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IntroductionCurative intent treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) is frequently radiation therapy over 7 weeks with concurrent chemotherapy. This regimen is effective but carries a burden of toxicity leading to severe pain and treatment breaks portending inferior outcomes. Conventional palliation methods include opioids, anticonvulsants and local anaesthetics. Breakthrough toxicities are nevertheless ubiquitous and present an urgent unmet need. Ketamine is an inexpensive drug with mechanisms of analgesia outside the opioid pathway including N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonism and a pharmacologically unique property of opioid desensitisation. Systemic ketamine is validated in randomised controlled trials for efficacy in reducing pain and/or opioid burden in the oncologic setting. Literature supports peripherally administered ketamine for pain control without systemic toxicity. These data support our rationale of using ketamine mouthwash to decrease acute toxicity of curative treatment of HNC, the efficacy of which is our aim to elucidate.Methods and analysisThis is a phase II, Simon’s two-stage trial. Patients have pathologically confirmed HNC and an intended regimen of 70 Gy of radiation with concurrent cisplatin. The protocol is initiated on diagnosis of grade 3 mucositis and consists of 2 weeks of 4 times daily (QID) ketamine mouthwash use. The primary endpoint is pain response defined as a combination of pain score and opioid use. 23 subjects will be enrolled in stage 1. If statistical criteria are met, 33 subjects will be enrolled in stage 2. Secondary endpoints include daily pain, daily opioid use, dysphagia at baseline and completion, nightly sleep quality, feeding tube placement and any unscheduled treatment breaks.Ethics and disseminationAll trial data will be stored in an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved database. The protocol is registered under Northwell IRB registration number #22-0292 and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Investigational New Drug (IND) approval has been granted under IND number 161609. Results are intended to be published in an open-source journal and further data, statistics and source documents are available on request.Trial registration numberNCT05331131.

Objective The goal of this study is to compare the effectiveness of three different meditation techniques (two internal focus techniques and one external focus technique) using a low-cost portable electroencephalography (EEG) device, namely, MUSE, for an objective comparison. Methods This is an IRB-approved retrospective study. All participants in the study were healthy adults. Each study participant (n = 34) was instructed to participate in three meditation sessions: mantra (internal), breath (internal), and external point. The MUSE brain-sensing headband (EEG) was used to document the "total time spent in the calm state" and the "total time spent in the calm or neutral state" (outcomes) in each three-minute session to conduct separate analyses for the meditation type. Separate generalized linear models (GLM) with unstructured covariance structures were used to examine the association between each outcome and the explanatory variable (meditation type). For all models, if there was a significant association between the outcome and the explanatory variable, pairwise comparisons were carried out using the Tukey-Kramer correction. Results The median time (in seconds) spent in the calm state while practicing mantra meditation was 131.5 (IQR: 94-168), while practicing breath meditation was 150 (IQR: 113-164), and while practicing external-point meditation was 100 (IQR: 62-126). Upon analysis, there was a significant association between the meditation type and the time spent in the calm state (p-value = 0.0006). Conclusion This is the first study comparing "internal" versus "external" meditation techniques using an objective measure. Our study shows the breath and mantra technique as superior to the external-point technique as regards time spent in the calm state. Additional research is needed using a combination of "EEG" and patient-reported surveys to compare various meditative practices. The findings from this study can help incorporate specific meditation practices in future mindfulness-based studies that are focused on healthcare settings and on impacting clinical outcomes, such as survival or disease outcomes.

Purpose Re-irradiation of recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) may delay further recurrence but re-irradiation increases the risk of radionecrosis (RN). Salvage therapy should focus on balancing local control (LC) and toxicity. We report the results of using intraoperative Cesium-131 (Cs-131) brachytherapy for recurrent GBM in a population of patients who also received bevacizumab. Methods and Materials Twenty patients with recurrent GBM underwent maximally safe neurosurgical resection with Cs-131 brachytherapy between 2010 and 2015. Eighty Gy was prescribed to 0.5 cm from the surface of the resection cavity. All patients previously received adjuvant radiotherapy and temozolomide, and received bevacizumab before or after salvage brachytherapy. Seven of 20 (35%) tumors were multiply recurrent and had been previously salvaged with external beam radiotherapy. Patients received MRI scans every 2 months monitored for recurrence, progression, and RN. Results Median tumor diameter was 4.65 cm (range, 1.2–6.3 cm). Median number of seeds pace was 41 (range, 20–74) with total seed activity 96.8U (range, 41.08–201.3U). At a median followup of 19 months, crude LC was 85% and median overall survival was 9 months (range, 5–26 months). There were two postoperative wound infections (10%), three seizures (15%), and 0% incidence of RN. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that while LC and survival are similar to other studies of postoperative external beam radiotherapy, no RN occurred in any of these patients, including 7 multiply re-irradiated patients. Of interest, there were patients with multiple recurrences whose survival extended beyond 20 months. These findings suggest that the use of highly conformal Cs-131 brachytherapy is a promising treatment for patients with recurrent GBM with minimal risk of development of RN.

