Yuuki Kuroda

Impact of concurrent chemotherapy on definitive radiotherapy for women with FIGO IIIb cervical cancer.

The purpose of this retrospective study is to investigate the impact of concurrent chemotherapy on definitive radiotherapy for the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) IIIb cervical cancer. Between 2000 and 2009, 131 women with FIGO IIIb cervical cancer were treated by definitive radiotherapy (i.e. whole pelvic external beam radiotherapy for 40–60 Gy in 20–30 fractions with or without center shielding and concomitant high-dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy with 192-iridium remote after loading system for 6 Gy to point A of the Manchester method). The concurrent chemotherapy regimen was cisplatin (40 mg/m2/week). After a median follow-up period of 44.0 months (range 4.2–114.9 months) and 62.1 months for live patients, the five-year overall survival (OS), loco-regional control (LRC) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rates were 52.4, 80.1 and 59.9%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that lack of concurrent chemotherapy was the most significant factor leading to poor prognosis for OS (HR = 2.53; 95% CI 1.44–4.47; P = 0.001) and DMFS (HR = 2.53; 95% CI 1.39–4.61; P = 0.002), but not for LRC (HR = 1.57; 95% CI 0.64–3.88; P = 0.322). The cumulative incidence rates of late rectal complications after definitive radiotherapy were not significantly different with or without concurrent chemotherapy (any grade at five years 23.9 vs 21.7%; P = 0.669). In conclusion, concurrent chemotherapy is valuable in definitive radiotherapy for Japanese women with FIGO IIIb cervical cancer.

Acute Radiation Esophagitis Caused by High-Dose Involved Field Radiotherapy with Concurrent Cisplatin and Vinorelbine for Stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose of this study is to obtain dose-volume histogram (DVH) predictors and threshold values for radiation esophagitis caused by high-dose involved field radiotherapy (IFRT) with concurrent chemotherapy in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Thirty-two patients treated by 66 Gy/33 Fr, 72 Gy/36 Fr, and 78 Gy/39 Fr thoracic radiotherapy without elective nodal irradiation plus concurrent cisplatin and vinorelvine were reviewed. Acute radiation esophagitis was evaluated according to common terminology criteria for adverse events version 4.0, and correlations between grade 2 or worse radiation esophagitis and DVH parameters were investigated. Grade 0–1, 2, 3, and 4–5 of radiation esophagitis were seen in 11 (34.4%), 20 (62.5%), 1 (3.1%), and 0 (0%) of the patients, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that whole esophagus V35 is a predictor of radiation esophagitis (OR = 0.74 [95%CI; 0.60–0.91], p = 0.006). There is a significant difference (38.4% vs. 89.4%, p = 0.027) in the cumulative rates of acute esophagitis according to V35 values of more than 20% versus less. As compared with other factors concerning patient and tumor and treatment factors, V35 < 20% of the esophagus was an independent predictor (HR = 0.29 [95%CI; 0.09–0.85], p = 0.025). In conclusion, whole esophagus V35 < 20% is proposed in high-dose IFRT with concurrent chemotherapy for stage III NSCLC patients.

Results of radical radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the eyelid

Purpose: To analyze the results of radical radiotherapy by electron beams for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the eyelid and to find the possible prognostic factors. Materials and Methods: Records of 38 patients with histologically confirmed SCC of the eyelid who underwent electron beam radiation therapy between 1964 and 2010 in our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Median tumor size was 15 mm (range, 3–40 mm). T stage was T1 in three, T2a in six, T2b in 14, and T3a in 15 patients. Four patients had nodal metastasis. Of the 38 patients, 14 had relapsed disease after prior treatment. Median radiation dose was 60.0 Gy (range, 45.0–70.4 Gy). Median follow-up was 72.5 months (range, 2.0–369 months). Results: 5-year local relapse-free, nodal relapse-free, distant metastasis-free and relapse-free rates for all patients were 71.8%, 77.5%, 90.6% and 58.0%, respectively. In seven patients, lymph node metastases occurred in 11 faciocervical regions. The 5-year overall survival was 79.5%. T stage and radiation dose expressed in EQD2 Gy tended to have impacts on local control. Relapsed patients showed unfavorable local relapse-free rate, however this was without statistical significance. Of the 14 patients who died, 12 succumbed to concurrent diseases. Grade 3 or greater severe late morbidities (CTCAE ver4.0) were observed in nine patients. Due to the morbidities, two patients lost their vision. Conclusion: Radical radiotherapy for SCC of the eyelid yielded good results and could be a treatment option. Whether radiation-dose escalation could improve local control in advanced T stages and relapsed patients needs further study.

Inverse-direction scanning improves the image quality of whole carotid CT angiography with 64-MDCT.

PURPOSE The purpose of this prospective study was to clarify whether reducing the incidence of perivenous artifacts through craniocaudal scanning improves the quality of 64-multidetecter computed tomography (MDCT) angiography images of the whole carotid artery. METHODS Forty patients underwent MDCT angiography in the caudocranial (n=20) or craniocaudal (n=20) direction in 2007. All patients were injected with 75 ml of contrast media followed by a 35-ml saline chaser bolus at 4.0 ml/s in the right antecubital vein. Maximum intensity projection (MIP) images were scored according to image quality on a scale of 1-5. Bilateral arterial and venous attenuation was measured on 10 separated slices. We compared the mean image quality score of the two groups (i.e. those scanned caudocranially and those scanned craniocaudally). We analyzed the correlation between vascular attenuation and mean image quality. RESULTS Compared with the caudocranial group, the craniocaudal group had higher image quality scores (median, 3.70 vs. 3.40; 95% CI, 3.50-3.96 vs. 3.06-3.60; p<0.05), higher arterial attenuation (median, 550 HU vs. 489 HU; range, 270-686 vs. 302-574; p<0.05), and lower maximum venous attenuation (median, 436 vs. 1452 HU; range, 250-617 vs. 377-2044; p<0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the most significant correlation factor with image quality was minimum arterial attenuation (R2=0.42, p<0.001) measured near the brachiocephalic artery. In the caudocranial group only, there was a negative correlation between right brachiocephalic venous attenuation and minimum arterial attenuation. CONCLUSIONS Compared with conventional caudocranial scanning, craniocaudal scanning improves the image quality of 64-MDCT angiography images of the whole carotid artery.