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Discontinuation of palliative radiotherapy due to a patient's declining general condition poses a clinical dilemma for palliative care physicians. This study aimed to investigate the survival duration of patients whose performance status (PS) deteriorated during palliative radiotherapy and inform decisions regarding early treatment discontinuation. We retrospectively analyzed data from patients referred from our institute's palliative care department who underwent ≥10 fractions of palliative radiotherapy between March 2017 and December 2021. PS was assessed using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale. Survival duration was calculated from the final day of palliative radiotherapy to death using the Kaplan–Meier method. A total of 35 patients underwent palliative radiotherapy. Seven (20%) experienced deterioration in ECOG PS during treatment. Their median survival duration was significantly shorter at 22 days (95% confidence interval: 1–94 days) compared to 125 days (95% confidence interval: 82–150 days) for the 28 patients whose PS remained stable (p = 0.0007). Deterioration in ECOG PS during palliative radiotherapy signifies a markedly shorter survival duration. Careful assessment of a patient's condition throughout treatment is crucial, and early discontinuation should be considered if their general health worsens rather than strictly adhering to the initial schedule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative chemoradiotherapy is recommended for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with positive margins or extracapsular extension at high risk of recurrence. However, high-dose radiotherapy in the head and neck region often causes severe acute and late radiation-related adversities. In our institution, the radiation dose has been relatively lower than that used in Western countries to reduce radiation-related toxicities. Therefore, in this study, we examined the treatment outcomes of low-dose postoperative chemoradiotherapy. Methods: The outcomes of 90 consecutive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients who received postoperative radiotherapy between June 2009 and December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received postoperative three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy with or without concurrent systemic chemotherapy. The median patient age was 65 years. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy was administered at a total dose of 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions (daily fraction, 1.8 Gy). High-risk patients received 10.8 Gy of boost irradiation in six fractions. For radiotherapy alone, the irradiation dose was up to 54 Gy in 30 fractions and 64.8 Gy in 36 fractions for high-risk patients to increase the treatment intensity. Results: The median follow-up period was 40.5 months. The 3-year locoregional control and overall survival rates were 67.5% and 82.7%, respectively. A significantly higher proportion of patients with oral cavity carcinoma experienced locoregional failure (p = 0.004). The acute adverse events were mild, and the only late adverse event was grade 3 dysphagia (n = 3). Conclusion: This study suggests that de-escalation of the postoperative radiation dose can potentially reduce the severe adverse events of irradiation in patients while ensuring its effectiveness. In patients with oral cavity carcinoma, it might be necessary to increase the radiation dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The lesion size is a risk factor for keloid recurrence after postoperative radiotherapy. However, it remains unclear whether the major axis diameter is the most appropriate parameter to evaluate lesion size, because keloids are often irregular in shape. Additionally, no previous study has investigated computed tomography (CT) densitometry parameters of keloids as potential predictors for recurrence after postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: The size and CT densitometry parameters were measured for 74 lesions with CT images of sufficient quality for evaluation. The association between recurrence and size or CT densitometry parameters was analyzed for 64 lesions that could be followed up for 6 months or more. Results: The major axis diameter × minor axis diameter × thickness showed the strongest correlation with volume (ρ = 0.96, P <.0001). The median follow‐up period was 71 months, and 17 lesions recurred. The major axis diameter × minor axis diameter × thickness ≥2.5 cm3 (hazard ratio = 5.9, P =.0052) and volume ≥1.2 ml (hazard ratio = 4.3, P =.029) were significantly associated with keloid recurrence under multivariate analyses, while the major axis diameter alone were not. The mean and maximum CT values, and the kurtosis and skewness of density histogram were not significantly different between recurrent and non‐recurrent lesions. Conclusion: The major axis diameter × minor axis diameter × thickness may be a better parameter than the major axis diameter alone. CT densitometry analyses may not help to predict keloid recurrence after postoperative electron beam radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is an aggressive peripheral T-cell neoplasm that occurs only in patients with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1. No large study or randomized trial investigating radiotherapy (RT) for ATL has been performed. We retrospectively reviewed 55 courses of RT for 41 consecutive patients with ATL who underwent RT between 2000 and 2016 at our institutions. The results showed