There are few therapeutic options available for the treatment of recurrent meningiomas that have failed treatment with surgery and external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT). As additional EBRT is clinically risky, brachytherapy offers an important alternative for optimizing local control. In skull base meningiomas, the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) has demonstrated an excellent extent of resection. However, in the case of recurrent, atypical, or residual meningiomas, the EEA alone may not be adequate to address microscopic, residual, highly proliferative disease. In this situation, local radioactive seed brachytherapy has been shown to improve control, but few reports of this technique exist. A 48-year-old right-handed man presented on multiple occasions with recurrence of an anaplastic skull base meningioma, after multiple prior gross-total resections and multiple rounds of radiotherapy had failed. The authors performed a maximally safe neurosurgical tumor resection via EEA supplemented by the intraoperative implantation of 131Cs low-dose permanent brachytherapy seeds. They describe a technique for permanent implantation of brachytherapy seeds and provide operative video of this technique. The authors submit that utilizing this technique in combination with EEA tumor resection renders a minimally invasive approach to improving local control in a patient with a recurrent anaplastic or atypical meningioma of the skull base.

Purpose To compare treatment plans and evaluate dosimetric characteristics of permanent cesium-131 (131Cs) vs. iodine-125 (125I) implants used in brain brachytherapy. Material and methods Twenty-four patients with 131Cs implants from a prospective phase I/II trial were re-planned with 125I implants. In order to evaluate the volume of brain tissue exposed to radiation therapy (RT), the dose volume histogram was generated for both radioisotopes. To evaluate the dosimetric differences of the two radioisotopes we compared homogeneity (HI) and conformity indices (CI), and dose covering 100% (D100), 90% (D90), 80% (D80), and 50% (D50) of the clinical target volume (CTV). Results At the 100%, 90%, 80%, and 50% isodose lines, the 131Cs plans exposed less mean volume of brain tissue than the 125I plans (p < 0.001). The D100, D90, D80, and D50 were smaller for 131Cs (p < 0.001). The HI and CI for 131Cs vs. 125I were 19.71 vs. 29.04 and 1.31 vs. 1.92, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusions Compared to 125I, 131Cs exposed smaller volumes of brain tissue to equivalent doses of radiation and delivered lower radiation doses to equivalent volumes of the CTV. 131Cs exhibited a higher HI, indicating increased uniformity of doses within the CTV. Lastly, 131Cs presented a CI closer to 1, indicating that the total volume receiving the prescription dose was closer to the desired CTV volume. These results suggest that 131Cs is dosimetrically superior to 125I and may explain the reason for the 0% incidence of radiation necrosis (RN) in our previously published prospective study using 131Cs.

Introduction: Osteoradionecrosis is a rare and debilitating risk of definitive chemoradiotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. It is difficult to distinguish between osteoradionecrosis and recurrent or progressive disease, as clinical and radiologic features may be similar. Our aim was to compare the clinical presentation and radiologic features of osteonecrosis with those of recurrent or progressive cancer. Methods: We conducted a single-center case series of 19 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed between 2011 and 2019 who subsequently developed clinical and/or radiological suspicion of osteoradionecrosis. The population was a referred sample from head and neck cancer physicians at Northwell Health Cancer Institute. Clinician notes and imaging reports were reviewed to assign a final diagnosis of either cancer, osteonecrosis, or indeterminate. Results: No differences were found in the clinical presentation or radiologic features between groups. Median time between treatment and development of symptoms was longer in patients with a final diagnosis of osteoradionecrosis than recurrent or progressive disease (5 vs. 3 months), but this difference was not statistically significant. Radiation dose and type were not associated with diagnosis. Mean standard uptake value maximums on positron emission tomography/computed tomography were significantly higher in the cancer group (median 14.8 vs. 9.1, p < 0.0152). At 1 year after first suspicion of osteoradionecrosis, 100% of osteoradionecrosis patients were alive, versus 28.6% of cancer patients. Discussion/Conclusion: There is significant overlap in clinical and radiologic features of osteoradionecrosis and cancer. Standard uptake maximums may be helpful in predicting diagnosis. Occurrence of symptoms within 6 months of completing chemoradiotherapy should raise the concern for malignancy.

IntroductionSurgery is the primary treatment for resectable, non-metastatic recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We explore the safety and oncologic benefit of intraoperative Cesium-131 (Cs-131) brachytherapy combined with salvage local and/or regional surgical resection.Methods and MaterialsFindings were reported from a single arm multi-institutional prospective phase 1/2 trial involving surgery plus Cs-131 (surgery + Cs-131) treatment. The results of two retrospective cohorts—surgery alone and surgery plus intensity modulated radiation therapy (surgery + ReIMRT)—were also described. Included patients had recurrent HNSCC and radiation history. Safety, tumor re-occurrence, and survival were evaluated.ResultsForty-nine patients were enrolled in the surgery + Cs-131 prospective study. Grade 1 to 3 adverse events (AEs) occurred in 18 patients (37%), and grade 4 AEs occurred in 2 patients. Postoperative percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes were needed in 10 surgery + Cs-131 patients (20%), and wound and vascular complications were observed in 12 patients (24%). No cases of osteoradionecrosis were reported in the surgery + Cs-131 cohort. We found a 49% 2-year disease-free survival at the site of treatment with a substantial number of patients (31%) developing metastatic disease, which led to a 31% overall survival at 5 years.ConclusionsAmong patients with local/regional recurrent HNSCC status-post radiation, surgery + Cs-131 demonstrated acceptable safety with compelling oncologic outcomes, as compared to historic control cohorts.Clinical Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifiers NCT02794675 and NCT02467738.

