A. Iurato

Estimation of patient setup uncertainty using BrainLAB Exatrac X-Ray 6D system in image-guided radiotherapy

The purpose of this study was to evaluate setup uncertainties for brain sites with ExacTrac X‐Ray 6D system and to provide optimal margin guidelines. Fifteen patients with brain tumor were included in this study. Two X‐ray images with ExacTrac X‐Ray 6D system were used to verify patient position and tumor target localization before each treatment. The 6D fusion software first generates various sets of DRRs with position variations in both three translational and three rotational directions (six degrees of freedom) for the CT images. Setup variations (translation and rotation) after correction were recorded and corrected before treatment. The 3D deviations are expressed as mean±standard deviation. The random error (Σ(σi)), systematic error (μi), and group systematic error (M(μi)) for the different X‐ray were calculated using the definitions of van Herk. (1) Mean setup errors were calculated from X‐ray images acquired after all fractions. There is moderate patient‐to‐patient variation in the vertical direction and small variations in systematic errors and magnitudes of random errors are smaller. The global systematic errors were measured to be less than 2.0 mm in each direction. Random component of all patients are smaller ranging from 0.1–0.3 mm small. The safety margin (SM) to the lateral, is 0.5 mm and 2.6 mm for van Herk (1) and Stroom et al., (2) respectively, craniocaudal axis is 1.5 mm and 3.4 mm, respectively, and with respect to the antero–posterior axis, 2.3 mm and 3.9 mm. Daily X‐ray imaging is essential to compare and assess the accuracy of treatment delivery to different anatomical locations. PACS number: 87.55.D

Efficacy of a Propolis-Based Syrup (FARINGEL) in Preventing Radiation-Induced Esophagitis in Locally Advanced Lung Cancer

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of a propolis-based syrup, FARINGEL®, in preventing radiation-induced esophagitis in locally advanced lung cancer patients. Methods. Patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) using involved-field radiotherapy (RT). Every patient received FARINGEL at the beginning of CRT until the first follow-up. The data of the study group were compared with the data of a control group treated without the administration of the syrup. Results: Forty-five patients were enrolled. Forty-one (91.1%) completed the protocol and were evaluable for esophagitis. Grade ≥2 toxicity occurred in 9/41 patients (22%). No differences in overall toxicity were detected between the study group and the control group (n = 55, 60.9 vs. 54.5%; p = ns). Grade 2–3 esophagitis was lower in the study group in comparison with the control group (22 and 38%, respectively), but statistical significance was not reached (p = 0.09). However, the onset of grade ≥2 esophagitis was delayed in the study group compared to the control group, occurring at higher doses of RT (41.8 vs. 25.4 Gy; p < 0.001). Furthermore, the mean number of interruption days for esophagitis was lower in the study group than in the control group (0.6 ± 2.0 vs. 2.1 ± 3.6; p = 0.025). Conclusion: FARINGEL was well-tolerated and delayed esophagitis that was induced by CRT for locally advanced lung cancer.

A clinical score, including biohumoral parameters, is a useful pretest index to discriminate pulmonary infections from radiation damage in chemoradiation-treated lung cancer patients.

To obtain an easy and prompt differential diagnosis between lower airways infections and acute radiation pneumonitis in chemoradiation lung cancer patients. From 303 patients treated, only patients with severe pulmonary symptoms were hospitalized. Clinical and radiation scores were calculated evaluating clinical, biohumoral, dosimetric parameters. Out of 36 patients hospitalized, infections and acute radiation pneumonitis were reported in 66.7% and 33.3%, respectively. Patients with clinical score ≥2 had an Odds Ratio of 3.4 (1.4–8.3; p = .006) to have infectious pneumonia, while radiation score was not predictive.

The role of mammography after breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND To investigate the impact of postchemotherapy mammography on radiotherapy timing and detection of early locoregional recurrences in breast cancer patients treated with breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS Bilateral mammography was performed before radiotherapy. Mammogram assessments were collected using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) scale. Differences in waiting times for radiotherapy between patients who needed further evaluation after mammograms and who did not were tested by the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS A total of 277 patients who underwent locoregional restaging after conservative surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy were evaluated. All patients had surgical margins greater than 2 mm. No locoregional recurrences were detected. Only in 2 patients (0.7%) did preradiotherapy mammograms reveal a contralateral breast cancer, which was histologically confirmed. After chemotherapy, the waiting times for radiotherapy were not different between patients who needed further imaging evaluation and patients who did not (34 days, 95% CI: 29-65 vs 38 days, 95% CI: 32-39; P = NS). CONCLUSION According to these data, postchemotherapy mammography detected a contralateral breast cancer in very few cases (0.7%); thus, even if performing these exams did not delay the start of radiotherapy, we believe that preradiotherapy mammograms are not necessary for patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy after breast-conserving surgery.