in numerous retrospective and prospective studies. Currently, three randomized controlled trials comparing brachytherapy versus external beam radiotherapy boost used non-homogenous irradiation features. Therefore, we analyzed the oncological outcomes by a systematic review with meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trials. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature review of MEDLINE and COCHRANE databases up to 30/04/10 and we considered all published randomized controlled trials comparing brachytherapy versus external beam radiotherapy boost for intermediate and high-risk prostate cancer according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. The review was assessed using Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool and the identified reports were reviewed according to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT). Eight publications from 3 RCTs were selected. RESULTS: There was a significant benefit in 5-year biochemical-progression-free survival in favor of BT versus EBRT boost (HR: 0.49 [95% CI, 0.37-0.66], p < 0.01). There was no difference at 5 years in overall survival (HR: 0.92 [95% CI, 0.64-1.33], p = 0.65), ≥ grade 3 late genito-urinary (RR: 2.19 [95%CI, 0.76-6.30], p = 0.15) and late gastro-intestinal toxicities (RR: 1.85 [95%CI, 1.00-3.41] p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis provides further evidence in favor of BT boost for intermediate and high-risk prostate cancer in terms of b-PFS improvement, leading to suggest BT boost as level I and grade A recommendation. However, the risk of grade ≥ 3 late toxicity must be carefully investigated.

Efficacy and tolerance of high-dose-rate brachytherapy boost after external radiotherapy in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) boost in anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a monocentric retrospective study involving patients treated by external irradiation (± chemotherapy), with HDR-BT boost, for a localized ASCC. Clinical evaluation was performed every six months. Oncological results were analyzed with: local relapse-free survival (LRFS), colostomy-free survival (CFS), metastatic-free survival (MFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Acute and late toxicities were collected (CTCV4.0) and LENT/SOMA score was performed. RESULTS: From May 2005 to January 2018, 46 patients (pts) were analyzed. The median follow-up was 61 months (10-145 months), the median age was 65 years (34-84 years), with a sex ratio M/F = 0.24. The TNM classification was as follows: T1 - 13 pts (21.7%), T2 - 34 pts (73.9%), T3 - 2 pts (4.3%), N+ - 6 pts (13.1%). External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) delivered a median dose of 45 Gy (36-50.4 Gy) in 25 fractions, and HDR-BT 12 Gy (10-18 Gy) in 3 fractions. The median overall treatment time (OTT) was 58 days (41-101 days), with a median EBRT/brachytherapy interval of 17 days (4-60 days). Oncological findings showed 5-year rates of LRFS 81.2%, MFS 88.7%, DFS 70%, and OS 90%. All abdominoperineal amputations were performed in case of local relapse (4 pts, 8.7%), leading to a 5-year CFS of 79.5%. Acute urinary toxicities were frequent (G1 41.3%, G2 4.3%). The acute digestive toxicities were: G1 71.7%, G2 6.5%, and G3 2.2%. The late urinary toxicities were: G1 4.3%, G2 2.2%, and G3 2.2%. Late digestive toxicities were: G1 56.5%, G2 8.7%, G3 2.2%, and G4 2.2%. CONCLUSIONS: In ASCC management, HDR-BT boost appears to be a treatment with a long-term acceptable toxicity profile, shorter than EBRT boost, with a reduction of side effects.

Salvage prostate re-irradiation using high-dose-rate brachytherapy or focal stereotactic body radiotherapy for local recurrence after definitive radiation therapy.

BACKGROUND: Optimal management of locally recurrent prostate cancer after definitive radiation therapy is still challenging. With the development of highly accurate radiotherapy devices, prostate salvage re-irradiation might generate lower toxicity rates than classical salvage therapies. We retrospectively evaluated the toxicity and the feasibility of a prostate re-irradiation after definitive radiation therapy failure. Two modalities were investigated: high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRB) on whole prostate gland and focal stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT) using CyberKnife® linac. METHODS: Between 2011 and 2015, 28 patients with imaged and/or biopsy-proven intra-prostatic recurrence of cancer after definitive radiation therapy underwent a salvage re-irradiation using HDRB (n = 10) or focal SBRT (n = 18). The schedule of re-irradiation was 35 Gy in 5 fractions. Biological response (defined as post-salvage radiation PSA variation) and biochemical no-evidence of disease (bNED) were evaluated in the whole cohort. For patients who had a positive biological response after salvage radiation, biochemical recurrence (BCR) and survival after salvage radiotherapy were evaluated. Post-salvage toxicities were assessed according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.03 and were compared to baseline status. RESULTS: Within a median follow-up of 22.5 months (IQR = 8-42), 9 (90%) patients experienced a positive biological response after salvage HDRB and 5 (50%) remained bNED at the end of the follow-up. Among patients who initially responded to salvage HDRB, the BCR rate was 44.4% after a median interval of 19.5 months (IQR = 11.5-26). Only one patient experienced a transient grade 3 urinary complication. In the SBRT group, the median follow-up was 14.5 months (IQR = 7-23) and 10 (55.6%) out of the 18 patients remained bNED. Among the 15 patients who initially responded to salvage SBRT, 5 (33.3%) experienced a BCR. One patient experienced a transient grade 4 urinary complication. At the end of the follow-up, all evaluated patients had a urinary status grade variation ≤ +1 grade. No grade 3-4 digestive toxicity was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Salvage prostate re-irradiation for locally recurrent cancer is feasible and generate low toxicities rates when using with HDRB or focal SBRT. However, further investigations are necessary to confirm these findings and to determine predictive features for patients who might benefit from such an approach.