Brain metastases are the most common intracranial malignancies in adults. Surgical resection is the preferred treatment approach when a pathological diagnosis is required, for symptomatic patients who are refractory to steroids, and to decompress lesions causing mass effect. Radiotherapy is administered to improve local control rates after surgical resection. After a brief review of the literature describing the treatment of brain metastases using whole-brain radiotherapy, postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery, preoperative radiosurgery, and brachytherapy, we compare patient-related, technical, practical, and radiobiological considerations of each technique. Finally, we focus our discussion on intraoperative brachytherapy, with an emphasis on the technical aspects, benefits, efficacy, and outcomes of studies utilizing permanent Cs-131 implants.

To analyze outcomes and survival for BRCA1/2+ patients treated with accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI).Retrospective review was performed on 341 women treated with intracavitary APBI (Mammosite or Contura) postlumpectomy from 2002 to 2013. Patients were treated to 34.0 Gy in 10 BID fractions. Of 341 treated patients, 11 (3.2%) had BRCA1/2 mutations, 5 of whom had an oophorectomy. Ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR), contralateral breast tumor recurrence (CBTR), and breast tumor recurrence progression-free survival were analyzed using SPSS-17. BRCA1/2+ patient outcomes were compared with a general population treated cohort.Median age at diagnosis was 66 years, for BRCA1/2+ women it was 61 years. Median follow-up was 8.4 years and for BRCA1/2+ patients it was 8.8 years. IBTR for the entire cohort was 3.5%, while CBTR was 1.2%. Both IBTR and CBTR for the BRCA1/2+ group were 0%. The 5-year IBTR-free survival was 97.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]=94.9%, 98.6%), and the CBTR-free survival was 99.4% (95% CI=97.6%, 99.9%). The 5-year breast tumor recurrence-free survival was 96.7% (95% CI=94.1%, 98.2%). As no patients with BRCA1/2+ mutation died of metastatic breast cancer or recurrence during follow-up and review, overall survival could not be evaluated.To date, BRCA1/2+ patients treated with APBI sustained no recurrences, or second cancers. Most patients had an ER+ status and underwent oophorectomy, which may be a protective mechanism for recurrence. This is the first outcomes report in the literature of BRCA1/2 mutations treated with APBI technique.

Purpose/Objective(s): The COVID-19 pandemic has had considerable impact on volume of outpatient procedures, including radiation therapy, a critical treatment option for cancer patients. In order to measure the impact, we performed a retrospective review of patients treated at our multicenter institution with curative or palliative radiation over the past three years. Materials/Methods: Patients treated with radiation (n = 7,935) at our institution between 1/1/2018 and 12/31/2020 were retroactively enrolled in this IRB exempt study. Data elements such as primary cancer site, age, sex, and treatment intent were captured through our oncology analytics platform. Pearson's Chi square test for significance was used to assess a null hypothesis that there was no significant difference in treatment volume or treatment intent by disease system between 2018-2019 and 2020. Results: Median patient age in 2018-2019 was 67.3 (IQR: 59-75) vs. 67.55 (59-75) in 2020. The total number of patients starting treatment per year declined between 2018-2019 and 2020 from 1774.5 to 1606 (curative intent) and 1001 to 778 (palliative intent). Patient counts by disease system and treatment intent are summarized in the table. There were significant differences in the distribution of disease systems over time (X2 = 30.386, df = 10, P

