Search

Background Medulloblastoma (MB) is a rare central nervous system malignancy of adults, with limited contemporary studies to define treatment guidelines and expected late toxicity. Methods A single-center, retrospective study was conducted of patients age ≥18 years from 1997–2019 with MB and who were treated with postoperative radiotherapy. Late toxicity was defined as a minimum of 18 months from diagnosis. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were characterized using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Results Fifty-nine patients met criteria, with median age of 25 years (range 18–62 y) and median follow-up of 6.5 years (range 0.7–23.1 y). At diagnosis, 68% were standard-risk, 88% Chang M0, and 22% with anaplastic histology. Gross total resection was achieved in 75%; median craniospinal irradiation dose was 30.6 Gy (relative biological effectiveness [RBE]), median total dose was 54.0 Gy (RBE), 80% received proton radiotherapy; 81% received chemotherapy. 5 year PFS and OS were 86.5% and 95.8%, respectively; 10 year PFS and OS were 83.9% and 90.7%, respectively. Anaplastic histology was associated with worse PFS (P = .04). Among eight recurrences, 25% presented after 5 years. Most common grade ≥2 late toxicities were anxiety/depressive symptoms (30%), motor dysfunction (25%), and ototoxicity (22%). Higher posterior fossa radiation dose was associated with increased risk of late toxicity, including worse cognitive dysfunction (P = .05). Conclusions Adults with MB have favorable survival outcomes, but late failures and toxicity are not uncommon. Better understanding of prognostic factors, possibly from molecular subtyping, may help to define more personalized treatments for patients with high risk of recurrence and long-term treatment sequelae.

Purpose The quality of life (QoL) impact of multidisciplinary treatment for patients with nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas (NFPMA) is unclear. We sought to investigate associations between patient factors, clinical data, and patient-reported QoL in patients with NFPMA. Methods Patients with treated NFPMA and > 1 year of follow up after transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) and with no evidence of progressive disease were evaluated utilizing the following patient-reported outcome measures: RAND-36-Item Health Survey, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, Cognitive Failures Questionnaire. Results 229 eligible patients completed QoL questionnaires a median of 7.7 years after initial transsphenoidal surgery (TSS). 25% of participants received radiation therapy (RT) a median of 2.0 years (0.1–22.5) after initial TSS. Patients who received RT were younger (median age 46 v 58, p Conclusion Hypopituitarism, radiation therapy after TSS, and financial stressors are associated with more impaired QoL in patients with NFPMA. Awareness of these factors can better guide use and timing of radiation therapy in addition to identifying patients who can benefit from multidisciplinary surveillance.

Local management for vestibular schwannoma (VS) is associated with excellent local control with focus on preserving long-term serviceable hearing. Fractionated proton radiation therapy (FPRT) may be associated with greater hearing preservation because of unique dosimetric properties of proton radiotherapy.To investigate hearing preservation rates of FPRT in adults with VS and secondarily assess local control and treatment-related toxicity.A prospective, single-arm, phase 2 clinical trial was conducted of patients with VS from 2010 to 2019. All patients had serviceable hearing at baseline and received FPRT to a total dose of 50.4 to 54 Gy relative biological effectiveness (RBE) over 28 to 30 fractions. Serviceable hearing preservation was defined as a Gardner-Robertson score of 1 to 2, measured by a pure tone average (PTA) of ≤50 dB and a word recognition score (WRS) of ≥50%.Twenty patients had a median follow-up of 4.0 years (range 1.0-5.0 years). Local control at 4 years was 100%. Serviceable hearing preservation at 1 year was 53% (95% CI 29%-76%), and primary end point was not yet reached. Median PTA and median WRS both worsened 1 year after FPRT (P.0001). WRS plateaued after 6 months, whereas PTA continued to worsen up to 1 year after FPRT. Median cochlea D90 was lower in patients with serviceable hearing at 1 year (40.6 Gy [RBE] vs 46.9 Gy [RBE]), trending toward Wilcoxon rank-sum test statistical significance (P = .0863). Treatment was well-tolerated, with one grade 1 cranial nerve V dysfunction and no grade 2+ cranial nerve dysfunction.FPRT for VS did not meet the goal of serviceable hearing preservation. Higher cochlea doses trended to worsening hearing preservation, suggesting that dose to cochlea correlates with hearing preservation independent of treatment modality.

Purpose To provide guidance to clinicians regarding therapy for diffuse astrocytic and oligodendroglial tumors in adults. Methods ASCO and the Society for Neuro-Oncology convened an Expert Panel and conducted a systematic review of the literature. Results Fifty-nine randomized trials focusing on therapeutic management were identified. Recommendations Adults with newly diagnosed oligodendroglioma, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)–mutant, 1p19q codeleted CNS WHO grade 2 and 3 should be offered radiation therapy (RT) and procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV). Temozolomide (TMZ) is a reasonable alternative for patients who may not tolerate PCV, but no high-level evidence supports upfront TMZ in this setting. People with newly diagnosed astrocytoma, IDH-mutant, 1p19q non-codeleted CNS WHO grade 2 should be offered RT with adjuvant chemotherapy (TMZ or PCV). People with astrocytoma, IDH-mutant, 1p19q non-codeleted CNS WHO grade 3 should be offered RT and adjuvant TMZ. People with astrocytoma, IDH-mutant, CNS WHO grade 4 may follow recommendations for either astrocytoma, IDH-mutant, 1p19q non-codeleted CNS WHO grade 3 or glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype, CNS WHO grade 4. Concurrent TMZ and RT should be offered to patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype, CNS WHO grade 4 followed by 6 months of adjuvant TMZ. Alternating electric field therapy, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, should be considered for these patients. Bevacizumab is not recommended. In situations in which the benefits of 6-week RT plus TMZ may not outweigh the harms, hypofractionated RT plus TMZ is reasonable. In patients age ≥ 60 to ≥ 70 years, with poor performance status or for whom toxicity or prognosis are concerns, best supportive care alone, RT alone (for MGMTpromoter unmethylated tumors), or TMZ alone (for MGMT promoter methylated tumors) are reasonable treatment options. Additional information is available at www.asco.org/neurooncology-guidelines.

