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Introduction: Family planning among female physicians is harmed by high risks of infertility, workload burden, poor family leave policies, and gender discrimination. Many women report feeling unsupported in the workplace, despite national policies to protect against unfair treatment. Methods: This secondary analysis applied a modified version of the rigorous and accelerated data reduction technique to conduct a thematic analysis of comments to an open‐ended prompt. Comments were coded by multiple trained researchers then grouped and merged into illustrative themes via qualitative techniques. Results: Of 1004 responses to the quantitative survey, 162 physicians completed the open‐ended prompt. Initial codes (n = 16) were combined into eight groups including, from which three overarching themes were identified. Institutional barriers were highlighted with comments discussing the increased need for parental leave, part‐time options and the concern for academic or professional punishment for being pregnant and/or having children. Departmental barriers were explored with comments grouped around codes of discrimination/negative culture and challenges with breastfeeding/pumping and childcare. Personal barriers were discussed in themes highlighting the difficulties that female physicians faced around the timing of family planning, challenges with reproductive health and assistance, and alternative circumstances and/or decisions against family planning. Conclusion: Barriers to family planning in oncology exist across career domains from dysfunctional maternity leave to poor education on infertility risk. Solutions include improving institutional support, expanding parental leave, and general cultural change to improve awareness and promotion of family and career balance. Many female physicians report feeling unsupported in the workplace with respect to family planning and gender discrimination, despite national policies to protect against unfair treatment. This mixed‐methods study showed barriers to family planning in oncology exist across career domains from dysfunctional maternity leave to poor education on infertility risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing safe and informed healthcare for sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals with cancer is stymied by the lack of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data reliably available in health records and by insufficient training for staff. Approaches that support institutional learning, especially around sensitive topics, are essential for hospitals seeking to improve practices impacting patient safety and research. We engineered annual institutional retreats to identify and unify stakeholders, promote awareness of gaps and needs, identify initiatives, minimize redundant projects, and coordinate efforts that promote improvements in SGM cancer care, education, and research. The 2022 and 2023 retreats employed a 4-h hybrid format allowing virtual and in-person engagement. Retreat organizers facilitated small-group discussions for brainstorming among participants. We performed descriptive statistics from retreat evaluations. The retreats engaged 104 attendees from distinct departments and roles. Participants expressed robust satisfaction, commending the retreat organization and content quality. Notably, the first retreat yielded leadership endorsement and funding for a Quality Improvement pilot to standardize SOGI data collection and clinical staff training. The second retreat provided a platform for updates on focused efforts across the institution and for receiving direction regarding national best practices for SGM care and research. We report the processes and outcomes of institution-wide retreats, which served as a platform for identifying gaps in organizational healthcare practices and research for SGM individuals with cancer. The strategies described herein may be readily scaled at other cancer hospitals seeking to learn and enact system-wide practice changes that support the needs of SGM patients and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: With locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC), uncontrolled local tumor growth frequently leads to mortality. Advancements in radiotherapy (RT) techniques have enabled conformal delivery of escalated‐dose RT (EDR), which may have potential local control and overall survival (OS) benefits based on retrospective and early prospective studies. With evidence for EDR emerging, we characterized the adoption of EDR across the United States and its associated outcomes. Methods: We searched the National Cancer Database for nonsurgically managed LAPC patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2019. Pancreas‐directed RT with biologically effective doses (BED10) ≥39 and ≤70 Gy was labeled conventional‐dose RT (CDR), and BED10 >70 and ≤132 Gy was labeled EDR. We identified associations of EDR and OS using logistic and Cox regressions, respectively. Results: Among the definitive therapy subset (n = 54,115) of the entire study cohort (n = 91,493), the most common treatments were chemotherapy alone (69%), chemotherapy and radiation (29%), and RT alone (2%). For the radiation therapy subset (n = 16,978), use of pancreas‐directed RT remained between 13% and 17% over the study period (ptrend > 0.999). Using multivariable logistic regression, treatment at an academic/research facility (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.46, p < 0.001) and treatment between 2016 and 2019 (aOR 2.54, p < 0.001) were associated with greater receipt of EDR, whereas use of chemotherapy (aOR 0.60, p < 0.001) was associated with less receipt. Median OS estimates for EDR and CDR were 14.5 months and 13.0 months (p < 0.0001), respectively. For radiation therapy subset patients with available survival data (n = 13,579), multivariable Cox regression correlated EDR (adjusted hazard ratio 0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.80–0.91; p < 0.001) with longer OS versus CDR. Discussion and Conclusions: Utilization of EDR has increased since 2016, but overall utilization of RT for LAPC has remained at less than one in five patients for almost two decades. These real‐world results additionally provide an estimate of effect size of EDR for future prospective trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Traditional constraints specify that 700 cc of liver should be spared a hepatotoxic dose when delivering liver-directed radiotherapy to reduce the risk of inducing liver failure. We investigated the role of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to identify and preferentially avoid functional liver during liver-directed radiation treatment planning in patients with preserved liver function but limited functional liver volume after receiving prior hepatotoxic chemotherapy or surgical resection. Methods This phase I trial with a 3 + 3 design evaluated the safety of liver-directed radiotherapy using escalating functional liver radiation dose constraints in patients with liver metastases. Dose-limiting toxicities were assessed 6-8 weeks and 6 months after completing radiotherapy. Results All 12 patients had colorectal liver metastases and received prior hepatotoxic chemotherapy; 8 patients underwent prior liver resection. Median computed tomography anatomical nontumor liver volume was 1584 cc (range = 764-2699 cc). Median SPECT functional liver volume was 1117 cc (range = 570-1928 cc). Median nontarget computed tomography and SPECT liver volumes below the volumetric dose constraint were 997 cc (range = 544-1576 cc) and 684 cc (range = 429-1244 cc), respectively. The prescription dose was 67.5-75 Gy in 15 fractions or 75-100 Gy in 25 fractions. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed during follow-up. One-year in-field control was 57%. One-year overall survival was 73%. Conclusion Liver-directed radiotherapy can be safely delivered to high doses when incorporating functional SPECT into the radiation treatment planning process, which may enable sparing of lower volumes of liver than traditionally accepted in patients with preserved liver function. Trial registration NCT02626312. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This survey study investigates long-term patient-reported quality of life for individuals with low-lying rectal cancers, particularly focusing on the potential impact that ostomies may have on overall, sexual, and urinary quality of life. The findings suggest that patients with ostomies may experience a worse quality of life, affecting various aspects of daily life and relationships. These insights may help to inform patient counseling and shared decision making in the context of evolving rectal cancer treatment paradigms where patients have increasing multidisciplinary options. Background: Despite the increasing utilization of sphincter and/or organ-preservation treatment strategies, many patients with low-lying rectal cancers require abdominoperineal resection (APR), leading to permanent ostomy. Here, we aimed to characterize overall, sexual-, and bladder-related patient-reported quality of life (QOL) for individuals with low rectal cancers. We additionally aimed to explore potential differences in patient-reported outcomes between patients with and without a permanent ostomy. Methods: We distributed a comprehensive survey consisting of various patient-reported outcome measures, including the FACT-G7 survey, ICIQ MLUTS/FLUTS, IIEF-5/FSFI, and a specific questionnaire for ostomy patients. Descriptive statistics and univariate comparisons were used to compared demographics, treatments, and QOL scores between patients with and without a permanent ostomy. Results: Of the 204 patients contacted, 124 (60.8%) returned completed surveys; 22 (18%) of these had a permanent ostomy at the time of survey completion. There were 25 patients with low rectal tumors (≤5 cm from the anal verge) who did not have an ostomy at the time of survey completion, of whom 13 (52%) were managed with a non-operative approach. FACTG7 scores were numerically lower (median 20.5 vs. 22, p = 0.12) for individuals with an ostomy. Sexual function measures IIEF and FSFI were also lower (worse) for individuals with ostomies, but the results were not significantly different. MLUTS and FLUTS scores were both higher in individuals with ostomies (median 11 vs. 5, p = 0.06 and median 17 vs. 5.5, p = 0.01, respectively), suggesting worse urinary function. Patient-reported ostomy-specific challenges included gastrointestinal concerns (e.g., gas, odor, diarrhea) that may affect social activities and personal relationships. Conclusions: Despite a limited sample size, this study provides patient-centered, patient-derived data regarding long-term QOL in validated measures following treatment of low rectal cancers. Ostomies may have multidimensional negative impacts on QOL, and these findings warrant continued investigation in a prospective setting. These results may be used to inform shared decision making for individuals with low rectal cancers in both the settings of organ preservation and permanent ostomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is known to be difficult to treat, even with standard-of-care chemotherapies. One emerging option for treating PC involves high-dose radiation therapy as a means to help control the growth and even destroy cancer cells. However, the pancreas is surrounded by many gastrointestinal organs and blood vessels; therefore, the implantation of a gold fiducial marker can help precisely target the pancreatic tumor. Our aim was to investigate whether implantation of fiducial markers through endoscopic ultrasound guidance is safe and feasible and to also document the radiation characteristics of this emerging high-dose radiation treatment option. Accurate delivery of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to pancreatic tumors relies on successful EUS-guided placement of fiducial markers. The aim of this study is to report the technical feasibility and safety of EUS-guided fiducial placement and to evaluate the characteristics and technical benefit of SBRT in a cohort of patients with pancreatic cancer (PC). A retrospective chart review was performed for all (n = 82) PC patients referred for EUS-guided fiducial placement by a single endosonographer at a tertiary cancer center. Data regarding EUS-related technical details, SBRT characteristics, adverse events, and continuous visibility of fiducials were recorded and analyzed. Most patients included in the study had either locally advanced disease (32 patients, 39%) or borderline resectable disease (29 patients, 35%). Eighty-two PC patients underwent the placement of 230 fiducial markers under EUS guidance. The technical success rate of the fiducial placement was 98%. No immediate EUS-related adverse events were reported. The average time to the simulation CT after fiducial placement was 3.1 days. Of the 216 fiducial markers used for the SBRT delivery, 202 fiducial markers were visible on both the simulation CT and the cone beam CT scan. A median dose of 40cGY was given to all the patients in five fractions. Of these, 41% of the patients reported no SBRT-related toxicities during the follow-up. Fatigue and nausea were the most reported SBRT-related toxicities, which were seen in 35% of the patients post-SBRT. Our results demonstrate that EUS-guided fiducial placement is safe and effective in target volume delineation, facilitating SBRT delivery in PC patients. Further clinical trials are needed to determine the SBRT-related survival benefits in patients with pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of salvage locoregional therapy (salvage-LT) on survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients presenting with intrahepatic tumor progression following radiotherapy. Methods: This single-institution retrospective analysis included consecutive HCC patients having intrahepatic tumor progression following radiotherapy during 2015–2019. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the date of intrahepatic tumor progression after initial radiotherapy by using the Kaplan–Meier method. Log-rank tests and Cox regression models were used for univariable and multivariable analyses. An inverse probability weighting was used to estimate treatment effect of salvage-LT considering confounding factors. Results: A total of 123 patients (mean age ± SD, 70 years ± 10; 97 men) were evaluated. Among those, 35 patients underwent 59 sessions of salvage-LT, including transarterial embolization/chemoembolization (n = 33), ablation (n = 11), selective internal radiotherapy (n = 7), and external beam radiotherapy (n = 8). At a median follow-up of 15.1 months (range, 3.4–54.5 months), the median OS was 23.3 months in patients who received salvage-LT and 6.6 months who did not. At multivariate analysis, ECOG performance status, Child–Pugh class, albumin-bilirubin grade, extrahepatic disease, and lack of salvage-LT were independent predictors of worse OS. After inverse probability weighting, salvage-LT was associated with a survival benefit of 8.9 months (95% CI: 1.1, 16.7 months; p = 0.03). Conclusions: Salvage locoregional therapy is associated with increased survival in HCC patients suffering from intrahepatic tumor progression following initial radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Limited data from small series have suggested that brain metastases from biliary tract cancers (BrM-BTC) affect ≤2% of patients with BTC. We sought to review our experience with patients with BrM-BTC and to identify associations of tumor-related molecular alterations with outcomes. Materials and Methods A retrospective review of patients with BTC seen at a tertiary referral center from 2005 to 2021 was performed; patients with BrM-BTC were identified, and clinical and molecular data were collected. Results Twenty-one of 823 patients with BTC (2.6%) developed BrM. For patients with BrM-BTC, median follow-up time was 27.9 months after primary BTC diagnosis and 3.1 months after BrM diagnosis. Median time from primary diagnosis to diagnosis of BrM was 14.4 [range, 1.1-66.0] months. Median overall survival (OS) from primary diagnosis was 31.5 [2.9-99.8] months and median OS from BrM diagnosis was 4.2 [0.2-33.8] months. Patients who underwent BrM-directed therapy trended toward longer OS following BrM diagnosis than patients receiving supportive care only (median 6.5 vs 0.8 months, P =.060). The BrM-BTC cohort was enriched for BRAF (30%), PIK3CA (25%), and GNAS (20%) mutations. patients with BrM-BTC with BRAF mutations trended toward longer OS following BrM diagnosis (median 13.1 vs 4.2 months, P =. 131). Conclusion This is the largest series of patients with BrM-BTC to date and provides molecular characterization of this rare subgroup of patients with BTC. Patients with BrM-BTC may be more likely to have BRAF mutations. With advances in targeted therapy for patients with BTC with actionable mutations, continued examination of shifting patterns of failure, with emphasis on BrM, is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) is a rare gastrointestinal cancer. Factors associated with progression of HPV infection to anal dysplasia and cancer are unclear and screening guidelines and approaches for anal dysplasia are less clear than for cervical dysplasia. One potential contributing factor is the anorectal microbiome. In this study, we aimed to identify differences in anal microbiome composition in the settings of HPV infection, anal dysplasia, and anal cancer in this rare disease. Methods: Patients were enrolled in two prospective studies. Patients with anal dysplasia were part of a cross-sectional cohort that enrolled women with high-grade lower genital tract dysplasia. Anorectal tumor swabs were prospectively collected from patients with biopsy-confirmed locally advanced SCCA prior to receiving standard-of-care chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Patients with high-grade lower genital tract dysplasia without anal dysplasia were considered high-risk (HR Normal). 16S V4 rRNA Microbiome sequencing was performed for anal swabs. Alpha and Beta Diversity and composition were compared for HR Normal, anal dysplasia, and anal cancer. Results: 60 patients with high-grade lower genital tract dysplasia were initially enrolled. Seven patients had concurrent anal dysplasia and 44 patients were considered HR Normal. Anorectal swabs from 21 patients with localized SCCA were included, sequenced, and analyzed in the study. Analysis of weighted and unweighted UniFrac distances demonstrated significant differences in microbial community composition between anal cancer and HR normal (p=0.018). LEfSe identified that all three groups exhibited differential enrichment of specific taxa. Peptoniphilus (p=0.028), Fusobacteria (p=0.0295), Porphyromonas (p=0.034), and Prevotella (p=0.029) were enriched in anal cancer specimens when compared to HR normal. Conclusion: Although alpha diversity was similar between HR Normal, dysplasia and cancer patients, composition differed significantly between the three groups. Increased anorectal Peptoniphilus, Fusobacteria, Porphyromonas, and Prevotella abundance were associated with anal cancer. These organisms have been reported in various gastrointestinal cancers with roles in facilitating the proinflammatory microenvironment and neoplasia progression. Future work should investigate a potential role of microbiome analysis in screening for anal dysplasia and investigation into potential mechanisms of how these microbial imbalances influence the immune system and anal carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: While anti-PD1 antibodies have demonstrated efficacy in some patients with metastatic anal cancer, these agents have no proven benefit for those with localized disease treated with chemoradiation. Difficulty procuring fresh tumor tissue required for RNA and protein expression analysis has limited extensive molecular profiling for this rare cancer. Our team utilized a novel digital spatial profiling technology on pretreatment anal cancer specimens to identify biomarkers associated with recurrence after chemoradiation. We observed that recurrent tumors had higher baseline expression of immune checkpoint biomarkers, higher MAPK signaling activation and higher PI3K/Akt signaling activation. These findings provide a rationale that supports future clinical trials with immunotherapy that seek to improve survival beyond chemoradiation for patients with localized squamous cell cancer of the anus. The identification of transcriptomic and protein biomarkers prognosticating recurrence risk after chemoradiation of localized squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) has been limited by a lack of available fresh tissue at initial presentation. We analyzed archival FFPE SCCA specimens from pretreatment biopsies prior to chemoradiation for protein and RNA biomarkers from patients with localized SCCA who recurred (N = 23) and who did not recur (N = 25). Tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME) were analyzed separately to identify biomarkers with significantly different expression between the recurrent and non-recurrent groups. Recurrent patients had higher mean protein expression of FoxP3, MAPK-activation markers (BRAF, p38-MAPK) and PI3K/Akt activation (phospho-Akt) within the tumor regions. The TME was characterized by the higher protein expression of immune checkpoint biomarkers such as PD-1, OX40L and LAG3. For patients with recurrent SCCA, the higher mean protein expression of fibronectin was observed in the tumor and TME compartments. No significant differences in RNA expression were observed. The higher baseline expression of immune checkpoint biomarkers, together with markers of MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling, are associated with recurrence following chemoradiation for patients with localized SCCA. These data provide a rationale towards the application of immune-based therapeutic strategies to improve curative-intent outcomes beyond conventional therapies for patients with SCCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subspecialty exposure during medical school can be limited. Moreover, the COVID19 pandemic prevented most onsite elective medical student (MS) rotations during 2020. Therefore, we sought to create and assess the efficacy of an informal virtual elective (IVE) for MSs to explore radiation oncology (RO) at our institution. We created IVE activities including invitations to resident didactics, a faculty lecture series, and interactive virtual events