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Mindfulness, defined as awareness of the present moment is a type of meditation practice. We evaluated whether mindfulness or social support affects stress burden in patients undergoing radiation therapy (RT) for cancer. In addition, we wanted to evaluate whether mindfulness and perceived stress impacts opioid use in patients undergoing radiation therapy for Head and Neck (HN) cancers. MATERIALS/METHODS From July 2019 to January 2021, patients receiving RT for cancer were given 3 surveys to complete prior to starting treatment. The surveys included the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) which were used to measure mindfulness, social support, and stress respectively. A Pearson correlation was conducted for this initial analysis. In addition, MAAS and PSS scales were assessed in 20 patients (40 surveys) with HN cancer to evaluate opioid use. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to test for associations between PSS, MAAS, age and elapsed days. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the distributions of PSS and MAAS between males and females, and between the opioid users and non-users. RESULTS In the initial analysis of 93 patients and 279 surveys, treatment sites included prostate, breast, HN, GI, CNS, lung, gynecologic, bone, and palliative pelvis, median scores for PSS, MAAS, and MOS were 14.0 (range:0-28, standard deviation:6.2), 5.1 (range: 2.8-6.0, standard deviation:0.8), and 4.6 (range: 0-5, standard deviation:1.0) respectively. Stress scores were in the low, average, and high stress ranges for 35 (38%), 26 (28%), and 32 (34%) patients respectively. Stress was negatively correlated to mindfulness, r = -0.494, P < 0.001. Social support was positively correlated to mindfulness, r = 0.264, P < 0.001, and negatively correlated to stress r = -0.340, P < 0.001. We added additional 10 patients in HN cohort (n = 20) where we compared MAAS/PSS with opioid use and we did not find a significant correlation between PSS and MASS (r = -.30, P = .20), MASS and age (r = .40, P = .08), or MASS and elapsed days (r = -.28, P = .22). The median PSS in the opioid group and non-opioid groups were 2.1 (1.7-2.3) (P = 0.32) and 1.9 (1.1-2.1) (P = 0.27), respectively. CONCLUSION Mindfulness did correlate with less stress and more social support. There was no correlation found between MAAS and opioid use. We plan to continue the study in a larger cohort of patients.

Symptomatic spinal metastasis is a frequent complication of cancer that had been treated, until relatively recently, with primitive techniques to modest radiation dose levels, with a baseline assumption of limited survival and poor patient performance in that setting. In the era of targeted and personalized therapies, many patients are living longer and more functionally and are able to manage their disease on the model of chronic illness. Given these developments, an attractive option is the use of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to deliver high biologically effective doses of radiation conformally to maximize the palliative gains of treatment. However, randomized data to guide practice are scarce. We review the extant literature and present an algorithmic approach to selecting patients with metastatic disease for palliative spinal SBRT favoring the results of available randomized studies and remaining within the safety constraints supported by evidence from randomized trials.

Objective Alcohol use among survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC) negatively impacts patient outcomes and is an important risk factor for recurrent and second primary tumors. Despite recommendations from several cancer societies, alcohol consumption remains a common problem in this population. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) Self-Report questionnaire. Patients with HNC completed surveys at pre-treatment and follow-up appointments every 3–6 months for at least 2-years after treatment. Results 796 surveys were available for analysis. Most participants were male (75.7%) and had either oropharyngeal (34.5%) or laryngeal (16.7%) cancer. The percentage of alcohol drinkers decreased from 56.1% at pre-treatment to 40.4% at 0–3 months post-treatment, but then increased and surpassed baseline levels by 24 + months post-treatment (64.4%, p = 0.0079). Concurrently, moderate drinkers (AUDIT = 1 – 3) decreased from 34.2% at pre-treatment to 25.2% at 0–3 months post-treatment, but then increased and surpassed baseline levels at 24 + months post-treatment (39.7%, p = 0.0129). Trends among heavy (AUDIT > 3), and heaviest (AUDIT > 6) drinkers were similar, but not statistically significant. At 24 + months post-therapy, we observed a statistically significant increase in female users (39.1% to 63.2%, p = 0.0213) and moderate drinkers Conclusion Alcohol consumption in survivors of HNC transiently decreases in the immediate months after treatment, but then increases and remains largely stable by 24 months. This pattern is particularly concerning and highlights the need for timely interventions.

Background The purpose of this study was to create dental radiation maps to calculate the mean dose to individual teeth, maxilla and mandible using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Methods Eighteen common clinical settings were chosen. Radiation plans were extracted, and each tooth was contoured at its junction with the gingiva and labeled based on the Universal/American numbering system. Results All patients were treated with prescribed doses of 50-70 Gy in 1.66-2 Gy/fraction. Patients receiving mean doses >50 Gy to the teeth, mandible, and maxilla included those with advanced tumors of the oral cavity and gross lymphadenopathy of level 1b. Conclusion We believe this to be the first study generating dosimetric maps of estimated doses to each tooth and each third of the mandible and the maxilla for common examples of head and neck cancer faced by radiation oncologists. Adoption of these dental maps may help improve clinical workflow efficiency.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (SARS-Cov-2 or COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in unprecedented clinical challenges across the globe. Outcomes of patients with this infection are likely dependent on underlying comorbidities that predict worse outcome in older patients. However, it is unknown whether COVID-19 infected cancer patients receiving radiation therapy (RT) have any different outcome than non-infected patients. We present the first series from our center of COVID-19 infected patients who received RT for malignancy, their outcome, and toxicities.