As novel systemic therapies yield improved survival in metastatic cancer patients, the frequency of brain metastases continues to increase. Over the years, management strategies have continued to evolve. Historically, stereotactic radiosurgery has been used as a boost to whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) but is increasingly being used as a replacement for WBRT. Given its capacity to treat both macro- and micro-metastases in the brain, WBRT has been an important management strategy for years, and recent research has identified technologic and pharmacologic approaches to delivering WBRT more safely. In this review, we outline the current landscape of radiotherapeutic treatment options and discuss approaches to integrating radiotherapy advances in the contemporary management of brain metastases.

Recent studies suggest that the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) pathway may be a therapeutic target for brain metastases (BM). Here, we present interim analysis of a basket trial evaluating the intracranial efficacy of the CDK inhibitor palbociclib in patients with progressive BM and CDK alterations. Our study met its primary endpoint and provides evidence for performing molecular testing of archival BM tissue, if available, to inform the choice of CNS-penetrant targeted therapy. Brastianos and colleagues report interim trial results on the intracranial clinical benefit of palbociclib for patients with progressive metastatic brain cancer carrying cyclin-dependent kinase pathway alterations.

Background The limited availability of proton beam therapy (PBT) requires individual treatment selection strategies that can be based on normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models. We developed and externally validated NTCP models for common late side-effects following PBT in brain tumour patients to optimise patients’ quality of life. Methods Cohorts from three PBT centres (216 patients) were investigated for several physician-rated endpoints at 12 and 24 months after PBT: alopecia, dry eye syndrome, fatigue, headache, hearing and memory impairment, and optic neuropathy. Dose-volume parameters of associated normal tissues and clinical factors were used for logistic regression modelling in a development cohort. Statistically significant parameters showing high area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values in internal cross-validation were externally validated. In addition, analyses of the pooled cohorts and of time-dependent generalised estimating equations including all patient data were performed. Results In the validation study, mild alopecia was related to high dose parameters to the skin [e.g. the dose to 2% of the volume (D2%)] at 12 and 24 months after PBT. Mild hearing impairment at 24 months after PBT was associated with the mean dose to the ipsilateral cochlea. Additionally, the pooled analyses revealed dose–response relations between memory impairment and intermediate to high doses to the remaining brain as well as D2% of the hippocampi. Mild fatigue at 24 months after PBT was associated with D2% to the brainstem as well as with concurrent chemotherapy. Moreover, in generalised estimating equations analysis, dry eye syndrome was associated with the mean dose to the ipsilateral lacrimal gland. Conclusion We developed and in part validated NTCP models for several common late side-effects following PBT in brain tumour patients. Validation studies are required for further confirmation.

Radiation necrosis, also known as treatment-induced necrosis, has emerged as an important adverse effect following stereotactic radiotherapy (SRS) for brain metastases. The improved survival of patients with brain metastases and increased use of combined systemic therapy and SRS have contributed to a growing incidence of necrosis. The cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS) and stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway (cGAS-STING) represents a key biological mechanism linking radiation-induced DNA damage to pro-inflammatory effects and innate immunity. By recognizing cytosolic double-stranded DNA, cGAS induces a signaling cascade that results in the upregulation of type 1 interferons and dendritic cell activation. This pathway could play a key role in the pathogenesis of necrosis and provides attractive targets for therapeutic development. Immunotherapy and other novel systemic agents may potentiate activation of cGAS-STING signaling following radiotherapy and increase necrosis risk. Advancements in dosimetric strategies, novel imaging modalities, artificial intelligence, and circulating biomarkers could improve the management of necrosis. This review provides new insights into the pathophysiology of necrosis and synthesizes our current understanding regarding the diagnosis, risk factors, and management options of necrosis while highlighting novel avenues for discovery.