that RT for local ATL lesions can achieve symptomatic improvement in 92% of cases. Local remission, either complete remission (CR) or partial response (PR), was achieved in 100% of the patients (CR: 89%, PR: 11%) with ≥40 Gy irradiation. CR or PR was achieved in 71% (CR: 29%, PR: 43%) with 30–39 Gy and in 73% (CR: 6.7%, PR: 67%) with ≤29 Gy irradiation. The mean total radiation dose in the CR and PR groups differed significantly (38 vs 25 Gy, P = 0.0002). The maximum acute toxicity was Grade 0–2 in all patients, except for one patient experienced Grade 3 radiation dermatitis. In-field relapses occurred in 36% of patients, and the frequency of in-field relapses was 11%, 30% and 71% among those who achieved CR, PR and SD, respectively. All 9 patients who received total skin irradiation experienced cutaneous relapses, with a median of 63 days (range, 7–210 days). Almost all (39 of 41) patients with ATL experienced out-of-field progression after RT. In conclusion, RT was confirmed to be effective and safe for palliative treatment of local ATL lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the present study was to consider the safety and efficacy of concurrent use of strontium-89 (Sr-89) with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for multiple bone metastases, including lesions that require urgent therapy.Methods: A retrospective review was performed of a consecutive series of patients who received Sr-89 for multiple bone metastases. Forty-five patients with multiple bone metastases received Sr-89 injection. Since 17 of the 45 patients had osteolytic bone lesions requiring emergent EBRT, they underwent concurrent use of Sr-89 with EBRT (concurrent group). The remaining 28 patients, none of whom had osteolytic lesions requiring urgent EBRT, were given Sr-89 injection only (singularity group). The injection of Sr-89 was to be given during EBRT, or on the day before the first day of EBRT. The dose of EBRT was 30 Gy in 10 fractions or 40 Gy in 20 fractions. Adverse events were evaluated according to hematological toxicity as measured by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (V4.0). To assess efficacy, we checked changes in the pain scale and analgesic drug dosages, and the presence or absence of serious complications from bone metastases.Results: Fifteen of 17 patients (88.2%) in the concurrent group and 17 of 28 patients (60.7%) in the singularity group reported bone pain relief. A statistically significant difference was found between the two groups, and severe complications (spinal cord compression and pathological fracture) from bone metastases could be prevented in all patients in the concurrent group. Severe hematological toxicity (grade 3 or higher) was not observed in the two groups. There was no statistical difference between the two groups. No one required additional intervention. The adverse events were tolerable.Conclusions: The results of our study suggest that concurrent use of Sr-89 with EBRT for multiple bone metastases can be performed safely if it is carried out with care, and that it may be an effective therapy in cases requiring emergency treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Human papilloma virus-negative oropharyngeal cancer has not achieved satisfactory outcomes compared with those of human papilloma virus-positive oropharyngeal cancer. This study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of selective intraarterial chemoradiotherapy with the docetaxel and nedaplatin regimen for human papilloma virus-negative oropharyngeal cancer.Methods: Twenty-two consecutive patients with human papilloma virus-negative oropharyngeal cancer who had undergone selective intraarterial chemoradiotherapy were retrospectively analyzed. The primary tumor and whole neck were irradiated (50 Gy). Subsequently, the primary site and metastatic lymph nodes were boosted by 20 Gy. The intraarterial chemotherapy regimen comprised a combination of nedaplatin (80 mg/m2) and docetaxel (60 mg/m2), which was initially administered at the start of radiotherapy and was given every 4 weeks for three sessions. Each intraarterial dose of an anticancer agent was determined according to the percentage of the tumor volume supplied by the target artery to the total tumor volume, which was intraoperatively measured via cone-beam computed tomography. The outcome measures were locoregional control, disease-free survival, and overall survival rates and adverse events. Statistical analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results: The median follow-up period was 59 (range, 15-103) months. The T stage was T1/T2 in 5 patients (23%), T3 in 5 patients (23%), and T4 in 12 patients (54%). Cervical lymph node metastasis was staged as ≥N2c in 7 (32%) patients. Complete response was achieved in all patients at the first imaging examination after intraarterial chemoradiotherapy. The 5-year locoregional control, disease-free survival, and overall survival rates were 96% (95% confidence interval, 0.72-0.99), 91% (95% confidence interval, 0.68-0.98), and 100% (95% confidence interval, not available), respectively. Regarding serious acute adverse events, grade 4 laryngeal edema and leukopenia were observed in 1 (5%) and 11 patients (50%), respectively. No other serious acute adverse events were observed.Conclusion: Selective intraarterial chemoradiotherapy with docetaxel and nedaplatin has the potential to achieve favorable locoregional control, disease-free survival, and overall survival rates in human papilloma virus-negative oropharyngeal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]