Low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) have both shown acceptable outcomes in the treatment of low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Minimal data have been published directly comparing rates of biochemical control and toxicity with these 2 modalities. We hypothesize that LDR and SBRT will provide similar rates of biochemical control.All low- and intermediate-risk patients with prostate cancer treated definitively with SBRT or LDR between 2010 and 2018 were captured. Phoenix definition was used for biochemical failure. Independent t tests were used to compare baseline characteristics, and repeated measure analysis of variance test was used to compare American Urologic Association (AUA) and the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) scores between treatment arms over time. Biochemical control was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Differences in acute and late toxicity were assessed via Pearson χIn the study, 219 and 118 patients were treated with LDR and SBRT. Median follow-up was 4.3 years (interquartile range, 3.1-6.1). All patients treated with LDR received 125.0 Gy in a single fraction. SBRT consisted of 42.5 Gy in 5 fractions. Five-year biochemical control for LDR versus SBRT was 91.6% versus 97.6% (P = .108). LDR patients had a larger increase in mean AUA scores at 1 month (17.2 vs 10.3, P.001) and 3 months posttreatment (14.0 vs 9.7, P.001), and in mean EPIC scores at 1 month (15.7 vs 13.8, P.001). There was no significant difference between LDR and SBRT in late grade 3 genitourinary toxicity (0.9% vs 2.5%, P = .238); however, LDR had lower rates of late grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity (0.0% vs 2.5%, P = .018).Our data show similar biochemical control and genitourinary toxicity rates at 5 years for both SBRT and LDR, with slightly higher gastrointestinal toxicity with SBRT and higher AUA and EPIC scores with LDR.

Purpose/objective(s) In early-stage, node negative oral tongue cancer, there is limited data supporting tumor depth of invasion (DOI) as an indication for post-operative radiotherapy (PORT) to the primary site. The primary aim of this study is to examine the effect of tumor DOI and PORT on overall survival (OS). Materials and methods The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was used to query patients with AJCC stage I and II oral tongue cancer (2006-2013). Patients were stratified by receipt of PORT, elective neck dissection (ND), and DOI (≤4 mm or >4 mm). Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to compare OS (using the log-rank test) between PORT versus no-PORT. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model performed to evaluate the independent effect of PORT and neck dissection on OS. Results Among 939 patients, 69.3% were clinical stage I, 67.4% received ND, 23.4% had DOI >4 mm, and 10.4% received PORT. The addition of PORT did not improve OS with tumor DOI ≤4 mm (p = 0.634) or >4 mm (p = 0.816). The addition of elective neck dissection improved OS for DOI >4 mm (p = 0.010), but not for ≤4 mm (p = 0.128). On multivariable analysis, ND improved OS if DOI >4 mm (HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.17-0.81 [p = .012]), when also controlling for age, sex, PORT status, clinical stage, and pathological stage. Conclusion Tumor DOI should not be used as a sole indication for PORT in early stage oral tongue cancers. Elective neck dissection at the time of excision of the primary tumor results in higher OS for tumors with DOI >4 mm.

High-grade glioma is the most common primary brain tumor, with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) accounting for 52% of all brain tumors. The current standard of care (SOC) of GBM involves surgery followed by adjuvant fractionated radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, little progress has been made in extending overall survival, progression-free survival, and quality of life. Attempts to characterize and customize treatment of GBM have led to mitigating the deleterious effects of radiotherapy using hypofractionated radiotherapy, as well as various immunotherapies as a promising strategy for the incurable disease. A combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy may prove to be even more effective than either alone, and preclinical evidence suggests that hypofractionated radiotherapy can actually prime the immune system to make immunotherapy more effective. This review addresses the complications of the current radiotherapy regimen, various methods of immunotherapy, and preclinical and clinical data from combined radioimmunotherapy trials.