PURPOSE The optimal timing of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) in the management of atypical meningiomas remains controversial. We compared the outcomes of atypical meningiomas managed with upfront adjuvant RT versus postoperative surveillance. METHODS AND MATERIALS Patients with intracranial atypical meningiomas who underwent resection between 2000 and 2015 at a single institution were identified. Patients receiving adjuvant RT (n = 51), defined as RT within the first year of surgery before tumor progression/recurrence (P/R), were compared with those undergoing initial surveillance (n = 179). The primary endpoints were radiographic evidence of P/R and time to P/R from surgery. RESULTS A total of 230 patients were identified. Fifty-one (22%) patients received upfront adjuvant RT, and 179 (78%) underwent surveillance. Compared with the surveillance group, patients who received adjuvant RT had larger tumors (5.2 cm vs 4.6 cm; P = .04), were more likely to have undergone subtotal resection (65% vs 26%; P < . 01), and more often had bone invasion (18% vs 7%; P = .02). On multivariable analysis, receipt of adjuvant RT was associated with a lower risk of P/R compared with surveillance (hazard ratio, 0.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.11-0.41; P < .01). Patients who initially underwent surveillance and then received salvage RT at time of P/R had a shorter median time to local progression after RT compared with patients who developed local P/R after upfront adjuvant RT (19 vs 64 months, respectively; P < . 01). CONCLUSION Upfront adjuvant RT was associated with improved local control in atypical meningiomas irrespective of extent of initial resection compared with surveillance. Early adjuvant RT should be strongly considered after gross total resection of atypical meningiomas.

Purpose To investigate if radiographic imaging changes defined as necrosis correlate with regions in the brain with elevated linear energy transfer (LET) for proton radiation therapy treatments with partial brain involvement in central nervous system and patients with head and neck cancer. Methods and Materials Fifty patients with head and neck, skull base, or intracranial tumors who underwent proton therapy between 2004 to 2016 with a minimum prescription dose of 59.4 Gy (relative biological effectiveness) and with magnetic resonance imaging changes indicative of brain necrosis after radiation therapy were retrospectively reviewed. Each treatment plan was recalculated using Monte Carlo simulations to provide accurate dose distributions as well as 3-dimensional distributions of LET. To assess the effect of LET on radiographic imaging changes several voxel-based analyses were performed. Results In this patient cohort, LET adjusted for dose was not found to be associated with risk of brain necrosis. Conclusions A voxel-based analysis of brain necrosis as an endpoint is difficult owing to uncertainties in the origin of necrosis, timing of imaging, variability in patient specific radiosensitivity, and the simultaneous effect of dose and LET. Even though it is expected that the LET and thus relative biological effectiveness increases at the end of range, effects in patients might be small compared with interpatient variability of radiosensitivity and might be obscured by other confounding factors.

PURPOSE Conventional wisdom has rendered patients with brain metastases ineligible for clinical trials for fear that poor survival could mask the benefit of otherwise promising treatments. Our group previously published the diagnosis-specific Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA). Updates with larger contemporary cohorts using molecular markers and newly identified prognostic factors have been published. The purposes of this work are to present all the updated indices in a single report to guide treatment choice, stratify research, and define an eligibility quotient to expand eligibility. METHODS A multi-institutional database of 6,984 patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases underwent multivariable analyses of prognostic factors and treatments associated with survival for each primary site. Significant factors were used to define the updated GPA. GPAs of 4.0 and 0.0 correlate with the best and worst prognoses, respectively. RESULTS Significant prognostic factors varied by diagnosis and new prognostic factors were identified. Those factors were incorporated into the updated GPA with robust separation ( P < .01) between subgroups. Survival has improved, but varies widely by GPA for patients with non–small-cell lung, breast, melanoma, GI, and renal cancer with brain metastases from 7-47 months, 3-36 months, 5-34 months, 3-17 months, and 4-35 months, respectively. CONCLUSION Median survival varies widely and our ability to estimate survival for patients with brain metastases has improved. The updated GPA (available free at brainmetgpa.com) provides an accurate tool with which to estimate survival, individualize treatment, and stratify clinical trials. Instead of excluding patients with brain metastases, enrollment should be encouraged and those trials should be stratified by the GPA to ensure those trials make appropriate comparisons. Furthermore, we recommend the expansion of eligibility to allow for the enrollment of patients with previously treated brain metastases who have a 50% or greater probability of an additional year of survival (eligibility quotient > 0.50).

Background We investigated differences in radiation-induced grade 3+ lymphopenia (G3+L), defined as an absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) nadir of Methods Patients enrolled in a randomized phase II trial received PT (n = 28) or XRT (n = 56) concomitantly with temozolomide. ALC was measured before, weekly during, and within 1 month after radiotherapy. Whole-brain mean dose (WBMD) and brain dose-volume indices were extracted from planned dose distributions. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictive variables. The resulting model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results Rates of G3+L were lower in men (7/47 [15%]) versus women (19/37 [51%]) (P < 0.001), and for PT (4/28 [14%]) versus XRT (22/56 [39%]) (P = 0.024). G3+L was significantly associated with baseline ALC, WBMD, and brain volumes receiving 5‒40 Gy(relative biological effectiveness [RBE]) or higher (ie, V5 through V40). Stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis identified being female (odds ratio [OR] 6.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.95‒22.4, P = 0.003), baseline ALC (OR 0.18, 95% CI: 0.05‒0.51, P = 0.003), and whole-brain V20 (OR 1.07, 95% CI: 1.03‒1.13, P = 0.002) as the strongest predictors. ROC analysis yielded an area under the curve of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.79–0.94) for the final G3+L prediction model. Conclusions Sex, baseline ALC, and whole-brain V20 were the strongest predictors of G3+L for patients with GBM treated with radiation and temozolomide. PT reduced brain volumes receiving low and intermediate doses and, consequently, reduced G3+L.

