Results of a survey on elderly head and neck cancer patients on behalf of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO)

Problem. Over the years, evidence-based data and technical improvements have consolidated the central role of radiation therapy (RT) in head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment, even in the elderly. This survey aimed to describe the management of the elderly HNC patients among Italian Radiation Oncology Departments (RODs) and provide possible suggestions for improvement. Method of study. An online survey based on 43 questions was sent to RODs via email. For each RODs, a radiation oncologist with expertise in HNC was invited to answer questions addressing his/her demographic data, ROD multidisciplinary unit (MU) organisation and ROD management policy in elderly HNC patients. Results. In total, 68 RODs answered, representing centres located in 16 Italian regions. MU was considered the core of HNC patient management in almost all the country. However, in many RODs, there was minimal access to a routinely comprehensive geriatric assessment at diagnosis. Most treatments were reported by respondents as curative (89% on average) and the preferred treatment technique was intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). A considerable variation between RODs was found for RT target volumes. There was a relation between the specialist’s years of experience and type of concomitant systemic therapy prescribed. Conclusions. Substantial differences in elderly HNC management have been found, especially concerning patient clinical evaluation and target volume delineation. This survey shows the necessity to design a prospective national trial to provide a uniform treatment strategy and define an effective patient-centred approach

Reconstructive flap surgery in head and neck cancer patients: an interdisciplinary view of the challenges encountered by radiation oncologists in postoperative radiotherapy

BackgroundMajor advances have been made in reconstructive surgery in the last decades to reduce morbidity in head and neck cancer. Flaps are now present in 80% of patients with oral cavity cancer to cover anatomic, functional, and cosmetic needs. However, gaps in interdisciplinary innovation transfer from surgery to postoperative radiotherapy (poRT) remain challenging. We aimed to provide an interdisciplinary view of the challenges encountered by radiation oncologists in planning head and neck postoperative radiotherapy.MethodsA systematic and critical review was conducted to address areas of optimization in surgery and radiology that may be relevant to poRT.ResultsDespite extensive surgical literature on flap techniques and salvage surgery, 13 retrospective series were identified, where flap outcomes were indirectly compared between surgery alone or poRT. These low-evidence studies suggest that radiotherapy accelerates flap atrophy, fibrosis, and osteoradionecrosis and deteriorates functional outcomes. Preliminary evidence suggests that tumor spread occurs at the flap–tissue junction rather than in the flaps. One prospective 15-patient study showed 31.3% vs. 39.2% flap volume reduction without or with poRT. In an international consensus, experts recognized the needs for optimized flap-sparing poRT against flap-related functional deterioration and bone damage. CT, MRI, and PET-CT modalities show potential for the delineation of the junction area between native tissues and flap for flap segmentation and to characterize flap-specific changes quantitatively and correlate them with patterns of relapse or complications.ConclusionFlap management in poRT is insufficiently documented, but poRT seems to damage flaps. Current gaps in knowledge underscore the need for prospective flap assessment and interdisciplinary trials investigating flap morbidity minimization by flap-sparing poRT planning

Head and neck radiotherapy amid the COVID‑19 pandemic: practice recommendations of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO)

Abstract Management of patients with head and neck cancers (HNCs) is challenging for the Radiation Oncologist, especially in the COVID-19 era. The Italian Society of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO) identified the need of practice recommendations on logistic issues, treatment delivery and healthcare personnel’s protection in a time of limited resources. A panel of 15 national experts on HNCs completed a modified Delphi process. A five-point Likert scale was used; the chosen cut-offs for strong agreement and agreement were 75% and 66%, respectively. Items were organized into two sections: (1) general recommendations (10 items) and (2) special recommendations (45 items), detailing a set of procedures to be applied to all specific phases of the Radiation Oncology workflow. The distribution of facilities across the country was as follows: 47% Northern, 33% Central and 20% Southern regions. There was agreement or strong agreement across the majority (93%) of proposed items including treatment strategies, use of personal protection devices, set-up modifications and follow-up re-scheduling. Guaranteeing treatment delivery for HNC patients is well-recognized in Radiation Oncology. Our recommendations provide a flexible tool for management both in the pandemic and post-pandemic phase of the COVID-19 outbreak

Insight in cognitive impairment assessed with the Cognitive Assessment Interview in a large sample of patients with schizophrenia