To report the early experience using an automated chatbot (Chats)for patient-reported outcomes (PRO) and symptom self-managementinhead and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing radiation treatment (RT).Patients aged ≥ 18 yearsdiagnosed with HNC who were scheduled to begin RT were given the option to use Chats from June 2018 to June 2019. Enrolled patients received chat notifications two days before weekly on-treatment visitsand every 1-4 weeks after RT for an additional 4 months. After the first in-person follow-up visit, participants completed an electronic usability and satisfaction questionnaire.Of 95 patients who agreed to participate, 84 were eligible for analysis.Participantswere significantly younger than patients who declined participation (mean age 61.3 vs 68.3 years;p-value 0.001). Patient engagement with Chats was highest at 67% during the first month and declined over time (p-value = 0.004). Concordance between PRO and clinician-reported outcomes (CRO) was fair, ranging from 0.10 to 0.43 (Cohen κ statistics). The most commonly under-reported symptoms were salivary duct inflammation (53%), xerostomia (41%), and mucositis (37%). 89% (39 of 44) of patients who completed surveys found Chats easy to use, and 61% reported that Chats helped with symptom self-management and reduced the need to call the care team.These early results suggest that an interactive chatbot is feasible and provides support for HNC patients during and after RT. Chats identified discordance between PRO and CRO. Further study is required to measure benefits of Chats in a larger population.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) There is limited data on the use of SBRT for salvage or consolidative treatment of Head and Neck cancers. Given the relatively poor prognosis for recurrent HN cancers and risk of toxicity with the addition of hypofractionated RT after conventional IMRT, we wanted to evaluate patients that should receive SBRT. MATERIALS/METHODS Patients with HN cancer treated in Radiation Medicine were selected and data collected using a data extraction software. This data extraction software collects data from electronic medical records at a large tertiary care academic medical center. Consecutively treated patients with adequate documentation were selected. Data gathered included primary sites of cancer, the initial total dose from conventional treatment, number of fractions, SBRT total dose and fractions, metastatic disease or locoregional progression, types of grade 3-5 toxicity (CTCAE v four toxicity), time to develop toxicity and progression and time since SBRT to last follow-up. Time to toxicity was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier product limit method, and each factor was compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS Median age was 69 (Range 39-90). The median time between EBRT/ChemoRT and SBRT was six months (1-108 months). There were 59 males (71%) and 24 females (29%). The primary HN sites included oropharynx (OP) (37%), oral cavity (OC) (24%), hypopharynx, neck, salivary gland, paranasal sinus, and larynx cancers. The most common histology was squamous cell cancers, although less common histologies include salivary duct adenocarcinoma and esthesioneuroblastoma among others. Ten patients (12%) received SBRT after surgical resection of recurrence. Thirty-four patients (41%) were censored alive at / = 12 months developed grade 3 or 4 toxicity while 16 of 47 (34%) developed grade 3/4 toxicity with follow-up 5, P = 0.0114), post-op SBRT (P = 0.0018) and the interval between EBRT/CRT and SBRT (P = 0.02). There was field overlap between EBRT and SBRT in all patients. Adverse outcomes include necrosis, fistula, stomal bleeding, seizure, intractable pain, and PEG dependence. CONCLUSION SBRT after full dose EBRT should be used in select patients given its toxicity and limited survival in patients with advanced/locally recurrent head and neck cancer. We are planning a prospective evaluation of the use of SBRT in recurrent/locally advanced settings.

To elucidate the role of radiation therapy (RT) in the treatment of surgically resected limited-stage small cell lung carcinoma (LSCLC). We queried the SEER database from 1998 to 2012 to identify patients who were diagnosed with LSCLC as their only primary tumor. Kaplan–Meier analysis was utilized to determine disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS), while multivariate analysis was used to compare survival in terms of patients and treatment characteristics. Eight hundred twenty-three LSCLC patients were identified for inclusion within the study. 12-month DSS for patients who did not receive surgery or RT was 31.9% (95% CI 27.7–36.3), 93.3% (95% CI 71.6–90.5) for surgery alone, and 81.0% (95% CI 69.3–88.6) for surgery + RT. 12-month OS was 27.2% (95% CI 23.4–31.1), 74.7% (95% CI 62.6–83.4), and 78.3% (95% CI 66.4–86.4) for no surgery or RT, for surgery alone, and for surgery + RT, respectively. In terms of multivariate analysis, patients receiving surgery alone and patients receiving surgery + RT had a better DSS and OS than those who received neither treatment. However, OS (HR 1.60; 95% CI 0.93–2.75, p = 0.09) and DSS (HR 1.34; 95% CI 0.72–2.51, p = 0.37) were not significantly associated with patients receiving surgery alone compared to surgery + RT. Surgery alone and surgery + RT were positively associated with DSS and OS compared to patients who did not receive surgery or RT. However, the addition of RT to surgery did not significantly predict DSS or OS compared to surgery alone.

The role of radiation therapy in melanoma has evolved over the last few decades. There has been a dramatic improvement in radiation delivery with the introduction of intensity-modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, and stereotactic body radiation therapy/stereotactic radiation therapy. More recently, with the introduction of immunotherapy in various malignancies, including melanoma, the role of radiation therapy is being reevaluated. This article describes the evolution of the role of radiation therapy from nonimmunotherapy to the era of immunotherapy.

Mindfulness is being used increasingly in various aspects of cancer management. Benefits of mindfulness practices are being observed to manage the adverse effects of treatment, symptoms from cancer progression, and the cost-effectiveness compared to conventional contemporary management strategies. In this review article, we present clinical trial data showing the benefits of mindfulness in various aspects of cancer management as well as techniques that have been commonly used in this practice.

As our surgical, radiation, chemotherapeutic and supportive therapies for brain malignancies improve, and overall survival is prolonged, appropriate symptom management in this patient population becomes increasingly important. This review summarizes the published literature and current practice patterns regarding prophylactic and perioperative anti-epileptic drug use. As a wide range of anti-epileptic drugs is now available to providers, evidence guiding appropriate anticonvulsant choice is reviewed. A particular focus of this article is radiation therapy for brain malignancies. Toxicities and seizure risk associated with cranial irradiation will be discussed. Epilepsy management in patients undergoing radiation for gliomas, glioblastoma multiforme, and brain metastases will be addressed. An emerging but inconsistent body of evidence, reviewed here, indicates that anti-epileptic medications may increase radiosensitivity, and therefore improve clinical outcomes, specifically in glioblastoma multiforme patients.