Treatment of recurrent gliomas is especially challenging, as many of these patients have previously been treated with extensive surgery, radiation, or systemic therapy. Due to this, the optimum therapy for patients with recurrent glioma is controversial, with widely variable practice patterns. In this opinion piece, a multidisciplinary panel of experts provides rationale for their treatment approach in a patient with recurrent glioma following subtotal resection with adjuvant chemoradiation for an anaplastic astrocytoma. In summary, the consensus of the panel was to recommend re-resection if possible with hypofractionated radiotherapy schedules, with re-irradiation and systemic therapy as directed by a multidisciplinary team through repeat analysis of the tumor specimen for an updated mutational burden.

Aim/objectives/background Timely, accurate, and effective communications are critical to quality in contemporary medical practices. Radiation oncology incorporates the science and technology of complex integrated radiation treatment delivery and the art of managing individual patients. Through written physical and/or electronic reports and direct communication, radiation oncologists convey critical information regarding patient care, services provided, and quality of care. Applicable practice parameters need to be revised periodically regarding medical record documentation for professional and technical components of services delivered. Methods The ACR-ASTRO Practice Parameter for Communication: Radiation Oncology was revised according to the process described on the American College of Radiology (ACR) Web site ("The Process for Developing ACR Practice Parameters and Technical Standards," www.acr.org/ClinicalResources/Practice-Parametersand-Technical-Standards) by the Committee on Practice Parameters of the ACR Commission on Radiation Oncology in collaboration with the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Both societies then reviewed and approved the document. Results This practice parameter addresses radiation oncology communications in general, including (a) medical record, (b) electronic, and (c) doctor-patient communications, as well as specific documentation for radiation oncology reports such as (a) consultation, (b) clinical treatment management notes (including inpatient communication), (c) treatment (completion) summary, and (d) follow-up visits. Conclusions The radiation oncologist's participation in the multidisciplinary management of patients is reflected in timely, medically appropriate, and informative communication with the referring physician and other members of the health care team. The ACR-ASTRO Practice Parameter for Communication: Radiation Oncology is an educational tool designed to assist practitioners in providing appropriate communication regarding radiation oncology care for patients.

An increasing fraction of patients with metastatic cancer develop leptomeningeal dissemination of disease (LMD), and survival is dismal1–3. We conducted a single-arm, phase 2 study of pembrolizumab in patients with solid tumor malignancies and LMD (NCT02886585). Patients received 200 mg of pembrolizumab intravenously every 3 weeks until definitive progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was rate of overall survival at 3 months (OS3). Secondary objectives included toxicity, response rate and time to intracranial or extracranial disease progression. A Simon two-stage design was used to compare a null hypothesis OS3 of 18% against an alternative of 43%. Twenty patients—17 with breast cancer, two with lung cancer and one with ovarian cancer—were enrolled into the pre-specified evaluation group having received at least one dose of pembrolizumab. The median follow-up of surviving patients was 6.3 months (range, 2.2–12.5 months). The percentage of patients who experienced one (or more) grade 3 or higher adverse events at least possibly related to treatment was 40%, the most frequent being hyperglycemia (n = 6), nausea (n = 7) and vomiting (n = 7). The study met the primary endpoint, as 12 of 20 (OS3, 0.60; 90% confidence interval, 0.39–0.78) patients were alive at 3 months after enrollment. Pembrolizumab is safe and feasible and displays promising activity in patients with LMD. Further investigations are needed to identify which patients with LMD can benefit from pembrolizumab. In a phase 2 clinical trial cohort of patients with leptomeningeal disease, anti-PD-1 monotherapy was safe and associated with a 3-month overall survival of 60%.

PurposeBrain metastases are a common sequelae of breast cancer. Survival varies widely based on diagnosis-specific prognostic factors (PF). We previously published a prognostic index (Graded Prognostic Assessment [GPA]) for patients with breast cancer with brain metastases (BCBM), based on cohort A (1985-2007, n = 642), then updated it, reporting the effect of tumor subtype in cohort B (1993-2010, n = 400). The purpose of this study is to update the Breast GPA with a larger contemporary cohort (C) and compare treatment and survival across the 3 cohorts.Methods and materialsA multi-institutional (19), multinational (3), retrospective database of 2473 patients with breast cancer with newly diagnosed brain metastases (BCBM) diagnosed from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2017, was created and compared with prior cohorts. Associations of PF and treatment with survival were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were compared with log-rank tests. PF were weighted and the Breast GPA was updated such that a GPA of 0 and 4.0 correlate with the worst and best prognoses, respectively.ResultsMedian survival (MS) for cohorts A, B, and C improved over time (from 11, to 14 to 16 months, respectively; P < .01), despite the subtype distribution becoming less favorable. PF significant for survival were tumor subtype, Karnofsky Performance Status, age, number of BCBMs, and extracranial metastases (all P < .01). MS for GPA 0 to 1.0, 1.5-2.0, 2.5-3.0, and 3.5-4.0 was 6, 13, 24, and 36 months, respectively. Between cohorts B and C, the proportion of human epidermal receptor 2 + subtype decreased from 31% to 18% (P < .01) and MS in this subtype increased from 18 to 25 months (P < .01).ConclusionsMS has improved modestly but varies widely by diagnosis-specific PF. New PF are identified and incorporated into an updated Breast GPA (free online calculator available at brainmetgpa.com). The Breast GPA facilitates clinical decision-making and will be useful for stratification of future clinical trials. Furthermore, these data suggest human epidermal receptor 2-targeted therapies improve clinical outcomes in some patients with BCBM.