The Cognitive Assessment Interview (CAI) is an interview-based scale measuring cognitive impairment and its impact on functioning in subjects with schizophrenia (SCZ). The present study aimed at assessing, in a large sample of SCZ (n = 601), the agreement between patients and their informants on CAI ratings, to explore patients' insight in their cognitive deficits and its relationships with clinical and functional indices. Agreement between patient- and informant-based ratings was assessed by the Gwet's agreement coefficient. Predictors of insight in cognitive deficits were explored by stepwise multiple regression analyses. Patients reported lower severity of cognitive impairment vs. informants. A substantial to almost perfect agreement was observed between patients' and informants' ratings. Lower insight in cognitive deficits was associated to greater severity of neurocognitive impairment and positive symptoms, lower severity of depressive symptoms, and older age. Worse real-life functioning was associated to lower insight in cognitive deficit, worse neurocognitive performance, and worse functional capacity. Our findings indicate that the CAI is a valid co-primary measure with the interview to patients providing a reliable assessment of their cognitive deficits. In the absence of informants with good knowledge of the subject, the interview to the patient may represent a valid alternative

Social cognition in people with schizophrenia: A cluster-analytic approach

Background The study aimed to subtype patients with schizophrenia on the basis of social cognition (SC), and to identify cut-offs that best discriminate among subtypes in 809 out-patients recruited in the context of the Italian Network for Research on Psychoses. Method A two-step cluster analysis of The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT), the Facial Emotion Identification Test and Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test scores was performed. Classification and regression tree analysis was used to identify the cut-offs of variables that best discriminated among clusters. Results We identified three clusters, characterized by unimpaired (42%), impaired (50.4%) and very impaired (7.5%) SC. Three theory-of-mind domains were more important for the cluster definition as compared with emotion perception and emotional intelligence. Patients more able to understand simple sarcasm (14 for TASIT-SS) were very likely to belong to the unimpaired SC cluster. Compared with patients in the impaired SC cluster, those in the very impaired SC cluster performed significantly worse in lie scenes (TASIT-LI <10), but not in simple sarcasm. Moreover, functioning, neurocognition, disorganization and SC had a linear relationship across the three clusters, while positive symptoms were significantly lower in patients with unimpaired SC as compared with patients with impaired and very impaired SC. On the other hand, negative symptoms were highest in patients with impaired levels of SC. Conclusions If replicated, the identification of such subtypes in clinical practice may help in tailoring rehabilitation efforts to the person's strengths to gain more benefit to the person

Nodal Elective Volume Selection and Definition during Radiation Therapy for Early Stage (T1-T2 N0 M0) Perianal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Narrative Clinical Review and Critical Appraisal

Distinction between anal canal and perianal squamous cell carcinomas (pSCCs) is essential, as these two subgroups have different anatomical, histological, and lymphatic drainage features. Early-stage true perianal tumors are very uncommon and have been rarely included in clinical trials. Perianal skin cancers and aCCs are included in the same tumor classification, even though they have different lymphatic drainage features. Furthermore, pSCCs are treated similarly to carcinomas originating from the anal canal. Radiation therapy (RT) is an essential treatment for anal canal tumors. Guidelines do not differentiate between treatment volumes for perianal tumors and anal cancers. So far, in pSCC, no study has considered modulating treatment volume selection according to the stage of the disease. We conducted a narrative literature review to describe the sites at higher risk for microscopic disease in patients with early-stage perianal cancers (T1-T2 N0 M0) to propose a well-thought selection of RT elective volumes

Reconstructive flap surgery in head and neck cancer patients: an interdisciplinary view of the challenges encountered by radiation oncologists in postoperative radiotherapy

International audienceBackgroundMajor advances have been made in reconstructive surgery in the last decades to reduce morbidity in head and neck cancer. Flaps are now present in 80% of patients with oral cavity cancer to cover anatomic, functional, and cosmetic needs. However, gaps in interdisciplinary innovation transfer from surgery to postoperative radiotherapy (poRT) remain challenging. We aimed to provide an interdisciplinary view of the challenges encountered by radiation oncologists in planning head and neck postoperative radiotherapy.MethodsA systematic and critical review was conducted to address areas of optimization in surgery and radiology that may be relevant to poRT.ResultsDespite extensive surgical literature on flap techniques and salvage surgery, 13 retrospective series were identified, where flap outcomes were indirectly compared between surgery alone or poRT. These low-evidence studies suggest that radiotherapy accelerates flap atrophy, fibrosis, and osteoradionecrosis and deteriorates functional outcomes. Preliminary evidence suggests that tumor spread occurs at the flap–tissue junction rather than in the flaps. One prospective 15-patient study showed 31.3% vs. 39.2% flap volume reduction without or with poRT. In an international consensus, experts recognized the needs for optimized flap-sparing poRT against flap-related functional deterioration and bone damage. CT, MRI, and PET-CT modalities show potential for the delineation of the junction area between native tissues and flap for flap segmentation and to characterize flap-specific changes quantitatively and correlate them with patterns of relapse or complications.ConclusionFlap management in poRT is insufficiently documented, but poRT seems to damage flaps. Current gaps in knowledge underscore the need for prospective flap assessment and interdisciplinary trials investigating flap morbidity minimization by flap-sparing poRT planning.</jats:sec