with residents and faculty. MSs were offered RO resident and faculty mentors and the opportunity to deliver a lecture. Pre- and post-IVE evaluation surveys were sent to 27 4th year MSs. Surveys utilized importance ordering (1=most important; reported as median (interquartile range), free response, and Likert-type questions (5 = extremely, 1=not at all). Our IVE, held from July to October 2020, had a median of 11 students (range 7–18) attend each activity. Pre- and post-IVE surveys were completed by 22/27 (81%) and 20/27 (74%) MSs, respectively. In pre-IVE, MSs reported participating in the IVE for faculty/resident interaction (1.5 [1-2]), networking (3 [2-3]), and learning (4 [3–5]). In post-IVE, MSs reported benefit from faculty mentors (5 [4-5]), delivering a presentation (5 [3–5]), and faculty lectures (4.5 [4-5]). In post-IVE, MSs preferred a full onsite away elective (16, 80%) over an official virtual elective (1, 5%) or IVE (3, 15%). Overall, MSs reported that the IVE provided an adequate introduction to RO at our institution (4 [4-5]). Alternative virtual elective experiences allow MSs to informally evaluate medical subspecialties and could be offered even if formal elective opportunities are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manually delineating upper abdominal organs at risk (OARs) is a time-consuming task. To develop a deep-learning-based tool for accurate and robust auto-segmentation of these OARs, forty pancreatic cancer patients with contrast-enhanced breath-hold computed tomographic (CT) images were selected. We trained a three-dimensional (3D) U-Net ensemble that automatically segments all organ contours concurrently with the self-configuring nnU-Net framework. Our tool's performance was assessed on a held-out test set of 30 patients quantitatively. Five radiation oncologists from three different institutions assessed the performance of the tool using a 5-point Likert scale on an additional 75 randomly selected test patients. The mean (± std. dev.) Dice similarity coefficient values between the automatic segmentation and the ground truth on contrast-enhanced CT images were 0.80 ± 0.08, 0.89 ± 0.05, 0.90 ± 0.06, 0.92 ± 0.03, 0.96 ± 0.01, 0.97 ± 0.01, 0.96 ± 0.01, and 0.96 ± 0.01 for the duodenum, small bowel, large bowel, stomach, liver, spleen, right kidney, and left kidney, respectively. 89.3% (contrast-enhanced) and 85.3% (non-contrast-enhanced) of duodenum contours were scored as a 3 or above, which required only minor edits. More than 90% of the other organs' contours were scored as a 3 or above. Our tool achieved a high level of clinical acceptability with a small training dataset and provides accurate contours for treatment planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate whether implicit linguistic biases exist in letters of recommendation (LORs) for applicants to radiation oncology (RO) residency. LORs (n = 487) written for applicants (n = 125) invited to interview at a single RO residency program from the 2015 to 2019 application cycles were included for analysis. Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software was used to evaluate LORs for length and a dictionary of predetermined themes. Language was evaluated for gender bias using a publicly available gender bias calculator. Non-parametric tests were used to compare linguistic domain scores. The median number of the LORs per applicant was 4 (range 3–5). No significant differences by applicant gender were detected in LIWC score domains or gender bias calculator (P > 0.05). However, LORs for applicants from racial/ethnic backgrounds underrepresented in medicine were less likely to include standout descriptors (P = 0.008). Male writers were less likely to describe applicant characteristics related to patient care (P < 0.0001) and agentic personality (P = 0.006). LORs written by RO were shorter (P < 0.0001) and included fewer standout descriptors (P = 0.014) but were also more likely to include statements regarding applicant desirability (P = 0.045) and research (P = 0.008). While language was globally male-biased, assistant professors were less likely than associate professors (P = 0.0064) and full professors (P = 0.023) to use male-biased language. Significant linguistic differences were observed in RO residency LORs, suggesting that implicit biases related to both applicants and letter writers may exist. Recognition, and ideally eradication, of such biases are crucial for fair and equitable evaluation of a diverse applicant pool of RO residency candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Single‐institution studies have shown the oncologic benefit of ablative liver radiotherapy (A‐RT) for patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). However, adoption of A‐RT across the United States and its associated outcomes are unknown. Methods: We queried the National Cancer Data Base for nonsurgically managed patients with ICC diagnosed between 2004 and 2018. Patients were labeled A‐RT for receipt of biologically effective doses (BED10) ≥ 80.5 Gy and conventional RT (Conv‐RT) for lower doses. Associations with A‐RT use and overall survival were identified using logistic and Cox regressions, respectively. Results: Of 27,571 patients, the most common treatments were chemotherapy without liver RT (45%), no chemotherapy or liver RT (42%), and liver RT ± chemotherapy (13%). Use of liver RT remained constant over time. Of 1112 patients receiving liver RT with known doses, RT was 73% Conv‐RT (median BED10, 53 Gy; median, 20 fractions) and 27% A‐RT (median BED10, 100 Gy; median, 5 fractions). Use of A‐RT increased from 5% in 2004 to 48% in 2018 (Ptrend <.001). With a median follow‐up of 52.3 months, median survival estimates for Conv‐RT and A‐RT were 12.8 and 23.7 months (P <.001), respectively. On multivariable analysis, stage III and IV disease correlated with a higher risk of death, whereas chemotherapy and A‐RT correlated with a lower risk. Conclusions: Although A‐RT has been increasingly used, use of liver RT as a whole in the United States remained constant despite growing evidence supporting its use, suggesting continued unmet need. A‐RT is associated with longer survival versus Conv‐RT. Lay Summary: Bile duct cancer is a rare, deadly disease that often presents at advanced stages.Single‐institution retrospective studies have demonstrated that use of high‐dose radiotherapy may be associated with longer survival, but larger studies have not been conducted.We used a large, national cancer registry of patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2018 to show that liver radiotherapy use remains low in the United States, despite growing evidence that patients who receive it live longer. Furthermore, we showed that patients who received high‐dose radiotherapy lived longer than those who received lower doses.Greater awareness of the benefits of liver radiotherapy is needed to improve patient outcomes. In this analysis of 27,571 patients in the United States with unresected intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma diagnosed between 2004 and 2018, use of liver radiotherapy remained constant despite growing evidence supporting that its use is associated with longer survival. Among patients who received liver radiotherapy, higher doses have been increasingly used; patients who received higher doses had longer survival than those receiving lower doses (median 23.7 vs 12.8 months, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE The landscape of the profession of academic radiation oncology is constantly changing. We sought to determine the demographic makeup of the current academic radiation oncology workforce. MATERIALS AND METHODS Internet web site searches of the 51 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCCs) were conducted in September 2019. The Scopus database was subsequently searched in December 2019 to ascertain the h-index for each radiation oncologist. Geographic location was economically stratified (New York, California, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Washington DC) as previously reported. Race and binary sex were attributed by authors using publicly available information. Univariate analysis involved the chi-square test; a multivariable model considered several factors including rank and sex. RESULTS Of 993 radiation oncologists at CCCs, 53.6% are junior faculty, 24.8% associate professors, and 21.7% full professors. The average radiation oncologist at a CCC has been a physician for 19.7 (standard deviation 5 11.3) years; 4.7% (47/993) are under-represented minorities. 