Cranial irradiation results in cognitive decline, which is hypothesized to be partially attributable to hippocampal injury and stem cell loss. Recent advances allow for targeted reduction of radiation dose to the hippocampi while maintaining adequate dose coverage to the brain parenchyma and additional increasing dose to brain metastases, a approach called hippocampal avoidance whole brain radiation therapy with a simultaneous integrated boost (HA-WBRT + SIB.) We review our early clinical experience with HA-WBRT + SIB. We evaluated treatments and clinical outcomes for patients treated with HA-WBRT + SIB between 2014 and 2018. A total of 32 patients (median age, 63.5 years, range 45.3–78.8 years) completed HA-WBRT + SIB. Median follow-up for patients alive at the time of analysis was 11.3 months. The most common histology was non-small cell lung cancer (n = 22). Most patients (n = 25) were prescribed with WBRT dose of 30 Gy with SIB to 37.5 Gy in 15 fractions. Volumetric modulated arc therapy reduced treatment time (p

Purpose The logistical burdens of appointment scheduling and travel add to the psychological and emotional distress among patients with a new cancer diagnosis. This may be heightened among patients needing radiation therapy (RT), who must travel to and from a treatment facility daily for several weeks. Here, we studied the association between RT appointment waiting time and patient-reported pain and anxiety and explored additional factors that may influence daily waiting time. Methods Ninety-four patients undergoing RT at a single, academic institution were surveyed in the first and final weeks of treatment. On the day of the survey, patients were asked to report: pain (Likert scale: 0–10), anxiety (0–10), commute mode/time, and estimated waiting time for RT. Actual waiting times were calculated per review of the electronic scheduling system. Results Increased objective waiting time was associated with higher pain scores at the start (P = .05) and end (P = 0.004) of RT, although overall pain scores were low at both time points (mean 1.4 and 1.5, respectively). Anxiety scores were also low (mean 1.2 at both time points) and were not associated with objective waiting time (P > .05). Of note, patients reported perceived waiting times that were considerably shorter than actual waiting times (mean 15 vs. 26 minutes, respectively, at first survey early in the RT course). Time of day and tumor site were not associated with waiting time. Conclusion Daily waiting time may play a role in pain and/or anxiety experienced by patients with cancer during RT. Perceived waiting time may differ substantially from actual waiting time and represents a potential area for intervention to improve patients’ quality of life.

Background Breast cancer treatment is based on estrogen receptors (ERs), progesterone receptors (PRs), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). At the time of metastasis, receptor status can be discordant from that at initial diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of discordance and its effect on survival and subsequent treatment in patients with breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM). Methods A retrospective database of 316 patients who underwent craniotomy for BCBM between 2006 and 2017 was created. Discordance was considered present if the ER, PR, or HER2 status differed between the primary tumor and the BCBM. Results The overall receptor discordance rate was 132/316 (42%), and the subtype discordance rate was 100/316 (32%). Hormone receptors (HR, either ER or PR) were gained in 40/160 (25%) patients with HR-negative primary tumors. HER2 was gained in 22/173 (13%) patients with HER2-negative primary tumors. Subsequent treatment was not adjusted for most patients who gained receptors—nonetheless, median survival (MS) improved but did not reach statistical significance (HR, 17–28 mo, P = 0.12; HER2, 15–19 mo, P = 0.39). MS for patients who lost receptors was worse (HR, 27–18 mo, P = 0.02; HER2, 30–18 mo, P = 0.08). Conclusions Receptor discordance between primary tumor and BCBM is common, adversely affects survival if receptors are lost, and represents a missed opportunity for use of effective treatments if receptors are gained. Receptor analysis of BCBM is indicated when clinically appropriate. Treatment should be adjusted accordingly. Key Points 1. Receptor discordance alters subtype in 32% of BCBM patients. 2. The frequency of receptor gain for HR and HER2 was 25% and 13%, respectively. 3. If receptors are lost, survival suffers. If receptors are gained, consider targeted treatment.

Purpose The majority of patients with high‐risk lower grade gliomas (LGG) are treated with single‐agent temozolomide (TMZ) and radiotherapy despite three randomized trials showing a striking overall survival benefit with adjuvant procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This article aims to evaluate the evidence and rationale for the widespread use of TMZ instead of PCV for high‐risk LGG. Methods and Materials We conducted a literature search utilizing PubMed for articles investigating the combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for high‐risk LGG and analyzed the results of these studies. Results For patients with IDH mutant 1p/19q codeleted LGG tumors, there is limited evidence to support the use of TMZ. In medically fit patients with codeleted disease, existing data demonstrate a large survival benefit for PCV as compared to adjuvant radiation therapy alone. For patients with non‐1p/19q codeleted LGG, early data from the CATNON study supports inclusion of adjuvant TMZ for 12 months. Subset analyses of the RTOG 9402 and EORTC 26951 do not demonstrate a survival benefit for adjuvant PCV for non‐1p/19q codeleted gliomas, however secondary analyses of RTOG 9802 and RTOG 9402 demonstrated survival benefit in any IDH mutant lower grade gliomas, regardless of 1p/19q codeletion status. Conclusions At present, we conclude that current evidence does not support the widespread use of TMZ over PCV for all patients with high‐risk LGG, and we instead recommend tailoring chemotherapy recommendation based on IDH status, favoring adjuvant PCV for patients with any IDH mutant tumors, both those that harbor 1p/19q codeletion and those non‐1p/19q codeleted. Given the critical role radiation plays in the treatment of LGG, radiation oncologists should be actively involved in discussions regarding chemotherapy choice in order to optimize treatment for their patients., Three randomized trials have shown a striking overall survival benefit with adjuvant procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy and radiotherapy for the treatment of patients with high‐risk lower grade gliomas, however the majority of patients currently receive temozolomide (TMZ) instead of PCV chemotherapy. This review article examines the best available evidence to inform the choice of PCV or TMZ for the treatment of high‐risk lower grade gliomas.

