Intensity-modulated radiotherapy versus stereotactic body radiotherapy for prostate cancer (PACE-B): 2-year toxicity results from an open-label, randomised, phase 3, non-inferiority trial

Background Localised prostate cancer is commonly treated with external beam radiotherapy and moderate hypofractionation is non-inferior to longer schedules. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) allows shorter treatment courses without impacting acute toxicity. We report 2-year toxicity findings from PACE-B, a randomised trial of conventionally fractionated or moderately hypofractionated radiotherapy versus SBRT. Methods PACE is an open-label, multicohort, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial conducted at 35 hospitals in the UK, Ireland, and Canada. In PACE-B, men aged 18 years and older with a WHO performance status 0–2 and low-risk or intermediate-risk histologically-confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma (Gleason 4 + 3 excluded) were randomly allocated (1:1) by computerised central randomisation with permuted blocks (size four and six), stratified by centre and risk group to control radiotherapy (CRT; 78 Gy in 39 fractions over 7·8 weeks or, following protocol amendment on March 24, 2016, 62 Gy in 20 fractions over 4 weeks) or SBRT (36·25 Gy in five fractions over 1–2 weeks). Androgen deprivation was not permitted. Co-primary outcomes for this toxicity analysis were Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grade 2 or worse gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicity at 24 months after radiotherapy. Analysis was by treatment received and included all patients with at least one fraction of study treatment assessed for late toxicity. Recruitment is complete. Follow-up for oncological outcomes continues. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01584258. Findings We enrolled and randomly assigned 874 men between Aug 7, 2012, and Jan 4, 2018 (441 to CRT and 433 to SBRT). In this analysis, 430 patients were analysed in the CRT group and 414 in the SBRT group; a total of 844 (97%) of 874 randomly assigned patients. At 24 months, RTOG grade 2 or worse genitourinary toxicity was seen in eight (2%) of 381 participants assigned to CRT and 13 (3%) of 384 participants assigned to SBRT (absolute difference 1·3% [95% CI –1·3 to 4·0]; p=0·39); RTOG grade 2 or worse gastrointestinal toxicity was seen in 11 (3%) of 382 participants in the CRT group versus six (2%) of 384 participants in the SBRT group (absolute difference –1·3% [95% CI –3·9 to 1·1]; p=0·32). No serious adverse events (defined as RTOG grade 4 or worse) or treatment-related deaths were reported within the analysis timeframe. Interpretation In the PACE-B trial, 2-year RTOG toxicity rates were similar for five fraction SBRT and conventional schedules of radiotherapy. Prostate SBRT was found to be safe and associated with low rates of side-effects. Biochemical outcomes are awaited

Het belang van de tumormarge na conservatieve chirurgie bij borstkanker in een vroeg stadium

Conclusie Zo conservatief mogelijk opereren is een prijzenswaardige benadering, zeker, maar niet alleen, bij jonge borstkankerpatiënten. Deze betrachting mag echter geen prioriteit worden ten opzichte van het risico op lokale recidieven met duidelijk nadelige gevolgen voor de overleving. Men dient zich ervan bewust te zijn dat, met name bij jonge patiënten en in het geval van een EIC, met radiotherapie het risico op lokale recidieven niet altijd voldoende verlaagd kan worden. Het verhogen van de dosis lijkt echter niet te helpen dit probleem op te lossen. Verhoging van de intensiteit van de chemotherapie verbetert de lokale controle wel, maar kan leiden tot een vertraging van de bestraling, vooral bij patiënten met een verhoogd risico op een lokaal recidief. Extra voorzichtigheid is daarom geboden bij patiënten met een krappe marge. Daarnaast dient de mogelijkheid van een chirurgische re-interventie overwogen te worden, en eventueel een mastectomie en reconstructie, vooral bij jonge patiënten en patiënten met een EIC. Dit artikel is eerder gepubliceerd in Belgian Journal of Medical Oncology (Belg J Med Oncol 2009;3:93-100)

Tumor Margin after conservative breast cancer surgery for early disease: an issue or not ?

Summary is standard of care. However, the question is Conservative breast surgery (CBS), i.e. tumorec- whether this approach is able to consolidate local tomy (TUM), has replaced more radical surgical control irrespective of the extent of the surgical approaches such as mastectomy (MAST) and margin. No consensus exists in the literature con-quadrantectomy (QUAD). The aim of surgeons is cerning what should be considered as a minimal to avoid recurrence and still obtain a good cos-and hence a safe margin. This review will summetic result. After CBS for early disease, adjuvant marize the published data in order to try to define radiation consisting of whole breast irradiation a pragmatic treatment approach. followed by a boost dose on the surgical bed is standard of care. However, the question is whether this approach is able to consolidate local control irrespective of the extent of the surgical margin. No consensus exists in the literature concerning what should be considered as a minimal and hence a safe margin. This review will summarize the published data in order to try to define a pragmatic treatment approach

Development of an immobilisation device for treatment of patients after breast conserving surgery for mammary carcinoma.

To develop an immobilisation device for prone positioning for breast irradiation. The basic requirements for the device are: rapid and accurate patient (re)positioning, compatibility with modern imaging devices and easy to handle by the treating technologists

Respiratory Motion, Anterior Heart Displacement and Heart Dosimetry: Comparison Between Prone (Pr) and Supine (Su) Whole Breast Irradiation

peer reviewe

The Influence of Treatment Position (Prone vs. Supine) on Clip Displacement, Seroma, Tumor Bed and Partial Breast Target Volumes: Comparative Study

peer reviewedTo analyse the displacement of surgical clips in prone (Pr) position and assess the consequences on target volumes and integral dose of partial breast irradiation (PBI). 30 post-lumpectomy breast cancer patients underwent CT imaging in supine (Su) and Pr. Clip displacements were measured by the distances from the clips to a common fix bony reference point. On each dataset, the tumour bed (TB = clips ± seroma), clinical target volume (CTV = TB + 1.5 cm) and planning target volumes (PTV = CTV + 1 cm) for PBI were determined and the volume pairs were compared. Furthermore estimation of integral dose ratio (IDR) within the breast from tangential treatment was performed as the ratio of the irradiated breast volume and the volume encompassing all clips. Clips close to the chest wall (CW) in Su showed significantly less displacement in Pr. The mean volumes of seroma, CTV and PTV were significantly higher in Pr than in Su. The PTV volume difference (Pr-Su) was significantly higher in patients with presence of seroma, deep clips and TB location in the superior-internal-quadrant (SIQ) and at the junction of superior quadrants (jSQ). In a multivariate analysis two factors remained significant: seroma and TB localization in SIQ-jSQ. The IDR was significantly larger in Su than in Pr (7.6 vs. 4.1 p < 0.01). Clip displacements varied considerably with respect to their relative position to the CW. In selected patients Pr position potentially leads to a significant increase in target volumes of PBI. Tangential beam arrangement for PBI should be avoided, not only in Su but in Pr as well in case of clip-based target volume definition