Purpose To analyze differences in esophageal cancer survival by geographic region of the U.S. from the 1970s to the 2000s, and attribute the causes of these discrepancies. Methods Raw data were obtained from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute. Patients were stratified by decade of diagnosis and by geographic region (East, Hawaii/Alaska, Midwest, Southwest, and West), containing SEER registries. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test was used to compare the overall survival (OS) among these geographic groups. A multivariate Cox Proportional Hazard analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of the following factors on differences in survival: patient age, gender, race, tumor stage, site, histology, treatment method, and metropolitan size. Results A total of 87,834 patients were identified. OS has increased significantly since 1973, with five-year OS improving from 4.9% (the 1970s) to 15.3% (2000s) (P

Limited work, either retrospective or prospective, has been done to investigate whether or not there is a cause-specific mortality (CSM) or all-cause mortality (ACM) benefit to adding surgery following neoadjuvant treatment for Stage IIIB NSCLC. We extracted patients with Stage IIIB NSCLC from the Survival, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database treated from 2004 to 2012 with either radiation alone or radiation followed by surgery. Other variables extracted were age, sex, race, and tumor location. The impact of patient and treatment variables on CSM and ACM was explored using Cox multivariable regression analysis. A total of 14,065 patients were extracted from the SEER database. On multivariable analysis, even after adjustment for age, gender, race, and site, radiation followed by surgery was associated with a reduction in cause-specific mortality compared to radiation alone (adjusted HR 0.46; 95 % CI 0.41, 0.52; p

Purpose Seed migration after interstitial prostate brachytherapy has been well documented in the literature. However, there have been no detailed reports of seed migration after permanent interstitial brachytherapy to treat cerebral malignancies. In this article, the authors report a rare case of seed migration after adjuvant cesium-131 ( 131 Cs) brachytherapy was used to treat a large paraventricular brain metastasis. Methods and materials The patient was a 63-year-old man with a 5.8-cm right frontal metastasis abutting the right lateral ventricle and causing severe edema and mass effect. The patient was enrolled in an ongoing clinical trial at our institution to receive permanent intraoperative 131 Cs brachytherapy in an effort to prevent tumor recurrence in the resection cavity. Stranded seeds were covered with Surgicel, and the cavity was filled with Tisseel to prevent seed migration. Results Imaging obtained at 54 days postsurgery showed no seed migration, but imaging obtained at 158 days revealed 12 brachytherapy seeds in the spinal canal from T11 to S2. The seeds were left in place because they were inactive at this time due to the short half-life of 131 Cs (9.7 days); they remained stable on followup imaging, and the patient was asymptomatic. Conclusions Although the clinical consequences remain unclear, the migration of inactive seeds is not currently considered to be a complication of intracerebral brachytherapy and we do not believe that additional measures must be taken to prevent it.

Purpose Non-melanomatous skin cancer (NMSC) is the single most common cancer in the US. Radiation therapy is an excellent treatment alternative to surgery. High-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) are commonly used radiation treatment modalities but little data is published comparing these modalities. We present our institution's experience and outcomes with these therapeutic options. Material and methods From June 2005 to March 2013, 61 patients were treated with HDR brachytherapy (n = 9), hypofractionated EBRT (n = 30), or standard fractionation EBRT (n = 22) for NMSC. The primary outcome measure was local control at most remote follow-up and secondary outcome measures were overall survival, cosmetic outcome, and toxicity. Univariate analysis was performed to compare outcomes between treatment modalities. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test were used to compare overall survival. Results Median follow-up was 30 months. The most common histologies were BCC (47%) and SCC (44%); mean patient age was 83.3 years. Local control was 81% and 2-year actuarial overall survival was 89%. There was no statistical difference in local control or overall survival between treatment modalities. There was no statistical difference in cosmetic outcome or toxicity between treatment modalities, although five of six “poor” cosmetic outcomes and the only grade 3 toxic events were found in the standard fractionation EBRT group. Conclusions All modalities investigated represent effective treatments for NMSC and have good cosmetic outcomes and acceptable toxicity profiles. The finding of higher grade toxicity and a greater portion of patients experiencing toxicity among standard fractionation therapy is counter to expectations. There was no statistical significance to the finding and it is not likely to be meaningful.

To examine clinical and demographic characteristics of a population-based cohort of patients with uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS), to assess access to treatment and survival patterns.Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was queried for patients diagnosed in 1999-2010 and treated with surgery with or without adjuvant radiation therapy (aRT). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival functions, and Cox proportional hazards regression - to analyze the effect of covariates on survival.2342 patients were eligible. African Americans presented with more advanced AJCC stages than other races (35.4% vs. 29.1%; p0.01). African Americans vs. others, and women diagnosed in 1999-2004 vs. in 2005-2010, received aRT at a similar rate: 36.5% vs. 39.9% (p=NS), and 39.5% vs. 38.9% (p=NS), respectively. There was a trend towards higher aRT utilization among patients younger than 65 vs. older (41.4% vs. 37.5%; p0.06). We observed better overall and cause-specific survival in the aRT group: 42 vs. 22 (p0.0001) and 57 vs. 28months (p0.0001), respectively. Black race, diagnosis in 1999-2004, advanced stage and age≥65years carried a higher risk of UCS death.We observed greater survival rate in the aRT group. African Americans were more likely to present with later stage disease and die of UCS than non-African Americans. Age and stage, but not race, influenced receipt of aRT. Patients treated more recently survived longer.

