Christine Undseth

Reirradiation of locally recurrent rectal cancer: A systematic review

BACKGROUND Many patients with rectal cancer receive radiotherapy as a component of primary multimodality treatment. Although local recurrence is infrequent, reirradiation may be needed to improve resectability and outcomes. This systematic review investigated the effects of reirradiation in terms of feasibility, toxicity, and long-term outcomes. METHODS A Medline, Embase and Cochrane search resulted in 353 titles/abstracts. Ten publications describing seven prospective or retrospective studies were included, presenting results of 375 patients reirradiated for rectal cancer. RESULTS Median initial radiation dose was 50.4Gy, median 8-30months before reirradiation. Reirradiation was mostly administered using hyperfractionated (1.2-1.5Gy twice-daily) or 1.8Gy once-daily chemoradiotherapy. Median total dose was 30-40Gy to the gross tumour volume with 2-4cm margins. Median survival was 39-60months in resected patients and 12-16months in palliative patients. Good symptomatic relief was reported in 82-100%. Acute toxicity with diarrhoea was reported in 9-20%, late toxicity was insufficiently reported. CONCLUSIONS Reirradiation of rectal cancer to limited volumes is feasible. When curative resection is possible, the goal is radical resection and long-term survival, and hyperfractionated chemoradiotherapy should be preferred to limit late toxicity. Reirradiation yielded good symptomatic relief in palliative treatment.

Palliative pelvic radiotherapy for symptomatic incurable prostate cancer – A prospective multicenter study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Radiotherapy is used to palliate pelvic symptoms of castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, magnitude and time course of effects and toxicities are poorly documented. Study aims were to evaluate changes in patient-reported target symptoms (TS), health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and toxicity following palliative pelvic radiotherapy (PPRT) of CRPC. MATERIAL AND METHODS 47 patients with CRPC and a symptomatic pelvic mass prescribed PPRT with 30-39 Gy were prospectively included. Primary endpoint was patient-reported improvement or complete resolution of the TS twelve weeks after PPRT. HRQOL changes were explored. Toxicity was physician-evaluated. RESULTS Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) (45%), hematuria (26%) and pain (19%) were the most common TS. In the 40 evaluable patients, overall TS response twelve weeks after PPRT was 70%. TS responses were 8/18 for LUTS, 11/12 for hematuria, and 7/9 for pain. Global HRQOL improved transiently. The most common toxicity was grade 1 or 2 diarrhea (50%). There was no grade 4 toxicity. CONCLUSIONS In the majority of patients with CRPC and a symptomatic pelvic tumor, PPRT with 30-39 Gy contributes to relief of hematuria, pain and other pelvic symptoms, with acceptable toxicity. Future studies should investigate whether PPRT regimens can be simplified.

Palliative pelvic radiotherapy for symptomatic rectal cancer – a prospective multicenter study

Abstract Background and purpose: Palliative pelvic radiotherapy (PPRT) is used to treat locally advanced rectal cancer (RC) although symptomatic effects and toxicities are poorly documented. Aims were to evaluate symptom severity, quality of life (QOL) and toxicity after PPRT. Material and methods: Fifty-one patients with symptomatic primary or recurrent RC prescribed PPRT with fractions of 3 Gy to 30–39 Gy were included. Primary outcome was severity of target symptoms (TS) 12 weeks after PPRT. Pelvic symptom burden, toxicity, and QOL were assessed. Response was defined as patient-reported TS improvement or resolution. Results: Pain (n = 24), rectal dysfunction (n = 16), and hematochezia (n = 9) were the most common TSs. Overall response rate among evaluable patients 12 weeks after PPRT was 28/33 (85%). Eighteen patients did not complete the study follow-up, 16 due to deteriorating health. TS responses were 10/13 (77%) for pain, 9/10 (90%) for rectal dysfunction, and 8/8 for hematochezia. Non-target pelvic symptom severity decreased and median QOL scores remained stable. There was no grade 4 toxicity. Median survival was nine months. Conclusions: In the majority of patients with symptomatic primary or recurrent RC, PPRT with 30–39 Gy contributes to pelvic symptom relief, with little toxicity. Patients prescribed PPRT of RC have limited life expectancy. Future studies should investigate simplification of PPRT.

Systematic ReviewReirradiation of locally recurrent rectal cancer: A systematic review

BACKGROUND Many patients with rectal cancer receive radiotherapy as a component of primary multimodality treatment. Although local recurrence is infrequent, reirradiation may be needed to improve resectability and outcomes. This systematic review investigated the effects of reirradiation in terms of feasibility, toxicity, and long-term outcomes. METHODS A Medline, Embase and Cochrane search resulted in 353 titles/abstracts. Ten publications describing seven prospective or retrospective studies were included, presenting results of 375 patients reirradiated for rectal cancer. RESULTS Median initial radiation dose was 50.4Gy, median 8-30months before reirradiation. Reirradiation was mostly administered using hyperfractionated (1.2-1.5Gy twice-daily) or 1.8Gy once-daily chemoradiotherapy. Median total dose was 30-40Gy to the gross tumour volume with 2-4cm margins. Median survival was 39-60months in resected patients and 12-16months in palliative patients. Good symptomatic relief was reported in 82-100%. Acute toxicity with diarrhoea was reported in 9-20%, late toxicity was insufficiently reported. CONCLUSIONS Reirradiation of rectal cancer to limited volumes is feasible. When curative resection is possible, the goal is radical resection and long-term survival, and hyperfractionated chemoradiotherapy should be preferred to limit late toxicity. Reirradiation yielded good symptomatic relief in palliative treatment.

Reirradiation of locally recurrent rectal cancer

BACKGROUND Many patients with rectal cancer receive radiotherapy as a component of primary multimodality treatment. Although local recurrence is infrequent, reirradiation may be needed to improve resectability and outcomes. This systematic review investigated the effects of reirradiation in terms of feasibility, toxicity, and long-term outcomes. METHODS A Medline, Embase and Cochrane search resulted in 353 titles/abstracts. Ten publications describing seven prospective or retrospective studies were included, presenting results of 375 patients reirradiated for rectal cancer. RESULTS Median initial radiation dose was 50.4Gy, median 8-30months before reirradiation. Reirradiation was mostly administered using hyperfractionated (1.2-1.5Gy twice-daily) or 1.8Gy once-daily chemoradiotherapy. Median total dose was 30-40Gy to the gross tumour volume with 2-4cm margins. Median survival was 39-60months in resected patients and 12-16months in palliative patients. Good symptomatic relief was reported in 82-100%. Acute toxicity with diarrhoea was reported in 9-20%, late toxicity was insufficiently reported. CONCLUSIONS Reirradiation of rectal cancer to limited volumes is feasible. When curative resection is possible, the goal is radical resection and long-term survival, and hyperfractionated chemoradiotherapy should be preferred to limit late toxicity. Reirradiation yielded good symptomatic relief in palliative treatment.