Histopathological grading of meningiomas is insufficient for optimal risk stratification. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prognostic value of atypical histopathological features across all nonmalignant meningiomas (World Health Organization [WHO] grade I-II).The data from 334 patients with WHO grade I (n = 275) and grade II (n = 59) meningiomas who had undergone surgical resection from 2001 to 2015 at 2 academic centers were pooled. Progression/recurrence (P/R) was determined radiographically and measured from the date of surgery.The median follow-up was 52 months. The patients were stratified by the number of atypical features: 0 (n = 151), 1 (n = 71), 2 (n = 66), 3 (n = 22), and 4 or 5 (n = 24). The risk of P/R increased with an increasing number of atypical features (log-rank test, P = 0.001). The 5-year actuarial rates of P/R stratified by the number of atypical features were as follows: 0, 16.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.7-24.4); 1, 21.7% (95% CI, 12.8-35.2); 2, 28.2% (95% CI, 18.4-41.7); 3, 30.4% (95% CI, 13.8-58.7); and 4 or 5, 51.4% (95% CI, 31.7-74.5). On univariate analysis, the presence of high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio (P = 0.007), prominent nucleoli (P = 0.007), and necrosis (P0.00005) were associated with an increased risk of P/R. On multivariate analysis, the number of atypical features (hazard ratio [HR], 1.30; 95% CI, 1.03-1.63; P = 0.03), ≥4 mitoses per high-power fields (HR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.17-5.15; P = 0.02), subtotal resection (HR, 3.9; 95% CI, 2.5-6.3; P0.0005), and the lack of adjuvant radiotherapy (HR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.19-4.80; P = 0.01) were associated with an increased risk of P/R.An increased number of atypical features, ≥4 mitoses per 10 high-power fields, subtotal resection, and the lack of adjuvant radiotherapy were independently associated with P/R of WHO grade I-II meningiomas. Patients with these features might benefit from intensified therapy.

Background and purpose High-dose fractionated radiotherapy is often necessary to achieve long-term tumor control in several types of tumors involving or within close proximity to the brain. There is limited data to guide on optimal constraints to the adjacent nontarget brain. This investigation explored the significance of the three-dimensional (3D) dose distribution of passive scattering proton therapy to the brain with other clinicopathological factors on the development of symptomatic radiation necrosis. Materials and methods All patients with head and neck, skull base, or intracranial tumors who underwent proton therapy (minimum prescription dose of 59.4 Gy(RBE)) with collateral moderate to high dose radiation exposure to the nontarget brain were retrospectively reviewed. A mixture cure model with respect to necrosis-free survival was used to derive estimates for the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) model while adjusting for potential confounding factors. Results Of 179 identified patients, 83 patients had intracranial tumors and 96 patients had primary extracranial tumors. The optimal dose measure obtained to describe the occurrence of radiation necrosis was the equivalent uniform dose (EUD) with parameter a = 9. The best-fit parameters of logistic NTCP models revealed D50 = 57.7 Gy for intracranial tumors, D50 = 39.5 Gy for extracranial tumors, and γ50 = 2.5 for both tumor locations. Multivariable analysis revealed EUD and primary tumor location to be the strongest predictors of brain radiation necrosis. Conclusion In the current clinical volumetric data analyses with multivariable modelling, EUD was identified as an independent and strong predictor for brain radiation necrosis from proton therapy.

To characterize dose distributions withPlaque and proton treatment plans were created for 4 groups of cases: (1) REF: 39 instances of reference midsize circular-base tumor (d = 12 mm, h = 5 mm), in locations varying by retinal clock hours and distance to fovea, optic disc, and corneal limbus; (2) SUP: 25 superiorly located; (3) TEMP: 25 temporal; and (4) NAS: 25 nasally located tumors that were a fixed distance from the fovea but varying in d (6-18 mm) and h (3-11 mm). For both modalities, 111 unique scenarios were characterized in terms of the distance to points of interest, doses delivered to fovea, optic disc, optic nerve at 3 mm posterior to the disc (ON@3mm), lens, and retina. Comparative statistical evaluation was performed with the Mann-Whitney U test.Superior dose distributions favored plaque for sparing of (1) fovea in large (d + h ≥ 21 mm) NAS tumors; (2) ON@3mm in REF cases located ≤4 disc diameters from disc, and in NAS overall. Protons achieved superior dose sparing of (1) fovea and optic disc in REF, SUP, and TEMP; (2) ON@3mm in REF4 disc diameters from disc, and in SUP and TEMP; and (3) the lens center overall and lens periphery in REF ≤6 mm from the corneal limbus, and in TEMP with h = 3 mm. Although protons could completely spare sections of the retina, plaque dose was more target conformal in the high-dose range (50% and 90% of prescription dose).Although comparison between plaque and proton therapy is not straightforward because of the disparity in dose rate, prescriptions, applicators, and delivery techniques, it is possible to identify distinctions between dose distributions, which could help inform decisions by providers and patients.

