Relationship between changes in quality of life and genitourinary toxicity grade after brachytherapy with I-125 alone for localised prostate cancer

Background: The relationship between the grading of toxicities based on toxicity criteria and longitudinal changes in quality of life (QOL) scores after permanent prostate brachytherapy (PPB) for localized prostate cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate these relationships. Materials and methods: We assessed 107 patients treated with PPB using Iodine-125 alone from May 2007 to April 2010. Disease-specific QOL scores before PPB and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after PPB were retrospectively evaluated with the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC), focusing on urinary domains. Toxicities were graded using the Radiation therapy oncology group and the European organization for research and treatment of cancer toxicity criteria. Results: The median follow-up duration was 116 (range 18–148) months. Thirty-four patients (31.8%) developed grade ≥ 2 acute genitourinary (GU) toxicities; six (5.6%) developed grade ≥ 2 late GU toxicities. The general urinary domain score dropped significantly at 1 month (77.1 ± 14.1) post-PPB compared to the baseline score (92.2 ± 8.2), and then gradually returned to the baseline level by 12 months (93.7 ± 8.3) post-PPB. Reductions in the general urinary domain scores, including its subscale scores at 1, 3, and 6-months post-PPB were significantly greater among patients with grade ≥ 2 GU toxicity than among those with grade 0–1 GU toxicity. Changes in urinary domain scores demonstrated a close relationship with acute GU toxicity grades after PPB. Conclusions: Longitudinal assessments of the EPIC QOL scores provided additional information regarding time-course changes in GU toxicities after PPB.

Summary of the clinical data (Cervix-IV)

FNCA FY2011 Workshop on Radiation Oncolog

Summary of the clinical data (NPC-III)

FNCA FY2012 Workshop on Radiation Oncolog

FNCA Radiation Oncology Project

IntroductionFNCA (Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia) is a Japan-led cooperation framework for peaceful use of nuclear technology in Asia. The cooperation consists of FNCA meetings and the project activities with the participation of Australia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Radiation oncology project is one of ten projects and National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) is a secretariat. Protocol studies on radiotherapy for common cancers in Asia has been carried out since 1994.ObjectiveThe object of this joint group is to establish safe and effective, technically feasible and economically reasonable treatment in Asian countries.MethodologyWe have been having annual Workshop on Radiation Oncology in participant countries, discussing about our trial data, result of audits in quality assurance / quality control, and our future plan.ResultsWe had started our standardized radiotherapy protocol for treatment of uterine cervix cancer in 1994, and published Radiation therapy of stage IIIB Cervical cancer in Asians, Report and Guideline from the Cooperative Trials in 2001 and Radiation Therapy Handbook of Brachytherapy Physics in 2008. These have been utilized in training courses of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to increase synergy of activities of FNCA and IAEA. We conducted 4 clinical trials for uterine cervix cancer, 3 protocols for nasopharyngeal cancer and 1 new protocol for breast cancer.ConclusionFNCA activities have had a strong impact on medical care and radiation oncology in Asian countries. We published 20 years Achievement Report this year.29th International Congress of the Medical Women\u27s International Associatio

Carbon Ion Radiotherapy for Early Breast Cancer

Introduction :Breast cancer is a major health problem for women in all over the world. The standard care for early stage breast cancer is breast conserving therapy which consists of conservative surgery and fractionated whole breast irradiation. Fractionated irradiation takes more than 5 weeks and is a burden to patients. Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) is an alternative to fractionated whole breast irradiation in patients with low risk tumor. Objective :We are about to conduct a clinical trial of radical APBI without surgery using carbon iron irradiation for patients with low risk tumor. A candidate of carbon ion treatment is T1N0M0, estrogen receptor (ER) positive, HER2 negative, invasive ductal carcinoma or other favorable type, without extensive intraductal component, lymph vascular space invasion, and tumor located more than 5 mm from skin. Methodology :Carbon ion beams provide superior physical dose distribution because of their finite range in the target tissue, and they possess a biological advantage due to their high relative biological effectiveness in the Bragg peak. Since 1994, our institute has treated more than 7,000 cases of various malignancies. We plan to use dose escalation of 12 GyE, 13.2 GyE and 15 GyE per fraction and 4 fractions in one week for breast tumor. Results :We finalized the technical preparation and ethical approval. Conclusion :We will start clinical trial from April 2013. Just a four fractions of carbon ion radiotherapy could have a potential to be an alternative of surgery and conventional radiotherapy.29th International Congress of the Medical Women\u27s International Associatio