24.6% of men and 15.5% of women were full professors, a statistically significant difference (P 5 .001). Of the 51 department chairs, 11.8% are women and 5.6% are under-represented minorities. There are fewer female than male program directors in the most economically stratified locations (P 5 .02). The mean h-index for all faculty is 17.6 (standard deviation 5 16.9), and significantly differs between junior faculty (8.21), associate professors (18.46), and full professors (40.05; P, .0001). It also differs between men (19.35) and women (14.11). On multivariable analysis, sex, academic rank, and a secondary advanced degree were independently significant correlates of h-index. CONCLUSION Among academic radiation oncologists at CCCs, under 5% are under-represented minorities, men are significantly over-represented among senior faculty, and women have significantly lower h-indices than men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is considered the standard of care for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA), few large series have reported oncologic outcomes and toxicities. In this retrospective report, we aim to describe outcomes and toxicities after IMRT-based chemoradiation (CRT) for the treatment of SCCA, evaluate the impact of dose escalation (>54 Gy), and compare concurrent fluoropyrimidine in combination with either mitomycin or with cisplatin as chemosensitizers. Methods Patients treated at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2018 with IMRT-based CRT were included. Median time to locoregional recurrence, time to colostomy, and overall survival were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results A total of 428 patients were included; median follow-up was 4.4 years. Three hundred and thirty-four patients (78.0%) were treated with concurrent cisplatin and fluoropyrimidine, and 160 (37.4%) with >54 Gy. Two- and 5-year freedom from locoregional failure, freedom from colostomy failure, and overall survival were 86.5% and 81.2%, respectively, 90.0% and 88.3%, respectively, and 93.6% and 85.8%, respectively. Neither dose escalation nor mitomycin-based concurrent chemotherapy resulted in improved outcomes. Mitomycin-based concurrent chemotherapy was associated with in approximately 2.5 times increased grade 3 or greater acute toxicity. Radiation dose >54 Gy was associated with approximately 2.6 times increased Grade 3 or greater chronic toxicity. Conclusions Our results suggest IMRT-based CRT with concurrent fluoropyrimidine and cisplatin is a safe and feasible option for patient with SCCA and may cause less acute toxicity. The role for radiation dose escalation is unclear and requires further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: As the number of female medical students and surgical residents increases, the increasing number of female academic surgeons has been disproportionate. The purpose of this brief report is to evaluate the AAMC data from 1969 to 2018 to compare the level of female academic faculty representation for surgical specialties over the past four decades. Design: The number of women as a percentage of the total surgeons per year were recorded for each year from 1969–2018, the most recent year available. Descriptive statistics were performed. Poisson regression examined the percentage of women in each field as the outcome of interest with the year and specialty (using general surgery as a reference) as two predictor variables. Setting: Data from the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC). Participants: All full-time academic faculty physicians in the specialties of obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), general surgery, ophthalmology, otolaryngology (ENT), plastic surgery, plastic surgery, urology, neurosurgery, orthopaedic surgery and cardiothoracic surgery as per AAMC records. Results: The percentage of women in surgery for all specialties evaluated increased from 1969 to 2018 (OR 1.04, p<0.001). Compared with general surgery, the rate of yearly percentage change increased more slowly in neurosurgery (OR 0.84; P =.004), orthopaedic surgery (OR 0.82; P =.002), urology (OR 0.59; P <.001), and cardiothoracic surgery (OR 0.38; P <.001). There was no significant difference in the rate of yearly percentage change for plastic surgery (OR 1.01; P =.840). The rate of yearly percentage change increased more rapidly in OB/GYN (OR 2.86; P <.001), ophthalmology (OR 1.79; P <.001) and ENT (OR 1.70; P <.001). Conclusions: Representation of women in academic surgery is increasing overall but is increasing more slowly in orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery and urology compared with that in general surgery. These data may be used to inform and further the discussion of how mentorship and sponsorship of female students and trainees interested in surgical careers may improve gender equity in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are unique challenges to parenting in residency and there is limited data to guide policy regarding lactation facilities and support for female physicians-in-training. We aimed to assess issues surrounding breast-feeding during graduate medical training for current residents or recent graduates from United States (US) residency programs.Methods: A national cross-sectional survey was sent to current and recently graduated (2017 and later) female residents in June 2020. This questionnaire was administered using the Qualtrics Survey tool and was open to each participating woman's organization for 4 weeks. Summary statistics were used to describe characteristics of all respondents and free-text responses were reviewed to identify common themes regarding avenues for improvement.Results: Three hundred twelve women responded to the survey, representing a 15.6% response rate. The median duration of providing breastmilk was 9 months (IQR 6-12). 21% of residents reported access to usable lactation rooms within their training hospital, in which 12% reported a computer was present. 