With increasing attention on the essential roles of the tumour microenvironment in recent years, the nervous system has emerged as a novel and crucial facilitator of cancer growth. In this Review, we describe the foundational, translational, and clinical advances illustrating how nerves contribute to tumour proliferation, stress adaptation, immunomodulation, metastasis, electrical hyperactivity and seizures, and neuropathic pain. Collectively, this expanding knowledge base reveals multiple therapeutic avenues for cancer neuroscience that warrant further exploration in clinical studies. We discuss the available clinical data, including ongoing trials investigating novel agents targeting the tumour-nerve axis, and the therapeutic potential for repurposing existing neuroactive drugs as an anti-cancer approach, particularly in combination with established treatment regimens. Lastly, we discuss the clinical challenges of these treatment strategies and highlight unanswered questions and future directions in the burgeoning field of cancer neuroscience.

To compare outcomes in a large patient cohort with small-medium tumors located within 1 disc diameter (DD) of the optic nerve and/or fovea treated with 50 Gy or 70 Gy proton therapy.Retrospective cohort study.A total of 1120 patients with uveal melanomas ≤ 15 mm in largest basal diameter, ≤ 5 mm in height, located within 1 DD of the optic nerve and/or fovea, who received primary treatment with protons between 1975 and 2016 at Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Massachusetts General Hospital.The rates of outcomes were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Differences between the radiation dose groups were tested using the log-rank test.Local tumor recurrence, melanoma-related mortality, and visual acuity preservation (≥ 20/200, ≥ 20/40).Local tumor recurrence was observed in 1.8% of the 50 Gy group and 1.5% of the 70 Gy group. The median time to recurrence was 30.7 months for patients treated with 50 Gy and 32.0 months for those treated with 70 Gy (P = 0.28). Five-year rates of vision retention (≥20/40, ≥ 20/200) were 19.4% and 49.3% for patients treated with 50 Gy and 16.4% and 40.7% in those treated with 70 Gy. Ten-year rates of melanoma-related mortality were 8.4% in the 50 Gy group and 8.9% in the 70 Gy group (P = 0.47).Comparable rates of local control are achieved treating small-medium tumors near the optic nerve and/or fovea with 50 Gy or 70 Gy proton therapy, supporting the use of the lower dose in patients with these tumor characteristics.

Objective Vestibular schwannomas are benign tumors that are often managed by radiotherapy. Minimizing long-term toxicity is paramount for a population that remains at normal life expectancy and at risk for loss of quality of life for years if not decades. Whereas current radiotherapy standard utilizes photon radiation, proton radiotherapy characteristics may enable a reduction of toxicity by reducing the volume of collateral irradiated healthy tissue. A systematic review was conducted to assess tumor control and short- and long-term sequelae after proton irradiation. Methods Studies that reported on treatment outcomes of proton radiotherapy in vestibular schwannoma patients were included. Results Five peer-reviewed retrospective series met the inclusion criteria. Quality of the studies varied from low to good. There were 276 unique patients described. Tumor control rates ranged from 85 to 100% (radiological median follow-up of 2.2-7.4 years). Hearing loss rates, defined as losing Gardner Robertson class I/II hearing, showed an weighted crude average 52% (depending on follow-up duration). The weighted averages for post-irradiation facial and trigeminal neuropathy were 5% and 4%, respectively. The risk of neuropathy seems to decrease with lower radiation dosages. Conclusion Proton irradiation for vestibular schwannomas achieves high tumor control rates, equivalent to photon irradiation. Reported cranial nerve preservation rates vary, partly due to an apparent selection bias with a high percentage of patients with clinical symptoms prior to treatment. Results of cranial nerve function preservation, quality of life, and cognitive functioning are currently insufficiently reported. In addition, advances in proton radiotherapy technology warrant re-evaluation of current techniques and protocols for the management of vestibular schwannomas.