Purpose Radiation oncology curriculum development is challenging because of limited numbers of trainees at any single institution. The goal of this project is to implement and evaluate a standardized medical student clerkship curriculum following the multi-institutional cooperative group research model. Methods During the 2013 academic year, a standardized curriculum was implemented at 11 academic medical centers consisting of three 1-hour lectures and a hands-on radiation treatment planning workshop. After the curriculum, students completed anonymous evaluations using Likert-type scales (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely") and free responses. Evaluations asked students to rate their comfort, before and after the curriculum, with radiation oncology as a specialty, knowledge of radiotherapy planning methods, and ability to function as a radiation oncology resident. Nonparametric statistical tests were used in the analysis. Results Eighty-eight students at 11 academic medical centers completed the curriculum de novo, with a 72.7% (64 of 88) survey response rate. Fifty-seven students (89.1%) reported intent to pursue radiation oncology as their specialty. Median (interquartile range) student ratings of the importance of curricular content were as follows: overview, 4 (4-5); radiation biology/physics, 5 (4-5); practical aspects/emergencies, 5 (4-5); and planning workshop, 4 (4-5). Students reported that the curriculum helped them better understand radiation oncology as a specialty (5 [4-5]), increased specialty decision comfort (4 [3-5]), and would help the transition to radiation oncology residency (4 [4-5]). Students rated their specialty decision comfort significantly higher after completing the curriculum (4 [4-5] versus 5 [5-5]; P Conclusions A national standardized curriculum was successfully implemented at 11 academic medical centers, providing proof of principle that curriculum development can follow the multi-institutional cooperative group research model.

This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of surgical resection (S) and Cesium-131 (Cs-131) [S + Cs-131] intraoperative brachytherapy versus S and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) [S + SRS] for the treatment of brain metastases. Treatment records as well as hospital and outpatient charts of 49 patients with brain metastases between 2008 and 2012 who underwent S + Cs-131 (n = 24) and S + SRS (n = 25) were retrospectively reviewed. Hospital charges were compared for the single treatment in question. Means and curves of survival time were defined by the Kaplan-Meier estimator, with the cost analysis focusing on the time period of the relevant treatment. Quality adjusted life years (QALY) and Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) were calculated for each treatment option as a measure of cost-effectiveness. The direct hospital costs of treatments per patient were: S + Cs131 = $19,271 and S + SRS = $44,219. The median survival times of S + Cs-131 and S + SRS were 15.5 and 11.3 months, and the 12 month survival rates were 61 % and 49 % (P = 0.137). The QALY for S + SRS when compared to S + Cs-131 yielded a p

Purpose To update brachytherapy recommendations for pretreatment evaluation, treatment, and dosimetric issues for thoracic brachytherapy for lung cancer. Methods and Materials Members of the American Brachytherapy Society with expertise in thoracic brachytherapy updated recommendations for thoracic brachytherapy based on literature review and clinical experience. Results The American Brachytherapy Society consensus guidelines recommend the use of endobronchial brachytherapy for disease palliation in patients with central obstructing lesions, particularly in patients who have previously received external beam radiotherapy. The use of interstitial implants after incomplete resection may improve outcomes and provide enhanced palliation. Early reports support the use of CT-guided intratumoral volume implants within clinical studies. The use of brachytherapy routinely after sublobar resection is not generally recommended, unless within the confines of a clinical trial or a registry. Conclusions American Brachytherapy Society recommendations for thoracic brachytherapy are provided. Practitioners are encouraged to follow these guidelines and to develop further clinical trials to examine this treatment modality to increase the evidence base for its use.

Purpose: The feasibility and efficacy of re-irradiation using contemporary radiation techniques to treat recurrent head and neck cancer has been demonstrated but the role of brachytherapy is unclear. Here we describe the use of 131 Cs brachytherapy with concurrent salvage surgery in 18 patients. Material and methods: Eligible patients underwent maximal gross resection of the tumor with implantation of brachytherapy seeds delivering a minimum dose of 80 Gy to the tumor bed. Rates of overall survival, locoregional progression free survival, disease-free survival, and radiation-induced toxicity were analyzed. Results: Retrospective Kaplan-Meier analysis shows median overall survival was 15 months and disease free survival was 12 months. Two patients developed grade 3 toxicity; all other complications were grade 1-2 with no grade 4 or 5 complications. Conclusions: Compared to prior literature, our study shows comparable rates of survival with a decreased rate of radiation-induced toxicity. J Contemp Brachytherapy 2015; 7, 6: 445-452 DOI: 10.5114/jcb.2015.56764