Reconstructive flap surgery in head and neck cancer patients: an interdisciplinary view of the challenges encountered by radiation oncologists in postoperative radiotherapy

International audienceBackgroundMajor advances have been made in reconstructive surgery in the last decades to reduce morbidity in head and neck cancer. Flaps are now present in 80% of patients with oral cavity cancer to cover anatomic, functional, and cosmetic needs. However, gaps in interdisciplinary innovation transfer from surgery to postoperative radiotherapy (poRT) remain challenging. We aimed to provide an interdisciplinary view of the challenges encountered by radiation oncologists in planning head and neck postoperative radiotherapy.MethodsA systematic and critical review was conducted to address areas of optimization in surgery and radiology that may be relevant to poRT.ResultsDespite extensive surgical literature on flap techniques and salvage surgery, 13 retrospective series were identified, where flap outcomes were indirectly compared between surgery alone or poRT. These low-evidence studies suggest that radiotherapy accelerates flap atrophy, fibrosis, and osteoradionecrosis and deteriorates functional outcomes. Preliminary evidence suggests that tumor spread occurs at the flap–tissue junction rather than in the flaps. One prospective 15-patient study showed 31.3% vs. 39.2% flap volume reduction without or with poRT. In an international consensus, experts recognized the needs for optimized flap-sparing poRT against flap-related functional deterioration and bone damage. CT, MRI, and PET-CT modalities show potential for the delineation of the junction area between native tissues and flap for flap segmentation and to characterize flap-specific changes quantitatively and correlate them with patterns of relapse or complications.ConclusionFlap management in poRT is insufficiently documented, but poRT seems to damage flaps. Current gaps in knowledge underscore the need for prospective flap assessment and interdisciplinary trials investigating flap morbidity minimization by flap-sparing poRT planning.</jats:sec

What is the role of postoperative re-irradiation in recurrent and second primary squamous cell cancer of head and neck? A literature review according to PICO criteria

9norestrictedrestrictedMerlotti, Anna; Mazzola, Rosario; Alterio, Daniela; Alongi, Filippo*; Bacigalupo, Almalina; Bonomo, Pierluigi; Maddalo, Marta; Russi, Elvio Grazioso; Orlandi, EsterMerlotti, Anna; Mazzola, Rosario; Alterio, Daniela; Alongi, Filippo; Bacigalupo, Almalina; Bonomo, Pierluigi; Maddalo, Marta; Russi, Elvio Grazioso; Orlandi, Este

Avolition-Apathy and White Matter Connectivity in Schizophrenia: Reduced Fractional Anisotropy Between Amygdala and Insular Cortex

The avolition/apathy domain of negative symptoms includes motivation- and pleasure-related impairments. In people with schizophrenia, structural and functional abnormalities were reported in key regions within the motivational reward system, including ventral-tegmental area (VTA), striatum (especially at the level of the nucleus accumbens, NAcc), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), as well as amygdala (Amy) and insular cortex (IC). However, the association of the reported abnormalities with avoliton-apathy is still controversial. In the present study, we investigated white matter connectivity patterns within these regions, using a probabilistic analysis of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data, in male subjects with schizophrenia. Thirty-five male subjects with schizophrenia (SCZ) and 17 male healthy controls (HC) matched for age, underwent DTI. SCZ were evaluated using the Schedule for Deficit Syndrome (SDS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Probabilistic tractography was applied to investigate pathways connecting the Amy and the NAcc with the OFC and IC. Reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) was observed in left Amyâ\u80\u93ventral anterior IC connections, in SCZ compared with controls. This abnormality was negatively correlated with avolition/apathy but not with expressive deficit scores. SCZ showed also a reduced connectivity index between right NAcc and medial OFC, as compared with controls. Finally, the left NAcc-dorsal anterior IC connectivity index was negatively correlated with working memory scores. Our results indicate that only the avolition/apathy domain of negative symptoms is related to abnormal connectivity in the motivation-related circuits. The findings also demonstrate that distinct alterations underlie cognitive impairment and avolition/apathy