Patients with lung cancer and brain metastases represent a markedly heterogeneous population. Accurate prognosis is essential to optimally individualize care. In prior publications, we described the graded prognostic assessment (GPA), but a GPA for patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has never been reported, and in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the effect of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) was unknown. The 3-fold purpose of this work is to provide the initial report of an SCLC GPA, to evaluate the effect of PD-L1 on survival in patients with NSCLC, and to update the Lung GPA accordingly.A multivariable analysis of prognostic factors and treatments associated with survival was performed on 4183 patients with lung cancer (3002 adenocarcinoma, 611 nonadenocarcinoma, 570 SCLC) with newly diagnosed brain metastases between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2020, using a multi-institutional retrospective database. Significant variables were used to update the Lung GPA.Overall median survival for lung adenocarcinoma, SCLC, and nonadenocarcinoma was 17, 10, and 8 months, respectively, but varied widely by GPA from 2 to 52 months. In SCLC, the significant prognostic factors were age, performance status, extracranial metastases, and number of brain metastases. In NSCLC, the distribution of molecular markers among patients with lung adenocarcinoma and known primary tumor molecular status revealed alterations/expression in PD-L1 50% to 100%, PD-L1 1% to 49%, epidermal growth factor receptor, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase in 32%, 31%, 30%, and 7%, respectively. Median survival of patients with lung adenocarcinoma and brain metastases with 0, 1% to 49%, and ≥50% PD-L1 expression was 17, 19, and 24 months, respectively (P.01), confirming PD-L1 is a prognostic factor. Previously identified prognostic factors for NSCLC (epidermal growth factor receptor and anaplastic lymphoma kinase status, performance status, age, number of brain metastases, and extracranial metastases) were reaffirmed. These factors were incorporated into the updated Lung GPA with robust separation between subgroups for all histologies.Survival for patients with lung cancer and brain metastases has improved but varies widely. The initial report of a GPA for SCLC is presented. For patients with NSCLC-adenocarcinoma and brain metastases, PD-L1 is a newly identified significant prognostic factor, and the previously identified factors were reaffirmed. The updated indices establish unique criteria for SCLC, NSCLC-nonadenocarcinoma, and NSCLC-adenocarcinoma (incorporating PD-L1). The updated Lung GPA, available for free at brainmetgpa.com, provides an accurate tool to estimate survival, individualize treatment, and stratify clinical trials.

Objective To assess the efficacy and toxicity of proton radiotherapy in vestibular schwannoma. Study design Retrospective chart review and volumetric MRI-analyses. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Vestibular schwannoma patients treated with protons between 2003 and 2018. Intervention Proton radiotherapy. Main outcome measures Tumor control was defined as not requiring salvage treatment. Progressive hearing loss was defined as a decrease in maximum speech discrimination score below the 95% critical difference in reference to the pretreatment score. Hearing assessment includes contralateral hearing and duration of follow-up. Dizziness and/or unsteadiness and facial and trigeminal nerve function were scored. Patients who had surgery prior to proton radiotherapy were separately assessed. Results Of 221 included patients, 136 received single fraction and 85 fractionated proton radiotherapy. Actuarial 5-year local control rate was 96% (95% CI 90-98%). The median radiological follow-up was 4.5 years. Progressive postirradiation speech discrimination score loss occurred in 42% of patients with audiometric follow-up within a year. Facial paresis was found in 5% (usually mild), severe dizziness in 5%, and trigeminal neuralgia in 5% of patients receiving protons as primary treatment. Conclusions Proton radiotherapy achieves high tumor control with modest side effects aside from hearing loss in vestibular schwannoma patients. Limited and heterogeneous outcome reporting hamper comparisons to the literature. Potential sequelae of radiation therapy impacting vestibular function, cognitive function, and quality of life warrant further evaluation. Subgroups that benefit most from proton radiotherapy should be identified to optimize allocation and counterbalance its costs.

Stroke-like migraine attacks after radiation therapy (SMART) syndrome represents a rare but serious condition manifesting years after cranial radiation therapy (RT).1 Characterized by migraine-type headaches, stroke-like deficits, seizures, and MRI abnormalities, including cortical gyriform enhancement in irradiated brain regions, SMART is diagnostically and therapeutically challenging.2-6 Distinction from tumor progression is difficult and treatment options are limited.2 Although frequently reversible,5 SMART episodes can recur6 and effectuate persistent neurologic or imaging sequelae.3

INTRODUCTION High-grade meningiomas are associated with significant neuro-cognitive morbidity and a poor prognosis. Systemic therapies, to date, have demonstrated minimal efficacy. We recently found that high-grade meningiomas harbor an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and that programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression may contribute to the aggressive phenotype of these tumors. Therefore, we conducted a single-arm, open-label phase II trial evaluating efficacy of pembrolizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, in a cohort of 24 patients with recurrent and progressive grade II and III meningiomas. METHODS The primary endpoint was the rate of progression-free survival at 6 months. The trial distinguished between 6-month PFS (PFS-6) rates of 26% vs. 52%. If at least 10 patients demonstrated a 6-month PFS, among the 24 patients, the agent would be considered worthy of further study. This design has at least 88% power using an exact binomial test with a one-sided significance level of 0.1. RESULTS Between November 2017 to December 2019, twenty-four patients were enrolled. The majority of the patients in our cohort were heavily pre-treated; prior to enrolling to the study, twenty patients underwent more than one surgical resection and twelve patients had received more than one round of radiotherapy. Our study met its primary endpoint and achieved a 6-month progression-free survival rate of 0.50 (90% exact CI: 0.32-0.68) and a median PFS of 8.3 months (90% CI: 4.1-12.9 months). For the twelve patients who achieved the PFS-6 primary endpoint, median PFS from the start of treatment was 17.3 months (90% CI: 9.7 – 24.3 months). Four patients had grade-3 or higher adverse events that were at least possibly treatment-related, including colitis, skin infection, encephalopathy and transaminitis. CONCLUSION Our study achieved its primary endpoint. These results suggest that pembrolizumab exerts promising activity on these tumors and results in prolonged PFS compared to historical controls.