60% of lactating residents reported not having a place to store breast milk. 73% reported residency limited their ability to lactate, and 37% stopped prior to their desired goal. 40% reported their faculty and/or co-residents made them feel guilty for their decision to breastfeed, and 56% reported their difficulties with breastfeeding during residency impacted their mental health.Conclusion: Residents who become mothers during training face significant obstacles to meeting their breastfeeding/pumping needs and goals. With these barriers defined, informed policy change can be instituted to improve the lactation experience for physicians-in-training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE Among patients with anal cancer, chemoradiotherapy is often associated with toxicities that diminish quality of life. We describe the GI-related patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of patients with anal cancer receiving chemoradiotherapy to improve patient-physician communication. METHODS We prospectively followed patients with nonmetastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal who received definitive chemoradiotherapy. Patients completed the bowel subdomain of the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) questionnaire before treatment and at 4 subsequent timepoints. We used the paired Wilcoxon test to compare EPIC scores at different times. RESULTS The study included 21 patients; median age was 57 years. Most patients (52%) had T2 and either N0 or N1 disease (81%). Most patients (91%) received chemotherapy with cisplatin-fluorouracil and either intensity-modulated radiotherapy or volumetric modulated arc therapy. Compared with the patients' median overall summary score at baseline (66), their median score at 1 week (82) was higher (P = .009), whereas their median score at 5 weeks (54) was lower (P=.025). The patients' median overall summary score at baseline and at 3 months did not differ (P = .919). Three months after radiotherapy, most patients reported minimal adverse effects compared with baseline. CONCLUSION The GI-related PROs of patients with anal cancer tend to fluctuate during radiotherapy but return to baseline by 3 months, at which time most patients report few or no residual adverse effects. We provide a clear timeline of GI acute toxicity using sequential PRO measurements that will improve patient-physician communication regarding expectations for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landmark investigation two decades ago demonstrated sex-based disparities among participants in cancer cooperative group trials. Although federal efforts have aimed to improve representation of female patients in government-sponsored research, less is known about sex disparities in the broader landscape of modern oncologic randomized controlled trials. Using ClinicalTrials.gov, we identified randomized controlled trials related to colorectal or lung cancer (the two most common non-sex-specific disease sites). Among the 147 included trials, the proportion of female patients enrolled on trial was on average 6.8% (95% confidence interval = -8.8% to -4.9%) less than the proportion of female patients in the population by disease site (P < .001). Whereas no statistically significant underrepresentation of women was noted within the 26 cooperative group trials, sex disparities were markedly heightened for the 121 noncooperative-group-sponsored trials. Furthermore, underrepresentation of women did not improve with time. Future efforts should therefore focus on addressing these pervasive sex-based enrollment disparities beyond cooperative group trials alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of escalated dose radiation therapy (EDR, defined as doses >50.4 Gy in 28 fractions [59.5 Gy BED]) on overall survival (OS), freedom from local progression (FFLP), and freedom from distant progression (FFDP) of patients with unresectable extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC). Methods: A consecutive cohort of 80 patients who underwent radiotherapy for unresectable EHCC from 2001 to 2015 was identified. Demographic, tumor, treatment, toxicity, and laboratory variables were collected. The maximal RT doses ranged from 30 to 75 Gy (median 50.4 Gy, at 1.8‐4.5 Gy/fraction). Gross tumor volume (GTV) coverage by maximal dose in EDR group ranged from 38% to 100%. Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate OS, FFLP, and FFDP. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were analyzed. Results: After radiotherapy, median OS, FFLP, and FFDP were 18.7, 22.6, and 24.3 months, respectively. There was no significant difference in OS or FFLP between patients who received EDR to portions of the GTV and patients who did not. On multivariate analysis, bigger GTV, age, and ECOG performance status were independently associated with shorter OS. Local progression on chemotherapy prior to RT was independently associated with shorter FFLP. High baseline neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (>5.3) was independently associated with shorter FFDP. Toxicity grades were similar in EDR and lower doses except lymphopenia which was higher in EDR (P = 0.053). Conclusions: EDR to selective portions of the GTV may not benefit patients with unresectable EHCC despite having acceptable toxicity. New methods to improve local control and survival for unresectable EHCC are needed. We have investigated the role of escalated radiation dose in treatment of unresectable extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Escalated dose radiation therapy did not significantly improve overall survival or local control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The assessment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) response to therapy remains challenging. The objective of this study was to investigate whether changes in the tumor/parenchyma interface are associated with response.Methods: Computed tomography (CT) scans before and after therapy were reviewed in 4 cohorts: cohort 1 (99 patients with stage I/II PDAC who received neoadjuvant chemoradiation and surgery); cohort 2 (86 patients with stage IV PDAC who received chemotherapy), cohort 3 (94 patients with stage I/II PDAC who received protocol-based neoadjuvant gemcitabine chemoradiation), and cohort 4 (47 patients with stage I/II PDAC who received neoadjuvant chemoradiation and were prospectively followed in a registry). The tumor/parenchyma interface was visually classified as either a type I response (the interface remained or became well defined) or a type II response (the interface became poorly defined) after therapy. Consensus (cohorts 1-3) and individual (cohort 4) visual scoring was performed. Changes in enhancement at the interface were quantified using a proprietary platform.Results: In cohort 1, type I responders had a greater probability of achieving a complete or near-complete pathologic response (21% vs 0%; P = .01). For cohorts 1, 2, and 3, type I responders had significantly longer disease-free and overall survival, independent of traditional covariates of outcomes and of baseline and normalized cancer antigen 19-9 levels. In cohort 4, 2 senior radiologists achieved a κ value of 0.8, and the interface score was associated with overall survival. The quantitative method revealed high specificity and sensitivity in classifying patients as type I or type II responders (with an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.92 in cohort 1, 0.96 in cohort 2, and 0.89 in cohort 3).Conclusions: Changes at the PDAC/parenchyma interface may serve as an early predictor of response to therapy. Cancer 2018;124:1701-9. © 2018 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background & Aims: The association between case volume and outcomes is well‐documented for several cancer types. However, it is unknown if patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated at high‐volume centres have improved overall survival. Methods: About 135 442 patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma between 2004‐2014 were identified in the Commission on Cancer's National Cancer Database and 53 795 patients were excluded for metastatic or node‐positive disease. Average annual case volume was calculated as the total number of cases treated per centre from 2004‐2014 and dividing by 10. Receiver operating characteristic curves showed the most significant case number threshold between high‐volume centres and remaining centres. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using Cox regression analysis to determine factors associated with improved survival. Kaplan‐Meier curves and log‐rank tests were used for overall survival estimates. Results: A total of 81 647 patients with stage I‐III hepatocellular carcinoma were treated at a total of 1218 centres. The median [range] case volume per year averaged over the 10‐year study period was 48.6 [0.1‐205.5]. High‐volume centres treated >114 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma annually while remaining centre treated ≤114 cases. Median survival for patients treated in high‐volume centres and remaining centres were 31.9 and 16.6 months respectively (Log Rank P < .001). On multivariate analysis, average annual case volume was significantly associated with improved survival. Conclusions: Receiving treatment at a high‐volume centre is significantly associated with survival for patients with non‐metastatic disease. Improved survival at high‐volume centres may be related to access to a variety of treatment modalities, multidisciplinary evaluation, and/or subspecialty expertise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The observed sex gap in physician salary has been the topic of much recent debate in the United States, but it has not been well-described among orthopaedic surgeons. The objective of this study was to evaluate for sex differences in Medicare claim volume and reimbursement among orthopaedic surgeons.Methods: The Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Public Use File was used to compare claim volume and reimbursement between female and male orthopaedic surgeons in 2013. Data were extracted for each billing code per orthopaedic surgeon in the year 2013 for total claims, surgical claims, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) claims, and total hip arthroplasty (THA) claims.Results: A total of 20,546 orthopaedic surgeons who treated traditional Medicare patients were included in the initial analysis. Claim volume and reimbursement received were approximately twofold higher for all claims and more than threefold higher for surgical claims for male surgeons when compared with female surgeons (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). A total of 7,013 and 3,839 surgeons performed >10 TKAs and THAs, respectively, in 2013 for Medicare patients and were included in the subset analyses. Although male surgeons performed a higher mean number of TKAs than female surgeons (mean and standard deviation, 37 ± 33 compared with 26 ± 17, respectively, p < 0.001), the claim volume for THAs was similar (29 ± 22 compared with 24 ± 13, respectively, p = 0.080). However, there was no significant difference in mean reimbursement payments received per surgeon between men and women for TKA or THA ($1,135 ± $228 compared with $1,137 ± $184 for TKA, respectively, p = 0.380; $1,049 ± $226 compared with $1,043 ± $266 for THA, respectively, p = 0.310).Conclusions: Female surgeons had a lower number of total claims and reimbursements compared with male surgeons. However, among surgeons who performed >10 THAs and TKAs, there were no sex differences in the mean reimbursement payment per surgeon.Clinical Relevance: The number of women in orthopaedics is rising, and there is much interest in how their productivity and compensation compare with their male counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many factors play a role in academic promotion among orthopaedic surgeons. This study specifically examined the importance of publication productivity metrics, career duration, and sex on academic rank in orthopaedic surgery programs in the United States.Methods: Faculty at 142 civilian academic orthopaedic surgery departments in 2014 were identified. Geographic region, department size, and 3 specific faculty characteristics (sex, career duration, and academic position) were recorded. The Hirsch index (h-index), defined as the number (h) of an investigator's publications that have been cited at least h times, was recorded for each surgeon. The m-index was also calculated by dividing the h-index by career duration in years. Thresholds for the h-index and the m-index were identified between junior and senior academic ranks. Multivariate analysis was used to determine whether the 3 physician factors correlated independently with academic rank.Results: The analysis included 4,663 orthopaedic surgeons at 142 academic institutions (24.7% clinical faculty and 75.3% academic faculty). Among academic faculty, the median h-index was 5, the median career duration was 15 years, and the median m-index was 0.37. Thresholds between junior and senior faculty status were 12 for the h-index and 0.51 for the m-index. Female academic faculty had a lower median h-index (3 compared with 5; p < 0.001) and career duration (10 years compared with 16 years; p < 0.001) than male academic faculty, but had a similar median m-index (0.33 compared with 0.38; p = 0.103). A higher h-index and longer career duration correlated independently with an increased probability of senior academic rank (p < 0.001), but sex did not (p = 0.217).Conclusions: This analysis demonstrates that a higher h-index and m-index correlate with a higher academic orthopaedic faculty rank. Although female surgeons had a lower median h-index and a shorter median career duration than male surgeons, their m-index was not significantly different, and thus sex was not an independent predictor for senior academic rank. The identified thresholds (h-index of 12 and m-index of 0.51) between junior and senior academic ranks may be considered as factors in promotion considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) has the potential to spare dose to organs at risk (OAR) when compared to intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) while maintaining excellent clinical outcomes. Methods Ten patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) were identified for whom IMPT was planned; 9 patients also had a comparison photon-based IMRT plan generated. Dosimetric comparison of mean radiation dose to 29 adjacent OAR was performed. Disease control, survival, and toxicity outcomes were collected from the medical records. Results There were significant differences in mean doses in 15 of the 29 OAR; 13 OAR received lower mean dose with proton-based plans. Median follow-up was 24.5 months (range, 19-32 months). Two-year locoregional control was 100% and the 2-year overall survival was 88.9%. Conclusion We observed dosimetric advantages conferred by IMPT compared to IMRT. Further study is needed to determine if these translate into reduced toxicity and/or improved disease control. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1886-E1895, 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Computer-based, patient-reported symptom survey tools have been described for patients undergoing chemotherapy. We hypothesized that patients undergoing radiotherapy might also benefit, so we developed a computer application to acquire symptom ratings from patients and generate summaries for use at point of care office visits and conducted a randomized, controlled pilot trial to test its feasibility.Methods: Subjects were randomized prior to beginning radiotherapy. Both control and intervention group subjects completed the computerized symptom assessment, but only for the intervention group were printed symptom summaries made available before each weekly office visit. Metrics compared included the Global Distress Index (GDI), concordance of patient-reported symptoms and symptoms discussed by the physician and numbers of new and/or adjusted symptom management medications prescribed.Results: One hundred twelve patients completed the study: 54 in the control and 58 in the intervention arms. There were no differences in GDI over time between the control and intervention groups. In the intervention group, more patient-reported symptoms were actually discussed in radiotherapy office visits: 46/202 vs. 19/230. A sensitivity analysis to account for within-subjects correlation yielded 23.2 vs. 10.3 % (p = 0.03). Medications were started or adjusted at 15.4 % (43/280) of control visits compared to 20.4 % (65/319) of intervention visits (p = 0.07).Conclusions: This computer application is easy to use and makes extensive patient-reported outcome data available at the point of care. Although no differences were seen in symptom trajectory, patients who had printed symptom summaries had improved communication during office visits and a trend towards a more active symptom management during radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously shown that ablative radiotherapy (A-RT) with a biologically effective dose (BED10) ≥ 80.5 Gy for patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is associated with longer survival. Despite recent large-scale sequencing efforts in ICC, outcomes following RT based on genetic alterations have not been described. We reviewed records of 156 consecutive patients treated with A-RT for unresectable ICC from 2008 to 2020. For 114 patients (73%), next-generation sequencing provided molecular profiles. The overall survival (OS), local control (LC), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate and multivariable Cox analyses were used to determine the associations with the outcomes. The median tumor size was 7.3 (range: 2.2–18.2) cm. The portal vein thrombus (PVT) was present in 10%. The RT median BED10 was 98 Gy (range: 81–144 Gy). The median (95% confidence interval) follow-up was 58 (42–104) months from diagnosis and 39 (33–74) months from RT. The median OS was 32 (29–35) months after diagnosis and 20 (16–24) months after RT. The one-year OS, LC, and intrahepatic DMFS were 73% (65–80%), 81% (73–87%), and 34% (26–42%). The most common mutations were in IDH1 (25%), TP53 (22%), ARID1A (19%), and FGFR2 (13%). Upon multivariable analysis, the factors associated with death included worse performance status, larger tumor, metastatic disease, higher CA 19-9, PVT, satellitosis, and IDH1 and PIK3CA mutations. TP53 mutation was associated with local failure. Further investigation into the prognostic value of individual mutations and combinations thereof is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: To characterize the longitudinal relationship by gender between publication productivity, NIH funding, and academic promotion of current US academic professors of radiation oncology (RO). METHODS: For full professors of RO departments, institutional websites were accessed to obtain training information and promotion dates. A commercial database (SCOPUS, Elsevier BV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) was used to obtain productivity metrics, including publication number, citation number, and Hirsch index (h-index) at the time of each promotion, and National Institutes of Health (NIH) RePORTER (Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools) was used to obtain NIH funding information. Pearson chi-square test and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used for comparisons of variables between men and women. RESULTS: For 166 RO faculty full professors, there were no significant differences in degree, additional residency and fellowship training, year of RO residency graduation, number of institutions worked at as faculty, NIH funding status, number of publications, citations, h-indices, or m-indices. Women had a longer median time to promotion from assistant to associate professor when compared with men (8 yr, interquartile range [IQR]: 6–11 vs 6 yr, IQR: 5–8 yr; P = .049), as well as longer median time from associate to full professor (6 yr, IQR: 6–11 yr vs 5 yr, IQR: 4–6 yr; P = .004). However, there was no significant difference in time to appointment as chairperson. The h-index and NIH funding at promotion were not significantly different by gender at any of the promotion levels. CONCLUSIONS: Although the female RO full professors in our cohort were similar overall in terms of productivity and NIH funding to their male colleagues, they tended to have longer times to promotion earlier in their careers at lower academic ranks. Women may experience barriers to productivity early in their careers that may delay promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We sought to determine the role of abdominal reirradiation for patients presenting with recurrent or new primary gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. At our institution, we have established a hyperfractionated, accelerated reirradiation regimen consisting of 39 Gray (Gy) in 26 twice-daily fractions. Although this regimen is used frequently in the pelvis, we sought to determine its toxicity and efficacy for abdominal tumors.Methods: Twenty-four patients who received abdominal reirradiation with a hyperfractionated, accelerated approach from 2000 to 2017 were identified. Overall survival (OS) and local progression-free survival (LPFS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Several patient, tumor and treatment characteristics were evaluated on univariate analyses for association with OS and LPFS using a Cox proportional hazards model.Results: Of the twenty-four patients identified, the majority (n = 11, 46%) had pancreatic adenocarcinoma as their primary disease but also included upper GI adenocarcinoma (n = 4), colon adenocarcinoma (n = 3), hepatobiliary cancers (n = 4) and other malignancies (n = 2). The majority of patients received 45-50.4Gy in 1.8Gy fractions as their initial abdominal radiation course. The median reirradiation dose was 39Gy in 26 twice-daily fractions with a minimum six hour interval. The median [interquartile range (IQR)] interval between the courses of radiotherapy was 28 [18.6-38.9] months. Only palliative reirradiation intent was associated with decreased OS. While colon adenocarcinoma primary was significantly associated with increased LPFS, the sample size was small (n = 3). The 1-yr rate of LPFS was 38%. The median [IQR] duration of freedom from local progression was 8 [3.8-19.2] months. The 1-year OS was 50% and the median (IQR) OS was 14 [6.3-19.6] months. Thirteen patients (54%) had acute side effects with one patient experiencing G3 nausea and one experiencing a G4 bleed; the remaining patients experienced G1-G2 symptoms.Conclusion: Hyperfractionated, accelerated reirradiation to the abdomen was relatively well-tolerated but provided limited local control to recurrent or second primary abdominal malignancies. Reirradiation could play a role in treating these patients with palliative or curative intent, but alternative strategies for delivering increased biologically effective dose should be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]